Kaieteur News

Jagdeo hopeful oil spill legislation will be tabled before year-end

fatally chopped

President announces one-month bonus for Joint Services

US EXIM Bank loan for Gas-to-Energy project exposes institution to political, financial and litigation risks

International awardwinning lawyer, Melinda Janki,haswarnedtheUnited States Export Import (US EXIM) Bank that approving Guyana’s application for a loan to support the Gas-toEnergy (GTE) Project exposes the financial institution to political, financialandlitigationrisks.

In a submission to the Bank, dated December 6, 2024, Janki lobbied the Board to refuse Guyana’s US$656M loan application, pointingouttherisksforthe Bank as well as potential breaches of fiduciary duties andtheresultingharmtothe American people and Americaneconomy

POLITICAL RISK

The lawyer explained thatthemainpoliticalriskto theUnitedStatesofAmerica arises from the threat to VenezuelaandtheCaribbean islands as a result of petroleum operations being carried out by ExxonMobil Corporation through its subsidiary, ExxonMobil GuyanaLimited.

“Exxon’s petroleum operations are an integral partoftheproposedgasplan; thegasplantcannotfunction unless Exxon produces oil. Exxon’sLizaPhaseOneand Two Projects will provide ‘associated gas’ for the gas plant. An EXIM Bank loan forthegasprojectcannotbe

detached from Exxon’s operations and would therefore be tainted by the risks and any ensuing harm from Exxon’s operations,”

Janki stated in her submission.

She therefore noted that if there is an ‘unplanned event’ such as a well blowout, the resulting oil will impact a number of Caribbean states Janki attachedamapfromExxon’s environmental impact assessment depicting one spillscenario.

The lawyer pointed out, “The United States risks international censure for supportingunsafeoperations and could face international pressureforcompensationin theeventofanoilspill.”

FINANCIAL RISK

Meanwhile, Janki went ontohighlightthattheBoard has a fiduciary duty of care which requires members to be good stewards of the publictreasury.“Indeciding whethertomakethisloanthe Board must at a minimum consider whether the loan is thebestuseofthetaxdollars of hardworking Americans. There are two reasons for concludingthatitisnot.The first is the requirement for American jobs. The second is that the gas project is not financially viable,” the lawyerstated.

SherecalledthatSection

2(a)(1) of EXIM Bank’s charter states that, “The objects and purposes of the Bank shall be to aid in financing and to facilitate exports of goods and services, imports and in so doing to contribute to the employment of United Statesworkers.”

Tothisend,Jankiargued that oil and gas are outdated technology, reflected in a declining market and increased risks of stranded assets.Ontheotherhand,she said new technology for clean renewable energy is already taking over with the market set to grow massively

Janki told the US EXIM Bank that investment in renewable energy brings greater returns than supporting fossil fuels. In

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy on official visit to Guyana

The United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign,Commonwealthand Development Affairs, Honourable David Lammy, paid his first official visit to GuyanaonFriday,theOffice ofthePresidentsaid.

Lammy met with

President Irfaan Ali and had bilateral discussions on advancing the cooperation betweenthetwonations

“Discussions at State House on Friday evening focused on advancing partnership on climate change, environmental protection, biodiversity conservationandchildcare,” the Office of the President saidinashortstatement.

PresidentAlialsohosteda cocktail reception in Lammy’s honour, whose parentsareGuyanese

President IrfaanAli and the Honourable David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and DevelopmentAffairs of the United Kingdom on his first official visit to Guyana (Office of the President)

fact, it brings more jobs, cheaper energy which stimulates industry and is better for the economy, she said.

“The choice before this Board is whether to make a loanforanoverseasgasplant in a declining sector or whether to assign this funding for clean energy thereby creating more (and better) jobs for Americans and enabling the United States to capture a bigger share of a growing renewable energy market,” thelawyerstated.

Importantly, Janki flagged the lack of any financial analysis to justify using gas for energy in the country She was keen to note the conclusion of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) which assessed the gas project and f o u n d t h a t i t i s , “ unnecessary and financially unsustainable”, “anexampleofmoneybadly

spent” and that the planned investments “are based on unrealistic assumptions about future electricity sales”whichwouldresultin “underutilizedinfrastructure and stranded costs for the governmentofGuyana.”

LITIGATION RISKS

The international lawyer toldtheUSEXIMBankthat Exxon’s petroleum operations have so far resulted in eight court cases brought by Guyanese “These cases have resulted in numerous wins for the peopleincludinganorderfor Exxon to produce a parent company guarantee from ExxonCorporation,anorder to provide proper insurance, an order cutting Exxon’s environmentalpermitsdown from 25 years to five years, and declarations of law that Exxon was in breach of its legal obligations,” she highlighted.

Janki further noted that the Caribbean Court of JusticehassaidthatExxon’s co-venturers Hess and CNOOC cannot carry out petroleum operations under their petroleum production licences. She added that the Court also said that Exxon must abide by international conventions and protocols ontheenvironment.Assuch, the lawyer warned of the possibility of delays to the gasprojectbyfuturecasesor evenahalttotheventure.

Moreover, she cautioned that the US EXIM Bank is also exposed to legal risks. “EXIM Bank has been sued beforeintheUnitedStates.If this loan is approved, it is entirely possible that there may be grounds for other lawsuits based on noncompliance with the law,” Jankisaid.

The lawyer explained that section 11(a)(1) of the EXIMBankCharterrequires the institution to “establish procedures to take into account the potential beneficial and adverse environmental effects of goodsandservicesforwhich supportisrequestedunderits directlendingandguarantee programs. Such procedures shall provide for the public disclosure of environmental a s s e s s m e n t s a n d supplementalenvironmental reports required to be submitted to the Bank, including remediation or mitigation plans and procedures, and related monitoringreports.”

Additionally, Janki said Section 11(a)(1) applies to projects which “(C) may h a v e s i g n i f i c a n t environmental effects upon the global commons or any country not participating in the project, or may produce anemission,aneffluent,ora principal product that is prohibited or strictly regulated pursuant to Federalenvironmentallaw.”

To this end, the GuyaneseLawyernotedthat

Continuedonpage9

Atthereception,theUK’s support for Guyana’s territorial integrity and for developmental projects and security collaboration were highlighted Mr Lammy, in brief remarks, noted that he is excitedaboutthepotentialfor future partnerships between GuyanaandtheUK. That partnership, the President emphasised, had been magnified by the drive

and

Guyana,

Int’l award-winning lawyer, Melinda Janki

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

Guyana is the key, Guyana the source

Whencorporateleadersgotosleep,Guyana’soilhasto be the last thing on their minds. When they wake up, Guyana’soilmustbethefirstthingthatcomestotheirhead, shakes the sleep out of them. For ExxonMobil’s Chief ExecutiveOfficerDarrenWoods,itiswhatseemstobethe caseroundtheclock. Hiscompany’sprospectsaretiedto Guyana’soil,hissuccessasaCEOdependsonGuyana’soil morethanmostotherthings. Itissocheapasalmosttobe free,anditisofsuchaqualitythatitearnstopdollarsonthe world market. For ExxonMobil’s board, its CEO, and its investors, Guyana is the best thing that has happened to theminalongtime. Theycan’tstopbraggingabouthow muchthiscountry’soilpushesandsolidifiesExxonMobil’s placeontopoftheoilworld.

For sure, ExxonMobil obtains oil from its other holdings,suchasthelongproducingPermianBasininthe American South. Though the Permian still has some production life in it, the reality is that it is an aging asset. Guyanaisyoungandfresh,ripeforthedeliveringofmore andmoreofitsoiltreasures. ThisiswhereExxonMobil’s focus is, where its money is being poured. All of this is soundcorporateleadershipandgoodbusinessstrategy Put the money and energy where the best profit potential is. What does not make any sense at all is the passive and yieldingnatureoftheGovernmentofGuyana. Themanin charge of the nation’s massive oil wealth, Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, is a study in obfuscation, denial, and doubletalk. If ever there is one who could be rightly described as ExxonMobil’s chief lobbyist and chief defender,itisGuyana’schiefoilpolicymakerJagdeo.

There is ExxonMobil’s leader, Darren Woods, who is delighted to announce how Guyana is the key to ExxonMobil’s future plans, while Guyana’s oil leader, Jagdeo,makeshimselfintoakittenandapuppy Woodsis on a roll and Jagdeo rolls himself into a ball. When he should seize the moment and capitalize through ExxonMobil’s much-desired new oil projects, Jagdeo is convulsed with seizures of an unknown kind. Again, the question has to be asked: what power does ExxonMobil wield over him? What stranglehold on this local oil czar thathedoesn’tevencarehowpitifulhesounds,looks?

DarrenWoodsissoproudofhowExxonMobilstandsin Guyana that his joy bubbles over It pushes him to share with his audience how much his company’s upstream strategy is dependent on Guyana’s oil. As a reminder, oil that is high quality, and oil that is cheap. It could be said withsomejustificationthatGuyana’soilisalmostcost-free andithaselementsofwhatisriskfreefromaninvestment return perspective. CEO Woods is perched atop an AmericancorporateoilgiantthatcallstheshotsinGuyana, as a growing body of evidence supports. When Woods calls the shots here (through Alistair Routledge), Jagdeo andPresidentAlirunforcover

Theyarethepictureofsmiling,bowing,andscraping Third World leaders. All talk and no walk, all heavy breathingandnoheart. Theyshouldappreciatethepower ofwhattheyhaveintheirhands(thisoilpatrimony),andthe forcethatitmakesofthem. Buttheywillnoneofthat,with bothofthembeingmorecontenttogointoreversegearand getoutofWoodsandRoutledge’sway Theoppositionis no better, for like Jagdeo, it also appears to hew to an ExxonMobilFirststrategy

Much more oil is to be produced in Guyana as part of ExxonMobil’splan. WhatisthePPP/CGovernment’sand Jagdeo’splanonmakingamovewhilethatopportunityis hot? Jagdeo, Guyana’s number one oilman, should be advancingwiththeconfidenceofaleaderwhoknowsthat heholdsunbeatablecards.

The record shows, however, that his courage has desertedhim,sohegoesaroundandaroundtoavoidtaking astrongstandwithoil. DarrenWoodsisallvolumeabout our oil, Jagdeo is all perfume: sweet for ExxonMobil, sicklyforGuyana.

Kaieteur

Misleading statement by ExxonMobil Guyana lawyer

DEAREDITOR, On December 8, 2024, ExxonMobil Guyana claimed that they “adhere to thehighestethicalstandards and are committed to transparencyandintegrityin all our dealings”. They DO NOT! On the contrary, ExxonMobil Guyana does not even consistently complywiththelaw

ExxonMobil rejected a valid penalty for a polluting spill, and did not pay It waitedinsteaduntilasupine political administration cameintoofficeanddropped the case In 2018, Christopher Ram showed, usingtheoilcompanies’own financialstatements,thatthe pre-contract costs were overstatedbyatleastUS$92 million. If ExxonMobil is committed to integrity, it should explain why 6 years haveelapsedandnotaword to counter the integrity of

Mr Ram’sanalysis. In 2023, it was reported that the first audit of cost claims from 1999 to 2017 found 12.8% or US$214 million in questionable expenses by ExxonMobil and its partners. There were US$179.8 million in costs that were deemed “Inadequate Supporting Documentation”. Given its c o m m i t m e n t t o transparency, why, more than a year later, has the supporting documentation notbeenprovided?

ExxonMobil Guyana does not pay taxes on its oil profits in Guyana. It signed an oil contract with the condition that it receive tax

receipts from the Government of Guyana for taxes it did NOT pay More than 140 countries require companieslikeExxontopay atleast15%intaxes.Whyis Guyana NOT among them?

I f E x x o n c l a i m s transparency, it should publish the tax receipts it received from the

Government of Guyana and disclosewhetherthereceipts are used to receive a tax creditfromtheIRS.

ExxonMobil defies the ruleoflawandinternational safety standards with operatingtheLiza1andLiza 2 oil projects above the design production rates Howcanitbeethicaltoplace GuyanaandtheCaribbeanat the risk of a major oil spill especially when there is no parent company guarantee?

HowcanExxonMobilclaim ‘thehighestethicalstandard’ given that this recklessness can bankrupt Guyana and many countries in the Caribbean?

A large number of commentators in several countries have agreed that theExxon-influenced(ifnot

Exxon-dictated) production sharingagreementof2016is oneoftheworld’smostlopsided. It is a principle of contract law that, if one party doesnotfullyunderstandwhat it is signing, the contract is invalid For ExxonMobil to continuetoreferto‘sanctityof contract’ in such a context shows substantial disregard for ethical standards If ExxonMobil wants to be respected,itneedstoliveupto itsgrandioseclaims AlfredBhulai AndreBrandli GangaRamdas KenrickHunte DarshanandKhusial MikePersaud On behalf of OGGN (www.oggn.org/about)

Reference: https://www.kaieteurne wsonline.com/2024/12/08/e xxonmobil-responds-tocraig-sylvester-on-briberyaccusations/

Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox

WhyGuyanesemustdemandtherighttoelectparliamentary representativesandpresidentialreform

DEAREDITOR

, The time has come for Guyana to confront one of the most glaring flaws in its political system: the lack of

direct election of parliamentarians and the

entrenchment of an executive presidency that places the occupant above the law These structural deficiencies undermine democracy, alienate the citizenry, and concentrate unchecked power in the hands of a few The

c o n s e q u e n c e s f o r governance, justice, and accountability are dire, and thismustchange.

I n G u y a n a , parliamentarians are not directly elected by the people they are meant to serve. Instead, they are selected from a list crafted by the leader of a political party. This system fundamentally severs the relationship between representatives and their constituents Rather than

being accountable to the electorate, parliamentarians owe their positions and political survival to party leaders. This arrangement fosters a culture of patronage, stifles dissent, and ensures that party interests take precedence over national priorities and thewillofthepeople. Contrast this with democracies where citizens vote directly for their representatives In these systems, elected officials have a mandate to represent the interests of their

constituents and are held accountable through regular elections. Guyana deserves no less. The current listbasedsystemdiminishesthe voice of grassroots Guyanese, marginalizes civilsociety,anderodestrust indemocraticinstitutions.

Compounding this problem is the executive presidency enshrined in our Constitution. The provision grants sweeping immunity to sitting and former presidents, effectively placing them above the law This means that a president

could,quiteliterally,commit crimes—even murder—and face no legal consequences while in office or afterward. Such a provision is not only undemocratic but also dangerous It encourages impunity, corrodes the rule of law, and undermines the principlethatnooneisabove accountability Consider the implications: a president, secureintheirimmunity,can wield power without fear of repercussions Corruption, abuseofauthority,andother criminal acts can go unchecked. The people of

- demand a democracy where Parliamentarians are directly elected and presidents are held accountable

Guyana are left to bear the costs of such unchecked power, as justice becomes a privilege reserved for the powerful and denied to the masses. G

modernization We must start by enabling citizens to

Equally important is the removal of the executive presidency’s immunity provision No leader, regardless of their office, should be above the law This reform would restore the rule of law, deter misconduct,andsignaltothe world that Guyana is committed to justice and accountability

Theinternational (Continuedonpage06)

representatives, ensuring that these leaders are accountable to the people, not party elites. This shift would strengthen the link between elected officials and their constituents, empowercitizens,andfoster a more responsive and inclusivedemocracy

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Abrilliant book on foreign exchange by Dr. Ramesh Gampat

DEAREDITOR, The field of Guyana’s currency and foreign exchange has never been addressed in much detail (book form) even though foreigncurrencymarketand management are becoming increasingly important for a developing country like Guyana, which is becoming evenmoreintegratedintothe global economy Even more startlingly,theconceptofFX and why there is a foreign currencyshortage,ifthereis indeed one, is poorly understoodbytheGuyanese generalpublic.

Dr Ramesh Gampat, an illustrious Guyanese economistwhoonceworked for the UN, addresses this criticallyimportantissue.He makes it easy to understand bybrilliantlypenningabook on the subject, explaining thewholeissuepertainingto

Guyanacurrencyandhowit is managed. In the process,

he helps readers to understand exchange rate fluctuationanditsimpacton theeconomy

The Guyanese FX Market Modern Discourses and Controversies (FX = foreign exchange) (Oct 2024) addresses issues relating to the FX market, international reserves, exchange rate fluctuation, net foreign balances of commercial banks, whether the Guyana dollar is overvalued or not, the various exchange rates, whetherofficialcambiosare effective, among other relatedbankingissues. Asa bonus, Chapter 2 is a detailed review of central government expenditure, fiscal deficit, public debt (domesticandexternal).The focusisonthesaleofforeign

exchangetothelocalmarket by both bank and non-bank cambios during the period 2013tothesecondquarterof 2023.

Gampatoffersreadersan understanding of various conceptsrelatedtoexchange rate(usingtheGuyanadollar as reference). Outlining the sa

characteristics of foreign exchange in Guyana, it provides a wide-ranging explanationofthebehaviour of exchange rate of the Guyana dollar with the US dollar Itmakesforexcellent reading, and the level of exposition is nontechnical and as such intelligible to most readers regardless of background It explains economics concepts with clarity and is aimed at a gen

policymakers, ordinary

folks i

rested in understandingexchangerate and current economic performance in Guyana will benefit from Gampat’s insightfulandlucidanalysis.

Gampat lays out the origin for motivationfor the book in the very first paragraph. He notes in the opening sentence that the bookarisesoutofacomment in Stabroek News in response to a query on whethertheGuyanadollaris over or under valued and whether the country should

‘dollarize’ (meaning getting ridoftheGuyanadollarand the bank of Guyana, and therefore use the American dollar). Dollarization is an argument made in SN and othermediahousesbysome commentators.

Gampat explains that internationalreserves,asthe termsuggestsarenotheldto pay for imports on a regular basis. Instead, the principal purpose of international reserves is to mitigate damage to the domestic economy if all sources of

external inflows dry up Based on his analysis, he also debunks comments made by VP Jagdeo on foreign currency and one JoelBhagwandin,afrequent letter writer in the mass media. Exchange rates are vitaltothefunctioningofall economies as it impacts consumption, trade, inflation, growth, and overalldevelopment. And comments in the mediasaythereisashortage althoughtheCentralBank (Continuedonpage50)

I support Jonestown being a tourist destination

DEAREDITOR, I have been following, with interest, the views and opinions expressed on Jonestown in your letters column.

I am in support of Jonestown being developed and marketed as a tourist destination. Guyana gained international spotlight because of the tragedy in Jonestown which claimed thelivesofnearlyathousand people, including that of a

US Congressman who was on a visit to investigate reportsofinhumantreatment of United States citizens at the hands of the notorious [Jim]Jones.

Contrarytowhatisbeing projectedinsomesectionsof themedia,itwasnotanactof ‘mass suicide’but a case of mass murder through the forced consumption of cyanide-laced beverage by Jones and his murderous cabal.

Guyana became known ontheworldstage,albeitina bizarre way because of the scale of the murders, the majority of whom were United States citizens, lured byJonesintoafalsesenseof economic security in the interiorofGuyana.

Jonestown is part of our history and should be preserved if only as a reminder of a dark period in ourhistory

HydarAlly

Why Guyanese must demand...

Frompage05 community, particularly the USA and the ABCEU countries, must join civil society andgrassrootsGuyaneseindemandingthese reforms.

As partners and advocates for democracy and benefactors of our vast natural resources, they have a responsibility to support the people of Guyana in building a politicalsystemthatisfair,accountable,and reflective of modern democratic values. Theirvoices,alongsideours,canamplifythe

call for change and put pressure on those in powertoact.

For too long, Guyana’s political system has failed its people. It is time to break free from the shackles of outdated practices and createasystemthattrulyrepresentsthewill of the people. Let us demand a democracy whereparliamentariansaredirectlyelected, and presidents are held accountable. The futureofournationdependsonit.

Yourstruly,

C.A.Singh

PPP and PNC misleading Guyana on windfall taxes

The two major political parties in Guyana are both misleadingthenationonthe implementation of windfall taxes, a provision that has beenappliedbyanumberof oil producing countries aroundtheworld.

This was recently highlighted by Publisher of Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall, during his radio programme aired Friday on 99.1/99.5 FM.

The businessman prefaced his argument by pointing out that each Guyanese household lost over$1Min2024,duetothe failure of leaders to demand a windfall tax on the excess profits being earned by ExxonMobil from its ongoingoilproductioninthe StabroekBlock.

A windfall tax is a tax levied on an unforeseen or unexpectedly large profit. Back in 2022, amid surging oil prices influenced by the war in Ukraine, several top

oilproducingcountriessuch as the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Canada introduced a windfall tax on the excess profits that were being earned by oil and gas companies.

Since this would not affect the expected revenue ofcompanies,thisprovision does not constitute a breach tooilcontracts.

Bethatasitmay,boththe People's Progressive Party and the People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) are reluctant to institute this provision to ensure the country benefits more from itsresources.

Forhispart,Lallbelieves this failure amounts to nothing less than a betrayal toeveryGuyanese.

The businessman during his radio programme, told listenersthateachhousehold in the country could have benefitted from over $1M this year through the

implementationofawindfall tax.

To this end, he said, “I honestlybelievethatsomeof thesepoliticalleadersshould besittinginaprisoncellfuh what they are knowingly doing to us, with all these resources this country has.

To tell you the truth uncle, a prison cell is too good for these chaps. Let me make this clear, at the end of this year, 2024, every household shouldhavehadmorethana milliondollarssittingintheir bank accounts. This could have been achieved if only the PPP and the PNC had made just one simple decision, without even having to touch or change thatoilcontract.”

Lall concluded that the leaderswereeithercorruptto thecore,orhavepurehatred for the people of Guyana. “Whyelsewouldtheyfailto act? Look uncle, had they both demanded a 50% windfall tax from Exxon, l

producing country did with their oil companies, every one of the 300,000 households in Guyana, would have received more than a million dollars from the oil pumped in 2024 alone Even if they had settled for 25%, every home could have collected $700,000 in their bank books,” the newspaper publisherreasoned.

He was keen to note that for a windfall tax to be institutednorenegotiationof the lopsided 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) was required Instead, Lall argued that the leaders have leftthefutureofGuyanesein jeopardy, throwing a mere $100,000 cash grant at adult citizens.

He said, “Five years of pumping oil, and this is all they have to show for it, $100,000...Come on people. Wake up! It is time to

Businessman and Publisher of Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall

demand better It is time to hold these leaders accountable and reclaim what is rightfully ours. We deserve better, and the time toactisnow.”

Lall pointed out that Exxon'slowestbasepriceto investinGuyanaandmakea return is US$55 per barrel.

As such, the businessman explained, “Anything beyond $55 per barrel is honey, which Exxon alone drinking.”

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was recently asked by Kaieteur News why the government is still reluctant toapplyawindfalltaxonthe excess profits being earned by Exxon even though it does not affect th

d revenue.

In dismissing the issue, he said, “I have dealt with windfalltaxesinthepastand whywebelievethatwindfall taxation should not be pursued at this time. I dealt with it in the past if you go

backandread.” Meanwhile, advisor to the Opposition Leader on EconomicsandOilandGas, Elson Low during a PNC press conference said,

“When this windfall tax issue really came forward waswhenwewerelookingat the possibility of a $170 per barrel and at a substantive change to the industry as a whole.So,Iwouldsaygiven that we are not looking at such a substantial change to the industry, it is not something that we are lookingat.It'snotsomething thatwehaveraisedinouroil policies;however,lookingat our previous statements, it's only in a very bizarre scenario that we would incorporate that into the model.”

Lall concluded that the country has found itself in a very sad situation with two political parties forcing Guyaneseeachnighttogoto beds hungry, despite all the wealthinthecountry

Pork-knocker

A pork-knocker was fatally chopped during a drunken row with his drinkingpartneronFridayat Nassano Backdam in the North West District, Region One.

Dead is Jabez Jaazuel Williams, called 'Beggie', a 22-year-old of Wauna Village, Mabaruma, North WestDistrict.

Police investigations revealed that Caldale Conyers,whoisalsoaporkknocker from Pomona Housing Scheme, is the perpetrator Reports are that at around 12:30 hours, a team of police officers, acting on information received, went to Nassano Backdam, to contact Conyers.

Hewasatacampowned by Pernell Hudson called “Meldrick” The ranks informed the man of the allegations levelled against him and he admitted to committingtheact.

He told police: “Sir, the wholedayThursday,meand Jabez were drinking high wine and Turbo at the work ground. At about 17:00 hrs, we finished work and went to Delroy's dredge camp, where we drank Banks beers.”

Williams became intoxicatedandheadedback to camp leaving Conyers at Delroy's dredge where he continued consuming beers. Conyers recalled that he left for camp around 21:00hrs (Continuedonpage51)

Beyond the politics of pay

Th e a r t o f governance, they say, lies in the delicate balancing act between pragmatism and principle. Nowhere is this balance more indelicate that in the area of public sector

wages The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPPC) government has a one-size-fits-all approach to annual salary increases. The

previous APNU+AFC

administration had a weighted strategy that neither enriched the worker nor satisfied the economist. Both approaches, while politically calculated, fail to address the fundamental question: What constitutes a livingwage?

The PPP/C’s strategy, as predictable as the tides, has been to deliver annual across-the-board increases to public servants This approach ostensibly aims to provide something for everyone. Yet, therein lies the flaw Equal treatment, in this context, masks the profound inequalities within the public sector.An acrossthe-board increase of, say,

5% to both a janitor earning $60,000 per month and a senior administrator earning $600,000doeslittletouplift the former and does everything to fatten the wallet of the latter The p

, politically expedient, but devoidofnuance.

On the other hand, the APNU+AFC’s approach, ostensibly progressive, sought to offer larger increases to those at the lowerendofthesalaryscale while providing smaller adjustments to those higher up The logic here is compelling: prioritize those who need it most. For a worker struggling to meet basic needs, a 10% increase on a modest salary could meanthedifferencebetween sufficiency and scarcity Meanwhile, the highly paid p

y enjoying relative comfort, mightnotfeelthepinchofa smallerincrement.

But the APNU+AFC’s strategy is not without its pitfalls. Over time, such a policy risks compressing the

salarystructure,wherelowerband workers’ earnings inch closer to those of their supervisorsormanagers This could lead to resentment among skilled professionals, whose expertise and responsibilities are no longer adequately reflected in their compensation The policy, whilenobleinintent,runsthe risk of diminishing the i

advancementandexcellence.

Yet,aswescrutinizeboth models, a glaring omission e

administrationhasgrounded its wage policies in a benchmarkforalivingwage. What exactly does it cost to live with dignity in Guyana today? Without a clear standard, these salary adjus

weighted—amount to little more than tinkering at the margins.

They fail to address the systemic inadequacies that leave too many workers trapped in a cycle of perpetualstruggle.

A living wage is not merelyafigurepluckedfrom

USEXIMBankloanforGas-to-Energyproject...

Frompage3

the proposed 300-megawatt gas plant would produceover980,000tonsofcarbondioxide peryearandthereforewouldhavesignificant environmental effects on the global commons. She contended that the gas plant requiresanenvironmentalassessmentwhich hasnotbeencarriedout.

HARMTOAMERICANS

The award-winning environmental lawyer, in her comments to the Bank, highlighted the harm toAmericans from the project. She reasoned that greenhouse gas pollutionfromtheproposedgasplanthasnot been assessed for its impacts on the global

commonsasrequiredbyS11(1)(C).

“These impacts include radiative forcing which affects the global energy balance leading to global warming and its knock-on effects such as a breakdown of the global climatesystem,risingsealevelsandahotter ocean,”shesaid.

Additionally, Janki noted that Greenhouse gas pollution also causes ocean acidification and death to marine life. “Greenhouse gas pollution knows no boundaries. The impacts will affect the American people. Thus, Board approval of loan will cause harm to the American people,”theLawyerwarned.

DEM BOYS SEH

De perfect man

Dem boys seh a man jump in a taxibydecorneranddedriver seh, “Bai, you got timing just likeFrank.”

Demanask,“Frankwho?”

De driver seh, “Frank de man who nevermekamistakeinhelife!”

De man seh, “Everybody does slip up some time.” De driver seh, “Not Frank! That man was perfect. He coulda run marathonandwin.

He play cricket and bat like Shiv Chanderpaul and bowl like Walsh. He couldasinglikeEddieGrantandwaltzlike he own Pegasus ballroom. And de piano? Oh gosh, Frank use to mek it sing sweeter thansteelpanonMashDay.”

De man seh, “Frank sound like he was one of a kind.” De driver seh, “Wait, me ain’tdone.Frankbrainwassharperthande Ministerbudgetspeech.Demanremember

thin air; it is a measure that considers the actual cost of h o u s i n g , f o o d , transportation, and other essentials.Itisayardstickfor what it takes to provide workers and their families with a modest but dignified standard of living By anchoring wage policies to t h i s b e n c h m a r k , governments can move beyondtheopticsoffairness

and deliver tangible improvements to workers’ lives Consider the transformative potential of such an approach. For the janitor earning $60,000, a living wage could mean access to better housing, reliable transportation, and nutritious meals For the mid-level clerk, it might enable saving for some future need or to buy his or her own car And for the senior administrator, it ensures that their earnings remain commensurate with their responsibilities and the marketvalueoftheirskills.

Alivingwageframework also offers a pragmatic solution to the challenges posedbyboththePPP/Cand APNU+AFC models. It eliminates the arbitrariness of across-the-board increases while addressing

thecompressionconcernsof weighted adjustments. By aligningwageswiththecost of living, it provides a rational basis for salary increments that reflect both needandmerit.

Ofcourse,implementing such a policy is not without challenges. Determining the living wage requires robust data and regular updates to account for inflation and economic shifts. It demands

stakeholders, including labour unions, employers, and independent experts And,perhapsmostcrucially, itrequirespoliticalwill—the willingness to prioritize workers’welfare over shorttermelectoralgains.

Thequestionofwagesis ultimately a question of values.Dowevalueworkers enough to ensure that their earnings enable a life of dignity?Dowerecognizethat faircompensationisnotjusta matterofeconomicefficiency but a moral imperative? The answerstothesequestionswill define the legacy of any administration.

Asitstands,thePPP/C’s approachensuresamodicum of predictab

sacrifices equity The APNU+AFC’s model aspires to fairness but risks undermining professional incentives. Both are trapped inthepoliticsofthemoment, unabletochartapathtoward a more just and sustainable wagepolicy

It is time to break free from this cycle of mediocrity.A living wage is notapanacea,butitisastart. It is a commitment to workers and their families that their labour will be valued—not just in words but in wages. It is a recognition that economic policies must serve the many,notjustthefew.Andit is a challenge to both government and society to envisionafuturewherework isnotjustameansofsurvival but a foundation for a better life.

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

everybody birthday, anniversary, and even demlilsmallthinglikewhodrinkCokeand who prefer beer He could fix anything. Me?Itryfuhchangeonebulbandblackout dewholestreet.ButFrank?Hecouldafixa planewhileitstillflying!”

Demanseh,“Frankreallysoundlikea miracle.”Dedriverseh,“AndFrankknow everyshortcutinGeorgetown.Trafficjam? NotfuhFrank.

He always reach he destination before time. Plus, he treat women like royalty Never raise he voice, even if she wrang. And de man dress? Sharp like cutlass—shoesalwaysshininglikeapolice footwearonparadeday.”

Demanseh,“SowhereFrankdehnow? Youknowhimgood?”

De driver seh, “Nah, me never meet Frank.Hedead.Andmemarryhewife.”

Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

H@RD TRUTHS

BY GHK LALL

Foreign investors riding Guyana like a donkey

Wrong! Thefocustoday is not on Guyana's great oil wealth. It is on that other grand patrimony, now in the background. Gold! Does Guyana have gold. And do someforeigninvestorsknow howtocomehereandripthe gold out of the ground, and rip the guts out of the governments of Guyana Morethanoneofthem,more than one time. It seems like allthetime.

Look first at theAussies whocameandhowwellthey did for themselves. Then look a little deeper, and refresh the memory of what theydidtothiscountry The nameTroyResourcesshould ringabell. Itendedupbeing a billion-dollar hole in the head.

Then, there was Golden StarthatbecomeOmai. Iam inaweofthisfinefellow,Mr David Fennell. He usually makesithisdutytobearound when gold concessions are available for the taking. He hasmadeakillinginGuyana frombeinganinvestor,aman whohasperfectedthefineart of travelling from speculator tosellerbeforeonecancount

to three. Rich mining lands are awarded, along with the company of some more sweeteners Duty-free concessions,andthereisthat memorythatnagsandwould not let go. It involves taxes. Itisarichone.

Three million ounces of gold shipped out by Omai (nee Golden Star), and Guyana's chief tax collector (theGRA)islefttocountthe linesinitshand,asthoughit isintoreadingpalms. For emphasis: 3,000,000 ouncesofgoldextractedand flown out of Guyana, and 0.00centsintaxescollected. Not one bloody cent! Then Omai ran into some difficulties, and hustled out ofGuyana.

Slack local political leadership again, for the interested Thus, the precedent was set for Troy Resourcestodisappearwhen its turn came. What's a couple of billions among friends…?

All along, some of those same foreign investors were not sleeping, but busy plottingtheirnextstepswhile circling around Guyana's

piles of gold like vultures. Theycameupwithabeauty: Reunion Gold. Man, do I like that christening, which wasreallyabouthidingoutin the open. Peel back the layers, and it is indeed a reunion of Golden Star and Omai luminaries. Yes, the name David Fennell surfacing again. The man notonlyknowshowtoprofit handsomely off Guyana's gold,heknowshowtodoso perpetually,itseems.

He certainly knows the rightearstowhisperinto,the right strings to pull. Maybe even the right package of incentives from his side to make things happen in goldenhuedGuyana.

Before long, Reunion became G Mining Ventures. Over 600 million foreign money changed hands from thislastsaleamonginvestors aka speculators cum sellers. Intherealestatetradethatis called flipping. Guyana's rich mineral resources being flipped like pancakes, and not a crumb (or stray pancake) landing in Guyanese laps. Is this highstakes poker, or is this the

high crimes and treacheries of Guyana's Governments? Isn'tthisGuyanabeingtaken foradonkey,thenriddenlike one?

Where is President Ali amid all this? I concede that the best question is what has become of Guyana's presidency?EvenifIwereto strip his many titles away, and convert Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo into a nobody, he still has those potent residues that stick: he's a one-man lawmaker, one-manrulemakerandonemanregulator

It is obvious that Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has either delegated all of his presidential powers to Dr NobodyJagdeo. Or he has abdicated his high office. Delegated or abdicated -pick one. So, there is Reunion and G Mining Ventures and Omai (old and supposedly new). And, naturally, Mr David Fennell. Tohelpmemanage more seamlessly, I was planning to correspond with Mr Alistair Routledge for a consultancy with Exxon. I scrapped that idea; too high

profile. Bettertodeal with the David Fennells: investor, speculator, seller and, clearly, a renown harvester of gold. Guyana gold, that is. He has that magictouch.

Looking at this from the pointofviewofstarvingand strickencitizensofGuyana,a few are benefiting from the prostitutingofourresources, while the many are left to ponder how and why so.

Strangers and insiders are riding Guyana like a donkey and bright leaders like Drs. Ali and Jagdeo pick fights with Guyanese who ask why? How is that so?

What'sgoingon? Ishouldn't be writing about this; the oppositionshouldbekicking me to the corner to have its say Ascream,acurse,works powerfully At four flights per week by the Canadians to carry

away not what, but how much? AreGuyana'shuman resources assigned to stand duty for G Mining Ventures, to facilitate those flights? And who knows what more. Four flights a week to fetch gold (what else, scrap iron?) and nobody in Guyana knows whether Guyana gets 10% or 10 cents for its treasure. Thisishowforeign investors ride local leaders for a song. This is how foreigncartmenrideGuyana likeadonkey Iamapplying. Nottobe the donkey But, the role of investor (The views expressed in this article are thoseoftheauthoranddonot necessarily reflect the opinionofthisnewspaper.)

The unlicensed firearm and ammunition that was found

Security guard arrested after nabbed with

illegal gun, ammo

A security guard was arrested early Saturday morning, after he was nabbed with an unlicensed firearm, along with nine rounds of ammunition at C u m m i n g s S t r e e t , Georgetown The arrested man has been identified as Avishaun Munroe Police said that at around 03:45h, they stopped the car that Munroe was driving and conducted a search. He was found in possession of a .32 Taurus pistol, along with nine matching rounds of ammunition, in his pants waist.

When asked whether he has a licence to carry the firearm,Munroesaid,“no”.

“He said the firearm is owned by the security service that he is working with,”policereported.

Munroe was taken to the Alberttown Police Station, along with the firearm and ammunition which were marked, sealed and lodged. The weapon and the ammunition will be taken to the ballistics section of the Guyana Police Force for analysis.

Munroe remains in police custody as investigationscontinue.

Avishaun Munroe

Java Coffee Bar celebrates 10th Anniversary

Java Coffee Bar, on Friday, celebrated its 10th anniversary while reflecting on a decade of growth, innovation and unwavering commitment to

serving quality coffee with heart.

“From its humble beginnings in the Sharon’s Mall in 2014, Java Coffee Bar has grown into a multifaceted enterprise with locations in Giftland Mall, Movietown Mall, Duncan Street, a mobile event bus, andaprivatecanteenserving theoilandgassector.”

Java Coffee Bar’s journeyhasbeenfuelledbya deep connection to the communities it serves. With a salute to “10 Years of Serving Coffee with Heart,” thismilestonecelebratesnot justitssuccessasabusiness but its role as a community hub, a workplace of choice, andaproviderofthoughtful, high-qualityservicesthatgo beyond coffee,” a statement issuedbytheBarsaid.

Over the years, Java Coffee Bar has expanded its footprint and offerings to meet the evolving needs of its customers. The company now provides meals, hosts pop-up events, and operates a24/7mobilecoffeebusthat services the oil and gas industry, a testament to its adaptability and innovative spirit.

F r o m c o ff e e t o community impact Java Coffee Bar’s mission has alwaysbeenaboutmorethan coffee By creating welcoming spaces and offeringexceptionalservice, thecompanyhascultivateda sense of belonging among customers, employees, and partners.

Thecompanyhas,overthe years, supported many

charities,BSOs,socialcauses, and micro entrepreneurs

Ensuringthattherewasalways space,supportandawarmcup to help anyone along As it enters its second decade, the Java Coffee Bar remains committed to making a difference

The company aims to deepen its impact through innovative collaborations, expanded community engagement, and continued

excellence in delivering servicesthattouchtheheart.

“Our10-yearjourneyisa reflection of the incredible people we serve and the passionate team that drives us forward,” said Evie Gurchuran, Co-Founder and CEO. “As we celebrate this milestone,weareinspiredto continuemakinganimpact.”

To mark the milestone, JavaCoffeeBarwillhosta Continuedonpage50

Java Coffee Bar was founded by Miguel and Evie Gurchuran.

EscapèBookClub

th hosts4 annual holidaygiftdrive

Dr. Dave Lalltoo picks the first harvest of lettuce from the Queen's College Hydroponics Kitchen Garden.

Escapè Book Club Founder, Sameerah Mohamed-Ferouz (centre) is joined by other club members as they spread Christmas cheer with gifts and goodies.

This week’sbeauty, Naheeryah Newland,isan ambitiousyoungGuyanese wholaunchedherownskincare business,withnopriorexperience, attheageof17.Throughdedication andpassion,shebecameaself-taught productformulator,creatingarangeof productssuchassoaps,lotions,and cleansers.Naheeryahrecentlycopped thefirstrunneruppostattheMiss GuyanaWorldPageant.Herfavourite Guyanesequoteis:“Oneonedutty builddam”.(Profile Credit: Miss Guyana World Website)

Naheeryah New land

Let the asylum seekers go: a first step for Venezuela to rebuild relations in the Americas

BYSIRRONALDSANDERS

The government of Nicolás Maduro inVenezuela has steadfast support from many friends in the Caribbean and other parts of the world, despite numerous allegations of violations of international law, aggressive acts toward its neighbour Guyana, and intoleranceofpoliticaldissent.

Yet, these actions have driven millions of Venezuelans to flee their homeland, making them the second-largest group of refugees globally. Thus, the Venezuelan government has also created hostility from many of its closest neighbours in North, South and CentralAmerica.

This tension came to a head on Wednesday,December11,2024,at aSpecialMeetingofthePermanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS), which I presided over as Dean of the AmbassadorialCorps.

During this meeting, fourteen member states of the OAS, led by Argentina,readastatementintothe record expressing profound concerns about the situation in Venezuela.

The concerns related to six members of the opposition who sought asylum in the Argentine Ambassador’s official residence followingthedisputedpresidential election of July 28, 2024. Nicolás Maduro was declared the victor amidclaimsofelectoralriggingby international observers and numerousWesterngovernments.

TheArgentineForeignMinister

Gerardo Werhein accused Venezuela of harassing the six opposition members Omar González, Pedro Urruchurtu Noselli, Magalli Meda, Claudia Macero, HumbertoVillalobos, and

FernandoMartínezMottola. They are allies of opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was barred from running in the July 2024election.

Werhein detailed acts of “physical exhaustion” and “psychological terror” inflicted on the asylees, including water cuts, electricity interruptions, restrictions on food deliveries, and constant surveillance of the Argentinediplomaticcompoundin Caracasinwhichtheyhavesought and been granted asylum in accordancewithinternationallaw

The statement was not supported by 11 CARICOM countries and 7 Latin American states which have maintained cordial ties with Maduro’s government. Paradoxically, these countrieshaveastrongtraditionof democracy,theruleoflaw,andfree and fair elections in their own countries. These nations are also bastions of political and human rights, accepting free speech and dissent while rejecting the repressionofpoliticalopponents.

Their good relations with the Maduro government stem in part from gratitude for the assistance Venezuelaprovidedaftertheglobal recession of 2007-2009, particularly through the PetroCaribe initiative which eased theburdenofhighoilprices.

However,suchgratitudecanbe eroded by overt infractions of democracyandinternationallawby theVenezuelangovernment.

Forthe11Caribbeannationsto maintain credibility as advocates for democracy and justice, particularly when seeking economicandclimatejusticeonthe global stage, they cannot ignore breachesoftheseprinciplesbyany

country,includingVenezuela.

Therefore, if Maduro’s government wants to retain and strengthen the support of its Caribbean friends, it must demonstrate readiness to uphold democracy and honour the international conventions to which itisasignatory

The Venezuelan government knows better than anyone else that ithasalreadylostthetrustofmany of its traditional friends in South and Central America, and that the countries of North America are alreadyintentonisolatingit.

One of the conventions to which it should show respect and adherence is the “Convention on DiplomaticAsylum,”concludedin Caracasin1954withVenezuelaas anoriginalsignatory

Article 1 of this Convention states: “Asylum granted in legations,warvessels,andmilitary camps or aircraft, to persons being sought for political reasons or for politicaloffensesshallberespected by the territorial State in accordance with the provisions of this Convention.”Yet, the Maduro government is accused by 14 neighbouring states in The Americas of violating this principle. It lies at the crux of the presenttensionbetweenVenezuela andArgentina.

At the OAS meeting, Brazil’s Ambassador to the OAS, Benoni Belli explained the situation. He told the Meeting that sinceAugust 2024, the Argentine diplomatic premises have been under Brazil’s custody atArgentina’s request and with Venezuela’s consent, in keeping with adherence to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which mandates the inviolability of diplomatic

premises and the protection of missionproperties,evenincasesof severedrelations.

However, on September 6, Venezuela revoked Brazil’s authorization, accusing the asylees of having conspired to commit terrorist acts—claims unsupported by any publicly presented evidence. The Ambassador emphasized that, to date, no alternate custodian has been appointedbyArgentinaoraccepted by Venezuela, leaving Brazil to continueitscustodianship.

This impasse further deepens the international community’s concerns over Venezuela’s commitment to the Vienna ConventionandtheConventionon DiplomaticAsylum.

For Venezuela, this situation presents both a challenge and an opportunity While its actions may be dictated by domestic political considerations, adherence to international law offers a path to rebuilding trust among its neighboursintheAmericas.

By upholding the inviolability ofArgentina’sdiplomaticpremises and granting safe passage for the

commitment to the principles of diplomacy and international cooperation This could ease regionaltensionsandopendoorsto e

cooperation, ultimately benefiting theVenezuelanpeople.

This issue transcends domestic political considerations; it is a test of Venezuela’s willingness to respect established norms and conventions that underpin global order Theinternationalcommunity has made its sentiments clear that compliance with these norms is a

Venezuela, compliance could also be an important step toward mending strained relations in the region.That is why the Maduro government should carefully consider the repercussions of its actions. Neighbouring states value democracyandjusticetoodeeplyto ignoretransgressions.

Venezuela’s actions will determine whether it continues down a path of isolation or begins torestoreitsplaceofrespectamong itsregionalandglobalpeers.

The path forward is clear: uphold international law, honour commitments to diplomatic conventions, and respect human rights values championed, particularly, by Caribbean countries.

Taking these steps will ensure the safe passage of the asylees underinternationallaw Itwillalso send a powerful signal that Venezuela is ready to re-engage with the international community in good faith (The writer is Antig

and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the US and the OAS. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and p r e v i o u s commentaries:www.sirronaldsan

SIR RONALD SANDERS

WEEK-IN-REVIEW

Sunday

‘ExxonMobilfreeto sellassetsbeingpaid forbyGuyanatoclean upoilspill’-Jagdeo

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 that in the event of an oil spill, as a result of the activitiesintheresourcerich

o f f 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 Bharrat Jagdeo, the country’sChiefPolicymaker ontheoilandgassector.

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 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 asked Jagdeo, “ why shouldwesellourownassets totakecareofanoilspill?”

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 off you are entitled to collect 50% of future profits and they get 50% and then 2 % r o y a l t y o n t h e

gross that’s your 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 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. 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 Jagdeo’s 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 fo

investment. Ram said, “As a

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.

Theworsethedeal, themorelikelyitis toberenegotiated -OxfordEnergy ...threecountries successfullychanged termstoincrease government’sshare

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.

OxfordEnergyForumin an August 2010 research paperdocumentedtheevents thatleduptorenegotiatedoil contracts in three countries, Venezuela, Bolivia and Kazakhstan.

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 mandatedstructuralchanges 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 Palin’s Alaska collected billions in additional revenue from a newwindfallprofitstax.

ThreeCaseStudies

Three of the best-known renegotiations or industry restructuringsofthelastfew years involved the operating service agreements (convenios operativos) in Venezuela, the 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 Kashagan field in Kazakhstan. Contract negotiationservices Venezuela

I n V e n e z u e l a , approximately 500,000 barrels per day were being produced under the o p e r a t i n g s e r v i c e agreements, which were supposed to be pure service 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 sharing agreements that effectively granted the contractors a participationinthebusiness.

T h

tru

u

ed as service contracts, were in substance anything but pure service contracts They ceded control over petroleum operations in huge areas for 20 years, and compensation wasbasedonthevolumeand valueofproduction.Manyof theserviceproviderswerein 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 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 mixed companies Basic 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 giant gas fields, paying only an 18 percent royalty This was after all investment that hadlongagobeenrecovered. Thecontractshadneverbeen approved by Congress, as appeared to have been requiredbytheConstitution. By 2005, the situation had become untenable A new Hydrocarbons Law was enacted in May of that year, imposinga32percenttaxon the gross value of hydrocarbons (Impuesto DirectoalosHidrocarburos) in addition to the 18 percent royalty,therebyreducingthe private party’s share to 50 percent. The Hydrocarbons Law also provided a sixmonth period for migration of all existing contracts to one of the new legallysanctionedformsofcontract. That six-month period expired with no progress on the migration On May 1, 2006,thenewadministration again nationalised the industry, granting another six-month period for the conversion of the old contracts While the new operating contracts were being negotiated, the state company was given a provisional32percentshare, reversing the old 18/82 split to82/18.Sixmonthslater,all of the contractors executed the operating contracts, which are structured as service contracts with the service providers receiving remunerationincash,notoil. Kazakhstan

Thethirdcasestudyis (Continued on page 17)

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

Frompage16 the renegotiation of the PSA 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,’isallocatedoffthetopto the contractors to recover their costs. In the case of Kashagan, that percentage was 80 percent 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 thatwaseventuallysupposed to change in favour of the State based on a set of complicated triggers set forthintheagreement.

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 including such cost

recovery provisions, experience shows that this structureisoftenarecipefor disaster, and that is exactly whathappenedinKashagan. Overall costs of the project increased by more than 100 billion dollars, and production, originally scheduledtostartin2005or 2006, now is scheduled for 2012.

Thenetresultwasthatin theworld’slargestdiscovery in recent times, which is expected eventually to produce 1.5 million barrels perday,thestatewouldhave receivedagrandtotalofonly 2percentoftheoilproduced foratleastthefirstdecadeof production,notincludingthe relativelysmallparticipation of a subsidiary of the national oil company in the contractor consortium. That w a s o b v i o u s l y a n unacceptable situation, which most people with knowledge of the facts fully recognised In the renegotiation, the national oil company’s subsidiary doubled its stake in the project, a new ‘priority share’ was allotted to the Government off the top, and new cost and schedule control mechanisms were introduced to help guard against future cost increases anddelays.

What lessons can be d r a w n f r o m t h e s e experiences?

First, bad deals spell trouble. The worse the deal, or the more imbalanced the deal, the more likely it is to be renegotiated. That goes forbothsides.Onemightsay that the best form of stabilisation is an equitable deal. Second, don’t believe everything you read in the papers Most of the renegotiations or industry transformations have ended in success, which says

something about the

reasonableness of the processes.Theobjectivehas not been to exclude private participation from the petroleum industry or to make it economically nonviable,butrathertoputiton a sound legal and economic

footing Third, most 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

s u c h a s ‘ r e s o u r c e nationalism’ are an over simplification of what has been happening on the ground and are no substitute forinformedanalysisofboth thefactsandthelegalissues

underlying the major renegotiationsofthelastfive years.

Monday

Canadianmining companytoconstruct wharf,stagingareafor OkoWestGoldProject

c

Canadian mining

Ventures (GMIN) has

announcedplanstoestablish anewportofentrywharfand staging area near Itabali on the Cuyuni River to support operations for its Oko West Gold Project located in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni).

This development, d e t a i l e d i n t h e Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA)published on the Envir

al Protection Agency’s (EPA) website, is part of the company’s infrastructure strategyfortheproject.

Thefacilitywillincludea wharf, laydown area, and accommodations for workers,witha40-bedcamp

planned for the site Materials and fuel required for the pre-operation and operation phases will be deliveredtothislanding.

Originally, Pine Tree Wharf was identified as the preferred location for the barge loading terminal

However, GMIN was informed earlier this year that the area was already leased After evaluating nearby alternatives, the companyselectedanewsite approximately 500 meters from Pine Tree Wharf. This location was chosen for its proximity to existing road networks and reduced need forextensiveearthworks.

P r e - p r o d u c t i o n activities, including the development of the wharf and terminal, are slated to begininSeptember2025and conclude by December 2026 The infrastructure upgrades will play a critical role in supporting GMIN’s operations and enhancing logistics for the Oko West GoldProject.

Thispublicationrecently reported that the company

statedthatanairstripwillbe constructed in the project area. It was explained that whileanumberofalternative locationswereconsidered,in the end it was decided that theairstripwillbelocatedto the south of the mine infrastructure and close to thepit/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.

Whenoperational,itwas stated that the flights will occur during daylight hours, as the airstrip will not be lit. “Theairstripwillbeunpaved and constructed from laterite. The airstrip will be oriented northeastsouthwest, as required by prevailing winds,” the documentstates.

Moreover, GMIN is aiming to produce approximately 5 million ouncesofgoldover14to16 years. In July 2024, GMIN bought Reunion Gold, another Canadian company f o r s o m e U S $ 6 3 8 million–through this transaction GMIN acquired Reunion’s flagship Oko WestMine.

The Oko West Project is currently considered an “advanced-stageexploration project ” The Mineral ResourceEstimation(MRE) dated26thFebruary,2024is 4.27 million ounces of gold in indicated resources and 1.60 million ounces of gold in inferred resources The OkoWestprojectisexpected to produce 353,000 ounces

President. He observed that this feature amounts to no lessthanapoliticalBoard.

Moving on to the functions of this body, he explained that the Board is tasked with the overall management of the Fund; reviewingandapprovingthe policiesofthefund;ensuring compliance with the approved policies of the Fund; exercising general oversightofallaspectsofthe Fund’s operations and ensuring that the Fund is managedincompliancewith the Act and all other applicablelaws.

of gold annually from both open pit and underground mining. According to the EIA,“plannedproductionof approximately five million ouncesofgoldover14to16 yearsfromtheprocessingof anestimated65to70million tons of ore, creating 280 to 350 million tons of waste rock and 65 to 70 million tonsoftailings.”

OilmoneyBoard andCommittees toothless,useless-Former FinanceMinister …formerCoalition

Gov’thadcommenced talkswithCommonwealth toestablishregulations toidentifyuseofNRF

FormerFinanceMinister

Winston Jordan has described the Board of Directors as well as the two Committees provided for by the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Act of 2021 as toothlessanduseless.

During an online b r o a d c a s t , ‘ T h e

Countdown’, on Sunday, Jordan delved into the ongoing debate surrounding the lack of transparency in the use of revenue garnered fromtheoilandgasindustry He shared the view that the NRFAct, passed by this administration, makes provision for a Board of Directors to aid in transparency of the Fund However,thisbodyhasonly managedtoproduceareport annually, with regurgitated newspaper articles on the activitiesofthefundsuchas howmuchwasdeposited.

Jordanexplainedthatthe legislation provides for the appointmentofaBoardwith no less than three and no more than five members, to be appointed by the

Jordan expressed for listeners and viewers of the programme, his thoughts on the performance of the Board, relative to its legally requiredfunctions.

According to him, “The Board cannot tell the government when to withdraw and how much to withdraw Indeed,howmuch towithdrawisalreadyinthe Act so essentially, the Board is managing a thin slice of the Fund. They are notmanagingtheFund,they aremanagingathinslice,no morethanmaybe10%ofthe fundsthatgointotheFund.”

Withregardtoreviewing andapprovingpoliciesofthe NRF, the former Finance Minister questioned the existence of such “What policies of the fund? Like how many times they are goingtomeet?Whatarethey going to discuss? They are only going to discuss this thin slice. There is nothing else to discuss, ” he contended.

On the other hand, he questioned the compliance feature of the Board He questioned, “Who they ensuring compliance by and where are these policies anyhow? Are they made public? Are they in the Gazette? Are they in a manual?”

Finally, he said, “What oversight is this Board exercising over the massive sums of money the government has withdrawn from the Fund and has been withdrawing from the Fund sofar?”

Rubberstampsvs transparency

Jordan argued that the governmentpulledover70% of the provisions from the previous NRF Act, knocking-outkeysafeguards instituted for transparency purposes.

He said since 2022 he warnedthattheBoardas

(Continued on page 18)

Asection of the Oko West Gold Mine

Frompage17 well as the two committees are rubberstamps Jordan argued, “They are toothless and useless where the management of this Fund is concerned and I’ve been provencorrect.”

The former Minister admitted that the while the previouslegislationmadeno provision for a Board of Directors, it required the establishment of a Public Accountability Oversight Committee, which was tasked with monitoring and evaluatingthecomplianceof the government and other relevant persons with the

Act; monitoring and evaluatingwhethertheFund

has been managed in

accordance with the principles of transparency, good governance and international best practices including the Santiago

Principles; providing independent assessment of themanagementoftheFund; utilization of withdrawals

from the Fund and

facilitating public consultations on the managementofthefund.

Jordan was keen to note that this body comprised of 22 stakeholders, including civil society, the Bar Association of Guyana, the Guyana Extractive Industries and Transparency Initiative, Transparency Institute, the Guyana Press Association, Trade Unions, Chartered Accountant, Private Sector Commission and University of Guyana, amongothers.

He said while former President David Granger was adamant to set up a specific fund to save the wealth generated from the sector, this government was moreinterestedinhavingthe resources pooled into the Consolidated Fund to comingle with other revenue streams.

Hepointedoutthatwhile the government failed at removingtheNRFlaw,ithas emasculated it in a manner that leaves little or nothing for generational savings and tobuffertheeconomyinthe eventofloweroilprices.

Discussions with Commonwealth for NRF Regulations

Further, Jordan noted that the previous Act also provided for national development priorities to be funded through oil resources; however, Guyana was encouraged by the Commonwealth to develop regulations to clearly define

details, such as how the money would be accounted for in the Budget This includes a special line to identify the projects being financed through oil revenue This would also mean that these ventures would be subjected to a special audit To this end, Jordan said, “All of this should have been in regulation and we had just started discussions with the Commonwealth about assistancefordevelopingthe regulationsoftheFund.”

He added, “It is unfortunate that national development priorities are, today, being blamed but thegeneralideawasthatthat would have been the granular details, national development priorities would have been put in regulations.”

The former Minister and Member of Parliament highlighted that the Law currently provides for the Minister of Finance to develop regulations for the Fund. Be that as it may, he pointed out that there are presently no regulations governingtherevenuesfrom oilandgas.Jordanalsomade it clear that he is confident therewillnotbeashifttothis direction.

In the meantime, he explained that the former governmentintendedtohave revenuesfromoilbeusedto f i n a n c e s e l e c t i v e programmes and projects, which would be clearly itemized in the Budget. For instance, he listed the new Demerara River Crossing as a key example of a national

made by Vice President and Chief Policymaker for the Oil and Gas Sector, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who told reporters during his press conference on December 5, 2024, that showing how oil money is being used would bedifficult.

He explained, “How do you balkanize revenue comingintotheBudget?(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 fo

appropriation act or a

y appropriation act, which

expenditure of the state and how much is going to be spent…”

Tuesday

‘Getbetterfiscal termsbeforeapproving Exxon’s7thproject’ -Opposition partiestellgovt

Three of Guyana’s top opposition parties- PNC, AFC, and WPA are all demanding that the government better secure better fiscal terms from ExxonMobil before it grants the permit for the seventh project-Hammerhead.

ExxonMobilhasmadean

development priority that would have been financed throughthisstreamaswellas the Georgetown to Lethem roadway, hospitals and modern schools among others,likeacashtransfer

“We had our ideas. Not for any and everything to be financed by the Natural ResourceFund.”

Jordan’s comments stem from the recent statements

be.”At that time, the former Head-of-State said the company had not yet made an application for the project. Following the official application by the company, Jagdeo was again asked to comment on the project when he announced that gove

vertisement for a consultant to review the Hammerhead project According to him, the information the company presentedwasincomplete.

Hammerhead is located in the south-central portion of the Stabroek Block, approximately 160 km from Georgetown. Current plans include drilling via drill ships to produce oil using approximately 14 to 30 production and injection wells Production is expected to begin in 2029 subject to the necessary regulatory approvals and operateforatleast20years.

In the Project Summary submitted by Exxon to the EPA,thecompanyexplained thattheprojectisexpectedto add 120,000 to 180,000 barrels of oil per day productioncapacity

barrelsperday(bpd).

Speaking at his party’s press conference on Monday, Co-Leader of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA)Dr DavidHindssaid his party is concerned about government engaging ExxonMobil in a lopsided arrangement He said Guyana must leverage its ‘sweet crude’for any future negotiations. Dr Hinds told reporters that “we (WPA) think, given what we have, given the volume of oil that we have, given the quality, the sweet oil that we have, we do have some leverage there, and that our government should exercise thatleverage.So,WPAisnot opposed to renegotiation withExxonthatwouldbring maximum benefits to our country.”

granting of a permit to ExxonMobil Guyana for the 7 t h o i l p r o j e c t –Hammerhead On Friday, during the party’s weekly press conference, Kaieteur News asked whether the party believes there should bemorefiscalbenefitsahead oftheapprovalofthepermit. 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.

application to the seventh project, but Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo has said in the past that there is no guaranteeapprovalwouldbe granted During a press conference in August, Jagdeo when questioned on the seventh project said, “When and if if and or when and if we approve the project then you will be told about what the benefits will

The Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel will be capable of storing approximately 1 4 to 2 million barrels of oil.Thirdparty oil tankers will be scheduled to offload the oil from the FPSO, making the oilavailableforexporttothe international market To date, Exxon has obtained a p p r o v a l f r o m t h e Government of Guyana for six development projects in the Stabroek Block – Liza PhaseOne,LizaPhaseTwo, Payara,Yellowtail,Uaruand Whiptail The first three projects are already producing oil at a daily estimated rate of 640,000

HeexplainedthatWPAis interested in ensuring that any future negotiations between Exxon or any other oil company, and the governmentarefreefromthe mistakesofthepastinterms ofthe2016PSA…” TheCoLeader of the party made it clearthatheisnotaskingthe government to take the membersoftheoppositionto the negotiation table when the negotiations are to be done,butratherthereshould be consultations with the political oppositions any other major stakeholders before engaging Exxon, highlighting that this is somethingtheyfeelstrongly about. “We think that was oneoftheweaknessesofthe first negotiation. Secondly, we would like some of the issuesthatwereraisedabout the first negotiation to be ventilated.”

Secureadditionalbenefits

Recently, the Alliance For Change (AFC) said that government needs to secure additional fiscal benefits for its people ahead of the

The People’s National CongressReform(PNCR)is also calling for better fiscal terms before granting of the permit for the seventh project. Advisortotheparty on oil and gas, Elson Low saidthepartyalwaysheldthe 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 people of Guyana. Low was asked by Kaieteur News whether his party believes that more benefits ought to be obtained before the approval of the project. “It doesn’t have to be at the instanceofthegrantingofan additionalpermit,itcouldbe inthenearfuture.Itcouldbe thatthegovernmentengages with consultants, and with legal representation to have that discussion and prepare itself. Rather, we have not seen any movement on that front,”Lowsaid.

The government, opposition and several other stakeholdersbothlocallyand internationally have acknowledged the lopsided nature of the 2016 agreement,whichwaivesall taxes for the oil companies, requiring the government to pay Exxon and its partners’ taxesfromGuyana’sshareof oilprofits.

The deal also grants Guyanaonlya2%royaltyon its resources and allows the companiestorecover75%of their investments before splittingtheremaining25%, with Guyana receiving just 12.5%.

Furthermore, the contract also lacks a ringfencingprovision.This (Continued on page 36)

Former Finance Minister, Winston Jordan

Co-Leader of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Dr. David Hinds.

Guyanese attorney is new Deputy DPP of Belize

Sheiniza Smith, a G u y a n e s e attorney, has been appointed to the position of Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of Belize Ms Smith was officially appointed to the position on December 2, 2024.

Ms Smith, who currently resides in the Central American country, has made significant strides in her legal career since migrating to the country in March 2011 to take up contractual employment at the Office of the DPP as a CrownCounsel.

During her tenure at the OfficeoftheDPPinBelize, Ms. Smith has successfully prosecuted both capital and non-capital matters in the Belizean High Court. Since 2016, she has also argued appeals before the Court of AppealofBelize.

In 2018, Ms Smith successfully argued her first appealbeforetheCaribbean CourtofJustice(CCJ)inthe

case of Dionicio Salazar v the Queen, and more recently,inthecaseofTevin and Rewin before the same Court, between 2012 and 2019.

“I had the privilege of working as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Belize, where I taught Labour Law, Constitutional Law, Probate and Succession, Equity, and other law-related courses,”

Ms.Smithstated.

In 2015, she was promoted to Senior Crown Counsel, before she was promoted to the post of DeputyDPP

The lawyer explained that due to the lack of a proper organizational structure, there were no higherpostsbetweenSenior Crown Counsel and DPP

However, after much effort on her part, the position of Assistant DPP was created and the post of Deputy DPP wasrestoredlastyear

Ms Smith is originally from Plaisance, East Coast

Former Berbice school school teacher makes New York magazine cover

NDr. Vivian M, Williams Esq.

ow a prominent lawyer in the United States of America (USA), Dr Vivian M. Williams ESQ has been selected for a cover feature in the 17th edition of the Marquis Who’s Who Millenniummagazine. The NY magazine has been around since 1899, chronicling the lives of the

Demerara Ms Smith is daughter of Michael Smith and Sharon Rollox, the granddaughter of Clinton and Clarice Rollox (both deceased), and the younger sisterofSonitaSmith.

Ms.Smithcompletedher LLB programme at the University of Guyana (UG) in 2009 She was the recipient of the Anne Blue Memorial Award for the best-performing 2nd-year student before graduating withdistinction.

“I obtained my Legal Education Certificate with honours from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad in 2009 and receivedtheRBTTprizefor thelawofsuccession.

After graduating from law school, I began my career at DeSantos and Associates under the mentorship of Mr Bernard

DeSantos SC (now deceased), a close friend of my grandfather His guidance and confidence in me were instrumental in shaping my career Following his mentorship, I migrated to Belize,” Ms Smithrecalled.

In October 2024, she graduated from Cave Hill University with a Master’s in Legislative Drafting with Distinction Additionally, she successfully completed the New York Bar Exam in 2022.

In a statement to The Waterfalls,Ms.Smithsaid“I owe much gratitude to God, for His faithfulness; my teachers, for the

c o m m i t m e n t , encouragement, and demonstrationofconfidence and my family and friends for their unconditional love andsupport.”

most accomplished individualsandinnovators. These individuals are selected from every significantfieldofendeavour, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religionandentertainment. Forits17thedition,ithas selected a Guyanese, Dr Williams,whohailsfromthe (Continuedonpage23)

Sheiniza Smith, a Guyanese attorney who has been appointed Deputy DPPof Belize

GNBS IN FOCUS: MAKING PLAYTIME SAFER

– GNBS MONITORS TOY

SAFETY THIS FESTIVE SEASON

As the holiday

season lights up homes and hearts across Guyana, the joy of gift-giving will see a variety of toys for children under Christmas trees

However, behind the festive cheer lies an important responsibility which is to ensure the safety of these toysforchildren.

As usual, the Guyana

National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) carries

out its regulatory responsibility to ensure toys are not only attractive and fun-like,butalsosafeforthe

children we cherish most These products are monitored based on the requirements stipulated in the National Standard GYS 234:2003-Specificationfor the Safety of Toys and Playthings.

Toys that fail to meet safety standards can pose serious risks, including choking, poisoning, or injuries from sharp edges and small detachable parts.

The GYS 234 standard addresses these hazards, providing comprehensive safety requirements for toys intended for children up to theageoffourteen(14).

This standard provides for toys to undergo rigorous testing for mechanical and toxicological hazards, includingrisksfrommoving parts, toxic materials, and improper labelling. During this festive period, GNBS is actively monitoring toys for sale, safeguarding children fromtheseharmswhilethey play

M a n u f a c t u r e r s , importers, and retailers are obligated to provide safe toys to prevent avoidable tragedies.

A d d i t i o n a l l y , compliancewiththeGYS912 StandardforLabelling also ensures that clear

warnings and instructions areincludedonthelabelling oftoys.

These labelling

information help parents select age-appropriate and hazard-freetoys.

Importantly, while GNBS monitors toy safety, parentsplayanessentialrole in ensuring their children’s safety Here are some practicaltips:

· Check Labels: Ensure toys are labelled for the appropriate age group and includesafetyinstructions.

· Inspect for Durability: Avoid toys which can be easily broken exposing sharpedgesandlooseparts.

Follow Instructions:

Adhere to care and maintenance guidelines to keeptoyssafeforuse.

· Beware of Choking Hazards: Ensure toys for babies and toddlers do not include small, easily detachableparts.

Confirm Certification Marks: Look for reputable safety certification marks like UL or CE which indicate that the products werelaboratorytested.

GNBS’s enforcement of the requirements of the GYS 234:2003 standard this holiday season aims to keep children safe while they enjoy their festive gifts.

The Bureau implores parents to purchase toys whicharesafeforuse

Making this good purchasing decision goes a far way to ensure that the Christmas holidays are bothjoyfulandsafe

This Christmas, let’s make safety the first gift wegive

Forfurtherinformation on this subject, call the GNBS on Telephone number: 219-0064-66 or visit the Bureau’s website: wwwgnbsgyorg

Frompage19

small town of New

Amsterdam, Berbice, RegionSix.Heisamember of the International Bar Association, an Ajunct Professor of the Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, New York and President of VMW Law P.C.,aUSLawFirmthathas beenoperatingfor15years. “Dr Williams began his professional life as a

schoolteacher after completing training at Cyril Potter College of Education inGuyana. Hethenpursued undergraduatestudiesatthe UniversityofGuyanabefore migrating to the United States.

“Following these achievements, he attained a Master of Laws in global antitrustlawandeconomics

from George Mason University’sAntonin Scalia Law School and Master of

Laws in intellectual property and media law fromtheCardozoSchoolof Law

“Heisalsoagraduateof the George Washington UniversityGraduateSchool of Political Management where he attained a Master

of Strategic Public Relations This was followed by an MBA from TRIUM – a top ranked global program jointly administeredbyNYUStern SchoolofBusiness,London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and HEC(Paris).

He has capped off his academic achievements withaDoctorateinBusiness

Administration from

Baruch College”Biography excerpts taken from WeNews Guyana: https://wenews.gy/

CONSUMER CONCERNS: BRIBERY AND OTHER FORMS OF CORRUPTION MUST BE ERADICATED FROM GUYANESE SOCIETY

PATDIAL

From time to time various Ministers as Heads ofGovernmentDepartments and officials of the Private Sector have spoken out against corruption which existsinbothGovernmental andPrivateSector

Full and concerted action against corruption was however only seriously initiated when Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Hon Gail Teixeira held an antiCorruption workshop in partnership with the Private Sector at the end of last November

Both Government and Private Sector expressed theirintentionandaspiration toeradicatecorruption.

They pointed out the effects of corruption, all of which were negative, which included the slowing up of governmental and private sector activity leading to inefficiencyandtheincrease in costs of all business transactionsandthatinallof this, national development wasretarded. Itweakensthe moralfibreofbothpartiesto acorrupttransactionandthis human degradation increaseswiththepassingof time.

The governmental spokespersons stressed that eradicating the Culture of Corruption which they link with Human Rights, would resultinacleansociety

ThePrivateSectoronthe other hand, felt that the Court System was too dilatory and the Laws affectingCorruptionneedto be solidified and modernized and that the punitive aspects of the Law need to be greatly strengthened; if these reforms were effectuated, corruptpersonswouldcease to assume that they could escape the net of the Law withimpunity

The words of Minister Gail Texeira postulates the rejection of the Culture of Corruption:“Whathastobe developed consciously is a newculturethatisnotbased on the view held by some that you have to grease someone’s hand to get something built where the systems work transparently and fairly and people trust themtodoso.

We need to have a new culture where people feel if

theywantapassportorputin a tender for a contract, they don’t have to grease anybody’s palm. And this requires, at all levels of the Public Service and Private Sector, a zero tolerance for persons offering or asking forbribes”.

Ramesh Dookhoo, speaking on behalf of the PrivateSector,calledforthe quickening of the Court

procedures and the consolidation of the anticorruption legislation, thus makingthemmoreeffective:

“You need to take all these pieces of legislation and have a holistic antiCorruption Legislation in Guyana, which makes it easier for the Police, the Regulators and everybody elsetotakeyoutoCourtand besuccessful.

The penalties would havetobeharsh,sothatyou wouldn’t even want to risk it”.

Though the exorcising bribery and other forms of corruption from Guyanese Society may appear to be a very difficult uphill task, in reality,itisnotbecauseuntil the beginning of the 1960’s bribery and corruption were unknown in the Public Service and the Private Sector and this Culture of cleanlinessandtransparency inbusinessdealingswasthe norm.

The induction of Corruption was strangely done by the postIndependence Guyanese

S t a t e w h i c h w a s undemocratic.

When Democracy was restored in the 1990’s , the successor Democratic state was unable to focus its full attention on the elimination of corruption which had taken fairly deep roots and continued.

The present serious effort being initiated by the Ministry of Parliamentary AffairsandGovernance,the Private Sector and various NGOs to restore Guyana to its former Corruption-free status will be met with successsincethemajorityof Guyanese people and institutions wish to exorcise bribery and corruption from theirSociety

To quicken the pace of permanently eliminating bribery and corruption, we wouldsuggestthe (Continuedonpage31)

BRIBERY AND OTHER FORMS OF CORRUPTION MUST BE ERADICATED...

Frompage25 following:Inadditiontothe great efforts made by State and Private Sector, we would suggest that in all

trainingprogramswhichare mounted by both State and Private Sector, a 45-minute sessiononcorruptionshould be included; the Heads of

Government Departments

surveillance over their officesandshouldbewilling

complaint or suspicion of corruption; and at the primary school level, some reading matter nurturing honesty and anti-corruption

should be included. In the days of the British Empire, the Royal Readers, which were used in primary schools, promoted patriotism,honestyandanticorruption with much success and likewise, this culture could be revived today

Frompage18 means Guyana is covering thecostsofprojectsthathave not yet started production.

Each month, future development expenses are added to Exxon’s costrecoverylist.

Guyaneseinthedark onUSbillionsbeing recoveredby ExxonMobil-AFC …callsforreleaseof costrecoverystatements

As the Government of Guyana (GoG) continues to face heavy criticisms for the blackout of information on the use of the country’s oil andgasrevenue,theAlliance For Change (AFC) has pointed to the lack of transparency in the billions

of US-dollars being recovered by ExxonMobil andpartners.

Former Executive

D i r e c t o r o f t h e Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr Vincent Adams on Friday during the party’s weekly press conferenceflaggedtheissue, calling for the cost recovery statements being prepared andhandedovertotheGoG, byExxon,tobemadepublic.

In highlighting the

importance of this i n f o r m a t i o n , t h e

Environmental and

Petroleum Engineer reminded that a whopping 75%eachmonthisdeducted bytheoilcompaniestowards cost. Be that as it may, he argued that the country is cluelessastowhatexactlyits oil is being used to fund “Wedonotseeabreakdown inthosenumbers.Wearenot evengettingintheauditasto what’s coming out for operations and what’s coming out for capital,” Dr Adamsargued.

Even in the case of a house mortgage, he said a schedule is provided with howthemoneyispaidoff.To thisend,theformerEPAboss noted that while it is public knowledge that the Oppositionhashaddifficulty in securing answers and gainingcooperationfromthe government, especially with regard to the oil and gas industry in the National Assembly, efforts must continue in the House for transparencyinthisregard. “Iwouldsuggestthatwe continue to persist in Parliament and ask for this kind of information to be released,ifnotinParliament tothepublic,”henoted.

Annex ‘C’ of the 2016

explicit that the company is required each quarter to prepare a cost recovery statement It goes on to highlight that the statement mustinclude:(a)recoverable contract costs carried forward from the previous calendar quarter, if any; (b) recoverable contract costs for the calendar quarter in question; (

recoverable contract costs; (d)quantityandvalueofcost oil taken and disposed of by the contractor for the calendarquarterinquestion; (e) contract costs recovered for the calendar quarter in question and (f) total cumulative amount of contract costs to be carried

rward into the next calendarquarter

The cost recovery statement for each quarter is required to be submitted no later than 30 days after the endofeachquarter

Dr.Adams told Kaieteur News in response to a question that these statements must be made public for the transparent managementofthecountry’s resources. He was keen to point out that the audit process does not delve into all the expenses but a mere sample of costs incurred by Exxon.

The statements made by theformerEPAHeadcomes in light of the recent disclosure byVice President BharratJagdeothatalthough Guyana is paying for the assets being used in the offshore production of oil, the country is not a partowneroftheassets.

Culturaltours

The VP at his Thursday press conference explained, “It’s a simple thing. You’re not part owner of any company You don’t own t h e s e a s s e t s S o , ExxonMobil puts in the investment They create a company; the company has these assets. We are entitled

Guyana Police Force’s annual Christmas breakfast. A joint statement issued subsequently by the Government and Union revealed that the 10% increasein2024willresultin a 35% cumulative salary increase for public servants over the four-year period from 2021 to 2024 The additional 8% increase in 2025 will raise the cumulativesalaryincreaseto 46% over five years, from 2021to2025.

toreceiveinthefuture,50%, once everything is paid off you are entitled to collect 50% of future profits and they get 50% and then 2 % r o y a l t y o n t h e gross that’s your entitlementtocollect.”

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.

Wednesday

Publicservantsget 10%payhikefor2024, another8%for2025

The Government of Guyana (GoG) and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) on Tuesday, signedatwo-yearagreement that will see public servants receiving a 10% across-theboard salary increase retroactively in 2024, with an additional 8% increase to take effect from January 1, 2025.

The announcement was madebyPresidentIrfaanAli during his address at the

The agreement was signed by Soyinka Grogan, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Service, onbehalfofthegovernment, andDawnGardener,1stVice President of GPSU, on behalfoftheunion.

Meanwhile, President Ali emphasized that the cumulativeincreasecouldbe even higher, stating, “The Government of Guyana understands that prosperity mustcomeateveryleveland understandingthatthepublic service intervention must be made… we will make the necessary adjustment to alwayshavethatparityinthe system.”

In addition to the salary increases, the government has introduced several other measures aimed at improvingthecompensation and benefits for public servants. With effect from 1 July2024,publicservantson GeneralScale(GS)1-6with a minimum of four years of service within their current scale will be moved to the midpoint of that scale, leading to increases of up to 13% for eligible employees. Public servants with at least eightyearsofserviceintheir current scale will be moved tothemaximumofthescale, resultinginincreasesofupto 26%.

Furthermore, public servantsonGS:7-8whohave

at least four years of service in their current scale will receive an additional monthly amount equivalent to the nominal difference between the minimum and midpoint of GS:6, resulting inanincreaseofupto11%.

StartingJanuary1,2025, public servants who have

e a r n e d a d d i t i o n a l qualifications relevant to their duties will receive monthly qualification allowances: $15,000 for holders of anAssociation of Cha

Acc

un

an

s (ACCA) qualification, $22,000 for holdersofaMaster’sdegree, and $32,000 for holders of a Doctoraldegree.

P r e s i d e n t A l i underscored that these initiatives are in keeping with the government’s commitment to incentivize education and training, and the development of the humancapital.

I n a d d i t i o n t o qualification allowances, several other adjustments were announced and will take effect from January 1, 2025.Theseincludea$5,000 annual increase in the uniformallowanceforhealth workers, a $35,000 monthly housingallowanceforpublic servants on secondment to hinterland locations, and an $8,000 monthly station allowance for those serving in riverine and inland areas. Public servants will also receive a 50% increase in riskallowances,alongwitha 104% increase in motor car andtravelallowances.

The government is also introducing 100 duty-free concessions per annum for nursing staff, with priority given to those with the longest years of service and those who have never p

A d d i t

l y, 1 0 0 scholarshipswillbeawarded

annually to GPSU members for undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the University of Guyana or through the Guyana Online

A

(GOAL).

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance andPublicServiceDr Ashni Singh, ove

saw

he discussions on behalf of the government.

Guyanacannotseizeand sellitsownassetstopay foranoilspill-Dr.Adams

Theassetsbeingpaidfor by Guyana through the cost r

20

6 Petroleum Agreement with ExxonMobil cannot be sold by the company to handle expenses related to an oil spillintheStabroekBlock. T

er Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr Vincent Adams, during an Alliance For Change (AFC) press conference.

In opening remarks, Dr Adams, an Environmental and Petroleum Engineer arguedthattheassetsarepart owned by Guyana, since the country is repaying the investments.

His comments came on the heels of an explanation provided by Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo that Exxon can sell the F

oating Production Storage and Offloading vessels (FPSOs) to handle costs related to an oilspill.

To this end, Dr Adams said, “What he used to be saying is that we can seize assets to pay for an oil spill. We explained to him you cannotseizeyourownassets becausethosearebeingpaid for through cost oil, so we thought that had gone away and apparently he had broughtitupagainsometime and the reporter ask him it doesn’t make any sense that youaregonnasellyourown assets.”

HenotedthattheAFCas wellasthePeople’sNational Congress Reform (PNC/R) h

o

an unlimited parent company guarantee to dissolve the “foolish, nonsense” that is being purported by the Vice President that the country would sell its own assets to respondtosuchanevent.

Dr Adams argued, “He needtogoreadthe(oil) (Continued on page 37)

Former Executive Director of the Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA), Dr. VincentAdams

The signed agreement between the Government of Guyana and the Guyana Public Service Union

Frompage36 contract. They have got to turnoverallofthoseassetsto us,freeofchargeandnowhe talkingwellwewouldfreeze the assets and sell it. It’s the stupidest thing I have ever heard.”

The former EPA boss

further noted that ExxonMobil had agreed to anunlimitedparentcompany guarantee however this provision was reversed by the present administration Consequently, Dr Adams said the oil company is now reluctant to provide this coverage.

“Exxon sees that this government is reckless and spineless and weak and they are taking advantage of them,”Dr Adamsstated.

Assetsandthe2016PSA

Article 20 of the

Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) specify terms related to ‘Rights to Assets’statethatuponexpiry

or termination of the Agreement, the Contractor shall deliver to the Minister, freeofcharge,ingoodorder andcondition,(fairwearand tear except) all installations, works, pipelines, pumps, casings,tubings,enginesand other equipment, machinery or assets of a fixed or p e r m a n e n t n a t u r e

constructed, used or employed by the Contractor or the Operator in the ContractArea.

Itgoesontostatethatthis also applies to any fixed assets relating to Petroleum Operations outside the Contract Area and movable

assets owned by the Contractor or Operator and used or employed in connection with Petroleum Operations and located in Guyanaforwhichcostshave beenfullyrecovered.

Be that as it may, Vice President Jagdeo told reporters that although Guyana is paying for the assets being used in the offshore production of oil in theStabroekBlock,thisdoes not make the country a part owner of the assets This therefore means that in the event that an oil spill occurs asaresultoftheactivitiesin the resource rich offshore acreage,ExxonMobilwillbe free to sell the assets to respondtosuchanevent.

TheVPexplained,“It’sa simplething.You’renotpart 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 off you are entitled to collect 50% of future profits and they get 50% and then 2 % r o y a l t y o n t h e gross that’s your entitlementtocollect.”

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.

Thursday

GuyanakeytoExxon’s futureplans —ascompanysets targettoboostoil productionhereto1.7M barrelperdayby2030

E x x o n M o b i l o n Wednesday said its annual project spending will rise to between US$28 billion and US$33billionbetween2026 and2030asitlookstoboost itsoilandgasoutputby18%, with Guyana playing a key roleinthisendeavour

In a statement on

Wednesday, ExxonMobil’s CEO DarrenWoods said the company continues to strengthen its Upstream portfolio of advantaged assetsthatofferlowercostof supply and higher returns He said by 2030, at a 2024dollar real Brent price of US$65 per barrel, a real HenryHubpriceofUS$3per mmbtu,andarealTTFprice

of US$6.50 per mmbtu, the company plans to deliver an additional US$9 billion in Upstream annual earnings potential – more than 50% higherthanin2024.

Woods noted that with the Pioneer acquisition, the company reached its target of having more than 50% of itstotalUpstreamproduction from advantaged assets (Permian, Guyana, and LNG), three years earlier thanplanned.By2030,more than 60% of the company’s production is expected to comefromtheseadvantaged assets,whichareexpectedto grow by an additional 1.2 million oil-equivalent barrels per day (Moebd) during that period Total Upstream production is expectedtoreach5.4Moebd by 2030, even as the company plans to lower its operated Upstream emissions intensity 40-50% versus2016.

“ F o l l o w i n g i t s acquisition and integration of Pioneer, ExxonMobil expectstoachievemorethan US$3 billion in annual synergies, a more than 50% increase from prior guidance,” Woods said. He said the company now has the largest contiguous acreage position in the Permian Basin with double the number of low-cost net drilling locations versus the next closest competitor The company is applying its technology advantage to increase capital efficiency and resource recovery and expects to roughly double production in the Permian Basin to approximately 2.3 M o e b d b y 2 0 3 0 ExxonMobilalsoannounced plans for two additional

developments in Guyana, Hammerhead and Longtail, bringing the total number of developments to eight by 2030 Total production capacity in Guyana, on an investmentbasis,isexpected to reach 1.7 million barrels per day with gross production growing to 1 3 million barrels per day by 2030.

According to a Reuters article,thenewtargetsbythe company come as Exxon is riding high Its Guyana operations are generating huge profits and U.S. shale businessisontracktodouble oil production this year through its acquisition of Pioneer In LNG, it is a mixed bag with setbacks in its U S and Mozambique projects

Woodssaidtheincreased project spending is expected “to generate returns of more than30%overthelifeofthe investments.”

Exxonaimstomorethan triple its production in the Permian, the top U.S. shale field, to 2.3 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2030 and pump 1.3 million bpd from its lucrative Guyana operations. Overall oil and gas output should hit 5 4 million bpd, up about 18% from roughly 4 58 million bpdcurrently

The company’s shares weredownafractioninpremarkettradingtoUS$112.30 with many of the projects and targets already known. Exxon said it will add two projects in Guyana by 2030, in line with a previous statement of 7 to 10 total, whileitsLNGtargetremains 40 million metric tons per annum.

The new targets aim to

assure shareholders that returns can be sustained through oil market price swings. Global benchmark Brent crude is expected to drop to about US$75 per barrelnextyearfromUS$81 this year, squeezing oil

company profits. But Exxon’s 12.7% year-to-date share gain is well above the sector’s about 8 4% appreciation as measured by energy mutual fund Its

share-price increase contrasts with from doubledigit percentage declines in sharesinConocoPhillipsand Occidental Petroleum this year (Reuters)

Exxon’supstreamstrategy reliesonGuyana’scheap, high-qualityoilreturns

Guyana’s Stabroek

Block is one “advantaged asset” in ExxonMobil’s upstream portfolio that offers the American oil giant, lower cost of supply andhigherreturns.

On Wednesday, Exxon unveiled its Corporate Plan

to 2030, emphasizing strategic investments in key regions, including Guyana, to bolster shareholder value and strengthen its upstream portfolio.Thecompanyaims to deliver an additional US$20 billion in earnings and US$30 billion in cash

flow by leveraging competitively advantaged o p p o r t u n i t i e s a n d d i s c i p l i n e d c o s t management.

The plan underscores ExxonMobil’s focus on upstream production growth from advantaged assets like Guyana, the Permian Basin and liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects. “By 2030, more than 60% of the company’s production is expectedtocomefromthese advantagedassets,whichare expected to grow by an additional 1 2 million oil-

equivalent barrels per day (Moebd) during that period. TotalUpstreamproductionis expectedtoreach5.4Moebd by 2030, even as the company plans to lower its operatedupstreamemissions intensity 40-50% versus 2016,”Exxonsaid.

In Guyana, ExxonMobil plans to add two more oil d

, Hammerhead and Longtail, bringing the total number of sanctioned projects in the countrytoeightby2030.

Exxon is the operator of the Stabroek Block which coversanareaof6.6million acres is estimated to hold 11.6billionbarrelsofoil.To date, Exxon has obtained a p p r o v a l f r o m t h e Government of Guyana for six development projects in the Stabroek Block – Liza PhaseOne,LizaPhaseTwo, Payara,Yellowtail,Uaruand Whiptail The first three pro

cts are al

eady producing oil at a daily estimated rate of 640,000 barrels per day (bpd). With theadditionofHammerhead andLongtail,Exxonsaidthis willexpandgrossproduction in Guyana to approximately 1.3 million barrels per day, with total production capacity expected to reach 1.7millionbarrelsperdayon aninvestmentbasis.

“ExxonMobil continues to strengthen its upstream portfolio of advantaged assetsthatofferlowercostof supply and higher returns By2030,ata2024dollarreal Brent price of US$65 per barrel, a real Henry Hub price of US$3 per mmbtu, and a real TTF price of US$6 50 per mmbtu, the company plans to deliver an additional US$9 billion in Upstream annual earnings potential – more than 50% higher than in 2024,” it was stated This publication recently reported that Vice PresidentBharratJagdeohas argued that Guyana’s lowcost production and quality crude position the country advantageously, allowing it to derive long-term benefits from its oil reserves. Jagdeo wasatthetimerespondingto questions in relation to a potential oil glut causing a declineinoilprices–thereby affectingGuyana.

Reflecting on Guyana’s strategic advantage, Jagdeo emphasized that the country’s light, sweet crude oil—widely regarded for its quality—combinedwithlow productioncostsofabout (Continued on page 38)

ExxonMobil CEO, Darren Woods

The Stabroek Block

Frompage37

US$40perbarrel,putsitina stronger position than many other oil-producing nations.

“The good thing is that our crude is light, sweet crude. It’sagoodqualitycrude,and also our breakeven cost is below many countries in the world. So if you had to fall off the production chart on the basis of quality of crude and breakeven cost, many other countries will fall off beforewefalloffthechart,” he asserted. He underscored that Guyana’s production is low-cost compared to other countries, making it less vulnerable in scenarios

where only the most economical producers survive a downturn. Jagdeo said,“Sobeforethoseprices fall below a point where we can’t produce oil anymore, lots of other countries, shouldtherebeareductionin global demand, would fall off the production chart aheadofus.”

Friday

Jagdeo:‘Nowindfall profitsforGuyanafrom higheroilprices’ …saysexcessprofitsgoing towardscostrecovery

Chiefpolicymakerinthe oil and gas industry Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said that there is no excess profittogainfromincreased oil prices as he dismissed calls for the government to institute windfall taxes from ExxonMobil.

At his weekly press conference,heldatFreedom House on Robb Street, he made this comment in responsetoaquestionposed bythispublicationinrelation to the government not instituting a windfall taxes mechanism despite current oil prices being higher than the average price per barrel, whichcouldhavegiveneach of the 300,000 established households here $2M per month “What kind of economics here you are bringing to me…there’s no excess profit and everything else.”

Jagdeo explained that in the industry projections are made and based on that projection, prices may be higher However, even with these higher prices, the cost recovery affixed by the contract is 75%. “It means you’re amortizing the expenses faster so you can get to a higher share of the profit.You’rejustamortizing theexpensesfasterandthat’s

what’s happening. So if it took you 10 years to amortize the investment at $50, and just to give an example, the price for oil, it maytakeyou7yearstodoit at $75 and that means thereafter you were entitled to52%,crudelyputtingit,of their revenue. It’s a simple method,”hereasoned.

On November 29, this publication reported that Jagdeo maintained that his government’spositionisthat windfall taxes will not be instituted at this time Windfall tax is a tax levied by governments against certain industries when economic conditions allow those industries to experienceaboveaverageor projected profits. Jagdeo, in responsetoaquestionposed by Kaieteur News on why the 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.”

In May 2022, Kaieteur News questioned the Vice Presidentontheissueandat that time he admitted that citizens in Canada, and the United States had forced their governments to increase their royalties charged to oil operators. In the United Kingdom, the government increased the one-off tax slapped on oil companies.Atthattime,this publication reported extensivelyonthechangesin the fiscal regimes for the oil operators in those countries. Canada had moved its royaltychargedbetweenfive and 40%; the US in Decemberof2021,raisedits royalty rate higher than the 18.75%ithadbeenreceiving whiletheUKslappedaoneoff25percenttaxontheoil companiesthere.Jagdeohad told the media that the

windfall tax that some countries are exploring only came after intense pressure from their populations However, he explained why the institution of the tax could not be replicated in Guyana. “Weareboundbya PSA (Production Sharing Agreement) with very specifictermsonthetaxation side.”

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Tobago energy expert

Anthony Paul said, “Since all contracts must abide by national law and since such an instrument does not violate existing contracts, Windfall Profits Taxes provide a simple and fair mechanism to ensure that countriesgettheirjustdues.”

Paul, an international consultant,inarecentarticle, made the point that oil companies do not produce oil, nature does. The role of the oil companies is simply to extract the resource. He explained, “Nature blesses countrieswithit.Oncetheoil company removes it, that assetisgoneforever Forthis reason, countries should realise that they are not just innocent bystanders to the business venture of oil and gas.”

Infact,theEnergyExpert

contributors,” providing their natural heritage as an assetinthebusiness.This,he noted, makes countries coinvestors with a contractor, sothatbothcanmakemoney “An investor who brings money wants to make profit inproportiontotheamountit invests. Similarly, countries should make a return on the investment of their asset, proportional to the value of that asset,” the International Consultantpointedout.

He was keen to note that Stabilisation clauses in contracts are based on an agreed economic model whichcontemplatesarateof return to the contractor, basedonaprojectedpriceor

pricing formula for the commodity on an agreed market However, Paul explainedthatwhentheprice of the commodity is far higher than the projected priceintheeconomicmodel, the extra profit is referred to asawindfall.Tothisend,he noted, “Since the market conditions are generally beyond the control of the producer,itisthecommodity itself that creates the higher revenue,notanyactionofthe contractor.”

It has therefore become customary in jurisdictions around the world, including developed countries, to introduce a Windfall Profits Taxtoensurethattheowner of the resource gets a bigger share of the profit, in line with the disproportionate contribution the resource makes to the increased revenue, the Energy Expert said.

GRAflagsremigrant vehiclescam …sayspersonsacting asfrontsforauto dealers,otherstoimport high-endvehicles

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has raised alarm over the abuse of the duty-freesysteminplacefor re-migrants to import vehicles,notingthatinsome cases the persons who apply for the concessions are working as fronts for auto dealers.

Thisdisclosurecomeson the heels of a ruling by the Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire that the revenue body acted unlawfully by questioning the source of funds used by remigrant Reaz Manjoor to purchase a vehicle – and ordered the release of his ToyotaLandcruiser

In a press statement, on Thursday,GRAsaid,“While GRAisrespectfulofandwill abide with the ruling of the Honourable Chief Justice, the Authority wishes to clarify its actions in keeping with the intent of the measures surrounding imports of high-end luxury vehicles by some remigrants, and the abuse to the concession by some unscrupulous persons who may have been granted such a status by the Ministry of ForeignAffairs.”

Firstly, it was explained that re-migrants are allowed a vehicle for their own use, subjecttovariousconditions stipulated in the law Under current policy, re-migrants are allowed to import a vehicle for personal use at significantly reduced excise tax rates 10%, 20%, or 30% depending on the engine capacity In contrast, a non-remigrant importing a high-end vehicle could face over $44 million in taxes, compared to a maximum of $6 million for a remigrant. Thissignificantdisparityhas created opportunities for exploitation.

G R A s a i d t h a t “unscrupulous individuals”, including auto dealers, are enticing potential remigrants to apply for the concession in exchange for monetaryrewards.Theseremigrants,oftenwithminimal financial means or ties to Guyana, are encouraged to secure high-end vehicles before leaving the country Alarmingly,someapplicants lack basic qualifications such as a driver’s licence, a bankaccount,orahistoryof filing tax returns in their countryoforigin.

The Authority said that, “When their (re-migrants) documentsaresubmittedand

analysed, they often show little or no funds for years, but prior to or after the receiptoftheapproval,large and sudden cash injections into their just opened bank account,localorforeign,and from unknown persons and benefactors, who are nowhere to be found or refuse collaboration, of the deposit(aswasinthiscase), all with the intention of facilitating the purchase of high-end vehicles The vehicles are then utilized or purchased by ineligible persons,throughtheprocess of powers of Attorney, or possession, resulting in tens ofmillionsrevenuelossesto theState.”

Further, it was disclosed thatthepracticeisbecoming so prevalent that GRA has seen instances where employees of treaty-exempt organizations and public servants are implicated in these schemes. In response, t h e A u

h a s

g requiring applicants to provide proof of the source of funds used for vehicle purchases; this is called the “hewhoassertsmustprove” principle.

Notably, this is in line with Guyana’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) laws, which m a n d a t

o r o u s compliance and information sharing with several jurisdictions.

Inapleatothepublic,the GRAurgedcitizenstoreport any information on system abuses via its confidential hotline 227-6060 or extensions 3201, 3204, 3205, 3206, 3211, 3212, or 3408 Informants may be eligibleforrewardsunder (Continued on page 39)

GRACommissioner General, Godfrey Statia

The Land Cruiser that the court ordered to be released.

Frompage38

the provisions of the

Customs Act This crackdown aims to preserve the integrity of the duty-free vehicle facility, ensuring it benefitsgenuinere-migrants while safeguarding state revenue.

Moreover, the GRA has announced its intention to appeal the recent court ruling, citing the severe tax implications and its obligations under various legislative acts It also emphasized that individuals found guilty of abusing the system or aiding others in fraudulent activities could face fines and imprisonment under the Customs Act and otherrelevantlaws.

This publication had reported that Manjoor returned to Guyana in August 2023 after spending over 10 years in the United States. Seeking new opportunities in his home country, he applied to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where Minister Hugh Todd grantedhimremigrantstatus on 23rd August 2023 Minister Todd had informed Mr.GodfreyStatia,thehead of the Guyana Revenue Authority,ofthisdecision.

The Chief Justice quashed the GRA’s demand for further financial information and ordered the immediate release of M a n j o o r ’s To y o t a Landcruiser,whichhadbeen heldattheportsinceJanuary 2024. This is according to a press release from attorney SiandDhurjon.

Saturday

Bedriddenmotherand daughterdieinhousefire

A 75-year-old mother andher44-year-olddaughter died in a fire at Lot 3834 Plantation Westminster, West Bank Demerara (WBD)onFriday Dead is Felis Smith and herdaughterVentinaSmith. According to Police, the fireoccurredatabout05:00h whilebothFelisandVentina wereasleep.

Felis’ 21-year-old daughter Chandine Sookraj toldpolicethatshealsolived with her mother, sister, 34year-old brother Vidnauth Sookraj and her four-yearolddaughterVeletaSookraj.

S o o k r a j t o l d investigatorsthathermother who was bedridden and her sister occupied the last bedroominthenorth-eastern cornerofthehousewhileher

brother usually sleeps in the living room She and her young daughter would occupy the remaining bedroom.

“At about 21:30 hrs last night, Chandine said she retired to bed with her daughter,leavingeverything intact,”Policesaidinapress release.

The 21-year-old woman reportedthatshewasawaken by heat coming from the bedroom occupied by her mother and sister. Upon investigation, she saw that part of the bedroom was engulfedinflames.

The young mother said shegotholdofherdaughter and ran to the yard through the southern main door

w h e r e s h e a l e r t e d neighbourswhowenttoher assistance and also contacted the Guyana Fire Service(GFS)

Firefighters from the La Grange Fire Station #114 as well as the Eccles Fire Service#18respondedtothe fire under the command of leading fireman Cameron DespitetheeffortsoftheFire Service the structure was completelydestroyed.

Representatives of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) andGFSprocessedthescene where it was observed that

twobodieswhichwereburnt beyond recognition and suspected to be that of the mother and daughter were seenlyingmotionless,facing upwards,inthenorth-eastern cornerofthehouse.

T h e s c e n e w a s documented and the charred remains of the two persons were taken to the West DemeraraRegionalHospital wheretheywerepronounced deadbyadoctor

The bodies are at the Ezekiel Funeral Home, awaiting a post-mortem examination.

Jordanflagslackof measuresbyGov’t tocushioneconomy fromlowoilprices expectednextyear

Former Minister of Finance,WinstonJordanhas flaggedthelackofmeasures by government to cushion the economy from the drop in oil prices predicted for nextyear

D u r i n g a r e c e n t programme, Jordan argued that the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) or the nation’s oil account is being drained with little resources left for savings in the event of unexpectedcircumstances.

T h i s y e a r , t h e

The aftermath of the fire that claimed the lives of 75-year-old Felis Smith and 44-year-old Ventina Smith. (GPF)

government passed an amendmenttotheNRFLaw to increase the withdrawals that can be made from the Fund.

The new formula stipulates100%withdrawal of the first US$1 billion received in 2023, 95% of the second US$1 billion, 90% of the third US$1 billion, 85% of the fourth US$1 billion, 50% of the fifthUS$1billion,and10% of amounts over US$5 billion

For his part, Jordan reasoned, “In developing countries there are many rainy days You will need that fund and I am afraid becausetheoutlookfornext year is for oil prices to go down and when you think about (President of the United States, Donald) Trump coming back inTrump is close to (Russia’s Head of State, Vladimir) Putin (If) the war in Russia ends next year, let us say, Russia’s oil is now back on themarketandyousolvethe issueswithIran Iran’soilis back on the market in full, rather than having to go around in dark corners and so on What is the implication for prices and then what happens to Guyana?”

He pointed out that Guyana does not have adequate savings to help cushiontheeconomyfroma drastic drop in the price for thecommodity

The Government of Guyana (GoG) has withdrawn half of the country’s total earnings to date from oil and gas production.

According to the 2024 third quarter report for the Natural Resource Fund (NRF), published by the Bank of Guyana (BoG), the countryhassofarreceiveda totalofUS$5.4B.

Guyanabeganproducing oil in December 2019 and receiveditsfirstoilpayment onMarch11,2020.

Followingthepassageof the NRF Act in 2021, the GoG in 2022 plugged US$607 6 million in oil money into the National Budget for first time. This was followed by another US$1Binbudgetarysupport fortheyear2023.

This year, the National Assembly has approved US$1,586,150,331 to be deducted from the Fund to support the country’s national development priorities

This means that by the end of this year, total

withdrawals from the NRF will amount to close to US$3.2B.

Loweroilprices

In November, the World Bank in a report highlighted thatanoilglutmayleadtoa substantial drop in global prices.

“Nextyear,theglobaloil supplyisexpectedtoexceed demandbyanaverageof1.2 million barrels per day,” the WorldBankstated.

Itwasnotedthatthescale ofthisoversupplyisdifficult to overstate; these numbers have only been exceeded twiceinhistory,in1998and 2020.

Asaresult,abarrelofoil could cost less than US$60 withinthenextsixyears.

According to Oilprice, t h e Wo r l d B a n k ’s Commodity Markets Outlook, warns that global oil supply is expected to surpass demand by an average of 1 2 million barrels per day by 2025, driven by factors including flatlinedeconomicgrowthin China,risingelectricvehicle sales, projected production bumps from non-OPEC+ nations, and persistent overproduction from OPEC+membersaswelland increased natural gaspoweredtransportation.

ChristmasSurprise

In a cozy little town

blanketed with soft, shimmering snow, siblings Emily and Daniel eagerly awaited Christmas. Their house sparkled with twinkling lights, and the smellofgingerbreadcookies filled the air Every year, the highlight of Christmas Eve was decorating their special familyChristmastree.

This year, however, somethingwasdifferent.The box of treasured ornaments they used every year was missing! “Oh no!” said Daniel, his face falling “What will we hang on the tree?”

Emily, always the problem-solver, clasped her handstogether “Don'tworry, Daniel. We'll find a way to makethisthebestChristmas treeever!”

Together, they put on their boots, coats, and mittens and stepped out into

the snowy evening, determined to create new decorations.

The first stop was their neighbor Mrs Willow's house.Shewasanartistwho painted beautiful pictures “Do you have anything we could use to decorate our Christmas tree?” Emily asked.

Mrs. Willow smiled and handed them small painted stars she had made from paper “These will bring a littlesparkle,”shesaid.

Next, Emily and Daniel visited Mr Peters, the town

baker “Do you have anything festive for our tree?”Danielasked.

Mr Peters chuckled and handed them candy canes wrapped in shiny ribbons “These should add some sweetness!”

Finally, they went to the townpark,wheretheyfound pinecones scattered under the trees. Emily had an idea. “Wecanrolltheseinglueand glitter to make them sparkle likeornaments!”

Back at home, their parentshelpedthemdecorate the tree with their new treasures. The painted stars shimmered, the candy canes addedfestivestripes,andthe glittery pinecones looked like they had been kissed by frost.

Asthefamilystoodback to admire their creation, a soft jingling sound filled the room They turned to see SantaClaushimselfstanding

I want to be Good

Ithinkitisonlyright ThatImustalwaystrytobegood, Tosayanddothecorrectthing, AndbehaveaswellasIcould.

Iwillalwaystrytobehonest, InwhateverIhavetodo, Nottotakewhatbelongstoothers, Andalwaysspeakwhatistrue.

Iwilltrytobealwaysfair, WheneverIworkorplay, AlwaysmakesureIdonotcheat, Andbehonest ineveryway

Aboveall,Iwillnotbeselfish, Especiallywiththosewhohavelessthanme; Thiswillmakemefeelsogood, Astheybecomegratefultome.

Christmas Crafts With Kids: Kiss-Mass Tree Centerpiece

Materials*

*Green&redholiday scrapbookpaper

*Toothpicks

*Tape

*Hershey'sKisseschocolates inChristmasFoilColors

Cutouttriangleshapesfrom scrapbookpaper

Tapeatoothpickontheback.

InserttoothpickintoHershey's Kissescandies.

Arrangeonplatter

by the fireplace, his eyes twinklingwithdelight.

“I heard about your special tree,” Santa said “AndImustsay,thisisoneof the most creative and beautiful trees I've ever seen!”Emily and Daniel beamedwithpride.“Itwasa teameffort,”saidEmily Santa nodded “You've reminded me that Christmas i s n ' t j u s t a b o u t decorations it's about working together, being kind, and making the best of everysituation.”

With that, Santa left behind a magical ornament that glowed like a tiny star “This is for your tree, to remind you of tonight,” he saidbeforedisappearinginto thesnowynight.

As Emily and Daniel snuggledintobed,theyknew this Christmas would be one they'dneverforget.

Theend!

CHRISTMAS PUZZLES

KIDS

Prepare for the Future by adopting Right Principles

Whenthetimecomesforateenager toleaveschoolandgooutintothewider worldtostartlifeasanadultcitizenand worker, he would obviously be hoping thathewillbeginintherightway He mustthereforerealisethathewillneed to think about this before moving forward. Therearemanypeoplewho feel that they can achieve success and happiness by means which are not honest and fair to others, even to the point of making them suffer The unfortunate thing is that these people may appear for some time to be prospering in life, so much so that others are tempted to follow their example and likewise forget the principles they have been taught, and resorttotheirtypeofbehaviour Butif you have the opportunity to check on thesesamepeoplelater,youwillalways findthattheyhavereapedthesamekind ofrewardthattheyhavesown.

Treatpeopleinabadway,andit will come back to you when you least expect. Neglectyourduty,bedishonest in your dealings with others, and you will eventually suffer the consequences,perhapsatthetimewhen youcanleastaffordit.

Itisafactthatoneofthelawsof nature is that what goes around comes around, and this is just as true of our actions as the earth moving around the s u n Whatever you do in this

world will work to determine your future progress and happiness

Sometimeswefeelthatdoinggoodwill notbeobserved,butyoucannevertell when this is noticed by others. However, just knowing that you have done a right thing, especially when it showsnoimmediatebenefittoyou,can be reward enough, and moreover the reward will surely come. Whenever you are faced with a challenging

UncleRoyisonceagainappealingtoallteenstowrite tohimaboutanyproblemyoumaybefacingforwhichyou needasolution.

He would also like you to contribute to this Page by submitting other material that he can include here. These include:

1. A poem, short story or bit of advice that you have writtenandwouldliketosharewithyourfellowteens.

2. Any significant event that has happened, or any interestingitemaboutwhatisgoingoninyourcommunity

3. A commentary about where you live to acquaint othersaboutit.

4.Anyadviceyouwouldliketopassontothoselikeyou whichwouldservetomakethembetter,andbeofbenefitto ourpeople.

As mentioned before, you can email me at: roypaul2002@yahoo.com

TRAIN TRACKS

This day won't come again

I'llneverseethisdayagain, Thesecondsorthehours, Now'sthetimetotakethetime Tostopandsmelltheflowers.

Today'sthedaytogivesmiles Andsomehappinessaway, Andthesunshineyouweresaving Forsomedarkandrainyday

Thisdayistrulypriceless, Godmadethisdaysonew, Thegooddeedyoudoforanother Mayjustcomebacktoyou.

situation remember that the way you reactwilldeterminewhatyouwillreap inthelongrun.

Thismustsurelypromptyoutoask yourself in any situation what is the rightthingtodo,andtakethehighroad, not reacting but acting always according to what you have identified as right principles. Then you can rest assuredthatallwillturnoutrightinthe end.

Use principles rather that your feelings as the guidelines of your life to ensure ensur you are always on the right path to success and happiness.

Completetherailroadtrack that connects the entrance andexitpieces.

The finished track can’t forknorcrossitself.

Thedigitsshowthenumber of track pieces in each row or column There is a unique solution that can be foundwithoutguessing.

Ihavesomanythankstogive, Iscarcecanevenstart, ForwhenItrytoaddthemup, Morepourforthfrommyheart.

I'lltakewhattheLordhasgiven, DrawnfromHisgracesotrue, IngratitudeforallItake, I'llgivemyselftoYou.

Sotouchaheart,holdanother'shand, Callthatlonelyfriend, Sharethelovethatyoumusthave, Forthisdaywon'tcomeagain.

Solutions to last week’s

GINGERBREAD MAZE

P&P Insurance Brokers donates

$2,000,000

P&P Insurance

Brokers Limited,

on Thursday afternoon, made its annual Christmas donations to 10 organizations.

The company has been

donating to several organizations over the past 18 years to assist them in their humanitarian relief work.

Each organisation

received $200,000 making a total amount of $2,000,000.

In addition to the financial donation, P&P continued the practice where cleaning items were

also given to each organisation

Mr Vikash Panday, D i r e c t o r o f P & P Insurance Brokers, extended Christmas greetingstoeveryone

to 10 organisations

Recipients and P&PInsurance officials take a photo following the presentations.

Ptolemy Reid Rehab Centre, Uncle Eddie’s Home, Friends of the Archer’s Home, The Dharam Shala, Cheshire

H o m e s G u y a n a ,

Hauraruni Girls Home, Bal Nivas Shelter, Joshua House Children Centre, Abraham’s Tent Inc

I n r e s p o n s e , representatives of the various organisations thanked Mr Panday and, P&P Insurance for their continued long-standing support and generosity over the years and, r e c i p r o c a t e d M r Panday’s good wishes for the holiday season Recipients flanked by Mr Vikash Panday and Mrs AhiliaPanday The organisations which benefitted from the donations are: Bless the Children Home

EscapèBookClub hosts4thannualholidaygiftdrive

This year, the Escapè Book

Club proudly hosted its 4th annual holiday gift drive, a cherishedtraditionaimedatspreading joy and warmth to children and families in need during the holiday season.

The event was a resounding success, with approximately 70 gifts purchasedforboysandgirlsages2–14. EscapèFounder,SameerahMohamedFerouz, told The Waterfalls the dedicated club members poured their hearts into the initiative, with several taking the time to shop for thoughtful presentstailoredtobringdelighttothe children.

The gift distribution took place over two days—Saturday, December

7th,andSunday,December8th.

OnSaturday,clubmembersvisited theDamlocatedbyChâteauMargot,a site they had also chosen for distributionduringthepreviousyear’s drive.Mohamed-Ferouzsaidreturning tothisfamiliarlocationwasespecially meaningful, as it allowed the group to reconnect with families and continue spreadingholidaycheer

“On Sunday, we extended the celebrations to the kids of Pigeon Island, where more children were greeted with excitement and gratitude astheyreceivedtheirgifts,”shesaid.

TheFoundernotedthatthespiritof givingextendedbeyondthechildrento the adult women in the community, who were surprised with goodie bags

containing an assortment of makeup products, ranging from lipsticks, lipglosses, foundations, mascaras, and facepalettes.

In addition to the gifts, the book club prepared special goodie bags for everyone that were filled with snacks, biscuits, candy, and treats. Ice cream was also distributed, adding a sweet andrefreshingtouchtothefestivities.

Mohamed-Ferouz revealed that “At the end of the drive, we had extra gifts remaining. To ensure that these would continue to bring joy, we divided them amongst our members, who then distributed them to children inneedwithintheirowncommunities.

Thisthoughtfuleffortextendedthe Continued on page 50

Photos from the Escapè Book Club’s 4th annual gift drive

PapasJohnsbold,uniqueflavours duetospecialimportedtoppings

Papa Johns’ General Manager, Melanie Benjamin during a “special media tasting event” on Saturday, said the restaurant is importing its own pizza toppings to maintain its uniqueness

The tasting event was held at its newly built VlissingenRoadandGarnett Street, Georgetown location Inabriefinterview, Kaieteur News asked the General Manager what it is doing to standout from among the othercompetitorsinGuyana Benjamin responded, “I

to our restaurant where we create that pizza here (Georgetown location) for our customers, ” John explained before speaking aboutthetoppings

“The toppings that we havehereatPapaJohnsareall importedtoppings,”shesaid Apart from the unique ingredients,PapaJohn’shasa cosy and eye-catching a

customers to dine-in rather thantakeawaytheirorders

The menu of ers has a variety of signature pizzas along with mouth-watering

would just say better Pizza, better ingredients ” Noting thatthenewestfast-foodjoint in Guyana is known for having unique and original ingredients, the newspaper askedBenjamintoexpounda bit more on the pizza ingredients that make the brandstandout

The General Manager said the pizza’s dough is not preparedattherestaurantbut atitsdoughproductioncentre located at Chateau Margot, EastCoastDemerara(ECD)

“Thatdoughsitsina33to 40 degrees chiller for a few days and then its transferred

sidesanddesserts

Eight specialty pizzas were available for tasting on Saturday including the Tuscan Six Cheese, comprising parmesan, Romano, asiago, fontina, provolone and mozzarella; BBQ chicken; spicy buf alo chicken;spicychickenranch; garden special; all meats; pepperoni and Hawaiian chickenBBQ

For the sides, the media had a chance to taste the brand’s chicken wings Chicken poppers, garlic knots, jalapeno bites and garlic parmesan breadsticks,

while there was chocolate chip cookie, chocolate chip brownie and cinnamon pullapartsfordesserts

Ms Benjamin also told KaieteurNewsthatoneofthe new menu introductions to Guyana will also be its papadillas “I know a lot of Guyanese are not familiar with the papadillas,” the GeneralManagersaidbefore recommending that Kaieteur News try its spicy chicken ranch, which she said is her favourite

However, Kaieteur News’ reporter opted for the Hawaiian chicken BBQ.

“The flavours are popping! Love that the crust is not too thickortoothin,”onereporter said “ItriedtheBBQ Itdoes nottasteliketheregularBBQ sauce,” she added, as she described the burst of flavours “Theflavourisvery bold,notjustbrushedon,”the reportersaid

Papa Johns is of icially openingitsdoorsonMonday, December 16, and Benjamin isinvitingeveryonetotrythe newestpizzaintown

“Wealsohavetoofer,the 16-inchpizza,ourstaf atthe back will create that for you … The creativity happens in

thekitchenwiththeamazing staf wehaveinthatkitchen Theycancreatethatexcellent pizza for you,” Benjamin said Restaurant Brands HoldingsInc (RBH)-alocal company, has acquired the exclusivefranchiserightsfor Papa Johns in Guyana, Suriname, Curacao, and Aruba.

According to a press release, RBH said this strategic expansion highlights its ongoing m i s s i o n t o b r i n g internationally-acclaimed dining brands to the region, of ering exceptional quality,

service, and experiences tailoredtolocaltastes

Papa Johns is a globally recognized pizza brand renownedforitscommitment to “Better Ingredients, Better Pizza”

Since its founding in 1984,PapaJohnshasbecome aleaderinthepizzaindustry, oferingcustomersaroundthe world delicious, high-quality pizzas and outstanding service With a focus on innovation and community, PapaJohnscontinuestobring people together with its crave-worthy menu and warm,invitingatmosphere.

f

Acosy and eye-catching dining area located on the second floor of Papa Johns’s Vlissengen Road and Garnett Street location.

Papa Johns’s General Manager, Melanie Benjamin

One of Papa Johns’specialty pizzas

Guyanese brand consultant and environmental advocate, Dr. Davindra ‘Dave’ Lalltoo is a ‘Special Person’

Dr Davindra‘Dave’Lalltoomakes itaprioritytoengageinactivities that promote relaxation and personal growth His passion for adventure fuelshisdesiretodiscover new places, meet different people, and immerse himself in various cultures, enhancing his perspective onlife.

Dr Lalltoo was born on October 3, 1991, amidst the rough crossing of the Atlantic Ocean to the Essequibo River His birth as a breechbabywhileaboardaboatnavigatingthe turbulent waters, marked the beginning of a life shaped by resilience and a profound understandingofsurvivalfromtheverystart.

The challenging conditions of his early arrival underscored his journey, instilling a senseofstrengthandperseverancethatwould definehispathforward.

As a result, this week’s ‘Special Person’ hasledasuccessfulpersonalandprofessional life and amassed several accolades in his variousfieldsofwork

To date, Dr Lalltoo’s professional career spans a range of impactful roles, each contributing to his expertise in business management, leadership, and environmental protection.

Since January 2017, he has served as a Brand Consultant at Guyana Premier Consultancy where he has led and executed brand-related projects, ensuring that brand

for Mae’s Schools (Secondary), Employee

Administrative Manager for DemBake, Chairman for Miss World Guyana, and National Franchise Director for Miss Earth Guyana.

guidelinesareconsistentlyappliedacrossall materials.

His work involves coordinating crossfunctional teams, aligning the company’s mission and values with its culture, and engaging employees as brand ambassadors Additionally, Dr Lalltoo has made significant contributions to academia as a Senior Lecturer at Texila American Universitysince2022.

In addition to these roles, Dr Lalltoo has demonstrated strong leadership in the nonprofitsector AsFounder/PresidentofRecover Guyana since January 2020, he has successfully managed national projects, including SHOUT and the ENGAGE initiatives. His leadership has resulted in securing over GY$25 million in grants and training1,000youthsacrossGuyana.

HealsoservedasChiefOperationsOfficer for Ultra Care Medical Centre Inc, Director

FAMILYVALUES

Theenvironmentaladvocate has credited his ability to cope and manage several roles to the values his parents instilled during his most impressionable years He revealed that he was raised on the island of Leguan in the Essequibo River, a small but vibrant community where he learned the true meaning of communityandrespect.

“My mother, a dedicated housewife, and father, a hardworking rice farmer, instilled in me the values of perseverance,responsibility,and the importance of family,” he said.Dr Lalltoohasonesister Growingupintheclose-knit ruralcommunity,DrLalltoosaid

hewitnessedfirst-hand,howastrongsenseof community can shape individuals and contributetotheirgrowth.

“The support and unity of the people of Leguan left a lasting impression on me I’m forevergratefulforthefoundationitprovided inshapingbothmypersonalandprofessional journey,” he said. “This upbringing has deeply influenced my work, inspiring my commitmenttohelpingothersandfosteringa sense of interconnectedness in everything I do.”

Asaresultofthisexposure,DrLalltoosaid he developed a deep understanding of the importance of collaboration, mutual support, and respect for others “These values have shapedmyapproachtomyprofessionallife, where I continue to prioritize teamwork and communityengagement.”

AccordingtoDrLalltoo,theseexperiences ontheislandalsotaughthimthesignificance of resilience and adaptability, qualities he reliesoninhiswork

“The support of the people of Leguan, moreso,viatheFriendsofLeguanFacebook groupcontinuestoinstilinmeastrongsenseof responsibility, motivating me to contribute positively to society and to always consider the well-being of others in my professional decisions,”herevealed.

‘ACADEMIC THRUST’

Dr Lalltoo’seducationaljourneybeganat MaryvillePrimarySchoolinLeguan,wherehe received a solid foundation that shaped his early development The school provided him withtheessentialacademicandsocialskills, settingthestageforhisfuturesuccess.

Hethencontinuedhissecondaryeducation atSaraswatiVidyaNiketanfromJuly2003to September 2006, and then the Leguan Secondary School where he completed his Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).

Dr Lalltoo’s academic journey continued ashesoughttoexpandhisexpertiseinthefield ofbusiness

From March 2009 to August 2010, he attended the Institute of Commercial Management, earning a Diploma in Business Management and Administration His commitment to learning and advancing his career led him to completing his Bachelor’s DegreeinBusinessAdministration.

Pursuing a deeper understanding of management, Dr Lalltoo then attended the

UniversityofHertfordshire,whereheearneda MasterofBusinessAdministration(MBA)in Management from March 2014 to February 2016.Hisdesireforfurthergrowthcontinued and he completed a Master of Arts in International Relations during the COVID19 pandemic at the University of HertfordshirefromApril2020toMay2021.

Driven by a passion for leadership and strategic development, Dr Lalltoo further pursuedacademicexcellencebycompletinga Doctorate in Business Administration (Management & Leadership) at the University of Hertfordshire, which he concluded in December 2023. Currently, he is working toward a second Doctorate in Business Administration (Oil & Gas Management)atUnicafUniversity,whichhe beganinSeptember2022.

RECOVER GUYANA

Dr Lalltoo’s career has been deeply influenced by his commitment to environmental protection, a value that has shapedhisworkacrossmultipleroles.

AsFounder/PresidentofRecoverGuyana, a registered NGO, he has led national initiatives like SHOUT, the search for Guyana’sYouthEnvironmentalSpeaker2023 and2024, in collaboration with the Ministry ofEducation.

Heexplainedthat“Theseinitiativesaimto raise awareness among youth about environmental issues and empower them to becomeadvocatesforsustainablepractices” Dr Lalltoo has also oversee the ENGAGE project, which will train 1,000 youthsacrossGuyanaonenvironmental Continued on page 49

An official portrait of Dr. Dave Lalltoo

Dr.DaveLalltooduringhistimeat LaBagatelleNurserySchoolinLeguan

Dr.DaveLalltoo(right)andDr.OmeshBalmacoon,Recover Guyana’sFirstVicePresident,alongwithSHOUT2024winners.

Dr.DaveLalltoo,President,RecoverGuyana,executivemembersofRecoverGuyana,Ms.NafeezaGafoor, CountryManager,ScotiabankandrepresentativesofScotiabanklaunchtheEngageProject.

Miss World Guyana 2024, Zalika Samuels, prepares for Miss World 2025

Region10’sZalika Samuels who was crowned Miss World Guyana 2024 at a grand ceremony, last Sunday, at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel isnowpreparingtorepresent Guyana at the Miss World 2025competition.

Embracing the theme “Majesty,” the event celebrated not just the contestants physical appearance, but their i n t e l l i g e n c e a n d commitmenttosocialcauses through the Beauty with a Purpose(BWAP)initiative.

According to the press releaseissuedbyMissWorld Guyana Organisation, the evening was a blend of beauty, talent, and social impact,asfivefinalistsfrom acrossthecountrycompeted fiercelyforthecovetedtitle. Each contestant showcased their‘BeautywithaPurpose’ projects, which are at the heart of the Miss World competition.

Zalika’s project, Read to Rise: Empowering Children Through Literacy, focuses onpromotingliteracyamong underprivileged children by organizing book drives, reading programs, and mentorship initiatives. Her commitment to community development and education wasadefiningfeatureofher campaign.”

The other finalists also presented meaningful projects aimed at creating positivechange.

Naheeryah Newland from Region 3 (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara)

introduced ‘Project Bloom’, an initiative focused on empowering youth through entrepreneurship and skills development to combat financial instability Lieve Blanckaert, representing Region 4 (DemeraraMahaica), presented

‘Holistic Living for a Healthier Guyana’, which advocates for mental, physical, and emotional wellnessthroughworkshops and outreach Rachel Mohabir from Region 6 (East Berbice-Corentyne) introduced ‘Give with Love’, a project to provide shelter, food, and education for orphaned children in Region5,whileDianaLopez from Region 8 (PotaroSiparuni) showcased ‘IntegratingLifeSkills’with STEM for differently-abled youth.

The press release said throughout the competition, Ms. Samuels stood out not onlyforherpoiseandbeauty, but also for her passion and dedicationtohercause.

She was awarded the Influencer Award, Talent Award, and Top Model Award, further solidifying her position as a strong representative of the Guyanesewoman.

Other finalists also earned accolades, including Ms. Mohabir, who received theSportswomanoftheYear Award, and Ms. Lopez, who was honoured with the ‘Beauty with a Purpose Award’ for her work with differently-abledyouth. Ms. Newland won the ‘Head-toHead Challenge Award’,

demonstrating her strong leadership and advocacy skills.

This year’s competition also marked a milestone for Miss World Guyana as it celebrated 10 years of the ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ initiative.

The event paid tribute to past winners and loyal sponsors who have supported the programme over the years Rafieya Husain, MissWorld Guyana 2014, was honoured for her impactful BWAP project ‘Shatter the Silence’, which earned her a Miss World BWAPAward and a Top 10 placementatMissWorld.

In her address, Ms Natasha Martindale, National Director of Miss World Guyana, reflected on the importance of the evening: “This year, under the theme of ‘Majesty,’ we honourthestrength,purpose, confidence, and dignity that define every Guyanese woman. We celebrate not justbeauty,buttheprofound impact we have made through the Beauty with a Purpose initiative a testament to the power of c o m p a s s i o n a n d commitment to making a difference.”

As Miss World Guyana 2024, Ms Samuels now preparesforherinternational journey, representing GuyanaatMissWorld2025. The competition is set to focus on the performing arts and will pay tribute to Lisa Punch’s remarkable achievement on the 10th anniversaryofherplacement

ontheMissWorldstage.

With applications for Miss World Guyana 2025 now open, the next generationofcandidateswill have the opportunity to embark on a life-changing journey of self-discovery, talent development, and socialimpact.

Looking to the future, Ms. Samuels embodies the ideals of empowerment and purpose that are at the heart of Miss World Guyana. Her victory marks the beginning of her mission to advocate for literacy and education, while continuing to make a positive impact on her community

As she prepares to represent Guyana on the world stage, Ms. Samuel’s leadership, passion, and commitmenttosocialcauses will undoubtedly inspire the next generation of young womenacrossthenationand beyond.

From L-R: Second heiress Lieve Blanckaert, Miss World Guyana Zalika Samuels (seated) and first heiress, Naheeryah Newland

Miss World Guyana Zalika Samuels

Jagdeohopefuloilspilllegislation will

betabledbeforeyear-end

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo remains hopeful that the final draft of Guyana’s oil spilllegislationwillbetabledintheNational Assemblybeforetheendoftheyear

Jagdeo expressed optimism, despite telling reporters, on Thursday, at his weekly pressconference,thattheAttorneyGeneral’s Chambers has been “very delinquent” in completingthefinaldraftofthelegislation.

“I’vebeenpressingthem…they’vebeen verydelinquentatthisbutI’vebeenpressing them to get this done, because we made certaincommitmentsthatwewantthistabled beforetheendoftheyear,”Jagdeosaid.

While providing updates on the oil and gassectorandplansforthenewyear,Jagdeo explained that theAG’s office has had some challenges.“Sofirstofall,I’mexpectingthe AG’s department has had some issues. They’reoverloadedwithgettingtheOilSpill Legislation… the draft completed so I can table it in the National Assembly,” he said, noting that if the legislation is not passed before the end of this year, then it will definitelybepassedearlynextyear

“UnderthePetroleumActivitiesActthere areseveralregulationsthatarebeingdrafted, havetobeapprovedandthosetwohopefully willbeapprovedbytheNationalAssembly,” he told reporters. On December 2, this publication reported that Jagdeo told reportersthatheishopefulhisgovernment’s

oil spill legislation will be tabled in Parliamentbytheendoftheyear

Asked by Kaieteur News to give an updateonthebill,whichwasscheduledtobe tabled before theAugust recess but was not, Jagdeosaid,“Wearegoingthroughthis…the technicalagencieshavegiventheirviews,we havesentitupbacktotheconsultants.”

Heexplainedthatheisawaitingthefinal draft of the bill, which will have the stakeholders’ views included “and then we will have a discussion at the level of the cabinet and, hopefully, we will get it to the parliamentbeforetheendoftheyear Itisstill myhopetotableitbeforetheendoftheyear.”

TheOilSpillActisaimedatensuringthat the country is protected during the transportationofcrudeoil.

Jagdeo in the past had said that the legislation,onceinplace,willcoverGuyana from“allsortsofliabilities”.

Cop,civilianarrestedaftertwo-vehicle accidentinvolvingpolicecar

A28-year-old Lance Corporal of the Guyana PoliceForce(GPF)anda29year-old driver were arrested, Saturday morning, afterbeinginvolvedinatwovehicleaccidentontheGood Hope Railway Embankment Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD) Both the police vehicle and the car the civilian was driving were damaged The duo was identifiedasLanceCorporal Jamal Thompson and Reinaldo O’Selmo. Police reported that the incident occurredatabout03:45h.

Investigations revealed that the police vehicle was proceeding east along the northern drive lane on the Good Hope Railway Embankment Road with the flashlights on, while motor car bearing registration number #PVV 6015 was proceeding out of the Good HopeAccessRoad.

“When it (car) reached theT-junction,thecarmadea right turn onto Good Hope Railway Embankment Road and into the path of the Police vehicle,” police said inthereport.

Subsequently, the right front side of the police

vehicle collided with the back of the car and both vehicles were damaged Police said that a Notice of

Presidentannouncesone-month bonusforJointServices

President Irfaan Ali on Saturday announced the annual one-month bonus for theranksoftheJointServices.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed ForcesmadetheannouncementattheGuyana Defence Force’sAnnual Christmas Lunch at Base Camp Seweyo, headquarters of the ReserveMilitia,astatementbytheOfficeof thePresidentsaid.

During his remarks, President Ali reiterated that the nation’s gratitude for their service, commitment and dedication to the country

“We are thankful for your service, your sacrificeandyourcommitmentincontinuous oathofdefendingourhomelandandkeeping Guyanasafe.Today,weapplaudyouandask youtoapplaudyourself,”thePresidentsaid.

He stressed that the Government will

spare no opportunity to enhance the livelihoodsandwelfareofthesoldiers.

PresidentAlialsosaidthatCampSeweyo willbenefitfrommajorupgrades.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

Intended Prosecution was served on both drivers, who are in custody assisting with theinvestigation.

The police vehicle that was involved in the accident (GPF)

The car that was involved in the accident (GPF)

President IrfaanAli distributes packages to members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

President IrfaanAli

Guyanese brand consultant and environmental advocate, Dr.

Frompage46 issues, to foster a sense of responsibilityandleadership

in addressing local environmentalchallengesby 2026.

In his role as Project Director for SHOUT, National Secondary School Environmental Speech Competition,Dr Lalltoohas

been instrumental in

fostering a sense of environmentalresponsibility andleadershipamongyoung people.

“ T h e S H O U T competition aims to educate secondary school students a b o u t p r e s s i n g environmental issues and motivate them to take proactive steps toward sustainability,”herevealed.

Dr Lalltoo’s leadership has facilitated collaboration with the Ministry of Education and corporate entitiestoensurethesuccess ofthecompetition.

By recognizing and rewarding outstanding environmental advocacy, SHOUTencouragesstudents to become advocates for changeintheircommunities.

Thecompetitionhasalso

i n s p i r e d b r o a d e r i n v o l v e m e n t f r o m environmentalorganizations and stakeholders, helping to strengthen Guyana’s c o m m i t m e n t t o environmentalconservation.

Notably, the competition hasledtotangibleoutcomes, such as the reduction of plastic waste at Queen’s

College through the installation of water purificationsystems,andthe goal of eliminating 75% of plasticbottlesby2025.

Additionally, the project

h a s i n t r o d u c e d a hydroponics system to Queen’s College, providing fresh vegetables for the school’s canteen and

offeringagriculturalstudents hands-on learning opportunities.

These advancements not only support the local community,butalsoprovide practical solutions for sustainability Thesuccessof these projects is paving the way for future expansion, with plans to introduce the water purification system to West Demerara Secondary Schoolsin2025.

YOUTH/ ENVIRONMENT

As the Project Director for the ENGAGE Project, Dr Lalltoo has played a pivotal role in empowering youngpeopleacrossGuyana to create environmentally sustainablebusinesses.

The ENGAGE Project is anationalinitiativedesigned to equip youth with the knowledge, skills, and resources to launch businesses that not only generate profit, but also positively impact the environment.

In his capacity as a consultant, Dr Lalltoo’s primaryroleistoensurethat the projects he oversees are consistently aligned with their objectives, with a strong emphasis on accountability

Heplaysacriticalrolein guiding project planning, execution, and monitoring, ensuring that all activities meet the intended goals and that resources are efficiently utilized He does this through close collaboration

with stakeholders to maintain ef

ective communication, holding teams and organizations accountable for their contributions He ensures that progress is tracked, and any challenges that arise are addressedpromptly,keeping projects on course toward success.

The greatest highlight of Dr Lalltoo’s work is the impact it has on the people andcommunitiesinvolved.

“Whether empowering youth through sustainable business practices or a d v o c a t i n g f o r environmental conservation, witnessing the positive changes in the lives of individualsandcommunities brings me immense satisfaction,”hesaid.

Having the awareness that his work helps drive meaningful change and create opportunities for growthanddevelopmentisa sourceoffulfilmentforhim.

However, the challenges are significant. Dr Lalltoo oftenfacesthecomplexityof ensuringthatprojectsremain on track amidst evolving circumstances, such as securing funding, managing diverse stakeholders, and addressing the unique needs ofvariouscommunities.

Additionally, balancing short-term deliverables with long-term sustainability is a constant challenge, as Dr Lalltoostrivestoensurethat the impact of each project lasts well beyond its initial implementation.

Despitethesechallenges, thesenseofaccomplishment that comes from making a lasting difference in the community continues to drive his dedication to delivering high-quality, impactfulprojects.

LASTINGIMPRESSION

Dr Lalltoo is driven by the desire to create lasting, positive change in the lives of individuals and communities.

His passion for sustainability and empowering youth fuels his motivation, especially when heseesthetangibleimpactof his work on environmental protection and community

development.

The opportunity to work on projects that not only contribute to economic growth but also safeguard thefutureoftheplanetkeeps himfocusedonhismission.

In recognition of his d e d i c a t i o n a n d achievements, Dr Lalltoo

has copped several prestigious awards, which serveasfurthermotivationin his ongoing efforts. These include the Caribbean Global Award for Best Global Community Leader in2024,andaSilverFinalist fortheUnder35TrailBlazer categoryinthesameyear

In2019,hewashonoured as a National (Guyana)

Youth Awardee for Environmental Protection andConservation,aswellas for Youth Entrepreneurship, acknowledging his significant contributions to

both environmental efforts and fostering youth-led business initiatives. He was namedtheRunner-Upinthe Scotia Bank LivePitch Competitionin2017,further solidifying his reputation as an influential leader and entrepreneur

ABALANCEDLIFE

Dr Dave Lalltoo revealed that he manages to balance his demanding professional life with his personal commitments through a well-structured schedule. He finds solace in his beloved cat, Brandon, who he often refers to as his stress breaker Brandon is not just a pet, he said, but a significant part of his life, providing the warmth and comfort that only a furry friendcanoffer

Dr Lalltoo makes it a priority to engage in activities that promote

relaxation and personal growth

His passion for adventure fuels his desire to discover new places, meet different people, and immerse himself in various cultures, enhancing his perspective on life By taking time for these experiences, he ensures that hestaysgrounded,recharges his spirit, and maintains a healthywork-lifebalance.

Herevealedthathisgoal forlifemovingforwardisto continue creating a meaningful impact in Guyanaandglobally

“My aim is to enhance my environmental projects while fostering connections with diverse communities andindividuals,”hesaid. Throughtheseefforts,he hopes to inspire positive change and promote sustainability in the regions heengageswith.

WANTED VACANCY

Drivers (25-45 Year old) to deliverGroceries&Porterto work on the canter & warehouse.Attractivesalary Tel673-7373.

Live-inBabysitter/Cookage 45-55 years old. Experience would be an asset. Contact : 681-4662.

Male sales-rep 18-28 years old, Knowledge about vehiclemodelswouldbeanasset.Call:619-1237.

Drivers / Porter. Contact : 223-5273/621-5907.

Wanted Electrical Apprentice, No marijuana smokers. Call:724-0125.

General domestic to work 2 daysperweek-Campbellville G/TOWN.Tel: 624-7436 / 621-5140.

Reputabletransportationservice is seeking experienced Chauffeur with mini bus and hirecarlicense.Call:645-0025 /707-9428.

FOR SALE

For Sale 6 used American madeDentalchairsexcellent condition contact Mr Vino on661-3030or626-8918

One Nissan Double cab pickup,fullyoffroadsetup; -5 Million Negotiable. Call: 626-8919/661-3030.

For sale 1 320D Caterpillar Excavatorwith3066Engine. Contact:701-4000

Many types of metal working machinery to repair & Manufacturingmetalpart,for moreinfo.#227-1813

SERVICES

PorterVacancyatVegetarian Gardens. 68 Robb & CummingsG/Town.Tel:2277714Cell:640-0673

Receptionist Vacancy at Hick’s Ville Hotel. 79 West RuimveldtEstateG/Town.Tel :231-0951/640-0673

Email:info@vegeworld.net

Maid to clean for east bank area.Call:615-9132.

Female cleaner. Call : 6159132/645-8443.

One (1) painter & Male cleaner615-9132or645-8443.

PumpAttendant (6am-2pm& 2pm-10pm).Mobil ProvidenceE.B.D,Call:265-7306. Email:Mobilramsburg@gmai.com

Receptionist, Supervisor , Laundry attendant 23-50 years old. 233 South Road Lacytown.225-0198.

Vacancy for experience and non-experience sewing machine operator at Lall's GarmentEnterpriseLot6FriendshipE.B.D.

Subby’s Sandwich Shop is hiring Restaurant Manager, Supervisors,Cooks,Kitchen Assistants, Counter Attendants Email: subbysguyana @gmail.com / WhatsApp: 657-0772.

Admin / Accounts clerk, Kindlycall-676-1148E-mail/ Info@wrsi.gy

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ENTERTAINMENT

Inattentivedriveralmostrunsover womanandbabyatMassyparkinglot

Thedriverofacarwas,on Saturday, accused of being inattentive after he almost drove over a woman and her toddler while he was exiting the Massy parking lot in the Movietowne compound.

Thedriverthenreportedly verbally abused the woman, exited his vehicle and attempted to physically attack her when she pounded on his car after it hit her. It was only after the woman’s husband intervened that the driver

stopped abusing the woman. Speaking with Kaieteur News, the woman, aVenezuelan National said that she had just stepped out of her husband’s car and was walking towards the supermarket with her baby, when the car drove into them and hit her The woman said she only knocked on the car to stop the driver from accelerating further

The driver immediately stopped but came out of the

The woman took a photo of the car as it was leaving the Massy parking lot

vehicleangryandbeganhurling abusive and xenophobic remarksather,reportedlycalling her a “Spanish wh**e” beforeadvancingtowardher

The woman’s husband said he was only a short distance away and on viewing the scene, he intervened to save hiswifefromfurtherabuse.

“She hit the car to get his attention because if he had proceeded, he would’ve run

them over,” the husband told Kaieteur News asherecalled hearing the man threatening tobeathiswife“claimingshe had no right to hit his car”.

Upontheman’sintervention, the driver calmed down and said he did not see the woman and the baby

Eyewitnesses corroborated the couple’s story, claimingthatthedriverofthe car was errant.

Java Coffee Bar celebrates...

From page 12

series of celebratory events, including pop-up experiences, community givebacks, and special promotions across all locations.

The company invites its loyal customers, partners, and communitymemberstojoininthefestivitiesandcelebrate10years of shared memories and growth.

JavaCoffeeBarisadynamiccoffeeandfoodservicebrand that has been at the forefront of creating exceptional customer experiences since its founding in 2014. With a strong presence in malls, private corporate canteens, and the oil and gas sector, Java Coffee Bar is dedicated to blending innovation with a personal touch.

Java Coffee Bar was founded by Miguel and Evie Gurchuran. FormoreinformationonJavaCoffeeBar’sanniversaryeventsorservices,pleasecontactRoshinieRaghubir, OperationsManager,JavaCoffeeBarInc.at630-3680.

A brilliant book on foreign exchange by Dr. Ramesh Gampat...

From page 06 andthegovernmentsaythere is no shortage. Guyana has an excessively weak dollar that trades at over two hundred to an Americandollar.Guyanawas known to import more than it exported after independence (1966) until recently with the productionofoilbeginningin 2019.Theexchangerateofthe G$1hasslidfromaround$1.60 in 1966 to over two hundred today to the US dollar. So, what determines the rate at which to purchase other currencies? In a free market, Gampat says, “it is the market” or supply and demand that determines the price of a currency. In Guyana, the American dollar (greenback)

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OnHoggislandnearstelling-

ispreferredalthoughtheBritish pound, Canadian dollar, andEastCaribbeandollarare also regularly exchanged in Guyana. But the two most important currencies used to trade are the US dollar and theTrinidadiandollar

The book is divided into twelve chapters with each discussing economics concepts (related to foreign exchange)withmanychartsand tables. Gampat has not shied awayfrompoliticaleconomy, and he notes that Guyana’s politicsisverytoxic.

The very first chapter is titled “Politicization of Truth”.Theargumentsinthe book are well documented with countless citations and references and hardly any flaws.

The book presents excellent research on exchange rate and related concepts.

Gampat uses theoretical conceptsandempiricalinformation to substantiate his claim.

The book is hailed by Guyanese economist Dr Collin Constantine Girton of UniversityofCambridgewho writes: “Dr Ramesh Gampat

stands out as the first analyst to consolidate recent statistics on Guyana’s burgeoning oileconomy Thisbookisessential reading for anyone engaged in public debate and policy regarding the dynamics of the local foreign exchange market, fiscal and public debt policies, and exchange rate management.

Students and general readers will appreciate the accessible introduction to Exchange Rate Theory and the thorough examination of thelocalFXmarket,covering cambios as well as the interbankFXmarket”.

This is an excellent book and the analysis compelling. It is an essential read in the field of exchange market and related financial matters and economics, and as Prof Constantine puts it, “for anyone interested in the intricacies of Guyana’s evolving economy and its impact on theforeignexchangemarket”.

The final Chapter (12) is an excellent summary of the major findings of the book. Towards the end, Gampat writes: “If there is a single majortake-awayfromthedis-

cussion in this book, it is that there was an excess demand forforeignexchange,mainly theUSD,in2021,2022and4 of the 6 months in the first halfof2023.

Theshortagewascaused or aggravated by two factors [Imports larger than exports by the non-oil economy, and the Bank of Guyana which prioritizes reserve targets, which removes FX from the market].

Bothofthesefactors“will continue to operate for the nextfewyearsorso,”according to the author (p. 349).

Finally, Gampat writes, “Themerchandisetradedeficit of the non-oil economy andthemonopolizationofoil revenuebyoilcompaniesare majorcausesoftheFXshortage plaguing the non-oil economy.

Theimplicationisdire:the shortage is likely to continue for years into the future and little redress can be expected fromoilrevenues”(p.351). (Book is published by Xlibris, 404 pp and can be obtainedfromAmazon!

Sincerely,

Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Escapè Book Club hosts 4th annual holiday gift drive...

From page 43 reach of our holiday drive, spreading cheer even further and ensuring that more childrenexperiencedthemagicof the season.”

She explained that the Escapè Book Club’s holiday gift drive is more than just a charitableevent—it’satestamenttothepowerofcompassion and the importance of

coming together to uplift one another According to Mohamed-Ferouz, each member’s contribution, whether through shopping, packing, or simply sharing their time and energy, played avitalroleintheevent’s success.

“We are deeply grateful toeveryonewhoparticipated and supported this initiative.

Yourgenerosityandcommitment have once again made the holiday season brighter for so many Together, we have brought smiles, warmth, and hope to our community Thank you for being a part of this meaningful journey, and we look forward to continuing this tradition in the years to come,” she added.

Israel bombards schools and homes in Gaza, a day after Nuseirat

Aljazeera - Israel is still attackinghomesandschools acrosstheGazaStrip,killing and injuring several people just one day after dozens weremassacredinastrikeon Nuseiratcamp.

D a w n r a i d s o n

Saturday killed four members of the Saadallah family in their home in Jabalia, two people in a school northeast of Gaza City and one person sheltering in a tent south o f K h a n Yo u n i s , Palestinian news agency Wafasaid

Later that day, the military killed seven people in a strike on AlMajida Wasila School in the northern Al-Rimal neighbourhood west of Gaza City, according to Wafa

The news agency also reported a drone attack

massacre

on a group of civilians at the Jalaa Junction northwest of Gaza City, which killed one woman and injured s

veral others Another civilian was killed in an airstrike west of Al-Nuseirat camp

A further five citizens were injured in a drone attackontheAl-Mawasiarea westofRafahcity

‘Constantattack’

The attacks took place just one day after Israel killed at least 36 people, most from the al-Sheikh Ali family in the Nuseirat refugee camp, leading to w i d e s p r e a d condemnation In northern Gaza, which has been under an even tighter siege over the past two months, Israeli forces blew up buildings and burned dozens of

on the rubble left by an Israeli strike on Nuseirat refugee camp, on December 13, 2024 [RamadanAbed /Reuters]

Frompage8 anduponhisarrivalhediscoveredhisclothesscatteredinside andoutsideofthecampandWilliamsnaked.

“IimmediatelyconfrontedWilliamsandaskedwhoplaced my clothes and belongings there. An argument broke out betweenus.Williamsthengrabbedapieceofroundwoodand dealt me three lashes to my forehead and shoulder I then armed myself with a cutlass and dealt Williams two chopsonetohisright-sideneckandanothertohislefthand-causing woundsandbleeding,”hesaid.

TheinjuredWilliamswasrushedtothePakeraHospitalin theNorthWestDistrict;however,hewaspronounceddeadon arrival.

At around 14:00h, police detectives, along with the suspect,visitedthecrimescene.Policesaidthatthesceneisan outdoorpublic-viewareanearacampconstructedwithseveral wooden supports, located on the northern side of Nassano Backdam(MainAccessTrail).Thecampisroofedwithwhite tarpaulinandsurroundedbydensebushes.

Photographs were taken and the evidence, including a piece of wood and a cutlass with visible brown stains suspectedbeblood,wascollected.

The items were photographed, removed and lodged as evidence. The suspect is currently in custody at the Port KaitumaPoliceStation,NorthWestDistrict.

homes in and around Beit Lahiya while firing at Kamal Adwan Hospital, accordingtoWafa.

Reporting from Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum mentioned stepped-up overnight attacks on Kamal Adwan Hospital, near Beit Lahiya, the previous day, which saw medical staff injured and anambulancesetablaze

TheIsraelimilitary,he said, was trying to take ambulances out of

- Israelhaskilledatleast52peopleoverpastdayasit continuestotargetcivilians,hittingtwoGazacityschools

service

“At the same time, they are trying to exert more pressure on medical teams who are still trapped in Kamal Adwan Hospital,”hesaid

The director of the hospital’sintensivecareunit was killed in a drone strike lastmonth.

Ethniccleansing?

Abu Azzoum also said Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoon inthenorthof the Strip were “under constantattackbytheIsraeli

ground forces, which [have continued] operations for morethan17dayssofar”.

Israel has imposed a total siege on several n

northern Gaza, prompting accusationsthatitispushing to permanently displace Palestinians and ethnically cleansethearea. M

humanitarian coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, decried in a statement on Friday the

“rapidly deteriorating security and humanitarian situation”inGaza. “In recent d

, multiple strikes across the Gaza

resultedinscoresofreported fatalities and numerous injuries,”hesaid.

“

casualties Such incidents are further reminders of the unbearable human cost of the conflict ”

APalestinian child

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 ongoing indecencies in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.

Monday December9,2024

ExxonMobilandtrust

Any Guyanese that placesaniotaoftrustinwhat ExxonMobildoeshereneeds to obtain some professional attention.

We make room for the PPP/C and the PNC and the AFC- they are just as crooked.

A n y n a t i o n a l government or political party, populated by patriotic leaders that thinks of ExxonMobil as a trusted partner really ought to be nowhere near the corridors ofpower

Wesayitasbluntlyaswe can:ExxonMobilisnottobe trusted ExxonMobil has done little to garner credibilitywithGuyaneseon their oil, has been as untrustworthy as they come when certain deplorable aspects of its presence here are weighed. The company hasbeenfoundwanting,and byalargemargin.

Tuesday December10,2024

Whatistheretohide?

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and the PPP/C Government are doing everythingintheirpowersto beasopaqueaseverwiththe management of this country'sresources.

Last week, when he was askedwhygovernmentdoes not give a proper account as tohowtheoilmoneyisbeing spent, Jagdeo was quick to offer one of those silly excuses and try to obfuscate

the issue by saying that doing so would be very difficult.

We strenuously disagree with Jagdeo. It is not “very difficult” to deliver the kind of transparency Guyanese need with withdrawals from theirNaturalResourceFund (NRF).

In typical fashion, what Jagdeo doesn't want to reveal, he wraps in mud. He gives this long, drawn out

speech, so that oil withdrawal transparency is clouded in a hail of words. Jagdeo came up with 89 words that filled a page abouthow“verydifficult”it is to deliver transparency, but still left nothing but blankness.

The question is why is t h e m u c h - n e e d e d transparencyonwithdrawals fromtheNRFcausingheand his PPP/C Government so many fits? What is there to hide,whydoeshehavetogo to these lengths of disingenuousness?

Wednesday December11,2024

Spinelessleaders

Yesterday we carried a story with our main opposition political parties demanding better fiscal terms before government greenlights ExxonMobil's seventh oil project. We, at this newspaper, are not convinced one bit that they are actually serious about theircall.

Guyana's leaders have not manifested the required courage to wring favourable

oil terms from ExxonMobil. Guyana'sleadershavefailed miserably in developing the skills, finding ways, to get better at the oil game and beat ExxonMobil at its own self-enriching game that is done at the expense of the peopleofthiscountry

Former president

Jagdeo, Opposition Leader Jagdeo, and now Vice President Jagdeo, had so much to say about all that waswrongwiththe2016oil contract and how much he was going to do to make it betterforGuyana.

Today, leaders like Jagdeo and Norton speak in riddles: more money but leaveouttheotherhalfofthe oilstory(depletingresource) and their cowardliness to fightformore,forGuyana.

Thursday December12,2024

Payhikeandinflation

Public servants in Guyana have been greeted with the welcome news of

salary increases a

d allowances for 2024. Yet amidst the applause, let us take a moment to scrutinize thebroadercanvasofjustice and equity that frames these increments.

Salary increases, laudableastheyare,mustbe grounded in reality, and reality, in turn, is shaped by inflation.

If inflation is allowed to soar unchecked, these hardwon gains are quickly

eroded, leaving the recipients no better off than before,perhapsevenworse.

To ensure these adjustments translate into genuine improvements, the government must provide credible and transparent inflationdata.

Inflation,afterall,isthe silentsaboteurofpurchasing power, quietly gnawing awayatpaychecks.

Friday December13,2024 GuyanavsSuriname

Suriname has just found oilandhasnotyetproduced anyoil,butalreadyinspiring provisions are being set in place for all citizens of that formerDutchcolony

Guyana is producing 650,000 barrels of oil daily presently, and has already shipped out 500 million barrels since oil first started to flow from under the sea overfouryearsago.

With oil numbers like those, and with oil prices wheretheyare,allGuyanese should be doing very well, enjoying a better than average standard of living.

With oil revenues flowing into Guyana albeit at gangster levels from a vile contract, the national government is wellequipped to do better for all Guyanese.

Instead of that, Jagdeo's PPP/C Government has chosen to prioritize sharing the oil wealth with its inner circle, and a small crowd of

sycophants. Guyanesehave received a paltry $25,000 (slightly over a hundred US$), and some minimal subsidies when it pleases leaderstodoso.

Saturday December14,2024

Transparency in oil revenuespending

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has said identifying projects and programmes funded through the nation's oil revenue would be “difficult”.

Itwouldsomehownotbe difficultforhimtoshowhow theresourcesarespentinthe eventofanaturaldisaster

CouldtheVPexplainthis nonsensical, spur of the moment thought he splurted onThursday?

This nation knows a sloppyresponsewhenitgets one. Furthermore, if it is so hard to manage the pittance being received from our wealth, it is obvious that the PPPshouldnotbeincontrol!

Several sponsors on board for Kennard Memorial Turf Club Boxing Day horse race meet

With just over two weeks to go for the Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) Boxing Day horse race meet set for the Club’strackBushLotFarm, Corentyne Berbice preparations have heightened.

Alreadyseveralsponsors havejoinedthefrayandhave attached their names to the

highlyanticipatedhorserace meet.

Seven races are carded forthedaysprogrammewith a whopping seven million dollars in cash, trophies and otherincentivesupforgrabs.

The feature event is for horses classified C1 and lower and will see the animals competing for the Sunny Kharag Memorial Stakes and Trophy A keen

battleisanticipatedsincethe winning purse is pegged at an encouraging $1.2M and trophyover7furlongs.

Thesumof$500,000and atrophyistherewardforthe winnerofthethreeyearsold open Guyana bred horses’ competingover7furlongs.

The event for H1 and lowerhorseswillalsoseethe animals also racing first prizeof$500,000andtrophy

over7furlongs.

The event for horses classifiedJandlowerover6 furlongs has a first prize of $300,000andatrophy

There is the race for L openanimalsover6furlongs for $250,000 winners take andtrophy

TheKclassnon-winners and L open horses will be gallopingforapoleposition taking of $250,000 and trophy

A similar reward of $250,000 and a trophy is at stake for the winner of the race for the Guyana Bred twoyearsoldmaidenhorses.

Sunday December 15, 2024

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Something is currently compellingyoutobemoreof a world citizen than usual, Aries. You may find this somewhat disturbing You feel as though the roots of youridentity

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Your surroundings are currently changing, Taurus. Perhapsyourcircleoffriends has already undergone a majorchange.Thefactisthat you no longer have so many prejudices about the people youmeet.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Gemini, you're demystifying theconceptoftalent.Youused to look enviously at other peopleandthink,"IwishIhad anaturalabilitylikethat."

CANCER(June21–July22)

Areyouthinkingofgoinginto businessforyourself,Cancer? Being self-employed doesn't automatically mean you will have more freedom. Of course, you will be your own boss.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Within the next few days, you'relikelytogainaccessto dimensionsofperceptionyou neversuspected,Leo.Perhaps you will become aware of certain energy phenomena, peakexperiences.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Often fiery temperaments like yours are drawn to fight for great causes despite the better judgment of more down-to-Earth people. As a result, you have great leadership potential that may emergetoday

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Your optimism is likely to receive a little boost today, Libra.Amemorableemotional encountermaybethesourceof some extra zeal. Or you may derive great satisfaction from beingpartofagroup.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

Perhaps you should suspend your inhibitions for the day, Scorpio, and let your dreams guide you. For instance, you mightimaginethattheneedto make any choices has vanished.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

This is the type of day you enjoy The climate is positive, and the energy is flowing. It's as though you have a magic wand.Yougiveitawaveandpresto - the day's tasks and chores are done! By this evening.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

If the world collapsed today, you wouldn't bat an eyelash. You're perfectly content sailing along on cloud nine! Thesourceofyourblisscould bethatnewpersoninyourlife.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20–Feb

18) You may have had some emotional disappointments lately, but today will restore yourfaithinlove.Allyouneed to do is act. Your amazing lucidity and realism keep you from hoping for the impossible.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Put on your traveling shoes, Pisces. Fear of the unknown may have prompted you to postpone certain trips. You claimedyouweretoobusy,but noonereallybelievedthis.

RamcharitarConstruction.

The KMTC has been toutedasoneofthetophorse racingvenuesinthecountry and is renowned for staging topclassmeets.

Outstanding jockeys, trainers and stable will receive trophies and other accolades compliments of B

esh SunichoftheTrophyStall.

Contact can be made withIsaacDalloo689-0629, Fazal Habibulla 657-7010, T Jagdeo 618-7278, Ropnauth Sewsankar 6786722 or any other executive of the KMTC for further details.

The event will be staged under the aegis of the KMTC.

Race time is 12:30 hrs. (SamuelWhyte)

Among the sponsors alreadyonboardareTrophy Stall, P and P Insurance Brokers, Kharag Family of USA, Patsan Trading Establishment, Horse Shoe Racing Services, Colin Elcock Delmur Company Limited, Metro Company Limited. Mike’s Pharmacy, NandSMataiandCompany, RohanAuto Sales, Khanai’s Guyana Electrical Agency, Devin Sawh Mechanical Work Shop, Joe Jagmohan, Big G Sawmill and Lumber

UDFA Christmas $3m Futsal Championship kicks off tonight with six matches at Retrieve Hard Court

The annual Upper

D e m e r a r a

F o o t b a l l Association’s Christmas club futsal championship will get cracking this evening (Sunday) with reigning champions Milerock among fourteen clubscontestingforthe$1M winners cash incentive and champions trophy, as six matches are slated for day one starting at 7.00pm with the first match between Winners Connection and Coomacka at the Retrieve HardCourtinLinden.

Total cash monies and other prizes amounting to $3M will be at stake in this year’s championship which concludes on January 1, New Year’s night at the tournamentvenue.

Last year’s top four teamsMilerock,CapitalFC, Winners Connection and Botafago were drawn separately into four groups involvingthefourteenclubs, and will be playing a round robin format before the two top teams move through to

the quarterfinals. In Group

A are Silver Shattas, Botafago, Amelia’s Ward and Net Rockers with Group B comprising Fearless, Topp XX and CapitalFC,asGroupChas Milerock, Blueberry Hill United, Eagles United and Hi Stars while Group D is made up of Rockstone, Winners Connection and CoomackaMinesUnited

However, before that opening game all fourteen clubs will participate in the official march past of the clubs contesting the championship and the Linden Drum Corps will lead the procession after whichremarkswillbegiven by the UDFA President Wainwright Bethune in the presence of other UDFA officials, regional officials and representatives of the sponsors

Aftertheopeninggame

at 7 00pm between Winners Connection and Coomacka the other matchesareBlueberryHill United against Milerock,

Georgetown Mayor

Alfred Mentore launches

City’s U17 Cricket Cup

His Worship the Mayor, Alfred M e n t o r e , officially launched the City’s U17 Cricket Cup with an inspiring address encouragingyoungplayers to give their best in the upcomingtournament.

The launch event, whichtookplaceatEverest Cricket club, was attended by several key figures including Daniel Seeram Regional 4 chairman and Councillor Clayton Hinds alongwithShawnMassiah - Chairman of the CompetitionCommittee.

A number of sponsors also graced the occasion, showing their support for the development of youth cricketinthecity

Mayor Mentore urged all participating teams to compete with passion and determination, stressing that the opportunity to participate in this tournamentisanimportant steppingstonefortheyouth cricketersleadinguptothe

Eagles United will take on Hi Stars, Amelia’s Ward challenge Net Rockers, Silver Shattas clash with Botafagoandthefinalgame features Topp XX FC and CapitalFC.

The major sponsors are forthisyear’schampionship are beverage giants Banks DIHthroughtheirGuinness, Banks Beer, GT Beer, Rainforest Water, RYDA WineandJaiSigns

OthersponsorsareBella’s Lumber Yard, Jermaine and Son Supermarkets, Foreign Links, Semple and Sons Hardware and Jagmohan ContractingCompany

Six more matches are carded for tomorrow (Monday) at the Retrieve Hard Court starting at 7.00pm.

Linden Branch Manager of Banks DIH Mr. Shawn Grant third from right hands over undisclosed cheque to UDFAOrganising Secretary James Trotman third from left in the presence of other UDFAand Banks DIH Linden branch employees last Wednesday at the Linden Branch Office. Wednesday Branch

inter association and inter County tournaments to qualify for selection to the nationalteams.

He called on the teams t o c o m p e t e i n a sportsmanlike manner, enjoy the comraderie and strive for excellence, both onandoffthefield.

The tournament will feature teams from seven prestigious cricket clubs: Demerara Cricket Club, Georgetown Cricket Club, Malteenoes Cricket Club, Everest Cricket Club, Transport Cricket Club to name a few as well as a ladies team made up of players from various Georgetown-basedclubs.

This initiative aims to nurture young cricketers, unearth new talent and promote teamwork, and competitiveness.

Thetournamentissetto be an exciting showcase of skill, determination, and sportsmanship of Georgetown’s youth cricketers.

Teams ready to rumble in the KFC Int’l Goodwill Series -

uniforms and balls distributed

The Petra Organisation has set the stage for the highly anticipated fifth Annual KFC International Goodwill Football Series, which kicks off today The eight-day Series promises exciting action featuring some of the region’s best secondary school football teams.

This year, eight teams, including four from three CARICOM territories, will compete for supremacy in

this premier event Yesterday, Petra Directors Troy Mendonca and Marlan Cole led final preparations, distributing uniforms and p r a c t i c e b a l l s t o participating teams at the

title sponsor’s KFC Vlissengenbranch.

Charmaine Farnum,

KFC’s Marketing Assistant, was present at the handover

ceremony, alongside players, coaches, and technical staff, to welcome the teams to this year-end tournament.

KFC

continues to champion youth sports development, offering young players a platform to showcase their talents in a competitive and exciting environment. Speaking at the event, Farnum emphasised the brand’s dedication: “KFC is privileged to once again bring this exciting football tournament to fans. As we celebrate the tournament’s fifth year, we are proud to sponsor this amazing event thathighlightstheincredible talents of young athletes

acrosstheregion.” Farnum noted that this year’seditionpromisestobe the biggest yet, featuring strongteamsfromacrossthe Caribbean. She highlighted

Team representatives assemble for photo-op yesterday at KFC Vlissengen branch, ahead of today’s start.

the tournament’s emphasis on skill development, teamwork, respect, and camaraderie, all while providing participants with invaluableexperiences.

Meanwhile, four thrilling matches are scheduled for today’s opener, with action taking place at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground and Queen’s College (QC) Ground.Firstupisacurtainraiser between defending champions Clarendon College(Jamaica)andAnnai Secondary (Region Nine) at QC Ground. In match two,

Speyside High School (Trinidad & Tobago) will tackle Dolphin Secondary, alsoatQCGround.

Moving across at MoE ground, RBL U18 League champions Chase’s Academic Foundation will go head-to-head with Suriname’s Henry Hassankhan Community College in match #3, while DC Caesar Fox Secondary (Region Seven) will go up against Trinidad’s Southern and Intercol champions St. Benedict’s College in the finalmatchoftheday

Thetournamenthasbeen made possible through the support of KFC, Sterling Products, Tiger Rentals, L u c o z a d e , R o y a l International Hotel, SkyTec Enterprise,andMVPSports. It is officially sanctioned by the Ministry of Education and endorsed by the Ministry of Culture, Youth, andSports.

With eight days of exhilarating football ahead, the KFC International Goodwill Football Series promises to deliver unforgettable moments for players, fans, and all stakeholders.

Vanderhyden, Bassoo, Wong among top graduates as GTA hosts year end grading

Th e G u y a n a

Ta e k w o n d o

Association (GTA) lauded 13 fighters

following their belt promotions at the recently concludedgrading.

Youngsters Nathan Vanderhyden and Vivek Bassoostoodoutamongtheir peers, with the former advancing from the Red Belt to the prestigious Red with Black Bar Belt Bassoo, meanwhilegraduatedfromthe Blue Belt to Blue with Red Bar,withbothfightershaving sightssetonattainingNational Black Belt Kukkiwon International standards in early2025

Female star Kailan Wong advanced from Yellow Belt to Full Green Belt, while the highlytalented Shaynne Sealey transitioned from White Belt with Second Bar

Yellow to Full Green Azaria Profit and Rolex

Alexander also showcased their progress, moving from White Belt with Second Yellow Bar to Yellow with GreenBarBelt

The pair of Eva

Thakurdin and Ameena Pereira progressed from WhiteBeltstraighttoYellow Belt,demonstratingthathard work and perseverance are paying off as they lay the groundwork for promising futuresintaekwondo

Additional promotions includedSamariaSealeyand Obediah Batson, who advancedtoWhiteBeltwith Second Bar Yellow, Ace Springer and sisters Pelaiah and Phileanah Erskine were promotedtoWhiteBeltwith FirstBarYellowBelt.

Meanwhile, the GTA hails their students on their remarkable achievements

GGA looking to continue growth, following National Sports Awards

on (GGA) continues to grow ahead of thenewyear,astheirefforts were recognized recently at this year’s National Sports Awards.

The recently concluded Ministry of Sports and the N a t i o n a l S p o r t s Commission (NSC) annual awards ceremony for the 2023 top athletes, coaches, associations and sponsors was held at Castellani House and the results were in accordance with the exceptional performances deliveredbythenominees.

The work done by the NSC to ensure a fair and transparent process was key to the results and the entire nominationsteamshouldbe congratulated on their efforts.

For the second year in a row, the GGA was among t h e n o m i n e e s f o r Association of the Year and joining the categories of nomineesforTopSportsman

and looks ahead to an exciting year, with plans for a host of taekwondo events as 2025 approaches. The GTA also welcomes new students, with classes scheduled every Monday and Wednesday from 5:15 PM to 6:15 PM at the GuyanaTeachersUnionHall on Woolford Avenue, with intakes for new members kicking off from January 6, 2025.

was president Aleem Hussain with Top Male Coach nominees being Philip Haynes, alongside KevonJawahirandHussain.

AccordingtoHussain,the recognition exemplifies how far golf has risen on the National stage in just three years due to the extensive efforts of the GGA/Nexgen Golf Academy and Westside Golf Course in association with the Ministries of Sport, EducationandTourism. With the sport growing rapidlyinpopularity,plansare being formulated for additionalfacilitiesaroundthe country and national tournaments in various aspectsofthesportthatwillbe sanctionedbytheMinistryof SportandtheGGA Hussain said he and his executives plan to build on this platform which has taken the association to a strongplace,especiallywith huge plans earmarked for 2025 as they seek to make thesportahouseholdstaple.

From left - Vivek Bassoo, Shyanne Sealey and Nathan Vanderhyden were among the top graduates at the recent Taekwondo grading.

Nominee for Sportsman of theYear and Coach of theYearAleem Hussain (left) and Philip Haynes.

Sports Teams ready to rumble in the KFC Int’l Goodwill Series

- uniforms and balls distributed

Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore launches City’s U17 Cricket Cup

MayorAlfred Mentore along with other officials and some of the young players at the launch

KFC MarketingAssistant, Charmaine Farnum and Troy Peters of Petra display the team jersey yesterday during the ball and uniform distribution event.