At least 34 killed in Gaza as Qatar holds hope for ceasefire ‘ExxonMobil free to sell assets being paid for by Guyana to clean up oil spill’
Immigration officer transferred after allegedly letting Brutus’ wife leave country
‘Implement windfall taxes, it is a common practice in oil sectors’ -Dr.VincentAdams Thieves break into WBD rice mill twice in weeks, escape with cash and court documents - three countries successfully changed terms to increase government's share
Miner buried
alive after pit caves in at Region 7 backdam -suspectsreleasedonstationbail
VicePresident
BharratJagdeo
Miner buried alive after pit caves in at Region 7 backdam
A 46-year-old miner died on Saturday morning after a mining pit caved in and covered him at Aramu Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven. Dead is Oral Anthony Rouseof58MilesMaburaRoad,RegionTen.
Police said that the mining pit incident occurredataround09:30h.
“InitialinvestigationsrevealedthatRouse was employed by Alvin Higgins, a 49-year-old gold miner,toworkonafour-inch land dredging operation at Aramu Backdam, with four otherworkers,”policesaid.
K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that Rouse and
his co-workers were working in a 25-footdeeppitwhenoneofthewallscollapsed.His co-workersmanagedtoescapebutRousewas buried alive. He was buried for about 14 minutes before his workers were able to dig him out the pit However, Rouse was motionless.Hewasremovedandtakentothe Bartica Hospital where doctors pronounced
Kaieteur News
Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.
Publisher: DR. GLENN LALL - TEL: 624-6456
Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS
Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
Kaieteur
Jagdeo on Suriname ExxonMobil responds to Craig Sylvester on bribery accusations
Truetoform,Guyana’schiefoilpolicymakerhad less than a positive reaction to Suriname’s oil royalty announcement that came on that country’s Independence Day. Always sensitive to what reduces him to the ranks of lost leaders, he rushed to poke holes in what the Surinamese President, Chandrikapersad Santokhi offered to all of that country’s citizens. The US$750 for every citizen of Suriname, along with its 7% annual interest rate payment doesn’t compare to what the PPP/CGovernmentisdoingforGuyanese. Wechecktosee how Guyana stands when matched against Suriname. Whatever the result, it would prove Jagdeo to be right, or otherwiseengaginginoneofhisnowusualsixfornine. Surinamejustfoundoilandhasnotyetproducedanyoil, butalreadyinspiringprovisionsarebeingsetinplaceforall citizensofthatformerDutchcolony Guyanaisproducing 650,000 barrels of oil daily presently, and has already shippedout500millionbarrelssinceoilfirststartedtoflow fromundertheseaoverfouryearsago.
With oil numbers like those, and with oil prices where theyare,allGuyaneseshouldbedoingverywell,enjoyinga better than average standard of living. With oil revenues flowing into Guyana, albeit at gangster levels from a vile contract, the national government is well-equipped to do betterforallGuyanese.
Insteadofthat,Jagdeo’sPPP/CGovernmenthaschosen toprioritizesharingtheoilwealthwithitsinnercircle,anda small crowd of sycophants. Guyanese have received a paltry $25,000 (slightly over a hundred US$), and some minimal subsidies when it pleases leaders to do so. The greatest portion of budgets have gone to building infrastructure (hundreds of billions) while Guyanese are punishingdailyfromhungerandfailingtomeettheirother basic needs. This is the history of the current 4-year-old PPP/CGovernment,withVicePresidentJagdeo,theofficial nationaloilleaderand,asmanyarereadytocontend,thede facto national leader It took four plus years of criticisms and condemnations for Jagdeo’s PPP/C Government to announce a cash grant of $100,000 for Guyanese who attainedtheageof18whenthisyearbegan. InSuriname,it is every single citizen who stands to collect US$750 (GY$150,000) later Here it was first an undefined “household”toreceive$200,000,thenallthose18andover on January 1, 2024. Indeed, the cash in Guyana is in the present,buteventhen,hundredsofthousandsofGuyanese arestillleftout.
JagdeoisrighttosaythatGuyana’s$100,000cashgrant announcement is money in the pockets of many Guyanese today Buthehasthepowerofthreeoilprojectsgoinglikea rocket, and increased daily production behind him. Suriname is set to produce oil four years from today, but already all of its citizens have a return committed to when that happens. Suriname’s Santokhi has no oil production goingforhimnow,buthasalreadyropedinallofhispeople, aspartofagrandvision.
Jagdeoridesonthecrestsofanoilwave,andallhehas doneissearchforwaystousethepeople’soilwealthtowrap a rope around their necks. Surinamese have something to look forward to, while Guyanese own richly producing oil fieldsbutlookatJagdeoandfearaboutwhatheisgoingto comeupwithnext.
For sure, what President Santokhi has put before his citizens is a promissory note, as Jagdeo correctly pointed out. But let no one ever forget that it is the same Bharrat Jagdeo who promised to renegotiate the obscene ExxonMobil oil contract signed by the APNU+AFC Coalition. Then what did he do once back in power, but forgetand/ordenywhathesworetodo,andwalkedbackon his oath. This is the type of clever and shifty national politicalleaderwithwhomGuyaneselive.
Yet, this is the man that looks at what Suriname’s Santokhi is staking his leadership on, and says that it does notcomparetowhatthePPP/CGovernmentisdoinghere. Jagdeo’s leadership record is of next to nothing, yet he loudlymarketsthathehasdoneeverything.
DEAREDITOR
,
Please permit me space torespondtoaletterinyour December6,2024editionby Mr Craig Sylvester titled “Our major political parties may have received as much as US$46.5M from the oil companies”. While we usually ignore
flights of fancy, attacks allegingillegalityonourpart cannot go uncorrected. In his letter Mr Sylvester u n w i s e l y a n d disingenuously makes unsubstantiated allegations ofbribery,andevidence-free “assumptions” about payments he says we “may”
havemade. Noneofthemis true. Let me state clearly: ExxonMobilGuyananeither supports nor finances any political party or candidate. We categorically reject allegations of any involvement in bribery or corruptpractices.
Weadheretothehighest ethical standards and are committed to transparency and integrity in all our dealings.
AndrewLodge GeneralCounsel LawDepartment
ExxonMobil Guyana Limited
Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox
The deplorable state of High Palm Road, South Ruimveldt
DEAREDITOR,
It is with great concern that I pen this letter to the r e l e v a n t authority/authorities.
Road works have begun on High Palm Road, South Ruimveldt Gardens, since early in the month of November, closing off access from Aubrey Barker Road. Note, this point of access serves residents of both Kiskadee Drive and HighPalmRoad.Asaresult of these road works, the alternative access to r e s i d e n t s o f t h e aforementioned locations is fromCaneViewAvenue.
Additionally, it was observedthatGuyanaWater Inc.’s (GWI) team was also doingworkinthesaidareawhethertheyarefinishedor not,it’slefttoone’swonder To the corner of Cane View Avenue and High Palm Road, large ditches on both sides of the junction can be observed These were
created as a result of GWI’s work,andwereleftopenby the said utility company This has caused great concern for residents traversing through there. To date, many vehicles, including the large trucks transporting materials, have beenvictimsoftheseditches causing them to widen further thus making navigating into High Palm Streetverydangerous. Whenthisoccurs,access into and out of this area is nowinhibitedsincevehicles cannot pass, and the roads are too poor to facilitate foot-traffic. A report was madetoGWIand,todate,no action has been taken. Are we awaiting a serious tragedytooccur?
On behalf of the
residentsofthiscommunity, I am imploring for meaningful action be taken soonest to resolve this perilousexistingsituation.
ConcernedResident
The PNCR must act in the best interest of Guyana and its supporters
DEAREDITOR,
Former Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon was pressured out of that position because the PNCR had turned into a press statement party under his leadership. He must now be rocking with laughter since we have boldly and barefacedly returned to exactlythat.
However, much is at stake because we are headingtonationalelections in2025andinsteadofsevere pressure being applied to bring the PPP to its senses, whatweareseeingisJagdeo playingonourinternalparty differences and is likely to buy over some of our party officials and MPs. It is clear that there is not fight left in our party’s current leadershipanditcanbefairly concluded that there was no fight there in the first instance.
What is good for the gooseisgoodforthegander and if it were right for
Harmon to be removed for writing empty letters that Jagdeofoundamusingasthe PPP continued its rampage on Guyana, it has to be the same for the current leadership, only now it can be said that Jagdeo and his PPP do not find our daily press statements amusing because he does not even bothertoreadthem.Heistoo busy riding roughshod over theopposition.
While Harmon had the support of most of his party comrades,itwasevidentthat he was not up to robustly challenging the PPP and he paid the price for that. The same cannot be said of the current Leader of the PNCR who could barely keep the party together and does not enjoythegenuinesupportof his MPs. However, he is lucky in the sense that the party has to engage in a public show of having a united front but the rut is eating away at its internal coreandweakeningitbythe
hour
The leader on the other hand seems comfortable in remaining as Opposition Leader for the unforeseen future. Many of the party leader’s ardent pitbull-like supporters are now quiet. It is as if they realise that somethingisnotrightwhena poodle is put to lead ferocious beasts ready to devourtheenemies.
Harmonmayhavebeena press statement leader and one that was apparently friendly with the PPPbut he was not facing an upcoming national elections in an oil rich state governed almost single-handedly by Jagdeo. ItcanbearguedthatHarmon asleaderatatimeofnational elections could have easily redefined himself and redoubled his efforts to be victorious at the polls becausehehastheresources and had full support of his comrades and many IndoGuyanesebusinesspeople.
The current leader must
now tell the Guyanese people what he has in his arsenaltotaketheopposition to victory and save Guyana. Itcanneverbetoolateforthe partytostrategisetofindthe best possible solution to revitalise the party and oppositiontopreparetobea viable alternative to the PPP in 2025. As it is today, our supporters are uncertain aboutthecurrentleadership, its performance and readiness to take the helm andleadGuyana.
The questions must be asked and the party must be publicly grilled and must be prepared to tell Guyanese what mettle the PNCR has outside of press statements trailing behind every wrong Jagdeovisitsonthecountry It is time for us to pressure the leadership of the PNCR to act in the best interest of Guyanaanditssupporters.
Sincerely
NormanBrowne Social and Political Activist
Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox
I did not complain about administrative matters at Forestry Commission
DEAREDITOR, Iamwritinginreference to the letter published on December4,2024,underthe name“TiaCampbell.”
The letter criticized Human Resources and the Board of Directors for their alleged failure to discipline an individual accused of mistreating stakeholdersandstaff.
I am deeply concerned as I, Tia Campbell, an employee of the Forestry Commission, am not the authorofthisletter
Its publication has caused significant d i s t r e s s a n d misrepresentation of my identity
I respectfully request t h a t m y n a m e b e disassociated from the letterthatwaspublished Additionally, I urge the publication to
verification processes for future submissions to preventsuchincidents
Sincerely, TiaCampbell
Jagdeo in his Goebel Sian mode
DEAREDITOR, Please allow me to offer my gratitude for giving prominence to my letter on the chaotic first day of the distribution of the Cash GrantinLethem.
Since that letter was published, no fewer than fifteen residents, pensioners amongthem,havecontacted me with the same story –they have not received the Grant even though they would have done what was required of them – getting registered.
I am anticipating that with the widening of the distribution exercise, many m o r e r e s i d e n t s , countrywide, will find themselves in the same predicament. This is totally normal since no system is fool-proof, no system is ideal. There will always be flaws.
It’sagainstthisbackdrop that I am appalled that the VPJagdeowouldhavetaken to his weekly Press Conference to berate my efforts, not only of highlighting that fact, but also offering a possible solutiontotheproblem. Therefore, please allow me to state some irrefutable facts;1.Therewasconfusion ondayone.Noonecandeny that. Even a known PPP sympathiser, Mr Clairmont Lye acknowledged that in a lettertothePress;
2. None of the staff present was equipped with answerstothemanyqueries thatweremadeonthatday;
3 Some persons, includingme,hadregistered using our passports No cheques came for such persons.Notone.
4 D u r i n g t h e registration exercise,
persons operating the Biometrics device did not always “lock in” the information after completingtheprocess.This invariably led to some persons not being recorded asbeingregistered. Onewouldhavethought that the VP Jagdeo would have been sensible enough to recognise the failings in the system and seek to correctthemsincethisisnot the end of the exercise. No, rather, he ranted and raved asthoughhealonehasallthe answers to Guyana’s problems and anyone who daresoffersanopinionisout ofplace.
Please allow me to inform the VP Jagdeo, that when it comes to national issues, all Guyanese have the right to have a say If others are willing to forfeit that right, not Carl Parker I
will be in his bonnet day in anddayout;ifthatistheway hewantsit.
TheVPJagdeoshouldbe embarrassed to offer us a measly $100k after nearly five years of pumping oil. While some residents are grateful for the “small piece,” it is not a lifechangingsumthatwillmake usbetteroff.Itisnotlikethe billions that are being siphoned off by the Kleptocrats in this, the largest Kleptocracy called Guyana.
Anyways, I have been reliably informed that there will be reconciliation; and thatpersonswhomissedout this week, will get their cheques before December 31. I guess we will have to waitandsee.
Yourstruly, CarlParker
Pensioner.
Oxford Energy: The worse the deal, the more likely
it is to be renegotiated
- three countries successfully changed terms to increase government’s share
W i t h o u t a n understanding of the facts underlying a renegotiation, one can easily jump to the wrong conclusions, and that is precisely what seems to have been happening with alarming frequency on the conference/ seminar circuit, where conclusions are too oftendrawnfromincomplete information derived from press releases or press reports.Oxford Energy Forum in an August 2010 research paper documented the events that led up to renegotiated oil contracts in three countries, Venezuela, BoliviaandKazakhstan.
According to the document, many of those contracts were not only economically indefensible, but they also purported to cede control over petroleum operationstoprivateparties, ofteninamannerthatraised serious legal issues going to theheartofthecontracts.
All this has led to contract renegotiations, and in some cases, complete n a t i o n a l i n d u s t r y
restructurings,inthelastfew years.Inmanycountries,this has involved fundamental issues of structure and governance; all cases involved adjustments in governmenttake.
Host countries that have taken measures in this direction include Algeria, Bolivia, Canada, China, Ecuador, Kazakhstan and Venezuela, all of which imposed new taxes and royalties on production, exports or windfall profits. Bolivia and Venezuela also mandated structural changes for all contracts in their hydrocarbons industries. In
Alberta, Canada, the provincial government announced a 20 percent increase in oil and gas royalties.
The US Government provided Congress with a report in May 2007 on the question of increasing oil andgasroyalties,includinga comparison of royalty rates under fiscal regimes around the world, in response to concerns that government
take was not keeping pace with record oil company profits. Oil executives were called before Congress to defend windfall profits, and Sarah Pali
additional revenue from a newwindfallprofitstax.
ThreeCaseStudies
the Kashagan field in Kazakhstan.
Venezuela
e l a , approximately 500,000 barrels per day were being p
o p e r a t i n g s e r v i c e agreements, which were supposed to be pure service
“Bad deals spell trouble. The worse the deal, or the more imbalanced the deal, the more likely it is to be renegotiated. That goes for both sides.”
Three of the best-known renegotiations or industry restructuringsofthelastfew years involved the operating
s
ag
ts (convenios operativos) in Venezuela,
gas production contracts in B o l i v i a , a n d t h e renegotiation of the world’s largest production sharing agreement, the one covering
The Alliance For Change (AFC) believes that the Government of Guyana needs to secure additional fiscal benefits for its people ahead of the granting of a permit to ExxonMobil Guyanaforthe7thoilproject –Hammerhead.
On Friday, during the party’s weekly press conference, Kaieteur News asked whether the party believes there should be morefiscalbenefitsaheadof the approval of the permit. Chairmanoftheparty,David Patterson told reporters that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, who is also the country’s chief policymaker on oil and gas, should focus his attention on deriving more benefits from the oil company
“Jagdeo and the PPP instead of doing what they should be doing trying to make the country better are taking out the big stick method, threatening that they will withhold permissionon(7thproject),” Pattersonsaid.
He added, “We have made it quite clear already the processes in which we would like when the
agreements that effectively granted the contractors a participationinthebusiness.
TheVenezuelanoperating service agreements, although structu
e contracts, were in substance anything but pure service contracts Theycededcontrol over petroleum operations in huge areas for 20 years, and compensation was based on the volume and value of production. Many of the service providers were in effect senior partners in the business, on average taking more than half the value of production
In some cases, the state company actually lost money for each barrel of oil produced, after accounting for the royalty owed to the State.Makingmattersworse, the contractors, claiming to be only service providers, arguedthattheyweresubject tothenon-oilincometaxrate of 34 percent rather than the rate applicable to oil producers, 50 percent. In
contracts. The 1975 Law Regulating the Industry and Trade of Hydrocarbons did not allow, except in certain casesapprovedbyCongress, any private participation in production Service contracts were allowed for basic services, such as drilling and seismic survey, but these were supposed to bepureservicecontracts,not contracts mimicking production s
April 2005, the Venezuelan Government intervened to require migration of the o p e r a t i n g s e r v i c e agreements to the new structure of mixed company (empresa mixta) under the 2001 Organic Hydrocarbons Law, and 30 out of 32 contracts were successfully migrated over a one-year period. The other two resulted in negotiated settlements.
T h e n e w m i x e d companies emerging from the migration of the o p e r a t i n g s e r v i c e agreementsareallsubjectto combined royalties and special advantages (ventajas especiales)of331/3percent, as well as the 50 percent oil income tax rate. A special assessmentforextraordinary prices also applies when the price of crude oil exceeds $70 per barrel. Apart from the fiscal regime, a state companyisbylawtheowner of at least 60 percent of the shares of each of the new mixedcompanies.Basic (Continued on page 57)
Govt. must secure more fiscal benefits for Guyanese
–DavidPatterson
willensuretheruleoflawis respected and everything is d o n e o p e n l y a n d transparently,”heassured.
ChairmanoftheAllianceForChange,DavidPatterson
Petroleum Activity Bill was tabled,Ithinkinlatelastyear or early this year, we put in 34 amendments that would have addressed this very issueanditsaidthatthereisa grandfathering clause whereby all projects approved prior to the petroleum activities continues (but) any new project after the Petroleum Activities Bill (that) comes into play should be under thatnewact.”
Patterson is of the view that Exxon would not be opposed to discussing better benefitsforGuyana.
“I can say this, Exxon apparentlyisnothappywith the stewardship not only in the oil and gas sector. They are probably getting
contractors in the country how difficult it is to operate insuchacorruptsociety,and they may have been voicing their disagreements with the PPP hence the reason why J a g d e o i s threatening withholding consent which he has never donebefore,”Pattersonsaid.
Furthermore,hebelieves that the issue is not a question of the operator providing the data but is moreofattemptstosilencea majoroperator “Fortunately for Exxon and the rest of the country, timesforchangearehereand obviously when we assume office, we will treat everybody, foreigners and the country with respect, we
On December 6, Kaieteur News in an article captioned, ‘Engage Exxon on better fiscal terms ahead ofgrantingpermitfor7thoil project- PNC’ reported that the People’s National CongressReform(PNCR)is of the view the Government of Guyana should engage ExxonMobil on better fiscal termsforGuyaneseaheadof granting the permit for the Hammerheadproject.
Advisor to the party on oil and gas, Elson Low said the party always held the position that it is critical for the government to have d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h ExxonMobil to derive additional benefits for the peopleofGuyana.
Low was asked by Kaieteur News whether his party believes that more benefitsoughttobeobtained before the approval of the project.
“It doesn’t have to be at the instance of the granting
of an additional permit, it couldbeinthenearfuture.It couldbethatthegovernment engages with consultants, andwithlegalrepresentation to have that discussion and prepare itself. Rather, we havenotseenanymovement onthatfront,”Lowsaid.
T h e P N C R representative recalled that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) while in opposition had promised to renegotiate the contract However, that position has since changed now that the partyisingovernment.Low called on the government to usetherequestforlicenceas an opportunity to have d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h ExxonMobil.
“However, that is not going to happen under the PPP, they have no interest engagingthecompanyinany particular sphere and so sadly, the opportunities will pass by, without any discussions whatsoever. Therecanbeawiderangeof discussionsthatcouldbehad buttheydon’tintendtocarry out any discussions at all,” Lowstressed.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo at a recent news conference told reporters that “right now, we are not consideringthat.” Jagdeo was asked by Kaieteur News to state whether there will be any improved fiscal benefits to the country should the project and others be approved.
In response, the government’s chief oil spokesperson said, “I don’t want to be premature. We have not received the full application from Exxon and whenthatapplicationcomes in sometime next year, we willreviewit.”
He explained that after a thorough review of Exxon’s submission, he will disclose what the fiscal benefits will be.
“So, my position is still the same, we haven’t received an application as yetandwewilldealwithitat thattime,”Jagdeosaid.
On November 10, Kaieteur News reported that the Government of Guyana is unable to say whether the countrywillobtainimproved fiscal benefits from the seventh oil project until ExxonMobil makes a full submissionabouttheproject and that submission is reviewedbythegovernment.
The Fungible Fandango
Dennis Chabrol asked Bharrat Jagdeo a simple question and Jagdeo responded with acrobatics that could rival Cirque du Soleil minus the charm and coordination. Chabrol wasn’t asking for the moon or even the stars. He wasn’t even asking for an audited ledger No, he simply wanted to know why the government can’t outline how the funds from the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) are going to be used Easy-peasy, right? Wrong.
Whatwegotinsteadwas 15 minutes of obfuscation, distraction, and enough verbalgymnasticstomakea thesaurus blush Jagdeo’s answer boiled down to this: “Fundsarefungible.”
Now, I’ve heard some excuses in my time but this one takes the cake. “Funds are fungible” is like saying, “Wateriswet.”Yes,Bharrat, we know Money can be moved around. It’s not the answertothequestion;it’sa statementoffactthatdoesn’t remotelyaddresstheissue.
Let’s talk about fungibility for a second because, apparently, it’s Jagdeo’s new favourite word. He said it with the convictionofamanwhojust discovered a big word and wanted to show off at a dinner party Fungibility means that one unit of moneyisasgoodasanother, interchangeable like socks orbadexcuses.
Buthere’sthething:just because funds are fungible doesn’tmeantheyshouldbe inscrutable.
Imagine if you asked your teenager what they’re going to do with their allowance and they said,
“Money is fungible.” You’d belookingforthecarkeysto drivethemtotherapy—or,at the very least, revoke their spending privileges Governments, last I checked, aren’t teenagers. They’re supposed to plan, budget,and,dareIsayit,be accountable.
Jagdeo’s tap dance around this issue isn’t just evasive; it’s insulting. If the government had a mediumor long-term expenditure plan, as any responsible administration should, this wouldn’tevenbeaquestion.
He could have said, “In 2024,we’respendingX%of the oil revenue on infrastructure,Y%onhealth, andZ%oneducation.”See? Not rocket science. I didn’t even break a sweat coming upwiththatexample.
But instead, we’re treated to a lecture on the liquidity of government revenues,asifthatsomehow absolvesthemoftheneedto explainthemselves.
The Opposition, bless their skeptical hearts, is understandably concerned that the country’s oil wealth isgoingtovanishfasterthan thedesserttrayatawedding. They’re not asking for miracles; they’re asking for aplan.Aroadmap.
A post-it note, even Something to show that the governmenthasthoughtthis throughbeyond,“Let’swing it and see what happens.” Butlet’sbehonest:Jagdeo’s whole “shtick” here isn’t about economics or fungibility or even accountability It’s about control. If the government outlines exactly how the NRFmoneywillbespent,it opens itself up to scrutiny And scrutiny is to this administrationwhatgarlicis
to a vampire. They’d rather dance in circles, spewing jargon and platitudes, than give anyone a straight answer
And let’s not ignore the irony here. This is the same government that spent years criticizing the previous administration for its handling of the oil sector
T h e y p r o m i s e d transparency,accountability, and all the other buzzwords that sound great in a campaign speech. But now that they’re in the driver’s seat,they’reactinglikethey just discovered the oil money in the glove compartment and have no ideawhattodowithit.
Jagdeo’s claim that the Oppositionistryingtocreate confusion is laughable. If anyone’screatingconfusion, it’s him with his longwinded, convoluted nonanswers.
Dennis Chabrol wasn’t trying to score political points; he was asking a question that any citizen of Guyana should be able to ask:Whatareyoudoingwith ourmoney?Andinsteadofa straight answer, he got a verbalmazewithnoexit.
At the heart of this debacleisatroublingreality: thegovernmentdoesn’thave aplan.Oriftheydo,they’re tooafraidtoshareitbecause itmightnotholduptopublic scrutiny Either way, it’s a failure of leadership. Oil revenues are a once-in-alifetime opportunity for Guyana.
Theycouldtransformthe country, lift people out of poverty, and build a future that everyone can be proud of. But that won’t happen if thefundsaresquandered.
The fact that Jagdeo couldn’t or wouldn’t
DEM BOYS SEH
Demthreeenvelopes!
Dem boys seh Burnham deh pon he deathbed and de country bin in a state. Economy flat like piece a clap bread, and shortagealloverdeplace.Burnhamcallin Desiandhandhimthreeenvelope.Heseh, “Boy, if you end up in a jam yuh can’t handle,openone.”
Well,Desitekdeenvelopeandputdem inhedrawer Fuhdefirstfewmonths,tings smooth like oil. But six months in, de economy tek a next lash. Pressure start come from all corner Desi remember de envelopes and open de fuss one. It seh, “Blameyuhpredecessor.”
Desi call press conference quick. He seh it was Burnham socialist ting mek de country in dis state. De party grumble but seh leh we give Desi a chance. Next ting
provide a straight answer to Chabrol’s question speaks volumes.Sohereweare,left with more questions than answers, more confusion than clarity, and more frustration than hope Dennis Chabrol asked a simple question Jagdeo could have given a simple
answer Instead, he chose to perform the Fungible Fandango, leaving us all wondering if this administrationknowswhere it’s going—or if it’s just makingitupasitgoesalong.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
yuh know, de economy start look nice again.Desistartbreatheeasy
Butdemboyssehgoodtimesdon’tlast long.Ayear later, de economy tek a dive again. Desi seh, “Is time fuh envelope number two.” He open it, and it seh, “Reorganize ” Desi shuffle up some people, change some plan, and bam! De economybouncebackagain. Couple years pass and pressure come fromdeunionthistime.Desiseh,“Boy,is envelope number three now.” He lock he door, sit down, and open it slow De messageseh,“Preparethreeenvelopes…”
DemboyssehwhenJanetgone,shelef three envelope too. But she mek sure she labeldem,“FuhBharrat.” Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
Oilmoney–tangles,twistsandtorments
Whenthechoiceismade to travel the long, dark road thatisunknown,therecomes that time when the way is, sometimes, lost. For when that man or woman thinks theyarewalkinginastraight line, the hard fact is that the pathistwistedandpotholed, rocky and treacherous. Full ofdangers,itis. Themanor woman may have deceived themselves,pretendorinsist, thatitisnotso. Meanwhile, othersmayhavebeenmisled intobelievingso. Thelatter group could be about blind
f a i t h e x p r e s s e d , notwithstanding what the eye and the mind are confirming. Meanwhile,the world recognizes that road chosen for what it is in its length and breadth: twisted anddistortedinmanyplaces.
T h e r e i s n o t h i n g philosophicalaboutthis;itis what many know from their own experiences, from harmfulreality
I think that a notorious German from another even more perilous era said this
better: begin with a deception, then deception becomestheonlyroadleftto follow Thedeceptionsdon’t
just multiply, they must multiply I am thinking of where Guyanese find themselves today with their precious little oil money
Where is the truth about it?
What are its truths, if any?
From the moment that the cleverness of “national development priorities” was heard, it was recognized for the monstrosities that were going to be housed under its r o o f T i m e a n d circumstances have now proven so, haven’t they?
Look at how twisted the narratives about NRF withdrawals have become, how tortured it has become forthosewhomanittospeak cleanly about those checks written against the NRF, so tospeak.
Oh, they did everything withflairandfuriousenergy, and fullness in its parliamentary revision and forcedmidnightpassage. At least, the political architects thought so. Oftentimes, the bestistoosmartfortheirown good. Thatsneakingaround and signing of the revised law like the biblical thief in thenightwasthefirstclueof the self-serving plans
already finalized, the stream of sordid developments to come The people of Guyana need to know, must know, how their oil dollars are spent. Three quarters of those dollars are currently snatched right off the top, rightbeforeGuyanesegetto touch and taste one penny fromtheirpatrimony There are some secrets shrouding about what specifically were thoseAmericanbillionswere spent Thefirstoneswithheld from Guyanese Now those first secrets involving oil dollars (expenses) are now succeeded by another set of secrets about hundreds of billions of Guyanese dollars taken out from the NRF According to those standing in husbandry over the NRF, the spending of withdrawals from it is a mystery, one to which there is neither clue norkey
Are Guyanese to accept that there are no men and womenofrealcaliberinthis countrywhocanunravelthe tangle of those withdrawals that came so easily, so deliciously? Theyweresuch fun during the times when the NRF taps were opened
full blast. Now come the hangovers, the reckonings for the splurges and what couldverywellbeacarnival of corruption. Now that there must be some accounting, there are these verbal sleights of hand, and sixes for nine, and pigs in a poke all kneaded into one. An unschooled market vendorcountswhatcomesin andwhatgoesout. Heorshe is being honest with self, transparent for small dollars that be just a few thousands and nothing more. It is for the children; they must not be made to suffer More importantly,thegreatestcare must be exercised so that they are not cheated by honest error, or deliberate deviousness.
Seven billion was set aside in the 2024 budget for whatlookstoastupidfellow l i k e m e t o b e ‘miscellaneous.’ Of course, abrilliantsoundinglabellike “measures to be determined after consultations…” was found to slap on it. Do Guyanese know anything about the disposition of that $7billion[forsundries],now that the year is drawing to a
close? One may look away, even allow themselves to be persuaded or overpowered, since it is only a measly $7 billion. But the same can
and should never be permitted for hundreds of billions of oil money withdrawn from that
Guyanese retirement fund, that rainy day safety deposit canister known as the NRF
T
Guyanese (minus those that had a good time with NRF withdrawals) is how could such a large sum be such a problem, such a torment, to detail the specifics of its uses. Icouldsettleforbroad specifics, as in so much for this and so much for something else. There is little that should be intolerable about what is being asked re those NRF withdrawals. Itismorethan about good governance, or good overseership, or good accounting. It is about the kind of good leadership characterthatguaranteesthe brightesttransparency
In closing out this seemingly crippling manmade NRF situation, a man of truth is usually prompted to be honest with himself. He takes stock, admits his predicament, and seeks help out of the deep h o l e i n w h i c h h e inadvertently trapped himself. Honest mistake, honest efforts at selfcorrection, restoring some semblance of honest balance. On theotherhand, acitizen,whoislessinclined to the straight and simple way, is left with only one choice:continueasbefore,in the hope that the thick darkness will protect, however imperfectly Perhaps, what is most appropriate in Guyana’s NRF circumstances is that timeless truth from Sir Walter Scott: “Oh, what a tangledwebweweavewhen first we practice to deceive…” Guyanese can saygoodbyetoNRFmoney (Theviewsexpressedin this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)
BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCIES!
In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about on-going indecencies in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.
MONDAY
–December02,2024
Changethedeal
The Government through its Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo is adamant that there would be no referendum on the lopsided ExxonMobil contract before next year’s general and regionalelections.
Nationalelectionsarethe pathwaytopower,whereitis either gained or lost A referendumonrenegotiation of the ExxonMobil oil contract, could wreck all of Jagdeo’s cleverly laid plans. Anoutcomethatsays“YES” to renegotiation leaves him stranded, with nowhere to run. Because of the thought of that clear danger, among the bigger ones in his nightmarish world, he is horrified at having a referendumbeforeelections.
But Guyanese must continue the fight for a change in this wretched oil dealthatbenefitsonlytheoil companies, Jagdeo and his friends.
TUESDAY
–December03,2024
Willfulblindnessand corruption
Guyanese on a daily basislongforasteadysupply of electricity desperately to ease their anxieties, to reducetheirwoesandlosses.
Expensive items are lost dailythroughspoilage,work hours and precious study hours gone and not coming back When the PPPC Government first contracted with Karpowership of Turkey,thehopewasthatthe lights would come on and that any controversy would be on the ‘off’ switch Whatever hope there was that Karpowership, obtained through UCC Holdings, would be only about electricity and nothing that resembles controversy is nowdashed.
In South Africa, in Lebanon, and in Pakistan, disputes have dogged the
company’s way of doing business. Allegations of bribery have been leveled, courtcasesareontherecord, and so are the fines levied againstKaradeniz,theparent company of Karpowership. How could all of this have beenmissedbyGovernment of Guyana officials tasked with identifying a reputable andcapablesourceofpower for energy-starved Guyanese?
Couldthisbeviewedasa case of simple negligence, with people acting irresponsibly under the rush ofcircumstances? Orwasit more that, given its record that is now coming to light, Karpowership (the Karadeniz parent) was the kindofpowercompanywith which PPPC Government officials were only too pleasedtosealadeal?
WEDNESDAY–December04,2024
JustnessforGuyanese
The oil bosses operating herelastweekateturkeyand celebratedThanksgivingina grand way And they can afford that lifestyle having beengiftedourpatrimonyby our leaders. We Guyanese aregearingupforChristmas. It would not be the same for most of us, because there is littletoeatandenjoy Where is a little justness for Guyana with this oil, is what we ask of John Hess and Alistair Routledge? Guyanese are being tricked, squeezed and then cheated with their massive oil wealth.
Yet, Hess Corporation Vice President, Clare Gardner, could talk about what is “just” and “affordable” for others, but not the oil owners, Guyanese.
Thereisanextraordinary level of hypocrisy at work with ExxonMobil and its American partner, Hess Corporation. Theplunderers could highlight what is “affordable” when a
significant fraction of Guyana’s population can’t affordtobuyfood.
THURSDAY
–December05,2024
MediaAbuseonRobbSt. Today Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo will be at it again. His presser is slated for 2PM. He is the happiest man in Guyana when he is abrasive. Though a leader made of sand, he relishes delivering words with the texture of sandpaper What he fakes as a weekly press conference has actually deteriorated into one-man brawls, ugly examples for citizens,andregularsessions of the sickness that is so pervasive.
As if in a race to prove who is bolder and brassier,
President Irfaan Ali had his ownpressengagementafew weeks ago to unleash his rage.IfPresidentAli’saction could be accepted at face value, his listeners were treated to an encounter that trashed them to pieces, left hanging their heads in shame. Ministers of the government, engineers employed by the State, senior public servants were givenapublicwhippingthat theyallshouldrememberfor alongtime.
FRIDAY -December06,2024
Tradeunionsor politicalproxies
In Guyana, the trade union movement has long beenplaguedbydeep-seated political divisions The
consequences of these fractures are now painfully evident.
Once a force for solidarity and worker empowerment, the trade union movement is now splintered along political lines.
This has weakened its ability to effectively advocate for the rights and interests of workers. Instead offosteringunityamongthe working class, trade unions have often allowed partisan loyaltiestoovershadowtheir primary mission. Some of them are all but political proxiesinname.
National leaders in the PPP/Caredeterminednotto h a v e a P e t r o l e u m Commission manned by reliable, trustworthy people, who have earned their spurs in the oilfields around the world.
W h e n e v e r t h i s newspapermentionsaname, those with proven prowess and known integrity, the PPP/C Government dismisses them and circles itswagons.
Like the operation of the network of tender boards across Guyana and contract awards, like the chronic secrecies surrounding the Black Hole that is sugar, the samestandardshavecometo characterizewhatgoesonin the growing oil sector of Guyana.
The Port Kaituma District Hospital in Region One.
T
h e N a t i o n a l
Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB)hasawardeda$53 million contract to GC Construction Inc. for the construction of a maternity waiting home at the Port KaitumaDistrictHospitalin RegionOne.
On its website, NPTAB said that the construction firmwasthemostresponsive
Port Kaituma to get $53M maternal waiting home
bidder of the two bids that were received. The contract isvalued$53,309,930.
At the recent sodturning ceremony for the new Kato Hospital in Region Eight, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony had reiterated the importance of having maternal waiting homes constructed nearby the hinterlandhospitals
“Let’s say if someone was pregnant and they had to come to a hospital, it would be very challenging because if you are pregnant andyouleavewhenyouare goingintolabourmorethan likelybythetimeyougetto the hospital, you will probably deliver the baby enroute to the hospital,” he said highlighting the c
mothers from far-flung villagesface
TheMinistersaidthatthe approach was utilized in RegionNine.
“We have tried this in Region 9; it is working very well for us in Region 9; it is working very well for us in Region 1 and we want to make sure that at every hospital that we have gets this,”theMinistershared.
‘Implement
windfall taxes,
it is a common practice in oil sectors’
–Dr.VincentAdams
Former head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and member of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Dr Vincent Adams told reporters on Friday that the government of Guyana should implement windfall taxes, a common practice withintheindustry
Windfall tax is a tax levied by governments against certain industries when economic conditions allow those industries to experienceaboveaverageor projectedprofits.
Dr Adams was asked by Kaieteur News to comment on the Vice President on November 29, 2024 statem
hat the government will not be instituting windfall taxes at this time, while the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC)isoftheviewthatthe conditions within the industry are not bizarre enough to have it added to theoilpolicies.
“This whole nonsense is just a bunch of excuses. Windfall taxes is a common thing, look how many countries, Germany, Britain, the United States…several countries have done it. So, this is nothing that this government (cannot do)
this is one of the mechanismsthattheyshould be using,” said Dr. Adams who has over 40 years’ e x p e r i e n c e i n environmental, petroleum andgeologicalengineering.
Dr Adams stressed that sincetheVicePresidentdoes not want to renegotiate the contract, this is an opportunity to be able to benefit from windfall taxes which, the government can have control over outside of the contract. “But the guy [Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo] puts on this big bravado talk like everything else and finds excuses as to whyweshouldn’tdoit.This here is one of those that we havealotofcontroloverand thereisprecedent.LikeIsaid a bunch of other countries havedoneit,”helamented.
Furthermore, he explained that countries that havethemechanisminplace are actually considering not removing the windfall taxes mechanism. Dr Adams said that all the excuses that the Vice President has are “empty rhetoric to try and foolpeopleasifheispushing backonExxon.Ifhewantsto push back on Exxon, there are several different examples.”
On December 6, this publication reported that the People’s National Congress Reform(PNCR)saidthatthe currentcircumstanceswithin the oil industry are not bizarre enough to have the issue of windfall taxes includedintheiroilmodel.
Thedisclosurewasmade lastFridaybyAdvisoronOil and Gas to the PNCR Elson Low Lowtoldreportersthat, “Wehavelookedattheissue of windfall taxes and a coupleofyearsago,wemade some remarks on this. The critical issue is that these oil agreements are based on some base assumptions, if those assumptions are violated then it will raise a question.”
He continued: “So, I wouldsaythatgiventhatwe are not looking at such a substantial change to the industry it’s not something that we are looking at. It is not something that we have raised in our oil policies. However, looking at our previous statements, it is only in a very bizarre scenario that we would incorporate that into the model, but I would say that windfalltaxesareabitbeside thepoint.”
On November 29, KaieteurNewsreportedVice President Jagdeo saying that windfall taxes will not be institutedatthistime.
Jagdeo, in response to a question posed by Kaieteur N e w s o n w h y t h e government is not implementingwindfalltaxes since it does not breach the existing Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobilanditspartners, said, “I have dealt with windfall profits in the past, and why we believe that windfall taxation should not be pursued at this time. I dealtwithitinthepast,ifyou gobackandread.”
Earlierthisyear,theVice Presidenthadtoldthemedia that the windfall tax that somecountriesareexploring only came after intense pressure from their populations.
However, he explained whytheinstitutionofthetax could not be replicated in Guyana. “Weareboundbya PSA (Production Sharing Agreement) with very specifictermsonthetaxation side ” To this end, he suggested,“ifyouchangethe taxationhere,it’sconsidered abreachofthecontract.”
‘ExxonMobil free to sell assets clean up oil spill’ - Jagdeo being paid for by Guyana to
Although Guyana is paying for the assets being used in the offshore production of oil in the Stabroek Block through the cost recovery mechanism, this does not make the country a part owner of the assets. This therefore means thatintheeventofanoilspill occurs as a result of the activitiesintheresourcerich o ff s h o r e a c r e a g e , ExxonMobil will be free to sell the assets to respond to suchanevent.
This explanation was offered by Vice President BharratJagdeo,thecountry's ChiefPolicymakerontheoil andgassector
During his Thursday pressconferenceatFreedom House in Georgetown, this newspaper reminded the VP that he previously said the two Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels (FPSOs) purchased by Exxon recently, can be soldtohandlecostsrelatedto a spill. He was asked to explain the logic, since Guyana is repaying those expenses through the cost recoveryfeature,providedin thecontract.
According to the 2016 Production Sharing
off you are entitled to collect50% of future profits and they get 50% and then 2%
entitlementtocollect.”
A noticeably annoyed Jagdeo continued, “It's a simple thing. Why do we have to keep explaining this allofthetime?Wedon'town 50% of the company We haveanentitlementasastate to 50% of the revenue. That is why we don't have to supply any capital to invest, wedon'tsupplyanycapital.”
He pointed out that the Co-Venturers raise the capitalandinvests,allowing Guyana to enjoy the entitlement.
On the other hand, Jagdeo said that if the companywastodissolveand sell the assets, Guyana may thenbeentitledto50%ofthe assets. “Now if you have a dissolution of the company andtheysellofftheassets,I guessweareentitledto50% of the assets too in the situationwhereyoudissolve the company so I hope that clarifies your question,” he noted.
Exxon'sinvestment?
Previously, Attorney-atLaw and Chartered Accountant, Christopher
Agreement (PSA) Guyana signed with Exxon, the contractor can deduct up to 75%oftheoilproducedeach month to recover costs or investments made The remaining oil is then shared equally with Guyana as profit.
As such, this newspaper askedJagdeo,“...whyshould wesellourownassetstotake careofanoilspill?”
In his response, the VP explained, “It's a simple thing. You're not part owner of any company You don't own these assets So, ExxonMobil puts in the investment. They create a company; the company has these assets. We are entitled toreceiveinthefuture,50%, once everything is paid
After the cost of the project has been repaid, Guyana is poisedtoreceive50%ofthe revenues generated at the project This means that revenue flow to the Natural ResourceFund(NRF)would significantlyincrease.
Intheabsenceofthiskey principle, ExxonMobil is freetousetherevenuesfrom these producing fields to fund projects that are yet to commence production or invest in its exploration
activitiesacrosstheBlock.
'Ram had addressed Jagdeos rejection of his claim that Guyana is a de facto investor in petroleum operations. Jagdeo said he has not seen any borrowing by the government injected into the petroleum sector hence Guyana cannot be consideredaninvestor
The lawyer however pointed out that the Vice President must know that borrowings are only one
form of financing of investment. Ram said, “As any company finance executive, or any review of financial statements of Banks DIH or DDL would elucidate for him, there are two other principal methods – raising money from shareholders via equity or preference shares, or retained earnings of the company.”
“It is a logical corollary thatbyvirtueofbeinga50%
participant in profit oil from the Stabroek block, Guyana is bearing 50% of all costs, contractually or otherwise deemed recoverable,” Ram said.
Ram identified Guyana as a co-investor in the Stabroek Block,asaresultofthelack ofring-fencing.
Itshouldbenotedthatto date, the cost of the three projects producing oil could have been recovered by ExxonMobil. They carry a collective price tag of US$18.5B, while more than US$25B has so far been recovered by the Stabroek Blockpartners-Exxon,Hess andCNOOC.
Liza One, pegged at US$3.5B, Liza Two which costsUS$6BandtheUS$9B Payara project could have each been paid off in 2023 had Guyana ring-fenced the projects. A ring-fencing provision would mandate eachprojecttopayforitself.
The Rotary Club of New Amsterdam (RCNA) and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (CJCLDS) continued their fruitful partnership for the benefit of residentsinRegionSix.
T h e m o s t r e c e n t collaboration for a water improvement project in Berbiceschoolsandhospitals.
The two non-profit organisations acquired 12 water dispensers, installed themandhandedthemoverto hospitals and schools in the East Berbice/ Corentyne; Region6.
Eight of the dispensers were installed at the New Amsterdam Hospital, two at thePortMourantHospital,one each at the Tutorial Academy Secondary and the St.Therese PrimarySchools.
A simple handing over ceremonywasheldattheNew Amsterdam Hospital where Rotarians, church members, doctors, nurses, other hospital staffandvisitorswerepresent.
The RCNA is an August bodywithitsmotto“Makinga difference”. Over time, it has been collaborating with the C J C L D S i n m a n y humanitarian ventures as they strive to make the country a betterplace.
Speaking at the simple ceremony, President of the R C N A K e i n e R e a d emphasized the organization pleasureinfulfillingoneofits obligations in terms of water and sanitation. He expressed happiness that the RCNA has again teamed up with the CJCLDS to successfully execute a project for a humanitariancause.
ReadaddedthattheRCNA is always looking for opportunities to make life easier and better for residents.
“Thisprojectisastepupfrom what we were accustomed to
doing. We use to just provide safe drinking water. Now we are giving you chilled water”. He said too that the RCNA is willing to take on more projects with bigger impact andmoremagnitude.
Speaking on behalf of the church, Elder Cory expressed his pleasure of working with theRCNAtocompleteanother successfulproject. He said as a church, it is their mandate to help and see mankind happy and they are willing to continue to assist in whateverwaypossible.
Expressing gratitude on behalf of the NewAmsterdam Hospital was Chief Medical Officer,Dr Jagroo.Hethanked theRCNAandtheCJCLDSfor always going the extra mile to bring satisfaction and happiness to persons in the community
He was happy that the two esteem organizations has once again partnered with the hospitalinsuchawellthought out venture. He promised to ensure that the facilities are well taken care of.Dr Jagroo spoke of the many benefits of the project and the enormous benefitsofwater
Theactivitywaschairedby Rotarian Tajpaul Adjodhea who gave a background of the workofRotary,whichhesays benefits all. “When we serve, we are helping all of humanity” He thanked all those who contributed in one way or another to the success oftheventure.
A number of schools and other organizations have benefited from the generosity of the two organizations. One successful project that was completed by the RCNA was helpingtosetuptheICUatthe NewAmsterdamHospital.
The project coordinator was Rotarian Roger Greenidge.
Hospital staff trying out the dispensers
Recover Guyana launches green entrepreneurship programme for Youth
Recover Guyana, a
non-governmental
organization (NGO) successfully launched theENGAGEProject,agreen entrepreneurship programme designed to empower youth across Guyana with tools, resources, and knowledge to initiate and maintain environmentally sustainable businesses in eco-tourism, renewable energy, waste management, organic farming andmore.
In partnership with Scotiabank and Van Oord, ENGAGE will train over 150 Guyanese youth between the ages of 16-35 years in green technologies, eco-friendly innovations, and sustainable business practices offering up to 2 million Guyanese dollars in grants to support the most promisingandviablebusiness ideas.
ENGAGE will be piloted in January 2025 targeting 150 youthfromregions;Region3Essequibo Islands-West DemeraraandRegion6-East Berbice Corentyne through training and mentorship programmes.
At its core, the project offers a comprehensive
learning environment providing skills, resources, and networks needed to start and scale successful ecofriendly business models BuildingonRecoverGuyana's commitmenttoenvironmental sustainability, ENGAGE
forecasts nationwide expansion to all regions by 2026 creating a robust and widespread movement of youngentrepreneurs.
The project is made possible with funding from corporatesponsorsScotiabank and Van Oord highlighting their collaborative commitment to building a greener and more prosperous Guyana where youth share a leading role in environmental responsibility and economic growth In her company's endorsement of the ENGAGE project, Nafeeza Gaffoor, Country Manager of Scotiabank Guyana said “Scotiabank is pleased to collaborate with Recover
Guyana on its ENGAGE project, helping to provide opportunitiesforyoungpeople to build their skills, while at the same time promoting environmental sustainability
Wearecommittedtoinvesting in initiatives that help people rise up, become better off and change their circumstances so they can have successful futures.TheENGAGEProject not only aligns well with this focus,butalsohelpsouryoung people learn sustainable practices,encouraginggreener communities.”
Dutch offshore company Van Oord expressed their mandate to create a better world for future generations. The company stated “we are proud to announce our commitment to a social initiative, for which we are partnering with the NGO RecoverGuyana.ThisNGOis led by Guyanese young professionals. Our goal is to empower nature and communities through creating new opportunities and possibilities for today's world and for generations to come. ThroughRecoverGuyana,we expect to maximize our positive impact on the vulnerable youths by providing them with the skills and knowledge needed for sustainable employment and positive community engagement.
Therefore, this project fits perfectly with our value system and we cannot wait to see Recover's work come into life.”
Dr Dave Lalltoo, President of Recover Guyana reinforced the organization's commitment to fostering innovation, environmental protection, and community resilience through the ENGAGE Project and many otherinitiatives.Heexplained that “by providing tailored training, mentorship, and funding opportunities, ENGAGE equips young people with the tools to turn theirgreenbusinessideasinto reality,creatinglastingchange for themselves, their communities,andGuyanaasa whole.”
Dr. Dave Lalltoo, President, Recover Guyana, executive members of Recover Guyana, Ms. Nafeeza Gafoor, Country Manager, Scotiabank and representatives of Scotiabank launch the Engage Project, a green entrepreneurship programme designed to empower Guyanese youth.
The 0.65-megawatt grid-forming solar photovoltaic farm at Mahdia (DPI photos)
DPI – A 0.65-megawatt
grid-forming solar photovoltaic (PV) farm in Mahdia, Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight) was commissioned on Friday by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret'd), the Honourable MarkPhillips.
The project, which is
American Development
Bank (IDB) under the
f the Department of Energy (EMISDE) programme, signifies a crucial advancement in Guyana's sustainableenergyjourney
During his remarks, the Prime Minister emphasised t h e G o v e r n m
n t ' s unwavering commitment to transitioning to renewable energy. He noted that this change aims to foster equitable development and environmentalsustainability.
“The commissioning of the 0 65-megawatt gridforming solar photovoltaic (PV)farminMahdiatodayis a game-changer for renewableenergyintegration in the region and country, as it sets a new benchmark for future energy projects,” PrimeMinisterPhillipssaid.
He said that the solar PV farm demonstrates the Government's commitment to building a low-carbon future through sustainable energy initiatives, as outlinedintheLCDS2030.
The Prime Minister highlighted the significant economicandenvironmental benefits of the solar farm, which is expected to save $80.5M (GYD) by reducing diesel consumption by 309,681 litres per year
Additionally, it will cut carbon dioxide emissions by 672,561 kilograms Some 3,000 residents are set to benefit.
“This solar farm will drive socio-economic transformation in the region by supplying reliable and affordable energy, fostering the growth of small
businesses and microenterprises, and boosting local economic activity,” he added.The Prime Minister alsolaudedthecollaborative efforts between key stakeholders, including IDB representatives, the Guyana Energy Agency, and local officials,tobringthisproject tofruition.
“The success of this initiativereflectsthestrength of partnerships and the Government's vision for a low-carbonfuture.”
The0.65MWsolarfarm, whichincludesa1,500-kWh battery energy storage system, is an addition to M a h d i a ' s e n e r g y infrastructure. It integrates seamlessly with the existing mini-grid, providing a stable and resilientpowersupply
This state-of-the-art facility can independently supporttheexistinggridand ensure energy reliability during peak demand and adverseweatherconditions.
Theproject,completedat G$362 41 million, also includes a 2-kilometre, 13.8 kV transmission line for efficient energy distribution. The solar PV farm is expectedtosupply935MWh ofelectricityannually
Aligned with the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, the MahdiasolarPVfarmispart of a broader initiative that has already installed solar PV systems in Lethem and Bartica. Improvements are also slated for Wakenaam and Leguan, among other regions.These efforts aim to increase Guyana's solar energy capacity to over 39 MWby2025.
Spreading positivity through creative paintings & craft
Proud owner of Gio'sArt, Giovanie Fletcher
Giovanie Fletcher at a recent event showingcasing her art pieces.
Tawane Marshall
Meet this week s beauty, Ta w a n e M a r s h a l l a n undergraduate student, passionate artist, business owner, and dedicated antipoverty advocate. With a love for drawing and singing, she blends creativity and purpose to inspire change. Focused on self-development and raising awareness, Tawane's life centers around the empowering mantra, “Why not you?” encouraging others to embrace their potential and make a difference.
High-Stakes Bid for OAS Bid Secretary General post
BySirRonaldSanders
The election of a new Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), scheduled for March10,2025,representsa pivotal moment not only for the organization but also for the countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
For the first time, the CARICOM member states are unified in their strategic support of a single candidate: Albert Ramdin, the Foreign Minister of Suriname With this alignment, CARICOM has positioned itself as a strong bloc in an election fraught w i t h g e o p o l i t i c a l implications, gender equity debates, and regional rivalries.
The Geopolitical Landscape
T h e c o l l e c t i v e endorsement of Ramdin’s candidacy by CARICOM giveshim14ofthe18votes requiredforvictory
Hehasannouncedthathe also has the committed support of Chile, Honduras, andPeru.
Assuming these commitmentshold,heisjust onevoteshyofclinchingthe position.
Meanwhile, Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez has emerged as a contender In a bold display to OAS member states, Ramírez prominently exhibited a photograph of himselfwithU.S.
President-elect Donald Trump at the latter’s Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, on November25.Healsomade pointed references to conversations about the future direction of the OAS with Carlos Trujillo, a former U.S. Ambassador to theOASunderTrump’sfirst presidency
WhileRamírez’sdisplay appears calculated to imply tacitU.S.backing,itremains unclear whether such support will materialize or significantly influence the race.
The election reflects broader tensions within the Americas.
The OAS has long adhered to an informal rule that the Secretary General and Assistant Secretary Generalcannothailfromthe
samesubregion.
With Ramdin vying for the top post, CARICOM’s abilitytoretaintheAssistant Secretary General position a role that CARICOM nationals have held for 40 of the past 45 years—isuncertain.
TheUNFactor
Beyond the OAS, the election has ramifications forglobaldiplomacy
A successful bid by a CARICOM candidate for Secretary General of the OAS could effectively disqualify the region from fielding a candidate for the United Nations Secretary Generalpositionin2026.
Itiswidelybelievedthat it is the turn of the Latin American and Caribbean Group at the UN to assume the post of Secretary General Latin American
states may leverage Ramdin’s OAS victory to block CARICOM nominees for the UN Secretary General post, arguing that the region cannot hold both roles.
T h i s d y n a m i c underscores the zero-sum natureofglobalandregional diplomacy, where gains in one arena can translate to losses in another Gender and Regional Politics Calls for a female Secretary GeneralatboththeOASand the UN add another layer of complexity
Although no women have officially entered the race for either position, the expectation for gender equity remains significant. Barbados’ Prime Minister, Mia Mottley has been informally touted, in international circles, as a potential candidate, though she has not expressed interest.
Meanwhile, some Latin American women are actively seeking the UN Secretary General post and may yet emerge in the OAS race, complicating the dynamicsfurther Additionally, after the inauguration of President TrumponJanuary20,2025, t h e U n i t e d
States historically influential in OAS elections—may sponsor a Latin American candidate alignedwithU.S. interests Should this
occur,considerablepressure willlikelybeappliedtoOAS memberstatestosupportthe U S -favoured candidate The betting within the OAS is that this scenario is a strong possibility, and it is being watched with considerableinterest.
What’satStakefor CARICOM?
CARICOM’s collective backing of Ramdin marks a significant milestone in regional diplomacy, demonstrating a rare unity when a top international p o s i t i o n i s a t stake particularly in the faceofpotentialinfluenceor pressurefromlargerpowers.
However, a loss in the SecretaryGeneralracecould jeopardize CARICOM’s abilitytosecureeitherofthe OAS’stoppositions.
With its focus on the March 2025 Secretary G e n e r a l e l e c t i o n , CARICOM would have limited time to campaign effectivelyforacandidatein the Assistant Secretary General election just two months later in May, should Ramdin’sbidfallshort.
With neither posts of Secretary General or the AssistantSecretaryGeneral, CARICOM will lose the prestigeandrecognitionthat occupation of the top positionsbestow
However, the group’s influenceintheOASwillnot necessarily diminish, provided its national delegations are firmly and positively engaged in its work.
Conclusion
The outcome of the election for OAS Secretary General will profoundly shape the future role and d i r e c t i o n o f t h e Organization.
One must hope that, in the end, the choice will be guidednotbythenationality or region of the candidate, nor by the desire of any nationtodominatetheOAS, butbythecandidate’svision for a strong Organization and its mission to integrate and strengthen The Americas on a basis of equity and rights
CARICOM and its candidate, Albert Ramdin, mustembraceandchampion this principle, recognizing that the stakes extend far
beyond personal or regional ambitions.
Regardless of the outcome, CARICOM’s unifiedstanceinthiselection signalsagrowingmaturityin its regional diplomacy—an approachthatmust continue to guide its engagement on theglobalstage.
(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador totheUSandtheOAS.
By Sir Ronald Sanders
The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses a n d p r e v i o u s commentaries:wwwsirro naldsanders.com)
Fulcrum LNG, the oneyear-old company that was awarded a contract by the government of Guyana to design, finance, construct, and operate a gas project to monetize the country’s resources claimed in its bid that it had access to finance todeveloptheventure.
ThisisaccordingtoVice President Bharrat Jagdeo The VP during his weekly
press engagement at F r e e d o m H o u s e , Georgetownexplained,“The public tender was issued, public evaluators evaluated on the basis of the tender submitted and they scored Fulcrum ahead of others. Fulcrum argued that they hadaccesstofinancingand secondly that there are several large companies associated with their proposal.”
K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that 15 other firmstenderedtodevelopthe non-associated gas in the StabroekBlock,operatedby ExxonMobil.
On June 21, President Irfaan Ali announced that Fulcrum LNG was selected by the government to monetizetheresources.
Aweeklater,onJune28, 2024, Fulcrum LNG in a statement said the main feature of its solution will involve the development of state-of-the-art gas processing and modular, scalablefacilitiestoproduce, Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and NGLS/LPGs for Guyana as well as regional andglobalmarkets.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, the former Vice President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), Jesus Bronchalo stated, “We are honored to be selected to undertake this strategic
energy infrastructure project This opportunity aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver innovative, reliable, and sustainable energy solutions todevelopgasresources.We look forward to working closelywiththeGovernment of Guyana and other key stakeholders to ensure the successofthisendeavor.” D
government through its bid that the company is able to finance the gas project, Fulcrum LNG has no evidence of a completed project and has already hinted at seeking the help of Guyanese investors to develop the project. The statementissuedbyFulcrum said, “In keeping with our project proposal, Fulcrum LNG is considering Guyanese investors in various components of the project.”
On Thursday, Jagdeo said that the government, ExxonandFulcrumwasstill in the discussion phase of determining whether a gas projectwouldbefeasible.He explained,“…rightnowthey are still in discussion or wouldbehavingdiscussions on whether such a project is feasibleandthenwhatwould betheelements.”
The Vice President
outlined three key considera
resources at this time.These includeafloatingplatformto export Liquefied National Gas (LNG); to bring the gas
onshore for industrial purposes or thirdly to bring the gas onshore to generate electricity for export purposestoBrazil.
“So those are potentially three areas of demand.They havetodecidefirstofallthe availability of the gas and then the numbers and at that stagethenitwouldbetested sothat’swhereweareatthis stage,”Jagdeonoted.
The Vice President was keentonotethatgovernment was not worried about financing for the project at this stage since it is still being defined In fact, he noted,“Itmayverywellend up that there is no project or its not feasible and then if that’s the case that Exxon argues, then we may decide, we already started talking to Suriname because there are some gas fields that Exxon has that we may be able to work jointly with Suriname to link with their situation. They have more gas in their gasfieldclosetoourborder, maybedoajointproject.We arenotputtingallofoureggs inonebasket.”
AboutFulcrumLNG
Fulcrum LNG was founded by the former Vice President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), Jesus Bronchalo, five months after he left the company He was employed withExxonfor19yearsand one month before his questionableresignation.
Bronchalo’s company was later selected by the Guyana government to design, finance, construct, and operate the required gas infrastructure to provide gas monetization solutions and accelerate upstream gas developmentsinthecountry Research done by this newspaper found that Bronchaloappearstobeone of the company’s two registeredemployees.
Bronchalo, who left Exxon in February 2023, is not only CEO of Fulcrum LNG, but he also wears several other professional caps at the business he registeredinJuly2023.
According to company records, seen by this publication, Bronchalo is also Secretary, Treasurer, Director,andPresidentofthe company
From all indications, he hasonlyhiredoneemployee. Kaieteur News discovered thatIvorEllulhasbeenhired as Technical Director at Fulcrum LNG He was appointed in July 2023 and previously worked at SchlumbergerGeoQuestand CiSK Ventures, Ltd, among others Ellul held senior positions, inc
President among others in hiscareer
The limited experience of the company has raised
serious questions about its capacity to fulfill its contractedobligations.
Bronchalo never r e s p o n d e d t o t h i s newspaper’s request for a comment, issued since August.
Three persons were killedinatwo-carsmash-up around 18:00 hrs on Saturday, at Four Mile (Tail Creek), St Cuthbert’s Mission,RegionFour
The victims were identified as 63-year-old OliveAndrews,herdaughter 29-year-old Athina Andrews, a mother of three and former Miss Indigenous Heritage pageant contestant, and her seven-year-old daughterEmmaAndrews,all ofStCuthbert’sMission.
Bothdriverssurvivedthe deadlyaccident.
K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that two other personsincludingababyboy are also injured.The injured were transported to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre fortreatment.
The details surrounding the accident are sketchy but Kaieteur News understands that theAndrews family and thebabyboy,whoseidentity isunknown,werepassengers of a red car bearing registration number PAE 5140. The occupants of that car were returning to St Cuthbert’sMissionwhenthe head-on collision occurred with a white car bearing registration number PXX 4949 that was leaving the village
The occupants of the
white car, the driver and his father, who are originally from the indigenous community but reside in Georgetown, were heading to the city when the tragedy struck.
This publication understands that the Andrews family was left pinned in the car for some time before being pulled out by Emergency Medical Technicians(EMT).
Meanwhile, reports are thatthedriveroftheredcar, who escaped with minor injuries, is being questioned bypolice.
News of the tragedy has left the residents of St Cuthbert’sMissioninastate ofshock.
I n 2 0 1 5 , A t h i n a representedtheVillageinthe Miss Indigenous Heritage pageant. Andrews was 20years-oldatthetimeandwas a strong believer that the highrateofschooldrop-outs among indigenous youth negatively impacts the development of their villages.
According to a Stabroek News report on the contestants published in 2015,Athinawasanaspiring nurse who enjoyed eating pepper-pot with a side serving of Otocuma worms andCassavaBread.
PrimeMinistermakes thirdcommitmentto submitWalesGasProjects agreementstoParliament …apologizes to House, makes another promise
Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips,forathirdtime,last week promised the National Assembly to lay over the agreement signed with ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) for the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project.
During Wednesday’s Sitting of the National Assembly, former Minister David Patterson reminded the House that in January 2024, the PM made a commitment to lay over all thedocuments.
He said the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs on April 2, 2024 wrote to the Prime Minister informing him of hiscommitment.
Patterson said the letter stated, “ and to remind y o u , d u r i n g t h e consideration of the 2024 Estimate of Revenue Expenditure,the77thsitting Continued on page 21
CEO, Fulcrum LNG, Jesus Bronchalo
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo
OliveAndrews
AthinaAndrews
EmmaAndrews
Frompage20 on 30th January 2024, you promised to, as requested by Mr David Patterson MP, to provide information with respect to the following: breakdown of the $73B for 2023 because if you could remembersir,thereisashortfallin thenumbersyougaveof$5.49B.”
He added that the letter also remindedthePMofhispromiseto provide the House with copies of the agreement with ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) –previously Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL)–fortheGTEproject.
To this end, Patterson said, “Can the honourable Prime Minister say, not to me, to the country, why he has not kept his promise?”
PM Phillips apologized to the National Assembly for failing to provide the response and again promised to ensure the necessary information and documents are provided. According to him, this willbelaidassoonaspossible.
“Mr. Chair, if I had failed in offering my response as requested by the honourable member, let me apologizetothishonourableHouse and I will seek to, in the shortest possibletime,honourthatrequest,” thePrimeMinistersaid.
Seeminglynotsatisfiedwiththe response,Pattersonpointedoutthat this was now the third promise made by the PM to provide the information. The Speaker of the House, Manzoor Nadir however reminded Patterson that the forum allowed him to pursue with questions rather than a comment and that the PM has graciously committed to provide the information.
Earlierthisyear,KaieteurNews reported that the Prime Minister assuredthattheconstructionphases of the GTE project is insured and relateddocumentscanbeprovided totheHouse.Hewasrespondingto Patterson on whether insurance is in place for the current works to support the gas plants and whether the government can lay those in Parliament The PM said, “The EPC (Engineering, Procuring and Construction) contract has its own insurance policy.” When reminded aboutthelatterpartofthequestion, hesaid,“CertainlyMr Speaker.”
Similarly, on the issue of Exxon’spipeline,thePMnoted,“I am advised again Mr Speaker that Exxonhasinsurancecoveragewith the contractor, so that is catered for…wewilllayitover.”
Healsocommittedtoproviding the total sum expended on the project to date, including costs for thetransmissionanddistributionof electricity, consultancy and substations, among other costs, as well as the agreements signed for theproject.
TheGTEprojectisdividedinto two parts, with the first- a 225 kilometers pipeline from the Liza
fields offshore to the Wales developmentsiteontheWestBank ofDemerara-beingfinancedbythe Stabroek Block operator, ExxonMobil. This is expected to costaboutUS$1billion.
The other aspect of the project entailsaNaturalGasLiquid(NGL) facilityanda300-megawattpower plant to be financed by the Government of Guyana (GoG) through a loan from the United States Export Import (US EXIM) Bank.Thetwoplantsarepeggedat US$759million.
HidingGTEagreement
Since 2022, the government signed a Heads of Agreement (HOA) with the Stabroek Coventuresthatoutlinestheprinciples and conditions for the commercial and technical arrangements of the deal.
In a previous article, Patterson toldKaieteurNewsthatsince2022, he asked both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Natural Resources,VickramBharratforthe contracts signed with Exxon and others.
“In 2022, the Prime Minister wrotebacktotheParliamentsaying not all the agreements have been signed, as soon as all the agreements have been signed, he will lay it over in Parliament,” the formerMinisterpointedout.
Despite the repeated commitments with the pipeline nownearingcompletion,Patterson saidbelievesthatthegovernmentis reluctanttotabletheagreementsas these would expose the beneficiaries of the arrangements. He said, “Obviously they don’t wanna lay it because that would unravel where the feed troughs are and how unviable this entire thing is. It would show how corrupt this thingis.”
The government has been reluctant to release documents relative to this project and numerous attempts by the Opposition to seek clarity in the National Assembly have been defeated. MP Catherine Hughes had complained last year that questions submitted by her were not allowed by Speaker of the
House, Manzoor Nadir since these issues were addressed by Head of the GTE Taskforce, Winston Brassington when Guyana hosted itsEnergyConferencein2023.
International Group Investment Inc , one of the companies awarded oil blocks in Guyana’s maiden auction, has expressed satisfaction with the government’sfiscaltermsunderthe new Production Sharing Agreement(PSA).
The company, led by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Levi WilsonOdoe,securedtwoshallowwater concessions, S5 and S10, duringtheauctionthatcommenced inDecember2022.
The Government of Guyana initiallyput14blocksonoffer,but received bids for eight. The PSA framework includes a 10% royalty on oil production and a 10% corporate tax Additionally, cost recoveryiscappedat65%annually, with profits split evenly between thegovernmentandoperators.The fiscal terms of the new PSA have improved on those of the PSAthat was signed with ExxonMobil Guyana Limited for the Stabroek Block.Thatdealrequiresameagre 2% royalty, no taxes, 75% cost recoveryceilingeachmonthwhich leaves 25% of profit to be shared withGuyana.
During a recent interview with thispublication,Dr Odoe,alawyer and international arbitrator, highlightedthefavourablebusiness environment in Guyana as a key reason for the company’s participation in the auction. “I like stable government, because we are business people, we are not politicians. Any government that comes, as long as you create an enabling environment to do business,wearehappy,”hesaid.
He also emphasised the company’sagreementwiththePSA terms, noting, “We have reviewed
the PSAwith our lawyers, and we are very happy with the cost recovery, the signature bonus, and theroyalties.Wearehappywithall thetermsandconditions.”
Dr. Odoe revealed that his company is in the process of finalizing documentation required by the government before they move along with the process. “We are submitting this week,” he said, expressing confidence that the processwouldconcludesmoothly
“We are ready to go, once we discover commercially viable oil, the finances are there to start operation almost immediately,” he noted.
IGIisteamingupwithNigerian company Sigmund Oilfields Limitedforthedevelopmentofthe oil blocks. Dr Odoe noted that he invitedSigmundtoGuyanaasheis confidentinthecompanyabilityto execute works offshore Guyana Sigmund’s General Manager Chris Ubahdisclosedthatthecompanyis experienced in oil and gas exploration, production and seismic survey He added, “Sigmund Oilfields is a major playerinNigeria’soffshoreoiland gas sector Sigmund is also a traderofcrudeoil.”
“We are known for unlocking opportunities…” he underscored.
In relation to the partnership with IGIitwasstatedthatthecompanies have been in talks with each other for about two years. It was stated that the companies are eagerly awaiting the finalization of the agreementwithgovernmentbefore theycanmovestraightintoaction.
Teendiesinfiery accidentatLinden
A19-year-old pillion rider was during the wee hours of Sunday killed in a fiery crash involving a car and a motorcycle along the Washer Pond Road, Mackenzie, Linden,RegionTen.
Dead is Ezekiel Smith of West Watooka Linden. Smith was the pillion rider of a motorcycle when ataround03:45hrsitcollidedwith a car, PAH 2213, driven by a soldier The rider was 21-year-old
JoelNursefromHalfMileLinden.
“Enquiries disclosed that the carwasproceedingsouthalongthe Washer Pond Road while the motorcyclistwasproceedinginthe opposite direction along the road,” police stated before adding, “the driver of the car ended up in the pathofthemotorcycle.”
Astheresultofthecollisionthe motorcycle slammed into car and burstintoflames.Theimpactflung Smith and Nurse onto the road where they sustained injuries to their bodies. “The car driver along with the motorcyclist and pillion rider was all picked up in unconscious condition by publicspirited citizens and taken to the Linden Hospital Complex”, police said. Smith was pronounced dead on arrival while the soldier and Nursereceivedtreatment.
AsGuyanesepushfor changeofoilcontract - Exxon says stability critical in supporting investments in Stabroek Block
As Guyanese remain relentless intheircallsfortheoilcontractwith ExxonMobil and its partners to be renegotiated, the company has stepped up its campaign to shut downanysuchdemand.
President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), Alistair Routledgeduringanappearanceon the Energy Perspectives Podcast aired on Sunday, said investing in confidence is always crucial to the company
According to him, “I think what’s critical around the world to support an industry that has a long horizon for investments-20 years, 30 years plus- is stability It’s always super important to us to ensure that we are investing with confidence, that the rules aren’t going to change, that our investors can have that ability to look out when they make an investment decision, know that it is going to materialise.”
Routledge pointed out that whilethecompanytakesotherrisks suchasgeologicalandexecution, Continued on page 22
International Group Investment Inc. and Sigmund executives
He explained that the company plans to put six projects onstream by 2027, increasing the country’s total production capacity to 1 3 billion barrels of oil per day Presently, EMGL, the operator of the Stabroek Block has received regulatory approvals for six projects Three of those are currently producing an average 650,000barrelsperday,wellabove theexpectedcapacity
While this production has resulted in record earnings for shareholdersofExxon,Guyanahas beenreceivingameagreportionof the revenues earned from the projects. The country is also faced with greater environmental risks for which it does not have full financialprotection.
Akeyprovisionnotincludedin the contract allows Exxon to shorten Guyana’s share of profits by investing the earnings to developprojectsyettostartup,and even finance the company’s explorationactivities.
To date, Guyana would have beenreceivingagreaterprofitshare witharing-fencingprovision,since the cost of the three projects in operation have been paid off Despitebeingurgedtoimplementa ring-fencingprovisiontoensurethe country benefits from the current high oil prices, the government is reluctanttoapplythismechanism.
Inthemeantime,Exxondeducts 75%ofGuyana’soilproducedeach month to recover cost The remaining 25% is shared equally withGuyanaasprofits.Thecountry also receives one of the lowest royaltyratesknowntothesector,a paltry2%whichispaidquarterly ExxonMobilholds45%interest intheblock,whileitspartnersHess Guyana Exploration Ltd and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited hold 30% and 25% respectively TheStabroekBlockis estimatedtoholdsome11.6billion barrelsofoilequivalent.
Since production commenced
in 2019, Exxon has produced over 500 million barrels of oil This however only translates to US$5 4B in oil revenue for Guyana, while the company has already grabbed about US$25 9 billion in costs alone. Since the agreement provides for a 50% profit split, it would be safe to concludetheoilcompanieshaveso far collected US$31.3B, over five timeswhatthecountryreceivedfor its resources during the same period.
TUESDAY
ExxonsaysUS$2.5B spenttopurchaseoilships isa‘win’forcompany - Jagdeo confirms company will recover cost from Guyana’s oil
President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) Alistair RoutledgehassaidthattheUS$2.5 billion that was spent to purchase two Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels from Dutch shipbuilder SBM Offshore is a more cost-effective approachforboththecompanyand Guyana.
Routledge made that statement duringarecentlyairedinterviewby the Energy Perspectives Podcast. Last year, Exxon purchased the Liza Unity from SBM for US$1.3 billion,afewmonthsbeforetheend of its maximum lease term in February 2024 Similarly, on November 7, SBM announced that it had completed the transaction with EMGL in relation to the purchase of the FPSO Prosperity, ahead of the maximum lease term, which would have expired in November 2025 The purchase involved a total cash consideration ofUS$1.23billion.
When asked about the company’s decision to purchase a secondFPSO,Routledgesaid,“It’s really primarily a financial matter It’s more financially-efficient for theinvestorsandforthecountryto purchasetheFPSOsatthisstage.”
He explained that while early and construction leases can help
ensure efficient and high-quality project completion, long-term leases typically involve higher financing costs “We found that modeltobeaveryeffectiveone,but a long-term lease is generally a more expensive financing option forthecountryandfortheinvestors than purchasing the FPSOs,” he said. Routledgeaddedthatwiththe vessels already proven to be operating “very well” at this stage, Exxon feels comfortable that it’s therighttimetopurchase. It should be noted that before the end of the year, Exxon is expectedtopurchaseathirdvessel fromSBM–FPSODestiny
At his press conference a few weeks ago, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo reminded that the US$2.5 billion that was spent by Exxon to purchase the vessels will be recovered by the oil company from revenues generated from the Stabroek Block. At his November 14, press conference Jagdeo said, “That’s all part of the cost oil, it’s partofcostoil,everycentthatgoes intoorisspent,itgoestocostoil…” theVicePresidentnoted.
Under the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) that requires Exxon and its partners Hess and CNOOC to pay no taxes to Guyana, 75% of the revenues generatedfromtheStabroekBlock go to Exxon to cover operational expenses. The remaining 25% is
Officer (CEO) of Exxon Mobil Corporation, Darren Woods boasted about the world class performance of the company’s assetsinGuyana.
During the company’s third quarter Earning’s Call in November, Woods updated shareholders of the company that Exxon completed tie-in for the country’s Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project This was completed on budget and schedule with the company already back to full production activities Exxon had taken the Liza One and Liza Two projects offline for a period of two weeks each to facilitate the tie-in works.
then split between Guyana and the oil companies – out of that share Exxon pays a 2% royalty to Guyana.
Guyana has managed to make its name known on the global map
for many reasons, but for ExxonMobil,thecountry’sthirdoil project has set a remarkable milestoneforthecompany,copping the fastest ramp-up in history of deep-wateroperations.
This was revealed by President of ExxonMobil Guyana (EMGL), Alistair Routledge during the most recent episode of the Energy Perspectives Podcast, hosted by CEO of the Guyana Energy Conference,KianaWilburg.
Reflecting on the company’s strategicachievementsfortheyear, Routledge noted that Exxon was not only able to hit 500 million barrels of oil since the startup of production activities in 2019, but alsoreachedanothermilestone,the one-year anniversary for production activities at the Payara project.
He explained, “It’s been a dream startup. The Payara project setallkindsofindustryrecordsfor safety, no hurts in the first year of operation, extremely high reliability, has also had the fastest ramp up from first startup all the way to full capacity that we have beenabletoidentifyintheindustry, certainlyforadeepwater,offshore operation so, really an outstanding project and multiple achievements withinthatmilestoneofoneyear.”
Payara is Exxon’s third deep waterprojectintheSabroekBlock.
The Prosperity Floating, Production,StorageandOffloading vessel (FPSO), which commenced productiononNovember14,2023, was designed to produce 220,000 barrelsperday(bpd)butExxonhas increased production about to 250,000bpd. Only recently, this newspaper reported that Chief Executive
Meanwhile, Woods said, “Our Payara project, which remained online during the tie-ins, continues to perform above investment basis – as has been the case with all the projects we’ve brought online in the world’s premier deepwater development.”
ExxonMobil is the operator of the oil rich Stabroek Block with a 45% interest, while Hess Guyana ExplorationLtd.holds30%interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limitedholds25%interest.
Currently, ExxonMobil has three projects producing oil in Guyana. It should be noted that each of these developments have been pushed to produce above the limits outlined in project documents submitted to Guyanese regulators. The company has been able to increase capacity of the three FPSOs through a process called debottlenecking Exxon previously explained that the companywouldassesstheprojects forbottleneckstoimproverecovery of the resources The company would then submit its findings to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ministry of Natural Resources for consideration and approval Following its independent assessment, the regulator would then issue its blessings for the optimization activities, allowing Exxon to increase production on thevessels.
Withthehopeofdistributingat least300,000cashgrantstocitizens 18yearsandolderbeforetheendof the year, the Government of Guyana on Tuesday commenced distributioninRegionNine(Upper Takutu/UpperEssequibo).
The distribution exercise is being spearheaded by Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips and Minister of Local Government and Regiona
Development, Sonia Parag The processcommencedat10:00amat Continued on page
FPSO Prosperity
Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo
GNBS IN FOCUS
STAY LIT, STAY SAFE! – GNBS ENFORCES
SAFETY STANDARD FOR SEASONAL LIGHTS
As we install festive lights and decorations in homes and public spaces, transforming them into wonderlands during the holiday season, it is crucial to prioritize safety and quality The Guyana
National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) plays its part in ensuring safety by enforcing the requirements oftheGuyanaStandardGYS 232:2003 – Safety for Seasonal and Holiday DecorativeProducts.
This standard was developed to ensure that decorative lighting products meet stringent safety requirements, reducing the risk of electrical hazards, fires, and accidents during theholidayseason.
Based on requirements, the GNBS Product Compliance Team monitors decorativelightswhichmust undergo rigorous testing for safety, and to ensure these products carry vital informationforusers.
Essential details which
must accompany decorative lights offered for sale include the Manufacturer’s Name or Trademark, the M o n t h o r Y e a r Manufactured, the Voltage Ratings and Certification Marks which attest to the qualityoftheseitems. User instructions for appropriate installation and care must alsobeincluded.
Further, labels on lights shall provide legible instructionspertainingtothe riskoffire,electricshockor injury, operation of the product and the usermaintenance and storage These instructions encompassacomprehensive overview of risks and empower users with the knowledge to navigate potentialhazards.
Withincreasedelectrical usage from string lights, illuminated ornaments, and other decorations, the holiday season presents a higher risk for electrical relatedincidents. The GNBS continues to be vigilant to ensure
importers, manufacturers and retailers offer products meeting the requirements of standards, offering peace of mindtoconsumers.
Meanwhile, consumers are encouraged to choose standard compliant lights to illuminateandbeautifytheir spaces.
Makingthissmartchoice will protect families and properties from potential dangers.
The following are some useful tips to consider when purchasing decorative electricalitems:
Choose the Right Lights: Use lights labelled “For Indoor Use Only” or “For Outdoor and Indoor Use”asspecified.
·AvoidFireHazards:Do not install lights on trees with metallic needles, leaves, or branches and ensure that lights are mountedsecurelytoprevent wireinsulationdamage.
·ElectricalSafety:Never overload outlets or connect multiplesmallstringstoone fitting.
· Check Labels: Ensure labels are legible for safety guidance over time. Adhere tolabellinginformation.
· Inspect before Use: Always inspect lights and
cords for any signs of damage, such as frayed wires, cracked bulbs, or looseconnections.Damaged lights should be replaced immediately to prevent
electrical hazards For further information on this subject, call the GNBS on Telephone number: 2190065 or visit the Bureau’s website:www.gnbsgy.org
Champions of Change…
Brightening futures one life at a time
Established in
2016
Champions ofChange,anonprofit organization focused on empowering citizens is abouttomakeagrandreturn with hopes of uplifting the futureofthelessfortunate.
During an interview with The Waterfalls,
founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
of the organization
Sabrina Craig gave a walk-through of what she has been up to since its establishment and plans for thefuture.
The mission of
Champions of Change was mainly to look into the health and talent
development of less fortunateyouths
C r a i g t o l d T h e
Waterfalls that there was a point where around the city they had booths where persons can go and have testing done for a numberofdiseases
After the operations were being interrupted duringCOVIDbecauseof the seriousness of the pandemic, she decided to restart her operations this year and the booth should be up and running by next year
Plans to resume full operations include hiring retired nurses as well as t h e r a p i s t s a n d psychologists However, she is looking to undertake another missionaswell.
From this month, Craig and her staff plan to gather the homeless persons off of the streets, have them cleaned up and placed into the State-controlled night shelter, as hers is still under construction in C Field
Sophia.
“So we’re gonna pick up the ones who suffer from alcoholism, clean them up, try to counsel them, motivate them, and you try to launch them up tolife Yeah So basically, focusing on the picking them up next week and start a workforce, you know, venture with them, whereby cleaning them up,”Craigsaid Craig told this publication that additional support from the public is always welcomed The GovernmentofGuyanahas pledged their support and the organisation is also looking to have a number of fundraising activities come2025.
Tapping into the entertainment arena, Craig saidthatshehasbeenintalks withIsaiahLaingwhoisthe founder of Reggae Sting
Jamaica,andsheishopingto collaboratewithhimtohave a show done with a number of artists both locally and internationally, in hopes of raising fund to facilitate al the necessities the ne night shelter would need and to fundtheoperations.
Asked what sparked her interest in this type of effort, Carpenter sorrowfully told The Waterfalls that a friend of hers had her teenage daughters venture to the city in search of employment She said things did not go the way they planned and they ended up not having anywhere to spend the night; they ventured to the seawalls and were sexuallyassaulted.
S a d l y, s h e w a s overseas at the time and due to shame and fear, a report was never made to the police and the
perpetrators went free Craig stated that if she was in the country, things would have played out differently
Secondly, she said a close friend of hers turned to drugs and alcohol due to marital problems and has been
living on the streets even since, not quite in his logical senses Saddened by the outcome of the situation, Craig vowed to help him and others facing the same plight, as she feels ifhehadsomeonetotalkto, or to advise him, things would have turned out
differently
This friend will be the first of many being taken to the night shelter to be c l e a n e d u p a n d rehabilitated and given a p l a c e a t t h e n e w Champions of Change night shelter once it opensitsdoors
Sabrina Craig
CONSUMER CONCERNS DDL MAINTAINS ITS REPUTATION OF EXCELLENCE AND
INNOVATION
AS IT EMBARKS ON THE MILK INDUSTRY
PAT DIAL
During the era of Slavery,milkwasneverpart of the diet of slaves and whatever milk was used came in small quantities fromthefewcowsandgoats kept for some of the European planter class After Emancipation, the situation did not change and the Freedmen continued not to use milk. Amerindian peoplealsodidnotusemilk. The use of milk and milk products like yogurt (dahi) cametobeusedmorewidely with the introduction of Indian indentured immigrants who knew all aspects of cow-minding and milk production. Indeed, cows and milk were an integral part of Indian life and culture and were used e v e n i n r e l i g i o u s ceremonies.
By the 1860’s many exindentured and even indentured servants kept a few cows and produced more milk than they needed and the surplus was sold in thevillageorestate.
With the availability of milk,thecultureoftheuseof milk was again resuscitated among the planter class, the Freedmenofthevillagesand among the newer waves of indentured servants such as the Madeiran Portuguese andChinese.
By the 1880’s, a milk industry had been established and milkmen, riding their bicycles, delivered milk to homes or soldinthestreets.
The growth of a milk industry necessitated Legislation, in particular to protecttheconsumer
The new Legislation dealt with the health of the cows, especially to guard against tuberculosis but more particularly with the quality of milk being sold. Many milk sellers diluted their milk with water and a number of milk inspectors were appointed to test at random milk being sold. In the newspapers at the time and in the court records, there are many examples of sellers being prosecuted for
dilutedmilk.
After World War II, the old-style vending of milk produced by the vendor faded away and various efforts were made
producing pasteurized milk None of these was
population was forced to use evaporated milk and finallymilkpowder
T
D
Distillers Ltd (DDL) project of establishing an
industry now offers the
Guyana’smilkproblems
DDL, in its typical style, did a thorough social, economic and technical research before
Industry
Normally, a company embarking on such a
approached Holland or Germany for technical partnershipandexpertise,
but DDL is using an Israeli partner and CEO Komal Samaroo took time off to visit Israel to a s c e r t a i n t h e i r capabilities which are congruent to Guyana’s needsandenvironment.
a
DDL Group Chairman
Samaro
gave the essence of the Project: “The Project is built on the basis of quality and competitiveness,” said Mr Samaroo, “hence we are using science and technology to make this the most efficient dairy farm, certainly in Guyana andIbelievethisRegion”.
There would be two cow sheds of 80,000 sq feet each to house the cows
Those sheds will be equipped with Veterinary services and milking parlour As the cows feed, they will be taken out and milked and the milk would be treated and cold stored before being
transported to the plant at Diamond where they will be attractively packed for the local and external market.
The farm would be self-sufficient: It will grow its own grass, using four varieties and sweet corn and this fodder would be prepared by two methods, the baling method where the grass is compacted into bales and the silage method where the grass is placed under shrinkwrap
By the baling method, the fodder could be stored for six months and by the shrink method for two years The cow manure is collectedandliquifiedand usedtofertilizethegrass
The farm will have its own weather station, the data of which would be helpful in analysing the various facets of the Project in both the longterm and short-term The data would include records o
nshine, rainfall, humidity and wind currents and would help the farm to plan rationally.
The farm is located at M
Highway and will cost US$20M and is being managed by Mr Darrell Manickchand
Project Manager, Administrative Division, and Mr Wesley Kirton, the Company’s Project Manager The Project will come in full stream by the last quarter of 2025
The farm will be well supplied with water at all seasons since there would be a number of wells and a freshwater irrigation pond which would be storing water during the rainy season In other words, times of drought which reduce milk production, would notaffectthefarm. Ithas its own transformer and will generate adequate electricity.
Generation Next Celebrates Groundbreaking
Graduation of Essential Programmes
The Generation Next Community
Development Association marked a monumentalachievementon December 5, 2024, as graduates of seven Essential Programmes came together for a grand graduation ceremony held at the Generation Next Conference Hall.
This event celebrated not only the completion of the November 2024 batches but also a historic milestone: participants successfully
completed over 100 programmes since the initiative’s inception in July 2024.
T h e E s s e n t i a l
P r o g r a m m e s , conceptualized by Martin Massiah, Administrator of Generation Next, aim to revolutionize the lives of participants by equipping them with skills, tools, and the adaptability required to thrive in what Massiah calls the“NewGuyana.”
Offering transformative education across diverse
f i e l d s i n c l u d i n g
Marketing, Crisis & Reputation Management,
L e a d e r s h i p , Entrepreneurship, Cake
D e c o r a t i n g , U r b a n Agriculture, and Fashion Designer Essentials the programmes are recognized for integrating artificial intelligence to level the playing field and empower participants to excel independently
T h e c e r e m o n y commenced with a rousing opening address by Ms Adielle Rosheuvel, Vice Chairman of the Generation
N e x t C o m m u n i t y Development Association and a seasoned actuary
R o s h e u v e l i n s p i r e d graduates with insights into
the future of skills developmentandtheirrolein shapingGuyana’sprogress. Thekeynotepresentation was delivered by Mrs TiffanyGriffith,anesteemed attorney-at-law and Trustee ofGenerationNext.
Her motivational address encouraged graduates to leverage their newfound skills for personal growth and as a means to uplift their communities, emphasizing the transformative potential of education in fostering positivesocietalchange
Theeventspotlightedthe exceptional creativity and innovation cultivated within the Essential Programmes. Highlights included: Urban
The Generation Next Community Development Association marked a monumental achievement on December 5, 2024, as graduates of seven Essential Programmes came together for a grand graduation ceremony held at the Generation Next Conference Hall.
Agriculture Essentials: Under the guidance of Essential Coach Julius, students presented two innovative versions of h o m e m a d e o r g a n i c pesticides, evidence of the programme’s commitment to sustainable and ecofriendly urban farming practices.
C a k e D e c o r a t i n g Essentials: Led by Essential Coach Yvonne, students showcased a stunning variety of intricately designed cakes and cupcakes, reflecting a mastery of both artistry and skill.
Fashion Designer Essentials: Essential Coach Dr Deborah orchestrated a spectacular showcase of student-designed and crafted outfits, celebrating the programme’s focus on creativity, technical expertise, and fashion-
forwardthinking.
Crisis & Reputation Management Essentials: Under the leadership of Essential Coach Shevion, one of the students highlighted her roadmap for crisis resolution and avoidance that she had successfully deployed in her placeofwork.
Leadership Essential: Led by Essential Coach Martin, some students h i g h l i g h t e d t h e transformational aspect of the course that boosted their confidence and their ability to effectively influence teams and make them productive.
A mini-expo and showcase provided an interactive platform for graduates to exhibit their businesses and projects, offering attendees a glimpse into the tangible impact of the programmes on
participants’ entrepreneurial journeys.
For the first time,
facilitators of the Essential Programmes were conferred with the designation of Essential Coaches, while Programme Leaders were recognized as Essential Tutors a move that underscores Generation Next’s commitment to a c k n o w l e d g i n g a n d
e l e v a t i n g t e a c h i n g excellence.
T h e E s s e n t i a l Programmes reflect the innovative spirit of Martin Massiah,agloballyeducated business leader and digital media consultant whose career spans Boston, Dubai, London, and Washington D.C. With a Master’s in International Business from Hult International Business School, Massiah brings a dynamic and disruptive a p p r o a c h t o s k i l l s development. He is also known for his
creative endeavours under his personal brand, MA, which combines creativity withcutting-edgestrategy
As Massiah noted, “The Essential Programmes are not just about imparting knowledge—they are about transforming mindsets, equipping individuals to embrace the challenges of a rapidly evolving world, and empowering them to lead their communities into the future.”
LookingAhead
The December 2024 graduation was more than a celebration—it was a bold declaration of Generation Next’s mission to drive growth and innovation in Guyana.
T h e E s s e n t i a l Programmes at Generation Next are setting a new benchmark for impactful educationinGuyana.
Participants of the programme were presented with certificates of completion
Frompage22
the Tabatinga Sports Complex for residents of Lethem and St. Ignatius and is slated to continue until December 6, for that area. For other villages in the
Region, Government announcedaswellthatthese
willbelistedalongwiththeir distribution schedule soonest.
The administration has prioritised public servants and pensioners over the last several days, with registration schedules for National Insurance Scheme and Old Age Pensioners disseminated to the public viathemedia.
Moreover, public registrationforthecashgrant commenced on Tuesday in several areas including Region Four and outlining areas. The government has
outlined a four-step process for the initiative which begins with the registration exercise comprising each community having a registration schedule then technical teams with preprogrammed tablets will be dispatchedtogatherpersons’ data.Thesecondstageisthe verificationoftheregistrants withthenextstagebeingthe cutting of cheques then distribution to persons 18 andabove.
Government’s $100,000 Cash Grant Initiative was announced by President IrfaanAliinOctoberlastand every Guyanese citizen 18 years old and over will receivethepayout.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo last Thursday announced that while the government is looking to distribute the $100,000 oneoff cash grant to public servants and pensioners first – not every citizen will receive theirs before Christmas. Jagdeo said, “WhatIcansaytoGuyanese is that they will get it, not everyone will get it before Christmas. A lot of people ask, Oh, will I get it before ChristmasbutIwouldsayto people you still will get it and it might come in goodafterChristmas.”
TheVicePresidentstated thathehadpreviouslystated sincethecashgrantinitiative was first announced in October, that the process would take the government about five months to complete.
“The president said that wearetryingtohurrythisup to see if we can complete at least the public servants and thepensionersbeforetheend of the year We may be able todothatandthenanumber of other people who are registered…”Jagdeonoted.
Last Wednesday, the Committee of Supply approved $30 5 billion to cater for the distribution of the one-off $100,000 cash granttocitizens18yearsand above. This is expected to cover the first phase of the distribution and includes public servants and pensioners Jagdeo also disclosed that the government is aiming to distribute the cash grant to about 300,000 persons before the end of the year Jagdeo noted that the 2025 budget which is expected to be passed by February will caterforthesecondphaseof the distribution of the $100,000cashgrant.
“Andthenwecanseekto
appropriate the balance of themoney,weanticipatethat it will be about another $30 billion because we think about 600,000 adults you have in the country, or just over that ” the Vice Presidentstated.
TheVicePresidentnoted that the government anticipatesthatinthefuture, there will be similar grants. As such, he noted that once the government completes the database for the distribution, the future distribution will become easier Once this initiative is completed, $60 billion would have been placed in the hands of citizens across thecountry
ExxonMmumon whetheritwantsnew oilblockonownterms -but confirms talks continuing with Guyana Govt.
United States oil major ExxonMobil has declined to comment on whether it wants to use the new shallow-water block it won at Guyana’s first auction for carbon capture and storage contrarytowhatthiscountry wants.
However, the company confirmed that it is continuing to negotiate with the Guyana Government on the terms for developing the shallow-water oil block, an Exxon spokesperson told Reuters on Monday Exxon, Hess and CNOOC won offshore block S8 in a bidding round launched in late2022byPresidentIrfaan Ali’sadministration,Reuters reported.Thegroupremains interested in the block and talks are continuing, an ExxonMobil spokesperson said via email, Reuters articlesaid.Accordingtothe n e w s a g e n c y, t h e spokesperson declined to disclose whether it aimed to use the block for carbon captureandstorage,orforoil andgasexploration.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeohadinitiallyreported thatExxonhadpulledoutof the block since they wanted to use the area for carbon captureandstorage,“andwe don’t want to do that at this stage ” However, last Thursday, Jagdeo walked backonhisstatementsaying that since he made the disclosure, Exxon wrote governmentsayingthat“that might not be the full story, that they still have some interest in it.” “So from last week to now, after my press
conference and I verified it with Vickram Bharrat, that was said in a meeting, and they said that there might h a v e b e e n a misunderstanding that they have not walked away from it.So,let’sseehowitgoes.”
Guyana’
che
December 2022 featured 14 blocks but on
y eight received bids The fiscal regime of the new PSA requiresthepaymentofa10 percent royalty and a 10 percent corporate tax The cost recovery ceiling will be capped at 65 percent in a givenyear,whileprofitswill be shared 50/50 between companiesandtheState.
ExxonMobil is the operator of the Stabroek Block and it holds 45% interest in that block Its partners Hess and CNOOC h
d 30% and 25% respectively. Guyana’s oilrich Stabroek B
ock, operated by ExxonMobil, requires a meagre 2% royalty, no taxes, 75% cost recovery ceiling each month whichleaves25%ofprofitto be shared with Guyana Stakeholders had warned that the terms of the Exxon deal could deter investment since the new PSA now requires greater fiscal benefitsforthecountry This led to calls for new projects in the Stabroek Block to be subjected to these terms; however, the government remains adamantthatseekinggreater benefits could slow the pace of development and chase investors.
Moreover, Block S4, a shallow water portion, has b e e n a w a r d e d t o TotalEnergies EP Guyana B V in consortium with Qatar Energy International E&PLLCandPetronasE&P OverseasSDNBHD. Outof Nigeria,InternationalGroup Investment Inc. was found eligible for two shallow water concessions—S5 and S10 An American and Ghanianpartnership,Liberty Petroleum Corporation and CybeleEnergyLimited,was approved for the shallow water block S7 Delcorp Incorporated, a Guyanese company, in collaboration with Watad Energy and Communications Ltd and Arabian Drilling Company was approved for a deepwaterblocktitled—D1.
Government had disclosed that International Group Investment Inc acceptedthePSAwith Continued on page 43
Frompage42 processing ongoing; Cybele EnergyLimitedacceptedthe PSAandisinthefinalreview stage; Delcorp accepted the PSA and is now in the final stages of review and the
To t a l E n e rg i e s - l e d consortium accepted the PSA and is currently in the finalreviewstages.
THURSDAY
Canadianminingfirm eyes4flightsweeklyto exportGuyana’sgold - to build own airstrip to accommodate twin-Ottersized planes
Canadianminingfirm,G Mining Ventures (GMIN) anticipates three to four flights weekly from their Oko West gold project located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) to export gold from Guyana as well as facilitate other businessandemergencies.
In April 2024, GMIN bought Reunion Gold, another Canadian company for some US$638 million –through this transaction GMIN acquired Reunion’s flagship Oko West Mine The Oko West project is expectedtoproduce353,000 ouncesofgoldannuallyover its12.7-yearminelife,witha total output of 4.5 million ounces On Wednesday
November 27, GMIN s u b m i t t e d t h e Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Oko West project to Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency(EPA).
In a statement the company said, “The comprehensive documents
w e r e o f f i c i a l l y submitted…this submission marks a significant step forward advancing the Oko West Gold Mines Project, emphasising GMIN’s commitment to sustainable and environmentally
responsible mining practices.”
Inoneofthedocuments, it was stated that an airstrip will be constructed in the projectarea.Itwasexplained that while a number of alternative locations were considered,intheenditwas decided that the airstrip will belocatedtothesouthofthe mineinfrastructureandclose tothepit/processingplant.
“The airstrip will be designed to accommodate airplanes up to the size of a Twin-Otter or Caravan and
will be approximately 850 meterslong.Theairstripwill be used for the export of gold, personnel transport, and health and safety emergencies during all phasesoftheProject,”itwas stated.Anaverageofthreeor fourflightsisanticipatedper week These flights will occur during daylight hours, as the airstrip will not be lit. Gold production is slated to commence by 2028 “The airstrip will be unpaved and constructed from laterite The airstrip will be oriented northeast-southwest, as required by prevailing winds,”thedocumentstates.
By the third quarter of 2025, GMIN is looking to startconstructiononitsgold project The Oko West Preliminary Economic
Assessment (PEA) highlights an average gold grade of 2 00 grams per tonne (g/t) and a high metallurgical recovery rate of 92.8%.The company had said that the PEA confirms strong economics for a lowcost, large-scale mining operation using both conventional open pit (OP) and underground (UG) methods.
According to GMIN, with operating costs well belowindustryaveragesand a high rate of return, the project is ideally positioned to benefit from favourable macro-economicconditions, includingstronggoldprices, low inflation, and Guyana’s rapidly developing economy Theopenpitmine is projected to have a life of 15 years, which includes 2 years of pre-stripping and involves four pit phases. In
contrast, the underground mine is expected to operate for 13 years, including 2 yearsofdevelopment,across threezones.
The milling operation is plannedtorunfor13years.It wasexplainedthatduringthe first three years of commercial production, the processing feed will be providedentirelybytheopen pit From the fourth year
onward, underground mining will begin supplying a significant portion of the
Notably, the Oko West project payback period is estimatedat3.8years,based on a gold price of US$1,950 perounce.
Businessmanshootsman dead,claimshewasathief - released on $1M station bail
Police have reportedly released a businessman on $1Mstationbailafterheshot amandeadonSundayathis Bladen Hall, East Coast Demerara(ECD)home.
AccordingtotheGuyana Police Force (GPF) , the businessman identified as 52-year-old Pooran Singh claimed that the man was stealing Heineken Beers fromhispremisessoheshot him.
The dead man remains unidentified and the press wasleftinthedarkaboutthe killing Police instead of reporting on the shooting deathoftheunidentifiedman only chose to publish an advisoryaskingthepublicto assist investigators in identifying him. No details were shared about how he
died or if police had found himdead.
Journalists had to press the Guyana Police Force for answers after information begancirculatingthathewas shotdeadbyabusinessman. Pressed for answers, the f o r c e C o r p o r a t e
Communications Unit (CCU), issued a statement, saying that he was killed around 02:30hrs on Sunday December 1, 2024 “The businessman was arrested, andhisfirearmwaslodged”.
Atfirsttheforcesaidthat he is in custody and investigators are awaiting legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution(DPP),Shalimar Ali Hack SC. Later during theday,policeissuedanother statement, saying that the businessmanwasreleasedon a million-dollar station bail on Wednesday afternoon while investigators continue towaitonlegaladvice.“The suspect, Mr Pooran Singh, who was arrested by the police for discharging his licensed firearm while at his residence which allegedly causedthedeathofsomeone who he alleged was stealing hisgoods,wasthisafternoon placedononemilliondollars ($1M) station bail”, police stated.
FRIDAY
‘Showinghowoil moneybeingspent wouldbedifficult’ -Jagdeo says transparency exists in transfers to NRF and in Budget process
Although the Natural ResourceFund(NRF)Actof
Be that as it may, the government has not highlighted any national development priority or essential project funded through this source of income In fact, major development priorities and essential projects such as roads,hospitals,andthenew DemeraraRiverCrossingare being funded through loan agreements Government hasalsoappliedforaloanto support the Gas-to-Energy project.
2021, passed by the current administration, sets strict guidelines for the use of resources garnered from the oil and gas sector, the government has failed to identify and inform the population what the funds arebeingusedfor
In fact, Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday made it clear that this may very well not be possible since itemizing oil revenue expenditure would be a difficult task. He reasoned, “How do you balkanize revenue coming into the budget? (It) becomes a very difficultthingtodo;sowhere the transparency is done, transparency is that every cent spent from oil money, from non-oil revenue and from borrowing, has to be appropriatedbytheNational
Assembly through a Budgetary Appropriation Process, whether it is the original Budget or through Supplementary Budgets which then form an appropriation act or a s u p p l e m e n t a r y appropriation act, which itemizes all of the expenditure of the state and how much is going to be spent…”
Section 16.2 of the NRF
Act states that, “All withdrawals from the Fund shall be deposited into the ConsolidatedFundandshall be used only to finance:(a) national development priorities including any initiative aimed at realizing aninclusivegreeneconomy, and(b)essentialprojectsthat are directly related to ameliorating the effect of a majornaturaldisaster.”
In the meantime, the VP said that while the populationisoftheviewthat the oil money is not b e n e f i t t i n g t h e m , government is financing thousands of scholarships Additionally, he said, “I didn’tevenputinthe$230B thatwearespendingnowon housing development.To do the 40,000 house lots, now it’s $232B. We anticipate to get up to 50,000, we need another $50B next year. About$282Bwillgoonlyto deliver on our promise of doing 50,000 house lots becauseitcostsabout$5Mto develop a house lot we only have $300B this year coming in from oil Of course, the $282B is not for one year, it’s for the five years so why don’t we have thatconversationratherthan thesoundbites?”
To this end, Jagdeo said thatthereisnogreaterclarity surrounding oil resources thathehasseencomparedto Guyana He said, “You name a country that every threemonthseveryreceiptof revenue from an oil and gas companythatispaidintothe NRF has to, by law, be published in the Official Gazette and Parliament has to be notified within three months of that receipt; not annually, for every transaction.”
He was keen to note too that the Minister could be jailed for failing to issue thesereports.Further,theVP pointed out that government has instituted a formula where a specific sum is withdrawneachyeartofund theNationalBudget.
Brutus, has been granted permissionbythecourtto Continuedonpage44
The Oko West Mine
Frompage43
leave the country for emergency medical
treatment The ruling was made on Thursday at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court by Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty Aulder appeared with her lawyer, EusiAnderson, who made the request for her to leave the jurisdiction on Thursday afternoon The court approved the request and Aulder is expected to return to Guyana in time for hernextcourtappearanceon December18,2024.
Meanwhile, her husband, Calvin Brutus, who is facing allegationsrelatedtofinancial crimes,willremaininGuyana while she is away Anderson, in his remarks, emphasised hisclient’sinnocence,stating, “Mrs Brutus is completely innocent of the charges that she faces She intends to vigorously protest that in the courtoflaw,andMrs.Brutus is of the view that these charges are vexatious.” He also expressed gratitude for the court’s ruling, acknowledging both his and
Aulder’s appreciation for the decision Aulderisfacingtwo charges of money laundering intheMagistrates’Court She is accused of acquiring $352,082,315 from her company’s bank account at Republic Bank in December 2023, knowing or having reasonablegroundstobelieve that the funds were derived fromcriminalactivity
Initially, Aulder and Calvin were denied permission to travel to the United States for medical carewhenheappearedatthe High Court on October 18.
Justice Gino Persaud rejected his application, citing Brutus’ involvement inover240chargesrelatedto f i n a n c i a l c r i m e s Additionally,thecourtnoted backthenthatCalvinBrutus had not sought approval from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs to leave Guyana. There were also concerns regarding him being a potential flight-risk, ashehadreturnedtoGuyana after overstaying a 42-day leaveabroadinAugust.
The much touted $100,000cashgranttoevery adult Guyanese works work out to some $55 Guyana dollars per day for the five years since this country has startedpumpingoil. Government, this week, rolled out the pay-out initiativeinRegionNineand
bring about that change, all Guyaneseover18wouldnot havehadtojointhreelinesat three different times to collectthat$100,000.”
He added: “You didn’t have time then to join that walk, but now you finding timetoline-upinthathotsun orpouringraintoregisteras a citizen, then line up again tocollectthecheque,thengo tothebanktolineupagainto cashthatcheque.”
has sought to make it the centrepiece of its policy in givingbacktocitizens.
Speaking in one of his social media commentaries this week, Businessman GlennLallsaiditisaninsult forGuyanesetobereceiving $54 Guyana dollars a day after five years of oil productionhere.
“After five years of ExxonMobil pumping our oil and walking away with tens of US billions, every Guyanese over 18 is set to receive just one American quarter–25UScents–aday Yes, that is what Guyanese worth after five years of pumping oil That’s right: $54 Guyana dollars a day Fifty-fourdollars!Thatcan’t e v e n b u y a h ¼ l b plantain ” Lall, a fierce critic of the lopsided oil
contract the coalition government signed with ExxonMobil back in 2026, said.
Lall said $100,000, whichislessthanUS$500,is being thrown at Guyanese after the pumping of oil for 1,825 days in this country “ T h i s i s w h a t t h e government and opposition have reduced all of us to, with that unprecedented oil discovery made in Guyana. And to add more insult to that injury, you have to join threelines,onthreedifferent dates, at three separate locations before you can get that $100,000. That is what thePPPisproudofwhilethe PNCandAFCaresilent…”
The businessman recalled joining Mr Ray Daggers,earlierthisyear,on aprotestwalkfromMoleson Creek in Berbice to Charity ontheEssequiboCoast.Lall said it was hoped that more Guyanesewouldhavejoined the walk “to overturn that contract,togetwhatwetruly deserve,butjustahandfulof personsjoinedinandwalked with us Today, had you raised your voices and marchedwithusindrovesto
to people, you still will get it and it might come in goodafterChristmas.”
Telling citizens that they deserve better, Lall said, “This is not what your children deserve and certainlythisisnotwhatour ancestors fought for And until you ready to stand up and raise that voice to demandareferendumbefore anyelections,sothatyouand I can decide what deal we wantfromthatoil,$54or25 US cents a day will be the reality.”
The administration has prioritised public servants and pensioners over the last several days, with registration schedules for National Insurance Scheme and Old Age Pensioners disseminated to the public viathemedia.
Moreover, public registrationforthecashgrant commenced on Tuesday in several areas, including Region Four and outlying areas. The government has outlined a four-step process for the initiative, which begins with the registration exercise comprising each community having a registration schedule, then technical teams with preprogrammed Tablets will be dispatchedtogatherpersons’ data.Thesecondstageisthe verificationoftheregistrants withthenextstagebeingthe cutting of cheques then distribution to persons 18 andabove.
Government’s $100,000 Cash Grant Initiative was announced by President Irfaan Ali in October and every Guyanese citizen 18 years old and over will receivethepay-out.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, last Thursday, announced that while the government is looking to distribute the $100,000 oneoff cash grant to public servants and pensioners first – not every citizen will receive theirs before Christmas Jagdeo said, “WhatIcansaytoGuyanese is that they will get it, not everyone will get it before Christmas. A lot of people ask, “Oh, will I get it before Christmas?”ButIwouldsay
The Vice President said thathehadpreviouslystated sincethecashgrantinitiative was first announced in October, that the process would take the government about five months to complete “The president said that we are trying to hurrythisuptoseeifwecan complete at least the public servants and the pensioners beforetheendoftheyear We may be able to do that and then a number of other p e o p l e w h o a r e registered…”Jagdeonoted.
Last Wednesday, the Committee of Supply approved $30 5 billion to cater for the distribution of the one-off $100,000 cash granttocitizens18yearsand above. This is expected to cover the first phase of the distribution and includes public servants and pensioners. Jagdeo also disclosed that the government is aiming to distribute the cash grant to about 300,000 persons before the end of the year Jagdeo noted that the 2025 budget which is expected to be passed by February, will caterforthesecondphaseof the distribution of the $100,000cashgrant.
“Andthenwecanseekto appropriate the balance of themoney,weanticipatethat it will be about another $30 billion because we think about 600,000 adults you have in the country, or just over that ” the Vice Presidentstated.
TheVicePresidentnoted that the government anticipatesthatinthefuture, there will be similar grants. As such, he noted that once the government completes the database for the distribution, the future distribution will become easier Once this initiative is completed, $60 billion would have been placed in the hands of citizens across thecountry
PresidentofExxonMobil Upstream Company and Vice President of Exxon Mobil Corporation, Liam M
President of ExxonMobil Upstream Company and Vice President of ExxonMobil Corporation, Liam Mallon
Frompage44 fair”. During an interview this week with Hart Energy, Mallon who is expected to resign with effect from February 1, 2025, gave an overview of the massive discovery in Guyana, followed by its successful stringofstart-upprojects.
Heexplained,“Itwasnot that it almost didn’t happen. If you go back and trace the historyofGuyana,thisisthe natureofexplorationtosome extent. As a basin, several wellsweredrilledinGuyana through the ’60s, ’70s. The proposition was that there were hydrocarbons there becausetherewasaheavyoil field which still produces todayinSuriname.”
Mallon said that while geologists and geoscientists werecertainofasourcerock, theyjustdidnotknowwhere. The assumption was the resource was in the shallow water, but exploration there wasnotfavourable.
Accordingtohim,“Then the hypothesis that our team came up in the early part of the 2000s was that it’s potentially out in the deeper water Ofcourse,technology atthattimewasn’twhereitis today Imagingwasn’twhere it is today And then the country, the activity was underforcemajeureforquite some time.” The process to drill the wells was both “expensive and high risk” Mallonrecalled.Hesaidthat while there is chatter about the oil deal government signedonto,thecontractcan beconsideredfair,takingthe riskintoaccount.
“I think it was kind of a unique proposition hypothesisandtheonlyway totestitwastogodrillit.And these were expensive wells to drill and high risk. And people talk about the [government] contract. The contract is very fair relative to the risk that was taken. I think that’s widely acknowledged,” Exxon’s VicePresidentnoted.
While Mallon said it is widely acknowledged that the oil deal is fair, this statement is perhaps only limited to the opinion of ExxonMobil Guyanese politicians have often frowned upon the deal, labellingittheworstcontract eversigned.
While strong statements have been made against the deal, leaders are reluctant to renegotiate the terms of the contract with Exxon, adamant that this could affect future investments in
the oil rich Stabroek Block and breach the ‘sanctity of contracts’principle.
“An incredible success story”
For Mallon, who has been with Exxon since the early days of exploration in Guyana, the rate of development taking place is unlike anything he has seen in the history of the deepwaterindustry
Henoted,“I’vebeenwith thisfromtheverystart.Iwas in Georgetown (capital of Guyana)in2015,veryearly Andthepaceatwhichwe’ve developed this, we’ve gone from zero to now, today, greater than 600,000 barrels per day (bpd), and we’ll grow to the 1.2 million bpd capacity we talked about by 2027inaveryshortperiodof time, at a pace that we’ve never seen in the deepwater industry.”
The Vice President said thisistiedtothecapabilities and partnerships, which is nothing less than “high quality”.
Additionally, he pointed out,“Therocksareveryhigh quality, the subsurface is very good, but we’ve also doneanincredibleamountof things with our technologies to improve it. These boats (FPSOs), for example, let’s say they’re designed for 600,000 bpd, we’re producing (almost) 100,000 bpd more today We’re optimizing debottlenecking, findingwaystodomorethan wethoughtwecoulddo.And that just continues. It’s an incrediblesuccessstory.”
Termsof Guyana’soilcontract In accordance with the provisions of the 2016 PSA, Exxoncandeductupto75% of Guyana’s oil produced each month to recover its investmentintheblock.The remaining 25% is shared equally with Guyana as profits. The country also receives one of the lowest royalty rates known to the sector, a paltry 2% which is paidquarterly In the meantime, a key
provisionnotincludedinthe contract allows Exxon to shorten Guyana’s share of profits by investing the earnings to develop projects yet to start-up, and even finance the company’s explorationactivities.
To date, Guyana would havebeenreceivingagreater profit share with a ringfencing provision, since the cost of the three projects in operationhavebeenpaidoff. Despite being urged to implement a ring-fencing provision to ensure the country benefits from the current high oil prices, the government is unwilling to applythismechanism.
Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes,onFridayduringthe party’s weekly press conference,issuedascathing statement in response to the explanation provided by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, on government’s failuretoaccountfortheuse ofthecountry’soilrevenue.
Jagdeo said onThursday that itemizing the expenditure from oil money would be difficult and went on to highlight the steps taken by government to ensure transparency in the useoftheresources.
He reasoned, “How do you balkanize revenue coming into the budget? (It) becomes a very difficult thing to do; so, where the transparency is done, transparency is that every cent spent from oil money, from non-oil revenue and from borrowing, has to be appropriatedbytheNational
Assembly through a Budgetary Appropriation Process, whether it is the original Budget or through Supplementary Budgets which then form an
appropriation act or a s u p p l e m e n t a r y appropriation act, which itemizes all of the expenditure of the state and how much is going to be spent ” For his part, HughesquotedaletterbyDr Terrence Campbell (publishedintoday’sedition of the Kaieteur News) highlightingthefailureofthe Investment Committee to perform its functions, as outlined in the Natural ResourceFund(NRF)Actof 2021.
In a section of the letter, as quoted by Hughes, Dr Campbell, the Opposition’s representative on the Investment Committee said he was shocked to read Jagdeo’s comments that “balkanization of revenues” in the Consolidated Fund would make it difficult to show how NRF funds were beingspent.
He explained, “a little over a month ago I began pressing internally for the BoardoftheFundtodemand the justification for withdrawalsfromthefundin accordance with section 16 subsection2andsubsections (a)and(b).”
These subsections specify that withdrawals must be for national development priorities and or essential projects to ameliorate the effects of a natural disaster Dr Campbell said his request was met with stout resistance,eveninthefaceof
threatstoinitiatelitigation.
“In essence, the Board signs a blank cheque with each withdrawal This effectively reduces the Boardtoarubberstampand the Public Accountability and Oversight Committee, whichissupposedtoprovide oversight, to a white elephant,” the Committee memberconcluded.
To this end, Hughes said this was perhaps the most disturbing news he read for the month, as there is essentiallynoscrutinyofthe resources meant for future generations, by the InvestmentCommittee.
“Ifwereallysitdownand think what that means, in other words, this has now become a slush fund, a facilitating entity that literally carries out the government’s bidding when in effect the primary responsibility is to overlook exactlywhatthegovernment isdoingwithourmoney,our asset, our investment and attempting to stop them, interrogate them,” the lawyerstated.
In the absence of adequate oversight, coupled withtheexcuseprofferedby Jagdeo, Hughes argued that it is likely that the country’s resources would be diverted forpoliticalpurposes.
The Leader of the AFC calledforthemembersofthe Oversight Committee to indicatewhatmethodologies theyhaveusedtointerrogate t h e g o v e r n m e n t ’s
application for spending, state the professional advice they have sought before approving government expenditure and outline the methodologies that they have deployed regarding the country’swealth.
Hughes said, “Think of themostprofoundstatement
made by Mr. Jagdeo yesterday (Thursday) which essentially says showing how oil money would be s p e n t w o u l d b e difficult…this is the most reckless admission of the gross disregard to the prudent management of this country.” The AFC Leader addedthatJagdeolabeledthe O p p o s i t i o n a s obstructionists, affecting the e ff i c i e n c y o f t h e government, which means they do not deserve to be appointed to examine and oversee the actions of the government.
He said Jagdeo’s idea of efficiency is the movement offundsfromtheNRFtothe Consolidated Fund to allow spending in a manner where heisunabletogiveaccount. In fact, Hughes argued, “All he wants is that to be done very quickly so the friends, familiesandfavouritesofthe PPP can continue to benefit from this money as efficientlyastheywanttoget it, particularly coming up to anelectionyear.”
Hughesmadeitclearthat the “squandermania” by the regime must not be allowed tocontinue.
Leader of theAlliance For Change, Nigel Hughes
Miss World Guyana 2022 steps away from coronation over coronation unfulfilled prize
AndreaKing,thereigning Miss World Guyana 2022, announced on her Facebook page on Friday that she will not be participating in the upcoming 2024 coronation ceremony King's decision stems from an unresolved issue regarding the grand prize promised to her after winning the pageant: a 2017 ToyotaVitz.
King explained, “This decision follows an unresolved and prolonged
matter regarding the fulfillmentofoneofthegrand prizes promoted during the 2022pageantandincludedin theofficialcontract.Todate,I am still awaiting a meaningfulresponsefromthe Miss World Guyana organization regarding the fulfillment of their contractual obligation to deliver the 2022 grand prize a 2017 Toyota Vitz—thatIrightfullywonon thenightofmycrowning.”
She expressed frustration over the lack of urgency in addressing her claim, stating that the manner in which her follow-upshavebeenhandled has undermined her position astitleholder
King further emphasized that attending the coronation would not align with her values of integrity and
respect, adding, “I am not desirous of simply showing up for appearances as though itisbusinessasusual.”
In response, Missosology Guyana, the organization behind the pageant, issued a statement under King's post. The organization defended the customary practice in the pageantindustry,stating,“As is customary in the pageant industry, prize winnings are typically distributed after the conclusion of a queen's reign.” It continued, “This longstanding practice is the established norm across various competitions, includingMissWorld.Inline with tradition, most organizations, if not all, ensure that prizes, such as scholarships, cash awards, and other benefits, are awarded only once the reigning titleholder has completed her year of service.”
Missosology Guyana explained that this approach allows the pageant queen to focus on her responsibilities and charitable work throughoutherreign,adding, “Given that one has not yet completed her reign or fulfilledthedutyofcrowning hersuccessor,itisdifficultto seehowshewouldbeentitled totheprizewinnings.”
B ick, Issibaby are Rude Boy’s brand ambassadors N
Issibaby officially becoming a BrandAmbassador with Rude Boy Guyana.
Guyanese artiste, BNick signing his deal with Rude Boy Guyana.
Two upcoming artistes in Guyana, BNick and Issibaby are now part of the Rude Boy family
The artistes were earlier this month signed by Rude Boy Guyana as its brand ambassadorsinGuyana.
Rude Boy is an alcoholic beverage manufactured in the Dominican Republic but is availableacrosstheCaribbean and very popular among the Caribbeanpeople.
According to the company's official website, “Rude Boy represents a cultureofindividuality”.
“The term Rude Boy comes from the Jamaican vernacular which means "bad boy" or "bad man", the beverage company stated on its website while adding the term is deeply rooted in Jamaican and Caribbean culture.
“...TheRudeBoygenreof music,dance,filmandthearts haspositivelyimpactedsocial attitudes across the world bringingpeoplefromdifferent culturestogether”.
Apart from broadening its reach across the Caribbean, it
ing Caribbean artistes and Models.
BNick and Issibaby are amongthelatestadditiontoits family
BNickisarisingdancehall starnotonlyinGuyanabutthe Caribbean. His smooth voice along with deep and meaningful lyrics has gained him much popularity and his streams on YouTube are alreadyinthemillions.
One of his hits “Too Much” has amassed over 5.4 million views on YouTube alone.
Following his signing, he posted on his official Facebook Page, “BNick is nowaRudeBoymeensaying please and thanks nomo, bare rudeness”.
Meanwhile, Issibaby is a Venezuelan born artiste but has been living and representing Guyana in its localmusicindustry Inrecent times, she too has gained popularity with her “dembow” and trap styled songs, especiallyamongthegrowing Latina migrant community in Guyana.
Fletcher at a recent event showingcasing her art pieces.
ByAllyiahAllicock
While art is the expression of one's
creative skill, emotions and ideas on a physical medium, for Giovanie Fletcher, art is more than that, it serves as positivityandasafespaceforher
Inanexclusiveinterviewwith The Waterfalls, 34-year-old Fletcher said her art business 'Gio's Art' was launched in 2020 followingaverydifficultperiodin herlife.
She recalled, “My creative energies for art were reactivated four years ago which was a very difficult period in my life. On the verge of my breaking point, art, the act of drawing and painting becamemysafetynet.”
Fletcher shared that finding her way to art again, she was
elevated mentally and spiritually, and that each illustration she created caused a ripple effect on her life in a positive way
“From that, I knew this is what I wanted to do. I want toactivateandinvitepositive energies into everyone's life eachpurchaseofmyart.My workwhichisalsomyhobbywill foreverbeavesselofpositivityfor me, a shield, my safe space,” the youngwomanexplained.
Gio'sArtforthosewhoarenot familiar, is a business that creates paintings and other illustrations using mixed media mainly, acrylics on canvases and wooden surfaces. All paintings can be customized to your specified desire.
Havingbeenintheartindustry for some years now, Fletcher mentionedthatthesupportforher work has been good noting that it comesinaseasonalmanner
Elaborating, she said, “I have beendoingthisforfiveyearsandI found that it is seasonal, there are times that you will have lots of workandtherearetimeswhenyou won'thaveanything.”
According to her, the support has been mostly from foreigners though s appreciat this,shewould alsoliketosee the gesture coming from morelocals.
Gio'sArtshowcasingthe famousStabroekMarket.
“I think Guyanese are now catching up tothesenseof senseofcreativityandwhatitis to be creative and to acknowledge, support and understand creative people that it is hard work. I think Guyana is slowly catching up to that concept,”sheadded.
Addressingthechallenges,she would have faced time to time with her business, Fletcher disclosedthatamainonewouldbe sourcing the materials to create herpieces.Shesaidfromthetime she launched, to now, she has seen progress where some small businesses would now be selling thematerialsneededforart.
“We have gotten a far way from 2020 to now in terms of the artworld,personsarebeingableto ship in varnish and paints and so forthbutartmaterialsarestillhard tocomebyintermsofartistbrand
materials, not only will itbepricierbutbecauseitisbeing shippedhere,”sherelated.
Anotherchallengeshealluded to has to do with the seasonal supportforherart.Askedhowshe manages to overcome these
hurdles, the artist explained that aving a passive incomehelpsalotin thisarea.
“Eveninthesedry spell seasons where businessisn'tthatgood having something else fallbackon,asidegig lly helps,” she pointedout.
Fletcher, who is not only known as an acrylic painter,muralistandcrafter, is also a part-time art teacher at a privatesecondaryschool.
Notwithstanding the challenges, she said she will (Continuedonpage56)
Proud owner of Gio'sArt, Giovanie Fletcher
Giovanie
Acreative abstract showing Kio fishes done by Gio'sArt
Gio'sArt depicting a flamingo.
New nursery school commissioned in Monkey Mountain
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand on Friday commissioned the brand-new Monkey Mountain Nursery SchoolinRegionEight.
According to a release from the Education Ministry on Saturday,themodernfacilityaccommodates49childrenand provides a safe and stimulating environment for young learnersinthehinterlandcommunity
Itwasnotedthattheschoolmarksanothermilestoneinthe government’s commitment to equitable access to quality education. “The school is equipped with modern amenities, including bright and spacious classrooms, age-appropriate furniture,educationaltools,andplayareas.Thisenvironment is designed to foster creativity, curiosity, and a love for learningatanearlyage,”theministrysaid.
MinisterManickchandatthesimpleceremonyhighlighted the importance of early childhood education in shaping the future of Guyana. According to the ministry, parents and community members welcomed the establishment of the nursery school, noting that it relieves them of the burden of traveling long distances to access early education services. The nursery school also provides trained teachers who are equipped to deliver high-quality instruction tailored to the needs of young children. “In addition to the nursery school, teachers in Monkey Mountain are being trained online right within the village, enabling them to enhance their skills withoutleavingtheircommunity,”theministrynoted.
KaieteurNewsunderstandsthatinthevillage,asecondary school is being constructed and it represents a significant investmentinthecommunity’seducationalinfrastructureand ensuring that students have access to continued learning opportunitiesclosetohome.
Thieves break into WBD rice mill twice in weeks, escape with cash and court documents
- suspects released on station bail
Thieves have broken into the rice mill of 66-year-old Jeetlall Ramraj, at Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara (WBD),twicein14days,cartingoffwithlargesumsofcash and court documents. The most recent break-in occurred early Friday morning. Ramraj fears that the thieves could strike again after ranks at the La Grange Police Station, releasedtheprimesuspects(twoindividuals)on$50,000bail each. Ramraj believes that the theft of his money and destruction of his property to gain access to his safe is an inside job and might even involve persons (relatives) who wereformerlyclosetohim.
“Theybreakthelocksofthedoorsandthesafe,”hetold KaieteurNewsashenotedthatatthetimeofthefirstbreakin,thethievesthoughtthattheyhadthekeysforthesafebut theywereunawarehehadchangedthelocks.“So,theybroke it,” he disclosed. Asked why he believes that some of his relativesmaybeinvolved,Ramrajsaid“theytookdocuments too, court documents,” while explaining that there is an ongoingdisputeoverhisproperty
Thericefarmerallegedtoothataftertherecenttheft,he wasabletotracefoottracksfromthecrimescenetowardsthe suspects’ home. He claimed too that he even provided evidencetothepoliceattheLaGrangePoliceStationwhile filingareport.Noonewasarrestedforthefirstbreak-inbut police did arrest two persons following the second break-in butquicklyreleasedthemonstationbail.
Ramraj believes that he might not receive any justice, because the police seem to “believe the suspects more than him”.Heclaimedthattherehavebeenongoingissuesbetween himandthesuspects “Theyhavefiledapolicereportagainst me in the past because they have a rice field next to me,” RamrajtoldKaieteurNews.“OneofthemallegedthatIhad threatened him with a gun and another allegation is that I threatenedtorunthemoverwithmytractorwhiletheywere working in their field but all of the allegations are false,” RamrajtoldKaieteurNewswhileallegingthatthesituation stemmedfromtheongoingpropertydispute.
Inside the recently commissioned Monkey Mountain Nursery School in Region Eight.
TheMiracleoftheChristmasBell
In the cozy little town of Snowflake Hollow, Christmas was everyone's favourite time of the year The streets were lined with twinkling lights, wreaths hung on every door, and the sweet smell of gingerbread wafted through the air At the heart of the town stood the grand Christmas tree, crownedwithashimmeringgoldenbell.
This bell wasn't just any decoration. It was the Christmas Bell of Wishes, a magical treasurethatrangouteveryChristmasEveto grantawishtosomeonetrulydeserving.But thisyear,somethingstrangehadhappened.
“It's gone!” MayorTinsel exclaimed, his face pale “The Christmas Bell has vanished!”
The townsfolk gathered around the tree, gasping in shock. Who could have taken it? Without the bell, Snowflake Hollow's Christmasmagicwouldfade.
Among the crowd was a curious and brave 7-year-old named Mia. She loved mysteries and had a knack for solving them. With her trusty backpack filled with snacks and a flashlight, Mia decided she wouldn't letChristmasberuined.
“I'll find the bell,” she announced confidently
Her best friend, Max, tugged at her sleeve. “Are you sure, Mia? What if it's too dangerous?”
“Christmas is too important,” Mia replied.“Wehavetotry.”
The Clue in the Snow…
Mia and Max examined the area around thetreeforclues.Beneaththebranches,they spotted something shiny half-buried in the snow Itwasasmallgoldenfeather
“No ordinary owl,” Mia said, narrowing her eyes. “It's the Golden Owl of Everpine Forest!Grandmatoldmeaboutit—itguards
treasures.”
Everpine Forest was just outside Snowflake Hollow, and it was said to be enchanted Some townsfolk avoided it, fearing its strange whispers and glowing trees.ButMiawasn'tafraid.
With Max by her side, she marched toward the forest, her flashlight cutting throughthedarkness.
The Enchanted Forest…
The moment they stepped into Everpine Forest,theairchanged.Thetreesshimmered with frost that sparkled like diamonds Strange, melodic whispers floated around them,andthegroundglowedfaintlybeneath theirfeet.
“This is incredible,” Max whispered, his feargivingwaytoawe.
They followed a trail of golden feathers deeper into the forest until they reached a clearing.There,perchedonabranch,wasthe GoldenOwl.Itseyesglowedlikeamber,and arounditsneckhungthemissingbell.
“Wefoundit!”Miawhisperedexcitedly
But as they approached, the owl spread its wings and hooted loudly A gust of wind sweptthroughtheclearing,andadeepvoice
(Continued on page 57)
GINGERBREAD MAZE
you help the gingerbread man find the gingerbread house?
Paper Christmas Tree Garland Tutorial
November 15, 2016 -THE CRAFTYANGELS
· Cardstock in various shades of green
· twine/thread
· beads in colors of your choice
· glitter/3d outliner etc
· glue, pencil, ruler etc
How to make these paper Christmas tree garland:
First make the 3d paper Christmas trees and then bead them through your twine along withyourcolourfulbeadsforagarland.
For making the tree, you need a template base which you will need to cut out the tree shapes on cardstock. The template is pretty easy and you can draw them with your freehand.
Fold your green sheets and draw half the
template since they are symmetric on both sides.Youwillrequire6suchcutoutpiecesfor onetreesoyoumightwanttodrawtheoutline over the entire sheet and then sit down to cut themout.
Once you have cut out the template, stick them side to side. As I said I have used 6 numbers per tree but that's totally your choice tohavemoreorlesserpapers.
Onceyouhavestuck6sidebysideandyou have to close the loop, place your twine passing along the center of the tree bottom to top and leave a tail at the top to join with main twine. Now you can stick the final two flaps andclosethetree.
You can add some more tiny details to the tree like I did here. Maybe border or dots or anythingofyourchoicetokeepahighinterest level.Alternately, if you have green cardstock in Christmas theme, it will work great too!
Once you have completed all the details, time toaddlittlebeads.
Here is how I added the little red beads on topoftheChristmastree.
Make sure your top bead's hole stays horizontal so that while adding them to the garland, the tree hangs straight For the garland I chose beads in shades of blue, green and red. I added them in some pattern along with our Christmas tree and look how pretty theyare.
Treat everyone like a brother
By Uncle Roy
Among my friends in and out of school, There are those who look different, Because of the colour of their skin, Otherwise I see no difference
Sometimes when we are together, Two of them start to bicker, And they call one another names, Which have to do with this colour
This seems to me so silly, When I know they are otherwise good, And in all other things we do, They deal with one another as they should. I
Do your part to advance our country in peace and progress
With the problems that our people encountered in relation to our national elections finally coming to an end with the swearing in of a new President and government, each citizen of our country must recognise their duty to contribute to the progress of all our citizens in a just and peacefulmanner
This must include all of our young people, as they wouldhavethemosttogain orloseaccordingtohowour
country keeps on this onwardcourseofpeaceand progress,astheywouldhave tolivelongaftermanyofthe present adult population have retired or passed from thescene. It must therefore be necessary for our young peopletostopandthinkhow they can best make this contribution. To do so, it wouldhelptostudythepast andpresentsituationsinour national affairs, much of which has disturbed the
As mentioned before, you can email me at: roypaul2002@yahoo.com
SUGURU
peacefulcoexistenceamong ourpeople.
Among the main factors that has worked to prevent unity among our citizens is the racism chiefly among the two main racial groups thathasdonesomuchharm to our living together peacefully, and also to our economic progress. This meansthateachofusneeds to make a determined effort tostampoutthiscurseinour interactions at every level, by first of all setting an example of proper behaviourtowardsothersof another race, as well as helping others, especially those close to us, to do the same when we experience
people acting in a biased manner when dealing with others of another racial group. Apart from this, we need to try to contribute in all other aspects of our national affairs by making an extra effort to make the best of ourselves through our studies, in our work within our families, and in whatever we can do in our communities.
Moreover, as in every effortthatwecanengagein, itwouldhelpifwecanpray regularly about our national situation, including asking forthehelpofourAlmighty Creator towards those who are responsible for running ourpoliticalaffairs.
Youths of Guyana, let's heed our country's call, Youths of Guyana, let's heed it one and all; Let's help to build our nation, let's join to till the soil, Guyana's needs our efforts, Guyana needs our toil.
Youths of Guyana, let's work in unity, To feed, house and clothe ourselves to banish poverty; We should not ever tire, we should not ever tarry To strive to make Guyana a land that's just and free.
Let's go forth determined, let's advance fearlessly, To make Guyana mighty, a land of true dignity; The future is ours, if we strive for peace and unity, So let's build together, and we will all taste victory
Every citizen has a sacred obligation to help in whatever way he can to build his country.
The heavy lines indicate areas, called cages, from one to five squares in size. Fill each cage with unique digits, counting up from 1. So for examplea 2-square cagecontainsthenumbers1and2;anda5-squarecagecontainsthenumbersfrom 1 to 5.Adjacent (touching) squares, even ones that touch diagonally, may never containthesamenumber
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Living with HIV: Lisa’s journey of resilience and hope
BY SHANIA WILLIAMS
In a world where each day brings its own set of challenges, few face a more daunting path than those living with HIV. For many, the stigma and discrimination they encounter can be overwhelming. Yet, Lisa’s ( not real name ) story—over a decade-long journey of perseverance—proves that even in the face of relentless adversity, hope, strength, and love can prevail.
The Diagnosis: A lifechanging moment
Lisa was just 17 years old in 2008 when she received the news that would change her life forever. Pregnant at the time, Lisa was advised during a routine check-up to undergo an HIV test. The fear of the unknown hung over her as she awaited the results.
When the nurse delivered the news that “Your test is positive”—Lisa was struck with a wave of disbelief.
HIV,” Lisa asserted.
The ridicule and discrimination haven’t disappeared, but Lisa has learned to cope. She has joined a support group where she shares her story with others living with HIV. There, she has found not only understanding but also a sense of belonging. “We are a family. We help each other, encourage each other, and remind each other that we are not alone,” she says, her voice filled with gratitude.
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“I remember crying for hours,” she recalls. “I was scared of how my family, especially my mom, would react. I did not know what to do.” The realization that HIV was transmitted through sexual contact was not lost on Lisa, who understood the implications of her diagnosis. She said that she had contracted the disease from her
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child’s father. The emotional toll was immediate. Discrimination from family, friends, and even strangers took its toll on her mental health. The shame, the accusations, and the hurtful words all served to deepen the pain of her new reality. A struggle against stigma and fear For Lisa, the hardest part was not just the diagnosis but the isolation that followed. “People treated me differently. It was like they saw me as a disease, not as a person,” she says. The criticism from her family, the whispers behind her back, and the cold shoulders from those she loved made her feel more like a victim than a survivor. “ when I told my mother that I was HIV positive, she give me my own bowl and cup and tell me don’t share it with others and leave me like that,” Lisa confessed.
But through the darkness, one light remained— her grandmother. With unwavering support, her grandmother helped care for Lisa’s child and encouraged her to continue with her treatment, no matter how difficult. “She was my rock,” Lisa says. “When I was at my lowest, my grandmother was there, making sure I stayed on track. Every time I take the pills and went to sleep my grandmother would take care of my child.”
Lisa’s treatment journey began at the South Road Clinic, where she was introduced to Antiretroviral
Therapy (ART), which would become a lifeline. ART works by suppressing the HIV virus, allowing the immune system to heal and protect the body from further damage. But the road to stability was not easy.
“The side effects were tough—drowsiness, lightheadedness, and numbness. But I kept going because I had to. Not just for me, but for my four kids,” Lisa explains.
A mother’s Love
One of Lisa’s biggest fears was passing HIV to her unborn child. But with the right treatment and care, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy, free from the virus. “I felt relieved she says. “I didn’t want my children to go through what I was going through. I wanted them to live their lives without the disease,” she said. Despite the ongoing challenges, Lisa found strength in her children. With each passing year, her resolve grew stronger. “They are my motivation. Every day I wake up, I remind myself that I’m fighting for them,” the emotional mothers said. Overcoming the Odds
It hasn’t been an easy ride for Lisa, but 16 years later, she’s still here—stronger and more determined than ever. She has made a conscious decision to live her life with purpose, taking control of her health and her future. “The key is to stay healthy, eat right, and exercise. You can still live a full, normal life with
Lisa’s father, who lives abroad, sends money regularly to support her and checks in on her health. His support, along with that of her grandmother and current partner, has been crucial in her healing process. “My partner is my biggest support now,” she says.
“He’s been there for me in ways I never imagined. He loves me for who I am, not for my diagnosis.”
Today, Lisa’s life is filled with hope. She dreams of becoming a successful business owner and providing for her four children. “My children are everything to me,” she says. “I want them to have a better future. I want them to know that no matter what life throws at you, you can overcome it.”
Lisa’s message to those living with HIV is clear: “Don’t let the stigma control you. Live your life. Stay strong. And always remember that you are not alone.”
Her story is one of resilience, love, and unwavering strength. Through her journey, Lisa has not only survived but thrived—becoming an inspiration to others facing similar battles. In her own words: “It’s a long road, but with the right support and a strong will, you can make it through. Keep fighting, because your life is worth it.”
In a world that often feels unforgiving, Lisa is a shining example of the power of hope, resilience, and love in the face of HIV.
Gio’s Art spreading positivity through creative...
From page 52 continue doing what she loves and spread positivity. With that being said, the young entrepreneur noted that part of her long-term goals, is that she trying to move into mural paintings. “So I have been trying actually for like two years to get into the mural world because honestly my goal is to see my artwork on buildings like on a larger scale,” she informed. She shared that even though it’s technical and difficult; she is up for the challenge in showcasing her creative skills in this way.
Noting that colours bring different vibrations to one’s
life, Fletcher mentioned also, “My long-term goal is just to see my art bring positivity into people’s life.”
It is with this she said that young entrepreneurs have a crucial role in society and that through their skills and ideas they are raising the bar and showing diversity in life and in careers.
When questioned what she thinks that can be done locally to give small businesses that recognition, our featured entrepreneur made a call for more local support.
She noted that speaking from an artist’s perspective, she thinks larger organizations can utilize the services
of young artists for any artistic work they may need, whether it be to paint murals for their buildings or other events. “Give them the exposure and commission, support your locals in any field of work, support them in their early stages of their creative life,” she expressed. In addition to that, she said she would like to see more and more pop-up shops and expo being held across the various regions. Interested in one of the many creative pieces by Gio’s Art, feel free to contact her on (+592) 693-2442, 655-7348 or on Instagram @ gios_art_creation
minority protections are included in the by-laws, but thelegalissueofcontrolhas beenresolved.
Bolivia
Turning to Bolivia, we againhearalotoftalkabout resource nationalism, but little about the facts of the old agreements. Prior to 2005, contractors were taking 82 percent of production from Bolivia’s giantgasfields,payingonly an18percentroyalty
This was after all investmentthathadlongago been recovered The contracts had never been approved by Congress, as appeared to have been requiredbytheConstitution. By 2005, the situation had becomeuntenable.
A new Hydrocarbons Law was enacted in May of that year, imposing a 32 percent tax on the gross value of hydrocarbons (Impuesto Directo a los Hidrocarburos) in addition to the 18 percent royalty, therebyreducingtheprivate party’s share to 50 percent.
TheHydrocarbonsLawalso providedasix-monthperiod for migration of all existing contracts to one of the new legally-sanctioned forms of contract That six-month period expired with no progress on the migration.
On May 1, 2006, the new administration again nationalised the industry, granting another six-month period for the conversion of theoldcontracts. Whilethenewoperating contracts were being n
company was given a provisional32percentshare, reversing the old 18/82 split to 82/18. Six months later, all of the contractors executed the operating contrac
a
e structured as service contracts with the service provide
ceiving remuneration in cash, not oil.
Kazakhstan
The third case study is therenegotiationofthePSA covering the world’s largest discovery in three decades: Kashagan in Kazakhstan
There the heart of the problem was the concept of costrecovery,underwhicha large percentage of production, known as ‘Cost Oil,’is allocated off the top to the contractors to recover their costs. In the case of Kashagan, that percentage was80percent.
After allocation of that 80 percent to the contractor, the remaining production, known as ‘Profit Oil,’ was allocatedinitially90percent to the contractor and 10 percent to the State, a ratio that was eventually supposed to change in favour of the State based on asetofcomplicatedtriggers setforthintheagreement.
Untilthen,thecontractor wouldcontinuetoreceive80 percent of the Cost Oil and 90 percent of the Profit Oil, or 98 percent of total production.
Despite what many feel is a textbook alignment of interests in a contract includingsuchcostrecovery provisions, experience shows that this structure is often a recipe for disaster,
TheMiracleoftheChristmasBell...
Frompage54 echoed.
“To claim the bell, you must pass the tests of Christmas spirit,” the owl declared.
Mia stepped forward bravely “What are the tests?”
The owl tilted its head “There are three: kindness, courage, and teamwork. If you fail, the bellstayswithme.”
M i a a n d M a x exchanged a determined look “We're ready,” they said together The Tests of Christmas Spirit…
For the first test, the owl led them to a frozen pond where a small squirrelshiveredattheedge.
“This is the test of kindness,” the owl said “Help this creature find warmth ” Mia quickly rummaged through her backpack She found her wool scarf and wrapped it gently around the squirrel. Then, Max built a little shelter out of twigs and leaves to shield it from the wind. The squirrel chirped happilyandscurriedoff.
“Well done,” the owl said “You have passed the test of kindness ” For the second test, the owl brought them to a dark cave.Inside,theyheardeerie
sounds and saw shadows flickeringonthewalls.
“This is the test of courage,” the owl said “Retrievetheglowingstarat theendofthecave.”
Max hesitated, but Mia held his hand. “We'll do it together,”shesaid. With their flashlight beam guiding the way, they carefully made their way throughthecave.
Bats fluttered above them, and strange noises echoed, but Mia and Max didn't give up.At the end of the cave, they found a beautifulglowingstarcarved fromcrystal.Theybroughtit back to the owl, their hearts poundingwithrelief.
“You have passed the test of courage,” the owl said,noddinginapproval For the final test, the owl led them to a tall, slippery hill At the top was the bell, shining brightly.
“This is the test of teamwork, ” the owl e x p l a i n e d . “ Wo r k togethertoretrieveit.”
Mia and Max knew they had to rely on each other Max gave Mia a boost so she could climb higher, andMiapulledMax
up when he slipped Together, they reached the topandgrabbedthebell.
“You have proven
and that is exactly what happened in Kashagan
Overall costs of the project increased by more than 100 billion dollars, and production, originally scheduledtostartin2005or 2006, now is scheduled for 2012.
The net result was that in the world’s largest discovery in recent times, which is expected eventually to produce 1 5 million barrels per day, the state would have received a grand total of only 2 percent of the oil produced for at least the first decade
of production, not including the relatively small participation of a subsidiary of the national
oil company in the contractor consortium That was obviously an unacceptable situation, which most people with knowledge of the facts fullyrecognised
In the renegotiation, the national oil company’s subsidiary doubled its stake
intheproject,anew‘priority share’ was allotted to the Governmentoffthetop,and new cost and schedule control mechanisms were introduced to help guard againstfuturecostincreases anddelays.
What lessons can be drawn from these experiences?
First, bad deals spell trouble
The worse the deal, or the more imbalanced the deal, the more likely it is to berenegotiated.
Thatgoesforbothsides. One might say that the best form of stabilisation is an equitable deal Second, don’tbelieveeverythingyou readinthepapers.
M o s t o f t h e renegotiations or industry transformations have ended in success, which says something about the reasonableness of the processes.
The objective has not been to exclude private participation from the
petroleum industry or to make it economically nonviable,butrathertoputiton a sound legal and economic footing.
T h i r d , m o s t renegotiations take place without adversarial proceedings, another indication that reason tends to prevail on both sides. There is a school of thought that favours adversarial proceedings, mainly arbitration, as a negotiating tactic, but the wisdom of using that tactic would not appear to be borne out by experience. Finally, terms such as ‘resource nationalism’ are an over simplification of what has been happening on the groundandarenosubstitute forinformedanalysisofboth thefactsandthelegalissues underlying the major renegotiationsofthelastfive years.
(Note: The case studieshavebeenreported verbatim from the Oxford Energyreport)
yourselves worthy,” the owl said as they climbed back down “The bell belongstoyou.”
The Christmas Bell Rings…
With the bell safely in hand, Mia and Max h u r r i e d b a c k t o Snowflake Hollow. The townsfolk cheered as Mia placedthebellbackatopthe tree.
As the clock struck midnight, the bell rang out, filling the air with a beautiful, magical sound Snowflake Hollow sparkled brighter than ever, and a feeling of warmth and joy spread through everyone's h e a r t s T h e m a y o r approached Mia and Max with a smile “You saved Christmas,”hesaid
Mia beamed “It wasn't just me it was teamwork ”
That night, as Mia and Max sat by the fire with mugs of hot cocoa, they felt a special kind of happiness.Theyhadproven that the true spirit of Christmas wasn't just about gifts or decorations—it was aboutkindness,courage,and workingtogether
And as they drifted off to sleep, the bell in the distance rang once more, asiftosay, Well done
TheEnd!
Qatar holds hope for ceasefire Qatar holds hope for ceasefire
C A I R O , D e c 7
(Reuters) - Israeli strikes in Gaza killed at least 34 Palestinians on Saturday, health officials in the enclavesaid,asQatarvoiced hope of fresh momentum in efforts to reach a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
The health officials said that an Israeli strike hit a house in Gaza City late on Saturday, killing four women. The Israeli military
did not provide an immediate comment on Saturday’s strikes across Gaza.
The death toll was revised upwards from 30 reportedearlierinthedayby the Palestinian health ministry, which also said dozenswerewounded.
The ministry does not differentiate between civiliansandmilitantsinthe daily death tallies, and Reuters could not independently verify the figures.
Israel accuses the
Islamist group of using civilian population and property as shields. Hamas deniesthis.
Qatar’s Prime Minister andForeignMinisterSheikh M o h a m m e d b i n AbdulrahmanAl Thani said Qatarwasengagingwiththe i n c o m i n g T r u m p administrationonGazaafter sensingfreshmomentumfor ceasefiretalksfollowingthe U.S.election.
Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy has travelled to QatarandIsraeltokick-start the U S President-elect’s diplomatic push for a ceasefireandhostagerelease deal before his inauguration on Jan. 20, a source briefed on the talks told Reuters on Thursday
Hamas said on Saturday a ceasefire agreement could onlybereachedifitsecured an end to the war in Gaza, reaffirming its outstanding position. Israel says the war can only end once Hamas is eradicated.
“Stopping the war and
Palestinians inspect damage at the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, at the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, December 7, 2024. REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
aggression is the condition for any agreement,” said a Hamas statement, quoting a top official of the group, MohammadDarwish.
Hamashasnotappointed
a new leader after Israel killed the group’s chief, YahyaAl-Sinwar,inGazaon Oct 17, but the statement described Darwish as the headoftheleadingcouncil.
TALKSINQATAR
Darwish met with
Turkey’sforeignministeron Friday and Iran’s foreign minister on Saturday to discuss the developments in Gaza and the region, the statementsaid.
Bothmeetingswereheld in Doha, Qatar, which announced earlier on Saturday that officials were tryingtorevivetheceasefire talks.
“He(Darwish)explained that Hamas was open to offers by the mediators as long as they served the interest of our people and ending their suffering,” the statementsaid.
ThewarinGazahasbeen raging for over 14 months, with much of the enclave laid to waste and more than 44,000 Palestinians killed, according to Gaza health authorities, as Israeli forces continue their drive to wipe out Hamas and rescue hostages taken by the militantgroup.
The deadliest IsraeliPalestinian violence in decades began when Hamas stormedintoIsraelonOct.7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostagesbacktoGaza.
In the occupied West Bank on Saturday, a Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli forces at a checkpoint,accordingtothe Palestinian Red Crescent Society Police said a security guard had shot him afterhethrewfirecrackersat the forces there and that a knife was found on his person.
The Israeli military said that on Friday it killed severalHamasmilitantswho were identified as operating from a structure in Nuseirat camp in central Gaza, according to a statement issuedonSaturday
Palestinian health officials said at least 20 people, including six children and five women, werekilledinthatattack.
C o m m u n i t y (CARICOM) on Friday hailed its 52-year anniversary of diplomatic relations with Cuba while reiterating call for the “total lifting of anachronistic embargoonthecountry”.
In a statement, Prime Minister of Grenada and Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOMDickonMitchell recalled the “symbolic and bold act of Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago on 8th
December 1972, of establishing diplomatic ties withCubadespiteprevailing global political tensions, thereby ushering an exemplarypartnership”.
“Since that historic day,
the CARICOM-Cuba relationship has deepened and matured, serving as an exemplar of South-South
of diplomatic relations observed
cooperation and a point of great honour for both CARICOMandCuba.”
Prime Minister Mitchell said that the Member States of the Community values highly cooperation with the Spanish-speaking country which he said has been of immense assistance, bilaterally and regionally, “particularly with regard to humancapacitybuildingand the provision of health care, critical inputs to improving thewelfareofourpeople”.
H e s a i d , “ I a m particularly proud that this friendship, solidarity, and cooperation, has withstood the test of time. Cuba has provided very substantial levels of assistance, despite the deleterious effects of the economic, trade and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against our sister Caribbean country
Further, the CARICOM Chair said the Community stands in solidarity with Cuba which has been adversely affected by recent hurricanes and an earthquake.
“These natural disasters have caused significant damage to Cuba’s infrastructure and tested the resilience of its Government and People,” he said while extending best wishes to the government and people of Cuba.
Aswecommemoratethis important Anniversary, I extend, on behalf of the Community, very best wishes to the Government andPeopleofCuba,andlook forward to deepened friendship, cooperation and solidarity that characterise ouruniquepartnership.
Immigration officer transferred after allegedly letting Brutus’ wife leave country
DeputySuperintendentofPolice,Phiona Harris, the officer-in-charge of operations at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) has been reportedly transferred from herpost.
KaieteurNewshasbeenreliablyinformed that Harris was transferred because of her alleged involvement in the departure of Adonika Aulder, the pregnant wife of embattled Assistant Police Commissioner, CalvinBrutusfromtheairportonThursday BrutusandAulderwerebothchargedwith numerousmoneylaunderingoffencesandare currentlyonbail.
TheGuyanaPoliceForce(GPF)isyetto release an official statement on the transfer, however, the Force’s Corporate Communications Unit (CCU) in response to questionsfromthemediasaid,“Ireachedout toDCAdminjustnowandwasinformedthat therankinquestionwasnotgivenaletterof posting.”
Kaieteur News understands that Deputy SuperintendentHarriswasnotondutyatthe timeofAulder’sdeparture.
Aulder is accused of acquiring $352,082,315 from her business’s bank accountatRepublicBankinDecember2023, knowing or having reasonable grounds to
believe that the funds were derived from criminalactivity
On October 18, 2024, the High Court deniedAulderandherhusbandpermissionto traveltotheUnitedStatesofAmerica(U.S.) for her medical treatment. However, on Thursday, Acting Chief Magistrate, Faith McGustygrantedpermissionforthepregnant woman to leave the country for emergency medicaltreatment.
Aulder appeared before Magistrate McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court in the presence of her lawyer Eusi Anderson. The pregnant woman is expected to return to Guyana for her next court appearanceonDecember18,2024.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Phiona Harris
Windies coach Sammy eyes clean, all-round performances in ODI series against Bangladesh
SportsMax - West Indies Head coach Darren Sammy exudes optimism and focus as his troops take aim at a possible sweep of theirthree-matchODIseries against Bangladesh at Warner Park in St Kitts and Nevis.
The series, which bowls off today, offers the Caribbeanside—comingoff a 2-1 series win over England—a chance to once again assert dominance on
home soil while continuing tobuildacohesiveunit.
Withalargelyconsistent squad bolstered by a few new faces, Sammy emphasized the importance of disciplined, all-round performances to secure victoryagainstaBangladesh teamheisnottakinglightly
“Foranyhomeseries,the outlookisalwaystowin.
We understand the opposition we’re up against—a team we cannot
takeforgranted.Butforme, the focus is always on what we can do to be successful. SoI’mjustlookingforusto gooutthereandputinsome really good performances that result in victories,” Sammy said in a pre-series interview
Sammy’s confidence stemsfromwhathebelieves is the balance in his squad, which features both in-form players and fresh talents readytomaketheirmark.
Infact,thenucleusofthe team remains intact from previouscampaigns,withan emphasisonmaintainingthe winning mentality they’ve exhibited at home in recent times.
“What I’ve always stressedtotheguysisthatthe wayyouprepare,thewayyou gooutandplay whatyouput iniswhatyougetout Sowe shall respect the opposition However, we are not here to compete; we are here to win cricket games, especially on our home soil. So that’s the mentality we’ve shown at home over the last year, and we’re looking to continue that,”headded.
Sunday December 08, 2024
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Today you will have all the energy you need to deal with long-term family problems. Indeed, you'll probably clash with some of your relatives. But this situation won't cause anyseriousissues.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
You enjoy caring for others andyouinterveneregularlyin their lives to guide them. Ironically, today you're the one who needs advice. You'll probably need to get away from it all in order to get a clearviewofyourownlife.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
We all have to make compromises in order to live in contemporary society.You may have strong beliefs, but it's difficult to combine your idealsandasociallife.
CANCER(June21–July22)
You'vealwaysfelttheneedto free yourself from society You need to feel independent at any cost. You may need to face certain relationship problemsatthistime.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
You may feel annoyed about the attitude of some of your groupoffriends.Unlikethese people, you're very openmindedandyoucandealwith situations as they arise Indeed, you have a natural ability to adapt to every situation.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Today, Virgo, you'll be submerged under a lot of emotions. In a way, you'll be revisiting your childhood
You really know how to seduce,Libra.Thereisaspark inside of you that spreads naturally to those around you. You have a big reservoir of sensitivity and emotion that couldgrowtoday
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
You're a very active person, Scorpio, but today you'll probably be disappointed. If you ask those around you to help with your activities, they most likely won't understand yourneeds.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
Nothing much is happening today, yet you seem worried and tense. You'll have to use this day to your advantage. Think about your life. You'll also think about the needs of yourrelativesintheyears.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
You often need to thrive on personal emotions.Today will benoexceptiontotherule.For instance, you could try to captivate the attention of peopleyouadmire.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You shouldn't try to fight the feelings that run through you today Don't even try to rationalize them These feelingsareprobablyrelatedto emotions dating back to your childhood You shouldn't avoidoranalyzethem.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
You'll be lost in your thoughts today, analyzing your life and relationships.You'll be asking yourself if your existence is meeting your standards. You will ponder what to expect from the future and from the peoplearoundyou.
Guards, Lil Rams, Mahdia and CJIA...
Frompage67 for each of the two semifinalists. Individual accolades of $60,000 each will be awarded for the Man of the Final,MostRuns,andMost Wickets, with trophies generously sponsored by TrophyStall.
Christopher Barnwell 4-7, DanielRoss1-5)MATCH2
Though ranked as underdogs by some, Sammy believes Bangladesh’s positionisonetheWestIndies know well themselves—a team playing with nothing to lose Healsoalludedtothefact that the visitors, led by head coachPhilSimmons,aformer West Indies coach familiar with Caribbean conditions, poseatacticalandcompetitive challenge
“Phil is experienced and hasaknackforgettingteams tobeverycompetitiveagainst us, and we respect that, but again,it’sallaboutexecution If we focus on ourselves and perform well, we will give ourselves a chance to win theseries,”Sammynoted Injuries to customary fast bowlers Matthew Forde and Shamar Joseph have opened opportunities for Jamaican seamerMarquinoMindleyand his Barbadian counterpart JediahBlades,twoplayerswho impressed in the CG United Super50tournament
Mindley, a consistent performeracrossallphasesof the game, took most wickets in the recently concluded tournament and is seen as a valuable addition to the bowlingattack
Meanwhile, Blades, a promising left-arm seamer, brings a variety that Sammy pointed out that he has long sought for the team, as he continues to build for the futurewithhopestomaintain acompetitiveedge
“Mindley has shown c o n s i s t e n c y a n d adaptability, qualities we value Blades is an (West Indies) Academy product, and it’s great to see his growth You’ve heard me crying out for a left-arm seam bowler in our line-up, and he brings that variety,” Sammysaid “Sohopefully he’llcomeanddowell.
There will also be a prize of $100,000 for the tournamen
ValuablePlayer
s Most
Through this initiative, the ERC aims to build lasting connections among participants, promote mutual r
strengthen community ties across Guyana. Summary ofmatchesonSaturday: M A T C H 1
SUMMARY: The Guards 175-5 from 10 overs (Sheldon Alexander 81*, Richie Lookanuth 32*, Daniel Ross 25; Vikash Wilkinson 2-25; Andy Ramnarine 1-25) v Strike Panthers 80-7 from 9 3 overs (Alvin Singh 21*, Vikash Wilkinson 20;
SUMMARY: Lil Rams 137-7 from 10 overs (Johnathan Van Lange 50, Shamar Apple 24, Riyad Latif14;TariqFarouk3-15, Shiloh Adams 2-17) v Kings 84-9 from 10 overs (Sachin Singh 15, Chatram Nauth 15, Ryan Latif 14*, Ganesh Surijpaul 3-15, ThaddeusLovell2-12)
M A T C H 3
S U M M A RY: C J I A Warriors 64-8 from 10 overs (Noel Evelyn 26, Shakiel Wong 18; Neiland Cadogan 3-9, Floy Joseph 2-7) v Mahdia 67-2 from 5.5 overs (Ricardo Adams 39,CarlosLaRose16;Sunil Sarjoo1-15)
M A T C H 4
S U M M A R Y: T h e Organisation 62-9 from 10 overs (Ravindra Beharry 19; Keston Harcourt 4-12, Daniel Ross 2-14) v The Guards65-7from7.3overs (Daniel Ross 34; Carl Gilgeous2-7,SanjayAlgoo 1-9)
Gokarn Ramdhani Memorial
Badminton Tournament underway
Th e G o k a r n R a m d h a n i
M e m o r i a l
Badminton Tournament commenced Friday at the National Gymnasium,
f e a t u r i n g i n t e n s e competition across multiple categories,includingUnder13 to Under-19 Doubles, Mixed Doubles, and Open Men’s and Women’s Singles.
In the Women’s Singles, there were notable upsets, with seasoned players falling to rising junior stars. The eveningwas markedby thrilling matches, particularly in the Open Singles, which had the largest draw and saw many gamescompleted.
The tournament continued yesterday, with Junior Doubles and more OpenSinglesmatches.
Thefinalsaresettotake place today from 5:00 PM. The Guyana Badminton Association extends its
g r a t i t u d e t o t h e
s p o n s o r s M a s s y
Distribution (Blue Water Brand), SOL, the National
Sports Commission, and Banks DIH for their generoussupport. In results from the opening action: Women’s Singles R16 – Asiyah Eastmanvs. Ashley Forde 21-4, 21-1 Men’s Singles R32 – Colin
Bowry vs Jonathan Robinson vs. 21-18, 21-16 Men’sSinglesR64–Omkar Persaud vs. Nikolas Pollard 21-18,21-14 Men’sSingles R64 – Shane Birkett vs. Keon Gonsalves 22-20, 1421,21-14 Men’sSinglesR4 – Jason Stephney vs Antoine Ramand 21-12, 218 Men’s Singles R4 –Grandison Robinson vs Ethan Bulkan 21-13, 21-8
Women’s Singles R16 –Priyanna Ramdhani vs Abrianna Tinnie 21-7, 21-4
Men’s Singles R32 – Akili Haynes vs. Anand Persaud 21-4, 21-1 Men’s Singles R32 – Wenyuan Chen vs. Troxley Cutting 21-14, 2116 Men’s Singles R64 –Kunal Alert vs Andrew
Browne 21-7, 21-6
Women’s Singles R16 –Shivannie Persaud vs
Harshini Muralidharan 2114, 21-16 Men’s Singles
R32 – Gabriel Felix vs. Vishal Gopaul 25-23, 21-6
Women’s Singles R16 –Ambika Ramraj vs. Malia Haley 21-11, 21-7 Men’s Singles R32 – Frank Waddellvs.MicaiahMclean 21-6, 21-5 Men’s Singles
R32 – Nkosi Beaton vs. PercivalChester21-9,21-1
Men’s Singles R32Yonneil Benjamin vs MohamedFarouk21-11,217 Women’s Singles R16 –Menikshi Jaikissoon vs Leshaunte Berkley 21-14, 21-7Women’sSinglesR16–
FInitsinauguralyear,the One Guyana National Futsal Championship, p o w e r e d b y t h e Government of Guyana has already begun to attract the might of Guyana’s corporatecommunity.
Amongst the many entities that have already come on board, and some more expected to do so, the Guyana Energy Conference andSupplyChainhavecome on board to support the players hugely Sharing remarks at the opening ceremony and march past of this historic championship with male and female teams competing, the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain CEO, Ms. Kiana Wilburg, announced that they will be sponsoring four motorcycles for four lucky players in the first instance
Therespectivemaleand female Most Valuable Players will each receive a
brand new motorcycle as willtheHighestGoalScorer andtheBestGoalkeeperfor the male segment of the championship,whichhas64 teams contesting using the knock-out format. Six female teams will match skills for championship glory To resounding applause, Ms. Wilburg also announced that the Guyana Energy Conference and SupplyChainwillnextyear be sponsoring another Futsal Championship as theymaketheirdebut. The teams were all told that to qualify, they have to finishinthetopsixteenand that will be enough to earn them a spot. The teams were all happy to hear such an announcement and certainly will be digging deeptoqualify Ms.Wilburg also informed that the prize monies will be similar to that of this inaugural One G
Championship.
ootball players in East Berbice, especiallythosein the New Amsterdam/Canje andEastBankBerbiceareas will have a chance to show offtheirfootballskills.
The B
y Promotion Group will stage
Christmas 4-a-side football competition at the Tucber Park Ball field in New
Mishka Beharry vs
GabrielleFelix21-11,21-15
Men’s Singles R32 –H
Christopher Jordan vs. 2022, 21-16, 21-19 Men’s Singles R32 – Omkar Persaudvs. Avinash Ramnarine 2113,21-11
– Akili Haynes vs Colin Bowry 21-15, 21-11 Men’s Singles R16 – Nkosi Beaton vs Yonneil Benjamin 21-6, 21-6 Under 15 Boy’s Doubles Semi-Finals –Mohamed Farouk/Joel Rambiriche vs Nathan Mohanlall/Anand Persaud 21-10, 21-13 Women’s Singles Quarter finals –Menikshi Jaikissoon vs Ambika Ramraj 21-23, 2116, 21-11 Men’s Singles R16 – Frank Waddell vs. Jason Stephney 21-14, 21-8 Men’s Singles R16 – Ruel Rambiriche vs Alok Matadial21-8,21-11
Men’s Singles R16 –Omkar Persaud vs. Gabriel Felix21-14,21-18Under17 Boys Doubles Quarter Finals – Ethan Bulkan/Egan Bulkan vs Shane Birkett/Percival Chester 2110, 21-8 Under 19 Mixed Doubles Quarter Finals –Abrianna Tinnie/Anand Persaudvs Haresh Persaud/Malia Haley 21-12, 21-6 Men’s SinglesR16-WenyuanChen vs. Joanathan Debidin 2118, 21-15 Women’s Singles Quarter Finals – Asiyah Eastman vs Shivannie Persaud21-17,21-8
Anand and Sancho will stage a one-day Gymkhana andHorseracemeettodayat Supply, Mahaica Side Dam startingfrom1:00pm.
Seven races have been listedontheraceprogramme witheventsfor3yearsand2
Amsterdam.
The competition will be played on a Knockout basis willberunforfourdays.
Theplayingdayswillbe the21st,22nd23rdand25th December with action each night set to begin at 19:00 hrs.
A number of attractive prizes including cash, trophies, medals and other memorabilia will be up for
grabs
The winning team will walk away with an encouraging $200,000 amongitstakings
The team placing second will be presented with $100,000, while third place will collect $75,000
Other eye-catching rewards includes Flat
Screen Televisions, Microwaves and Electric
Gadgets among other goodies
Interested persons can make contact with Fordy’s Sub Letta at Winkle Road and Tucber Park or members of the Stand Pipe Crew at Four Corners
Tucber Park, New Amsterdam or telephone numbers 694-6832, 6900325, 670-9570 (Samuel Whyte)
years old non-winning horses, the J Class, K Class, L1Open,L2,L3Classesand anOpenevent. Some of the leading J Classhorseswillbeinaction and among them are PrincessSamyah,RockStar,
From page 66 minds.AsIpreparetostepaway,Icarry withmethememoriesofacareerthathasbeenasrewarding asithasbeenchallenging.
GTBossandKissPhonex. The orgnaisers have indicated that a wellstocked bar along with food booth will be provided plus activities and entertainment for the children including bouncy castle.Among the sponsors assisting the programme are Metro Office Max, Conway Taxi Service, Mrs Chan Kennard, Fidelity Inc, DSL Sports Bar and Z e b o a n d S o n s Construction.
I will leave knowing that I gave everything to this profession,evenwhenitgavelittleinreturn.Andwhilethe fight in me remains, it’s time to channel that energy elsewhere.
I am not saying goodbye to storytelling, only to the confinesofasystemthatnolongervaluesit.
Players and officials take a photo at the Gokarn Ramdhani Memorial Badminton tournament.
WaramuriPrimaryconquersMarian Marian toliftMVPSportsU11trophy Penalty decides 2024 champion:
Th e P e t r a Organisation/M
VPSportsUnder-
11 Girls Football Tournament concluded in thrilling fashion as Waramuri Primary Top clinched the championship title at the Ministry of Education Ground, a fitting venueforgrassrootsfootball brilliance.
Thefinalmatchlivedup toitsbilling,withbothteams displaying rock-solid defences throughout the competition.
Neither side had conceded a goal in the 2024 tournament before Saturday’s showdown, both teams prevailed as the regulation period ended in a stalemate.
Despite relentless efforts, the scoreboard remained untouched at the endof40minutesofplay
In extra time, the intensity reached a crescendo Waramuri’s strikers edged closer to breaking the deadlock, but Crissyanne Persaud and Haley Haberkorn of the opposing side held their ground, delivering crucial defensiveplays.
Yet, neither could find thebackofthenet,leadingto adecisivepenaltyshootout.
Waramuri proved unstoppable in the penalty
phase,convertingtheirkicks with precision while their goalkeeperstoodtalltodeny all attempts from the opposition The shootout ended 3-0 in favour of Waramuri Primary, crowning them champions ofthe2024tournament.
Earlier in the day, St. John the Baptist secured the third-place position with a convincing 2-0 victory over PotaroPrimary WestRuimveldtclaimed fifth pla
er a commanding 3-0 win over Stella Maris Primary, while Smith M
m
rial and Genesis Academy finished seventh and eighth, respectively
Individualbrilliancealso shone throughout the
Ruimveldt’s Ariel Farley emergedastheHighestGoal Scorer, netting a hat trick against Stella Maris to take hertallytoanimpressive18 goals.
The Most Valuable Player(MVP)awardwentto Marian Academy’s nineyear-old standout Haley Haberkorn,whosedefensive prowess was instrumental throughout the competition.
Meanwhile, Waramuri’s Attai Harris earned the Best Goalkeeper award for her remarkable performances betweentheposts.
The tournament was made possible through the generous sponsorship of MVPSports,withadditional supp
Story of the day! MarianAcademy’s Haley Haberkorn reacts after missing important penalty
Distributors’ Soft n’ Pretty brand, GBI’s Koolkidz, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture, Youth andSports,andtheMinistry ofAmerindianAffairs.
Scenes from yesterday’s third place playoff between St John the Baptist and Potaro Primary
Hear Me Out! The Last Mohican: Why I’m stepping away from Sports Journalism in Guyana
ByRawleToney
For two decades, sports journalismhasbeenmylife. It has taken me to almost every corner of the world, allowed me to live a life manyonlydreamof,andhas given me everything I have today
From covering global tournaments to chronicling the rise and fall of athletes, I’ve been privileged to witness history through my lens Yet, as I sit here reflecting, I feel it’s time to hangupmypen,notbecause the passion has faded, but because the battlefield has changed.Sportsjournalism, to me, was never about simply reporting scores or describing the highs and lowsofagame.Itwasabout peeling back the layers, asking the hard questions, and holding power to account My candid approach, one grounded in balance and fairness, has always been my north star However, in a landscape where critical voices are often silenced and sidelined, I’ve found myself increasinglyblackballedfor speaking inconvenient truths.
I’ve seen colleagues who keep their heads down a
prominence, receiving opportunitiesand accolades that have eluded me. I’ve watched as they’ve been embraced for their silence whileI’vebeenshunnedfor my voice. And though I’ve neverletenvycreepintomy heart, the blatant disparity has become impossible to ignore.
As a former national basketball player, I know thevalueofcompetitionand the sting of injustice Emotionsrunthroughmeas fiercely now as they did on thecourt.Yet,unlikesports, whereclearrulesgovernthe game, journalism, especially in Guyana, operatesinmurkierwaters.
Regardless of which governmentisinpower,my work has often been met with hostility, as if holding up a mirror to the truth makes me an enemy of the state.
Ididn’tgrowupafraidto confrontdifficultissues.My early inspirations were sportsjournalistswhodared to dig deep, who made people uncomfortable with
their truths, and who b e l i e v e d i n t h e transformative power of storytelling Sadly, in today’s sports media, those valuesarevanishing.
Sports reporting in Guyanahasdevolvedintoa conveyor belt of match results, superficial profiles, and sanitized narratives
Critical and analytical reporting, the kind that challenges, educates, and inspires, has all but disappeared.
IoftenthinkofTheLast of the Mohicans, a story about survival, honour, and the inevitability of change. If I must be the last of a dying breed of sports journalistswhodaretotellit as it is, then so be it. I have no regrets about the path I’ve walked But like Nathaniel in the film, who recognizes that the fight mustsometimesgivewayto survival, I too must accept that my time in this arena hasrunitscourse.
This decision isn’t born of bitterness. It’s a choice for my sanity, my wellbeing, and my future Journalism has been my identity for so long that stepping away feels like losing a part of myself. But in this transition, I see opportunity, a chance to exploreotherpossibilitiesin media where my voice and talents can thrive without compromise.
To the aspiring journalists reading this, know that courage in this field is a double-edged sword. It will earn you respectinsomequartersbut resentmentinothers.
However, it is better to stand for something than to fade into the shadows of mediocrity. Sports Journalism must be more thanaprofession;itmustbe a calling. It must challenge, provoke, and inspire. If it doesn’t, then we are merely fillingpages,notshaping (Continuedonpage64)
Rawle Toney
Guards, Lil Rams, Mahdia and CJIA through to ERC T10 Tapeball finals
From 48, there are
now four teams –
The Guards, Lil Rams, Movements Family (Mahdia), and CJIA Warriors – who will vie for thechampionshiptitleinthe E t h n i c R e l a t i o n s Commission T10 Tapeball HarmonyLeague.
The finals will be held today at the Everest Cricket Club. The first semi-final
willbebetweenTheGuards and Lil Rams at 09:30h, followed by Mahdia and CJIAat11:30h.
Thefinalisscheduledfor 15:00h Yesterday, The Guards secured their semifinal match in a nervy win over Berbice’s The Organisation, while Lil Rams and Mahdia had convincingwins overKings and CJIA Warriors The
Ninvalle attends IBA Congress
At the IBACongress in Dubai today –GBAPresident Steve Ninvalle with undefeated current unified welterweight champion and WBAjunior middleweight champion Terrence ‘Bud’Crawford at the IBAevent in Dubai.
President of the Guyana BoxingAssociation (GBA), SteveNinvalle,attendedthe recent International Boxing Association(IBA)Congress heldinDubai.
Over the years Ninvalle hasattendedseveralofthese Congresses and has developed an excellent working relationship with manyofthemajorplayersin the organization which has seen a number of development programmes and assistance being afforded to the Caribbean Region.
Ninvalle briefly indicatedthatIBAPresident Umar Kremlev has pledged to have more development programmes for the sport worldwide come next year, 2025,eveninthefaceofthe ongoing issue with the International Olympic Committee(IOC)whichhas seen the organization not
Warriors progressed to the semi-final by virtue of having the best net run rate ofthethreelosingteams.
ItwasannouncedthatFL Sport would stream the two semi-finals and final. The tournament boasts exciting rewards, including a $500,000 prize for the champions,$250,000forthe runners-up,and$100,000
(Continuedonpage63)
Part of the action yesterday at Queen’s College Ground.
allowedtoberepresentedat theOlympicGames.
Kremlev took over the orgnisation amidst much turmoilandhasdonehisbest to transform it and its financial issues despite the challenges. He is set to continue his push and the sport can expect more assistance and development inthecomingyear
Meanwhile, Ninvalle had the opportunity to interactwithanumberofthe notable attendees including world renowned boxer, American Terrence ‘Bud’ Crawfordwhoisundefeated in41fights.
Crawford is a former lightweight champion, a former junior welterweight undisputed champion and welterweight undisputed champion, and the current unified welterweight champion and WBA junior middleweightchampion.
