Kaieteur News

Glenn Lall slams Jagdeo for repetitive news conferences

...says VP failing to address key issues in oil sector, other serious national concerns

Businessman and civil society advocate, Glenn Lall has criticisedVice President, Bharrat Jagdeo for what he described as his repetitive weekly press conferences as well as his failure to address key issues within the oil and gas sector and other matters ofnationalconcern.

During an edition of his weeklyradioprogrammelast week,thebusinessmancalled out the VP on the repetitive nature of his weekly press conferences saying that, “Last week, he had a 2-hour Press Conference, I didn't play it because is the same dhal on the fire, he just keep 'gotaying' it, stirring and stirring.”

He added that the only topics the VP seems to be interested in on a weekly basis are the “12 new hospitals, Rickford Burke, KaieteurNews,letterwriters,

columnists, roads, schools, Nigel Hughes, the media, opposition never got a plan, bridges, PNC, the usual things,andnotasingleword aboutthebiggestthings–our oil and gold, and when he is askedbyreporters,islikeyou light a fire under his cushion.”

Jagdeo, the chief

policymaker of the oil and gas sector has repeatedly stonewalledquestionsinthis area posed to him by this newspaper Lall highlighted therecentseriesofquestions Jagdeo was asked by this publication and the oppositiononthedocuments fortheGas-to-ShoreProject; when it will be laid in parliament for the public to seeit.“Everyweek, Kaieteur News asking Bharat Jagdeo when he is going to make public or put the project documents in Parliament, he

sending the reporters to Gail Teixeiraandshesaidsheain't knowanythingaboutthat.He sends them to Vickram Bharrat,hetoohasnothingto say…”NotingthatJagdeois hiding the documents, Lall said, “because of the gangsterismthatwrappedup in that US$3B project.” The businessmannotedthatwhile Jagdeo seems enthusiastic about the project, he gets upset, “so cold when questionsareaskedofhimto show the proof that it will become the electricity saviourforGuyana.”

Lallwhoisalsopublisher of this newspaper, believes the project will amount to a white elephant given the astronomicalincreaseincost. He reasoned, “No feasibility study, no Press Conference on this subject matter, price doubledanditisstillfeasible; Jagdeo plug that feasible out

of thin air That's another whiteelephantthatwillhang Guyanese for the so-called cheapelectricity.”

Lall said that another instanceoftheVP'sfailureto be transparent is with updating the Guyanese public with the current state of the country's oil reserves. Kaieteur News has spent the last two years asking for an update for the nation. Lall said, “Look this man, when hewasaskedandaskedabout how much barrels of new oil EM found in the 8 discoveries they made recently, he first told the nation the discoveries were substantial, but not significant.

The second answer he gave, he said ExxonMobil is busy pumping making money from the oil and they do not have time to count up how much barrels they

found. The third thing he said, to count up is a long process…”

Lallwentontoexplainto his audience that it was not until an international analytics company S&P Global put the country's estimated reserves at almost 19B barrels, and this publication again enquired that the VP promised to updatethepublicinaweek's time “Well, a foreign

company threw a bone to us with the total figure of 19B barrels When Kaieteur News found the article and published that story, and Jagdeohadnowheretorunor hide,hethrewoutastatement saying within a week, he is going to tell us, a week has come and gone and we are stillwaitingforhimtorelease the figures, telling us how muchoilExxonhasfoundto date,”Lalladded.

Businessman, Glenn Lall

Opposition urges Govt. to go after ExxonM for oil money illegally spent in Canje, Kaieteur blocks

...says Jagdeo, PPP/C have no interest in recovering oil funds

The People's N a t i o n a l Congress Reform (PNC/R) is of the view that the Government of Guyana and Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo have no interest in recovering the oil funds Exxon used from the Stabroek Block to offset expenses in Kaieteur and Canje.

Economist and advisor ontheoilsectortotheparty, Elson Low told this publication in an invited comment on Saturday evening that his party has been urging the government to engage the operator (Exxon) and make it clear thatthemoniesspentinother blocksshouldnotbecharged to Stabroek. “We have previously urged the government to urgently engagetheOperatortomake it clear that expenses which carry across blocks should not be included in the Stabroek Block cost recovery bank as this is a wide-ranging issue Drill ships used for the Kaieteur andCanjeOilblocksarejust another example of this problem,”hesaid.

The PNC is of the belief that had Exxon been engagedinatimelymanner, the dispute would have already been resolved and the funds recovered or the costs removed altogether Low stressed that the opposition “can only

concludethatthePPPhasno interest in recovering these costs. This has been their attitude towards cost oil audits from the inception, andthechaosthatcamefrom the disputed $214m USD, which the country has still not recoveredfunds from, is anexampleoftheirattitude.”

Furthermore, “We believe through proactive actiononissuesoflegitimate confusion, we can avoid escalating disputes. Where disagreement remains, however, robust audits that areenforcedisvitaltoensure Guyanese get the money theydeserve.”Latelastyear, anauditreport—draftedbya local consortium Ramdihal & Haynes Inc , Eclisar Financial, and Vitality Accounting & Consultancy Inc. and bolstered by the internationalsupportofSGS a n d M a r t i n d a l e

Economist and Advisor on Oil and Gas to the PNC, Elson Low

StabroekBlockprojects,100 percent of the renovation costs for Exxon's Duke Street office, including upgrades, furniture, and setup costs Auditors reasoned that Exxon operates all of its Guyana operations out of the Duke Street office, so charging 100%ofthemorethanUS$6 million of renovation costs entirely to the Stabroek Block's account “is patently inequitable.”

movedtotheadjacentCanje Block where it worked on theBulletwood-1wellwhich began December 31, 2020 and ended March 2, 2021. Stena was also used to drill the second well in Canje calledJabillo-1whichbegan on March 12, 2021 and endedMarch20,2021.

An elderly man is nowhospitalised but stable after hewasshotbyalonegunman on Saturday night at his Norton Street, Lodge, Georgetownhome.

The victim has been identifiedasRaymondKnipe a70-year-oldelectrician.

Inastatementreleasedto the media, the police said that, “According to the victim, he was parking his bus BNN 9253 in his yard when he observed a male dressedinall-overblackwith a hoodie over his head

Consultants gave a meticulous breakdown of five instances where the Stabroek Block's financial resources were used for Kaieteur –a block Exxon walkedawayfromaswellas Canje.

oil companies acted in violation of the contract, auditors insisted that the Stabroek Block account be r e i m b u r s e d w i t h US$3,812,653. In the first instance, the report states thatExxonusedtheStabroek Block revenues to cover a permit fee for a Kaieteur

used to cover that survey be returned to the Stabroek Block cost bank. Auditors saidthiswasdoneinOctober 2022.Inthesecondinstance, auditors found that Exxon included its cost recovery statement for the Stabroek Block, 100% of the costs associated with an

Auditfindings

Kaieteur News had reportedthatasaresultofthe five instances in which the

Geophysical Survey When auditorsmadethisdiscovery androastedExxonforsucha flagrant violation of international best practices, Exxon agreed that it should nothaveoccurred. As a result, auditors asked that the US$16,039

Norton Street man survives execution attempt

walkingintotheyardbehind him."Themanpointedagun at Knipe and began to squeeze the trigger, but the gundidnotfire,policesaid.

The victim told police that he began running to the back of his house and the suspectchasedafterhim.

As he was attempting to open his grilled door to his apartment, several rounds were discharged in his direction by the suspect Duringtheordeal,hewashit andsustainedinjuries.

The shooter then exited the yard and entered a

motorcarbearingregistration number PAB 8252. It then drove off in an easterly directionheadingtoMandela Avenue and made good his escape.Knipewaspickedup by public-spirited citizens and rushed to a city hospital wherehewasadmitted.

Heisinastablecondition nursing two gunshot wounds.

The scene was processed, and investigators recovered three 9mm spent shells. Efforts to locate the suspectandthecarhavebeen unsuccessfulthusfar

Emergency Response Study for oil spills from Guyana wells.

Auditors said the Stabroek Block revenues shouldnothavebeenusedto cover 100 percent of this activity since the study looked at wells in the Kaieteur and Canje blocks. Auditors said Stabroek's shareshouldhavebeen50% of the cost or US$ 32,575 while Canje's share should have been 25% or

US$16,287 64 and Kaieteur's share 25% or US$16,287 Exxon was therefore asked to return US$ 32,575 to the Stabroek Block'saccount.

Inthethirdcase,auditors said Exxon charged the Stabroek Block's producing projects, 100 percent of the cost for various vehicles. The auditors contended that since the vehicles are also used to support activities related to the Kaieteur and Canje blocks, Exxon must return US$404,285 to the Stabroek Block account. In the fourth case, the auditors said Exxon charged the account of producing

Inthefifthcase,auditors found that Exxon charged the account of producing Stabroek Block projects 100% of the costs from Environmental Resources Management,ERMGuyana, and RPS Group for various studies on the impact of oil and gas operations on fish, bird, and turtle migrations, habitats, and survival Auditors urged Exxon to return US$1,391,902 to the StabroekBlockaccount.

Meanwhile, the second audit report on ExxonMobil Guyana Limited's expenses totalling US$7 3B has exposed how the company brazenly used Stabroek Blockprofitstopayfordrill ship expenses related to two separate and distinct blocks Kaieteur and Canje In this case, the auditing team found that Exxon had four drill ships from Noble Corporation working during early 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic made staffing all four vessels challenging Auditorswereinformedthat Exxon took the decision to suspend the services of the Stena Carron drillship and the Noble Tom Madden and move them closer to shore intoa“hotstandby”(idlebut still operational) mode until the staffing issues could be alleviated.

In the case of the Stena Carron,auditorssaidrecords show Exxon had Stena on standbytoexecuteworksfor Stabroek as well as Canje and Kaieteur which it walkedawayfromthisyear.

Records show that Exxon had the Stena Carron drill ship drill the Tanager-1 well in the Kaieteur Block beginning September 9, 2020 and ending November 23, 2020. Stena was then

Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo at one of his press conferences last October though maintaining that the company had committed illegalities by usingStabroek'soilfundsto pay for works in other blocks, had said that they will face no punishment for it. Addressing the media at his October 26, 2023 press conference, the VPsaid that the oil company will face consequences.Whenhewas asked by this publication to expound on the issue, he stated that according to the contract signed with Guyana,theexpenseswould not be included in the cost bankfortheStabroekBlock.

“I maintain my position that it would be illegaland I repeatthat.Theauditswould have revealed that now and asIsaidbefore,therewillbe consequences. If you did unauthorized work, you don't go to jail according to PSAitjustdoesn'tformpart of the cost bank,” the VP said.

Fast forward to August 2024, the VP was asked by this publication to give an updateontheprogresssofar by the government to recover the monies Exxon misused, but was met with blunt refusal by the VP to answer on the matter Last Wednesday,hewasaskedby Kaieteur News tosayifthere were “Any developments to recover the money the auditors discovered Exxon spent in the Kaieteur and Canje oil blocks?” Jagdeo responded: “So the last time you said that the minister doesn'twanttoanswersome ofyourquestions.Sohewill have a press conference and all of these routine things, that are not policy-based, youcanfindoutthere.”

He instead directed Kaieteur News to the oil ministerwhorarelyresponds andalsododgesquestionson keyaspectsofthesector

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

KaieteurNews

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

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

Who is in charge?

Last week, this newspaper in one of its lead stories reported on how Mozambique has demanded and passed laws ensuring that oil companies provide reports on their spending,contractsandhiringoftheircitizens.

We contrasted that country’s approach to the managementoftheiroilsectorwithwhatobtainsinGuyana. Our report showed various instances where the chief policymakeroftheoilsector,VicePresidentBharratJagdeo insisting that Guyana does not have co-management arrangementswithExxonalthoughweareina50/50profitsharingpartnership.HesaidGuyanadoesnothaveanysay in ExxonMobil’s procurement and spending. He said this againstthebackdropofquestionsforinformationonwhatis the cost for the rental of the capping stack brought in this countrybyExxonMobilrecently;howmuchisthecompany payingforthetreatmentofproducedwaterandthelackof information on what is the interest rate being paid by the companyonitsinvestments.

TheVicePresidentsaidinstead,Guyanadependsonthe cost recovery audits to flag expenditures that might be inflated or illegal in the current contract arrangement. His position that this country does not have any say upfront makeslightofhiscampaignpromisetobringbettercontract management to the Exxon-Guyana deal. Of course, his positionisallaboutprotectingExxonMobilattheexpense of Guyanese and has nothing to do with the lack of comanagementarrangementoreventhehopetoflaginflated billsaftertheaudits.

This nation has already seen how ExxonMobil is runningroughshodoverJagdeoandtheMinistryofNatural Resources.Theyhaverefusedtorepayorputbackintothe cost bank, the US$214M in illegal expenditures and have optedforarbitration.WehaveseenhowGuyana’soilprofits were used to pay for yoga classes for ExxonMobil’s employees and also several other non-oil production activitiesandnothinghasbeendonetorecoverthosefunds, yetJagdeoistellinguswhathehastoldus.

Guyanese having no say in spending is part of the devilish objectives of the scheming PPP/C Government leaders,whostudyandplot,andcomeupwithnewwayson how to bleed Guyana dry and the many ways to steal the wealth of this country so as to bring it to the point of insolvency Guyanesehavetogetonethingintheirheads, theonlytimetheyhavevalue,haveanystandingthatcalls for recognition by political leaders is during elections seasons.Thisiswhentheyarecourtedandwooed,andthe one time when they represent something.All other times, theyarenothingbutdoormatstobeusedforwipingthefeet ofleadersandministers.Thequickercitizensofthiscountry getusedtothatreality,thebetterofftheywillbe,themore they will be able to cushion their disappointments, when theirhopesaredashed.

Forhereitisthatthiscountryispoisedtocashinonits biggestoilpaydays,andthePPP/CGovernmenthasmoved with cunning and determination to set up a mechanism to rob the people of their inheritance. The President has the power,orsoweareledtobelieve,butheisjustthepuppet on a string that is responding to the tugs and pulls of one manintheshadowswhoiscallingtheshots.Thatmanhasa certain history where big money, in fact, any kind of taxpayermoney,isconcerned,andhehasbeenslickenough intheswirlofoildevelopmentstomaketheHead-of-State thefrontman,withallthesepowers,whenhedoesn’thave anyotherthantosignandcarryoutordersatthebehestof therealpowerbehindthethrone.

WhattheVicePresidentdesiresallGuyanatobelieveis thathehasnosay,andisalongfortherideinallofthesefastrushing oil issues. But regardless of where the power to make decisions of enduring significance with this oil resides, the President or the Vice President or the subject Minister,theendresultisstillthesame.Weencourageour fellow citizens to look around carefully, and absorb what has been going on, and then ask yourselves whether you

The 2AM curfew nonsense raises its head again

DEAREDITOR

TheBlackfoodvendors, the normal Black ghetto youths working around sound systems, the Ital Dreads, DJs, the plantain chips and sweets sellers and thousands of ordinary African Guyanese suffered tremendously when the Coalition government while in power imposed a 2am curfewinGuyana.

Night Clubs felt it too because Guyanese always go to parties after 11pm and 12am Overseas-based Guyanese visiting

CCWU

complained about the 2am curfew I wrote extensively onthisissueandmanyinthe Coalition were upset with me I advised the then government to place more securityatvenuesinsteadof having that oppressive, controlling and fun-killing policy

ManyAfrican Guyanese party goers and young and middle-agedonesthatvoted fortheCoalitionin2015did notbothertogooutin2020. Thousands of Guyanese were upset with the Coalition A government

raises

doesnotbridlepeople’sway oflifeinsuchamanner You spend to put the requisite security measures in place and ensure venues follow safety rules and let the peopledancethenightaway That shows that the government genuinely cares.

Finally,whowillvotefor a party in 2025 if it is pushing for the 2am curfew toreturn?Trytocontrolyour own house and not public venues where adults go out to release their stresses, drink,makenoise,dancethe

night away and take home whotheywanttotakehome in the wee hours of the morning.onottrytocontrol people’slives.

Spend more to ensure they are protected and safe wheretheyare.Howcanany party expect to remove the PPP when they want to kill the fun of thousands of Guyanese?

This is pure nonsense comingfromthosewhowish to govern Guyana Pure nonsense!

Sincerely

NormanBrowne

concerns about check-off system with Laparkan Freight division

DEAREDITOR, The Laparkan Freight Forwarding Division has

allegedly violated a recognition agreement of avoidance and settlement of thedispute.

That agreement has outlined the cancellation procedures as set out in the

n the recognitionagreementusing the special form in the

n handwritten reasons with one month’s notice to the General Secretary of the Clerical and Commercial Workers’ Union (CCWU). The management has violated the recognition agreement; they cannot be part of the process. The members have uplifted cancellation forms from the unionheadquarters.

As guaranteed by Guyana’s Constitution Article 147(1) “Except with his or her own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his or her freedom to assembly, association, and freedom to demonstrate peacefully, that tosayhisorhertoassemble freely, to demonstrate peacefully and to associate with other persons and in particular to form or belong to political parties, trade unions or other associations for the protection of his or

herinterests.”

For example, the management is sharing cancellation forms with the workersforthemtosignand send them to the union withoutnoticeperiod.

This is a major violation of the trade union check-off system.

Thecheck-offsystemsin generalcanbeclassifiedinto two: the revocable and the irrevocablecheck-off.

Both are obtained following negotiations and collective bargaining between the union and management and are thus usually included in the collective bargaining agreement.

B e f o r e t h e implementation, the agreement provides that each union member signs a declaration requesting the employer to deduct a predetermined amount from his/her wages/salaries on each payday as his/her dues totheunion.

Should there be more than one payday during the month (where, for example, wages/salaries are paid weekly, fortnightly, or monthly)thetotalamountof dues so deducted by the employer shall neither exceed nor be less than, the amount of monthly dues incorporated in the union constitution.

have any say in anything related to this oil, since its discovery Itisthesamedismalandsecretivestorywiththe very costly gas-to-shore project slated for Wales, where Guyanese have their say, but are completely ignored by arrogant leaders in a rampaging government. In addition, moreandmorepeoplehavecomeoutandsaidthattheywant more for this oil, that the contract should be renegotiated (which the PPP/C itself said during the campaigns for elections),buttoday,nobodylistenstowhatGuyanesehave tosayaboutthisoilorhavethetimeofdayforthem.

The revocable type of check-off stipulates that a union member can, upon s

d

c

on, remove himself/herself from the list ofunionmemberswhowish to have their dues checked off.

On the other hand, the irrevocable check-off provides that each union member signs a declaration requesting the employer to deducthis/hermonthlydues from his/her wages/ salaries

This must continue in effect until the date agreed to within the contract the duration of which is either for the period from the date of the certified declaration requesting the dues collection or for thirty days beforetheexpirationdateof the collective labour agreement

It is significant to note that under the irrevocable type of check-off, a union member cannot “contract out” of the system before the expiration of his/her declarations or of the contract whichever is the shorter

Before seeking to establish the check-off a union would be well advisedtoascertainthatits members are well aware of the proposal through general discussions in representative meetings and that, if the proposal meets with general approval, it shall continue to be a subject of continuous education at least in the sense of the use that the checked-off moneyisputto

While most union members are generally apathetic to normal union

business, the question of its finances, insofar as it is taken from their payroll, interests them intensely much more so than many a union leader believes.

It may be advisable, forexample,fortheunion to consider issuing monthly well-explained financial statements to indicate to members how their money is spent and forwhatpurposes

In most unions, the dues payable by members are usually included in their Constitutions or byelaws The amount so stipula

employers to reduce it in returnforacheck-off

U n d e r n o circumstances should the union allow the employers to determine the amount of dues to be deducted from a member’s wages andsalaries

Usually, the collective labour agreement covers t

directing the employer how, where, and when he/she remits a cheque covering the total dues deducted from his/her

wages/salaries

The union officials would be well advised to make certain that these provisions do not conflict in any way with the union’s constitution and/ orbylaws

Yoursfaithfully, SherwoodClarke GeneralSecretary Clerical & Commercial Workers’Union(CCWU)

Police crime stats far from reality

DEAREDITOR

I previously wrote that theproductionoftheserious crimes figures by the police to indicate that there is a decrease in serious crime is meaningless when the perception is that crime is high and that citizens are living in perpetual fear of crime. The stats do not tell the full story However, recent statements by the Minister of Home Affairs

a n d t h e a c t i n g Commissioner of Police about the reduction of serious crimes have caused metoputbackmyfingeron thekeyboard.

At the recent Police

Anniversary Award Ceremony, the Acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken who is squatting in that position boasted, “We are currently experiencing a 18 9% reduction in serious crimes, thankstotheactivepresence of 361 community policing groups across the regional divisions, intelligence-led policing methods such as crime mapping and predictive analysis and the useofdrones,bodycameras, and CCTV for real time surveillance and hotspot management.” Speaking about the crime statistics, Minister of Home Affairs

Difficult to discern

DEAREDITOR

It was wrong for opposition members of the City Council to absent themselves from around the horse-shoe table for the important presentation by a consultant on the future of Stabroek Market (SN July 30). It was further posited

that a walk about the Stabroekarea,laterthesame day, saw a selected few of the absent councillors comprisingthecontingent. Just what was expected tobeachievedbythisdivide andruledisplaywasdifficult todiscern.

Regards ShamshunMohamed

Robeson Benn gleefully posited, “I think that it is almost a third or fourth year runningthatwereduceditby 20% each year We have been able to get good results.” The statements by the Minister and the acting Commissioner lack substance. They need real disaggregation It is a horrible attempt by the man whoisresponsibleforpolicy intheGPFandtheotherone who is in charge of operationstogivethepublic the impression that the police are efficient and effectiveandthattheyareon top of crime in the country when the situation is the opposite In a surprised disclosure,thesupremelegal i n f l u e n c e r o f t h e Government of Guyana, Attorney General Anil Nandlallathisrecentweekly television programme ISSUES IN THE NEWS, opined,“TheGovernmentis not comfortable with the level of crime and violence in the society and that is no secret. We have repeatedly acceptedthefactthatweare working assiduously to

address the situation. “The realityisthatseriouscrimeis generally out of control and that citizens are living in constantfearofcrime.

Here is the list of what the police considered and analysed as serious crimes: Murder; Robbery, Robbery where guns were used; Robbery where other weapons were used; Robbery with aggravation; Robbery with violence; Larceny from the person; Burglary; Break and enter andlarceny;Kidnappingand Rape.

This list of serious crimes used by the police to measure how well they are

d b y CommissionerLaurieLewis over three decades ago. He identified 11serious crimes that were analysed on a monthlyandyearlybasis.

This is the same list

presently being used by the police although crime and criminal activities have evolved over the years. It

g trafficking, trafficking in person, gold smuggling, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, arson, offences under the Sexual Offences Act apart

y laundering, white colour crimes, cybercrimes and other serious offences.

Although there is an overall reported decrease in serious

possibilityoftheincreaseof some of the crimes under review Whataboutthe‘dark figures’ in crimes, that is, crimes not reported to the police for diverse reasons including the belief of victimsthatthepolicewillbe unable to solve the crimes?

Thepossibilityof‘ghosting’

that is, falsifying patrol logs to ‘make numbers come out right for them.’ Cannot be overlooked.

Wayne W Benett and Karen H. Hess in their book ‘ M

Enforcement’explained that many people tend to use crime rates, number of arrestsandclearanceratesto measure how the police are doing.

They suggest that such measures have several problems:lowcrimeratesdo not necessarily mean that a policeagencyisefficientand effective; a high arrest rate does not necessarily show that the police are doing a good job; a high ratio of police officers to citizens does not necessarily mean high-quality police service; responding quickly to calls forservicedoesnot

(Continuedonpage16)

Labour has relevance in a country’s development even when it comes to protecting democracy, rights and the rule of law

DEAREDITOR

, The United States presidentialraceasitunfolds continues to present lessons for us in Guyana. What we are witnessing is two diametrically opposed forces, where one wants to corrupt and remove the pillars of democracy, fundamental rights and freedomsthathavemadethe

society, even in its imperfection, a beacon for otherstofollow

One presidential candidate announced during his campaign that he would relishtheopportunitytobea dictator for one day, should he win the election there would be need for another election, and is threatening to further erode women’s reproductiverightsandother gains the society made

through struggle He signalled his willingness to appoint justices to the SupremeCourtthatwillrule in his favour and undermine fundamentalprinciplesupon which the society has been built.

The other candidate is campaigningonfreedomand democracy which can be peacefully achieved through protection of rights and the ruleoflaw Sheisunlikeher competitor who fostered an environment of election victory denial and encouraged an insurrection on Congress, the lawmaking arm of government. Insurrectionists invaded Capitol Hill on 6th January 2021,callingforthehanging of Vice President Mike Pencewhowasnotprepared to go with the illegalities of

overturning the will of the people.

Thedistinctioncouldnot be starker the choice the Americanpeoplemustmake come November 5, of electing a woman who represents the upholding of law and order. One cannot help but ignore the comparisonalsomadeofthe election being between Kamala Harris, the prosecutor versus Donald Trump, the felon given his criminal convictions.Again, there is a stark reminder of IrfaanAli,himselffacing19 fraud charges, but these being dropped when he was electedPresident.Trump,on the other hand, faces many othe

s, even sentencing on the recent convictions, and is utilizing various tactics to delay sentencingandtheexecution of justice. He sees his electionascriticaltothis.

Guyana is a country fraught with corruption and executivelawlessnesswitha People’s Progressive Party (PPP)regimethathasgreatly succeeded in taking control

over, undermining, corrupting and dismantling structures of democracy Whether we look at the Guyana Police Force where thesmallmanfacesthebrunt of the law, even as the top brass is ensnared in corrupt practices, and the connected areallowedtowalkfree.For GECOM and Judiciary their independence is being eroded. There is the undermining of the Opposition functioning in P a r l i a m e n t a n d parliamentary committees being disabled, no respect for financial management andaccountability

The very structures to support and boost our democratic advances are being destroyed The Opposition has been rendered helpless and ineffective.Peoplearelosing hope. The vote is being corrupted where persons are financially rewarded for votinginaparticularwaybut mustshowproofbytakinga photograph. The Opposition isdeemedpowerless,people are marginalised, and the trade union’s struggle to preserve and advance workers’gain has become a major task. Businesses face termination and harassment iftheydonotsupportthePPP regime. Media, as the fourth estate, sees many forced to carryagovernmentline, (Continuedonpage09)

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havenosay

Omai starts new drilling phase

…eyes expanded mine plan

Canada-based company, Omai Gold Mines has a n n o u n c e d t h e commencement of a new drilling phase at its fully owned gold project located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni)Guyana.

This development was announcedonJuly31.

The announcement follows a PreliminaryEconomicAssessment (PEA) released on April 4, and a successful $13M brokered private placement that closed in June.The company said it is well positioned tofurtheradvancetheproject.

Omai's gold project encompassestwogolddeposits:the shear-hosted Wenot Deposit and the adjacent intrusive-hosted Gilt CreekDeposit.

BackinMay,itwasannounced that the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission (GGMC) has granted a new Prospecting Licence providing the exclusive right of occupation and exploration for gold, base metals, precious metals andpreciousstonestoOmai.

Thelicencehasaninitialthreeyear term untilApril 29, 2027 that

canbeextendedto2029.

This licence gives Omai the exclusive rights to apply for a Mining Licence and the company has commenced meetings with government officials that have providedguidanceontheprocess.

In a recent statement, the company'sChiefExecutiveOfficer (CEO) Elaine Ellingham, said, “Withthecompletionofourrecent financing,Omaihas$13millionin the treasury and we are well positioned for our 2024 and 2025 exploration and development programs.

Drilling commenced July 2nd, twelve days after the financing closed, with an initial 10,000 m drillingprogramunderway.”

Ellingham explained that the company's recent PEA for production of 1.83 million ounces of gold from an open pit mine, giving a Net Present Value (NPV5% discount) of US$566 million,isagreatmilestoneforthe company

She added, “However, we believe that the Omai property, even with the current Mineral

Resource Estimatecould support a muchlargermineplanwithalonger mine life and more robust economics.

Our priorities for 2024-2025 are clear -- to work towards: i) Expanding the overall property Mine Plan, ii) Enhancing the economics beyond this baseline PEA, and iii) Advancing permitting, engineering and baseline studies Steps are underwaytomoveforwardoneach oftheseobjectives.”

OmaistatedthattherecentPEA is based on open-pit production of 1.83 million ounces from only the Wenot deposit, one of the two orogenic gold deposits located on theOmaiProperty

This publication had reported thattheresultsfromitsfirstPEAfor theWenotProjectrevealedthatthe project is slated to yield over 142,000 ounces of gold annually overa13-yearminelife.

At its peak, production is anticipated to soar to 184,000 ouncesinasingleyear,withatotal estimated production of 1,840,000 ouncesofpayablegold.

Thecompanyexplainedthatthe PEAincorporates only 45% of the current Omai Property Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), and 78% of the Wenot MRE. Wenot alone already hosts an additional Inferred MRE of over 400,000 ounces,thecompanysaid.

“Muchofthisislocatedwestof the past producing pit and, with additional drilling, offers near surface potential for future inclusion in the Mine Plan. Some of the non-included MRE is at depth and additional drilling could support a d

economic pit or potentially later underground mining Management believes that with the 2024-2025planneddrilling,at least some of the additionalWenot MRE could be integrated into a futureexpandedMinePlan,andthe Wenot deposit could expand within, along strike and below,” it wasstated.

Omai said the Wenot PEA “superpit” is very large, already extending along a 2.4 km strike length.Thecompanyalsodisclosed that drilling to date, as well as

historical mining records, indicate that the Wenot shear-hosted gold mineralized zones are quite continuous.

Notably, certain areas within the PEA pit have wide-spaced drilling and Omai management believes that with additional drilling of th

company also believes that some of the waste within the current PEA pit could p

lized material, potentially having the effect of decreasing the strip ratio andincreasingtheNPVofafuture economicmodel.

As such, focused drilling of selected gaps along the Wenot deposit is considered a high priority, together with drilling along the under-explored East Wenotextensionarea.

In 2020, Omai re-entered Guyana's mining industry The company had said that their work completedthusfar,hasputthemon tracktobecomethenextlarge-scale goldminetoopeninGuyana.

A simple solution to the problem

Every day, except onSundays,there is a long line of traffic at two principal stretches on the East Bank Public Road For traffic going south towards the Demerara Harbour Bridge, thereisusuallyahugebuildupoftrafficfromtheEccles traffic light to the junction

withtheHarbourBridge. For traffic proceeding north, there is a long line of traffic from Red Road (Massey junction) to the Harbour Bridge. In the case of southbound traffic, the logjam is almost throughout daylight hours; but in the caseofnorthboundtraffic,it is usually only during peak

hours.

Ifthepolicecanclearthis backlog, they will considerably ease the traffic woes on the East Bank Public Road. But to do so they must act against violators since it is these violatorsthatareresponsible for extended build-up of trafficatthesetwopoints.

Labourhasrelevanceinacountry’s...

Frompage06 attack the opposition, and remain silent or skew informationthatwouldbring enlightenment to the Guyanesepeople.

ThecurrentLeaderofthe Opposition has been rendered inept as many in society believe he is failing in his duties to hold the PPP accountable for their excesses and violations. He is camouflaging his ineptitude on claims of employing strategy that when his party gets into office things will be better He is also quoted as saying hecannotgovernunlessheis in charge of the executive, thus, he negating the role ought to be played by the Opposition Leader as prescribed by the Constitution of Guyana. He isacceptingthatindeedheis notdoinganything.

On the issue of labour, the PPP has regard for the trade union community but only when they can

manipulatelabourleadersto servetheirpurpose.Boththe G o v e r n m e n t a n d Opposition,incurrenttimes, have acted in ways inimical totheinterestoflabourwith the Government seeking to undermine and fragment independent labour and present the impression that labour has no place in society

They should take a lesson from both the Republican and Democratic parties that still revere the role of labour as a social partner and importance of respectingworkers’rightsin their democracy Even Trump who has enacted policies unfavourable to labour sees the importance of labour to achieve his agenda.TheTeamsterUnion president was seen as a valuable supporter standing on the platform of the Republican Party’s Convention.

President Joe Biden, always considered pro-

labour, walked the picket line with USA workers. He has committed to make his administrationthemostprolabour, and in his advocacy of improving the lot and expanding the middle class stated that this can only be throughunionjobs.

Vice President Kamala Harris, and presidential candidate, speaking a few days ago at the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) convention said, “One of the best ways to keep our nation moving forward is to give workers a voicetoprotectthefreedom to organise, to defend the freedom to collectively bargain, to end union busting ” Labour has relevance in a country’s development even when it comes to protecting democracy, rights and the rule of law Biden, Harris and even the disgraced Trumpgetit.

Regards

LincolnLewis

DEM BOYS SEH

De Opposishun looking fuh an excuse

Dem boys seh, d e h

Opposition gettin’ real creative nowadays. Yuh know, like dem kids in a school play, makin’upstoriestoexplain why dey fail de math test. Now, dem want house-tohouse registration and biometrics Big fancy words fuh “We fraid we gonlose,sowelookin’fuh

excuse ”Is like deh Oppositionforgetdemwin 2015 with de same “padded” list. But now, suddenly,datlistisdedevil incarnate.Demboysseh,is funny how yuh can sleep peacefully on a bed full of pinswhenyuhwinnin’.But assoonasdemattressturna lil’ uncomfortable, yuh startshoutin’“thief!” Look, de padded list

serve dem well in 2015. Dem ride it like a smooth Cadillac, cruisin’ to victory Butnow,deywant totellwedetiresbadandde engine knockin’ Dem same ‘padded’ list used in de local government elections in 2016, 2018, and recently. Was no problem den. Dem was silentlikeachurchmouse. Now, deh talkin’ bout h o u s e - t o - h o u s e registration and biometrics like is de cure fuh all dem political ailments. Dem boysseh,derealcureisfuh dem look in de mirror and ask demself some hard questions. But no, dat too hard. Easier to blame de list. De padded list is now de boogeyman under de bed. Truthis,demfraid.Not

The cause of the buildup is not simply the number of vehicles on these stretches,itis,inthecaseof southboundtraffic,thehabit ofmotoriststocreateathird lane of traffic from the junctionoftheEcclestraffic light to the junction of the Eccles Dumpsite Road Several drivers bore the line by creating a third lane of traffic on the eastern side of the eastern carriage way of the East Bank Public Road, beginning at the junction with the Eccles traffic light and ending at the Dumpsite Road.

If the traffic authorities simplyputapolicepresence there to charge violators, there will be a smooth flow oftraffic.

But in Guyana, it has becomealmostadivineright to bore and undertake vehiclesthatareorderlyand in line. Once this illegal boring is stemmed, the trafficflowwillbeeasier

On the opposite carriage way going north on the approach to the Bridge, a similar situation takes place exceptthatvehiclesderoute through the back streets and force their way to merge with the traffic approaching the bridge on the Public Road.

This means that if you are patiently waiting your turn in the line, you have to waitverylongbecauseallof these vehicles force their wayintothetrafficinfrontof you.

Solving the traffic problem on the East Bank

Public Road is not rocket science. Some useful measures have already been deployed during peak hours suchastheuseofthreelanes. Butworkerswholiveonthe West Bank are forced to endure long hours in the trafficsimplybecauseofthe illegal actions of other motorists. What is terrible about this situation is that if youareobeyingthelawand stayinginyourlane,youpay the penalty if delays, while thosecommittinginfractions ofthelawfindaspeedyway home.

If the police would only take action to stem these violations by having a presence at these stretches and if they charge persons who breach the laws by creating this additional lane of traffic, the flow of motor vehicles will be much smoother

Itisinexcusablethatthe police imply do not have a stronger presence at these twostretches.

For southbound traffic, alltheyhavetodoistoplace a rank outside of the Assemblies of God Church and they will catch all the violators.

In relation to the northbound traffic on the Public Road, if the back roads from Lambada Bar to the Harbour Bridge are closed to traffic seeking to mergeontothePublicRoad, thistoowilleasethewaiting timeformotorists.

Butitrequiresthepolice to have a greater presence andtoactagainstdefaulters.

The Minister of Home Affairsisamanwholikesto be on the ground and to see things for himself. I invite himtogodowntothesetwo trouble spots during peak hours and to see for himself what causes the delays at these two approaches to the Bridge.

It would be easy for the authorities to throw up their handsintheairandpromise that things will be easier when the new Bridge across theriverisbuilt.

But if immediate relief can be brought by simply stopping the creation of unauthorized lane and boring, this relief will be mostwelcomebymotorists. There is a great deal of indiscipline in our roads. Mostmotoristscomplywith the rule and wait their turn wheninline.Buttherearea quite a few who are unprepared to do so and the fact that each day, they can get away with illegal driving, allows them to break the rules with impunity and in the process create tremendous inconvenience for lawful roadusers.

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

oflosing,butofwhatlosing mean. Yuh see, when yuh lose,yuhlosemorethande seat. Yuh lose de big talk, de influence, de perks Demboysseh,islikegoin’ fromeatin’lobstertoeatin’ sardine. So, yuh look fuh scapegoat. Dis time, is de paddedlist.

Is de same padded list that led dem to victory, dat demwanttodumpnowlike old clothes. But dem boys know,deissueain’tdelist. Is de panic in de ranks. De fear of irrelevance. De opposition want to change de rules now, ‘cause dey fraiddeycan’twindegame no more. But we see yuh, clear as day Yuh ain’t foolin’nobody De padded list ain’t de problem; de problemisinyuhself. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

H@RD TRUTHS

HughesinHoustonhasa certain ring to it. It is not Houston on the East Bank Demerara, but the Houston in Texas that is a two-way highway to Washington

There was Guyana's sparkling son, C.A. Nigel Hughes setting up shop and rubbing shoulders with the wildcatters and oil movers andshakersoftheoilcapital oftheworld.

They get things done down there. I urge my fellow Guyanese to retrace the years of history, and refamiliarise themselves on how the residents in that vicinity cast their eyes on Mexicoandtookoverhalfof it. TheTexicans had a little nudgingfromUncleSamup in Washington to lend some muscle to their efforts. My thinking is whether Hughes inHoustonwasallaboutoil, andonlyoil.

Or whether there were someothertypesofmutually interesting conversations

As the long march to 2025 gathers intensity, all questions and conflicts and concerns will be put to bed. There is a fondness for

Yankeeneatness. For there was Alistair Routledge stepping smartly before the microphone and delivering Exxon's nod of approval No conflict

None that bothers the company, nothing over whichtoloseanysleep. He knows why. So does Guyana's wiliest political capo and PPP Jefe Jagdeo. Was that favourite son of Guyana agitated or what, over that no conflict-ofinterest development? I don'tknow,don'tcare,about the position of any other Guyanese, but Jefe Jagdeo haseveryreasontobebeside himself with anxiety

Because he knows, he has theeyesightthatcomesfrom long experience in Guyana's politicaltwilightzone. He knows a little more about how Americans operate now, how much business of all kinds means tothem.

Afterall,hehadhisown i n t r o d u c t i o n a n d indoctrinations, thanks to a fine American who answered to the name of Excellency Sarah Ann

‘Govt. did a

Lynch. Guyanese have warmmemoriesofher,some even wanted to put up a monumenttoherrightinthe middle of theArthur Chung parliamentary house. More than anyone else, Jagdeo knows what Faustian bargains he cut with the f o r m e r A m e r i c a n plenipotentiary

For a time, Her Excellency did have those formidable powers, and she made sure that Jagdeo knew who was calling the shots here.

Armed with that experience, the astute politician in Bharrat Jagdeo smelt a rat in that greeting from Alistair Routledge: no conflict, no big ting, 'doan tek no wurreez'. To give credit to where it belongs, Jagdeo is so good at these types of political developments that he can smellarubberratfromamile awayandthisiswhileonthe bad side of a hurricane. So, the big all-seeing General Secretary was having none of that smooth corporate salespitch,sawrightthrough it: a sneaky effort to unseat

him from his perch by the AmericansusingExxonasa proxy Right away he took aim and swung for cow corner:legalexpenses.

Onlyapoliticalcharacter and leader with the instincts ofJefeJagdeocouldseethat bullseye painted in red and takehisfirstshotatblowing ittobits.

Like the man said: legal expensescouldbeacoverfor politicalfinancing. Insome way, shape or form, Dr Jagdeo has run that ward over and over during his years; he knows where the openings and haemorrhages are most likely to happen. He knows a thing or two about company books and their creative bookkeeping ways.

The irony is that there was no cause for concern whenhewasonthereceiving end of disguised company cashflows from domestic business magnates Remember that Guyanese one about a certain kind of citizen who does not react well to seeing another from his brotherhood walking withbag.

To confirm my bona fides and assist my brother Bharrat simultaneously, I givehimsomewell-meaning advice; he can be assured that there would not be any billing for it. Since he has drivenhimselftotheedgeof convulsions (if not worse) with new AFC leader Hughes and this conflict of interest, no conflict of interest, scenario, I recommend that he takes up this burning issue with his friends at the US State Department.

All circumstances considered, I think that Guyana's Vice President of Oil and PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, would be given the honours of the kind of escort that is due a man of his rare standing.

I don't know about him, but if I were in his shoes, I wouldbeboldenoughtotest the waters to determine the quality of the reception waiting.

The goddess of Fortune often favours the brave And, if I may be so presumptuous as to add,

Despite Guyanese

complaining every day about the high cost-of-living, President Irfaan Ali last Friday said that his g o v e r n m e n t h a s implemented deliberate initiatives and policies over the last four years to address the rise in food prices and cushion the cost-of-living here.

He made the remarks duringalivebroadcastwhere hedetailedtheimpactsofthe government's deliberate measures, the Department of Public Information (DPI) reported.

those whose apparel is lily white through and through, and which also gives off a fresh,cleanodour

Beyond a doubt, Jagdeo couldhaveanaudiencewith Secretary Anthony Blinken, but only after he scales the preliminaries between Washington's Ronald Reagan International and Foggy Bottom. The issue thenwouldnothoveraround conflict of interest, but the primacy of American interests.

I long suspected that C.A. Nigel Hughes could generate fireworks on command in the realms of jurisprudence. I, however, never knew that he could have compelled so much hysteria from Bharrat Jagdeo. Tallyhoandcheerio toall.

(Theviewsexpressedin 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.)

lot to cushion cost-of-living’ - Pres. Ali Hughes in Houston

The president reminded that the rise in global food prices and the costs of transportation, goods and services resulted from the Russian-Ukrainewar,andthe global pandemic, among otherdisruptions.

In the European Union, foodpriceinflationincreased from the last quarter of 2021 to reach 3.5 per cent in January and 7.5 per cent in May 2022. In LatinAmerica andtheCaribbean,foodprice inflationsurgedsteadilyfrom January2022to81.6percent bySeptember2023. Foodpriceinflationinthe United States increased to 10.9percentinJuly2022,the highest since 1980. “This is the global environment in which we are a part of and

operating. When you look at our figures and the inflation rateforGuyanacomparedto all of these regions, it is remarkable in the way that wehavebeenabletomanage our economy…And the way wehavebeenabletocushion these costs,” the president said.

In 2023, Guyana's food inflation rate was 3.8 per cent, 7.8 per cent in Jamaica and 81.67 per cent in the LatinAmericanregion.

The low food inflation rate in Guyana is because of the deliberate investments and measures implemented by the government to boost foodproductionbyproviding

the necessary support to the poultrysectorandfarmers.

“This is not by any accident. This is by the deliberate interventions of the government. This is by thepoliciesandprogrammes in the budget that are buttressingtheeconomyand creating an environment that leads to stability,” the headofstateexplained.

The government implemented a slew of measures to further reduce food inflation such as the removal of value added tax

(VAT) on fertilisers, agrochemicals, pesticides and several inputs in the poultryindustry,atanannual

estimated cost of $262 million.

Andthisdoesnotinclude the more than $1 billion that wasspentin2023toprovide agricultural implements to farmers.

Further, to boost food production, the government removed VAT on machinery, corporate income tax, reversed drainage and irrigation (D&I) fees, constructed shade houses, farm-to-market roads and D&Iinfrastructures.

A broiler breeders' facility was established to reducethedependencyonthe importationofhatchingeggs. The rising fuel and freight costs were also addressed. Wagesandsalarieswerealso increased for public servants by more than $90 billion.

Additionally, measures to reduce cost-of-living included the taxes on building materials being waivered and the subsidies for utilities were restored. VAT was also removed on medical supplies, electricity and water, saving citizens almost$3billionannually

To boost the income of many households, the government reinstated the

'BecauseWeCare'cashgrant, placing over $22 billion into thehandsofparentsoverthe last four years Old age pensionandpublicassistance were increased by more than 75percentand111.1percent respectively

The undertaking provided over $13.4 billion and $2.8 billion into the hands of these beneficiaries respectively Further to that, theone-monthtaxfreebonus to the disciplined services was reintroduced, placing $4.1billionintothehandsof themembers.

P r e s i d e n t A l i underscored, “These things were removed by the last government…It is clear that our measures are working. It is clear that the measures that we are implementing broughttremendousreliefto thepopulation.Ifwehadnot i m p l e m e n t e d t h e s e measures, the effects would have been severe…We want the best for all the citizens of this country.” Beforetheend of 2024, President Ali has pledged to highlight more strategies that will increase disposable income at the household level and expand prosperity

Guyana’s oil discoveries a pathway to future development

…cites

ByDavinaBagot

G-ShandongDirectorofAmericanAffairs

potential for collaboration in agriculture

uyana's recent string of oil discoveries since 2015 has not only catapulted the nation to be globally recognised as the World's fastestgrowingeconomy,but has unlocked the country's potential for international cooperation in a number of keyareas.

DirectorofAmericanand Oceanian Affairs in Shandong's Foreign Affairs Office, Zhang Peng recently pointed to the bright future that awaits Guyana through thedevelopmentofitsoiland gasresources.

Shandongisoneofthe23

major, ExxonMobil announced the discovery of oil in Guyana's Stabroek Block.

The country first produced oil in December 2019attheLizaOneproject. Twootherprojectshavesince come on stream with over 640,000 barrels now being produceddaily

While the official acknowledged that he has nevervisitedthesmallSouth Americannation,henoted,“I thinkdifferentcountrieshave adifferentsituation.

I think each country should find the right path to development with its own characteristics.”

When asked whether he

provincesinChina,hometoa population of just over 101 million people. Covering an area of 158,000 square kilometers and sea area of 159,000 square kilometers, the Shandong province is r e n o w n e d f o r i t s advancementsinagriculture.

Between July 21- 31, a team of Guyanese media workers from five news outletshadtheopportunityto tour a number of facilities in

China spanning the manufacturing, agriculture, technology, oil and gas and even cultural sectors across Shandong, Beijing and Shanghai.

Duringaninterviewwith Kaieteur News, Mr Peng

highlighted Guyana's “special resources” when asked to share his advice on howGuyanacanreachitsfull potential.

In2015,UnitedStatesoil

Director of American and Oceanian Affairs in Shandong's Foreign Affairs Office, Zhang Peng

experience the technology utilizedbyvillagers.

The total assets of the Qianquezhuang Village in

2023 reached 510 million RMB yuan, with a collective economic income of 7 6 million RMB yuan. The average annual income per capita exceeded 50,000 RMB yuan, and each residenthadanaverageof square meters of housing.

Meanwhile, in 2023, Anshanghu attracted over 30,000 visitors from 23 provinces and cities for learning and visits, generating a training income

of 1 million RMB yuan for the village. Similarly, the Yuquanwa Rural Complex has a national vocational farmer training center which has been recognized as a Shandong Science and Technology Education Base, training 40,000 students annually and receiving 200,000touristseachyear Shandong is a major economic powerhouse in China.

The GDP of Shandong grewby6.0%to9.21trillion RMB yuan in 2022, ranking thirdinthecountry

believes oil can be used by Guyana to help the nation realize its development agenda, he explained, “I think you have your own advantages, based on your specialresources.Yeah.It'sa very good beginning for you.”

TheDirectorofAmerican and Oceanian Affairs in Shandong's Foreign Affairs Office was keen to note, “I think petroleum is kind of a strategy with resources (that canbeused)forthecountry's development. It's very good, youaresoluckyyouhaveall these kind of resources for you.”

Meanwhile, the official toldthisnewspaperthatthere is room for collaboration

between Guyana and Shandongontheagricultural front.Guyanahascommitted to not only becoming selfsufficient to meet the needs

ofitspopulation,buthasalso positioned itself as the food basketoftheCaribbean.

With massive agriculture lands available, the country hastakenonavarietyofnew farming products over the lastthreeyears.

Across the Shandong province, communities have pooled both physical and human resources, creating massive agriculture villages. Some of these include the Qianquezhuang Village, located in Weifang; Anshanghu in Wutu and the Yuquanwa Rural Complex, alsoinWeifang.

There, the shade-house techniqueisemployedbuton amuchmoreadvancedlevel. Interestingly, these villages not only contribute by producing food but are used as tourist attractions and educational facilities, allowing outsiders to

The Guyanese media delegation during a site visit in China

A section of tomatoes grown in one of the agriculture villages in China's Shandong province

Massive concessions to gold industry not paying off ...GHRA points to widespread illegality

Th e G u y a n a

Human Rights

Association (GHRA) has issued a statement denouncing the extensive incentives granted tothegold-miningsectorby the Government of Guyana (GoG), particularly in light ofenvironmentalandhuman tolloftheindustry

In a statement on Saturday, GHRA responded to a press release by the Ministry of Natural

R e s o u r c e s , w h i c h highlighted the massive incentives that were put in place for the mining industry The ministry's statement dated July 31 outlined the various perks, concessions, and privileges extended to the gold-mining sector, such as tax

reductions, duty-free concessions, and simplified licensingarrangements.

GHRA critised this and labeled the government's support to the industry as

inconsistent and detrimental to the country's welfare “…expansion of available mining properties in conflicted areas such as Marudi Mountains and removal of protective regulations are exhaustively listed Road-building in interior regions has become mining-driven rather than influencedbycommunityor e n v i r o n m e n t a l considerations,” it was stated.

The organisation stated thatwhiletheEnvironmental Protection Act of 1996 mandates Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Environmental Permits (EP) for every mining operation, the Guyana G e o l o g y & M i n e s Commission (GGMC) has failed to enforce these requirements for years, allowing extensive mining activities to proceed unchecked. To this, the statement draws attention to

the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GY-EITI) annual reports, which document thesefailures.

“Most of Guyana's prizedlargerivershavebeen reduced to health and safety hazards by gold mining,” GHRA said as it points out the severe degradation of Guyana's rivers due to gold mining. Itwasstatedtoothat

river banks and the actual course of rivers have been altered by illegal hydraulic mining and by failures to apply the several GGMC Codes of Practice to the waste in mine tailings now spilling polluted sediment intothecreeksandrivers.

Notably, GHRA stated thatnoefforthasbeenmade to apply penalties for these transgressions despite the

River Navigation Act (cap. 50:01, 1998) and the State Lands Act 1903/1972

(Section 22) states,

“Everyone who willfully causes any impediment to the free use or navigation of anyriverornavigablecreek, shall be liable to a fine of ninety-seven thousand five hundred dollars, unless he has previously obtained permissionunderthisActor the Forests Act to cause the impediment.”

Mining disruption of riverine ecosystems, i n c l u d i n g h a b i t a t destruction, reduced water quality, and biodiversity loss, is a critical concern.

The GHRA calls for the consistent, rigorous, and transparent application of the EIA process, coupled with regular inspections and stringent penalties for noncompliance.However,itwas underscored that the GGGMC's understaffing hampers effective m o n i t o r i n g a n d enforcement, with only a handful of field officers and wardens overseeing thousandsofminingclaims.

GHRA stated that penalties for breaches of the variousrulesandregulations do not disincentivize breaches As such, the organisation said there is a needforpenaltiestobemuch more severe. “Prioritizing the restoration of mining sites and enforcing robust environmental regulations, can mitigate long-term environmental damage, protect our vital water resources, and promote sustainabledevelopment,”it wasstated.

Itwasaddedthatthecost to restore mining sites on a national scale can be assessed and a derisory token sum of $100,000 for restoration (the obligatory environmental bond) is treated by the majority of miners as payment to the

GGMCtogetthejobdone.

Moreover, the human rights body said that longstanding land ownership issues, particularly affecting Indigenous communities, are exacerbated by the mining sector's expansion.

G H R A n o t e s t h a t Amerindian communities face eroded land rights despite legal protections Instances of mining concessions issued over titled and untitled Amerindian lands without community knowledge are cited, referencing High Court cases in 2009 (Arau Village) and 2012-3 (IsseneruVillage).

It was underscored that the use of mercury in gold extraction further compounds environmental and human health issues, with significant mercury pollution in aquatic life, increased mortality, reproductive failures, and disrupted food chains GHRA highlighted that despitetheseverity,mercury pollution does not receive adequate attention or remedialaction.

Furthermore, the GHRA assertsthatthegoldindustry and government fail to consider the environmental and human costs of mining. Theorganisationcallsforan urgent explanation of the rationalebehindgovernment subsidies to the gold industry, deeming them contradictory to the Low Carbon Development Strategy2030(LCDS2030).

“Environmental neglect and human suffering, together with bio-diversity and wildlife loss, is not even consideredacostbythegold industry or Government Thesecostsshouldbeadded to legal and illegal export of profits from gold mining, at no benefit whatever to their sovereign owners - the citizens of Guyana,” GHRA said.

Gold mining in Guyana

Israeli Strike on Gaza school kills 30, injures dozens

(NEW YORK TIMES) An Israeli airstrike on a school functioning as a shelter in Gaza City killed at least 30 people and injured dozens more on Sunday, according to the Palestinian emergency response agency in Gaza and Palestinian news outlets. Itwasthethirdattackonaschoolin thelastfourdays.

Most of the victims were women and children, said Mahmoud Basal, a spokesman for the Palestinian Civil Defense. He said that an F-16 fighter jet hit a school called Hassan Salame, where at least 14 people were still buried under the rubble. Shrapnel and debris also hit a neighboring school known as Nasser, he said. The death toll was initially 25, but rose to 30. It was unclear if any of thosekilledweremilitants.

The Israeli military said it had targeted “terrorists” in “Hamas command and control centers” located at the Hassan Salame and Nasserschools.Itsaidithadtaken “numerousstepstomitigatetherisk of harming civilians” before the strike, including using precision munitions, surveillance and intelligence, though it did not

specifyhowithaddoneso.

Butcivilianspaiddearly.

“Rightinfrontofme,therewas a 5-year-old child dying. How is that related to Oct. 7?” Mr Basal said. “If you want to kill someone, kill him away from other people.”

Sunday's attack was a replay of similar scenes on Saturday at Hamama School, where Mr Basal said17werekilledinanattack,and on Thursday at Dalal al-Mughrabi School,whereastrikekilled15,he said.All four schools had housed Gazans who were forced to leave theirhomesduringthewar,turning classrooms and hallways into squalid temporary shelters. After eachstrike,videosonsocialmedia showed structures on fire, people screamingor running in shock and confusion and others lying motionless on the ground. Mohsen al-Jabareh, 28, who has been sheltering at Hassan Salame for threemonths,saidheandhisfamily had just sat down to lunch when a deafeningblastofsmoke,dustand fireenvelopedthem.

“Wefeltlikewewereburning, asifavolcanohaderuptedoverus,” he said, adding that he still could not hear properly hours later

Thoughitwashardtotellwhowas aliveandwhowasdeadinthemass of bodies he saw, he said he believed his cousins had been killed.“Theyarenotterrorists,and they'renotkillinganyone,”Mr alJabarehsaid.“They'rejustcivilians withoutshelter,livinginashelter.”

In its statement on Sunday, the Israeli military said that Hamas embeddeditselfamongciviliansto use them as human shields, a

common defense by Israel as it facesglobalcondemnationoverthe war'slargedeathtoll.International lawexpertshavesaidIsraelstillhas a responsibility to protect civilians even if Hamas exploits them as Israelsaysitdoes.

Most of Gaza's schools have beenusedassheltersforthousands of displaced people since the war beganonOct.7,whenHamasleda deadly attack on Israel.The Israeli

An injured child walks after receiving treatment at Al-Ahli Arab hospital, also known as the Baptist hospital in Gaza City following Israeli bombardment on the Hassan Salameh and Al-Nassr schools housing displaced Palestinians on August 4, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the militant Hamas group. - Gaza's civil defence agency said an Israeli strike hit two schools in Gaza City on August 4, killing at least 30 people, while the Israeli army reported it had struck Hamas command centres. (Photo by Omar ALQATTAA / AFP) (AFP)

military has repeatedly bombed school buildings in Gaza or struck the areas around them, often assertingthatHamaswasusingthe buildings. The group denies those claims.Arecent assessment by the UnitedNationsfoundthatnearly85 percent of Gaza's schools have been destroyed or damaged during thewar,withmorethanhalfofthe schoolbuildingsusedassheltershit directly

Alcohol-drinking young men, main cause of road accidents -Min.Benn

Most road accidents, deaths occurring among the youngerpopulationaremales who visit bars and other places to indulge in alcohol consumption, Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn has said. He said too that keen assessments and stern responsive actions are needed to track the traffic statistics within the country, as part of addressing the drastic increase in road accidentsanddeaths.

Bennmadethecomments last Friday at Guyana's Road Safety Stakeholders' Forum 2024 and Road Safety Campaign launch, at the PoliceOfficers'MessAnnex, in Eve Leary, Georgetown. “It behooves us to pay particular attention to a betterdiscernment of what those statistics tell us and respond with measures to deal with the phenomenon

which the statistics tell us about,” Minister Benn posited.

Highlighting that between2021and2022road deaths decreased to below 100, the minister said last year's statistics has now jumped to around 179. He noted that this has created a problem where Guyana is nowinternationallyrankedat number 63, in terms of road deaths.

The minister further disclosedthatin2020, 5,699 cars were registered, with more already being in operation on the roadways. By 2023, this number increased, averaging over 15,000 vehicles The t

versing of lo

ies, minibuses, and pick-ups along the roadways also saw adrasticincrease.According totheHomeAffairsMinister, moreattentionwillbeplaced on traffic during the

-MinisterSingh announces

weekends, and in the evenings.

Minister Benn plans to consulttheAttorneyGeneral (AG)toincreasetrafficfines three times more than it is presently, to bring the situation under control. “We have to strengthen the amount of sanctions, strengthen the amount of public awareness effort, strengthen the meetings and visits that we make to people…Strengthen our p u b l i c - p r i v a t e partnership,” the minister stated.

M e a n w h i l e , CommissionerofPolice(ag), Clifton Hicken urged Guyanese to be more responsible when using the roadways, noting that the Force is working on a comprehensive ticket and fine system. “There is a ticketing system that is in its advanced stage of

US-basedGuyanesefound withunlicensedgun, ammoinBerbice

Police ranks in Berbice a r r e s t e d G a n e s h Rampersaud, a 52-year-old, US-based Guyanese, after discovering an unlicensed firearminhisNo.58Village, Corentyne, Berbice home around 21:00hrs on Friday, August2.

The ranks were acting based on information received, and when they arrived at Rampersaud's home, they presented and executed a warrant for the searchofthepremises.

Whentheyexplainedthat they were informed that Rampersaud was in the possession of an unlicensed firearm, the 52-year-old confessedthathewasindeed. "I'm here on vacation, and I have a firearm to protect myself; I want to be honest. Letmeshowyou,"hesaid.

S u b s e q u e n t l y , Rampersaud went to a room in the house, where he uncovered a black handgun, as well as 10 live rounds of ammunition. After handing over the firearm, he was arrested and escorted to the Springlands Police Station. Thefirearmandammunition are also lodged at the police station.

The handgun and ammunition found in Rampersaud's home.

completion and that will be linked to other organisations that are relevant to us. In termsofticketsandfines,we will have the impact which will be taken on persons,” Hickensaid.

Attheendoftheone-day

forum,newprogrammesand policies are expected to be implemented to aid in the reduction of road accidents anddeaths.

Itsawtheparticipationof private entities such as ANSA McAL Distributors

52-year-old Ganesh Rampersaud

'Do The Right Thing.' (DPI)

Chairman of the National Road Safety Council, Earl Lambert was also present at theceremony Thecampaign was launched under the theme

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Friendship pensioner gets new home through MOM

Another 77-year-old pensioner, Sumintra Harripersaud, a resident of Friendship on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) has been gifted with a new, elevated flat through the Men on Mission (MOM) programme.

The brand-new home was formally handed over on Saturday by the Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister responsible for Public Affairs and Information, Kwame McCoy.

The pensioner has been living in Friendship for the past 16 years and has gone through many traumatic experiences. Following the death of her husband, who was a cane cutter, and the disappearance of both her sons, she was forced to fend for herself.

Following a request by her niece, the MOM programme assessed her previous standard of living and determined her eligibility for the programme’s housing programme. During the handing-over ceremony, Harripersaud spoke with the Department of Public Information (DPI) and mentioned that her previous home was dilapidated and on the verge of collapsing.

Thanks to MOM, she is

77-year-old Sumintra Harripersaud is elated to receive her new home

now the proud owner of a brand-new flat. “I [am] glad that I get a [new] home and thank you to the government…god bless them,” she expressed.

Expounding on the MOM initiative, Minister McCoy said it was founded with a primary focus on men’s roles in society and their contributions to national devel-

opment. “And we have been taking on the initiative of constructing homes for people in vulnerable situations and difficult circumstances and it is part of the approach of the government, the approach to prosperity, the approach to wealth creation, the approach to development,” he underscored.

He further emphasised

that this demonstrates the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C)’s commitment to ensuring equitable development. Minister McCoy also underlined the significance of homeownership, stating that it is a highly sought-after aspect of our society, and the government is working to ensure homeownership at every level.

Also present at the handing over ceremony were MOM Member, Roger Rogers and MoM’s Coordinator, Lt. Col Bhageshwar Murli among other officials.

The government has allocated $500 million to the Men on Mission initiative in its national fiscal plan to support vulnerable Guyanese across the country.

In 2023, approximately 50 homes were built for vulnerable individuals. Already, scores of single mothers and the elderly have received homes in 2024, through the MOM organisation.

Founded by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the organisation aims to tackle toxic masculinity and create a positive environment and safe space for men, promoting integrity, productivity, accountability and characterbuilding. (DPI)

Police crime stats far from reality...

From page 05

necessarily indicate that a police agency is efficient.

Kramer and Fields (2000) summarise the problem aptly, “Traditional measures such as Uniform Crime Reports ...arrest and tickets tabulate only events.

They do not measure whether or not the activities were completed effectively or efficiently, and they don’t describe what impact the activities had on the community.”

They explained that rather than looking at crime rates, number of arrests, and re-

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sponse time, evaluation should assess whether or not the police are fulfilling their responsibilities to the communities they swore to serve and protect.

The role of the police is clearly set out in Section 3 (2) of the Police Act Chapter 16;01: “ The Force shall be employed for the prevention and detection of crime, the preservation of law and order, the preservation of the peace, the repression of internal disturbance, the protection of property, etc.

The apprehension of offenders and the due enforcement of all laws and regulations with which it is directly charged and shall perform such military duties within Guyana as may be required

under the authority of the Minister.”

There are also unwritten expectations of the society.

Citizens expect the police to be impartial, fair, honest, reliable, hardworking, courteous, apolitical, cooperative, responding to well-founded criticism with a willingness to change among many other attributes.

When evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the Guyana Police Force, the police must consider what citizens want and expect from their protector.

Most citizens want to live in safe, orderly neighbourhoods.

The police are considered effective when they produce the perception that crime is

under control. Reducing the fear of crime is a very important measure. One way to assess citizen approval or disapproval is through citizen’s surveys, which can measure trends and provide positive and negative feedback on the public’s impression of law enforcement.

Community surveys can also be crucial in establishing communication. It might also set organisational goals and priorities, identify departments’ strengths and weaknesses, identify areas of improvement and needed training and influence motivation of ranks.

May God bless the Guyana Police Force.

Yours faithfully Clinton Conway

Karran scores 100 not out as Cool Runningz registers ORSCA T20 win

Young, talented o p e n i n g

batsman Kyle Karran hit an attractive, unbeaten 100 to lead Cool Runningztoanexciting,23run triumph over 4040 WIBSinanOntarioRoundArm Softball Cricket Association (ORSCA)

Regular Season T20 competitionfixture. Playing last Sunday at the Hanover Public School ground in Brampton, the

right-handed Karran helped histeamtotalupasufficient 199-6 from the allotted 20 overs.

4040 WIBS, in reply, threatened the target momentarily before they ended at 176-5 when proceedings came to a conclusion

Despite the loss of a few wickets, Karran kept his composure to hit 11

sixes and three fours from 58balls

He and his dad the Canada-based Guyanese MuniramKarran,aveteran player in the softball circuit in Ontario, collaborated in a matchdefining 156-run, thirdwicketstand

Muniram is also a

struck 9 sixes and four fours during his 44-ball 83

Monday August 05, 2024

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Overall,theforecastfortoday is fairly good. The aspects seemtofavorfiguringoutthe meaning of all that's transpired over the past several weeks It's an opportunity for you to take a leisurely

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Have you felt somewhat lost forthepastfewdays?Thefog maylifttodayandenableyou to situate yourself at last. You'reprobablyeagertosettle a question that has nagged at you and interfered with your judgment.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You may have been feeling somewhat disillusioned. Perhapsyoulostsightofyour goals or misplaced your faith in yourself. You'll feel some reliefbeginningtoday

CANCER(June21–July22)

Youmightbetemptedtosettle certain matters by radical means. The visionary part of you means you're painfully aware of the world's wrongs. You see no reason not to take actiontocorrectthem.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Today will be fairly calm in terms of outside events, but yourinnerworldislikelytobe in a rush of activity Today you wish you could find the solutiontoyourheartachesas well as your career predicaments.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

You have a lot of thinking to do about your professional goals, Virgo. You'll go over the elements to see if there isn't some way to approach thingsdifferently

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Youjustcan'tdoeverythingat once, Libra. How do you expect to reduce your stress and recuperate while at the same time continue to be a superstar performer in every areaofyourlife.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

Thisisagoodmomenttoadapt your logic and reason to reality, Scorpio. If you don't, you're going to run into some

Everyone knows that you find newideasplentiful.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

It'sgoingtobealittledifficult t

y, Sagittarius. You, who can be easily influenced by others, will be listening to and criticizing everything that peoplesay

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Haveyoubeenreviewingyour family history lately, Capricorn? Of special interest is your cultural background. What educational, social, and religious environment were you born into? What are its values?Intheend.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) It's time to elevate your senseofself,Aquarius.You're justasgoodasanyoneelse,so why don't you believe it? The problem is that you're very sensitiveabouthavinganego. Even though you know everyonedoes.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Today your intellectual and expressive abilities should receive a boost from the planets.It'sanexcellenttimeto organize your thoughts about presentingaproject.

Easy Time gets outside 12-gate...

Frompage23 wins in this event. Senior trainers, Colin Elcock

scored back-to-back successes,butneverthehattrick Similarly veteran trainer, Fazal Habibulla horses won on three occasions,butneverthehattrick. Therbhuwan Jagdeo, who holds the unbreakable record as recorded the first win in 2007 with TNT-bred IceFollies.

conditions are different for them (the imported horses). Apart from the weather the horsesareokay

performance for 4040 WIBS by bagging 3-27 from his allotted four

d

d 39 runs in his two overs

but ably took two wickets

For 4040 WIBS, the inform and former

Canadian player and

Berbice-born Aftab

Shamshudeen knocked a top-score of 55 while Khan proved his allround capability by makingasteady37

Ex-Guyana youth player Kevin George once again with a promising 28 and simultaneously displayed his consistency after several scores in the 40sthisseasonsofar.

Mitch Bacchus, the experienced, left-arm bowler, grabbed 3-30 from his maximum four

o v e r s t o p l a y a n instrumental role in the winningcombination

Kyle, the 19-year-old, was selected as the Most Valuable Player for his excellent batting effort

K y l e h a s g a i n e d tremendous prominence in softball cricket in the last two consecutive

s e a s o n s f o r h i s consistency with the bat along with his twinbrotherKristopher

Both of them play hardball cricket also in the popularTorontoandDistrict

Cricket Association tournaments

They represented Ontarioattheyouthlevelin Provincial cricket competition which firmly indicated their natural battingtalent.

Kyle has two centuries sofarinORSCAcricketand Kristopher registered two aswell

DennisDeeroopasked," Thedrawisnotbad.Iprefer the outside, because if you miss.Yougetclosed,asitis a full gate of 12. The competition a lot of newly importedverygoodhorses.I still believe the horses that are here, and have acclimatized, are the one. I thinkEasyTimeisthehorse, and recently won at Port Mourant and as I said the horses that settled in, like Bossalina The track

Deleep Esreepersaud owner/trainer of Bossalina, thequeenofMahaicaCreek sharing his candid opinion on the on the draw, and the competition said, “The competition is going to be very tight. The draw gate two is fine. I do not see any threat. It will be a gate to wirewin."

The 2024 Guyana Cup will start at 12:00h local time at Rising Sun Turf Club, West Coast Berbice. This year’s event will be th biggest in the history, with over 40 million dollars in cash and prizes.The Jumbo Jet Thorughbred Racing Committee will also attract more families at the event withakidsfunpark,andthe biggest DJ competition will takecenterstage.

Kyle Karran

Hat-trick hero Curran stars as Invincibles beat Spirit

(BBC Sport) - Sam Curran starred with bat and ball as Oval Invincibles comfortably beat London Spirit by 30 runs in The Hundred men’s competition atLord’s.

The England all-rounder hit an unbeaten 51 from 22 balls as the Invincibles reached147-5,beforetaking 5-16 and a hat-trick as he routedtheSpirittail.

The Invincibles started slowly, scoring just four from their first 14 balls and havingWillJacksbowledby Olly Stone, but Dawid Malan (38) helped them steadilyaccumulateruns.

Curran arrived at the crease with his side 80-3 after 66 balls, and he set about clubbing six sixes to helpsetachallengingtarget.

Thehostsfellbehindthe rate in their reply, hampered bythevisitors’strongrankof slow bowlers, with Adam Zampaalsotaking3-22.

With Spirit needing to swing hard to have any chance of victory, Curran hadMattCritchleycaughtin deep, then removed Liam Dawson, Stone and the formidable Andre Russell withconsecutivedeliveries.

Hesealedthesucceswith the lbw dismissal of Dan Worrall, his five wickets in nine balls bringing a rapid

end

totheLondonderby

After the match Curran said, “I guess you don’t get many days like that. Most importantly we got the two pointsthatweneeded.

“Ithinktheboyssaidthe wicketwasslowandturning quiteabit.TheshortersideI knew I could use that boundary to my advantage, for a few came out the middle.

“I’ve got that bowler’s mindset when I’m batting, trying not to pre-meditate

(BBCSport)-NovakDjokovicbeatCarlos Alcarazinthrillingfashiontosecurea long-awaitedOlympictitleandcomplete thecareer‘GoldenSlam’.

Djokovic,whohaswonamen’srecord24 majors and swept up every title there is in tennis, finally clinched Olympic gold at his fifthGames.

TheSerb,37,putinhisbestperformance of the year to beat French Open and Wimbledon championAlcaraz 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-2)infrontofapackedcrowdinParis.

He sealed the title with a forehand winner, then turned towards his box - arms outstretchedindisbelief-beforethrowinghis racquet to the floor after a draining match whichlastedjustunderthreehours.

AfterhuggingSpain’sAlcaraz,Djokovic immediately burst into tears and fell to his kneesinthemiddleofthecourt.

He then unfurled a Serbian flag and clambered into the stands to celebrate with hisfamilyandsupportteam.

Djokovicisjustthefifthplayertowinthe ‘GoldenSlam’insingles-allfourmajorsand theOlympictitle-afterRafaelNadal,Serena Williams,AndreAgassiandSteffiGraf.

“EverythingIfeltinthatmomentwhenI wonsurpassedeverythingIthoughtorhoped

Lin secures medal amid eligibility row

(BBCSport)-Taiwanese Lin Yu-ting became the secondboxeratthecentreof a gender eligibility row to secure a medal at the Paris Olympicsasshereachedthe semi-finals of the women’s featherweightdivision.

The 28-year-old beat Svetlana Staneva, 34, by unanimous decision - but afterthebouttheBulgarian’s coach suggested Lin should not have been allowed to compete.

A visibly frustrated Staneva, 34, left the arena making a cross with her fingers,shouting“no,no”.

gender eligibility tests at the Worlds,asituationwhichhas sparkedhugecontroversy

toomuch.Ithinktodaywasa day where you had to be quitepredictableasoneside was so short. “That whole over I was thinking, ‘where am I going to bowl to Russell?’ He knew where I was bowling, fortunately he edgedit.”

Match details: Oval Invincibles 147-5 (100 balls): S Curran 51 (22); Critchley 1-14 defeated LondonSpirit117allout(95 balls): Lawrence 27 (18); S Curran5-16by30runs

thatitwould,”saidDjokovic.

“BeingonthatcourtwiththeSerbianflag raising,singingtheSerbiananthem,withthe goldaroundmyneck,Ithinknothingcanbeat thatintermsofprofessionalsport.

“It definitely stands out as the biggest sportingachievementIhavehad.”

Alcaraz, 21, was also in tears after the match, but will leave with a silver medal on hisOlympicdebut.

Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti is the singles bronzemedallist,havingbeatenFelixAugerAliassimeofCanadaonFriday.

L i k e A l g e r i a n welterweight Imane Khelif whoprogressedonSaturday, Lin is competing in Paris despite being banned from last year ’s World Championships by the International Boxing Association(IBA).

The fighters were reported to have failed

InaninterviewwithBBC sports editor Dan Roan on Thursday, IBA chief executiveChrisRobertssaid XYmalechromosomeswere foundin“bothcases”.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is running the boxing at the Olympics, has raised doubtsabouttheaccuracyof the tests, and earlier this weekstatedtherewas“never

any doubt” the pair are women.

TheBBChasnotseenthe results of the IBAeligibility testsand,asyet,hasnotbeen able to determine what they consistedof.

“I’m not a medical personwhoshouldsayifLin could compete or not here, but when the test shows that he or she has the Y chromosome she should not be here,” Staneva’s coach BorislavGeorgievtoldBBC Sport.

Marizanne Kapp vs Deepti Sharma ends in dramatic tie

(BBC Sport) - Oval Invincibles and London Spirit tied a last-ball thriller in front of a lively crowd of 17,810 at Lord’s in the Hundred An ice-cold Charlie Dean run-out as Ryana MacDonald-Gay and Jo Gardner sought a matchwinning two from the final balldeniedthevisitorswhat had not long before looked tobeacomfortablevictory

Both teams were inspired by exceptional allround performances from overseas superstars: South Africa’s Marizanne Kapp starring for the Invincibles with a 4 for 11 and a quickfire 47, and India’s Deepti Sharma taking 3 for 18afterscoring44forSpirit.

“It was good up until I gotout:itcostusthegameso I’m very disappointed,” Kappsaid.“Theplanwasto stay in there and take it as deep as possible. We knew they were going to bowl their best bowlers, so I was just trying to knock it around.”

Oval Invincibles captain Lauren Winfield-Hill’s decision to bowl first was immediately vindicated when Kapp bowled Meg

Lanning fourth ball

Cordelia Griffith and Georgia Redmayne responded well, but Kapp then bowled both batters either side of the Powerplay restrictionslifting.

M a c D o n a l d - G a y continued the Invincibles’ momentum, bowling Dani

Gibson before Kapp struck again with the final ball of her spell, cleaning up Heather Knight for her fourth clean-bowled dismissaloftheinnings

D e e p t i l e d t h e recovery, striking a wellpaced44from34

S h e w a s a b l y supported by Dean and Eva Gray, enabling the Spirit to reach a total of 113 for 9 despite a flurry of late wickets, including two in two from Sophia Smale

In response, Spirit had both openers out early.

Chamari Athapaththu was caught off the bowling of Tara Norris, and Eva Gray had Winfield-Hill stumped thankstothequickhandsof Redmayne,whokeptwicket impressivelythroughout.

Kapp then led the

Invincibles’ charge,

smashing a sweep-heavy 47 from 32. She and Alice Capsey (31 from 19) put on an imposing 55-run partnership before Deepti bowledthelatter Deangrabbedastunning catch off the bowling of Deepti soon after to remove Paige Scholfield and the Invincibles chase became trickier as the England offspinner then bowled Mady Villiers, and Sarah Glenn smartly ranAmandaJadeWellingtonout,leaving thevisitorssixwicketsdown needing32from32.

Following an assured partnership with Gardner, KappwasbowledbyDeepti with just four runs required fromeight.MacDonald-Gay and Gardner were just unabletoseetheirsidehome as Gibson held her nerve withtheballandDeanfound Redmayne with a good throwfromthedeeptoleave MacDonald-Gay well short ofhergroundlookingforthe two runs they needed from thefinalball.

Match details: London Spirit 113 for 9 (Deepti 44, Kapp 4-11) tied with Oval Invincibles 113 for 8 (Kapp 47,Deepti3-18)

Match referee Emanuel Ferreira raises the hand of the hand Lin Yu-ting during the Women’s 57 kg preliminary round match at the Olympics in Paris on Friday. (Getty Images)

Sam Curran’s hat-trick is the third in the history of The Hundred men’s competition (Photo: PA)

Gold medallist

Novak Djokovic of Serbia poses with his medal. (Reuters)

Lyles wins Olympic 100m gold in dramatic photo finish

Ly l e s w i n s Olympic 100m gold in dramatic photo finish(BBC Sport)American Noah Lyles won the Olympic men’s 100m titlebyfive-thousandthsofa second from Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson in a dramatic photo finish at Paris2024.

S h o w m a n Ly l e s overhauled his rivals in the second half of the race to triumph by the finest of margins in a personal best 9.79seconds.

That was the same time as Olympic debutant Thompson,wholedformost of the race, but Lyles produced a spectacular

finish to successfully begin his bid for a potential four goldsattheseGames.

The United States’ formerworldchampionFred Kerley took bronze in 9.81, edging out South Africa’s Akani Simbine for the podium.

After a lengthy wait behind the start line to a backdrop of dramatic music in a frenzied atmosphere at Stade de France, all eight finalistsfinishedwithin0.12 seconds of Lyles in a remarkablerace.

Suchwasthestandardof the final - which Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes and Louie Hinchliffe failed to reach - Italy’s reigning

champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs was run out of the

Jamaicanrisingstar,Oblique Seville,finishedlastin9.91.

IntheenditwasLyles,an athlete who thrives on the sport’s grandest stages and who won three golds at last

sprintedawayincelebration once the official result appearedonthebigscreen.

repeatedly rang the victory bell by the side of the track after establishing himself at the pinnacle of the sport, before he targets further success in the 200m and relayevents.

World records tumble as US rule the Paris pool

(Reuters) - Iron-man Bobby Finke and the U.S. women’s medley relay team shattered world records in golden performances as the Olympic swim meet ended in exhilarating fashion on Sunday with the Americans ontopagain.

Floridian Finke took down Sun Yang’s 12-year 1,500m world record as he retained the gold medal in the lung-busting event beforetheAmericanwomen smashed their previous world mark for gold in the medleyrelay

The golds saw the Americans finish with eight at the top of the swimming medal table, one more than second-placed Australia whose ambitions of ruling theOlympicpoolforthefirst time since Melbourne 1956 werequashed.

It was by no means an American shut-out, though, with the U.S. men’s medley relay team suffering their firstdefeateveratOlympics meets dating back to the 1960 Rome Games in a febrile atmosphere at La DefenseArena.

China, anchored by the human missile Pan Zhanle, took the gold ahead of the U.S. team, whose talisman CaelebDresseltookhisfirst minor medal from a

previously uniform set of ninegolds.

Sarah Sjostrom finished the Games on a huge high after claiming the women’s 50m freestyle in 23 71 seconds, the evergreen Swede’s two-gold haul surpassing all returns at her previousfourGames.

“This was definitely my best (Olympics),” said the 30-year-old, who took the firstofherthreegoldsatRio 2016.

DOPINGSTORMSTIRS AGAIN

Though the sport shone on the closing night, there was also a clear note of dissentoverChina’ssuccess amid a doping storm that engulfed the team in the leaduptoParis.

China,whofinishedfifth on the swimming medal table with two golds among their12medals,cametothe Games under a cloud of suspicionafterrevelationsin

April that 23 of their swimmerstestedpositivefor a banned heart medication butwereallowedtocompete attheTokyoGames.

The World Anti-Doping Agency accepted a Chinese investigation’s findings that the test results were due to contamination from a hotel kitchen the team were stayingat.

The team China brought toParisincludedanumberof swimmersnamedamongthe

23 in media reports. China wasthenthrustbackintothe doping spotlight last week when the New York Times reported that two of its swimmersin2022hadtested positiveforabannedsteroid but had their provisional bans lifted when the results w e r e b l a m e d o n contaminatedfood.

One of those two swimmers according to the Timesreportwascompeting at Paris. WADA concluded there was no evidence to challenge the contaminated meatscenario.

China’s anti-doping agency (CHINADA) accused the U.S. newspaper of politicising doping issues andsaidthepublicationwas trying to “affect the psychology” of China’s athletesinParis.

Britain missed out on a podium place in the men’s medley won by China, and triple Olympic champion Adam Peaty was pointed in hiscommentsafterwards.

“One of my favourite quotes I’ve seen lately is ‘There’snopointinwinning ifyoudon’twinitfair’,”the breaststrokertoldreporters.

“I don’t want to paint a whole nation or a whole group of people with one brush.Ithinkit’sveryunfair

“But there has been two

cases and I think it’s very disappointing.”

The prevailing mood at the pool was joy, though, as another huge crowd roared their appreciation of the sportfromstarttofinish.

Following Sjostrom’s gold, Finke won the 1,500m in 14:30.67, shaving 0.35 seconds off Chinese swimmer Sun’s previous mark He finished four seconds clear of Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri, who took silver eight years on fromhis2016goldatRio.

Wiffentookbronzedays after stripping Finke of his 800m crown to become Ireland’sfirstmaleOlympic swimmingchampion.

France celebrated anothermedalwithbronzein the men’s relay medley, finishing third on the table thanks to Leon Marchand’s fourindividualgolds.

In the end it was the Americans on top again, though,astheyhavebeenat every Olympic swimming meet since the 1992 BarcelonaGames.

ReganSmith,LillyKing, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huskemadesureofitwitha world record swim of 3:49 63 in the women’s medley relay, withAustralia taking silver and China bronze.

Noah Lyles wins a photo-finish 100m Men’s final at the Paris Olympics. (Getty Images) Olympics. (Getty Images)

Gold medallists Regan Smith, Lilly King, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske of United States pose with their medals as they celebrate establishing a new world record and winning the race (Reuters)

Hooper wins Big Star Youth and Sports Club Emancipation race

Former district six national athlete

Esan Hopper took the top spot in the Big Star Youth and Sports Club Emancipation10kroadrace. Localsflockedtheroadways in numbers as Hopper stopped the clock at 43 minutes,andtwoseconds. The race was held on Sunday morning from Number 35 Village to UlverstonVillageCorentyne Berbice and close to 30 athletes were in high completionontheroadways.

In addition to Hopper, Arvin Valenzuela won the 5K road race while Princes Wong won the female category in the 5K race which started at Bush Lot Village Lasandra Davis emergedasthewinnerinthe female category of the 10k race. As Hopper took the

early lead, he left Anton Wright in second while AssanyMcPhoy finished third. Shaquail Smith came infourthtoroundoutthetop finishers in the male 10k race.

After Valenzuela took top honors in the 5k male race, Javier Henry had to settle for second while JosephRahamancamethird. Amari Gibbs finished fourth. Leander Bennette, Princes Butcher and Torremica Dick were the other finishers in that order atthefemale5krace.

BertyRahaman took the bravesteptoruntheover-50 category solo, and he finishedinstyle.

Veteran coach Patrick Gray, one of the founding fathers of the club, was presentedaspecialawardfor hisservicesovertheyears. T h e r a c e w a s successfully organized by Tyrone Smith and the Big Star Committee members while sponsors came from AAllys and Sons, Courts,

The winners’row: Athletes and officials after the presentation

Republic Bank, Banks DIH, Sparkle Supermarket and AthleticsGuyana.

In addition to the companies, locals from the area supported the event

financially Big Star Youth andSportClubwasfounded in 1991. The club is known for producing cricketers, with Melroy Barkley being the club’s first National

youthcricketerwhilecurrent Guyana Harpy Eagles selectee, Sylus Tyndall started his career at the Ulverston-based club, Big Star

Vandersay six-for gives SL first ODI win over India in three years

(ESPN Cricinfo) - Sri Lanka won the toss, batted first on a pitch where the spinners got the ball to stop, grip, and turn viciously at times, and recovered brilliantly from being six down for under 150. Dunith Wellalage made a telling contributiondowntheorder, defyingtheconditionsatthe R Premadasa Stadium and scoringatoverarunaball.

Rohit Sharma defied conditions to an even more remarkable degree at the startofIndia’schase,putting them well ahead of the asking rate with a blazing half-century Then India collapsed against Sri Lanka’s spinners, and half their side was back in the dressing room before they hadgotto140.

All these things happenedinthefirstODIon Friday, and they happened again two days later as Sri Lanka chased their first win of this white-ball tour by India.Theyhadtiedthethird andfinalT20I,onlyforIndia to claim a Super Over win. They had tied the first ODI

too. Sri Lanka were desperate to go one better, they finally did, and their herowasn’tevenpartoftheir originalsquad.

JeffreyVandersay,aman who had made his debut in December 2015 but only played 22 ODIs before this

one, a legspinner for long consigned to understudy status, was only called into the squad on the eve of this match thanks to Wanindu Hasaranga’s hamstrings And Vandersay ripped through the heart of India’s batting, taking out Rohit, Shubman Gill, Shivam Dube, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul in the space of 29 balls from his endas97fornolossbecame 147for6.

Where India had recovered from a notdissimilar collapse on Friday, they couldn’t quite manage it this time. Axar Patel and Washington Sundar brought them to within56runsoftheirtarget with a 38-run stand for the seventh wicket, with Vandersay mostly out of the attackinthistime.

But just when India threatened to inch ahead, there was another flashback toFriday Charith Asalanka had taken three wickets with his part-time offspin then, and nowhebroughthimselfback and took out both Axar and Washington in successive overs, and that was that, moreorless.

Sri Lanka’s 32-run win was their first over India in an ODI since July 2021. They had lost six straight meetings since then before

Friday’s tie. Vandersay’s 6 for 33 continued a proud tradition:hebecamethefifth Sri Lanka bowler - after Muthiah Muralidaran, Ajantha Mendis, Angelo Mathews and Akila Dananjaya-topickupasixfor or better in an ODI againstIndia.

With the conditions being what they were, Sri Lanka had packed their spin attackforthisgame,picking five including the ambidextrous Kamindu Mendis who came in for the seamerMohamedShiraz.

Kamindu made an important contribution with his primary skill, scoring 40 and putting on 72 for the

seventh wicket with Wellalage, off just 68 balls, after India had reduced Sri Lankato136for6.

Thesurfeitofspindidn’t seem like that good an idea

when India’s chase began, with Wellalage, Dananjaya and Kamindu showing a distinct lack of control early on, and Rohit taking full advantage of the firstpowerplayfieldrestrictions.

These three spinners bowled six wicketless overs between them and conceded 53asIndiaracedto76forno loss in the first ten. Rohit scored 51 of those runs, bringing up his half-century offjust29balls,gettingthere inthe10thoverwithacarved sixovercoveroffKamindu.

He had moved to 64 off 43 when he tasted the flip side of the aggression that hadbroughthimallhisruns. Vandersay extracted a bit of extrabounce,andtheswitchsweependedupinthehands of the diving Pathum Nissankaatbackwardpoint.

Havinggotthatopening, Vandersay took control

Between Gill top-edging a cover drive and Rahul bottom-edging one onto his stumps, Vandersay showed the virtue of attacking the stumps, with natural variation off the surface allowing him to test both edgespersistently Kohliand Iyer were both lbw to balls thathurriedonwiththeangle after drifting in through the air,andtheleft-handedDube waslbwtoonethatrippedin whilekeepinglow

Before they knew it, India were in the mire Axar andWashington held on for 60 balls, calmly but not without moments of fortune, before Asalanka got the former caught and bowledwithonethatstuck inthepitch

Then Washington, who had just survived a Dananjaya legbreak that burst past his inside edge and bounced over the stumps, was lbw to an Asalanka delivery that went with the arm from round the wicket; his wicket was the fourth of five lbws in India’s innings, to go with one bowled. That India would be chasing 241 had seemed unlikely when Kuldeep Yadav and Washington, India’s most successful bowlers, had bowled back-to-back wicket

maidens in the 34th and 35th overs of Sri Lanka’s innings to leave them at 136for6

Sri Lanka were going n o w h e r e Av i s h k a Fernando and Kusal Mendis had put on 74 for the second wicket after Mohammed Siraj had kicked off the match by sending Nissanka back with a perfectly pitched outswinger, but Sri Lanka had lost 5 for 62 thereafter

This was the sort of pitch where the danger of Axar’s straighter one was extremely pronounced, because he was frequently getting the ball to rip past the right-hander’s outside edge He didn’t have the luck to go with how well he was bowling, but the wickets were coming at the other end, with Washington starting Sri Lanka’s slide by having Avishka caught off the leading edge before having Kusal lbw missing asweepoffafullball.

The runs came in a tricklethereafter.

When Kamindu, batting unusually low at No. 8, joined Wellalage, Sri Lanka had scored seven runs in their last 4.5 overs while losing Janith Liyanage and Asalanka.

Jeffrey Vandersay picked a career-best 6 for 33 to derail India • AFP/Getty Images

Kool Kidz Summer Festival kicks off

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF), in collaboration with Guyana Beverages Inc (GBI), proudlykickedoffthemuchanticipated Kool Kidz Summer Festival on Saturday, marking the event’s return after a yearlong hiatus The festival commenced with an impressive gathering of 70 young footballers representing eight teams, signaling a successful revivaloftheprogram.

The Kool Kidz Summer Festival,whichwillrunfrom August 3 to August 31 on Saturdays,underwentaoneyear break due to renovations at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown. The program was initially part of a threeyear partnership signed in 2022, which began with a futsal training initiative that saw participation from over 200children.

The festival has now transitioned to the open-air setting of the Federation’s National Training Centre in Providence, East Bank Demerara, providing a fresh and engaging environment for the participants GFF President,WayneFordewas

present at the opening activity and expressed his enthusiasm about the festival’spromisingstart.

“Avery good first day to kickstartthisyear’sKoolKidz Summer Festival A solid turnout of children to the sessionsthismorning,whichis precisely what we anticipated,”Forderemarked He also highlighted the importance of increasing female participation in future sessions, aiming to create a moreinclusiveenvironment

“We are encouraging our regional associations to organize similar programs within their respective jurisdictions It is important thatwetakefulladvantageof the improving weather conditions and the remaining weeks of the school break by creating opportunities for the youngsters to improve their skilllevelandenjoyfootball,”

Fordeadded

The GFF has organized the festival into two distinct phases. The first phase will focus on imparting the fundamentals of football, ensuring that every participant gains essential skills and knowledge. The second phase will culminate

Participants and coaches took a photo op

tournament featuring U11 boys and girls, providing a platformforyoungtalentsto showcase their abilities in a competitive setting. Today’s teams included Fruta Conquerors FC, Ralph Green East Bank FC, Berbice FC, Keystart FC, Melanie FC, Beacon FC, PouderoyenFCandParadise Invaders FC. Under the guidance of a trained

Guyana Cup 2024…

Easy Time gets outside 12-gate

DEFENDING

CHAMPION, Easy Time will leave from the outside 12-gate in Sunday’s 1,600-metre Bank DIH-sponsored GuyanaCupwhichwillberunoff,atRising Sun Turf Club (RSTC), Rising Sun, West BerbiceonSundayAugust11,2024.

While his newly imported USA-bred, stablemate, Stat will leave from the inside one-gate in the prestigious event which carriesarecordpurseofUS$53,819.500.

The Master Z-owned six-year-old Kentucky-bred Easy Time, a son of Not Time/Rushing Falls will be partnered by regular Colin Ross for trainer Nasrudeen MohamedJr

The32-year-oldMohamedcouldbecome thefirsttrainersincethefirstrunningofthis event in 2007 to record the first hat-trick in thismarqueeevent.

Mohamed asked about the inside and outside post positions draw one-gate for newcomer Stat, and 12-gate for Easy Time said, "I saw the jockey, (Colin Ross) had a different look. Stat got a good draw He has thespeed.Itisaverycompetitiverace,asthe horses entered in this race, are Stakes or Graded placed. This year's running is the mostcompetitiveGuyanaCupeverrunoff.I wish every owner of horses entered in the racethebestofluck."

Young Jayden Jagdeo, whose dad, Therbhuwan won the inaugural event with IceFolliesin2007askedabouthisdad'stwo

runners,LoyalCompany(gate3)andOyVey (10) said "They are exercising good so far Theyhavesettledinwell.Thecompetitionis good. The defending champion, Easy Time will be the horse I think, but I am confident aboutourhorses." Notrainerhaseverrecordedahat-trickof

(Continuedonpage19)

coachingstaffspecializedin child safety, the festival promises a fun and secure

l participants. The coaching team will oversee multiple smallsided(7v7)matches,to ensure individualized

attention, instruction and support This approach will allow for focused skill development and meaningful interactions among the youngsters The Kool Kidz Summer Festival aims to fosternotonlyathleticskills, butalsovaluablefriendships among the participants. By providing a structured yet enjoyable football experience, the program continues to support the growth and development of Guyana’syoungathletes.

Mortimer George of Banks DIH displays a number during the Guyana Cup Press Conference draw

during the day’s proceedings. day’

Guyana Cup 2024… ana 202

Easy Time gets outside 12-gate

Sports

Kool Kidz Summer Festival Summer kicks off

Members of the head table; from left Nasrudeen Mohamed Jr, Promoter and trainer, Mortimer George Special Events Manager at Banks DIH, Steve Ninvalle Director of Sport, Dr Dwight Waldron CEO of Guyana Livestock and DevelopmentAuthority and Glen Mohammed Steward.

Action from the opening day of the GFF Programme.