Kaieteur News

- says he will no longer be part of the genocide going on

Exams fears set in as teachers' strike prolongs

th

Th e G u y a n a Teachers Union (GTU) has said that the Government of Guyana should accept some blameforteachersnotbeing in school as students across Guyana prepare to write National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC).

Speakingtothemediaas the teachers' strike entered th the 4 week; GTU President Mark Lyte noted that the protracted industrial action istakingitstollonthepublic schoolsystem,“butwehave thegovernmenttoblamefor that.”

“We are not taking blameforanything.Wehave teachers staying away from theclassroomforfourweeks and counting, they do not want to be out here but the government has closed their eyes to the cries of teachers…”Lyteasserted.

“Wehaveexercisedalot of patience over the many years,threeplusyears,andto take a stand at a time when we believe that the system needs us most is always a criticalapproach.

Whatwehaveseenisthe uncaring side of the government not willing to considerourchildrenandthe plightofourteachers.”

The GTU President

noted that all efforts by the uniontogettheGovernment to address the substantive issue of salary increase for teachers have been ignored. LytesaidthattheGTUwrote to the Government two weeks ago, seeking a meeting and indicating the conditions that have to be metforthestriketocometo anendbutthatlettertoowas ignored.

“It is disrespectful for someone to write you and youdon'trespond,andithas been over three weeks since we wrote the Permanent Secretary[oftheMinistryof Education]; disrespectfully noresponse.

But whatever it takes to

havegovernmentunderstand that we are serious about this, and that we are serious aboutourpositiontocometo the table and have that engagement, we don't mind resendingthelettertothem,” heexplained.

Asitrelatesthemoveby theEducationMinistrytocut the salaries of the striking teachers which has been temporarily blocked by an order issued by the High Court, Lyte said the union has not gotten any feedback from the government since thecourtruling.“Wedohope that they comply with the judge's order, and that the matter is allowed to take its course in the court for the

judgetodecidebasedonthe evidence,”hesaid.

GTU President said it is time for the narrative set by the Government that the strike is political, to be buried.

“We are wearing black and white today to bury that narrative… This strike has alwaysbeenaboutourbread andbutter”.

“ I t h i n k t h e demonstration of teachers across Guyana would have shown that this has nothing to do with politics. In fact, some of our placards are saying,'itisnotpolitical,itis economical,'andthatiswhy you see teachers of all colours,shades,levelsinthe

education sector standing outhere.

And, we resolutely believe that the government hastocometothetable,and that has been our position,” Lyteadded.

Duo remanded for robbing man of iPhone, cash on Water Street

Two men, accused of robbery were remanded to prisononMondaywhenthey appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates'Court.

The accused Dominique Eastman, a 19-year-old unemployed man who resides at Lot 456 'B' Field Sophia,Georgetownand19year-old Kevin Charles, a construction worker, who claimsheresidesat'C'field, Sophia, by the reserve dam, reportedlystole$20,000and aniPhonefromaman.

The duo made their first court appearance before MagistrateRhondellWeever on Monday where they pleaded not guilty to the robberycharge.

ItisallegedthatEastman and Charles robbed the virtual complainant of an iPhone 12 valued $120,000 and $20,000 atWater Street, Stabroek on February 21, 2024.

The prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds that Charleshasnofixedplaceof abode which would pose grave difficulties in locating himshouldhefailtoreturnto court.

The prosecutor told the court that the mobile phone

Kevin Charles (white vest) and Dominique Eastman (white jersey) entering the Georgetown Magistrates' Court

wasrecoveredfromEastman but this was denied by the accused.

Both accused were identified by the virtual complainant.

B a s e d o n t h e prosecution's arguments, the duo was remanded to prison and the matter adjourned to March 18, 20

statementsandfixtures.

Teachers assembled outside the Ministry of Education on Brickdam, Georgetown in protest for the 4 week in a row

GTU President, Mark Lyte

Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

Strikers and waivers

As Guyanese continue to grapple with the high cost of living and teachers struggling on the streets for a livable wage,itisagoodtimetoremindcitizensthatthiscountryin 2022waivedoverUS$500Mintaxestooilcompanies.Itisa staggeringsumconsideringhowmanyGuyaneselivewitha dailystruggletosurvive.

Itisjustunderhalfoftheroyaltiesandprofitsdeposited intotheNaturalResourcesFundfor2022 Tosomeextent, when the tax giveaways are compared to what Guyana received for its oil wealth in 2022, it is the equivalent of grabbingwhatiscomingwithtwohands,whilegivingupone leg to do so It is not surprising, therefore, that the PPPC Government is so meagre in its provisions for pensioners, publicservants,andthoselivinginpovertyinGuyana.Theoil companiesareprofitingattheexpenseofthecitizens,whoare supposedly the richest in the world. Many Guyanese are struggling,andsomeofthemareevenstarving,butmorethan a half billion American dollars could be waived so that oil companies can plunder and pillage the patrimony of the peoplesofthisnation

We raise the enraging issue of oil companies paying their fair share of taxes, and a steel wall of resistance is encountered. The PPPC Government, with Vice President Jagdeo in the lead, is unmoving: no taxes on ExxonMobil’s earningsfromtheStabroekBlock Thegovernmentfinalizeda new Production Sharing Agreement, but Jagdeo digs in his heels, which means, ExxonMobil’s operations and escalating productionlevelsintherichStabroekBlockareexempted No oneshouldhaveanydoubtswhosesideheison,andferociously so Thisnewspaper’spublisherbroughtataxfilingincourt,only for the Government of Guyana astonishingly to rush out immediatelytostandbythesideoftheoilcompanies Ifthere were any Guyanese who still harbored some slight belief thatthiscountryanditscitizenscamebeforetheinterestsof oil companies, with ExxonMobil at the top of the list, the PPPCGovernment’ssmashedanysuchbelief TheAttorney GeneraloftheGuyanesepeople,Mr AnilNandlall,wasgiven the dirty job of fighting against his own citizens, for the benefitofExxonMobilandothers,andhepromptlydidso.

Paymentofsomelevel,someamount,oftaxeshasbeen abigboneofcontentioninGuyana. Theoilcompanieslove where there are with zero taxes on profits, and in Vice PresidentJagdeoandAttorneyGeneralNandlall,theycould not have asked for better allies. These two veteran Guyanese political figures use their wisdom and their strengthtoderailwhatcouldbenefitGuyaneseimmensely Thepeoplewhoaretherichest,themosttalkedaboutinthe world,arealsothemostweakenedfromtheinside(bytheir own), reduced to the most pathetic by the machinations of their own. The government fills the financing needs for publicworksprojectsbyborrowingfromeverywhere,while ensuring that oil companies, especially ExxonMobil, are free to fill their coffers. The people of ExxonMobil, from investorstoDarrenWoodstoAlistairRoutledgetothemost juniorworker,areallhavingtheirversionofapredator’sball from Guyana’s oil Meanwhile the Guyanese people are pushedtocrawlingontheirkneesduetoacripplingcost-oflivingenvironment.

ThePPPCGovernmentanditsloyalistscondemnthose whorailagainstthe6.5percentincreaseforpublicservants. Butneithergovernmentnorpropagandistshaveanythingto say about getting an amount as low as 6.5 percent in taxes fromtheoilcompaniesforallthewealththattheyshipoutof thiscountry Thegovernmentmadeatotaljokeofitselfwithits increase in pensions for the elderly, and then added insult to injurywiththesickeningwayinwhichitdistributedtheone-off $25,000cashgrant IfthelikesofBharratJagdeo,AnilNandlall, andAshniSinghspendaquarteroftheenergiesandfightthat theymanifestonbehalfofExxonMobilanditsilk,thenthatlittle effortwoulddosomuchtobetterthelivesofGuyanese Taxes totaling $108 billion are given up to oil companies, while a sizable portion of Guyana’s population hangs by their fingernails This is government at its worst and oil companiesattheirhappiest.

Teachers’strike; strengthening equity

DEAREDITOR

In one way or another, theconditionoftheteaching profession impacts almost every home in Guyana both today and long into the future, and it would be most unfortunate if their resort to the streets is to become an annualaffair

A s w e p o n d e r constitutional reforms, we need,thereforetoconsiderif Guyana’sindustrialrelations environment is sufficiently grounded and law to mitigate, as far as possible, the kind of industrial strugglethatwehavetoday

As such, it is important that we recognise that the present quarrel between the government and the GTU is notmerelyaboutthepresent level of salary increases but more importantly about constitutionally/legally strengthening the unions to enable them to arrive at fair emolumentsforteachersand allotherworkers.

Thepresentstrikeisonly one phase of the struggle, at theendofwhichemployers, including the government, must come to recognise that

what constitutes fair remuneration must be based on consensual rather than unilateral decision-making. Theendgamemustincludea more robust collective bargaining process, but stressed by constitutional and legal clarity around, among others, the following importantareas.

Firstly, a distinguishing featureofthisPPPregimeis itswillingnesstousedelayto denycitizenstheirrightsina timelymanner Inrelationto the teachers, it has dragged out the negotiation process overthreeyearsandwhenin frustration and disgust, the teacherstooktothestreets.It argues that the strike is illegalbecausethecollective bargaining process has not broken down! When the teachers took the government to court to challengethedecisionnotto pay strikers and to end the check-off of union dues, the government asked for more time to prepare a defence, hoping that under pressure the strike would peter out and that that would be the end of the matter. The court

wisely ruled that the government could take its time so long as it does not disturb the prestrike status quoofthedisputedissues.

Industrial relations and collective bargaining are rooted in good faith and normally the latter is a continuousprocess.Butsuch is not the situation in Guyana,whereanautocratic ethnic regime is attempting to bully its ethnic opponents in every arena It is, therefore, most important t h a t t h e r e i s constitutional/legal clarity on what constitutes a reasonable time for negotiations to begin and end.Thereisnointernational standard,butsomecountries have legal timeframes for negotiations. In the United States, the National Labour RelationsAct mandates that negotiations occur in good faith until an agreement is reached or an impasse is declared A reasonable timeframe for collective bargaining negotiations is usuallyafewmonthsatmost butnotyearsasinthecaseof Guyana!

S e c o n d l y , employer/employee negotiations usually end in arbitration, and in Guyana some collective agreements dictate that the arbitration panel must contain an equal number of members appointed by the employer and the union and a chairperson agreed upon by the parties. Others, like the GTU agreement give to the relevantminister,usuallythe minister of labour, the responsibility to appoint the c h a i r p e r s o n a f t e r consultations with the parties In Guyana’s c o n t e x t , g i v i n g a government minister the right to choose the chairperson in issues having todowiththegovernmentis unacceptable and should be changed.

Inanycase,thereshould be clear written rules of engagement that make it q u i t e c l e a r t h a t chairpersonsareexpectedto be independent, i e not influenced by any relationship/s he may have withtheemployer

(Continuedonpage)

Without a review of the 1999/2000 constitution reforms, the new exercise is likely to be ineffective

DEAREDITOR

Asthenationembarkson another constitution reform project, we must not overlook the valuable knowledge and experience we can obtain from reviewing the 1999/2000 reforms. That last national effort was a direct response to the grievances of large massesofGuyaneseoverthe lack of good governance, perceived and actual discrimination and marginalization, executive lawlessness, and ethnic insecurity

While the 1999/2000 constitution reforms were proximatelytriggeredbythe 1997 election and the large public protests in its aftermath, subjective and objective grievances were rumbling years prior under the then PPP government. Thepreviousreformprocess therefore had four main objectives to achieve: i) improvegoodgovernancein general, ii) reduce ethnic insecurity and discord, iii) deepenandbroadenpolitical participation and inclusion, and (iv) ensure equality of opportunity in the distribution of state resources, especially in the award of government contracts.Twenty-five years later,howmuchprogresshas

our nation made in the attainment of these critical objectives? For instance, several constitution commissions were established,suchasthosefor ethnic relations, human rights, women and gender equality, Indigenous Peoples, and public procurement. Article 212F captures and enshrines several reasons for creating thesebodies—inparticular, that “there could be disastrous consequences for the society and country at large if the issues are not attended to and monitored.” H o w h a v e t h e s e commissionsperformed?

The 1999/2000 reform process also laid the foundation for the remodeling of the local governmentsystembasedon such measures as the allocation of resources to local councils using objective criteria (Article 77A), and the establishment of the Local Government Commission (Article 78A). Are citizens in their communities feeling or seeinganyofthesechanges?

A batch of reforms also targeted parliament, includingthemuch-heralded f o r m a t i o n o f t h e Parliamentary Sectoral Committees on natural

resources, economic services, foreign relations, and social services (Article 119 B). How have they worked? Are their shortcomingsduetofaultsin designoroperation?

We must also look at Article 13 (Objective of political system) – probably themostquotedarticleinour constitution – which mandatesustoestablishboth inclusionarydemocracy(the idea and practice of involving multi-stakeholder representation across political, ethnic, and other lines in national decisionmaking), and participatory democracy (the more direct involvement of citizens in national decision-making through, for example, referendums and voter initiatives). To what extent has this article been implemented?

Under good governance, apart from participation, equity, and inclusiveness, the 1999/2000 constitution reforms also advanced the cause of transparency and a c c o u n t a b i l i t y i n government, and political independence of state entities (such as theAuditor General).Again, we need to assessprogressorthelackof it President of the Caribbean Court of Justice,

Justice Adrian Saunders, considers our constitution one of the most advanced in the region. But what does this mean? Most advanced onpaperorinaction?

So, as we embark on its overhaul, we can gain enormouslyinreviewingthe current document by (i) measuring the extent of enactment of previous reforms, (ii) conducting impact assessments and performance audits of the purpose-built agencies and mechanisms,(iii)pollingthe level of satisfaction and perceptionofthepopulation, and(iv)evaluatingtheextent to which a bad-faith government can undermine orcircumventreforms.

Without such a review, the new reform process is likely to be inefficient and unsighted.

Lastly, in parallel with a review,we,asanation,must ask ourselves what we wish this new reform project to achieve Is there a widespread public demand for a new governing philosophy, a new governance framework, or new solutions to persistent problems, as was the case prior to and in the aftermath ofthe1997election?

Respectfully,

SherwoodLowe

The government agencies and capabilities to support the oil and gas industry lagging

DEAREDITOR,

The procedures for e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r occupational health and safety (OHS), and the monitoring there of are lagging The planned building of a gas processing facility and an oil refinery requirestheestablishmentof a robust (OHS) government agency Officials need to be hired, training needs to occur,clearregulationsneed to be outlined, and the building & management of thefacilitiesneedtoconform with the regulations that are goingtobeestablished.

Trinidad and Tobago have already gone through this learning curve and have the experience and knowledge to assist in these new ventures Given the excess capacity of our partner in Caricom, the use of Trinidad and Tobago for the processing and refining of our gas and oil for the proposedpurposeswouldbe abetteroption.

H o w e v e r , t h e government seems determined to pursue establishing local capabilitiesintheseareas.To do so safely and effectively we must first establish an

arm of the government that will support these facilities byprovidingthecriteriaand regulationstoensureworker and facility safety The environmental impact of these undertakings can be quite significant and should not be underestimated. The risksaresubstantial!

C u r r e n t l y, t h e government is struggling with enforcing regulations for working from heights in the construction sector This is minor when compared to the risks associated with a gas pipeline & processing facility, and an oil refinery The procedural discipline and professional integrity necessary to safeguard the workers, the exposed neighbourhoods and the environmentisofaveryhigh standard.

CRG is of the opinion that Guyana is not ready for suchanundertaking.Fixthe construction industry first and also take the time to develop the professionals needed to manage an oil refinery and gas facility Using Trinidad for this purpose by establishing an agreement for them to hire ourpeopletoprocessthegas and refine the oil would be an appropriate first step. It

will allow us to still capitalize on the financial opportunities while providing the necessary capabilities for the government to manage such anundertaking.

A strong OHS agency within the government can be simultaneously establishedtoensurethatwe build and manage the processingplantandrefinery safely, effectively and efficiently If the mismanagement of GPL, whichresultedinanincrease in power outages due to maintenance issues is any indication of the problems that could occur, then we must proceed with caution. Lossofelectricityisaminor problem when compared to the disastrous impact of a mismanaged gas processing facility or a mismanaged oil refinery

Itisinourbestinterestto embracethecapabilitiesand knowledge of our Caricom partner TrinidadandTobago has offered to help We should accept their assistance.

Bestregards,

Mr.JamilChanglee

Chairman

T h e C o o p e r a t i v e RepublicansofGuyana

Teachers’strike; strengthening...

Frompage04 or employee and are not employed by either party

The individual should have conceptual and practical knowledgeofapplicablelaw and procedure, must also have a clear understanding of how such commissions are to work, must base decisions solely on the evidence, be able to distinguish between facts and opinions, and provide written reasons for decisions,etc.

Thirdly, it is expected that employers will disclose to recognised unions information that will enable them to effectively perform theirfunctions.

The legal entrenchment of this requirement is essential. The International Labour Organisation states that ‘information must be disclosed whenever an employer is consulting or bargaining with a representativetradeunionto allowittoengageeffectively with the employer.’ Unions are entitled to information about the negotiation

Political

economy of oil & gas and climate change

DEAREDITOR

On day three of the recently concluded energy conference in Georgetown, Vice President Jagdeo reflected on several hot button issues on global energy and climate change. He was interviewed by Carlos Pascual, the Senior Vice President for Geopolitics & International Affairs S&P Global. The followingareamongthekey points.

First, Guyana and the global south forested countriesareoftheviewthat an active carbon pricing regime is critical for effective governance of GHG emissions. In effect, carbonpricingislikea‘userpay’ system. The rationale for this is that historically, and in the contemporary period, the G-North countries have discharged s i g n i f i c a n t l y disproportionate GHG into the biosphere Rich countries (US, Canada, Japan,andWesternEurope), withonly12%oftheworld’s population, have discharged 50% of CO2, with 48% coming from the rest of the world(NYT,11/12/2021).

which are rife in their agricultural sector In 2021 the EU provided US$ 199 billion in energy subsidies, $42billionofwhichwasfor thefossilfuelsector.

Third, it is important to get rid of coal Coal currently contributes more toglobalenergysupplythan naturalgas,althoughitisfar more destructive. Further, coalproductionhasgoneup dramatically since the Earth Summit in Brazil 1992. It hasincreasedby126%since 1981, compared to oil production which has increased by 51% (https://ourworldindata org/ fossil-fuels).

Fourth, reduction of demand (meaning less consumption) is imperative in the drive to meet the IPCC’s target of cutting greenhouse emissions 43% by 2030 There are staggering disparities in consumptionbetweentheGNorth and G-South countries For instance, Japan with 125 million peoplehaveabout40million more households with air conditioningthanIndiawith

1.4 billion souls. Canada’s per capita electricity generation (2022) was 16, 602 kWh. Look at the comparative figures for some G-South countries –Brazil 3162 kWh; Guyana 1529 kWh; DRC 115 kWh; Chad 18 kWh. The average Indian owns 1.2 pairs of shoes (Statista); the average American,12pairs.

Fifth, the call to stop oil and gas exploration in (mostly) developing countries is unfair This is because countries such as the UK, USA, and Canada continue to facilitate new investmentsinoilandgas.If a stop is instituted, the current producers will effectivelyhaveamonopoly Canada and the United States have both increased oil and gas production significantly over the recent past, and this despite their consistent rhetoric against hydrocarbon exploration elsewhere. Oil production hasmorethandoubledinthe USsince2008,nowtopping 13 million bpd. Canada is likelytotop5millionbpdin

(Continuedonpage09)

p r o c e s s t i m e l i n e , participants, and objectives, the employers’ financesrevenue, expenses, profits, etc Simply put, Cheddi Jagan’smantraof‘givethem the books’ should be the orderoftheday Fourthly, and perhaps most importantly, the judiciary is a fundamental element of liberal democracy, and no reform process can possibly conclude without its being given serious attention

Some have argued that b e c a u s e o f w e a k constitutionalarrangements, the seminal separation of legislature, executive and the judiciary in Guyana is fragile and the system is nearing collapse from want ofcriticalpersonnel,etc.the courts’ capacity to make objective judgements, particularly in political cases, is questionable and theadequateenforcementof collectivebargainingisvery political.

The notion of collapse carries connotations of unintended consequences

butoneofthefirsttargetsof an autocratic regime is usually the judiciary - the main legal obstacle to injustice. After some three decades of its rule, the condition of the judiciary is very much in the PPP’s mode of ‘delay’ and cannot be seriously considered unintended.

The recent ruling in favour of the teachers does not diminish the weight of thiscontention,butalthough costly and time consuming, one should still take consolation in the fact that there exists an appeal process outside the autocratic reach of the Guyana government. Clear c o n t e x t u a l conceptualizations and judicial expression on these and other such matters having to do with the rights of workers should be considered during the constitutional reform process with a focus upon strengthening equity in the liberaldemocraticsetting.

Regards

Dr.HenryJeffrey

Second, the removal of carbon subsidies will result in greater fuel efficiency whichinturnwillleadtoless GHG emissions. There is a ‘fair-trade’benefit in this as well. Fossil fuel subsidies amountedtoUS$7trillionin 2023. Incidentally, just days ago France reneged on a COP 28 promise to reduce, and remove these subsidies,

Homeless man begs Magistrate to send him to jail

“I begging fuh a lil sentencemyworship,”a44year-old homeless man requested of Magistrate Rhondell Weever, when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Monday, to answer to a Break-and-Entercharge.

Krishna Singh, who told the court he works as a labourer at the Stabroek Market, Georgetown, is accused of breaking into Bookland Gardens Shed, located at Brickdam, Georgetown, between February 14, 2024 and February 15, 2024, and stealing a quantity of plant pots valued $30,000, razor wires valued $40,000, a quantity of tools valued $20,000, and a tent valued $25,000, all property of PennyChen.

During the court proceedings, Singh pleaded guilty with explanation; however, his explanation suggested that he was not

Guyana to attend Commonwealth Law Ministers meeting in Tanzania

Krishna Singh

Meanwhile, despite his explanation, Singh said, “My worship please give meh a small sentence, give meh and I gon do it.” He added, “I begging fuh a lil sentencemyworship.”

Upon hearing this, Magistrate Weever requested of the prosecutor to provide evidential value why the defendant was charged and placed before the court It was then disclosed by the prosecutor thatthepolicefilecontained no evidence which tied the accusedtothecrime.

The United Republic of Tanzania is all set to welcome ministers and attorneysgeneral,including from Guyana, to the Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting, which will open in Zanzibar on 4 March2024.

making exceptional arrangements for the meeting SecretaryGeneral Scotland drew attention to the pressing need to close the access to justicegap,whichcurrently affects two-thirds of the world’spopulation./

involvedinthecrime.

“Miain’tknowaboutno stuff my worship, I don’t knowwhatyuhtalkingabout my worship,” the accused said while explaining to the magistratethathewasonthe streetatthetimeofhisarrest.

Further, the prosecutor toldthecourtthatthevirtual complainantinherstatement said, “At no time I saw anyone, when the articles werestolen.”

In light of this, Magistrate Weever placed Singh on self-bail and the matterwasadjourned.

Theaccusedisscheduled to return to court on March 18,2024.

Held every two years, the meeting of law ministers is a leading platform for collaboration a m o n g t h e 5 6 Commonwealth countries, which share a common legal tradition, the Commonwealth Secretariat said in a press release. The theme of this year’s meetingis‘Technologyand I n n o v a t i o n : H o w digitalisationpavestheway for the development of people-centred access to justice.’

Under this theme, law ministers will examine ethical ways to use technology to make legal services and information more accessible to people, while exploring responses to threats, such as cybercrime Speaking about the meeting, the Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, c o m m e n d e d t h e Government of the United Republic of Tanzania for

She highlighted the detrimental consequences of the lack of people’s access to justice on development, inclusive growth, and conflict prevention.//TheSecretaryGeneral continued: “At a time when increasing conflicts are undermining respect for international law, ensuring equal access to justice remains a fundamental precondition for building peace and securityforall.”

She said:/ “Our priority is to help all our member states deliver equal access to justice for all That requires legal systems whichcanmeettheneedsof all.

“The upcoming Commonwealth Law MinistersMeetingoffersus a vital platform to discuss the growing threats to the rule of law and find innovative ways to deliver the changes which will guarantee justice for every oneofthe2.5billionpeople

l i v i n g i n o u r Commonwealth.”

Ambassador Dr Pindi H Chana, the United Republic of Tanzania’s Minister of Constitutional andLegalAffairsandChair ofthe2024Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting, announced the meeting’s detailsatapressconference inZanzibaron26February 2024 Addressing journalists, she said: “We expect to get a lot of benefits following this meeting as the topics that will be discussed will help to find the right ways to strengthen and enforce the law and access to human rights.”

The meeting’s four-day agendawillcoverarangeof topical legal issues, including digital assets, electronic resources for efficient legal systems, access to justice for people with disabilities and developments in climate legislation.

The outcomes from the meeting will shape the agenda for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa later thisyear Themeetingwill beheldattheMoraHotelin Zanzibar from 4th. to 8th. March2024.

Broomes sues ‘Guyanese Critics’ for $450M over libel, defamation

FormerGovernment Minister under the A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Simona Broomes has filed a $450 Million libel and defamation lawsuit against social media personality, Mikhail Rodrigues popularly known asthe“GuyaneseCritic”.

Broomes is suing Rodrigues over several libelous statements he made against her on his morning programme, 'They Break News'.

Shehasaskedthecourtto award her $450 Million in damages.

In Court documents seen bythisnewspaper,theformer Minister lists 14 times that t h e s o c i a l m e d i a commentator made statements defaming her on his January 24, 2024 programme.

In the document drafted by attorney Dexter Todd, Broomes noted that Rodrigues accused her of engaging in revolting

activities -- from claiming that she operated a 'whore house',toallegationsthatshe was involved in 'human trafficking,'withtheintentof damaginghercharacter

Rodrigues also claimed that Broomes who once occupied the portfolios of Minister of Natural Resources and Minister of Human Services received a US$225,000 scholarship from Government and was involvedinscamsinshutting down various mining operations in the interior regiontoherownbenefitand sheincitedpublicterror

The lawsuit details that on his January 24, 2024 programme which was broadcast on Facebook, Rodrigues made the libelous statementsagainstBroomes.

Aspartofthelawsuit,the claimant [Broomes] is seeking an injunction that wouldrestrainRodrigues,his servants and or his agents, from further publishing or causing to be publish, any statement by him that would convey the impression that

Three carpenters in custody for ammo found

in car

she was involved.Sheisalsoseeking an order to have Rodrigues remove the offending programme from all social

Wildfires in Lethem

media platforms, to retract his statements and issue an apologytoher

The lawsuit covers severalpartsofthebroadcast

that was done by Rodrigues and the many statements he made at various points in relation to Broomes.In her grounds to support the claim

Broomesnotedthatshewasa politician, Member of Parliament under the APNU+AFC Government, and a human rights activist who is highly respected n a t i o n a l l y a n d internationally as a leader, businesswomanandminer Broomeswasawardedby theU.S.StateDepartmentin 2013asanInternationalHero in the fight against human trafficking in

Guyana

At all material times, she noted Rodrigues falsely and maliciouslypublishedboldly and sensationally untrue a l l e g a t i o n s a n d statements about her on his widely viewed Facebook programme 'They BreakNews.’

Wildfires rip through farmlands in Lethem

Fueledbydryandwindyconditions, wildfires are destroying farmlands in Nappi Village, Central Rupununi RegionNine.

The live rounds found in the car.

Three carpenters of Helena #2 Mahaica are in police custody after ammunition was found in a car they were occupants of on Saturday during a traffic enforcement exercise by ranks on the Helena #2 Public Road, East Coast Demerara.

Police in a press release stated that ranks on duty at the time observed motorcar PSS 7252 proceeding south ontheroadanda28-year-old carpenter was driving at the time. The vehicle came to a halt,andthedriverhurriedly exited and entered the Sun Flower Supermarket Helena #2. Alsointhecareweretwo other males a 25-year-old and a 26-year-old also carpenters from the same

area Observing the suspicious behaviour, ranks approached the men and escorted them out of the supermarket, after which they began to behave in a disorderlymanner Other ranks were summoned as backup and the suspects along with the vehicle were escorted to the MahaicaPoliceStation,after which a search was conducted in their presence.

Five live 32 rounds of a m m u n i t i o n w e r e discovered on the floor mat behind the driver's seat, which was photographed. The men were informed of the allegation, arrested and placed in custody The seized ammunition was processed and lodged Investigationsareongoing.

TheGuyanaFireService(GFS)said thatitismonitoringthesituation.

“The fire began yesterday (last Friday) at approximately 8:30 a.m. and has been fueled by dry and windy conditions”,theGFSstated.

Efforts,accordingtothefirefighting agency,arebeingcloselycoordinatedto ensure the safety of residents and effective management of the ongoing fire.

“Though the terrain hinders fire tenders'accesstothemountainousarea, villageToshaosandfirepersonnelhave been transporting black tanks of water to the scene to aid in extinguishing the blaze while continuing to monitor it”, theGFSstated.

OnSaturday,stafffromtheRegional Administration and the Agriculture Department distributed emergency reliefsuppliesonbehalfoftheRegional DemocraticCouncilRegionNinetothe villagersofNappi,CentralRupununi.

According to reports, the wildfires ravagedthesavannahsandfarmlandsin

thatarea.

Three large storage tanks were reportedly distributed along with long boots, food hampers, fuel for tractors andawaterpumptoequiptheresidents with the tools necessary to contain the fires. Thereby preventing them from

causingmajordamages.

Residents were urged to avoid setting fires in the open savannah and farmlands without monitoring them as these can quickly spiral out of control during the current dry spells, putting residentsandwildlifeatrisk.

Mikhail Rodrigues known as the “Guyanese Critic Simona Broomes

Governments have a responsibility to get the best deals, revenue streams from resources

Minister of Energy and EnergyIndustriesinTrinidad and Tobago, Stuart Young recently impressed the need forgovernmentstosecurethe bestdealsfortheirpeople.

Young was at the time delivering remarks at Guyana'sthirdannualEnergy Conference, hosted at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown fromFebruary19to22.

The Trinidadian Minister told participants of the conference, including top government officials here that, “It is the people's resources and we as the electedgovernmentshavethe responsibility to do the best that we can to get the best revenue streams for them, and the best deals for them, which includes responsible exploitation of these resources.”

To this end, the Trinidadian politician told participants that the government of T&T has successfully renegotiated almost all of its gas deals to ensurethepeopleofTrinidad receivegreatervaluefortheir resources.

Here in Guyana, the government has refused to engage the operator of the S t a b r o e k B l o c k , ExxonMobilforabetterdeal. Citizenshavebeenprotesting for changes to the lopsided arrangement but while government has accepted thatthecontractisoneofthe worst deals ever, it is still reluctanttorenegotiatebetter terms.

Thegovernmentbelieves that Guyana must abide by the 'sanctity of contracts' principle, since this can

- T&T Energy Minister

“chaseinvestors”.

Trinidad's Energy Minister has extended the country's negotiation expertise to Guyana and Suriname, encouraging the countriesthatnoinvestorhas ever left the twin island due toarenegotiation.

“We in Trinidad and Tobago have spent the last seven years of our term successfullynegotiating,and Icansayherewithoutfearof contradiction, every contract that we negotiated augurs better in direct revenue for the people of Trinidad and Tobagoandthemultinational oil and gas companies have notgotupandrunoff.

They continue to invest becauseitisallaboutrespect

and fairness of relationships and I offer that here to GuyanaandtoSurinameina collaborative approach because you see I am convinced that if we work together to change the dynamics,” Young told the

conference.

The 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) Guyana inked with ExxonMobil and partners, HessandCNOOCallowsthe Contractortodeductupto75 percent of Guyana's oil each

month to recover the cost of their investments

This process is known as cost recovery

Theremaining25percent is then split with Guyana, meaning that the country receives a meager 12.5% of profits.Guyanaalsoreceives 2%royalty,whileExxonand itscontractorsbenefitfroma tax-free holiday and the absence of a ring-fencing provision.

A ring-fencing provision would mandate each project to pay for itself and would allowGuyanatobenefitfrom 50% of the revenues each month after the costs have beenrepaid.Intheabsenceof this key provision, Guyana allows Exxon to use the revenues from producing projects to develop other projects.

Prosperity of Guyana must lead to prosperity of the Region

President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Dr Irfaan Ali has assured Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr Keith Rowley that this nation's prosperity will lead to the prosperity of the Region.

The Head of State in his h 54 Republic Anniversary address to the nation, during the annual Flag Raising Ceremony held on the lawns of Public Buildings on Thursday evening said that countriesmustpartnertoend hungerintheRegion.

The President in a direct address to the visiting T&T PrimeMinisterwhoattended theceremonysaid,“Iwantto assure our region that the prosperity of Guyana must lead to the prosperity of this region We must work

together in finding innovative solutions, in combining our economies, combining our human resources, combining all our effortsinbuildingacohesive region in which our regional economy will be highly functional and integrated, in which our regional economy will be interdependent on each other and in which, together, we will build a regionfreefromhunger,free from energy poverty and a region in which we are capable of dealing with our problems and finding solutionsamongourselves.”

President Ali has continuously committed to leadingtheRegioninenergy, foodandclimatesecurity

Ahead of the recently concluded Guyana Energy Conference and Supply

Chain Expo, President Ali was interviewed on the event's Energy Perspectives Podcast, where he spoke about Guyana's role in regionalenergysecurity

“I don't think we have a r o l e , w e h a v e a responsibility Wearepartof a Region and I believe that

partofourresponsibilityisto ensure that the Region has reliable energy, affordable energy and we will be working with our regional partners on a mechanism, through which we can help the Region in having affordable energy and reliable energy,” the Guyaneseleadersaid.

While the President has been pushing for regional collaborationonthesefronts, the country has expressed reservationswhenitcomesto partnering withTrinidad and Tobago for the monetization

ofitsgasresources.

During the recently c o n c l u d e d E n e rg y Conference and Supply

Chain Expo hosted at the Guyana Marriott from February 19 to 22, the T&T Energy Minister, Stuart Young urged Guyana to utilize the infrastructure availableonthetwinislandto swiftly monetize this country'sgasresources.

However, on Thursday, during his weekly press conference Vice President BharratJagdeotoldreporters thatafeasibilitystudywould be required to determine whether it is more cost effective to pipe some of Guyana's gas resources to Trinidad andTobago located hundreds of miles away for processing, or utilize a floating platform for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)offGuyana'scoast.

Jagdeo said that authorities here are intent on aggressively monetizing its gasresources.Hesaiditisfor thisreasonthegovernmentis seeking an experienced

-Pres. Ali

partner to work alongside ExxonMobil to push the developmentoftheresources intheStabroekBlock.

Where Trinidad is concerned, he said governmentisawarethatthe CARICOMnationishunting for proven resources, given that its own gas reserve is dwindling.

TheVicePresidentsaidit isthegovernment'sintention to examine all options carefully, including the possibility of moving gas to Trinidadversusprocessingit i n G u y a n a f o r industrialization purposes and possibly on a floating platform for LNG. Jagdeo said too that the government is also open to examining potential areas of collaboration with Suriname when it gets going with its deep-waterproject.

Asheacknowledgedthat all possibilities will be properly examined, he also underscoredthat“everything hastobedoneonthebasisof a feasibility study” to understand how much each optionwouldcost.

Hestressedthatdecisions cannot be made based on good will or desire alone or else they would not be financiallyfeasible.TheVice President said such critical decisions have to be determined on the basis of what is good for his country andwhatwillbeviableinthe marketplace.

T&T Energy Minister, Stuart Young

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali

President Ali was disappointing

In public diplomacy and statesmanship, the power of rhetoric is undeniable. It is rhetoric, not theatrics that serves to convey a leader’s vision and strategy However,inarecentaddress to the Caricom Heads of Government meeting, PresidentAli of Guyana fell shortofthisideal,delivering a lackluster and uninspiring speechthatfailedtoprovide clear direction or inspire confidence in the region’s abilitytoeffectivelyaddress itsthreatsandchallenges.

In the history of addresses by heads of government to summits of CARICOM, President’s Ali speechisperhapsthepoorest everdeliveredfromasitting Chair of the regional grouping.Itwasunsuitedfor suchanoccasion;itsounded more like a gaffe. From the outset, President Ali’s addresslackedthenecessary gravitasexpectedofaleader addressinghispeers.Instead ofseizingtheopportunityto articulate a bold vision for

the future of the Caribbean, he was hardly through the salutations when he hastily transitioned towards the issue of Haiti. This abrupt shiftinfocussetthetonefor a disjointed speech that offered little in the way of substantive solutions or concrete proposals for addressing the region’s pressingissues.

One of the most glaring deficiencies in President Ali’s address was his failure to acknowledge the role of external actors, particularly the United States, in exacerbating Haiti’s longstanding problems Haiti’s problems have their rootsinforeignintervention, particularly by the United States. When Ali’s speak about tough decision having to be made, it was not clear whether CARICOM was distancing itself from the US-engineered plan for a UN authorized mission to stabilizeHaitiorwhetherhe was endorsing this plan During his presentation,

PresidentAlifixatedhimself with highlighting the contributions of foreign countries such as Canada and Saudi Arabia to the Caribbean. He went on and on about what was being done and what will be done by these countries for the Caribbean.

Hefailstorealisethatfor years now, CARICOM has been engaging with other countries and regions. It has had summits with China, Mexico, African Union and Cuba among others.Arising outoftheseengagementsare cooperation initiatives Therefore, when President Ali waxed lyrically about what Canada and Saudi Arabia and the UAE are doing or will do for the Caribbean,herantheriskof framing the region’s economy as being reliant on handouts from foreign countries Saudi Arabia’s outreach to the Caribbean came with strings attached. TheSaudi’sactivelycourted and were successful in

Political economy of oil & gas...

Frompage05 2024.In2010itwaslessthan 3 million bpd (Reuters, (8/23/2023).

Sixth, Guyana is already a net zero country and its carbon sequestration services serve as a model to many developing countries that are on the way to monetizingtheirforests.The L C D S i s a l s o a c o m p r e h e n s i v e developmentplanconsistent with the UN’s SDGs 2030.

Twoofthenotableaspectsof the LCDS are the focus on hinterland development intended to dramatically

improve the lives of Amerindians, and a dedicated strategy at realizing national and regionalfoodsecurity

Thegastoenergyproject willhelptocutemissionsby half and reduce electricity prices by fifty per cent for end users Cooking gas prices will be significantly reduced, and exports markets will be developed forthesignificantexcessthat will remain These developments are concrete ways in which Guyana will breakoutoftheNorth-South straitjacket It is worth

knowingthatGuyana’soil& gas sector is free of flaring. Flaring is a major contributor to black carbon and methane, both of which aredestructivetohumanand natural ecosystems. Guyana is also ramping up its solar energy delivery Free solar panels and other connected accessories are currently being distributed in difficult ‘off-grid’ areas in the hinterlandcommunities.The Amalia Falls hydro-project willgoouttotendersoon.

Sincerely

Dr. Randy Persaud OfficeofthePresident

DEM BOYS SEH

Nah celebrate too early!

When de judge g r a n t a Conservator

y Order preventing de governmentfromdeducing pay from strike teachers or stopping de deduction, collection and transmittal ofdeuniondues,weseeall kinds of headlines. One of dem did read how de decisionwas majorvictory fuhdeteachers.Itevenmek some teachers decide fuh join de strike because dem feeldemgangetpay

But dem boys want to tell dem teachers to be cautions. A Conservatory Orderisnotafinaldecision in de case wah de teachers

b r i n g a g a i n s t d e government. It’s a legal directive issued by a court to preserve a particular situation until a final decision is made. De court simply seh leh de situation remains as it was until de matterisdetermined. What gan happen if de court decide eventually dat de government gat de right fuhnotpaydeteachersfuh dedaysonstrike?Whatcan happen if de court eventually rule dat de government is merely doing de union a favor by deducing and transmitting deuniondues?

If dat happen it gan

obtaining CARICOM’s 14 votessupportforthehosting of World EXPO 2030. It would most likely have CARICOM’s support for its bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. In turn, several Caribbean countries got financingforprojects.

The UAE is making money off the Caribbean. It sold Guyana vaccines. It is now going to benefit from the training of thousands of coders and other ICT initiatives. Nothing comes free Canada, the United States and the UK are also entering the fray.They want to reduce China’s influence in theRegion.But President Ali is too politicallyinexperienced to appreciate thesenuances.

He views these cooperation initiatives as evidenceofachievementsby CARICOM and he now wants to extend these achievements by having talks with the person who will succeed him as Chairman.

Insodoing,PresidentAli has added another goalpost. Apart from 25 by 2025 targets – which will not be achieved–heisnowsetting his sights on the impossible goal of eliminating hunger and malnutrition by 2030.

While the goal of eliminating hunger and malnutrition is undoubtedly noble, it is unrealistic to expect such ambitious targets to be achieved by 2030.

Removing hunger in the

Caribbean requires structural changes in the region’s economies, a task thatcannotbeaccomplished overnight or even by 2030.

By failing to outline a clear roadmapforachievingthese structuralchanges,President Alimissedanopportunityto galvanise regional leaders and mobilise collective actiontowardsthisambition.

The leaders of the other Caribbean countries and the many dignitaries present were listening to what the Guyanese President had to

say These leaders would havenotedtheshortcomings and inexperience in Ali’s presentation and leadership respectively President Ali fell short of the leadership that the Caribbean desperately needs in these challenging times If the region is to overcome its challenges, it will require leaders who are willing to confront uncomfortable truths, challenge the status quo,andchartaboldcourse. PresidentAlihasprovenlast Sunday that he is not the person to lead such a process.

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

meanthatdemteachersand de union gan lose income. Sodemteachersshouldnot start celebrating as yet Dem should wait on de outcomeofdecase.

Lang ago old people used to warn we that, “There’s many a slip between cup and lip.” This proverb forwarns against premature celebration or assuming success before it’s assured, emphasizing thatunforeseenobstaclesor failures can occur even at the last moment, causing one to lose what they thought was already secured.

Talkhalf.Leffhalf

Sounds of silence

If anyone started crooning those memorable lyrics from Simon and Garfunkel,Isuggeststopping and starting over with song.

Possibly,theO'Jays“Money, money,money….” Asmuch as “hello darkness my old friend”hasdeeprelevanceto what is going on in this oil prairie, it is more about how the top people from world capitals come here, and then adjusttohere.

What I am gathering is that the word from WashingtonandWhitehallto their senior envoys is that mum is the word. Take note of how Her Excellency, Ambassador, Excellency Nicole D. Theriot is quieter than a skilled, serial safecracker Not a word out ofher,notanypositiontaken on anything local. I never thought that this would be said,butImissthedaysofthe effusive one, Her Highness Sarah Ann Lynch But Ambassador Nicole Theriot is not the only one struck silent The High Commissioner for His

Majesty'sGovernmentinthe United Kingdom, Ms. Jane Miller, OBE, has also retreatedintothewoodwork, after an enterprising start. Why, the Observer of the British Empire felt comfortable enough to venture into Guyana's Local Government elections, and had her say In her plummy British accent, of course, whichmadethenativessitup and pay attention Unfortunately, orders from the London High Command to the High Commissioner can be reduced to the pithiness of three words, as gleanedfromfourexamples: stick to business. British business interests. Follow Greg Quinn. Remember TullowOil.

The flip side of that, is that the natives are left to squabble on their own, fight oneanother,andhaveajolly good time while at it. In this era of political correctness (andWikileaks)noofficialis so foolish as to commit to paper what could be construed as blatantly racist,

and subtly imperialist in design. Ilookaround,takea peek into the papers, and there is not a word from any of the plenipotentiaries from old mother country, and new big brother country. The word is straightforward: concentrate on business for thekingdom'scompaniesand commerce for the capitalists in Greenwich, Connecticut, and Wall Street, Manhattan.

How could I leave the Old Confederacy of Texas out of consideration? My mistake, but no Guyanese should make the mistake of forgettingthatalargepartof that state was built on: the backsofslavelabor,theland of poor peons from El Paso, in what was once Mexico. And some of that oil in the Permian Basin that has roots inoldMexico.

Given their marching orders, the resident senior diplomats from two of Guyana's strongest allies have retreated to their fortresses and underground bunkers. They make an occasional appearance to

UKpledges£190,000forconservation effortsintheCaribbeanSea

Representing the United Kingdom at the 46th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, Minister for the Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories, David Rutley, unveiled a commitment of £ 1 9 0 , 0 0 0 t o w a r d s conservation initiatives in theCaribbeanSea.

The funding is aimed at assisting CARICOM countries in sustainable ocean management, emphasising both economic p r o s p e r i t y a n d environmental preservation.

The allocated funds will facilitatethedevelopmentof acomprehensiveactionplan, fostering a unified approach among Caribbean nations to harness their oceanic resources responsibly MinisterRutleyunderscored the importance of this partnership, stating, “The UK and CARICOM membersarebuildingonour modern partnership and we are committed to working together to protect our naturalenvironment.”

Highlighting the dual objectives of conservation and economic advancement, Rutley emphasized the significanceofthisinitiative

deliver a few sharp words to Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro toknowhisplace,andstayon his side of the border. Guyanesegetcarriedawayin thinkingthattheverbalsaber rattlingisontheirbehalf. Ye gods! When will people in this country get some sense? The postures are to signal their readiness to protect their country's assets Business assets, which are among their only permanent interests.

If any Guyanese desires to trace the in-the-face reaction of Mr Alistair Routledge to Venezuela's warning about exploring for oil in Essequibo, simply cast eyes on who stands behind him. Guyana is a secondary consideration in all of this. Oncethegovernmentisinthe bag,alongwiththepresident, vice president, and opposition leaders (plus parliament and pieces of the local judiciary), then Venezuela is nothing but small fry Maduro, and whoeverfollowshim,would be dealt with, and the oil

wealthexcitedlyexplored and extracted and exported withthefreestofhands.

Allthewhile,theUSand UK people are watching and saying nothing. Silence is golden;andsoalsoisthatoil now being produced by Exxon at well over 600,000 barrels a day The offshore pumpsareworkingovertime, and the onshore foreign diplomaticdoyennes(whois more senior?) are having theirversionofsiestatime. I have some news for fellow Guyanese. Starting early next year, the US and UK plenipotentiariesaregoingto breaktheirsilence,andcome alive. After all, it is an election year in Guyana, and the franchises have to be protected. Thosecoverfrom Exxon to KFC, but nothing for the PNC or AFC. The PPPCiscurrentlyconsidered to be a franchise to be powerfullyguarded. Lookat Excellency Ali, look at VP Jagdeo, and look at all that they have made possible for foreign enterprises to the

detriment of the Guyanese people. To take this to its natural limit, one could reasonably include OL Norton in that crowd of illustrious Guyanese, who know what is best for Guyanese, but are all about doing what is better for the likes of Exxon and Schlumberger andAmerican Airlines.

I ponder what will become of Lindsay Caya/CH4, given the little quirks and hiccups with that EXIMloan. Therecouldbea Chinese government loan to fundtheworkofanAmerican corporate entity See, why the silence reigns and rains supreme: money has no enemies. Only traitorous Guyaneselikeme.

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

pledge, the UK will provide further financial support to CARICOM to facilitate the launch of an action plan at the summit, focusing on the prudentutilisationofnatural resources.

Govt. amends energy matrix loan with IDB, borrows US$27M

O

Minister for the Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories, David Rutley

in securing a sustainable future for the region. “Our new funding will help CARICOMstatescreateand implementplanstoconserve their unique marine environments for future generations while also helping to boost their economies,”heremarked. This announcement precedestheupcomingUN's Small Island Developing States (SIDS) summit, scheduled for May, where global leaders will convene to address the challenges posed by climate change to vulnerable island nations. In addition to the £190,000

WiththeUKemergingas one of the largest bilateral donors to the Caribbean, having allocated £400 million for development programmes since 2016, the commitment underscores a longstandingcommitmentto the region's well-being Notable projects include a £26 million investment in a climate-resilient highway in Belize and nearly £20 million to bolster renewable energy capacity in Eastern Caribbeannations.

Moreover, the UK's leadership in marine conservation efforts is evident through initiatives like the Blue Belt programme. Three Overseas Territories - the Cayman Islands, Turks & Caicos Islands, and Anguilla - are active participants in this flagship conservation effort, which spans 10 territories andcovers1%oftheplanet's oceans,makingitthelargest marine conservation networkglobally

the Government of Guyana (GoG) inked a US$26.9 million amended loan agreement with the InterAmerican Development BankGroup(IDBGroup)to strengthen Guyana's energy matrix.

Signing on behalf of GuyanawasSeniorMinister intheOfficeofthePresident with responsibility for Finance and Public Service Dr Ashni Singh, while IDB President Ilan Goldfajn signed the agreements on behalfoftheIDB.

of electricity supply by replacingandupgradingtwo existing 12-kilometer 69kv transmission lines, and installation of capacitor banks to reinforce four power substations over the nextthreeyears.

The agreement was signed during the IDB Group's XII Annual ConsultationwithCaribbean

to 2 percent to total production in 2040 and replaced by natural gas and renewablesourcesofenergy such as hydro, solar, and windenergy

The agreement includes an amendment to strengthen the government's initiative to have an energy matrixdiversification.

IDB reported that the amendment will benefit more than 200,000 people, which averages about 90% of the Guyana Power and Light Inc.'s (GPL) customer base on the DemeraraBerbice Interconnected System(DBIS).

The modification uses approximately 63% of the funds to focus on reliability

GovernorsoftheIDBheldat the Guyana Marriott Hotel, in Georgetown President Irfaan Ali also attended the event.

The government has committedtodiversifyingits energy matrix as outlined in t h e L o w C a r b o n Development Strategy (LCDS 2030), significantly increasing energy production from less than 2,000 GWh per year currentlytoover9,000GWh per in 2041, with heavy fuels-basedenergydeclining

In 2022, the government p l a n n e d t o s t a r t implementing Guyana's Climate Resilience Strategy and Action Plan, which will include sea defence enhancement, drainage and irrigation systems For oil spill risk mitigation, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has required the Consortium to have high coverage insurance, which the Consortium stated meets international standards for allitspetroleumactivitiesin Guyana.

Moreover, the most significant contribution currently with the IDB is Norway's (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation) nonreimbursable investment operation, to diversify Guyana's energy matrix for US$83.30million.

Glenn Lall throws support behind teachers’ strike

..saysGovt.givingaway USbillionstoExxonthatcan tripletheirsalariesovernight

Kaieteur News Publisher and advocateforabetteroildeal,Glenn Lallhasthrownhissupportbehind the ongoing nationwide teachers' strike action, saying that the educators' salaries could be tripled if government manages the oil sectorproperly

During an impromptu visit to the striking teachers in Essequibo onMonday,Lalltoldthemthatthey need to educate themselves on the nitty-gritty of the oil industry here to better appreciate the amount of money this country was losing throughbadcontractmanagement. He told the teachers that they should be demanding a tripling of their salaries with the kind of

resources this country is blessed with. “Our gold and diamond and manganese and timber are being stolenbyforeignersandourleaders are not doing anything about it,” Mr Lalltoldover150teacherswho gathered under a benab at Anna ReginaonMonday Hesaidwithno ring-fencingoftheoilcontractwith Exxon, the non-payment of taxes by the US oil major and a meagre 2% royalty every Guyanese is beingshort-changed. Hecalledon the teachers to stand up for their rightsandmarchtheleadersoutof government.

Theteachershaveenteredtheir fourthweekofstrikeaction,calling

(Continuedonpage17)

Publisher of Kaieteur News Glenn Lall on the protest line

Scenes from Monday's protest action in Essequibo

US soldier dies after setting fire to himself at Israeli embassy in the US

- says he will no longer be part of the genocide going on in Gaza

(ALJAZEERA) Amember of theUnitedStatesairforcewhohad set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington in an apparent protest against Israel's warinGazahasdied,thePentagon says.

The25-year-oldairman,Aaron Bushnell of San Antonio, Texas, died from his injuries, the MetropolitanPoliceDepartmentof Washington, DC, said on Monday US media reports said Bushnell livestreamed himself on the social media platform Twitch wearing fatigues and declaring he would “not be complicit in genocide” beforedousinghimselfinliquidon Sunday

Hethenlithimselfonfirewhile yelling “Free Palestine!” until he felltotheground.Thefootagehas since been removed from Twitch. Inastatement,theairforcesaidon Monday:“Theindividualinvolved in yesterday's incident succumbed tohisinjuriesandpassedawaylast night.”

The air force said it would provide additional information a day after military officials completenotifyinghisnextofkin.

Theincidentcomesasprotests against Israel's war on Gaza continue across the US In December,aprotestersetherselfon fireoutsidetheIsraeliconsulatein Atlanta.

APalestinianflagwasfoundat thescene,andtheactwasbelieved to be one of “extreme political protest”.Israellaunchedanassault on Gaza after Hamas fighters attacked Israel on October 7, killing at least 1,139 people and seizing about 250 as hostages Since those attacks, Israel has bombardedthePalestinianterritory fromair,landandseaandlaunched a ground invasion More than 29,000 people have been killed in the Israeli assault, according to Palestinianauthorities.

Israel's campaign in Gaza has left much of the territory in ruins anddisplacedmorethan80percent ofitspopulation.

US Airman Aaron Bushnell died of his injuries after setting himself on fire near the Israeli embassy in Washington

While dying he is shouting FREE PALESTINE

Israeli guard points a gun at 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell as he was on fire

42 years after initial release, Eddy Grant album now available digitally

Over four decades after it was firstreleased,totouchtheheartsof millions, Eddy Grant's album

“Killer On The Rampage” is now available on digital platforms, the singer said in a press release Monday

Additionally, the other albums the singer has released will follow suit as he gradually rolls them out. Hisdebutalbumfrom1975,'Hello Africa' will be available digitally later this year. Grant who is an artist,activist,bandleaderandlabel h owner is celebrating his 76 birthday and a nearly 60-year career with the release of his most seminal and globally acclaimed multi-platinum selling album 'KillerOnTheRampage'.

According to the press release, the album in its entirety is now officially available to the legend's fansandalsothenewgenerationof listeners worldwide on digital services and streaming platforms with a rare alternative cover art, exactly 42 years after it was originally released The multitalentedGranthasreleased15 albums, achieving five UKTop 10 Singles Playing most of the instruments on his records, the artist is set apart by his unapologetic and uncompromising artistry Physical copies of his music are rare, however cover versions and bootlegs are extremely common across the internet.

Atlanticpopstar

'KillerOnTheRampage'isalso an album that musically adventurous, with a dangerous combination on reggae, rock, pop, disco,funkandnewwaveacross10 trackswhichthemusicianplaysthe instruments on. “Electric Avenue” was written as a protest song after thestreetinBrixtonwheretheriots took place, and 'I Don't Wanna Dance'expressesEddy'sfarewellto Britain being a land of class and colour divisions. Eddy Grant said “Following the worldwide success ofthesingle'DoYouFeelMyLove' and album 'Can't Get Enough', I

werelostandnevertobefound.So not only did we have to build a recording studio, renovate a historic house, but I had to also create a whole new album, as the record company was losing patience.Whoknowswhatthelost songs would have ended up being called, or what fruit they would haveborne?

“The fact that 'Killer On The Rampage' was grown under such harsh conditions, like the grapes grownintoughterrain,it'ssaidthey makethefinestwine,42yearslater, I am forced to agree. With every remix, cover version, commercial,

Musician - Eddy Grant

Upuntilnow,noneoftheartist's work from his massive catalogue was made digitally available on streaming services The digital release of the sixth, and most commercial successful album of his career is a milestone achievement. In its release year 1982 'Killer On The Rampage' hit the Top 10 in the US and the UK, and featured the international hits 'ElectricAvenue',aNo.2hitinUK andUS,and'IDon'tWannaDance', which reached No.1 in the UK, firmlyestablishingEddyasatrans-

grant will also be reissuing his debut album from 1975, 'Hello Africa',ashegraduallyrollsouthis entire 15 album catalogue for fans to enjoy on streaming services for the very first time. The musical legendwasborninPlaisanceonthe EastCoastofDemerarainGuyana andhemovedtoLondonin1960at age 12. At age 17, he cofounded popgroup, The Equals in1965and it was the first multi-racial band to achieve international acclaim with hits like UK No. 1 'Baby, Come Back', 'Police On My Back' and 'BlackSkinnedBlueEyedBoys'.

The bands hits have achieved global success with covers by artistslikeUB40,TheClash,Green Day, Bonnie Raitt, The Specials and even Lethal Bizzle. Grant founded his own label Torpedo by 1970 and released a solo debut album 'HelloAfrica'. 1979 saw the release of 'Walking On Sunshine', one of the most pivotal yet overlooked albums of that decade, which included the dancefloor classic 'Living On The Frontline'. 'Walking On Sunshine' was later coveredbyArthurBaker'sRockers RevengeandgottoNo.1intheUS andNo.4intheUKin1982.

in the soundtrack of the Michael Douglas movie 'Romancing The Stone'.

The mid-80's saw him at the forefront of Caribbean music with himrecordingwithLordKitchener andMightySparrowfromhisBlue Wave Studios. By the early 90's, Grant debuted a new genre and philosophy that he named Ringbang, which he distinguished apart from Soca and Calypso. 'GimmeHopeJo'anna'in1988was a UK Top 10 single and a soulful pleatoSouthAfrican'swhiteruling elitetodismantleapartheid.

Grant's 'Ringbang' remix of 'Electric Avenue' secured number fiveintheUK,givinghimhisfifth UKTop10single.In2023,hewas inducted into the Camden Music Walk Of Fame His music continues to connect with intergenerationalaudiencesaround theworld.

'KillerOnThe Rampage'Tracklisting:

1.ElectricAvenue

2.IDon'tWannaDance

3.It'sAllInYou

madethedecisiontoleavetheUK. That one decision sparked a chain ofeventsthatleadtothecreationof thealbumweknowtodayas'Killer OnTheRampage.”

He explained that, “In the 8 hoursittooktotravelfromLondon to Barbados, my luggage containingsongsformynextalbum

film, TV show, stage play, video game, and now digital outlet that usesthesongs,newlifeisbreathed into my creations. I give thanks,” Grantadded.

'Killer On The Rampage' is released via ICE RECORDS and distribution/rights management partner!K7Music.Laterthisyear,

His single 'Do You Feel My Love', reached No.3 in the UK, giving Grant his first UK Top 10 single and was taken from 'Can't Get Enough' the album. Following the success of 'Killer On The Rampage' in 1982 came the album 'Going For Broke', which featured

4.WarParty

5.FunkRock'N'Roll

6.KillerOnTheRampage

7.TooYoungToFall

8.LatinLoveAffair

9.AnotherRevolutionary

10.Drop,Baby,Drop

The album cover.

WANTED VACANCY

Drivers, Porters and Salesman needed, experience will be an asset, Attractive salary offered. Call: 673-7373.

Drivers needed to work in Georgetown. Interested persons can Call: 701-4000 Mon-Fri, between 8am-4pm.

Wanted Carpenters and Labourers in Linden and Georgetown. Call: 602-9469, 660-6385 or 625-7642.

Vacancy for Sales Clerk. Call: 661-1000.

One Hauler Driver needed, starting salary $14,000 daily. Call: 611-7088/ 639-6106.

One company Driver needed. Call: 685-1735.

Interested in renting space for restaurants in Georgetown. Call: 712-8070.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

1 Honda CRV, includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, sproiler, crashbar, low mileage PTT Series (first owner). Contact: 649-0956.

1 Toyota Allion, Pioneer DVD, CD & USB deck, reverse camera, alarm, low milage. Excellect condition. Call: 649-0956.

LAND FOR SALE

44X80 located at Policeman Street, Dairy. 2 minutes away from Harbour Bridge, $11 mil neg. Call: 677-4286.

FOR RENT

Furnished 2 bedroom apartment, self-contained at Unity, ECD. Call: 652-7945.

2 bedroom apartment at C Field Sophia. Couples only, $50,000 per month. Call: 640-

Vacancy at Vegetarian Garden for Factory Workers (part time). Call: 227-7714/ 223-3448. Email: info@vegeworld.net

Famous Flavors is hiring Kitchen Assistant. Call: 6014918.

One Maid to clean for the East Bank area. Call: 615-9132.

Male Cleaner for Eccles. Call: 645-8443/ 615-9132.

One industrial Electrician needed. Call: 645-8443/ 6159132.

One Handy man & one night Watchman needed. Call: 6122125.

Skeletal remains found farm suspected to be that of missing man

Police on Monday found the skeletal remains of a man on a farm at Dairy on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD).

Investigators told Kaieteur News that they believe that the remains might belong to a man who went

missing in the area a few months back.

Detectives said that they received a report that the man’s body was buried there. Ranks were sent to the location and found the human remains.

An investigation has

been launched. Police said they are still trying to verify details surrounding the death of the missing man.

However, they were told that the man had gone to the farm to commit an act and ended up being electrocuted. It is being alleged that when the owner

of the farm found him dead, he dragged his body to the location where the skeletal remains were discovered and left it there. Up to press time on Monday, police were still trying to verify and confirm if these details are true.

SERVICES

Business/ residential PFSGYD$58M, Visa Application, advertisements, graphics design, passport application forms & i130 application. Call: 626-7040.

Elevate your brand with our professional Graphic design services. For more information Call: 619-0007, 629-5526.

For Land Clearance (Grubbing) Sand fill, Housing Plan and Estimate's. Call K. Lakeram Building contractor : 692-8464 or whatsapp 622-0267.

PEN PAL

Indian Overseas male seeks female 35 years & older. Whatsapp: 602-9975.

FOR SALE

Optometrist/ Refractionist to join medical/ Eyecare practice. Must be registrable & licensed in the Oecs. Email application: Optipharminc @gmail.com 82-85

677-6780.

CARICOM leaders get down to business

Chairman of CARICOM, President of Guyana, Irfaan Ali

The 46th Regular

Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) commenced on Monday with a fervent resolve to address pressing regionalissues.

President Irfaan Ali, assumingtheroleofthenew CARICOMChairman,inhis addressonMondaymorning highlighted the importance of candid dialogue and proactive interventions duringthediscussion.

Being held at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown, the meeting

began with brief remarks fromPresidentAli. Thenew CARICOM Chair reiterated thatdiscussionswillfocuson various significant matters, prominently featuring the crisis in Haiti. President Ali highlightedthegravityofthe agenda, stating, “to understandthatouragendais an incredible one for this meeting, a lot of weighty issues,westartedthelasttwo days with Haiti…” He said too that a breakfast discussion was held for stakeholders on Monday, surrounding Haiti. President Ali expressed optimism,

asserting, “We are hopeful that sometimetoday we will be able to point the Haitian people, the region, and the global community in the direction through which we believe long-lasting solutionscanbeachieved.”

President Ali extended gratitude to regional heads fortheireffortsinfacilitating peacetalksbetweenGuyana andVenezuela.Stressingthe importance of intra-regional cooperation, he stated, “and that is when we trust each other in the region to find solutions among ourselves and in this situation with

Youth granted bail for alleged armed robbery

Two youths on Monday were placed on $100,000 bail each when they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’Court to answer a Robbery Under Arms (RUA) charge committedonGregoryCollins.

Joshua Craig, 19, of Lot 47 Bent Street, Georgetown, and Anil Persaud, 18,ofLot75‘C’Field,Sophia,afatherof one, both made their first court appearance before Magistrate Rhondel Weever, where theRUAchargewasreadtothem.

The duo pleaded not guilty to the charge that alleged that on February 22, 2024, at Leopold Street, Georgetown, whilstarmedwithagun,theyrobbedCollins of an iPhone mini valued $60,000 and a walletvalued$2000.

The prosecutor objected to bail on the grounds that the victim’s phone was found in Craig’s front right side pants pocket and noted that the phone was recoveredshortlyaftertheincident.

Bail was also objected to based on the fact that Craig has a pending matter beforethecourtforasimilaroffence

Additionally, bail was also objected on the nature and gravity of the offence theduowaschargedfor

During the court proceedings, the duo refuted the accusations leveled against them Further, Craig denied that the police found the stolen phone in his possession Afrustrated Persaud who was moved

to tears told the court that he was not involvedinthecrime

He explained that when the police found the stolen articles, he was not in thebuilding

Hesaid,“Miain’tdonothingmums ”

Meanwhile, Magistrate Weever placed Persaud and Craig on bail becausetheidentificationparolewasnot properly conducted Notwithstanding granting bail to the accused, the Magistrate warned both men that bail would be revoked should they disobey thelaw

The accused are scheduled to return to court on March 18, 2024 for statements and fixtures.

Haiti, this is important that we must trust the collective leadershipofCARICOM.”

In addition to the Haiti crisis, the agenda encompasses vital issues such as strengthening the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Prime Minister Mia Mottley is spearheading CSME President Ali highlighted that there is a focus on enhancing implementation mechanisms.

Hesaidoneofthecritical issues affecting Caricom is the implementation of decisions and that this

meeting will have some mechanisms through which the subcommittee on Senior OfficialsoftheLegalAffairs Committee (SOLAC) can stepupandpushforwardthe work of CSME and the community Moreover, climate change, food security, energy sustainability, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are among the other key topics slated for discussion President Ali emphasised the need for a comprehensive regional energy plan to ensure self-

sufficiency and resilience, particularly in transitioning towards renewable energy sources. The meeting will feature reports from various regional institutions, addressing crucial aspects such as labour, education, andtrade.

Looking ahead, the gathering will welcome His Excellency Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, later in the week to explore avenues for enhanced collaboration between Brazil and the CARICOMregion.

Glenn Lall throws support behind teacher’s...

Frompage11 on the government to engage their union in collective bargaining to address a range of issues including a hike in their salary. Thus far the governmenthasresistedand insteadthreatenedtodeduct the pay of the striking teachers and branding their industrialactionpolitical.A High Court judge last week blocked any attempt by the governmentfromdeducting the teachers’ salary until a challengebytheirlawyeris determined. Lall told the teachersthattheyhavetostand upandfightforwhattheyare blessed with and know their worth in the country they are living in “I asked a teacher yesterday,Isaidmanifyougo home and you see a man fetching out your TV from yourhousewhatareyougonna do?Nononohecan’tdothatI would have fight for it My brothersandsisterswehaveto standup,wehavetofightfor whatGodblesseduswith”

Tellingtheteachersthey need to understand their value,Lallexplained“when you do not understand your worth as a Guyanese citizen, you are not just failing yourself but also your children and future generations This is our

problem when we don’t understand our value, when we don’t understand what we’reworthasacitizenofthis countrylivinginthiscountry with this type of wealth, we are failing ourselves. We are failing our children we are failing future generations” Lall said: “As I hear the teachers talking about a livable wage, my blood is boiling my soul is bleeding WhenIhearteachersbawling out, protesting 15 days now foralivablewageinacountry that is so blessed with resources (It is) unbelievable. I heard the teacher talking about God pleaseblessourleaderswith knowledge and wisdom. I also want to add that may Godblessyouteacherswith knowledge and wisdom too.” “This is what you people as teachers as educators need to understand first and foremost you need to understand the wealth you have in this land. My heart burns when I watch you people struggling and begging, when I watch the headlines of the newspapers daily, I feel like cry you have to use this wisdom go intothechurches,themandirs and the masjids you need to beg God to give you the

wisdom and knowledge to understand to stand up and speakupforwhatyouown,” headded.

Thecrowdyesterdayhad tripled in number in comparison to lastThursday. Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) President Mark Lyte has said that teachers across Guyana will remain resolute in their struggle for a livable wage Lyte noted that “over thelastthreeweeksourfaith has been tested I want to commendthosepersonswho have stood solidly with the union there are some, who becameafraidbecauseofthe threats made by the government and returned to the classroom” The GTU Presidentnotednonetheless that the union will continue its efforts to get the Governmenttoengagewith them on the issue of pay hikeforteachers. “Youwho stoodwithusandthosewho continue to stand with us I commend you…” he said, adding that the recent court ruling has given teachers a glimmer of hope that their effortsarenotvain.“Sothis week, we will expect some more support because we must not allow this administration or any government to intimidate us,”hestated.

Regional leaders at the opening plenary session

Anil Persaud (Left) Joshua Craig (Right) at the Georgetown Magistrates’Court

Palestinian PM resigns as pressure grows over post-war Gaza plans

RAMALLAH, Feb 26

(Reuters)-PalestinianPrime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh announced his resignation on Monday, as the Palestinian Authority lookstobuildsupportforan expanded role following Israel’s war against the Islamist group Hamas in Gaza.

The move comes amid growing U.S. pressure on President Mahmoud Abbas to shake up theAuthority as international efforts intensifytostopthefighting inGazaandbeginworkona political structure to govern theenclaveafterthewar

Abbas accepted Shtayyeh’s resignation and asked him to stay on as caretaker until a permanent replacementisappointed.

The Palestinian Authority, created about 30 years ago as part of the interim Oslo peace accords, has been badly undermined by accusations of ineffectiveness and corruption and the prime ministerholdslittleeffective

power But Shtayyeh’s departure marks a symbolic shift that underlines Abbas’ determination to ensure the Authority maintains its claim to leadership as international pressure grows for a revival of efforts to create a Palestinian state alongsideIsrael.

Inastatementtocabinet, Shtayyeh, an academic economistwhotookofficein 2019, said the next administration would need to take account of the emerging reality in Gaza, whichhasbeenlaidwasteby nearly five months of heavy fighting.

He said the next stage would “require new governmental and political arrangements that take into accounttheemergingreality in the Gaza Strip, the national unity talks, and the urgent need for an interPalestinianconsensus”.

In addition, it would require“theextensionofthe Authority’s authority over theentireland,Palestine”.

No successor has been

appointed but Abbas is widely expected to name Mohammad Mustafa, a former World Bank official who is chairman of the Palestine Investment Fund (PIF) with experience of rebuilding Gaza after a previous war in 2014.There has been no word on elections, which have not

beenheldsince2006.

The Palestinian Authority exercises limited governanceoverpartsofthe occupiedWestBankbutlost power in Gaza following a factional struggle with Hamas in 2007. It has been badly weakened over the years and surveys show it is deeply unpopular among Palestinians. But it remains the only leadership body generally recognised by the internationalcommunity Palestinian leaders say its ability to exercise effective governance has been effectively blocked by Israeli restrictions, which have included withholding tax revenues due under the

Osloaccords.

For months, the Authorityhasbeenunableto payfullpublicsectorsalaries because of a row over the refusalbytheIsraelifinance ministrytoreleasepartofthe funds.

Israel has long accused the Authority of supporting terrorism by offering financial support to the families of militants killed by Israeli forces and allowing antisemitic material to be included in schooltextbooks.

Israel has also attacked Palestinian leaders, including Abbas, for not condemning the Hamas-led attackonIsraelonOct.7.

Fatah, the faction that controls the Authority, and Hamas, designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States and the EuropeanUnion,havemade efforts to bridge their differences and reach an agreement over a unity government and are due to meet in Moscow on

Wednesday

A senior Hamas official said the move had to be followed by a broader agreement on governance forthePalestinians.

“The resignation of Shtayyeh’sgovernmentonly makes sense if it comes within the context of national consensus on arrangements for the next phase,” senior Hamas officialSamiAbuZuhritold Reuters.

Israel has vowed to destroyHamasandsaysthat for security reasons, it will not accept Palestinian Authority rule over Gaza after the war, which broke outfollowingtheHamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, which killed some 1,200Israelisandforeigners, accordingtoIsraelitallies.

So far, almost 30,000 Palestinianshavebeenkilled in the Gaza fighting, according to Palestinian health authorities, and almost the entire population have been driven from their homes.

Tobago: Farley laments delay by Coast Guard in oil spill

Trinidad ExpressTobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Farley Augustine has lamented the delay in the containment of the fuel spill inTobago, and was highly critical of the responseoftheTrinidadand TobagoCoastGuard.

Augustine, who spoke duringthe27thsittingofthe Assembly Legislative on Thursday, called out the response time of the T&T CoastGuard.

“I will recommend that the Department of Border Security and Control be established within the Ministry of National Security; the core lead agenciesforthisdepartment willbetheCoastGuard,the Air Guard, Customs, Immigration and the adjacent tiers of port and airport security, and international support and

collaboration.

“WithregardstoTobago andcontainment,thereisno secretthatwecan’tevenget help for a fisherman in danger out in the open seas. We can’t even get that, because there’s never a boat available in Tobago—you alwayshavetowait.

“And I heard some people in the public space especially some people whose political relevancediedonDecember 6,2021—tryingtosay:look, Tobago did not move fast enough with the oil spill crisis.

“But imagine, madam presiding officer, the report of the oil spill on

Wednesday, February 7 at 7.20 a.m...(Do) you know whenwewereabletogetthe first Coast Guard vessel to Tobago? Between Thursday nightandFridaymorningin

the middle of the night,” Augustinesaid.

Augustinelamentedthat this was not the first time Coast Guard vessels have beendelayed.

“And we heard the excuses, and I’m not blaming the Coast Guard menandwomenthemselves. We really got the excuses—the vessel break down, we couldn’t leave right away “In my electoral district, we have hadfishermenendangeredat sea, engine breakdown, drifting,goingaway,andwe call Coast Guard and we havezeroresponse,andthen we have to scramble in the village,takingupthephone, calling—Youhavegas?You havegas?”Augustinesaid.

He said there are concerns with Tobago’s capacitytoinitiallydealwith theoilspill.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh convenes a cabinet meeting in Ramallah, West Bank, February 26, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Torokman

Spankhurst wins from gate to pole at Jumbo Jet’s Mashramani race

It was total demolition from Guyana’s horse of the year 2023, Spankhurst, in the Jumbo Jet Racing Thoroughbred Committee Mashramani horserace Meet at Rising Sun Turf Club on Sunday. Spankurst, piloted by Jockey Razack, won from gate to pole to silence the critics and boast as the horse of the year tag.

Spankurst jumped out of the gate and never looked back, but Jockey Colin Ross, riding Easy Time, caught up with Sapnnkhurst at the finish line as Easy Time finished second.

Bossalina finished third while Stolen Money came fourth in a thrilling feature event which ran at one mile and was open to all

horses. The packed Rising Sun Turf Club was on their heels as the top jockeys displayed high skill throughout the day. Jumbo Jet Racing Stables continued their dominance in Guyana’s horseracing, and Trainer of Spankurst, Damain Dharamjit, was a proud man.

Earlier, in race one which was the NM Trucking Auto sales G Class and lower 1400-meter event, She WBO On Time won, while Coup D’état, Regal Intention, and Game Changer were the other top finishers.

In race two, which was the Jumbo Jet Auto sales K Class horses and open to J3 First Time starters, Black Time was victorious, while She Is A Star,

Spankhurst winning the feature event at Sunday’s Jumbo Jet Mashramani race.

Royal Flight and Hurricane Lane rounded out the top four. Race three was the Z & J Enterprise – three-year old Guyana bred non winners of two races. Country Rock piloted by Jockey Ronaldo Appadu emerged as victor,

Tudor’s ‘five’ guides Slingerz

From page 22 players adhering to the objective and executing the game plan,” remarked Thomas. “I want to congratulate the entire Slingerz team. Starting with a win sets a positive tone for us and allows us to focus on the next challenge. The team demonstrated organization and patience both in possession and during transitions, which were crucial elements.”

FC... serves recognition for his outstanding performance.”

Slingerz FC will face two-time champion Fruta Conquerors next on March 5.

On the other hand, for the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Coach Joseph ‘Bill’ Wilson initiated their title defence campaign with a determined performance against Santos FC.

Tuesday February 27, 2024

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

You'll notice that your emotions are coming to a monthly climax today, Aries. Don't be alarmed but do be cautious about lashing out at people for no reason. You may feel on edge.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Extremes is the name of the game now, especially for you, Taurus. Today the emphasis is on action. You're the one to call to get the job done. You won't wait another second to simply go for it.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Be adventurous and strike out into new territory, Gemini. Be a pioneer. Work to make some new discoveries in the world. Today isn't a day to worry about consequences.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

Certain situations may be difficult to deal with today as they take an emotional spin, Cancer. You're getting anxious.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

You should find that the general mood of the day is favorable to your personality style, Leo. Take this opportunity to present more of your thoughts and ideas to the world.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

The fog has lifted and you're ready to take off, Virgo. The dreaminess you may have experienced lately has been nice, but now it's time to get moving again.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

This is a terrific day for you, Libra, and you'll find that there is a great deal of power at your disposal. This is a day of new beginnings. You have the opportunity now to start over.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

The fire is raging today, so be careful, Scorpio. Try not to be too impulsive in your actions. Your natural tendency may be to lash out against others without really thinking about the consequences.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Go for the gold, Sagittarius. Today marks the beginning of the rest of your life. Treat it with respect. You may be on a crusade and your combative instincts could be working overtime.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

You may feel as if someone is poking you today, Capricorn, urging you to get up and get moving. Don't be surprised if someone seems to be picking on you for no reason.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

This is a great day for you to get up on stage and make your presence known, Aquarius. Let people know that you're the leader of the pack.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

This is a good day to add spark to your life, Pisces. If things have seemed boring and stagnating lately, you may need to infuse a bit of excitement into the situation.

while Money Time, Swinging Jet and Bin Ladin Kushan were the top four horses.

The fourth race was the JS Engineering services and supplies L Class and open to J3 first time starters. Haley cruised to victory while El Dorado Queen came second. Shake the Bank came third and Miss Olympic finished fourth. In race five, the NM Security Classic West Indianbred four-year old & West Indies three-year-old horses, Firecracker of the Jumbo Jet racing stables dominated the race and claimed the top spot. Experienced jockey Colin Ross left the dust behind, leaving Scandal in the trail, followed by Blinding Lights and Angry Bird in that order.

Glories Business returned a win in the AJM Sprint – Handicap E & Lower horses’ race. Early Bird finished second in a close sprint home with Glories Business, while Creemore and Hecho Com Amor were the other finishers in the top four. The penultimate race of the day was the Sinotruk handicap I Class, J Class & West Indianbred three-year-old maidens. Rachel was at her amazing best as she finished first, ahead of Royal Ink, Amazing Grace and Sex Appeal in that order.

Eight high-quality races were successfully staged at the Rising Sun Turf Club and more than G$10 million in cash and prizes was won. According to the preliminary schedule, the next race is set for March 17 at the Kennard’s Memorial Turf Club, and on March 31, the Port Mourant Turf Club will host another event.

While acknowledging Tudor’s exceptional contribution, Coach Thomas highlighted his commitment to nurturing the young player’s development throughout the season.

“Marcus’s performance was impressive. However, as a young player, I aim to support his growth gradually. Scoring five goals is a significant achievement for him, but I’ll approach his development step by step, focusing on enhancing his mental and physical capabilities. Nonetheless, he de-

Ryan Hackett scored for GDF just before halftime, giving them the lead, while Malcolm Miggins extended their advantage in the 58th minute.

Although Santos FC managed to score through Ryan Dowding in the 78th minute, signalling a potential comeback, GDF’s defence held firm, securing a hard-fought 2 – 1 victory.

The excitement of the GFF/KFC Elite League continues with another doubleheader scheduled tonight at the National Training Centre (NTC), starting at 6:00 pm.

Mangal

Former Powerlifting Champion Ms. Dawn McCammon-Barker takes over as LABA president following elections last Sunday

The Linden Amateur Basketball Association (LABA)hasanewpresident and it is former national powerlifting champion and teacher Ms. Dawn McCammon-Barker.

The LABA staged the electoral meeting at the Mackenzie High School last Sunday following calls by five clubs and a slate

presented by Kings Basketball Club won 3-2 to install the new body instead of going the route of voting for positions by a 3-2 margin.

The clubs in attendance were Kings, Victory Valley Royals, Block 22 Flames, Amelia’s Ward Jets and RetrieveRaiders.

The new executive

comprises President Ms Dawn McCammon-Barker, First Vice President Allister

Bynoe, second Vice President Ms. Shaunna Chester, Secretary Ms. Sharon Hall-Stephens, Assistant secretary Keith Sullivan, Treasurer Ms. Tomika Pellew, Assistant Treasurer Nkossi Daniels, PublicRelationsOfficerMs.

Kadi

are Patrick Clarke, Andre Rodney, Sherwayne Cort, Nichola Jacobs and Tyreese Arthur McCammon-Barker pledged to give her best as she expressed her deepest gratitude to “our dedicated team members and colleagues who I can assure you will work diligently to

further our mission. Your dedication is truly remarkable, and I look forward to collaborating with you to accomplish our sharedgoals.”

She added: “The existence and continuation of a species, depends on its ability to produce, to multiplyandtodevelop,itis againstthisbackdropthatwe

pledge to take this association forward by harnessingouryouth.”

She said that basketball willbeplayedatalllevelson a regular basis, but this will be heavily dependent on the clubsforthistohappen.

A first meeting for this new executive is planned to take place on Saturday at a venuetobenamed.

Kwakwani carts off most of the spoils in YBG 5x5 Challenge Series and Shootout competition

The Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) successfully concludedits5x5Challenge Series and Shootout competition on Sunday at the National Gymnasium locatedonMandelaAvenue. Kwakwani emerged victorious in both, the Boys and Girls Under-14 Series categories, as well as the U18 and Open Men’s division, while Mackenzie High secured the Boys U16 title.

On the final day of the two-dayevent,theU14Boys final saw Kwakwani facing off against Bishop High School, with Kwakwani claiming a 22-13 victory TravonHopkinsondelivered a standout performance, contributing 9 points. This followed his impressive tournament-high of 18 pointsinthesemifinals.

On the opposing side, President College-A team suffered a decisive defeat at the hands of Kwakwani Girls,withascorelineof174 Lanisha Mohammed earned the Most Valuable Player(MVP)awardforher 10 points, also recording a game-highof6pointsinthe semifinal.

Over in the Under16 divisional final, Mackenzie Highsecuredthetitlewitha six-point win over

Kwakwani Boys, ending with a score of 18-12

Vladimir DaSilva put on a commendable performance, contributing 6 points and 5 rebounds to earn the MVP award. MackenzieHigh had previously defeated Linden Foundation 17-4 in the semifinals to advance to the final Kwakwani later completed their Under-18 Seriesvictoryaftertwodays of stiff competition, by defeatingThe Bishops High Schoolwithascoreof22-14 to secure the U18 Men’s title. Cordel Hoyte, the top scorerinthesemifinalswith 12 points, continued his strong form in the final, finishingwith8pointsand4 rebounds in the final, earning him the MVP

accolade While in the Tertiary Over-21/Open final ofthe2024FivesChallenge Series, Kwakwani Men’s team dominated w1ith a stunning 12-point victory, and DeMarcus Adams receivedtheMVPawardfor hisoutstandingcontribution.

Winners of Skills Challenge

Free Throw - Tavishti Persaud (President’s College) with a score of 9 shots over Brandon McKoy (Saints)

Three Pointer -Stephon George (Linden Technical Institute) a with a score of 2 overAlafinJoseph(Saints)

Skills CombinedS i m e o n S i n c l a i r (Kwakwani) finished ahead ofJamalSemple(LTI)

Sears The five Committee members

New LABAPresident Ms. Dawn McCammonBarker, sitting, with some of the new executives.

Cordel Hoyte receiving his MVP trophy from YBG official at the National Gymnasium on Sunday.a

Tudor’s ‘five’ guides Slingerz FC to dominant 7-0 win over Monedderlust

ByRawleToney

The Guyana Football Federation(GFF)KFCElite League got off an entertaining start on Sunday evening, with former champions, Slingerz FC, dominating Monedderlust FC 7 – 0, while defending champions,GuyanaDefence Force (GDF) were made to toil for their 2 – 1 win over SantosFC.

For Slingerz FC, the victory marked a significant statement, especially after their previous defeat against thesameteamwithanarrow margin of 1 – 0 in the Elite League’s promotion tournament.

Additionally, for their Jamaican coach, Alex Thomas, it signalled a promising beginning to his tenure as the first non-

Guyanese to lead a team in the country’s top-flight league. The spotlight of the evening was on Marcus Tudor, who delivered an impressive performance by scoring five goals for Slingerz FC, firmly establishing himself as a front runner for the league’s top-goal-scoreraccolade.

Tudor displayed remarkable determination throughout the match, forming a cohesive partnership with the club’s recent addition, Gabriel de Souza,whowassignedfrom RioBrancoAtléticoClubein EspíritoSanto,Brazil.

Scoring in the ninth, 23rd, and 29th minutes, Tudor showcased his prowess as a former Milerock FC player, consistently posing a threat

to the Monedderlust keeper and creating numerous scoringopportunities.

With Tudor’s hat-trick securingacommanding3–0 lead for Slingerz FC at halftime, the team demonstrated their dominanceonthefield.

In the second half, the agile young forward picked up where he left off before thebreak,withanotherassist from de Souza just three minutesintothehalf.

Shortly before being substituted, Tudor was brought down in the penalty area,leadingtorefereeColin Abel pointing to the spot. Tudor calmly converted the penalty,nettinghisfifthgoal of the night before making wayforJamalPerriera.

Coach Thomas made strategic substitutions,

Suriname confirms participation...

Frompage24 impending participation of the Surinamese fighters, of the burgeoning importance that this initiative has undertaken not only locally but regionally The birth of this programme, which was duetothecancellationofthe TerrenceAliNationalOpen, has now developed into its own creature and has added to the ever-evolving developmental programme thattheGBAemploysonan annual basis. We have seen its value skyrocket, and I believe,giventhescheduled participation of Suriname

Steve Ninvalle GBA President

a n d t h e p o s s i b l e involvementofothernations and territories, that the projectwilleventuallystand on its own two feet and become a staple of not only

-GDFmakessuccessfulstarttodefence

bringing in Dominique Bobb,DarronNiles,Ricardo Halley, and Clive Nobrega for Curtez Kellman, Simeon Moore, and de Souza, injecting fresh energy into Slingerz FC’s already formidable attack The substitutions proved effective, with Niles finding

thenetinthe76thminuteand Halley adding another goal inthe90thminute,sealinga dominant victory for Slingerz FC and earning three crucial points to kickstarttheircampaign.Despite Marcus Tudor’s outstanding performance,CoachThomas was quick to praise the

Malcolm Miggins

collective effort of his team, pointing to their dedication tothegameplanandflawless execution on the field. “The keytotonight’swinwasthe

(Continuedonpage21)

the local fraternity but the regionalcommunity.”

He further said, “What was envisioned initially as simply an event to replace a significant and established programme,albeitbrieflyon the GBA calendar, has morphed into a project that has all the trimmings and ingredients of a regional developmentalplatformthat can be utilised similarly as other noteworthy Caribbean platforms The GBA remains committed to developing this initiative, which can serve the greater region.”

(L-R) Darron Niles, Marcus Tudor and Ricardo Halley after leading Slingerz FC to a 7-0 win over Monedderlust (Rawle Toney photo).

Mangal and Adams victorious in Ansa McAl’s Glenmorangie Whiskey Two-Day Golf Tournament

Golf enthusiasts gathered for a thrilling weekend of competition at the highly anticipated twoday tournament, generously sponsored by Ansa McAl under their prestigious Glenmorangie Whiskey brand With the greens buzzingwithexcitementand anticipation, players from acrosstheregionshowcased t h e i r s k i l l s a n d determination in pursuit of victory In a display of

exceptional talent and precision, Mike Mangal emerged victorious in the 014 flight category, demonstrating remarkable skill and strategic play throughout the tournament.

Mangal’s consistent p e r f o r m a n c e a n d unwavering focus secured him the coveted title in his division.

Meanwhile, in the fiercely contested 15-36 flight category, Carlos A d a m s s h o w c a s e d

remarkable resilience and tenacity, navigating the course with finesse to claim victory in his division

Adams’ impressive p e r f o r m a n c e a n d unwavering dedication earned him well-deserved recognitionamonghispeers.

The tournament, made possible through the generous sponsorship of Ansa McAl’s Glenmorangie Whiskey brand, provided participants with an unforgettable experience

filled with camaraderie, sportsmanship, and friendly competition. As one of the premier events on the golfing calendar, the tournament served as a testament to the enduring popularity and passion for thesportintheregion.

L G C P r e s i d e n t PatanjileePersaudsaid,“We arethrilledtohavepartnered with Ansa Mcal under their Glenmorangie Whiskey brand to sponsor this e x c i t i n g t w o - d a y tournament The event showcased the exceptional talent and camaraderie within the golfing community, and we congratulate Mike Mangal

The winner’s row.

and Carlos Adams on their impressive victories Supporting events like this tournament allows us to celebrate the spirit of golf andconnectwithenthusiasts who share our passion for excellence. We are proud to have been a part of such a successful and enjoyable event.” The success of the tournament would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of all involved, including the players, sponsors, and organizers. As the golfing communitylooksforwardto futureevents,theexcitement continues to build, promising even more

memorable moments on the greens.

Glenmorangieisasingle malt whisky from the MoetHennessyportfoliothat is distributed byAnsa McAl Trading Limited. The brand was newly added to the company’s premium spirits portfolio, and is known as one of the best premium single malt whiskies that is available around the world.

Glenmorangie is available from aged 10 years and up, a n d i s a v a i l a b l e countrywide.The results for the tournament were as follows:0-14Flight

1stMikeMangal–Gross 79,HC9,Net70

(Continuedonpage2)

Suriname confirms participation for GBA Developmental Championship

Suriname’s participation in the impending Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) D e v e l o p m e n t a l Championship, which is slatedforFebruary28–29at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, has been confirmedintheformofsix pugilists.

The arriving Dutch contingent, which features two juniors and four elitelevel boxers, is made up of Donn Sadhoe (lightweight),

Va l e n t i n o A r t i s t (bantamweight), Tony Lin (welterweight), Richard Everd (heavyweight), D o m e l z o S c h e t (middleweight), and Leandro Dongo (super heavyweight).

On the local end, the tournament, which is slated to feature representation from the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Defence Force, the Forgotten Youth Foundation, and Rose Hall

and the

issupervisedby Terrence Poole, the

technical director

GBA President Steve Ninvalle said, “The growth ofthistournamentisnothing short of impressive and gives rise to the belief, especiallygiventhe

(Continuedonpage22)

Town Jammers, will feature notable categories such as schoolboys, juniors, youths, women,

elite. The programme

association’s

Donne-G-Sahdoe

Leandro Dongo Valentino Artist

NSC/EBFA/Ralph Green U-11 League...

Fruta Conquerors outlast Santos to lift the winners’ trophy; Friendship All-Stars needle Swan for third

The fifth edition of the N a t i o n a l S p o r t s Commission-sponsored Ralph Green/EBFA Under11 League came to a fitting end on Sunday afternoon at the Agricola Ground with Fruta Conquerors defeating Santos to win the competition.Itwasaperfect end to a competition that commenced last year owing to numerous unforeseen challenges but delivered excitingballplayandresults amongst 14 teams that had put their hands up for the championship.

When the dust settled, just around 14:00hrs on Sunday afternoon, it was Conquerors who celebrated having got the better of Santos via kicks from the penalty mark, 3-2; this

followed a riveting regulation time contest which saw Santos clawing backwithanequalisinggoal in the final minute of regulationtime.

OctaneMooreitwaswho momentarily added hope to theirquestforthetitlewitha well-executed shot that beat the Best Goalkeeper of the tournament, Clive Jacobs.

The very evenly contested match-up which saw both teams doing well in offence and defence, produced the first goal with just four minutestofulltime.

DontayKowlessarrocked the nets for Conquerors to breakthedeadlockinthe26th minute The level of exchanges between the two sides was eye-catching in humidconditionsandthefans on hands enjoyed every momentofit Therewasonly goingtobeonewinnerandit turned out to be Conquerors whose players held their nerves to score all three of their kicks, Santos on the otherhand,scoredtwowhilst missingasimilaramount

Kowlessar for his consistent performances throughout the League, was named the Most Valuable PlayerInthethird-placematch, thedifferencebetweenthetwo teams, an all-East Bank affair, was the goal scored by Friendship All-Stars Jahfree Davsoninjustthe4thminute of play Sawn tried their utmost to find the equaliser butdespitetheireffortswere unable to break down the defenceofFriendshipwhose ChristopherHunte,at9years old was named the tournament’s Most

Promising Player Swan’ Eleon James copped the Most Disciplined Player award, while Conquerors’ Dane Vancooten was the tournament’s Highest Goal Scorerwitheight(8)goals The respective individualawardees which numbered five (5) players,eachreceivedaPlaque andaTablet.

Fruta Conqueror’s Coach, Sampson Gilbert received the Best Coach PlaquewhileSwan’sCoach, Andre Gonsalves accepted the Team Sportsmanship Plaque for a high level of discipline exhibited throughout the League which was played using the round-robin format in the groupstagesafterwhich,the top two teams from each of thefourgroups,advancedto the quarter-finals from which the knock-out format was employed At the

presentation, Assistant Director of Sport, Franklin Wilson commended the winning team, Fruta Conquerors, losing finalist, Santos as well as the third andfourthplacedteams.

” O n b e h a l f o f Honourable Minister of Sport, Charles Ramson Jr and Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, I would like to let youallknowthatyouareall winners.

This competition could not have been a reality without you playing and we want to commend you. The Ministry of Sport and by extension the NSC has been privileged to support this competition and the youths ofthethreeAssociationsthat competed. ”We want you to feel assured that this commitment in terms of empoweringouryoungpeople will continue I’d also like to

commend all the players and officials who received prizes for your outstanding performances which contributed to the success of yourrespectiveteams Eachof you in the final four would have walked away with a medaloratrophytoshowwhat you achieved Best wishes in yourfutureendeavours”

Each of the fourteen teams was also presented withbrandednumberedtops inclusiveofthegoalkeepers. Eachteamalsoreceivedtwo footballs, whilst each Coach alsoreceivedajersey

Apartfromthefinalfour teams, the others were HerstellingRaiders,Timehri Panthers, Diamond United, Den Amstel, Samatta P o i n t / K a n e v i l l e , Pouderoyen, Eagles of Stewartville, Agricola Red Triangle,RiddimSquad,and Vengy

ADoS Franklin Wilson hands over the winning trophy to Fruta Conquerors Captain, Gilbert Frank in the presence of teammates and Coach. Jahfree DavsonFriendship All-Stars FC

Best Goalkeeper, Clive Jacobs of Fruta Conquerors receives his Plaque and Tablet from Assistant Director of Sport, Franklin Wilson.

Highest Goalscorer, Dane Vancooten (8) from Fruta Conquerors being rewarded with his Plaque and Tablet by Franklin Wilson.

Monedderlust FC’s Kevin Cottoy (#8) found himself trapped by Slingerz FC’s Captain QuincyAdams, Jerome Harrigan and Marcus Wilson during his side’s 7-0 defeat.