$275M in contracts handed out for works at new police academy US$1.9 billion contract awarded to American ‘Govt. will not accept Exxon charging Stabroek Block account for Kaieteur, Canje expenses’- Oil Minister managed
mineral despite:
‘GWI to fix city’s ‘rusty’ water woes by weekend’-CEOsayscompanypreparedtolook atreliefforcustomersduetodisruption
Top Cop, Clifton Hicken, contractors and other top brass officials from the Guyana Police Force and Ministry of HomeAffairs at the construction site
Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat
Vickram
Bharrat boasts: ‘Guyana oil sector one of the better
managed in the world’
despite: lowest royalty rate zero taxes on oil companies no ring-fencing lack ofindependentoversight
Minister of Natural Resources,VickramBharrat, h a s d e f e n d e d t h e managementofGuyana'soil sector,assertingthatitisone of the best-managed sectors globally
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday,
M i n i s t e r B h a r r a t highlighted, “Now with the oil and gas sector, I want to say from the inception and some people may not agree butwhenyoulookatitfrom a neutral point of view, we would see that Guyana's oil and gas sector is one of the better managed oil and gas sectorintheworld.”
The minister stressed that transparency and accountabilityarekeypillars of Guyana's oil sector management.
He also pointed out that it is rare for any oilproducingcountrytohaveits chief policymaker, in
Guyana's case Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, to engage with the public and media through his weekly pressconferences.“Wedida quickchecktoseehowmany oil producing countries in the world will have theVice Presidentofthecountrywho is the lead policy maker on the oil and gas sector speak on the sector every single week in a year…” Bharrat said.
Hecontinued,“Butevery single week, we have the chief policy maker in our country Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, speak on the sector and give theopportunitytothemedia and anyone else to ask questionsonthesector.”
Minister Bharrat u n d e r s c o r e d t h e government's commitment to transparency, noting that information is regularly shared through various channels,includingwebsites andpressreleases.
He added that few other countries have leaders who
engagewiththemediaabout the oil and gas sector as frequently as in Guyana, where “[the] few countries that do it and the countries that actually do it, they do it eithertotentimesayear.”
To further prove his point, the minister referenced the National Resource Fund (NRF) as a testament to the PPPadministration commitment to transparency and accountability in the sector
“If you look at the NRF for example, anyone from any partoftheworldcancheckto see how much money is in theNRF,”hesaid.
He explained that there are only two ways in which money can be withdrawn from the NRF, through the National Budget, which must be debated and approved by the National Assembly,orinthecaseofa national disaster, which also requires parliamentary approval.
Addressing criticisms aboutthemanagementofthe sector and its revenues, Bharratcountered,“Theyare strong measures placed in the NRF Act to ensure that t h e r e i s p r o p e r accountability and transparency and for you to know how much money flowsintothatfund.”
Bharrat attributed the success of Guyana's oil sector to lessons learned from other countries. He continued, “It is because we havesimplylearnedfromthe mistakes made by other oil producing countries; it is because we had that advantageoflookingatother models around the world becausewearealatestarter.”
“We had the advantage of lookingatmodelsthatfailed and models that were successful and we have drawnfromdifferentmodels and created one that is best suited for Guyana,” the minister stated. Moreover, the minister proudly shared that Guyana is now being
recognized as a model for othercountries.“Somuchso thatGuyanatodayoneofthe newest oil producing countryintheworld,isbeing usedasamodelcountry,”he said.
Minister Bharrat mentioned a recent visit from Namibia's Minister of Energy,TomAlweendowho, along with a delegation, came to study Guyana's modelinhopesofadoptingit fortheiremergingoilsector
Despite Bharrat's boasts, Guyana's oil contract with ExxonMbil and the
management of the sector have been widely criticized globally
Earlier this year
International Financial Expert,TomSanzilloduring aninterviewwithCNBC,the leading business and financial news network in t
ExxonMobil deal is a onesided one. “Because Exxon pays no taxes, Exxon didn't putuptheinsurancetheyare responsible for putting up, and Exxon has a special arrangem
with a maximizedprofitwherethey
Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat
get their profits first and Guyana gets theirs later.”
h a s acknowledged that the deal with Exxon is grossly in favourofthecompany,ithas refused to demand a
Guyana's Vice President and chief policymaker on oil and gas, Bharrat Jagdeo
government'spositionisthat asking for a revision of the lopsided terms will hamper investor confidence and sully the nation's reputation on the global stage. The administration insists that Guyana must make do with whatithas.
Iran’snationalhonorhasbeenaffrontedmorethanonce anditsleadersarebeingaskedtoexerciserestraint. TheUK and other Western countries, overwhelmingly allied with Israel, are the callers for restraint in the face of repeated provocations. ItissurprisingthatIsrael’salliescanbeboth so one-sided and so shortsighted A man spits contemptuouslyinthefaceofanotherandthescornedparty ispushedtocleanhimselfupandturntheothercheek. Itwouldhavebeenmuchmorehelpfulifthesameblocof newly concerned countries calling upon Iran to hold its retaliatory fire, had used their influence and muscle with Israelforittorespectthesovereigntyofothers. Wethinkof thisandrecalltheUnitedStatesintheaftermathofthePearl Harborthatwaslabeledadayofinfamyandcowardlyamong manyotherderogatorynames.Wasthereanypoweronearth thatcouldhaveheldbackthethirstforvengeanceinspades that rippled then through the United States at every level?
AretaliatorystrikebytheIraniansisnotamatterofifbut when. Iran has the luxury of choice on its side: time and place to be decided by its political and military people for maximum effect. Possibly as a serious psychological deterrent against follow-up attacks by Israel in the future. The proportion of any Iranian response must be weighed carefully, and its leadership be wise enough to resist any tendencytooverdothingsbygoingforabigstrike.Though there have been some gains in the court of world opinion, Israelstillhasaformidableshieldprovidingcoverforit.Itis thesumoftheWesternmediathathashedgedandvacillated, and diluted and denied, the effects of some of the worst atrocities committed by the Israeli armed forces against an outgunned and outmaneuvered Palestinian people. It is imperative,therefore,thatanyIranianresponsebemeasured and commensurate with the damage done to its national psyche.Thisiseasyforoutsiders,thosenotinthefiringline, to say.What is sometimes forgotten is that the Middle East region is one that lived by an ancient code that glorifies revenge. This has led to endless cycles of blood feuds and reciprocal vendettas that fester at both individual and nationallevels.
Worse yet, the Iranians have a built-in complex for martyrdom, which is a dangerous consideration in any circumstances. An orientation towards blood curdling revengeandareadinessformartyrdom,attimes,canimpel throwing caution to the winds and letting loose with both barrels.Thisisnotsafefortheregion,norisithealthyfora tenselywatchingworld. Areasonablefearisthatasparkin thisMiddleEasttinderboxpossessesthecharactertoignitea wildfire beyond this always volatile rea. Whether from reckless misjudgment or the law of unintended consequences, the Iranian High Command must be most diligent not to be sucked into the traps baited by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjammin Netanyahu. Netanyahu is feelingthesqueezeinternallyandexternally,hashisbackto the corner, and keeps raising the stakes in a precarious environment. Clearly, it would be in his interest if the Iranians were to fall for his snare by overreacting with a hammerblow,thusturningthetideofworldopinion,atleast muted Western positions, in his favor The result that Netanyahuseemstobetakinghugerisksforisthatothersare drawnintowhatstartedasanIsraeli-Palestinianconflictand isclosinginonayear
Notwithstanding how much Iran seethes with fury, its decisionmakersmusthavetheself-disciplinetooperateon their own timetable and with their own scales of response sensibly selected. There is no question that Netanyahu wouldprefertheroleofwoundedvictimbyportrayingIsrael as the isolated underdog. Indeed, Iran must exercise restraint,exceptthatitisakindthatisdifferentfromwhatthe world seeks. Iranian restraint must be what buttresses its ownimage,slakesitspassions.
Remembering the happenings of the 2020 elections
DEAREDITOR, Last August 2 was the fourth anniversary of the declaration of the outcome of the March 2, 2020 elections. Memories went back to the five months struggle from March 2, 2020, the day of the elections, toAugust 1, 2020 whenthematterofdeclaring a winner was still being contestedinthecourt.
The battle for respect of the will of the voters was ongoing. Then suddenly, a declaration was made early morning on August 2 and immediately followed by a swearing in of Irfaan Ali as the new President unseating DavidGranger Thepublicis not and probably will never know some of the critical happeningsduringthosefive months of the battle that led tothedeclarationthatplaced the PPP in government and IrfaanAliasPresident.There were several untold events and unsung heroes behind thosehappenings.
It took five long months
DO
for an election declaration thatreallyshouldhavetaken no more than five hours: countingofballotsateachof some 2500 polling stations andpenningthecountonthe duplicated statement of poll (SOP); signing the duplicated SOP document by polling agents and the returning officer; posting a duplicated copy of SOP at front door or wall of the pollingplace;forwardingthe count number on each SOP to headquarters for aggregated tabulation of all SOPs for each of the ten regions and nationally (for the Presidency and parliamentary seats); and finally announcement or declaration of the final total numbers regionally and nationally
Actually, the count at each polling station was known within a few hours and telephoned to headquarter of each of the contesting political party that was monitoring and doing their own count, the
local and international observers, GECOM monitoring staff, and the media that was anxiously awaiting the outcome for its breaking news report. This writer, who traveled around the country long before election day conducting opinion surveys, observing preparation for the poll, and visiting polling stations on electionday,receivedpixof posted SOPs of (from contacts at) many polling stations that were shared withmediapeople.
Within hours, the final outcome was known but certification of final results washeldup.Onatleasttwo occasions, there was a planned swearing in of a President before the final declaration on August 2. Court challenges and counter-challenges caused the declaration to be placed on hold and took five months. There was pressure from the OAS, Carter Center, Commonwealth, Washington, Ottawa, L o n d o n , t h e E U , Ambassadors and more bodies to respect the will of voters (meaning accept the actual count of the votes) rather than impose a bogus count of invented numbers as was attempted multiple times There was also CARICOMinterventionand finally agreement for a publicly scrutinized (and audited) recount whose numbers were initially rejected and challenged in court; there was more attemptatinventednumbers. Theincumbentfinallycaved in to pressure (from Washington that imposed sanctions on individuals who were hell bent on havingaresultintheirfavor) allowingGECOMtomakea declaration. GECOM was divided 3-3; the chair cast the tie breaking vote resulting in the declaration that led to Irfaan Ali’s swearingin.
During the five months tohavecertificationofthe (Continuedonpage06)
NOT PUTALLYOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET
DEAREDITOR,
In Guyana, massive construction works are underway in all of the ten regions of the country New
ng hospitals, schools, stadiums and even temples and mosques,nottomentionthe building of hundreds of houses throughout the country are being built, while some are repaired. Since independence almost 60 years ago on May 26, 1966,Guyanahasneverever experienced a construction boom like what is taking placetoday Theeconomyis thriving at a rate of roughly 46percentofGDP,whichis the highest in the Caribbean and Latin America and perhaps the world. It is a phenomenon no one expected or could have predicted. But thanks to the discoveryandexplorationof oil by ExxonMobil and the otheroilgiantsoftheworld.
Today in Guyana, there are hundreds if not thousandsofcontractorsthat haveandcontinuetoreceive huge contracts from all different sources, including private individuals. But as fast as the roads are being
built, cracks are appearing onmanyofthemevenbefore the job is completed. And although there are many reasons for such poor constructionorsub-standard work,spacewillallowmeto mention only a few of them .One reason is that many of thecontractorsarenotvetted properly Two, there are not enough qualified personnel to monitor the construction sites which suggests that many contractors are the adjudicators of their own work. Three, rumors have it that some of the contractors aregivencontractsbasedon their connections and or friendshipwithauthoritative officials, thus bypassing the vetting system and ignoring all regulations and standard operating procedures. Four, many have little or no experience to build anything, not even a driveway or a bookshelf. And five, some of us are fullyawarethatmanyofthe bona-fide contractors with expertise and years of experience are sidelined for anuntoldnumberofreasons, The result is that more than 60percentofcontractorsare sub-contracting, which inevitably has led sub-
standard work being done
because the original contractorswouldsiphonoff 25 percent of the initial cost fortheproject. Of all the hundreds or thousands of contractors currently registered in Guyana,onlyafewstandout as being the best and on top of all the others.Among the few is BK International Inc. It is one of the only contracting firms that can boast of having the equipment, experience, and expertise not only to build roads and construct buildings, but to meet any challenges and overcome them in the construction industry. With more than forty years of experience, BK International has built hundreds of miles of roads, constructed several buildings and erected miles of sea-defenses in the three counties of Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice
S i m p l y p u t , B K International has done it all.
AsthefirstMajorGeneralof the Guyana Defence Force, Norman McClean has said, “you name it, and BK will buildit.”
Unlike most others, BK International is second to
none and its capability is recognised regionally in the Caribbean, hemispheric in Latin America and elsewherearoundtheworld, including Canada and the United States Its recent construction of its airport at Ogle is a marvel that has surpassed international standards.
There is nothing spectacular like it anywhere in Guyana, Surinam, the CaribbeanorLatinAmerica. And the person behind the planning, development and constructionoftheairportis noneotherthanitsvisionary, ingenious and futurist Chairman,Mr.BrianTiwari. Mr. Tiwari is original, creative ambitious and judicious, His most famous mantra which everyone not only in the construction industry but the general public should heed: Do not put all your eggs in one basket, but leave room for just in case one door is closed, the chances are, others will open Wise, affable and generous, Mr Tiwari is very genuine, down-to-earth and approachable.
Sincerely, Dr AsquithRose
TheAG has erred The words negro and coolie
DEARE
DITOR
,
Thepublicdebateonthe ConocoPhillips arbitration award has left the learned AG without a solid argument.
The USAis our ally and has the full support of the justicesystemintheirefforts to recoup what Venezuela unlawfully stole from them. Guyana also has a right to recoup our half of Ankoko Island,whichVenezuelahas unlawfullystolen.Ifsupport oftheinternationaljudiciary is the Attorney General’s priority, then his office wouldbefullysupportiveof ConocoPhillips’ request. It
Who’s
DEAREDITOR,
The rapid opening of C h i n e s e supermarkets/hardware stores around this country is welcomed or resented by many Regardless of one’s opinion, the Chinese approach towards business seems more effective in attracting customers even though some of their prices differed from other sectors.
Apart from that, Chinese seem very patient towards hostility and are quickly adapting the attitude of interactingwiththepopulace inafriendlymanner.
In addition, they are the firsttoopenandlasttoclose their doors. Because of the astronomical rent the Chineseofferingtopayfora building, especially those in busy locations, many who could facilitate them, jump to the opportunity to offer their building. The Chinese are not interested in any fancy building, just somewhere that they could displayandstorethevarious itemstheysell.
Editor, because of the various terms of agreement offered, the building don’t have to be complete, just what the Chinese need, and in many cases, the Chinese complete the rest of the works on the building on their own, which would be ceiling, electrical wiring, weldingetc.
I’ve no issue they are doingtheirwork,somecould possess the required skills, but alarming, many Chinese storescouldbeseenshabbily built, poor electrical wiring and many of their electrical outlets are overloaded with inferior plugs/points, which are banned in this country, butstillavailableonshelves for sale countrywide It
isludicroustothinkthatour current dispute with Venezuelashouldpreventus from taking a just position andtherequestedaction.Isit t h a t t h e c u r r e n t administrationisreluctantto release the funds in the escrow?
I have no doubt that if and when Guyana wins our casebeforetheInternational CourtofJusticethattheUSA will support our efforts to enforce the resulting judgment.
We also should not be hesitant to assist their corporations in doing the same The Venezuelan
government has unlawfully stolen from Guyana as they haveunlawfullystolenfrom the USA It is our responsibility to ensure that we remain on the side of justice. CRG calls on the current administration to support ConocoPhillips by releasing the funds in escrow It will not diminish our case before the ICJ, but instead strengthen our position during this current dispute with our adversary Wemustalsostrengthenour efforts to recoup our half of AnkokoIsland!
Withconcern, Mr.JamilChanglee
monitoring?
should be of concern to many the number of fires occurring at the Chinese stores and the causes, systems put in place to prevent future mishaps, but nooneseemstocare.
Finally Editor, I was sitting in a car facing the Chinese supermarket that was located in Barnwell, EBE, and another occupant observed a small flame Within five minutes, the whole ceiling was engulfed inflames.Arethefireservice and GPL randomly inspecting these buildings? Ironically,everythingwithin the building got destroyed, and only pieces of the b
y amazement, construction started on the same building and fraction of walls that survived the fire are being used instead of getting replaced.
I was very curious of what is taking place and I took a closer look and observed that instead of the steel columns (post) which
would be around 8,10,12 inches square (based on building size/contractor’s recommendations),ahallow section to my average is 2 inches square and 2mm thickness is being used as column post. I’m curious as to who approved such a building to be built in Guyana, how and if they monitor the construction Theaveragemanbuildinga (Continuedonpage06)
DEAREDITOR, I read recently that the words Negroes and East Indians are being discouragedbyministryand othergovernmentagencies.
I understand such words make some Negroes and some East Indians uncomfortable. Sir, here is myplight.
I was born in Hunter Street Albouystown in the early 60s and we could not usetheword“aBlackboyor Indian boy” to my parents, thisorthatorsomeoneatthe door rapping, he or she is BlackorIndian.
We were taught to say fromagethreeyoumustsay Negro or East Indian sixty years later, you now telling me that the word Negro or East Indian and you should notusethem.
Well Sir, I must comply, however I would like to tell youastorywhathappenedin 1939whenJackCampbella Bookers Director was touringAlbionSugarEstate. He saw some well painted huts with ventilation with freshwaterattached.
Mr Campbell later becameSirJackCampbellas he walks further down, he saw some dilapidated logies andrangesthatwereusedby
the African slaves before 1834, he then asked the overseer the Scottish gentleman “Who lives in those comfortable huts with water, hesaidthemules.Sir Jackthenasks“Wholivesin the logies and ranges; the overseer said the coolie live there.
Sir Jack said “Why do you have the animal living like people and the people livinglikehogs.
The overseer responds Sir a mule cost eight cents and a coolie is free. Check
G l e m S e e c h a r r a n Bittersweet Sugar Page# 4
Chapter1.
Letmepleaseremindmy readers that the first people torepresenttheEastIndians in 1839/1840were thefreed Negroestherewasareportin India that the East Indians werebeingtreatedwell,then came another report to the Indian government that the Indians would be in
confinementandbeaten.
The beaten confinement was very touching for the Negroes.
I remember my mother would say to us as boys if youshouldfallorgetsickthe first people to come to your side will be a Negro person thosewordsliveinmyblood tothisday
Whenyourefertohuman being as an N word or a C word or a B word it demoralisesandmakesthem feel uncomfortable those three words should be outlawed and strictly enforced by the authorities within the law, unlike many other laws which are good butnotbeingenforcedbythe authority.
Iwouldliketorandomly ask five Policemen about a law, I believe three out of five will not know anything about.Let’sgiveitatry!
YoursTruly, FrankDeAbreu
GovtwantsGuySuCotofailforfriendstoacquiretheland
DEAREDITOR, Mr Tony Vieira penned that “throwing money behind GuySuCo will not r e v i v e t h a t d e a d corporation” (August 15). HasitoccurredtoVieiraand others who are so genuinely
concerned about the company and its wasteful
expenditures that the government’sintentisnotto rescue GuySuCo but to quickenitsdeath?
GuySuCo has become a cash cow for government functionaries, friends and families Contracts are awarded to them on various services to the company,
milking the company in billions.Theworkersremain at the bottom, working the hardest but have been paid thelowest.
Whyhasthegovernment saddled the company with incompetent leadership since it assumed power? Individuals who know n
cultivation or harvesting or r
ns became CEOs; they ignored the board and those who previo
e in management when the company was profitable Those who know about and arewellexperiencedinsugar
production have been excluded or belittled or marginalized. There is theft o f r e s o u r c
n d mismanagement. Personnel whowerefailureshavebeen retained or rewarded with promo
only GuySuCo, but the entire agricultural sector is
collapsing. GuySuCo has prized land and several in the governmentandtheirfriends wanttogettheirhandsonit. The faster the company collapses, the quicker the looterswillacquiretheland. Yoursfaithfully, RoopchandSharma
Remembering the happenings of the 2020...
Frompage04
SOPs and Recount SOPs, many events happened that were reported to the public viathemedia.
Butthereweremany‘secret’ happenings by the parties that mapped out strategies, tactics, legal briefs from their meetings or sessions anddiscussionstowhichthe publicwasnotprivy They were held in strictest confidence and utmost secrecy, off limits to the media and loose lips, so as not to alert the other side of planned strategies
tening GECOM officials and staff, among other underhand, illegal tactics. Nefarious strategies andillegalitieswereexposed in
interventions.
There were several court cases – Supreme Court, Appeal Court, and CCJ And Douglas Mendes, who was the front face of the arguments of theopposition,wascredited for the opposition victories in court. But very early on, there was one crucial court casewhichsavedthePPPon the eve of a planned swearing in of David Granger Without the lastminute, and real last minute, intervention of the legal brilliance of Anil Nandlall, a court challenge toa(plannedandexpected)
Information on or about plans was accessed from trustedcontactsandthrough ‘inducements’ by an East Coast businessman whose name shall remain anonymous; these were shared One party had planned: penetrating the containers to access the ballot boxes and tampering with them; influencing judges; b
declaration in the early days would have been held.
Nandlall’sSeniorfeltalegal challenge was not tenable and instead proposed going ‘the election petition way’
after a declaration Nandlall’s determination prevailed and a challenge wasfiled.
His brilliant legal mind rescued the situation which was at the time h o p e l e s s f o r t h e opposition
There were also quiet behindthesceneappealsto Ambassadorsandlobbying of Washington and other influential world capitals to warn against planned fraud and to pressure the incumbent to accept the real outcome.
Appeals to certain eminent personalities who wereadvisors,consultants, observersinGuyanaandto others at government
offices around the globe including in Auckland, London, Canberra, Washington, Ottawa and elsewhereassistedinputting pressureontheincumbentto acceptthewillofvotersand on GECOM to make a declaration of the actual outcome of vote count
Appeals from local respected,influentialfigures (legal minds and friends) were also made to GECOM officials to come right and declaretheactualresults.
Several individuals, local and foreign (Ambassadors, observers, US State Department officials, etc ) played key roles that led to the announcement ofAugust2, 2020.
T h e n a t i o n i s grateful.
A handful of local individuals (two business men and two retired legal
minds) played extremely critical roles that led to that finaldeclaration;onepassed awaylastyear
Their names shall remainanonymous
Most important of all in saving democracy wasAmbassador SaraAnn Lynch; w
intervention, speaking on beh
f
he most powerful country, the right outcome would not havebeenpossible
President Granger, to his credit, it was r
opportunities to be sworn in under any questionable
respecting democratic outcome (real outcome of elections), the leaders of small nations listen or
consequences as Guyana is now learning in the
corruption that has been
uncontrolled cancer since 2021.
Yours faithfully VishnuBisram
Who’s monitoring...
Frompage05 house in Guyana gets the royalrunaroundfromGPL, G W I a n d v a r i o u s components involved, but those who can afford to grease the sleazeball hands that give approval are given free reins to practice illegalityhere. Guyana Development’s nice!
Sincerely SahadeoBates
Grossmisrepresentation
The PPP/C Government's claim that a Petroleum Commission would impede decision-making is a gross misrepresentation of its purpose and function.
A Petroleum Commission, is not a roadblock but a facilitator. It is there to ensure that decisions are made based on sound analysis, that they are in line with national policies, and that they are executed in a manner that protects the interests of the Guyanese people.
The Commission's role is to provide oversight, to monitor compliance, and to hold operators accountable. It is to be the eyes and ears of the nation in the oil and gas sector, ensuring that every barrel of oil extracted from Guyana's shores is accounted for, and that the revenues generated are used for the benefit of all Guyanese.
US$1.9 billion contract awarded to American firm to map Guyana's minerals
Minister
of Natural Resources,
Vickram Bharrat
The Government of Guyana (GoG), through the Ministry of Natural Resources, has signed a US$1.9 billion contract with United States-based firm GlobalVentureConsultingto conduct a comprehensive mineral mapping of the nation'smininghotspots.
The announcement was made by Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, during his mid-year press conference on Wednesday
The ministry had issued a tender for the “Mineral Mapping Study of Guyana's Mineral Resources, ” targeting both traditional gold reserves and emerging non-traditionalminerals.The process attracted proposals from five international companies, including Canada's Watts, Griffis & McOuat Limited (WGM), whichbidUS$1,301,700and GY$88,088,000, and Technical Management
Group Limited (TMG) in partnershipwithPurpleRock Inc., which submitted a bid totaling US$2,806,686 Additionally, the UK's SLR Consulting Limited bid £156,976 (excluding all fees and expenses), while Oculus Geophysical Resources, also of the USA, submitted a bid forUS$1,556,500.However, Global Venture Consulting's bid of US$1,981,218 was ultimatelyselected.
For his part, Minister
Bharrat highlighted the importance of updating Guyana's mineral inventory, notingthattheexistingdatais severelyoutdated.
In mining, the mineral inventory, or mineral mapping, has not been updated for decades So today,ifwepointaminerina directionandsaythatthereis mineralthere,thatdataisold datathatwasthatwouldhave been acquired maybe 40, 50 years ago, and a lot has changed from now to then,” Bharratstated.
He underscored that advancesintechnologyhave significantly improved mineral discovery methods. “Simply the use of different technology, more advanced technology,inthesurvey,and the discovery of minerals by way of doing these surveys using technology that would have changed from then…,” the minister explained Bharrat also addressed why such a project had not been undertaken sooner, suggestingthatcosthadbeen a major factor. However, he notedthatthecountryisnow in a better position to move forward with this critical initiative,especiallygivenits commitment to the Low Carbon Development Strategy
He said, “It is important
andisnecessarythatwestart the mineral inventory processinGuyanathisyear.”
Themineralmappingproject isexpectedtobeamulti-year endeavor, initially focusing on the Mazaruni, Potaro, Northwest, and Cuyuni mining districts, which are home to a significant concentration of small and medium-scaleminers.
“We will start with specific mining districts because we have a larger amount of our small miners and major scale miners concentrated in those four mining districts,” Bharrat said.Moreover,hestatedthat the project is not only about identifying existing mineral deposits but also about positioning Guyana to tap into the global demand for criticalminerals,particularly those needed for renewable energytechnologies.
“So this is a project that will help us significantly to identify not only where our depositsare,butallminerals, and you know, in keeping with what is happening around the world, especially in the transitioning phase from fossil to renewable, critical minerals are critical. Critical minerals are needed. Theyareheavilyindemand,” Bharratoutlined.
He pointed out the global interest in minerals suchaslithium,especiallyin South America, and suggestedthatGuyanacould potentially have traces of thesevaluableresources. So thisprojectisgoingtohelpus to identify all of these mineralsinthatwehave.So, it will help us in the allocation of properties, and to ensure that we see a general forest,” the minister concluded.
The road to disaster
One can only marvel at the audacity with which the PPPC government has managed to sidestep the establishment of a Petroleum Commission, a move that could only be described as a grotesque display of governance by whimsy It is a curious spectacle, this deliberate procrastination on a matter socrucialtotheregulationof Guyana’sburgeoningoiland gassector
The excuse offered that such a commission would somehow slow down decision-making,isaninsult totheintelligenceofanyone who has bothered to read beyond the headlines. The purpose of a Petroleum Commission is not to encumber,buttoensurethat the sector operates under a framework of transparency,
e f f i c i e n c y , a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l responsibility Yet, in the PPPC’s view, it appears that the rigors of oversight are merelyinconvenienthurdles tobesidesteppedinfavorof more expeditious, albeit reckless,governance.
Theconsequencesofthis obstinaterefusaltoestablish a regulatory body are as predictable as they are disastrous.The absence of a Petroleum Commission ensures that the governance of the oil and gas sector remainsshroudedinopacity, with decisions concentrated in the hands of a few, or
worse, in the grip of one. Thisisnotgovernance;itisa freakshowofcontrol,where the stakes are too high and t h e p l a y e r s t o o inexperienced to be left unsupervised.
The saga of the PPPC government’s refusal to establish a Petroleum C o m m i s s i o n i s a tragicomedy of errors, a farcical display of governance where prudence and accountability are sacrificed on the altar of political expedience. In any well-ordered society, the discovery of vast natural resources such as the billions of barrels of oil off Guyana’s coast—would be met with a corresponding framework of robust regulatory oversight. This oversight is not merely a matter of good governance; itisanessentialsafeguardto ensure that the nation’s resources are managed in a manner that benefits all, rather than a select few Yet in Guyana, the PPPC government has chosen to eschew such safeguards, instead opting for a regime where decision-making is concentratedin the hands of the few, where oversight is seen as a hindrance rather than a necessity, and where theveryideaofaPetroleum Commission has been relegated to the status of an inconvenientafterthought. It is worth recalling the o rigins of the Petroleum
Commission and why its establishment is not only a matter of legislative formality but one of urgent national importance. The APNU+AFC government, in a rare moment of foresight, recognised the need for institutional and regulatory development in the oil and gas sector They soughtandsecuredaUS$20 million facility from the World Bank to support this endeavor Amongthefunded project-components was the development of a draft PetroleumCommissionAct, a piece of legislation designed to ensure that the exploration, development, andproductionofpetroleum in Guyana would be conductedefficiently,safely, and in an environmentally responsible manner This was not merely a bureaucraticexercise;itwas a foundational step towards ensuring that the wealth generatedfromGuyana’soil reserves would be managed in a way that benefits the entirenation.
The APNU+AFC government developed and tabled a Petroleum Bill, a comprehensive piece of legislation that outlined the f u n c t i o n s a n d responsibilities of the Petroleum Commission. It was designed to be a key regulatorybody,taskedwith overseeing every aspect of petroleum operations in Guyana. The Commission
DEM BOYS SEH
Exxon deserves de Order of Excellence
Dem boys seh is like Christmas come early fuh Guyana ExxonMobil investing billions of US dollarsinGuyana-interestfree. Imagine dat! Is like dem Santa Claus come down from Texas.And you know what dem seh, Santa never ask fuh nutten in return But how Exxon managedat? Demboyswanttoknow ifismagicoilExxonpulling out de Atlantic or if is we leaders who sipping too much Kool-Aid. Because how in de world a big company like Exxon, who got to answer to shareholders, go invest billions and nah ask fuh a centininterest?
Man, dem got to be angels in disguise. De
wholeofGuyanashouldah lineupinfrontofdemoffice and bow down, kiss dem feet,andgivedemtheOrder of Excellence fuh de kindness.
Demboyssehthisgotto be de eighth wonder of de world.Evendembankinde Stateschargingyuhinterest when yuh borrow fuh pay yuh rent, but Exxon investing billions without blinking.Yuheverhearbout that?Butthenagain,maybe dem think we born yesterday
Demboyssehdeleaders believing this fairy tale. Dem writing love letters to Exxon, telling de people how we got interest-free investment! Man, Guyana mussereallyspecial.Weoil mustbesweeterthanhoney, causeExxonnahcharginga
was to promote government policies, review and recommend plans and proposals to the Minister, manage bid rounds for licensing, and ensure compliance with national laws, health, safety, and environmental standards. It wasalsotoplayacrucialrole in monitoring petroleum operations, including reserve estimation and production measurements, promoting local content and participation, and maintaining a national petroleum databank In short, the Commission was envisioned to be the backbone of Guyana’s oil andgassector,ensuringthat it operated in a manner that was both transparent and accountable.
Yet,despitetheclearand pressing need for such an institution, the PPPC government has allowed the PetroleumBilltolanguishin the National Assembly, gathering dust while the sector it was meant to regulatecontinuestoexpand at breakneck speed. When the PPPC assumed office, they signaled that they would move swiftly on two keypiecesoflegislation:the Natural Resource Fund Act and the Petroleum Commission They have instituted the former, albeit not without controversy, but have prevaricated on the latter And now, in a move thatcanonlybedescribedas comical, they offer the explanation that the implementation of the Petroleum Commission would slow down decisionmaking in the oil and gas sector This argument is not only disingenuous; it is dangerouslymisleading.
purpose and function A Petroleum Commission, as envisioned in the APNU+AFC’s dra
t a roadblockbutafacilitator.It is there to ensure that decisionsaremadebasedon soundanalysis,thattheyare inlinewithnationalpolicies, andthattheyareexecutedin a manner that protects the interests of the Guyanese people. The Commission’s role is to provide oversight, to monitor compliance, and to hold operators accountable. It is to be the eyesandearsofthenationin the oil and gas sector, ensuringthateverybarrelof oil extracted from Guyana’s shores is accounted for, and that the revenues generated areusedforthebenefitofall Guyanese.
The PPPC’s refusal to establish the Petroleum Commission can only be interpreted as a deliberate attempttoavoidthiskindof scrutiny By keeping the sector unregulated and free from oversight, they have created a situation where decisions can be made behind closed doors, with littletonotransparency This isnotthekindofgovernance that the people of Guyana deserve, nor is it the kind of governance that will ensure thesustainabledevelopment of the nation’s resources.
The concentration of power in the hands of a few, or worse,inthehandsofone,is a recipe for disaster It creates an environment where corruption can flourish, where the interests of the nation can be sacrificedforthebenefitofa select few, and where the long-term stability of the sectorisputatrisk.
little to prevent the mismanagement of the sector The lack of regulatory oversight means that operators are free to act with impunity, cutting corners on safety and environmental standards, and engaging in practices that may be detrimental to the long-term sustainability of the sector This is not a scenariothatanyresponsible government should allow to unfold,yetitispreciselythe scenario that the PPPC seemsdeterminedtocreate.
In light of these concerns, it is imperative that the international community takes a stand.
Donor countries and agencies that are committed tosupportingtheresponsible developmentofGuyana’soil wealth must withhold all funding for the sector until the Petroleum Commission is established. The message tothePPPCshouldbeclear: theworldwillnotbankrolla descentintochaos.
If the PPPC is serious about governing in the interests of all Guyanese, they must move swiftly to establish the Petroleum Commissionandensurethat the sector is subject to the kind of rigorous oversight thatitrequires. Failuretodosowillnot onlyputthefutureoftheoil andgassectoratrisk;itwill also undermine the credibility
government.
cent in interest on de cost bank. Dem boys seh de government got a big celebration plan, cause Exxon so generous. Maybe dem go hand out medals next.
But dem boys seh something nah adding up. Why Exxon so nice to we? Big companies nah give away nutten fuh free. Dem seh is investment, but we wondering what kind. Dem boys seh de people who believe this story gat good faith in de oil company
Dem boys seh one thing sure—Exxon too sweet fuh be true.And if it sound too good, yuh best believe something hiding under de surface.Demboyssehdem waitingfuhdeothershoeto drop. Talkhalf.Leffhalf
The claim that a Petroleum Commission would impede decisionmaking is a gross misrepresentation of its
Theconsequencesofthis approach are all too predictable Without a Petroleum Commission to provide oversight, there is
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
H@RD TRUTHS
OutwiththesecretJagdeo
Ineed help. Scratch that, please. It is Guyana's chief policymaker, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo who needs serious help. Isuggestahugeslugof High Wine instead of any antibiotics or multivitamins, forastart.
Dr Jagdeo must decide whatisthebestdiagnosisand prescription for himself Physician, heal thine own self. SurgeonJagdeo,excise or exorcise thy self, dear fellow countryman of mine. Thenation'schiefoilwrestler must make up his mind: he hasachoice. Beaconjurerof fantasies, or a conspirator of
Exxon, or a conniver of an extraordinaryorder. Jagdeo, being the unprecedented champ that he is, can be all three at once, if that is what pleaseshim. What'supwith this interest rate business charged by Exxon, Babu Bharrat?
It is unbelievable that such a simple aspect of regular business could cause a former president so much troubletogetstraight. First,thevicepresidentof oil said that there is a cost to capital. I salute the man. Bravo, cheerio, and tallyho for getting that one right. Whether from loans, or
return on equity, Exxon is entitledtosomemoneyinits pocket. I am not messing with that brilliance, what is unchallengeable from the unimaginable Simply stated, any interest rate charged is the cost of using otherpeople'smoney
Iamproudofmyselfand my learned friend, Dr Jagdeo, that there is something on which we agree. Now,hehadtogoand spoil things, blow out the bucket bottom. On each occasionthatIdropmyguard andfoolmyselfintothinking thatthereissomegoodinthis guy Jagdeo, he does
somethingtomakemeregret the error of my judgment. The latest from Guyana's oil manager-fabricator is that thereisnointerestrate. Zero. Abig, fat 0. Let's have that one more time for surety's sake: Exxon is not charging the cost bank any interest. Truth be told, this is why I have such regard for this great leader Bharrat Jagdeo. Pleasedon'tquestionmeand putmeonthespotbyasking if that regard is high, medium,orlow Ornotatall. We could all do without any more quarreling and cursing f r o m t
s g r e a t , unreconstructed North
Korean-East GermanBulgarian commie pretending to be a down home,democraticGuyanese. Ifitisnotthecostbankbeing chargedhundredsofmillions of US, then, where else? What accounting convention (sleight of hand) is Exxon using to lump its equity/interest charges under? Out with the secret, Bharrat; c'mon, come clean with Guyanese. This is my response, the kind one: Exxon is not that generous. Not when it can invest/lend those billions anywhere and reap a bumper harvest. No way Exxon loves Guyana so much. Not the Exxon that Guyanese know Not in a year of Christmases every singleday
Exxon not charging GuyanaistheTitanicpicking a fight with that iceberg and stillsailingserenelyforward. Exxon not taking out hundreds of millions in interestchargesforitsequity invested(SirAlistairhimself said so) is tantamount to a snowstorm of whiteout conditions in the Sahara. Or overGeorgetown.
Exxon is all steel when the issue of renegotiation of its exploitative contract is tabled,notevenforameasly one percent more in royalty, butitisconsiderateenoughto giftGuyanaallthosemillions in interest foregone, out of the sweetness of its loving capitalist heart. Exxon is so low as to charge Guyana a few dollars for bungee jumping, yoga dancing, and car washing, but millions uponmillions(UncleSam)is onthehouse.
Anytime Exxon decides to get into the ice cream business, I am signing upright now to be a lifetime customer
Routledge and Woods have a conniption fit with audit findings involving a mere US$214M, but they havenohang-upswithletting go of what is easily a half billion American moolah annually just like that, and because Jagdeo say it is so.
How does he come up with mysteries like these? Is he allowing somebody to make a fool of him, which he then passes on that favor to gullibleGuyanese?
I don't think so; maybe with somebody else, but not Jagdeo Somebody is suffering from a permanent hangover, or a case of induced myopia, around here,andIknowitisnotme. I am heading for the underground bomb shelters. The world is coming to an end, and this has nothing to do with any Bible or other sacred book. From whom does Dr Bharrat Jagdeo get theseconcoctionsthatwould reduce an imbecile to tears, and which have all the elementsofpurecomedy?
If ever I want to take deep dive into the nearest gutter, I am asking to be reincarnated to the vice presidency of Guyana When Jagdeo makes a statement, takes a position, like this in public, he transforms into an Egyptian mummy straight out of a Boris Karloff movie. It figuresbecauseIbelievethat he fancies himself a GuyanesePharoah.
Like some very patriotic Guyanese pray: God help Guyana Forget about Guyana,Godpleasehelpme. To know better and not to deal with people of the peculiar calibre of Bharrat Jagdeo. Okay, if Guyanese are to believe what Jagdeo just said about zero dollars down by Guyana, and zero interest charged by Exxon, then what is Exxon's new interest. Finally, what has the company shown to Jagdeo to captivate his interest.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
‘Govt. will not accept Exxon charging Stabroek Block account for Kaieteur, Canje expenses’ -OilMinister
Inthesecondauditwhere the expenses were examined for the period 2018-2020 it was discovered that operator of the Stabroek Block
ExxonMobil charged expenses incurred in the Canje and Kaieteur Block to theStabroekcostbank.
But Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat said the administration will notacceptit.Hemadeitclear at his mid-year press conference on Wednesday that the government will not accept Exxon charging Stabroek for expenses incurredelsewhere.
Hemadementionthatthe public and the media are of the opinion that the government is not proactive in having the issue rectified but “To say that we are not doing anything about it is unfair, because there is no final report on the second auditasyet.Thereisnofinal
report as yet. So it simply means we will take that cost out of the cost bank before any final report is produced. There is no way the government is going to accept expenses from Canje and Kaieteur in the Stabroek coatbank.Sothatshouldbea nonissue.”
Bharrat reminded the media that it was the governmentwhoinitiatedthe auditsinthefirstplacetosee if the expenses claimed by Exxon were accounted for and charged to the correct account.“Thepurposeofthe auditistolookattheseissues, whether Exxon is using revenue in the Canje and Kaieteur Block but (it) is being added to the Stabroek cost bank. That is one of the purpose of the audit and we should…in fact rather than carryingnegativereleasedor statementsofthistheauditors should be commended for
actually finding these i n a c c u r a c i e s a n d inconsistencies of seeing expenses incurred in the Canje and Kaieteur Block under the Stabroek cost bank.,”hesaid.
Praisingtheauditorsfora job well done he added, “So that by itself means that auditors are doing what they are supposed to do, ensure that there is no additional expenses outside of the StabroekBlockthatgoesinto the Stabroek cost bank, so I think they should be commended.”
Thispublicationreported previouslythattheauditteam that reviewed ExxonMobil's US$7 3 billion expenses, incurred between 2018 and 2020, found that the company used $323 million of the revenue generated in the Stabroek Block to purchase vehicles that were used for operations in the
Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat
Kaieteur and Canje Blocks. According to the report completed by the auditors, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited(EMGL)-previously Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)-theoperatorofthe Stabroek Block included in its cost recovery statement 100 percent of the costs for variousvehicles.
The auditors, however, determined that the vehicles purchased were used for all of Exxon's operations, includingthoseoutsideofthe S t a b r o e k B l o c k Consequently, auditors informed the company that the costs should be allocated acrosstheblocks.Inresponse to the findings of the auditors, ExxonMobil confirmed that the vehicles charges were deducted from the Stabroek block The company, however, disagreedthatthatthevehicle costsshouldbeshared.
Auditors said Exxon “verbally advised that the 100 percent charge to Stabroek was proper because, paraphrasing, the reason the Contractor was in the country was because of Stabroek operations.” The report highlighted that US$1,617,143.85invehicles were purchased during the
period 2018 to 2020 from Beharry Automotive LTD, Ideal Autos Inc., and Massy MotorsGuyanaLTD.
Thisamountstojustover GYD$323 million. Even though government has said that this use of the Stabroek Block funds to offset expenses in the other blocks is illegal, Exxon will not be facing any penalties of any sort. Jagdeo had said at a previous press conference thatthecontractthe giantoil signed with Guyana means that the expenses will not be included in the cost bank for the Stabroek Block “I maintain my position that it would be illegal and I repeat that. The audits would have revealed that now and as I said before there will be consequences If you did unauthorised work you don't gotojailaccordingtoPSA,it just doesn't form part of the costbank,”theVPsaid.
Two int'l firms bid to establish Guyana’s petroleum data repository
Two international companies out of the United States of America (USA) have signalled their interest in helping Guyana establish its
own petroleum data repository, a project being
executed through the
Ministry of Natural Resources.
Theministryhadissueda tenderseekingafirmtoapply for the 'Procurement of Data Management Services for Guyana's Exploration and ProductionData'project.
At a recent opening of
bids at the National Procurement and Tender
Administration Board (NPTAB) office it was revealedthatHalliburtonand Schlumberger Guyana Inc. weretheonlytwocompanies thatsubmittedtheirproposals forthecontract.
Providing further details about the tender at a press
conference on Wednesday, Subject Minister Vickram Bharrat said that it is to establish Guyana's own data repository in country “Presently we have our data inHouston(USA)beingheld by other companies, this is like our seismic data and everything that is being held byothercompanies,”hesaid.
According to the minister,manycountriesthat havebeenproducingforfour or five years do not have a data repository in their own countryandsosettingupone inGuyanais“ambitious”and alsonotforthecountry'sdata tobeelsewhere.
“After four years (of producingoil)wearealready moving to establishing our own data repository in country,thatwecanhaveour own people manage it, analyze it and its money making. It's a very lucrative investmentthatwearetaking
onbecausenotonlyspending money to set up the data repository, it is about getting ourpeopletoworkthereand tosellthatdatatocompanies thatwillcomeandseektodo exploration in Guyana, it's worth a lot of money, so it's like an investment,” he said athispressconference.
Noting that this is an investment for Guyana, the minister added that from the previously held bid round alone“companieshadtopay US$2 million just to access the data on those ministry siteofwhichwegetapartof it but if we can have it in countryitmeansthatwewill make that kind of money when we sell our data, because our data is in demand, everybody wants datafromtheGuyanabasin.”
Speaking of the data system last year February in Parliament, the minister related that the country is
receiving 50 percent and not 100percentoftherevenueor servicechargebecauseofthe absence of the data repositoryincountry
He said at the time that thisdatamanagementsystem isparticularlyimportanteven as the country continues to developitsoilandgassector as there will be more data required not only from the Stabroek Block but all other blocksoffshore,onshoreand near-shore.
Accordingtoinformation providedinthisyear'sbudget estimates - Volume 3, approximately $700 million has been allocated to set up thisdatamanagementsystem andothersprojectsunderthe
Ministry's 'Oil and Gas
Programme'. Notably, it is being funded through a loan by
Development Association
(IDA), w
n international financial institution which offers concessional loans and grants to the world's poorest developingcountries.
MinisterofNaturalResources, Vickram Bharrat
$14.3M dehydration processing facility commissioned at Hope Estate
Minister of Agriculture
Zulfikar Mustapha commissioned Guyana's first public dehydration facility at HopeEstateontheEastCoast ofDemerara.
The $14.3M facility will benefit over 200 persons including farmers, agroprocessors, women, youth, and other stakeholders, allowing them to improve their business development
skills while earning additional income. In a press releasetheministrysaidwith a production capacity of 80 kg/hr. or 192,000 kg per month, the Hope Estate Dehydration Facility forms part of the government's continued efforts to support thereductionofthelocaland regional food import bill by enhancing the preservation and quality of locally produced fruits and vegetables.
While delivering the feature address, Minister Mustapha said the facility marks a significant step forward in the government's national strategy to enhance thecountry'sagro-processing capabilities. This, he noted, was critical to the future of agriculture in Guyana. He (Continuedonpage22)
Azruddin Mohamed and the mother of five, in front of the caravan.
Minister Zulfikar Mustapha and other officials while examining samples of dehydrated products produced at the facility
Azruddin Mohamed on Thursday set up a food caravan for 34-year-old RebeccaDosSantos,asingle mother of five at Kuru Kururu, Linden Soesdyke Highway
Her n
'
c
Indigenous and Creole Kitchen, is located opposite Cookie's Minimart at Kuru Kururu. Themenufeatures
indigenousandcreoledishes, including pepper pot, farine, tuma pot, cassava bread, fried rice, chowmein, and manyotherdeliciousoptions
According to Team Mohamed, Rebecca previously ran a similar business in Mahdia, Region Eightbutwasforcedtoleave afterthedevastatingfloodin 2021. She reportedly lost everything. Determined to start anew, she moved to Kuru Kururu, but financial challenges made it difficult togetbackonherfeet.
Official contract documents being handed over at the construction site
The government will be spendingover$275Mtobuild an access-way, a lecture hall and barracks at new police academybeingsetupatDora, Linden-SoesdykeHighway
Three contracts were handed out on Thursday during a simple ceremony at the construction site, to three different contractors for the commencement of the first three building projects of the new police training facility that will encompass some 228.85acresoflandatDora.
D&S Construction will be building the access way for $102,688,320 The Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a statement said that the access way is “crucial” because “it will ensure smooth and efficientmovementwithinthe facility, supporting both pedestrian and vehicular traffic”.
The Lecture Hall will cost $87,830,663 and will be built by Orin's Supreme. For that money, the lecture hall will include 4-6 smart classrooms with IT labs-providing a d v a n c e d t r a i n i n g environments for future law enforcement professionals, theGPFsaid.
The Barracks will be built byGreenPlainsEnterprisefor $84,973,455andwillservethe purpose of housing the trainees.Theforcedidnotsay how much trainees the barracks will be able to house butsaiditwillbeasignificant number
More millions of US dollars will be spent to complete the academy that, according the force's top cop, Clifton Hickens, will
revolutionise the lawenforcement training in Guyana. “The facility will featureanarrayofspecialised buildingsandamenities”,GPF stated. These include a Security Hut with four checkpoints, an Administrative Building, complete with offices, a registry,andanITroomalong with buildings for “dedicated Instructors and Junior Instructors”.
Afive-stardiningset-both and dining area-will also be built for the trainees along with a fully-equipped gym with saunas for both men and womenandalargeauditorium withamulti-purposespacefor approximately 1,000 persons. The new Dora Police Academy will also include a training studio for practical exercisesandtacticalcourses. Driving simulators will be installed too A Medical Center with examination rooms and resting areas and a Maintenance Building for HVAC, IT, and essential services will be erected as well. The force also plans to construct specialized training spacessuchasadrivingcircuit replicating various road patterns,adrillsquarewithan asphalt surface, an armoury andashootingrange.
Recreational facilities such as ball courts and a training pool will be installed for the trainee's learning According to the force “the construction of the new facilities is part of a larger initiative that is aimed at enhancing the overall effectivenessandefficiencyof thelawenforcementagency”.
The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) is working to address ongoing waterqualityissuesinCentral Georgetown, with Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Shaik Baksh assuring customers that the situation should be resolved by this weekend.
The company has come under fire from frustrated residents who have taken to social media to express their dissatisfaction with not receiving water and others the discoloured and turbid water currently being supplied.At a press briefing on Thursday, Baksh explained the circumstances leading to the deterioration in water quality, highlighting that the company is deeply concerned about the impactonhouseholds.
“We are very much concerned about the situation andtheeffectthewatersupply has been having on household,” Baksh said. He added, “We do apologise for the situation which we considerwasunavoidable.”
AccordingtotheCEO,the problem began about a month ago when GWI noticed issues with water quality in the two largecanalsattheShelterBelt facility These canals store water coming from the East Demerara Conservancy through the Lamaha Canal.
“We observed firstly that somethingwaswrongwiththe quality of water that was coming in and then we did further checks and we
recognised that the sedimentation load coming to theplantwasextremelyhigh,” Baksh explained, noting that such a high level of sedimentation had never been experiencedbefore.
The CEO detailed the company's immediate response to the problem, whichinvolvedsendingateam to the conservancy The team discovered that dredging activities, combined with recent heavy rainfall, had causedasignificantbuildupof sludge in the canals, which thenmovedintothereservoirs attheShelterBeltfacility
GWI quickly mobilised additional labour to clean the western canal, completing the workinabouttwoweeks.They arenowfinishingthecleaning of the eastern canal, with completion expected by this evening or early tomorrow
“The point I wish to make is that there is an overload of sedimentation into our system (Continuedonpage22)
Images posted by customers to show the quality of water they are receiving (file photo)
Govt. launches digital platforms for mining and forestry management
OnWednesday,the Ministry of
N a t u r a l
Resources unveiled two new onlineplatformswhichshow the allocation of mining and forestry resources across Guyana.
These digital tools providecomprehensivemaps detailing the distribution of resources managed by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and
the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) The platforms were launched during the ministry's midyearpressconferenceheldin Georgetown.
Head of Policy, Planning and Coordination at the ministry, Omkar Lochan, stated that the GGMC's M i n e r a l T e n u r e (https://storymaps arcgis co m/stories/790ce0003be5464 a815be1862ff594d9) and the GFC Forest Allocation Map (https://cadasta maps arcgis com/apps/webappviewer/ind ex.html?id=e543e1d1d8f04b c29e16b448cd0beb76) can be accessed from both agencies website are accessible to the public at no cost.
Thedevelopmentofthese platforms was supported by t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s government,Lochanstated.
M o r e o v e r , h e demonstrated how users can navigatetheseplatforms.
He highlighted that the tools, powered by the Kadaster platform—a global nonprofit organization specializing in geospatial technology that allow
government bodies to efficientlystore,analyze,and sharegeospatialdata.
Lochan explained that eachmineralpropertywithin the GGMC's Mineral Tenure system is assigned a unique identification number for easy tracking on the map.
“Each data point has attributesaswell,youwillsee the file number, you will see the applicant, the application date, the type of permit and acreage.Themapallowsyou to search as well, so I could search [for whichever property],”hestated.
He assured, “It is searchable It is easy to use.”
Notably, the map also features a search function, enablinguserstolocatelarge andmedium-scaleoperations with ease The current version of the platform does not include small-scale claims. “Unfortunately, the smallscale,claimsarenoton thismapbutpersonscouldgo into the GGMC and request that,”itwasstated. Themapalsooffersusers the ability to view adjacent properties and natural landmarks like rivers. There is also the option to view protected areas, Amerindian titled lands, and quarry sites. Importantly,Lochansaidthat users can download the available information directlyfromtheplatform.
As for the Forestry Resource Allocation Map, Lochanhighlighteditsutility for both public users and internal operations at the GFC.
Through the platform, users can search for specific forestry concessions and locate sawmills and lumber yards, complet
with addressesandcontactdetails. Furthermore, in relation to bothmaps,Lochandisplayed another feature which shows bothpavedroadsandtrails.
“LastthingIwanttoshow youanditsapplicabletoboth maps…one of the things that we use this data for is when we are allocating whether its through a lottery or auction, wecouldactuallylookatour map and see where infrastructural developments in terms of roads would be needed and then we budget forthat,”headded.
Head of Policy, Planning and Coordination at MNR, Omkar Lochan
Govt. to spend $17B more to fix up roads in Regions 3 & 4
SeveralroadsinRegions ThreeandFourareexpected toundergorehabilitationand construction through the Ministry of Public Works, which has set aside approximately $17.7 billion toexecutetheseprojects.
According to an invitation for bids issued by theministry,theprojectswill be done in 18 lots and the works will be carried out in areas such as theWest Bank of Demerara (WBD), East Bank of Demerara (EBD), MahaicaandGeorgetown.
Of the list of projects, worksfortheEBDareasare slated for Diamond alternative access road.This would see some 480 meters
of road being fixed for an estimated cost of $100 million. In Diamond also, works are for Third Avenue and this is for 900 meters of roadway which is estimated at $120 million, for First Avenue this is also for 900 meters of roadway which is estimated at $300 million, and works are for Back Street There some 600 meters of road are for rehabilitation and this is peggedat$310million. In central Georgetown, road works are for Homestretch Avenue which is being transformed into a four-lane.This project is for phase two which will cover 620 meters of road and is
estimated to cost $360 million. Works are set for Princes Street - Cemetery Road to St. Stephens Street and this entails 1070 meters ofroadforanestimatedcost of$650million.
Around the same area, Princes Street - Cemetery Road to St. Stephens Street toHighStreet,thiswillentail 730 meters of road for $800 million.
The ministry further revealed that rehabilitation/ construction works is for section of De Hoop access road and this is estimated at $800 million. Another $850 million will cover 620 meters of road at Aubrey Barker Road, South
Ruimveldt, Well Road to BlackaCanal.
An estimated $900 million will see 685 meters ofroadbeingrehabilitatedat Sussex Street- west of Cemeteryroad,St.Stephens Street to Saffon Street Moving to complete phase two of Thomas Lands, the ministry set aside $1 billion to cover 600 meters of road works The works for Aubrey Barker road, Blacka
Canal to Ogle, the engineer isestimatingthat$1.2billion willcompletethisphase. Further,worksareslated for Sussex Street- west of Cemetery road to St Stephens street and this covers1100metersofroads. The project is estimated to cost $1.3 billion. Works are slated for phase two of CarifestaAvenue and this is estimated at $1.5 billion, another project which is
pegged at $1.5 billion is for Conversation Tree bypass –phase two for the eastern section of Dennis street to Sheriff Street Also $1 5 billion is estimated to comp
ConversationTree bypass at the western section of new alignment with connector to Sheriff via Garnet and Duncanstreets. The ministry is also (Continuedonpage22)
Guyana achieves a score of 66.36% at the recent ICAO
Guyana achieved an overall score of 66.36% in the effective implementation of theInternationalCivilAviationOrganisation (ICAO)
Guyana'sperformancesurpassedits2007 ICAO audit, and the last four audits conducted by ICAO within the South Americanregion,theGuyanaCivilAviation Authoritysaidinapressrelease.
Guyana is a signatory to the ICAO Convention on International Civil Aviation (alsoknownastheChicagoConvention).As amemberStateofICAOandaparticipantin theICAOUniversalSafetyOversightAuditContinuousMonitoringApproach(USOAPCMA) Programme, Guyana commits to providingongoinginformationrelatedtothe establishment and implementation of its safetyoversightsystem.
TheICAOauditedGuyanafromMay29, 2024, to June 11, 2024, under the USOAPCMAprogramme.TheGCAAsaidtheaudit
Safety Audit
was robust and comprehensive and covered the Convention on International Civil Aviationandthesafety-relatedprovisionsof itsAnnexes in the following eight (8) areas: legislation, organisation, personnel licensing, aircraft operations, airworthiness of aircraft, aircraft accident and incident investigation, air navigation services and aerodromesandgroundaids.
With the exception of aircraft accidents and incident investigations, each audit area was assessed using eight critical elements: primary aviation legislation; specific operating regulations; state system and functions; qualified technical personnel; technical guidance, tools and provision of safety-critical information; licensing, certification, authorization and/or approval obligations; surveillance obligations; and resolution of safety issues. Eight ICAO experts in the various audit areas conducted theaudit.
6 bandits killed by cops in Freeport
( T R I N I D A D
GUARDIAN) Hours after three armed bandits broke into his Balmain, Couva home and robbed him of a quantity of cash and jewellery, the elderly victim said he was pleased they were among six people killed by police during an allegedconfrontationaround noononWednesday Edward Taylor, 68, expressed no remorse over the killings, which took place in a house at Razac Trace, Calcutta Road No 2, Freeport.
Wednesday’s policeinvolved shooting brought the number of people killed by law enforcement to nine infourdays.
Four of the six killed were identified as Kevon St Bernard, also called Kevon John; Jovan Simon; Saloni Ranghill and Nicholas Caesar
In an interview with reporters around 1.30 pm at his home yesterday, traumatised victim Taylor said, “You don’t feel sorry forpeoplelikethem.Asthey usedtosaylongtime,athief isamurdererandwhenthey coming in your place, they
coming to kill you, especiallyiftheyknowyou.”
He recalled how the home invasion unfolded at 6.30 am, after he was confronted by three armed men as he came out the wash-room.
Taylor said the men robbed him of TT$600 in cash,aquantityofjewellery, including three gold rings, three gold chains and a gold bera totalling over $60,000, hisbankcardandbankbook, and forced him to write downthePIN,beforefleeing inawaitingcar
Resident in Couva for more than 30 years, Taylor said, “I have no enemy with nobody.”
Hesaidhedoesn’tdrink, smoke or gamble and is always home. Asked about the crime situation in the area, both Taylor and a neighbour agreed they were accustomedtoliving“free.”
Onwhathewouldsayto police battling the criminal elements, Taylor praised them, saying, “Right now, I wouldtellthemtheydoinga very good job when coming tothesekindsofthings.”
Although he admitted to feeling shaken by the
robbery and would be staying with a relative for a fewdays,Taylorsaidhewas too used to operating on his own to let criminals take awayhisindependence.
OfficersfromtheCentral Division Task Force and Couva CID, under the supervision of Sgts Blackman and Nelson, reportedly responded to a report by a member of the public that the getaway car wasspottedatarentedhouse atRazacTrace.
The private house was reportedly rented to two of the suspects two years ago, and people living close by yesterday said they never
TRAIL OF BLOOD
( J A M A I C A
OBSERVER) One of the prime suspects in Sunday’s mass murder at Cherry Tree Lane, Clarendon, was cut down by law enforcers on Wednesday afternoon in whatthepolicereportedwas atargetedoperation.
Policeidentifiedtheman as Steve Smith, otherwise called Thicka or Fly Brain. They said he was suspected of being involved in numerous contract-related killingsandotherseriousand illicitactivitiesinClarendon andotherparishes.
“He was wanted by the May Pen police for murder for some time and was a person of interest in several o t h e r m u r d e r investigations,” the police said in a late evening news release.
According to the police, m e m b e r s o f t h e constabulary’s Fugitive Apprehension Team and the Clarendon Operational Support team went to a location in Osbourne Store, Clarendon, in search of Smith and other men who
were suspected of being involved in Sunday’s multiplemurder
T h e r e w a s a confrontation during which Smith was shot and injured. HewastakentotheMayPen Hospital where he was pronounceddead. His death came hours after Acting Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey told a news conference at Jamaica House that the Cherry Tree Lanemassacrewasthelatest actofbloodshedinadispute over spoils between feuding gangsters overseas who inked “homicidal contracts” for revenge that spread to several communities in Clarendonoverthepastthree years. Bailey, who heads the constabulary’s crime and security portfolio, said the security forces “continue to work tirelessly to uncover the truth and ensure that those responsible are held accountableundertheruleof law”.
He said already the investigation, which has resultedintheseizureofone
Edward Taylor was unable to fight back when three criminals broke into his home at daybreak on Wednesday
had any problems with the men, whom they described ashelpful.
GuardianMediawastold the rental car allegedly used bythesuspectsfollowingthe robbery at Taylor’s house, was camouflaged in razorgrassatthesideofthehouse.
It was alleged that as officers arrived at the property and identified themselves, they were greeted by gunfire from inside,leadingthemtoreturn fire.
The six occupants were subsequently found in the house suffering from bullet wounds.
They were taken to the
CouvaHealthCentre,where they were pronounced dead on arrival. Police reportedly recoveredthreefirearmsand a quantity of bank cards in thehouse.
Senior police officials said the discovery of the cards led to a breakthrough in a robbery ring that had beenoperatingintheCentral Divisioninrecentmonths.A relative of Jovan Simon expressedsurpriseandshock over his killing, saying he (Simon) never needed or wanted for anything, as the family was able to provide whateverhedesired.
The person claimed Simon was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Yesterday’s shootings brought to 35 the number of persons killed by the police sofarthisyear,comparedto 30 for the corresponding periodin2023.
This was the third incident in recent times in which several people were killed in singular policeinvolvedshootings.
On May 23, Christopher Noriega, Tevon Maynard, Akeem Punnette and Joshua Allen were killed by police duringanallegedshootoutat upper St John’s Road, St Augustine.
PCA investigating two latestincidents
Notingthedeathsofnine people at the hands of the police between Sunday and yesterday, PCA director David West yesterday assured they would be vigorously investigating both incidents. In a release, West said, “It is too early to say what transpired with these two incidents. We are i n t h e m i d d l e o f investigating the fatal shootings in Caroni on August 11 Immediately afterwereceivednewsofthe fatal shootings in Freeport today (yesterday), we dispatchedateamofofficers to the scene.” Witnesses to the two shootings in Caroni andFreeportcancontactthe PCA at 226-4722; email at info@pca.org.tt; or come in to the PCA office at the International Waterfront Centre,Port-of-Spain.
Just on Sunday, Amir Bissoon, Jaya Bharath and JosephRamjitwerekilledby police near the Caroni Cremation Site, after they allegedly shot at officers whenconfronted.
- Police say Cherry Tree Lane massacre spawned overseas - Prime suspect shot dead by law enforcers in Clarendon
individuals, has made significant progress and revealed the connections to thepreviousincidents.These incidents, the top cop said, includedaquadruplemurder inHavanaHeightsin2021,a murder committed on April 21, 2024, and a subsequent
committed on April 25 in WestPark.
The other incidents include a murder committed on April 29 at Cherry Tree Lane, a murder committed on May 11 on Foga Road, MayPen,aswellasamurder committed on May 15 in YorkTown.
“Unfortunately, our findings indicate that these local violent issues have international roots and incorporate local players, some o
e individuals, who once were friends in Jamaica, had a falling out in the United Statesoverillegallyobtained gains leading to each taking homicidalcontractstoincite
fear and terror Criminal actors in prison were contacted to facilitate these contracts through their criminal networks resulting in the senseless bloodshed here in Jamaica,” Bailey said. “We are committed in removing those responsible from our streets and restoring public confidence and trust in our ability to keepJamaicasafe.
We are mindful of the likely reprisal that will take place in several areas within and outside of Clarendon. I wanttoassurethepublicthat the security forces will use all resources available to mitigate any threat of reprisalandwillbeavailable to use other legislative tools availabletous,”headded.
In the meantime, National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang said the decisiontodeclareastateof public emergency for Clarendon was taken after careful consideration and a realisationthatthereisahigh potentialforreprisals.
“This large single day count of murders within the
parish of Clarendon is attributed to ongoing violence within the division that has reached a tenuous magnitude resulting in the eventual perpetration of murder as a means of intimidation,andfurtherasa form of reprisal, as gangs seektodominatetheexisting turf to gain new turf and benefit from largesse,” Dr Changtoldthebriefing.
“It is foreseen that this current rate of perpetration will escalate on the considerationthatadditional numbers of gangs across the division will inevitably be impacted and hence minded to perpetrate similar acts of intimidation and reprisal,” hestated.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, commenting further on the issue, said: “The potential for reprisal” led the authorities to consider other gangs, noting that the gangs they have zeroed in on may very well subcontract other gangs to carry out reprisals According to the prime minister, the stated 185
gangs now operating in Jamaica, down from an estimated 400, is still too many
“Theintentionistobring the gangs down to zero,” he declared.
In Sunday’s shocking incident, men armed with high-poweredriflesaboarda white motor car at 8:45 pm disrupted birthday celebrations being held by a 31-year-old bar owner for her boyfriend, a 23-year-old mechanic from the area After the shooting ended it was discovered that eight individuals had been killed and nine others injured Amongstthecasualtieslaya seven-year-old boy, while a baby of one year and eight monthswaswounded.
Theprimeminister,atan emergency press briefing at Jamaica House on Monday morning, after a meeting of the National Security Council, declared a “total assault on gangs” across the island and pledged that the “Government will use this opportunity to deal with the gangsonceandforall”.
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From page 15 also said the facility’s establishment signifies further steps taken by the government to not only process food; but to empower the nation’s farmers, enhance food security, and create a more resilient agricultural sector.
“We recognise that, over the years, Guyana has been a primary producer of many products.
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these products and making them value-added. Projects like these are geared towards enhancing the farmer’s income because they can bring their fruits and vegetables here, process them so that you can get the true value for them,” he explained.
Minister Mustapha also said the ministry will soon be embarking on an aggressive training exercise for farmers to sensitize them on the benefits of value-added and other critical areas to boost productivity and profitability within the agriculture sector.
Meanwhile, General Manager of the New Guyana Marketing Corporation, Teshawna Lall said the facility positions Guyana to meet
the rising regional and international demand for dehydrated fruits in keeping with CARICOM’s goal to boost production, and ultimately reduce the regional import bill by 25% by 2025. She explained that dehydration is a viable post-harvest solution in Guyana as it reduces postharvest losses.
“As dehydration technology continues to gain traction as a viable post-harvest solution in Guyana, this facility will play a pivotal role in the comprehensive development of agriculture not only in Region 4 but across the nation.
By extending the shelf life of fruits, vegetables, and other produce, we will signifi-
cantly reduce post-harvest losses, lessen our reliance on imports, and strengthen food security by ensuring a steady supply of high-quality, locally produced food yearround,” she explained.
The new facility is equipped with two state-ofthe-art electric dehydrators, each featuring 80 trays designed for the efficient and uniform drying of a variety of agricultural produce, including fruits, vegetables, and ground provisions.
Dehydrated fruits can be utilised in health mixes, snack packs, cereals, and more, retaining their essential nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, making them a nutritious option.
‘GWI to fix city’s ‘rusty’ water woes by weekend’...
From page 17 which has affected the quality of water going out,” Baksh said.
To address the water quality issues in the city, GWI is also conducting a flushing exercise to remove sludge from the transmission and distribution network. Notably, the GWI team also presented samples of water from around Georgetown to show that the quality has improved from the brown murky colour that some customers have posted online.
“We are hoping that within a couple of days, you see you can’t be that precise because of the nature of the network the amount of sludge in there to be extracted…from the transmission and distri-
bution system in central Georgetown. But we are hoping that by weekend we will see significant changes,” Baksh stated, although he cautioned that the exact timeline depends on the extent of the buildup in the network. When asked about potential relief for customers who received poor-quality water but still received high bills, Baksh acknowledged the concerns and said, “We are prepared to look at that, to consider that, some relief to the customers during this period that they were affected.” He added that a staff member would be tasked with reviewing the issue before the company issues a formal statement. On Wednesday this publication reported that
the company came under fire after re-uploading a post to its official Facebook page, advising customers that high levels of turbidity and sediment at the Shelter Belt intake have caused significant challenges in supplying water to central Georgetown. Many customers expressed outrage, claiming that these issues have persisted far longer than GWI acknowledges. Some residents report that they have been struggling with water supply problems for weeks, if not months. Also, the discontent escalated further on Tuesday when GWI issued a payment notice to its customers. The timing of the notice, amid the ongoing water crisis, provoked a strong backlash.
The two state-of-the-art electric dehydrators, each outfitted with 80 trays
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US, Brazil float new Venezuela election despite government, opposition rebuffs
SAOPAULO/WASHIN
GTON/BUENOS AIRES
(Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday seemingly backed a new election in Venezuela, after Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also floated the idea, despite rebuffs from Venezuela’s
ruling party and its oppositionwhichbothclaim victoryintheJuly28contest.
Biden spoke to reporters in the wake of Lula’s suggestion that Venezuelan leaderNicolasMadurocould call a new contest involving international observers as a potential solution for the politicalcrisisinthecountry
TheU.S. has rejected Madura’s victoryclaim
Asked if he supports a new election in Venezuela, Biden said “I do” A National Security Council spokesperson later said Bidenwas“speakingtothe absurdity of Maduro and his representatives not coming clean about the July 28 elections,” without fully walking back Biden’s comment
The spokesperson added it is “abundantly clear” that opposition
candidate Edmundo Gonzalezwontheelection
A U S official, speaking on background, said the U S position had not changed and the vast majorityofcountriesinthe regionwereaskingMaduro to release the results and recognize the outcome of theelection
The new election suggestion is among several from the international community which have no
support so far from either Maduro or his opposition coalition opponents The U.S., which hardened oil sanctions in April on the OPEC member for what it saidwasMaduro’sfailureto comply with a deal on electoral conditions, and other Western countries are showing little sign of swift, toughactionoverwhatmany of them have condemned as votingfraud.
Lula said a “coalition government” could be another possible solution
for Venezuela “If (Maduro) has common sense, he could put it to the people, perhaps calling new elections with a nonpartisan electoral committee,” Lula said in a radio interview
Venezuelan opposition
leader Maria Corina Machado ruled out Biden andLula’ssuggestion. “The election already happened,” Machado told journalists fromArgentina and Chile in a video call later on Thursday
“Maduromustbemade toknowthatthecostofhis staying grows with each daythatpasses ”
Ruling party officials in Venezuela have also previously ruled out new elections.
The Brazilian president said he still does not recognize Maduro as the winner of the vote and that hisgovernmentmustpublish voting tallies that have not been released, echoing calls from countries around the world over the last two weeks. “Maduro knows he owesBrazilandtheworldan explanation,”Lulasaid.Lula and his Colombian
Govt. to spend $17B more to fix up roads in Regions 3&4...
Frompage20
planning to execute rehabilitation to Sussex street-CemeterytoMandela Avenueandthisisestimated at$1.6billion.
Finally, sectionof theWBD public road is slated for repairs and this is estimated tocost$3billion.
spoke by phone on
Wednesdayaspartofefforts to find a solution to Venezuela’s crisis, but no details were released of the conversation.
Petro suggested in a postonXonThursdaythat the Venezuelan ruling party and the opposition could temporarily trade off power, echoing an arrangement used in
Colombia for 16 years in thetwentiethcentury
“The political solution for Venezuela depends on Nicolas Maduro, who carries the peace and prosperity of his country,” Petro said, adding in another post that a political deal is the best option and depends on Venezuelans Petro, who reopened trade and diplomatic
relations with Venezuela after he took office in 2022, also called for the lifting of all sanctions on Venezuela
Latin American leaders will discuss the crisis this weekend when m a n y a r e i n t h e Dominican Republic to attend the inauguration of
Mulino said on Thursday during his weekly press conference.
Lula’stopforeignpolicy advisor Celso Amorim, speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Brazil had notformallyproposedanew electioninVenezuela.
Conservative senators at the hearing criticized the Lula administration for favoring Maduro with its soft stance, and asked what Brazil was doing for jailed oppositionleaders.
Amorim said Brazil offered to send a plane to pick up six opposition members seeking asylum in theArgentine embassy, now under a Brazilian flag since Venezuela broke ties with Argentina.
Tallies in possession of the opposition, which it has posted to a public website, show Gonzalez received 67%ofthevote.
“Every effort is being made to improve what we are doing in the city and across the country,” he added.
Kaieteur News understands that the road projects are expected to be open at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) on September 11, 2024.
At a recent visit at the Cemetery road project, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill had mentioned thatoneofthemainreasons theyareadvertisingforthese projects is to handle the amount of traffic flow in thoseareas.
counterpart Gustavo Petro
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Gaza death toll from Israeli attacks over 40,000
- Hamas-run health ministry says
(BBCNEWS)Morethan 40,000 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israeli military action in Gaza since the 7 October Hamas-led attack on Israel, the Hamas-run health ministrysays.
Thatnumber-40,005on Thursday - equates to about 1.7% of the 2.3 million population of the territoryanother sobering indication ofthehumancostofthewar Alongside the fatalities, satellite image analysis suggests nearly 60% of buildingsinGazahavebeen damaged or destroyed since the beginning of the war. In the past few months, the southern city of Rafah has suffered the most damage, imageryshows.
The ministry’s figures for thenumberofpeoplekilleddo not differentiate between civilians and fighters However, its breakdown of identified reported fatalities says a majority are children, womenorelderlypeople This month, Israel’s military told theBBCthatmorethan15,000 terrorists had been killed during the war International journalists, including the BBC, are blocked by Israel from entering Gaza independently,soareunableto verifyfiguresfromeitherside
In the past, figures from the Gaza Ministry of Health (MoH) were widely used in timesofconflictandseenas reliable by the UN and international institutions. It only counted deaths registered in hospitals with
theseenteredinacentralised system along with names, identity numbers and other details.However,bylatelast yeartheMoHwasunableto function effectively with overflowing mortuaries, fighting in and around hospitals and poor internet andphoneconnectivity The Hamas Government Media Office (GMO) in Gaza began publishing numbers of deaths including reports givenin“reliablemedia”. UN agencies started to incorporate this into their data breakdowns as well as MoH figures when updates were available. More recently, Gaza’s MoH has begun to incorporate those reported as killed in the war including by family membersonlineinitsoverall tally However,italsocounts separately the number of unidentified bodies among the total number killed. The UN now quotes these figures, with officials attributing them and stressing that their Gaza teams cannot independently verify them due to the conditionsonthegroundand thehighvolumeoffatalities. Israel has consistently questioned the credibility of theinformation.InMay,the ForeignMinisterIsraelKatz described it as “fake data f r o m a t e r r o r i s t organisation” Several experts have said the actual numberofpeoplekilledasa direct result of the war in Gaza is likely to be far higher, with local officials
estimatingthatabout10,000 bodies remain under the rubble of buildings hit by Israeliairstrikes.AliAshraf AtaGheith,15,toldtheBBC hespenttwomonthsdigging his dead family from the wreckage of their bombedouthome.
His mother, father, brotherandtwosisterswere killed when it was hit by a strike Ali was in the building too, but survived afterbeingtrappedunderthe rubbleforsevenhours.After hegotout,hebegantryingto retrieve the bodies of his family. “I could see my fatherundertherubblebutI couldn’t extract him at first because he was under two columns of cement, and the ceiling would have collapsed. He decomposed infrontofmyeyes,”hesaid. Even with a halt in fighting, researchers point out that in addition to the number of people killed as a direct resultofthewar,manymore could die from indirect causes, such as disease and hunger Ultimatelywhenthe war ends, efforts to recover bodiesandtracethemissing shouldallowaclearerideato emergeofthenumberkilled, including a figure for combatants. The UN and rights groups, as well as the Israeli military, can be expected to carry out their owninvestigations.
Satellite image analysis suggests that around 59.3% of buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed since the beginning of the
war The damage analysis, carried out by Corey Scher of City University of New York and Jamon Van Den Hoek of Oregon State University, compares images to reveal sudden changes in the height or structure of buildings. The southern city of Rafah has sustained the highest rise in damaged buildings since March, according to the expert analysis The majority of the destruction came after Israel launched anoffensiveonthecityon6 May The military says that takingcontroloftheareaand eliminating the remaining Hamas battalions is crucial toachievingitswaraims.In satellite imagery analysed by BBC Verify, large swathes of the city can be seen to be left in ruinsparticularly around the border with Egypt and neighbourhoodstothenorth and south Social media videos verified by the BBC and footage shared by
The Hamas-run health ministry says most of those killed who have been identified are woman, children and elderly people
Israel’s military shows that areas across Rafah have been damaged or destroyed by aerial bombardment as wellasdemolitionbyIsraeli forces on the ground. In the image below we see a large section of cleared buildings immediately adjacent to the border Satellite imagery showslandhasbeencleared along the so-called Philadelphi corridor – a buffer zone along the 14km (9-mile) border with Egypt.
BBCVerify’sanalysisofthe imagery showed Israeli military vehicles in several areas where building clearance had taken place along the corridor This i n c l u d e s a s m a l l neighbourhood located where the border meets the coast which was flattened withinamonthoftheRafah operationstarting.
On the ground footage filmed by an Israeli soldier also showed that an observation tower was later built in the area The
operationhasalsodestroyed key Rafah landmarks which include the border crossing, several major mosques and thecity’smainmarket.On7 May, videos verified by the BBC showed Israeli tanks crushing a “Welcome to Gaza” sign at the Rafah bordercrossing Video posted on the same date also showed damage to the blue dome of the Abrar mosque. Satellite i m a g e r y c a p t u r e d subsequently showed the buildingwaslaterdestroyed. In another social media video shared on 27 June, roads and green lawns that oncecentredaroundRafah’s f a m o u s A l - N a j m a roundabout were now churned up, with nearby buildings heavily damaged. The war began when thousands of Hamas fighters stormed into southern Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200peopleandseizing251 hostages, according to Israelitallies.
First case of more dangerous mpox found outside Africa
(BBC NEWS) Sweden’s public health agency has recorded what it says is the first case of a more dangerous variant of mpox outside the African continent.
The person became infected during a stay in an areaofAfricawherethereis currentlyamajoroutbreakof mpox Clade 1, the agency said. The news comes just hoursaftertheWorldHealth Organization (WHO) declaredthattheoutbreakof mpox in parts ofAfrica was
now a public health emergency of international concern.Atleast450people died during an initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the disease has since spread to
areas of Central and East Africa. According to Olivia Wigzell, the acting head of the Swedish public health agency, the infected person had sought care in the Stockholm area and the fact that they were receiving treatmentinSwedendidnot mean there was a risk to the broaderpopulation.
“The affected person has alsobeeninfectedduringastay inanareaofAfricawherethere is a large outbreak of mpox Clade 1,” she told a news conference Mpox, which was previously known as monkeypox, is transmitted through close contact, such as sex, skin-to-skin contact and talking or breathing close to another person It causes flulikesymptoms,skinlesionsand
can be fatal, with four in 100 casesleadingtodeath Itismost common in the tropical rainforestsofWestandCentral Africaandtherearethousands ofinfectionseveryyear
There are currently a number of outbreaks of mpox that are taking place simultaneously and they are partly fuelled by the newer and more serious strain of Clade 1, identified in
Hundreds of deaths from mpox have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo
September last year While Clade 2 did cause a public healthemergencyin2022,it was relatively mild and some300caseshavealready been identified in Sweden.
The Swedish public health agency said Clade 1 was likely to be linked to “a higher rise of a more severe courseofdiseaseandhigher mortality”. It said Clade 1 was more
commonly spread through close contacts within households and often to children, while the milder variant was mainly spread through sexual contact The WHO hopes its latest declaration, that mpox is a public health emergency of international concern, will trigger greater support to the areas most affected Vaccines are available, for those at greatestriskorwhohavebeen inclosecontactwithaninfected person,butmanyexpertsworry there are not enough jabs or funding to get them to the people who need them most
The mortality rate from the Clade1variantinSwedenwill not be as high as that seen in parts ofAfrica, because of the high quality of healthcare in
Europe
TheEuropeanCentrefor Disease Prevention and Control said symptoms usually appeared 6-13 days after infection, through feversandheadaches,rashes or sores and muscle ache. Most people experienced mild to moderate symptoms followed by a full recovery, but immuno-compromised individuals were at greater risk.
While news of the first case outside Africa may cause alarm, it was to be expected and further cases are likely to follow in other parts of the globe. As other disease outbreaks have shown, swift international action can help stop the diseasespreadingfurther
Pole vaulter Duplantis to race Warholm over 100m
BBC Sport - Two world recordholderswillmeetina 100m exhibition race on 4 September as Olympic pole vault champion Armand Duplantis and Paris 2024 400m hurdles silver medallist Karsten Warholm faceoff.
The pair will settle a friendlyrivalryaboutwhois the quickest over the distance at the Letzigrund
Stadium in Zurich, a day before the Diamond League meetingintheSwisscity.
Sweden’s Duplantis ran a personal best of 10.57 secondsathighschoolinthe United States in 2018 and haspreviouslysaidhewould like to compete in sprint relaysforSweden.
Warholm’s last recorded 100mwasin2017whenthe Norwegian clocked 10.49 seconds.
Over 300 kids benefit as Kevin Sinclair...
Frompage33
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“ T h i s i s a g r e a t humanitarian deed. This is Kevin Sinclair giving back and him understanding to begrounded. This is Kevin Sinclair showing that you should never forget where you came from. Parents and everyone, we should not take this for granted.
S p o r t s m e n a n d Sportswomen, (in general)
Friday August 16, 2024
ARIES(Mar 21–Apr 19)
Today you're likely focused on sex, romance, and committed relationships. The planetaryenergiessurrounding love are promising, Aries. If you're in a relationship, you and your partner could make plans.
TAURUS(Apr 20–May20)
Sometimes dreams seem like just that - dreams. Travel, a project, or a new home could be a few of the things you've beentryingto accomplishfor sometimenow
GEMINI(May21–June20)
You'll go one of two ways today, Gemini. Either you'll turn inward and meditate in a corner or you'll find a good friend and confide your dissatisfaction.
CANCER(June21–July22)
Today is going to be an excellent day for meeting interesting people, Cancer And there will be nothing superficial about these encounters. On the contrary, the people you are going to meet will touch you profoundly
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
You can expect today to be kind of intense, Leo. Even if you've made a conscious decision not to let anything get you down, you may still harbor some negative emotions from the last few days.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
The little fighter that you are makes it very difficult for you to join us in the great communal river that we're alltryingtonavigate,Virgo Youprefertotravelsolo
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Libra, you should be looking beautifu
ing especiallypositive,warm,and loving-attractingpeopleofall kinds to you Your selfconfidence, optimism, and determination should peak overthenextfewdays.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
Creative inspiration could come from deep within today, Scorpio. Visions, dreamsanything that excites your imagination-couldbringideas fornewprojects.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
Group activities prove beneficial on several levels, Sagittarius. You might project powerful warmth and love for all life You're feeling especiallyoptimisticaboutthe future.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Youmightfindyourselfinthe publiceyeatsomepointtoday, Capricorn. This is fine since you're looking and feeling great.You'relikelierthanusual to project warmth and friendlinesstoothers.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)If you've considered a careerinpublishing,Aquarius, thisisthetimetogoforit.It's alsoagreatdaytoenrollinlaw school, an advanced degree program,oranyfieldofhigher education.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Your dreams could be vivid, pleasant, and full of informationtohelpyoumakea decision. New and exciting contacts could come into your life today, Pisces, possibly provinghelpfulinshowingyou waystoincreaseyourincome.
Duplantis, 24, set a new worldrecordof6.25minthe polevaultinParisashewon back-to-back Olympic gold medals.
Warholm is the world record holder and a threetime world champion in the 400m hurdles but was unable to defend the Olympic title he won at Tokyo 2020 at the recent Games as the 28-year-old finished behind American RaiBenjamin.
Mbappe strikes on debut...
Frompage30 tapping home from close range while Atalanta’s defence worried about Mbappe, who was moving withmorefreedom.
B e l l i n g h a m , increasingly influential, fed Vinicius, who cut the ball across goal for the Uruguayanmidfieldertotap home.
Vinicius should have doubledMadrid’sleadwhen sent through on goal but Mussotippedoverhiseffort.
Swedish defender Hien blockedfromBellinghamas Madridsoughtasecondand then Musso thwarted the former Borussia Dortmund man.
Mbappe eventually delivered it with a lethal finishafterBellinghamkept an attack alive and spotted the Frenchman’s clever movement.
Thestrikerwasgivenan ovation by Madrid’s fans after Ancelotti brought him offinthe83rdminute,likely thefirstofmanytofollow
Mbappe said that he expected to improve in the weeksahead,withMadrid’s La Liga campaign starting on Saturday against Real Mallorca.
“I am sure we will get better and me first of all — buttodayisapositivestep,” addedthestriker
foundationwillcontinueto support those in-need, especially in Sinclair’s hometown.
The sponsors were Jacobs Jewelry, First Change Builders Inc, Cricket Zone USA, Star R e n t a l s , M a r k i e Construction Inc, Big Bs, VNET, Flawless Dental, and Genuine Auto Spares andTools.
do not hold these initiatives, in terms of remembering where they came from and giving back,”Jacobsexplained.
Sin
xtend
d gratitude to his family and the sponsors who came on board to support the Kevin Sinclair Foundation. This
The young cricketer, despite being young in his career, has also launched a country-wide cricket academy before he made his Test debut Sinclair scored a half-century on Test debut inAustralia and scored 508 runs in 10 innings for Guyana in the 2024 Regional Four-Day season.
Williams, Pinnock, and Clayton ready for high-stakes showdown at Lausanne Diamond League
SportsMax - The 2024 Diamond League resumes
with the meeting in Lausanne onAugust 22 that is set to be a thrilling showcase of elite track and field talent, with three standout Jamaican athletes headliningtheevent.
Two-time world champion and Olympic semi-finalist Danielle Williams, Olympic silver medalist Wayne Pinnock, and Olympic finalist and t w o - t i m e W o r l d Championship bronze medalistRushellClaytonare all confirmed to compete, bringing their world-class abilities to one of the most prestigious stages in athletics.
In the women’s 100m hurdles, Danielle Williams will face a formidable field that promises to deliver one ofthemostexcitingracesof the meet. Williams, who captured the world title in Budapest last year, will go up against Puerto Rican Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, the reigning Olympic championfromTokyo2021, andFrance’sCyrénaSambaMayela, who claimed silver in the 100m hurdles at the 2024ParisOlympics. Swiss star Ditaji Kambundji will also be in the mix, adding local flavor to a race that
features some of the world’sbest
Themen’slongjumpis another event that will be packed with talent, as Jamaica’s Wayne Pinnock takes on a star-studded field Pinnock,freshoffhis
Just not interested: Russell says money not the reason why players avoid Test cricket
SportsMax-WestIndies all-rounder Andre Russell has made it clear that, contrary to popular belief, financial incentives are by no means the main reason why some Caribbean players don’t play Test cricket. To put it bluntly, theyarejustnotinterested.
The topic has been one floating around for some time, as it became clear that players, like Russell, are more drawn to Twenty20 cricket by the lucrative lure of popular leagues around theworldand,assuch,have shiedawayfromthegame’s longestformat.
It again came to the fore late last year, when Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran, and Kyle Mayers turned down West Indies central contracts but made themselves available for T20internationals.
In fact, earlier this year, both Holder and Mayers declined to take up spots in theWestIndiesteamforthe TestseriesagainstAustralia, opting to pursue T20 opportunities instead However, Holder has since made a return to the Test squad.
With speculations rife that T20s monetary payout has affected their commitment toTest cricket, Russell sought to clear the aironthematter
“I don’t think it’s the money; I don’t think money is the issue. Based on the number of T20 leagues around the world, I think a lot of players are just not interested in playing Tests,” Russell said in a recent interview with the Press Association. His remarks come as West Indies currently sit at the bottom of the nine-team World Test Championship table after being swept 3-0 by England in a recent series. Theyhavesincesecured astalemateinthefirstTestof their ongoing series against SouthAfrica.
Russell, Shimron Hetmyer, Pooran, Rovman Powell, and Kieron Pollard were among the West Indians playing in The Hundred when the last Test against England was being
played in late July Among the highest-paid players in the league, they are still playing The Hundred as the series against South Africa heads into the second contest.
Though Pollard, Powell, and Pooran have never played Test cricket, Russell playedonein2010.Hetmyer hasplayed16games,thelast ofwhichwasin2019.
“Red-ball cricket is not mycookie;Idon’tthinkmy body will keep up withTest cricket,”Russelldeclaredas he alluded to the rigorous schedule and the physical and mental toll Test cricket takesonaplayer
“I’m always excited watching the other West Indian batters, especially when they’re hitting boundaryafterboundary
As long as you can do well from contracts outside
silver-medal performance at the Paris Olympics, will be looking to challenge the likes of Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou, the double Olympic champion and current world leader in the event.
A l s o i n t h e competition are Italy’s
Ehammer, who placed
respectively in Paris, settingthestageforahighly competitiveshowdown. R
, another Jamaican star, w
women’s 400m hurdles, an event where she has consistently proven her mettle
Asafinalistatthe2024 Paris Olympics and a twotime World Championship
bronze medalist, Clayton will be aiming to continue her strong season in Lausanne against some of thebestintheworld.
TheLausanneDiamond League meeting will also feature a host of other top international athletes. British sprinters Daryll Neita and Dina AsherSmith, along with Ivorian speedster Marie-Josée Ta Lou,willbattleitoutinthe women’s100m
Intheshotput,reigning Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye of Germany and New Zealand’s MaddisonLee Wesche, the Olympic silver medalist, will go head-to-head
The men’s javelin will see Grenada’s Anderson Peters, and Norway’s NarveNordaswillbeakey contenderinthe1500m
your nation, I think they are going to grab that opportunity, but everyone wants to play on the big stage. So, if the big stage comesinTestcricket,Iknow youngsters will be happy to play I just don’t think it’s about money or anything like that,” he added. Russell, known for his explosive performances in limited-overs formats and h i s s i g n i f i c a n t contributions to the West Indiesteam,haslongbeena p i v o t a l f i g u r e i n internationalcricket.
Now 36, Russell has managed to stay at the top of his game in white-ball cricket, but it was not without hard work and sacrifice. He overcame a series of injuries over the years,thelastofwhichwasa knee injury that forced him out of the 2019 ODI World Cupafterafewgames.
“Red-ball cricket is not my cookie; I don’t think my body will keep up with Test cricket,” Russell stressed “But those in the team at the moment are fit enough and taking on the challenge.
Theyhadafewmoments in the Test series [against England] where they could have turned things around. Playing England at home is always going to be hard for theWestIndies,”henoted.
Independent-TheIndian Olympic Association has expressed “shock and disappointment” after a court dismissed an appeal from star wrestler Vinesh Phogat over her Paris Olympicsdisqualification.
The star wrestler had filed a plea before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)tobeconsideredfora sharedsilvermedalaftershe was disqualified on the morning of her gold medal fight.Shewasslatedtolock h o r n s w i t h S a r a h Hildebrandt of the US on 7 August in the 50kg weights category, but lost her bid after she was found to be 100g overweight on the morningofthematch.
Her appeal at CAS was twicedelayedbeforeIndia’s hopes of a seventh Paris medal were dashed on Wednesday, as the ad-hoc divisionoftheCASrejected herappeal.
In a strongly-worded statement responding to the decision, the Indian Olympic Association said: “Theoperativepartofthe14 August decision, which dismisses Vinesh’s application to be awarded a shared silver medal women’s 50 kg category at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, has significant implications for her in particular and the sporting communityatlarge.”
“ T h e m a r g i n a l discrepancy of 100 grams” raises serious questions about ambiguous rules and theirinterpretation,thebody said, as it sought a “deeper examination” of the regulations.
S u c h “ i n h u m a n regulations” put undue “physiological and psychological stresses” on athletes, the association claimed,adding:“Itisastark reminder of the need for more equitable and reasonable standards that prioritize athletes’ wellbeing.” The Indian sporting body said it was providing ongoing support to Phogat and exploring further legal options, though it was unclearwhatthosemightbe.
A day after her disqualification last week, Phogat announced that she was retiring from the sport. In a post written in Hindi, she said: “My courage is broken, I don’t have any morestrengthnow Goodbye Wrestling,2001-2024.”
Members of the Indian sporting fraternity have come out in support of Phogat, expressing their dismayattheCASverdict.
“It’s disappointing but we can’t do anything about that,” said Indian field hockey player PR Sreejesh, who helped his team win a secondconsecutiveOlympic bronzemedalinParis.
Danielle Williams, Wayne Pinnock, and Rushell Clayton are all confirmed to compete.
Andre Russell ...I think a lot of players are just not interested in playing Tests.
Fitness Express/GAPLF Raw Nationals set for Sunday at the GDF Gymnasium
Th e G
P
Federation is set to host its R A W N a t
l championships this Sunday, August 18 at the GDF
Gymnasium, Camp Ayanganaforthefirsttime.
In the Federation’s ongoingquesttoexpandthe sport, the body reached out to the GDF to host this marquee competition there for the first time and they have graciously acquiesced and has been working with the Federation to assist in other ways beyond just the venue.
GAPLF Pre
son has expressed sincere gratitude to the Chief of Staff Brigadier Omar Khan as well as Captain Vernon Burnette and Major Sinclair fortheleadingroletheyhave all played in making the facility available for this prestigiouscompetition.
Some of the strongest men and women in the land are expected to be on the platform including Carlos Petterson Griffith, Bjorn Williams, Kheon Evans, Dimetri Chan, and Vijai Rahimamongothers.
Meanwhile, longtime corporate supporter, Fitness Express has once again
come on board as the main sponsorforthisevent.
M a n a g e r, J a m i e McDonald handed over the cheque to GAPLF President Franklin Wilson at the company’s,JohnandSheriff Street Campbellville location noting that he is always happy to be supportingthesport.
”Fitness Express is always happy to be supporting this sport which wehavebeendoingforwell overadecade.
Powerlifting has been doing Guyana proud, our lifters have been doing themselves proud and we wanttocontinueplayingour part What we’ll also be
doing is rewarding the overallmaleandfemalebest lifters with a hamper made up of the products that we sell.”
McDonald wished every athletethatwillbehittingthe platformonSundaythebest. And President Wilson extended thanks to McDonald on behalf of his e x e c u t i v e a n d t h e powerlifting fraternity for his and Fitness Expresses’ continued investment in the sport.
”Mr. McDonald, yourself and company have played and integral role in thesuccessofourliftersover the years and you have continued to make an invaluable contribution towards our continued success, and we are very thankfulforthis.
We want to wish your company continued success.”Action on Sunday will get underway from 09:30hrs and fans can be assuredofsomescintillating action with the big guns coming at each other in the squat, bench press and deadlift. Also in attendance onSundayisDominicTyrell who made his debut at SeniorWorldsthisyear
TheFrancebasedathlete is currently home on vacation.
India refuse to step in to host Women’s T20 World Cup
BBC News - India will not step in to host October’s Women’s T20 World Cup if it has to be moved from Bangladesh, says Indian cricket board (BCCI) secretaryJayShah.
Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to Indiaearlierthismonthafter weeks of deadly antigovernmentprotests.
TheInternationalCricket Council (ICC) says it is “closely monitoring developments” in the country, which is set to host the tournament from 3-20 October
Shah said the ICC asked the BCCI about possibly hostinginsteadbuthe“flatly refused”.
“Wewouldstillbeinthe monsoon season and next yearwearegoingtohostthe Women’s ODI World Cup,”
ShahtoldTimesofIndia.
“Idonotwanttogivethe impression that I want to hold consecutive World Cups.”
More than 400 people were killed in Bangladesh during weeks of student-led demonstrations, which started as a protest against quotasincivilservicejobs.
The ICC said it was w o r k i n g w i t h t h e Bangladesh Cricket Board and independent security consultants to assess the situation.
TheWomen’sT20World Cup is set to feature 10 teams, including England and Scotland, with 23 matches taking place at venues in the capital Dhaka andSylhet.
SriLankaandtheUnited Arab Emirates are potential alternative hosts if the tournamenthastobemoved.
Caribbean athletes make history at 2024 Paris olympics, dominating in unprecedented fashion
SportsMax - The 2024 Paris Olympics marked a historic moment for the E n g l i s h - s p e a k i n g Caribbean, with athletes from the region delivering extraordinary performances that etched their names into Olympichistory
This edition of the Games was particularly significant for several Caribbean nations, as they celebrated groundbreaking victories and shattered
longstanding records, further solidifying the region’s presence on the globalstage.
St Lucia experienced a moment of immense national pride, as the island nation secured its first-ever
Olympic medals in spectacularfashion.
Julien Alfred became a household name after she
clinched gold in the
women’s 100m, blazing across the finish line in a remarkable 10.72 seconds, breaking her own national record and earning St Lucia its first Olympic gold Alfred’s incredible speed nearly led her to a double triumph, but she settled for silverinthewomen’s200m, clocking a commendable 22.08seconds. Theseachievementsnot only catapulted Alfred into thespotlightbutalsomarked a historic milestone for St Lucia, a small island nation now basking in the glory of itsOlympicsuccess.
Dominica also had its first taste of Olympic victory, thanks to the outstanding performance of TheaLaFond.Competingin the women’s triple jump, LaFonddeliveredastunning leapof15.02m,breakingthe nationalrecordandsecuring D
LaFond’s triumph in Paris resonated deeply within the nation, bringing joy and
worldwide.
Grenada,anationwitha rich Olympic history, added to its growing medal tally with two more bronze medals.
Anderson Peters, a seasoned javelin thrower, onceagaindemonstratedhis prowess by securing bronze in the men’s javelin throw with an impressive distance of88.54m.
Lindon Victor further bolste
ed G
nada’s standing with a hard-fought bronze in the men’s decathlon, excelling across 10 grueling events to earn hisplaceonthepodium.
It was the first time that the Spice Island had won
multiple medals at the same OlympicGames.
These achievements
continued Grenada’s tradition of Olympic success, adding new chapters to the island’s storiedathletichistory
Jamaica, a nation synonymous with sprinting dominance, experienced a shiftinitsOlympicnarrative at the 2024 Games, with the majority of its six medals coming from field events Roje Stona led the charge, breakingtheOlympicrecord in the men’s discus throw with a colossal throw of 70.00m, securing Jamaica’s first and only gold medal of theGames.
Wa y n e P i n n o c k contributed to the island’s medal haul with a silver in themen’slongjump,leaping an impressive 8 36m Rajindra Campbell added to
thefieldeventsuccesswitha bronzeinthemen’sshotput, delivering a powerful throw of22.15m.
Shanieka Ricketts also created history when she won the silver medal in the triple jump, securing Jamaica’sfirstevermedalin the field at an Olympic Games.
In addition to their field event successes, Jamaica’s sprinters also made their mark.
Kishane Thompson, a rising star in the sprinting world, claimed silver in the men’s100mwithablistering timeof9.79seconds,aresult determinedbyaphotofinish that showcased the razorthinmarginsofvictoryatthe highestlevel.
Rasheed Broadbell addedtoJamaica’ssprinting legacy by earning a bronze in the 110m hurdles,
clockingaseason-best13.09 seconds in another photo finish that highlighted the intensecompetitioninParis.
T h e 2 0 2 4 P a r i s O l y m p i c s w i l l b e remembered as a landmark event for the Caribbean, where athletes from St Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, andJamaicanotonlycreated historybutalsounderscored the region’s growing influenceinglobalathletics. T h e s e r e m a r k a b l e performances brought immense pride to their nations and showcased the Caribbean’s burgeoning talent and determination on theworldstage.
As the athletes returned home, they carried with them not just medals, but alsothehopesanddreamsof their countries, inspiring future generations to strive forgreatness.
Jamie McDonald (right) hands over sponsorship to Franklin Wilson.
Jay Shah has been BCCI secretary since 2019. [Getty Images]
Guyana awaiting confirmation on Paralympics representative
BYRAWLETONEY
The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) is currently awaiting approval from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) regarding Guyana’s participation at the 2024 ParalympicsinParis.
The 2024 Paralympic Games, set to take place in France from August 28 –September 8, will mark the 17th edition of the event, which first began in 1960 in Rome,Italy
According to sources, former football player Anthony Stephens from Lindenwasinitiallyselected as the only athlete to represent Guyana in the javelin event. After having his leg amputated following anincidentduringafootball match at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Stephens remained actively involvedinsports.
He has achieved success asafootballcoachatWismar Christianburg Secondary, winning many national titles, and in the National
Anthony Stephens
Schools Championship, where he also competed in theteachers’fieldevents.
TheNationalParalympic Committee had named Stephens, along with Dr DerbaBilalAtuasPresident and Chef de Mission, Dr Terrence Joseph as the team doctor,andKurtBraithwaite ascoach.
However,aftertherecent passing of his mother, Stephens reportedly informed officials that he wouldbeunabletoattendthe games in Paris. The source told Kaieteur News that the
GOA, in informal discussions with the IOC’s National Olympic Committee Relations team and the IPC, is now exploring the possibility of sending Gibran Safaraz, Guyana’s National Paralympic Table Tennis Champion and Pan American Games qualifier, a
representative.
These discussions are ongoing, the source noted, w
p
m a
y considerationbeingwhether the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) canaccommodateSafarazin the event’s draw in his classification, which is Level10.
Although Safaraz was a promisingcontender,hewas unable to attend the qualification event in Czechoslovakia due to his i n v o l v e m e n t t h e CommonwealthgamesGAP Birminghamtrainingcamp. If Safaraz is able to compete, this would be G u y a n a ’s s e c o n d appearance at the Paralympic Games The
countrymadeitsdebutatthe Tokyo 2020 Paralympics when cyclist Walter GrantStuartcompetedinthemen’s ParacyclingC5timetrial.
While Guyana has
Gibran Safaraz
participated in the Special Olympics, the Paralympics is distinct in that it features eliteathleteswhomustmeet rigorous qualification standardstoparticipate.
The IPC defines Paralympicathletesasthose who compete at the highest levelintheirsport,adhering to strict performance criteria.
Mbappe strikes on debut as Madrid beat Atalanta in UEFA Super Cup
The
years to play for his dream club and
after finally signing for Los Blancos this summer at the end of his Paris SaintGermaindeal,celebratedhis firstappearancewithagoal. Fede Valverde broke the deadlock from close range for the Champions League holders in the 59th minute after the Italian Europa
League winners held their owninthefirsthalf.
Madrid began to rack up the chances and Mbappe rifled home in the 68th
minute after Jude Bellingham spotted his dart into space in the box to seal thevictory “Itwasagreatnight,I’ve
been waiting for this moment for a long time,” Mbappe told Movistar, speakinginfluentSpanish.
“To play with this shirt, with this badge, for these fans,it’sagiftforme.
“We won a trophy too, that’s very important, we know that here we always have to win and I am very happy.”
Madrid’s triumph ensured coach Carlo Ancelotti equalled former Los Blancos coach Miguel Munoz on a joint-record 14 titles won at the helm of the club.
The Italian’s first task this season is designing a system that can get the best out of his array of attacking stars.
Mbappe began through the middle of Madrid’s forward line, flanked by Vinicius Junior on the left and Rodrygo Goes on the
right,inthefirstlookathow he might fit into Ancelotti’s plansthisseason.
As a result England international Bellingham playedaspartofthemidfield trio rather than in the advanced position he began last season in to such devastating goalscoring effect.
“(Mbappe) has the quality to score a lot of goals,” Ancelotti told Movistar
“What we have to look forisbalanceintheteam— today we didn’t have that balance.”
Mbappe’sonlychancein atightfirsthalfarrivedinthe 15th minute but his shot from the middle of the box was well blocked by Isak Hien.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta, appearing in their first Super Cup after stunning Bayer Leverkusen
in the Europa League final last season, came close to taking the lead when Eder Militao headed Marten de Roon’s cross ahead his own bar
Bellingham was booked for a late challenge on Atalanta goalkeeper Juan Musso on a foray forward from midfield after taking a heavy touch to control a cleverballfromVinicius.
Rodrygo clipped the top of Atalanta’s crossbar just before the break after being teedupbyVinicius.
Madrid stopper Thibaut Courtois, who missed most of last season injured, produced a stunning onehanded save to tip over a Mario Pasalic header at the startofthesecondhalf.
-MbappemovementMad
deadlock before the hour markthroughValverde, (Continuedonpage27)
AFP - Kylian Mbappe struck on his Real Madrid debut to help his new side claim a record sixth UEFA Super Cup with a 2-0 win overAtalantaonWednesday inWarsaw
superstar French forward has waited
Kylian Mbappe scored Madrid’s second goal on his debut for the club in their win over Atalanta. (Wojtek RADWANSKI)
West Indies vs. South Africa 2nd Test at Providence...
Joseph’s historic 5-fer on home soil headlines mixed day for West Indies -Hometeamtrailby63-runs
West Indies speedster Shamar Joseph etched his nameinthehistorybooksof h i s h o m e g r o u n d Providence,withhismaiden 5-wicket which gave the hosts a slight edge heading into Day 2 versus the South Africans,asthefinalTestgot underway yesterday at the GuyanaNationalStadium.
With Test cricket returningtoProvidenceafter a decade, South Africa did well to recover from being 97-7 at one point to 160 all out, thanks to a last-wicket stand of 63 between topscorer Dane Piedt who was left unbeaten on 38 after striking four fours and one sixandNandreBurger(23).
Playing in place of Kemar Roach, Guyanese pace sensation Joseph reminded the fans of his reputation in Test cricket, bagging his 3rd 5-wicket haul as he snared 5-33; his maiden5-feronhomesoil.
Joseph joins elite company as only the 4th player to record a 5-wicket haulatProvidence.Hejoins former international players
Sri Lankan seamer ChamindaVass5-61(2008), Pakistani off-spinner Saeed
Ajmal 5-69 & 6-42 (2011) and former West Indies captain now Head Coach DarrenSammy,5-29(2011).
Speedster Jayden Seales picked up 3-45, with Jason Holder (1-26) and left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie (128), being the other wickettakersforWestIndies.When stumps arrived, West Indies were97-7intheir1stinnings withHolderunbeatenon33.
Fast-bowlingall-rounder
Wiaan Mulder was the pick ofthelotwithreturnsof4-18 while Burger grabbed 2 big
wicketsalongwithonefrom spinnerKeshavMahahraj.
The SouthAfrican quicks led by Mulder, replicated similar actions to that of their Caribbean counterparts, scything through the likes of Captain Kraigg Brathwaite (3), in-form batsman Alick Athanaze (1) who was caught & bowled and KaveemHodge(4),whoalso fell victim to some good catching.
AstrugglingMikyleLouis (0) also had his stumps disturbed by Burger, who
afternoonsessions. Play resumed with the Windies in a strong 1st innings position and their fast-bowlers back in o p e r a t i o n D a v i d
Bedingham continued to resist as he carried he chippedinwithasolidknock of28beforeJosephhadhim caughtbehindbythewicketkeeper
Shamar Joseph bowled Aiden Markram for his first Test wicket in his hometown, Guyana. (AFP/Getty Images)
removed the dangerous Carty who accounted for his own dismissalbyholdingouttothe midwicket fielder, as the team’s 50 came at the hefty priceoflosingtheirtopfour batters.Afew more wickets fellbeforeHolderplayedthe anchor role as he saw his teamhometosafetywithout furtherhiccups.
Earlier, bowling first, the WestIndiesquicksmadelight work of the Proteas top four batsmen, who found themselvesbackinthelockerroom with the score 64-4 by
lunchinterval
Opener Aiden Markram was the first Test wicket on home soil for Joseph, who knocked over the righthander for 14. In-formTony ZeZori(1)failedashefellto Seales while Tristan Stubbs (26) struck three boundaries before Holder had him out caught. Joseph returned to bag the big wicket of South African Captain Temba Bavuma (0); who was pinned LBW as the South Africanslookedtoturntheir luck around during the
Wicket-keeper Kyle Verreyne (21) pushed onwards after losing Bedingham, along with Mulder and Maharaj; who both fell for ducks, with Joseph churning out a double-wicket maiden over tohelphimsecurehis5-fer Shortly after, the pacer was taken off the field after some apparent niggles, leaving just 1 wicket to capture after a frustrating last-wicket stand between Piedt and Burger yielded crucial runs; before Motie finallyremovedthelatterby theteabreak. Day2’saction continues today from 10:00h. Scores:WestIndies 97for7(Holder33*,Mulder 4-18, Burger 2-32) trail SouthAfrica160(Piedt38*, Bedingham28,Joseph5-33, Seales3-45)by63runs.
Sinner, Swiatek survive challenges from Cincinnati qualifiers
AFP - Cincinnati
Masters top seeds Jannik SinnerandIgaSwiatekboth secured opening triumphs Wednesday over qualifiers, with Swiatek forced to escapeanattemptedsecondround ambush by France’s VarvaraGracheva.
WTAworld number one Swiatek needed six match points and more than two hourstoescapewitha6-0,67 (8/10), 6-2 victory to start the last major event prior to theUSOpen.
ATP number one Sinner foughtoffeightbreakpoints as the top seed began the Cincinnati Open with a 6-4, 7-5 triumph over US qualifierAlexMichelsen.
Swiatek ran away with theopeningsetin22minutes butcouldnotcloseoutwhen leading5-2inthesecond.
The 62nd-ranked Gracheva saved five match points and converted on her ownfifthsetpointtotakethe
matchintoathirdset.
Swiatek regained her poise to finally pull out the unexpectedly tight win to reachthethirdround.
“Itwasnoteasytofinish in the second set,” Swiatek said. “She started playing with freedom, with nothing tolose.
“Ibackeddownabitand she used her chances. I’m happy I got more proactive in the third set and played moreintense.”
Swiateksaidshekepther self-belief.
“IknewIhadthegameto win it — I did have five match points,” she said. “It was my fault that I didn’t closeitout,butthathappens.
“I was able to play the third like I did at the start of thematch.
Idon’twantanyregrets. I’m only looking forward. I’m in a peaceful place and I’m playing without expectations.”
hardcourt this season for Sinner, who was the first manintothethirdround.
Thetopseedhasnotlost beforethequarter-finalstage of any event since Masters 1000ShanghailastOctober
Teenaged opponent Michelsen went down with 42 unforced errors, his winner count of 14 exactly halfofSinner’stotal.
“It was a tough match,” Sinnersaid.“Ineededtostart feeling the conditions and gettingusedtothem.
Open,” he said. “I have one week (after Cincinnati) to prepare in the best possible way “The matches I can play here will help at the Open ” Sinner next plays
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek of Poland outlasted French qualifier Varvara Gracheva to win her first match at the WTA and ATP Cincinnati Open. (Dylan Buell)
Italy’s Sinner, who turns 23onFriday,hasneverbeen past the third round at the American Midwest venue
but is hoping to improve on thatshowingthisweek. Victoryinjustundertwo hours marked the 25th on
“I’m very happy to be intothenextround.
I’ve struggled here in pastyears.ButtodayIstayed positive and that helped in thewin.”
Sinner, who missed the Paris Olympics with tonsillitis and went out last week in the Montreal quarter-finals, said he was notathisbest.
“I’mnotyetat100%,but the main goal is the US
Australian Jordan Thompson, a 6-2, 6-4 winner over Sebastian Baez -MedvedeveliminatedFormer world number one Daniil Medvedev was ousted in his second-round match, the fourth seed fallingto22-year-oldCzech Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 Medvedev also fell in the first round last week at Montreal
Ninth seed Stefano Tsitsipasplayedforthefirst time since splitting last week with his father as coach, with the Greek turning the tables in dramatic fashion to reach the second round 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 over Jan-Lennard Struff
Wiaan Mulder got the better of Joshua Da Silva. (Gallo Images/Getty Images)
Guyana to face toughest challenge at this this year’s championship
-Theboxersarehere:Sixnations,3nights!
The boxers have arrived, and excitement is building as the 2024 Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Schoolboys and
Schoolgirls Boxing Tournamentissettokickoff at the National Gymnasium fromtodayAugust16to18.
Over the next three nights, host nation Guyana will face its biggest challenge yet as the tournament expands to six participating territories,
giving the six-time
champions an extra challengeastheypreparefor a seventh championship title.
Suriname’s 10-man squad is poised to pull off some upsets, aiming to dethrone the reigning champions First-time participantsAntiguaarealso looking to make an impact, though they will only have
two of their best boxers in action.Grenada,meanwhile, will be represented by its largest contingent to date, a d d i n g d e p t h a n d competitivenesstotheevent.
TrinidadandTobagoandSt. Lucia, who arrived Wednesday night, are bringing additional talent to the tournament, ensuring a toughcompetitionforall.
The tournament, which beganin2016withjustthree nations, continues to grow, bothintermsofparticipating countries and the number of youngathletes.
Its primary focus is on fostering the holistic development of boxing acrosstheCaribbean.
Steve Ninvalle, President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), expressed optimism about the tournament’s growth during a meeting yesterday He noted that this year’s
event features the largest number of participants yet.
“Tournaments like these are crucial for developing our young boxers,” Ninvalle remarked.
The event received praisefromtheteamsduring
Sensei Dunbar praises Guyana Wado Ryu Karate Association team for recent performance
Sensei Winston Dunbar poses with the successful karatekas at the Banks DIH Sports Club on Tuesday
Chief Instructor of the Guyana Wado Ryu Karate Association,SenseiWinston Dunbar, has praised the performances of the young karatekas of theAssociation who were successful at the recently held National Junior championships at the National Gymnasium, MandelaAvenue.
The championships organized by the Guyana Karate Federation catered foryoungkaratekasbetween ages of 6-17 years in boys’ andgirls’divisions.
Tattieanna Appiah, Anfa Singh and Lakechand Persaudwontheirrespective categories while there were also medals for Alina Persaud, Ty David, Younce Allen and Matthew Kendall Jr Appiahcapturedthegirls 12-14 Kumite title; Singh copped the girls 6-8 and her teammate Alina Persaud finished in the runner up position.
Lakechand Persaud won the boys 9-11 kumite with the teammate Kendall securingthirdplace.
Davidsecuredtherunner up position in the boys’1517categorywhileAllenwon bronze in the boys’ 6-8 kumite.
Sensei Dunbar said he wasveryimpressedwiththe team’s performance citing discipline as a critical elementoftheirpreparation.
The veteran martial arts specialist added that both senior and junior karatekas will continue training at Banks DIH Sports Club in preparation for upcoming competitions.
the briefing, with all participants commending Ninvalle for successfully hosting one of the region’s premier youth boxing championships The tournament often referred to as the “Youth Olympics” of
Caribbean boxing, offers invaluable exposure and experiencetothefuturestars ofthesport.
Theactionstartstodayat 6:00PMeachnight,withthe GBA reaffirming its commitmenttoelevatingthe
standard of youth boxing in the Caribbean as part of its mission to produce worldclassathletes.
The customary weigh-in exerciseisalsoscheduledfor today (Friday) at Brittany ApartmentsinGeorgetown.
Grand weekend celebration planned to honour Grenada’s Paris Olympic team
SportsMax - Grenada’s athletestotheParisOlympic Games are set to be feted with much pomp and pageantry when they return home over the weekend, following their credible performanceattherecentlyconcluded global multisportshowpiece.
The six-member team comprising Kirani James, Lindon Victor, Anderson Peters, Halle Hazzard, Tilly Collymore and Zachary Gresham will be celebrated for their efforts in track and fieldandinthepool,asthey gave Grenada much to be proud of.Victor’s decathlon bronze, as well as Peters javelinbronzerepresentsthe Spice Isle’s highest-ever medal haul at an Olympic Games. James, the island’s most decorated athlete, just missedoutonamedalinthe
men’s 400m, as he placed fifth In a press release issued on Wednesday, the Government of Grenada announced that ceremonies will take place on Saturday August 17 and Sunday, August18.
Peters, James andVictor willarriveonSaturday.
“Theactivitieshavebeen put in place to celebrate athletes who have brought glory and honour to our land,” said Acting Minister ofSportsDelmaThomas.
“Let’s get together and be part of the grandest welcome ever, as we celebrate Grenadian resilience and excellence,” s h e a d d e d , w
throughout Grenada to organize in their various communities to participate, especially in the events on
Sunday
The athletes will be greeted by government officials, sport associations’ executives and family members, while Grenadians are invited to join the greetingpartyoutsideofthe airport at 2:00pm. The weekend’s activities will also include a national motorcade on Sunday, August 18, which begins at Morne Rouge and a recognition rally at the Playing field in Victor’s homeparishLaSagesse. Thomas also hinted at some major announcements regarding the development ofsportsthatwillbemadeat the La Sagesse rally Packages to honour all the Olympians will also be unveiledinaspecialaddress by Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell.
Director of Sports, Steve Ninvalle (second right) speaking with four of the six nations expected to be in action from August 16-18 at the 7th Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Schoolboys and Girls Championship.
(from left) Anderson Peters, Kirani James, and Lindon Victor
Over 300 kids benefit as Kevin Sinclair foundation launched
Guyana and West Indies cricketer Kevin Sinclair extendedhispositivestrides off the cricket field as he launchedTheKevinSinclair foundationinhishometown, Angoy’s Avenue which is knownas“CowDam.”Over 300 children were beneficiaries of school supplies and knowledge from Sinclair and former National cricketer, Steven Jacobs.
Inalaunchingceremony at Sinclair’s hometown, the entire village came out to show their support to Sinclair, who advised the youngsters that sports and education can take you out
ofpoverty
The 24-year-old
Sinclair, who played two Tests, seven One Day Internationals and six T20I fortheWestIndiessaidheis driven and passionate about givingbacktothoseinneed.
“It all started with a dream, just as how I dreamt and had the passion to play forWestIndies.
It was the same with the foundationandthekids.Iam always passionate to give back to the community where I am from,” Sinclair said.
Headded:“Thisisabout representing the area and give back. I also want the
kids to know they can achieve anything once their mind,body,andsoulbehind, and stay committed I strongly believe that some childrenhavelosttheirway, becausetheylackbelievein theirabilityandtalent.
I am positive that systems will be in place wheretheycannurturetheir talents.”
Meanwhile, another offspinner and renowned businessman, Jacobs, laudedSinclair’seffortsand highlighted the importance of remembering the proverbial bridge once crossed. Sinclair is also the brandambassadorofJacob’s (Continuedonpage27)
GASA President informs on status of swimmer Delroy Tyrrell’s application to represent Guyana
Delroy Tyrrell, a Guyaneseswimmerbasedin Trinidad and Tobago, is patiently awaiting clearance from World Aquatics to represent Guyana on the internationalstage.
C u r r e n t l y o n a scholarshipattheCollegeof Saint Rose in Division Two of the NCAA, Tyrrell requestedlastyeartoswitch his affiliation from Trinidad & Tobago Aquatics to the GuyanaAmateurSwimming Association(GASA).
Tyrrell formally applied toGASAandrecentlywrote to president Dwayne Scott, seeking confirmation on whenhewouldbeclearedto competeforGuyana.
However, speaking to Kaieteur News yesterday, Scott mentioned that GASA has already submitted all necessary documents to the sport’s global governing bodyandisawaitingwritten confirmation regarding whenTyrrellwillbeeligible tocompete.
Scott noted that Tyrrell must wait 12 months for the change in national associationtotakeeffect,but
healsopointedoutthatsome unintentional actions by Tyrrellcouldcausedelays.
Scott explained that while Tyrrell occasionally competes in Guyana for the Dorado Speed Swim Club, he also continues to represent his swim club in TrinidadandTobago.
This dual affiliation could be creating confusion
Delroy Tyrrell
for World Aquatics, Scott reasoned.
The GASA president described Tyrrell as a promising prospect for Guyana at regional and international events and expressed hope that he will beclearedsoon,ashistalent would be a valuable asset to the Association (Rawle Toney)
Kevin Sinclair addressing the large audience at the launch of the Kevin Sinclair Foundation.
Sinclair and Steven Jacobs interacting and presenting to the kids.
- Home team trail by 63-runs
Steve Ninvalle, GBAHead (extreme right) and Technical Director Terrence Poole share photo-op with members of theAntigua, Suriname, Barbados and Grenada’s contingent at yesterday’s briefing held at MCYS Boardroom.
