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Kaieteur News
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Wednesday February 07, 2024
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Exxon says daily output now over Sam Hinds contradicts Govts position on Exxon PSA 650,000 barrels of oil per day - aiming for 500 million …tells US Business Channel Guyana got a fair deal from 3 ships barrels in total production ExxonMobil Guyana Limited is now producing over 650,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) from three ships in the Stabroek Block—Liza Destiny, Liza Unity and Prosperity. This was revealed on Tuesday by Exxon Guyana’s Head, Alistair Routledge and his newly appointed P r o d u c t i o n M a n a g e r, Huzefa Ali. During a press engagement at the c o m p a n y ’s K i n g s t o w n office, Ali told reporters that the Liza Destiny is producing about 160,000 bpd while the Liza Unity is producing 250,000 bpd. As for the Prosperity, a floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) unit that was commissioned in November last, it is already producing at 230,000 bpd. Routledge was keen to note that the performance of the wells is a direct reflection of the hard work his team is doing, especially on the engineering front. He stressed that production increases never occur without strict safety reviews, risk assessments, and all of those being reviewed by the government and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “It’s all very carefully done to maximize the value of the production and the assets that we’ve all invested in together to make sure that we’re maximizing the value going forward,” said the
Exxon Guyana’s Head, Alistair Routledge
Exxon Guyana’s Production Manager, Huzefa Ali
Exxon official. He noted that the company’s official goal is to get to a total cumulative output of 500 million barrels by year end, following startup of operations in 2019. Regarding exploration, Routledge said the team has its eyes set on drilling the Red Mouth and Trumpet Fish wells, with the hopes that they are huge enough to support standalone projects. Also on the cards for 2024 are five wells, some of which will properly test Guyana’s gas potential. Currently, Guyana’s gas reserves stand at 17 trillion standard cubic feet of gas. Routledge said this is spread across the entire block but hopefully this year’s drilling campaign will help to identify where most of the resources can be developed optimally. While he could not give
an exact value of the exploration and appraisal campaign, he noted that it can work out to US$60 million or even beyond US$75 million per well in some cases. He said the overall cost is dependent on a number of factors such as whether more tests are needed to understand a discovery. With three projects in operation, Exxon said it looks forward to progressing with Guyana’s Yellowtail and Uaru Projects for which development wells are already being drilled. He noted that discussions remain ongoing with government for the approval of Exxon’s sixth project, Whiptail, by the end of this quarter. Collectively, Exxon said Guyana is on track to produce over 1.2 million barrels of oil per day by 2027 from the Stabroek Block.
While the Government of Guyana has described the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil and partnersHess and CNOOC- as one of t h e w o r l d ’s w o r s t o i l contracts, a different position was recently shared with the World’s leading business channel, CNBC. Former Prime Minister a n d G u y a n a ’s c u r r e n t Ambassador to the United States, Samuel Hinds in an interview with the News channel said Guyana has a fair oil deal. CNBC released its story on January 26, 2024capturing ‘How Guyana’s Oil Boom Sparked a Border Dispute with Venezuela’. The former Head of State was among the few locals sharing their views on the subject; however, his was the only one that aligned with Exxon’s description of the deal. According to the A m b a s s a d o r, “ O n t h e question of whether the arrangement with Exxon is fair or not for Guyana, I was with it from the very beginning and maybe that’s where I think it is a fair arrangement. It is a production sharing arrangement.” Another Guyanese, Terrance Blackman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Business Journal said he believes the country should make the best out of the arrangement. “Deals get struck and
Fmr. PM & Guyana’s current Ambassador to the US, Samuel Hinds sometimes the deals don’t always favour you in all of the aspects and I think that Guyanese have to embrace that if they want to continue to participate in this broad global setup and to say how do we ensure that the terms (are better) going forward,” Blackman shared. M e a n w h i l e , Va l e r i e Marcel, Director of New Producers Group- an intentional body that supports governments across the world on the design of their sectors for minimal emissions and better management- termed the contract as a “very onesided deal”. For his part, Director of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, Tom Sanzillo,
views the deal as one-sided since it highly favours the American oil giant. Sanzillo explained, “It’s a one-sided deal because Exxon pays no taxes, Exxon didn’t put up the insurance they are responsible for putting up, Exxon has a special arrangement with a maximized profit- first they get their profits first and then Guyana gets theirs later.” He has been very vocal on the lopsided contract and has been subjected to criticism by Guyana’s Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo. Exxon in an invited comment told CNBC, “The government of Guyana negotiated a fair agreement in 2016 with globally competitive terms during a period with significant technical and price risks…” Guyanese based here and abroad have been calling on government to renegotiate the contract for better terms. The deal was entered into by the former APNU/AFC Coalition administration. That political group has been lobbying for the administration to utilize existing provisions within the contract to negotiate fairer terms for the country. The PPP government Continued on page 21
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Wednesday February 07, 2024
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL - Tel: 624-6456 Editor-in-Chief: Nigel Williams Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
ExxonM’s 2023 profit haul ExxonMobil made out like one of those notorious high seas buccaneering gangs of several centuries ago. By any measurement, profits of US$36B is the equivalent of Sir Francis Drake seizing those Spanish galleons laden with loot from the mines of the poor natives of the New World. It is no surprise, therefore, that Darren Woods is chortling about “high-grading our portfolio” and “top-tier” profit performance. Hail to the Chief, and it is not the President of the United States, but Chief Woods of ExxonMobil. He has done well for his shareholders, stakeholders, workers, and himself. Guyana’s oil had a conspicuous role in that US$36B profit achievement. Whether the news source was Reuters or another, the name Guyana was there, and as a contributor of heft to ExxonMobil’s profits. The only other oil and gas source that was worthy of mention is in the US, the Permian Basin. The Permian Basin is an oilfield that has been around for decades, while the Stabroek Block reservoir is a newborn baby that is growing by leaps and bounds. Discovery has followed in the shadow of other discoveries, and the early descriptions were with superlatives. Though the people spearheading the company’s Guyana operations have been cagey enough to keep quiet about the estimated quantity of oil present in the new discoveries, they add to the richness that is the Guyana oil prize. To put another way, the odds are heavily in favor of Guyana’s oil patch becoming a bigger and bigger segment of ExxonMobil’s profits. No question that the company has made strategic investments as part of its diversifying push, but its biggest golden goose is this oil that comes from Guyana. It is the same high-quality, low cost of production, oil that comes from below Guyana’s seabed that is the apple of ExxonMobil’s eye. Guyana’s oil is what drives Venezuelan leaders into frenzies, and it is what Darren Woods himself called the “jewel” in ExxonMobil’s crown. Guyana’s oil is being spoken of in such gushing terms as “worldclass” and ‘defining’ and ‘difference-making’. At the same time, the people who own this great oil wealth, the citizens of Guyana, are largely untouched by its richness. ExxonMobil gets richer and richer, Hess Corporation has been able to lift itself up, then market itself into a huge sale and multibillion dollar payday. The Chinese company in the consortium quietly collects its share and counts its good fortune. But not the Guyanese owners of the oil, the ones who are the most important shareholders. Every commercial entity that comes close to the oil of Guyana benefits highly, but not Guyanese. The makers of boats, the providers of goods and services that are essential to Guyana’s offshore oil activities all prosper nicely. But not the Guyanese people. Darren Woods is in a position to celebrate his rich take from Guyana’s oil, but Guyanese parliamentarians are finding every excuse that is imaginable to remind citizens that this country is “not rich yet…”. The world gets rich from this country’s oil, but Guyanese have a government, whose members are proud to say publicly that Guyana is not rich yet, and they are content for it to remain that way. When does “not rich yet” transform to the state of ‘not poor anymore? What is being done by the PPPC Government that gives Guyanese confidence that, as ExxonMobil’s CEO is beside himself with joy today, their day of joyful sharing in their enriching birthright is also right around the corner, as in almost here? Guyanese should not be looking to the future, and the slippery promise of more oil revenues in the future. The future is today, just like that of ExxonMobil and Darren Woods and Alistair Routledge. Anyone, any politician, any crafty operator, who speaks of nothing much doing today, but there will be plenty in the future for Guyanese to taste and feel their wealth is making a fool of them. Oil prices can come in for a shock, then what? ExxonMobil and others would have reaped, and Guyanese would have already been stripped, skinned, and scalped. The future is loaded, and Guyanese would still have little to nothing to show at the individual level for their oil inheritance.
‘It’s time to strike’ DEAR EDITOR, Worldwide, as social inequality escalates in liberal democracies, it has become widely accepted that independent trade unionism is essential in protecting the interest of working people and that the union’s capacity to strike is vitally important. Commenting on the British government’s Labour Bill, The Equality Trust stated that after years of ambivalence, over three quarters of the British people now believe that ‘trade unions are essential to protect workers’ interests’ and that if what was being proposed by the British government ‘reduces the strength of union membership or removes the ability of unions to conduct industrial action, this may well reduce the bargaining power of unions. Given their importance in reducing inequality, this would be an extremely damaging development’(https://equalit ytrust.org.uk/blog/whatinfluence-do-unions-haveinequality). From the inception, the major political parties in Guyana have had extremely close relations with trade unions. The archetypical example is the relationship between the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU)
and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). This relationship has remained close to this day. Throughout all the social/political turmoil, GAWU, because of its partisan affiliation has caused untold damage! Both in theory and practice, the PPP now appears to be having second thoughts about trade unions and their rights. Only a few weeks ago, I observed that a close associate of that party has been recommending that the model of governance in Singapore should be adopted by Guyana notwithstanding that Singapore is authoritatively classified as an autocracy: trade unions are banned in the public sector and independent unionism is effectively destroyed (SN: 25/12/2023). T h i s k i n d o f recommendation fits well with the PPP’s practice of governance, which is literally based upon controlling every significant social organisation in Guyana. Indeed, had Guyana been a dominant ethnic society such as Singapore, where the 74% Chinese majority, nurtured in ethnic political antipathy has over many decades supported the ruling ethnic Chinese party, like Singapore, Guyana would already have suffered
a similar democratic fate. What is saving Guyana is that it is not a homogeneous or dominant ethnic society: it is a multiethnic bicommunal society and so one racialized ethnic party cannot and should not be allowed to dominate the political space as the PPP is set upon doing. Particularly in this hemisphere, in this era of heightened ethnic awareness, where the major geopolitical struggle is between liberal democracy and autocracy, and an even economically developed autocratic country like Singapore has been officially politically ostracized, the PPP’s attempt to establish an ethnic autocracy in Guyana is amoral, undemocratic, impractical, unnecessary and should be confronted in all available arenas. This is the context in which the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), which is broadly associated with the People’s National Congress, finds itself and this is also dictating the PPP’s responses to both the union’s request for negotiations and to the strike it has called. Anyone who has stayed marginally abreast of current affairs did not have to wait for the General Secretary of the GTU to inform them of the number of times the union has made genuine attempts
since the PPP took office in 2020 to get the various arms of the government to become seriously involved in negotiations, all to no avail. But the slap in the face must have come when in the presence of much poverty and national resources, the PPP regime set upon breaking the union by offering a miserly 6.5% increase to those most vulnerable in the public sector and the teaching profession. It is well known, and the PPP has clearly calculated, that the GTU has a significant number of Indians, and that whether or not they personally support the union’s actions, they will not strike. The general secretary of the union has indicated as much. ‘Our members from all across the country have expressed their support for the strike action. Of course, there are some teachers on the Essequibo Coast and some districts that are government-aligned who have expressed their support but noted their reservations owing to threats on their lives and families.’ It is well known and is being demonstrated in Berbice as I write that the PPP’s communist organisation inheritance has been well politically policed (Continued on page 5)
To talk about the sanctity of contract is absolute nonsense, puerile and pure poppycock DEAR EDITOR, We live in a world where we assume that those persons who have been elevated to positions of decisionmaking on matters affecting the lives of citizens are possessed of a level of acumen and a knowledge of history to allow them to make decisions in the interest and welfare of the people they represent. For now, I refer to three matters which suggest that good old common sense is not common and has taken flight into the unknown. One, we have a trilliondollar Budget and no vision for the acquisition of metres a n d s u p p o r t i n g accoutrements, human and material, to check and ascertain with some degree and accuracy the amount of oil being harvested daily from our property. Two, no provision to give a substantial increase, and I repeat substantial, to workers in the Public Sector, Teachers, Nurses, Security
Personnel and others, and third, we still hear the moaning and groaning about contracts signed being sacrosanct and that cannot be re-negotiated. Contracts and Agreements universally can be re-negotiated, the driving force being a change in circumstances. To talk about the sanctity of contract is absolute nonsense., puerile and pure poppycock. In mid February 1945, the ‘Big Three,’ Joseph Stalin - Soviet Union, Winston Churchill- UK, and Franklin D. Roosevelt- US met at Yalta. They attempted to sing from the same song sheet. A year later on the 5th of March, 1946 at a powerfully delivered speech, titled ‘Sinew of Peace,’ Churchill was introduced by President Truman to the fraternity of Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri. He talked about the Temple of Peace and referred to Marshal Stalin as a friend. He nevertheless asserted that
an iron curtain has descended across the continent. A reference to the Soviet Union led by Stalin expanding its sphere of influence in parts of Europe. We’ve had Versailles, North Atlantic Treaty, Post World War I and Post World Wa r I I A g r e e m e n t s , Agreements made during and after the Cold War. At a personal level, to those who shout about Agreements being sacrosanct, at their marriage ceremonies, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, or at the registrar, they declare before Man and God that for better or worse, in sickness and in health, they’ll remain together until death do they part. Yet, sometimes within a few months or a year, they line up seeking a divorce. So much for a sacrosanct and the inability to renegotiate a contract. Why Guyanese are being stressed out with this nonsense is beyond belief.
Barbara Tuchman in her Book The March of Folly observes and I quote “A phenomenon noticeable throughout history regardless of place or period is the pursuit by governments of policies contrary to their own interests.” This profunct statement fits precisely into events unfolding in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana today. May the Almighty save us from the stupidity of our leaders in Government. Albeit in different circumstances an illustrious and respected Elder, now in his 100th year Eusi Kawyana said “This confounded nonsense must stop.” With humility I recite those words to our leaders on all sides of the political divide. Let us work together to get much, much more for our bauxite, diamonds, manganese, gold, marine resources and oil. Regards, Hamilton Green Elder
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We must set an example by strengthening the voice of our and we must make weaken our workers in an workers itofourwages) which side of the conflict one (or a duty to ensure that our effort to strengthen them. We
Appeal for Aid for Child Victims of War DEAR EDITOR, I commend the government of Guyana and private donors for generous contributions to assist children and women (all refugees) impacted by the Gaza War. Mr. Nazar Mohamed, Glen Lall of KN), and others have contributed generously to funds that are aiding the hapless victims, providing shelter, food, water, medicine to the victims of the three months old war. Several Guyanese in America also sent significant donations (to private funds) to assist the children and women. Children should not be punished because of the unwise actions of adults. Regardless of
government) is, children and helpless women are innocent victims of the conflict and are in dire need of basics of survival including clothing and protection from the elements of nature. The UN is appealing for assistance from governments, foundations, corporations, and private donors to help meet the needs of the refugees. I urge fellow Guyanese at home and the diaspora to send whatever humanitarian assistance (clothing, food, etc.) they can afford to assist the victims. Yours truly, Vishnu Bisram
‘It’s time to strike’ From page 4 ethnic communities. Added to this, the regime has shown no compunction in sending out its henchmen to threaten teachers by reminding them that the government, not the union, is their employer and so is able to affect their promotion, and it follows, even arrange their dismissal! This is an important threat, particularly for African communities. Because, of the enormous transference of wealth from the public to the private sector, African communities are now more economically vulnerable. I have argued before that while between 2020, when the APNU+AFC coalition left office and 2023, central government expenditure as a percent of GDP has declined from 28.4% to 24.6%, current expenditure declined from 21.7% to 10.8%. Importantly, wages and salaries of public sector workers declined from 6.3% to 3.1% but capital expenditure moved from 6.7% in 2020 to 13.4% in 2023(VV: 17/12/2023). Continuing this trend, the 2024 budget has increased the recurrent spending by 109% but capital expenditure by 905%! We know that Indians control the private sector and gain the bulk of government contracts. In the context of a teachers’ struggle,
some Indian teachers will suffer, but the discourse also need to take into consideration family and not simply individual income and wealth. Of course, the pittances the regime is throwing about in African communities organizing all manner of part time jobs, petty contracts, etc. - to buy votes do not equate with what has been denied to the public officers living in these communities. Indeed, as the communities become poorer, they succumb more readily to these short-term interventions and give the PPP more opportunity to intervene to buy votes! Because of its political/ethnic context, almost every area of social life in Guyana requires different rules of engagement. The general membership of the union must have been following the subterfuges of the PPP regime, from which even a request for arbitration has not materialized. Therefore, notwithstanding the enormous obstacles mentioned above, the GTU has rightly determined that it must take a stand to protect the interest of its members in a timely manner. Whatever the outcome, it is time to strike! Regards, Dr Henry Jeffrey
DEAR EDITOR, The Guyana Teachers’ Union can trace its origins back to 1884 when it was established as the British G u i a n a Te a c h e r s ’ Association during British colonial rule (reference: Commonwealth of Nations). The history of unions in our c o u n t r y ’s f i g h t f o r independence is rooted in the similar struggles faced by our citizens today (an increasing cost of living and the weakening buying power
unions remain strong. It is imperative that the current Administration and the Ministry of Education use this moment to be on the correct side of our country’s history. We must sit with our unions and work together for the betterment of our workers. The late founding fathers of our nation were strong supporters of the labour movement and the unions it gave birth to. We must not neglect our history for expediency. We must not
Students will be affected at present and in the future DEAR EDITOR, Individuals have the right to choose organizations, and professions and to take responsible actions to express themselves. Nevertheless, it is unfortunate when professionals use others to achieve their goals. At the moment sections of the teaching profession choose to withhold their services to their students, who are been held hostage. Students will be affected at present and in the future. In my opinion, this matter is one to amicable be resolved between the Teachers’ Union and the Ministry of Education. Teachers, throughout the Caribbean and even in Europe and North America face many challenges, however, alternative ways are employed to resolve these issues without impacting their students. The Opposition Party for reasons best known to itself chose to support the striking teachers. Interestingly, during its term in office, teachers did not resort to industrial action. It leaves one to wonder if there is a hidden agenda by the Opposition Leadership to embarrass the government and distract the general populace from their real issues. Kind Regards, Marlon Innis
must not set an example for foreigners that can lead to our workers being taken advantage of. We must remember that there is strength in our numbers and collectively uplift our workforce. There have been many cries of unequal pay in the growing oil and gas sector. Encouraging collective bargaining will only be to our economic benefit, and more importantly it will strengthen our workers’ voice at the negotiating tables within the oil and gas sector. We must set an example that clearly shows that our government backs our workers and supports their efforts to collectively bargain and cooperatively find a win-win solution that meets the needs of our country. Our country is nothing without our people. The people of our country make us strong and our development depends on the strength of our workers. Teachers play a (Continued on page 6)
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Wednesday February 07, 2024
We must set an example... From page 5 fundamental role in the development of our Nation, and our steps towards a stronger future start at this juncture in our nation’s history. We must uplift those who uplift our future generations and we must show all those seeking to invest in our people that our government will always support our workers’ efforts to collectively obtain fair and equitable wages. Our government does not turn a deaf ear to our teachers nor should the oil and gas sector do so to those seeking equitable pay. Our sugar workers and all workers in our country have a right to be heard. We all have a right to live in dignity. We know what we lose when our unions are weak. We know how much sacrifice was made for our unions to come into existence. It is our patriotic
duty to ensure that we keep our unions strong and that we keep the legacy of our founding fathers alive. I invite the Ministry of Education and the current Administration to ponder on our history and the importance of organized labour. I invite our current leaders who have made many personal sacrifices to develop our Nation to also consider the many sacrifices made by our teachers and all of our workers. We must share in the responsibility to make each other’s journey in the life a bit easier. It is time to show the world that Guyana will always stand with its workers and allow their collective voices to be heard and respected. Sincerely, Mr. Jamil Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana
Wednesday February 07, 2024
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Wednesday February 07, 2024
Exxon recovers US$19B out of US$29B spent on Stabroek Block Head of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, Alistair Routledge revealed yesterday that his company spent US$29Billion on the Stabroek Block thus far. Out of that sum, he noted that US$19B has been recovered. During a press conference at his company’s Kingstown office, Routledge noted that these accelerated investments are all possible because of the lack of ring-fencing in the Stabroek Block. Ring-fencing in the oil and gas sector, means that profits from one project must cover the expenses for that
initiative. In the absence of such a provision, a company is allowed to use profits from one project to cover the costs of another. Routledge reasoned that the absence of ring-fencing benefits the companies involved as well as the country. He essentially noted that having one large block of multiple projects where there is also one cost bank allows for oil output to increase at a faster rate, thereby generating more revenues for the country and the companies in the long run. If ring-fencing is in
place, he noted that Guyana would be at risk of finding itself with stranded assets that are awaiting a separate financing stream. Routledge assured that Guyana is not
recovery of expenses for the Stabroek Block, Routledge reminded that the contract allows for 75 percent to be recouped from revenues in a given month. He noted,
suffering any value leakage in the absence of this provision, even though local, regional and international stakeholders argue otherwise. With respect to the
however, that this will reduce as Guyana heads into the 2026/2027 oil production period. He said, “So there are two factors which influence the speed of cost recovery
which is the production; as that continues to increase then we are generating more revenue (to cover investments made) and then there is the oil price which you can never know. “So there is a degree of uncertainty on the second but in a reasonable range of oil prices, even as early as 2026/027 we won’t need the full 75 percent of that limit.” Routledge recalled that Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo had also noted the importance of the 2026/2027 timeline as being the period when Guyana will generate
more than enough oil revenues to clear it debt. Routledge also noted that Exxon has an open book policy with the Ministry of Finance so that it can see the c o m p a n y ’s p r o d u c t i o n streams and timeline for other projects and can forecast accordingly. In conclusion, the Exxon official said his company is here for the long term and is committed to doing what is in the nation’s best interests. He said plans remain on track for Guyana to produce over 1.2 million barrels of oil per day from the Stabroek Block by 2027.
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The teachers’ strike is not illegal Teachers who are on strike are not entitled to pay for the days during which they are off the job because of industrial action. Strikers need to understand that for the days they are off the job, the government will be within its rights to deduct pay from their pay. The right to strike is not a protected right under the Constitution of Guyana. What is protected is freedom of association, or the freedom to belong to a trade union of one’s choice. The right to strike is not an integral part of freedom of association, as some labour leaders would want us to believe. Strike action is not protected by any law in Guyana, except for essential workers who are usually not allowed to strike but who can once certain procedures are followed. When workers strike, they do at their own risk. Employers are not obligated to pay workers who are on strike, and usually do not unless the terms of resumption so provide. The government has deemed the present strike by teachers as illegal but has not explained the basis upon which it has come to this conclusion. The GTU strike is not illegal. It may be in breach of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the union and the government but striking does not constitute a breach of the law; it may constitute a breach of the contract of employment.
The government has also not indicated what conditions have to be met before workers can proceed on strike. The Labour Act provides for means to apprehend disputes. The Minister of Labour is vested with the power to inquire into the circumstances of the dispute, to take expedient steps to promote a settlement of the dispute. These powers do not create conditions which have to be satisfied before strike action can be taken. Indeed, the greater obligation is upon the Minister of Labour to inquire into the causes of a labour dispute and to take expedient action to promote a settlement. Somehow, it appears as if there is a view that because the dispute has not been referred for conciliation, that the strike is illegal. This view has no basis in the country’s labour laws. Teachers on strike must appreciate that the government is not obligated to pay them for the days they took strike action. Indeed, it is not likely that the striking teachers will not be paid for the days when they did not work. Good sense however should prevail on both sides. The GTU has to be very clear as to why it called this strike. If it was dissatisfaction over the failure of the government to speak about a multi-year wages package for teachers, it should come out and say so. The government is contending that negotiations
were taking place and agreement was reached on a number of measures, many of which have been implemented. The GTU cannot have it both ways. If it was in talks with the government up to last week, and unless those talks have reached a deadend impasse, then there is no justification for a strike. The GTU cannot split the negotiations into two sections: one of nonmonetary benefits and the other for wages and salaries. All the issues should be put on the table and there should be a consensus that notwithstanding the agreements reached so far that all the demands of the union should be considered in their totality and responded to within a specified period. The GTU, having flexed its muscle, should therefore go back to the negotiating table with the clear understanding that the wages package should be discussed with a deadline for three months, failing which it will formally invite the Ministry of Labour to intervene in accordance with Section 4 (1) of the Labour Act. Should talks resume, then at the end of each meeting, there should be an agreement to release a joint statement on the progress of the discussions. This would help make the process more transparent and allow the teachers to appreciate the state of the negotiations. The major stumbling
Dem Boys Seh...
Stocks running low! One former ‘big one’ open he liquor cabinet and realize how it running low pon stocks. He went to pick up the phone to call he businessman friend fuh replenish supplies when he remember that since he out of power, he friends them blank he out. All of dem who used to kowtowing behind him suddenly disappear. When dem see he, dem putting dem head straighter than an arrow. He call out to them and dem play like dem nah hear. Dem had one Minister he had one drinking problem. He out of power and de problem disappear. He find that nobody nah want drink with he and he liquor cabinet bare. Is suh when you lose power. All who did know yuh before does suddenly become more scarce than Lysol during a pandemic.
All dem wah used to buy yuh drinks nah even want see yuh around them. Every Christmas all dem businessmen used to send plenty liquor to some of dem Ministas dat dem does have to share out to dem friends. Everybody sending something. But when yuh in Opposition, yuh plate bare and yuh glass empty. Christmas time too de Ministers does get invite to plenty party. But when yuh in Opposition, yuh name does get scratch off de invitation list. Remember when things nice, everybody does know you but when things brown, yuh does mash dog dung. Dat is why yuh does gat to know who are yuh true friends and who does only such up to yuh because yuh gat lil power. Talk half. Leff half.
block would appear that the Government appears very comfortable with imposing salary increases and is reluctant to negotiate with the union because it perceives the union as having a political agenda. It may therefore be helpful if the GTU appoints negotiators that cannot be painted with the brush of
political partisanship. In resolving labour disputes, compromise has to be made on all sides. Once there is an agreement to talk and fixed timelines for decisions, then the striking teachers can go back to work and await the outcome of the negotiations. (The views expressed in this article are those of the
author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)
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Wednesday February 07, 2024
Exxon must remain in the eye of Guyanese Exxon and its people have been allowed the luxury of a long, tranquil holiday. Longer than mine. Now it is time that the tranquil bubble of Exxon be ruptured, and the bright glare of constant high beams be shone on its conduct and operations in Guyana. Guyanese take their eyes off of Exxon momentarily, and the odds are that lasting regret follows. Return to late November/early December last year. There were simmering border developments from Venezuela, which distracted Guyanese from their already existing thorn in the eye, and most worrying invader, predator, and usurper. Venezuela has set its covetous eyes on Essequibo, a huge chunk of Guyana. On the other hand, Exxon has conducted a bloodless invasion of Guyana, and usurped its sovereignty. Nothing is left: parliament is in Exxon’s bag;
the PPP Government is at Exxon’s command, in its pocket; the PNC Opposition is in thrall of Exxon, impressed by the power it wields, and hopeful of what could happen to those who behave themselves by toeing the company’s line, being placid. This alone should emphasize the comparison between Venezuela and Exxon, and about which is greedier, more dangerous to Guyana, and more entrenched and determined. Exxon does not have to be anxious about America, or a British warship, or a visiting US general. Refocusing on Ve n e z u e l a a n d t h e controversy driven by Maduro, there was the Argyle Declaration, support from Canada, France, and assorted others. Guyanese were delighted. Many citizens got lost along the way. Was this a situation where those supporting this country loved Guyana’s cheap oil more, and loved
Guyanese less. Whatever the answer, this distracted Guyanese from keeping their gaze unswervingly fixed on Exxon. What is it up to? What new tricks to swindle Guyana was on the company’s drawing board? Turn one’s back on a cobra or a stingray, and it could be a goner. Just ask that Australian, the late Crocodile Dundee, if a connection could somehow be made to the twilight zone. Exxon is such a hustler, stalker, monster, predator to Guyana. Don’t take my word for it, just read the independent newspapers. W h e n Ve n e z u e l a a n d Maduro reared up, Exxon and Routledge got a chance to lie low, let the local whirlwinds pass overhead. Next came the Christmas holidays, the month-long celebrations that spillover i n t o e a r l y J a n u a r y. Guyanese consumed and were so consumed with such things, that Exxon was able to have its own celebration in
a rare moment of peace. No lashes. No microscopic scrutiny. No hard stares, no hard squeezes. And no Hard Truths for an interlude. Even the devil must rest. Well, all that is now over, and it was time to breach Exxon’s peace, and resume the battle for better for Guyana. But one more interruption interfered that cannot be avoided, or delayed indefinitely. It is the turn of the national budget, and Exxon and Mister Routledge received another lengthy reprieve. It is interesting how much passion and e n e rg y G u y a n e s e c a n summon at the flash of an eyelash, to trash and bash other Guyanese. I must ask Mr. Routledge whenever I encounter him about what he thinks of the circus in parliament. Truth be told, there is the sense that he and Exxon must have something to do with the way opposing members taunt, mangle, and
disparage each other. Lest I forget there is the deplorable indifference of the Hon Speaker of the House. No Patrick O’Neill or Newt Gingrich is he. Keep the crab barrel busy. The lunatics have taken over the asylum, in the time-honored manner of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. All this is to the advantage of Exxon, which comes in for yet another moment of shelter from the scorching glare of Guyanese. No need to worry fellow Guyanese. Because whenever the opening is present, I drag Exxon (and Mr. Routledge) into the middle of the conversation. If Guyana had received more, as in its fair and rightful share, then there would be no need for the volatile local environment, along with the crude politics, boorish antics, and loud hysterics. If only Big Boss Bharrat J had rolled up his sleeves and
muscled Exxon around, like he does and tries doing with some Guyanese, then there is no telling where the Guyanese owners of this oil would have been. If only Exxon had done the honorable and delivered the best of the hallowed American Way to Guyanese, then there would be no place for all the noise and performances. I keep the names of Exxon and Mr. Routledge in the spotlight, for such is due to the reigning monarchs of Guyana. It is the right of all other Guyanese to curtsy, bow, and kneel before Exxon and Alistair the Great. Not I, sire. Other Guyanese are free to lineup for Exxon’s friendship and favors. Don’t look this way, please. Last, every other Guyanese from top to bottom, and across [the aisles], can take Exxon’s money to damage their fellow Guyanese. Don’t even cast eyes in this direction. The heat is on. Stays on Exxon. Deal with it, Mr. Routledge. The world watches, reads. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)
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GPSU received numerous complaints from doctors working overtime without proper compensation The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) in a release on Tuesday said it is in receipt of a number of complaints from doctors across the country that they are working overtime without any proper compensation. GPSU said it is in support of Deputy Speaker, Dr. Asha Kissoon’s budget presentation on behalf of Physicians, when she passionately condemned the
treatment and conditions under which they are compelled to provide quality health care in the country. The Union stated that a memorandum which was issued by the Ministry of Health on February 9, 2021, had instructed doctors that “to remedy the shortages of doctors and in an effort to reduce the burn out syndrome by doctors at the main facilities (Regional and District Hospitals) doctors
from the primary health care facilities (Health Centers and Post) are required to support their colleagues by doing at least ten (10) on-call sessions monthly”. The Union noted that this memo is evidence that doctors are “forced” to perform on-call duties after completing the normal eight hours shifts. In receipt of a number of complaints from doctors throughout Guyana which confirm the statements made by the Deputy Speaker, GPSU explained that doctors, after completing their eight-hour shifts doctors are forced to embark on “illegal on-call duty” which ranges from 4 to 24hours, depending on their location. “To add insult to injury these doctors around the country work for a meager GYD $250 (USD $1.20) per hour, which is
taxable,” the Union pointed out. GPSU said that the overtime rates posted in the table, carried by a local newspaper on January 28, 2024 titled “Asha Kissoon Misrepresents Facts By Giving Incomplete Information”, is far below the legal rates for overtime and is only paid to doctors performing duties at the Accident and Emergency Unit of GPHC. “The arbitrary determination of a rate for overtime work is unlawful and similarly the arbitrary allocation of on-call rate is in conflict with laws of Guyana, International Labour Organization Conventions, and Collective Labour Agreements that deal with conditions of work,” GPSU explained. The Union went on to highlight that interns at
GPHC are not compensated for “on-call” hours. “It is important to note that doctors in other Caribbean Countries which are not oil rich are properly compensated for on-call duties,” GPSU related.
The Union in its release said Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony was fully cognizant and critical of the issue while he was in Opposition, and now that he is in a position of authority, he should issue an apology and work to correct these
grave injustices which still abound among the members of his fraternity. GPSU mentioned that it has been forcefully representing this matter with both administrations and as recent in a letter dated February 8, 2023, addressed to the Health Minister, the Union stated that “the memo was not in keeping with the labour laws and Public Service Rules and it was grossly insensitive to other conditions”. It had issued a memo to its members on February 10, 2023 advising that they should be guided by the Laws and Rules that govern conditions of service. To date, the Union said that the Minister has not responded to the plight of the w o r k e r s , “ h e n c e D r. Kissoon’s statement that the doctors’ complaints have fallen on ‘deaf ears’, is accurate,” the Union added.
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Govt. cuts teachers dues to union over strike - GTU says unbothered, will find ways to get their money Faced with strike action by underpaid teachers, the Government of Guyana on Tuesday discontinued deducting union dues from teachers and remitting same to the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) -a decision seen by many as union-busting. In a media release the Ministry of Education (MoE) indicated that it has written to the GTU to indicate that the Government of Guyana will no longer perform the “kind task of being an agent for the collection of union dues which are remitted to the GTU.” According to the ministry this decision is in accordance with the ruling by the Honourable Chief Justice Ian Chang in the case of Guyana Public Service Union v Nanda Gopaul (number 584W/2000-Demerara). Further, the Ministry said it took into consideration the current industrial action. “The MoE reiterates the fact that the majority of the Union’s requests were agreed on by the MoE and the Union. H o w e v e r, t h e G T U w h i l e condemning the government for
the action said it is unfazed and will find other means of collecting its dues. President of the GTU, Dr Mark Lyte was quoted by Demerarawaves as saying that despite the attempt by the government to weaken the union, the strike would continue indefinitely. “It’s intended to do that because it’s tantamount to what is called union-busting. It’s intent for workers not to have a representative voice or a body to represent them and imagine if the union collapses, it gives way for the government to do as they please to the teaching population of this country,” Dr Lyte told Demerara Waves Online News. According to Demerarawaves, Lyte also accused the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration of pushing Guyana into a “full-blown dictatorial state.” He reiterated that the strike would continue indefinitely. “We’re in this for the long haul,” he said. Adding his voice to the issue, President of the Guyana Trades
Union Congress (GTUC) Norris Witter in an invited comment to members of the media on the picket line outside the Ministry of Education said the withdrawal of the agency shop arrangement by the government is satanic. “This represents the height of wickedness, it is devilish. It makes Satan appears as an angel,” Witter told the media. “This is vindictive,” he added while encouraging the GTU to keep up their fight for a just wage for their members. “They should not allow the state and its agents to break their resolve. As a matter of fact, these acts in themselves should strengthen their resolve…,” Witter said. He also highlighted that the government was playing the race card with the hope of alienating the East Indians from the strike action. Witter said notwithstanding the 2000 High Court ruling on the agency shop arrangement which had to do with the Guyana Public Service Union- the Ministry continued to deduct and remit dues
to the GTU as per the agreement. He said the arbitrary cessation of that arrangement could be challenged. Asked what can the union do to secure its dues, Witter said they would have to sit down and devise a plan. During the chanting by the teachers on the picket line there were suggestions of the union utilizing GTT’s mmg payment mode. Not the first time the PPP/C Government has punished a trade union by scrapping the agency shop arrangement. This was done by the Guyana Public Service Union some years after that union had successfully staged a 57 days strike that crippled public service. Meanwhile, the Education Ministry said that in addition to Union’s request it had initiated and implemented the following which will benefit our teachers across the country: 1. The removal of the Child Development Index Card (CDIC) as a required school document. 2. The removal of the General
Scheme of Work as a curriculum document. 3. The weekly preparation of lesson plans rather than daily. 4. All trained teachers being eligible to be a Senior Assistant Master/Mistress after six years rather than seven. 5. A total of 50 duty-free teachers per year PLUS the granting of a duty-free concession to all senior teachers who have three years left to serve and have not received a concession previously. 6. All teachers being provided termly with grants to purchase teaching materials. 7. All CPCE pre-service trainees being paid $90 000 rather than a $10 000 stipend per month except a trainee teacher refuses same. 8. The Ministry of Education requested the Teaching Service Commission and the School Board Secretariat to do two senior promotion cycles per year so that more teachers can be promoted and earn a higher salary. Continued on page 14
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Support pours in for teachers’ strike - as opposition, unions condemn Govt. ‘intimidation tactics’ Support for teachers currently on strike due to poor wages and other conditions of service has grown with the main opposition political party and one of the major umbrella trade union movement backing the industrial action. The Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) from Monday called its members out from the classrooms after the Irfaan Ali Government refused to engage the union in collective bargaining to determine a multi-year agreement which should have been in place since 2019. Instead the government last year met with selective teachers to determine some fringe benefits, but ignored the union’s comprehensive proposal. Since the strike started government has branded it as illegal and has threatened to deduct the salaries of those teachers who participate in the industrial action. It has also discontinued collecting dues for the union, which is catered for under the agency shop arrangement the union had established with the Ministry of Education. Both on Monday when the strike started and Tuesday hundreds of teachers took to the streets crippling operations in most schools, forcing the government in a public relations stunt, with centrespread advertisements with the few teachers who showed up for work. Government sympathizers have also used their facebook page to attack union leaderssome even issuing threats to persons who dare to oppose them. COALITION STANDS FIRM Meanwhile, the APNU+AFC Coalition said it “stands firmly with the teachers of Guyana during this crucial time, as they intensify their efforts to get the government to meet their legitimate demands.” According to the opposition, “we fully understand the challenges teachers are facing and are morally outraged by the injustices meted out
to them by the current regime. Rest assured, we are committed to reversing all punitive measures instituted by the PPP/C and to ensuring that the rights and welfare of teachers are upheld and improved.” Noting that, they recognise the importance of collective bargaining and will respect the legitimate representation of teachers through the GTU, the opposition said “it is unacceptable that the Ministry of Education has neglected the union’s concerns and attempts to undermine the duly-elected representatives of teachers. “We are paying close attention to the ongoing industrial action taken by Guyana’s teachers. We understand their fight for betterment through a multi-year agreement with the Ministry of Education. The behaviour of Ministers Manickchand and Hamilton is anti-union and anti-working class. The PPP continues to disregard and trample on the human rights of teachers, students, parents, and other citizens,” the coalition noted. The opposition said “as we prepare for the upcoming elections, we want to assure teachers that upon assuming office, we will prioritise their needs and ensure that the oil wealth reaches all Guyanese, including teachers. We are committed to restoring what was taken away from them. We see the improvement of working conditions and well-being of teachers as one of our moral responsibilities.” In addition, the opposition said it sees it as integral to “our People-centred Development Strategy which states, in part, that we will “ensure that the needs of the people, such as health care, housing, water, electricity, education, transportation, and other social services are of a high quality and guaranteed.” “To teachers across Guyana: your dedication to educating our nation’s
youth is invaluable, and we stand united and in solidarity with you in your pursuit of fairness and justice. Together, we can make teaching a fulfilling and rewarding profession. Together, we can build an education system that is unmatched in the region,” the opposition stated. OUTRAGED Adding its voice to the industrial action, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) said it is outraged at the brazen attempt by the PPP government to criminalise teachers who have heeded the call of their union to take industrial action in pursuit of their struggle for a living wage and to get the government to honour its responsibility to engage workers’ representatives in collective bargaining. According to the WPA the right to strike is both a sacred right and a central pillar of any democratic society. It said the struggle to transform Guyana and the Caribbean from colonial rule to Independence was led primarily by workers organised in their unions. In that regard, the WPA said our political history and culture are deeply rooted in trade unionism. “WPA, therefore, condemns the heavy handedness of the government towards striking teachers as the worst form of neocolonialism which ultimately can only lead to a weakening the GTU and stripping the workers
of their legal and legitimate right to representation. WPA has no hesitation in standing with the teachers in their exercise of their god given and democratic right to take collective action in pursuit of their entitlement to a living wage. The teachers’ case is just—they work for starvation wages in an economy of relative plenty. No decent government which is concerned with the welfare of its citizens can justify the kind of wages teachers receive. Offering the teachers increases in allowances rather than a raise of their wages is tantamount to willful pauperization. In normal times teachers’ wages are inadequate, but that inadequacy is exaggerated by the high cost of living.” The political party also calls on the government to pay the teachers a just, living wage—”you can afford it. It is the height of contradiction that a government can boast of exceedingly high economic growth and unveil a 1.14 trillion dollars budget but refuses to pay public servants a decent and livable wage. WPA charges the government with undisguised discrimination against a category of workers who do not belong to its political constituency. While the government exhibits the traits of an anti-worker regime, it is particularly harsh on workers who do not Continued on page 21
Govt. cuts teachers dues to union... From page 13 9. A general waiver letter to allow teachers to travel abroad without collateral. 10. The issuance of one waiver letter to cover the teacher’s contracted period. 11. The holders of the Te c h n i c a l Te a c h e r s ’ Certificate as being appointed as Assistant Master/Mistress. 12. The creation of more senior vacancies in nursery, primary and secondary schools. 13. The reduction in teaching periods for secondary teachers. 14. The assignment of an assistant teacher to senior teachers in primary and nursery schools. 15. The appointment of floating teachers to schools to reduce the workload and substitute for teachers who are absent. 16. The implementation
of the EMIS system which will eliminate most aspects of manual record-keeping. 17. An Open Day policy which is held centrally and regionally to address teachers’ concerns. 18. The appointment and upgrade of all teachers who attended UG without official release and permission before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. 19. A reduction in the number of teaching practice for CPCE teachers. 20. The institution of a digitalized senior promotion process. 21. A simplification in the Teacher Upgrade Process after improved qualifications. 22. The substitution of the bead teachers’ monthly report with a reduced digital version. 23. A waiver for the issuance of the permanent
trained teachers’ certificate. 24. The placement of guidance and counselling officers in secondary schools to assist with the disruptive behaviour of students. 25. The continuous placement of data entry clerks in each school to assist with digital record keeping. 26. The removal of the quota system to attend UG. 27.The introduction of a Teacher Support Unit within the Ministry of Education. “The MoE once again expresses its gratitude to all teachers who continue to report for duty towards ensuring that the nation’s children receive the education they rightfully deserve. The Government of Guyana will continue to work tirelessly towards improving the conditions of all teachers across this nation,” the release added.
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‘Live and feed your families on a basic teacher’s salary’ — Essequibo teachers challenge Manickchand, other Govt. officials
Scenes from day two of the teachers strike in Region Two. By Renay Sambach As the nationwide strike action by teachers continues, teachers of Region Two stepped up their agitation on Tu e s d a y c h a l l e n g i n g Education Minister Priya Manickchand and other government officials to try providing for their families with the lowly teachers’ pay. The Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) has since warned that the ongoing strike action will be prolonged if their concerns continue to be ignored by the President Irfaan Aliadministration. The strike which commenced on Monday was marked by nationwide protest action with hundreds of teachers, GTU representatives, parents and other civil
society members assembling outside their respective Regional Education Offices with placards, calling on the Government to engage the Union in the process of C o l l e c t i v e B a rg a i n i n g towards achieving better salaries and working conditions for teachers. Day Two witnessed a powerful display of solidarity and determination, with teachers converging in large numbers to voice their grievances. During a Facebook live session documenting the second day of the strike in Region Twoa stronghold of the ruling PPP/C, Sir Martin Samaroo, a prominent voice among the striking educators, delivered impassioned remarks directed towards the government’s handling of
their demands. “So, in the Oil Republic of Guyana, you’re saying, in a trilliondollar budget, all that you can give teachers is 6.5%, which is, in fact, about 18% less than the inflation rate. That’s being very generous. Is that what you’re saying to us, Minister, Honourable Minister (Minister of Education Priya Manickchand), is that what you’re saying,” he asked. Expressing frustration over the financial struggles faced by educators, Sir Samaroo highlighted the necessity of a livable wage, emphasizing the inability of current salaries to meet basic needs. “I respect the minister, the honourable minister, for a number of things that she would have done for the education
sector. However, when it comes to what goes into our pockets, minister, you have no clue. You have no clue as to the struggle that we face. You have no idea why so many teachers have to be doing so many businesses, and doing so many other different things just to make ends meet and provide a comfortable life for their families,” the teacher added. Responding to pleas that they should continue teaching out of love, Samaroo said: “I can’t take love to the supermarket.” Sir Samaroo stated, “You want to know why there aren’t many men in this profession? Because men know that they can’t take care of a family on this salary.” He shared that in order to provide for his family, knowing he cannot depend on his teacher salary, he had to take up other part time jobs. “Which means I get to spend less time with my family,” he added. Moreover, the teacher stated that the Ministry of Education is trying to “strong arm” the teachers to stop the strike action. “What is
already small you are going to cut that so we can’t buy ration for our families,” he added. It was explained that 10 days pay will be deducted from the teachers’ salary who are on strike. “I have a family now to take care of and I’m fighting for them. I’m saying personally for me, I might make it, I might be making it because of my side business
responding to questions, Sir Samaroo explained, “This is not political I’ll keep saying that over and over again.” He clarified that teachers standing up to be rightfully compensated does not have anything to do with politics. “I’m saying to you that it is not enough, 6.5 % is not enough. It can never be enough. In the oil republic of
“If the minister could take my salary for I don’t even want to say six months or a year. Let’s just say for two months, just two months…and if you can survive on that with your family, then I’ll stop the strike action.” but I’m saying that there are many single mothers, teachers who cannot come out of their schools because their salaries will be cut. They cannot afford to buy an ice cream at the end of the month for their children and you want to cut their salaries, Minister. That’s how you care... If you cared we wouldn’t be out here…” the teacher added. NO POLITICAL Moreover, as the live video interactions grew,
Guyana, you’re saying you don’t have money to pay teachers, who you fooling, we’re all educators. We’re smart people. You could bail out GuySuCo (Guyana Sugar Corporation) every year, a failing industry and I understand that you may want to take care of the persons who work there, but what about teachers? What about teachers?” the teacher questioned. Also, he shared that even Continued on page 24
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Another wave of Saharan dust to reach Guyana today The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday cautioned that another wave of Saharan dust will reach Guyana on Wednesday evening with concentrations gradually increasing until Saturday, 10th February, 2024. In a public advisory, the EPA said that “All air quality sensors are reporting concentration levels in the ‘moderate’ zone with unaffected visibility.”
The Agency noted too that despite the update on air quality, the “Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) News forecast another wave of Saharan dust will reach Guyana tomorrow evening with concentrations gradually increasing until Saturday, 10th February, 2024.” This forecast is subject to change without notice. For further information, visit the website:
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/tropics-saharan-dust/ “As such, the EPA encourages the public to take the necessary precautions with the elderly, children and persons with respiratory and skin conditions,” the advisory said. For a near real-time update on the Air Quality Index near you, visit the EPA’s website: https://epaguyana.org/ and select the ‘Your Environment’ tab and then click ‘Air quality Data’.
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GPSU throws weight behind teachers strike The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) has “unreservedly expressed full support to the Guyana Te a c h e r s ’ U n i o n , a n d teachers all across Guyana, in their decision, to commence industrial actions.” The GPSU said it recognises that the grounds upon which the GTU was forced to take industrial action, is in keeping with the enshrined constitutional rights of workers in Guyana, to uphold the Constitution. The union noted that the Preamble to Guyana’s Constitution provides that it is the duty of the people to forge a system of governance that promotes concerted effort and broad-based participation in national decision-making in order to develop a viable economy, and a harmonious community based on
democratic values, social justice, fundamental human rights, and the rule of law. The union said in keeping with its obligation under the Constitution of Guyana, the Trade Union Recognition Act which provides for good faith negotiation, and its C o l l e c t i v e B a rg a i n i n g Agreement with the Government, the GTU in its efforts to forge a system of governance as envisage by the supreme law, would have directed a number of letters, and calls to the Ministry of Education, to address the basic needs of the nation’s educators through the collective bargaining process “ C o n t r a r i l y, t h e government purportedly nullified the collective bargaining process by reneging on their legal obligations to enter into
...accused Labour Ministry of dereliction of duty
President of GPSU, Patrick Yarde collective bargaining in good faith, and proceeded to unilaterally impose in budgets including budget 2024 meagre benefits. These benefits fail to alleviate the
economic constraints face by public sector workers, including teachers, who have commendably initiated industrial actions to earn their merited improvements in remuneration and other conditions of service, which we are satisfied beyond all doubts are affordable, feasible, and can be sustained having regard to the trillion-dollar cap of budget 2024 and the exponential growth in the economy.” The GPSU reiterates that collective bargaining is a fundamental constitutional right of every worker pursuant to article 147(3) of the Constitution of Guyana. Further, the State of Guyana at all material times was obligated under international law to acceded to the request
Support pours in for teachers strike From page 14 belong to its ethno-political base.” The WPA said the government’s charge that the teachers’ strike is political is laughable, noting that all strikes are political. “But to accuse the GTU of partisan action because one of its officials is a member of parliament is the height of hypocrisy since the top official of another union is a government MP. In this regard, WPA condemns the personal attacks on “Sister Coretta McDonald.” “All right-thinking Guyanese must rally in defense and protection of Ms. McDonald. These cowardly attacks are consistent with the current government’s attitude to women.” Further, the WPA said the charge that the strike is unlawful represents a dangerous development. “The government has now arrogated unto itself the roles of accuser, prosecutor, judge and jury. This is nothing short of naked autocracy. The subsequent decisions to withhold the wages of striking workers and to discontinue deducting union dues are well known acts of dictatorships. These shameful acts by the government have returned Guyana to the bowels of authoritarian rule. It is the government that is acting unlawfully—its refusal to engage in collective bargaining is a crime of great proportion. Its open threatening of defenseless
workers with the might of the state is a high crime.” “WPA, therefore, urges all Guyanese to rally around the teachers. We call on the government to heed the union’s call for arbitration as a first act of good faith. We further urge the government to cease and desist from war propaganda against the teachers. Guyana deserves better. We affirm our party’s commitment to the struggle for all Guyanese to equitably benefit from the Oil and Gas windfall that Guyana now enjoys,” the statement concluded. DEEPLY CONCERNED For its part, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) said it is deeply concerned that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government is seeking to reduce the GTU legitimate grievances to accusation that the Union’s leadership is racist. “East Indian Guyanese have reached out to the GTUC leadership to inform us they have been solicited by Government representatives to denounce GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald for attacking the East Indian community. GTUC has since seen news items making similar allegations which have no basis in fact or truth. These accusations are downright wicked, deceptive and in itself racist. The Government is accusing Ms. McDonald of doing exactly what they want to do. The PPP has put its public relations machinery that has gone into high gear to cloud the issue that has caused
teachers to take industrial action. They are ignoring telling the public the industrial action is a result of their failure to engage the GTU on the Multi-Year Proposal for Wages/Salaries and Working Conditions submitted since August 2020.” According to the GTUC, the PPP is most uncomfortable seeing unity of the races, that is their biggest fear, and they will stoop to any level to create disunity, even when there is common interest. “The issue of the teachers is not about race or party politics, it is about bread-and-butter issues that transcend race and politics. At the end of the day, they all face the same market prices. The PPP has no moral authority to accuse others of being racist when they have historically and continuously used the race card to full political advantage. They are using race as a factor in effort to divide the trade union movement. They seek division in the trade union movement because they fear the power of a united people rising up against them. Labour more than any o rg a n i s a t i o n h a s t h a t potential power of uniting the people,” the statement added. According to the GTUC it is a matter of fact the PPP has on every occasion sought to resolve differences in industrial grievances where the majority of workers are East Indians. “Where the majority of workers are Africans their grievances are
ignored. When these workers pursue legitimate industrial actions to have their grievances addressed, the PPP accuses union leaders of being racist, politically driven or engaging in illegal activities.” The GTUC said the nation is well aware the PPP government is prepared to facilitate discussions between the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) and the National Association of Clerical Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), both of which are being led by E a s t I n d i a n s . “Correspondingly the GTU, Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), Guyana Bauxite and General Wo r k e r s ( G B & G W U ) , whose leadership is primarily Africans, continue to be ignored by the PPP. Presently GPSU has matters before the court because of government’s decision not to engage in collective bargaining with the union. GTUC calls on the PPP government to let good sense prevail and stop playing the race card. They must uphold the Constitution and Labour Laws of Guyana by meeting the union across the table. Article 147 (2) protects the right to strike and Section 23(1) of the Trade Union Recognition on the employer, in this instance the Government of Guyana, to negotiate in good faith,” the statement concluded.
of teachers to meet at the bargaining table pursuant to Conventions no. 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organization (ILO), which sets basic principles for making collective bargaining work for workers, employers and society. “The GPSU expresses alarm that the Ministry of Labour, which ought to be poised with impartiality under these circumstances, and especially considering its mandate under the Labour Act to maintain a stable industrial climate, would have declared the commendable industrial actions by the hard working teachers to be illegal. The Ministry of Labour’s posture in relation to the current situation facing teachers, brings one to recollect the 1999 strike, where the said Ministry was forced to relinquish its role to mediate a settlement to civil society organizations including the Private Sector, Bar Association, and Council of Churches inter alia.” The GPSU said it recognizes that the only illegality under these circumstances, is the continued unilateral imposition of amendments to the conditions of service of public sector workers, and
the denial of their duly constituted Unions to participate in national decision making, decisions that by and large affects their daily affairs and economic realities. “It is an unconstitutional, illegal, and unconscionable conduct on the part of government, and its Ministry of Education to make policy measures in the form of the budget, and thereafter enacting it into law, contrary to the constitutional requirement for collective bargaining. Further, the GPSU recognizes that the industrial action by teachers, is founded in an unaddressed state of economic duress being felt by public sector workers across Guyana due to growing inequality, and a widening gap between the rich and the working poor,” the statement read. Finally, the GOSU said the Ministry of Education on February 6, 2024 threatened to cripple the GTU by not deducting dues paid by teachers to the GTU. “The GPSU wishes to remind the Ministry of Education yet again, that it is its legal obligation to make the necessary deductions, and remit same to the GTU as long as the Union enjoys recognition as the bargaining agent for teachers. We stand in solidarity with the GTU, and teachers across Guyana.”
Sam Hinds contradicts... From page 3 however, though it promised in its 2020 Elections manifesto to “review and renegotiate” the oil contracts have not lifted a finger in that direction. It now argues that deal must abide by the ‘sanctity of contracts’ principle. Worst in the world In the meantime, senior government officials continue to insist that the contract is one of the worst in the world. It was reported that former President, Bharrat Jagdeo nearly cursed out one former Minister over the insinuation that the deal is a good one. In an interview with ‘The Guyanese Critic’ last January, he said Opposition Parliamentarian, Khemraj Ramjattan told him once in a conversation that the former Government left the PPP with the oil deal, from which revenues are now being derived. He told Critic, “I wanted to use an expletive. I might have even done that…what they left us was a shitty agreement.” Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat previously said, “The PSA which was signed in June 2016 is probably one of the worst agreements in the history of this world or among all oil countries in this world. That was probably the worst oil deal ever.” Similarly, the Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall SC in an interview aired on Globespan stated that the PSA Guyana signed with American oil giant, ExxonMobil is one of the most lopsided agreements signed in the country’s history. To this end, the AG noted that the lopsided contract must be a mistake that Guyana learns from when signing future oil and gas agreements. Currently, Guyana receives a mere two percent royalty for its sweet light crude and settled for 50 percent profit sharing, after Exxon takes 75 percent of the earnings to clear its expenses. The company does not pay taxes here and benefits from the absence of a ring-fencing provision.
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Wednesday February 07, 2024
Kaieteur News
CDB honours commitment to youth transformation cadre of officers to with launch of YEA Project in St. Lucia expanded do even more to grow the
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Marking a transformative leap towards youth empowerment and economic advancement, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Government of Saint Lucia (GOSLU) officially launched the Saint Lucia Youth Economy Agency (YEA) Project at the Sandals Halcyon in Saint Lucia on Tuesday. Under the agreement, a
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substantial USD7.6 million will be allocated to fuel this ground-breaking initiative, poised to make a lasting impact on the lives of more than 3000 young individuals, the CDB said in a press release. The Youth Economy Project, approved in July 2023, is designed to provide business training or financing for aspiring young entrepreneurs, aged 15 to 35. As a pivotal element in promoting social inclusivity and gender responsiveness, the project is set to engage 600 young people in intensive business development, planning, marketing, and management training. Additionally, 120 youths will receive personalised business mentoring, coaching, and financial support. Beyond individual capacity-building, the project aims to support over 3,000 young individuals, aged 18 to 25, in various enterprise activities encompassing agriculture, agro-processing, manufacturing, retail, and the services industries, spanning the blue, green, and orange economies. The timely project will drive youth economic empowerment and contribute to investment and capacity
development in youth-led enterprises with the ultimate goal of mitigating youth unemployment and enhancing social resilience. The project’s commitment to social inclusivity and gender equality, will ensure that services, investments, and operations cater to the diverse needs of men, women, boys, and girls. CDB Division Chief, Dr Martin Baptiste, Social Sector Division, said the historical moment, marked the Bank’s commitment to the future of Saint Lucia’s young people. “We absolutely see the value in this as a viable development solution. This is a solemn obligation to the generations that are here that will assure that our young people will continue to thrive. The Youth Economy Project is truly transformational. This project is here because the future is now,” Dr. Baptiste said. Mr. Bryan Vidal, Chief Executive Officer, Youth Economy Agency, said the YEA anticipated significant personal growth among its clientele. “In providing resources to the agency, the Bank has endorsed the vision of Prime Minister Hon. Philip J. Pierre, further enabling our
youth entrepreneur ecosystem. With their assistance, we are now better poised to water the roots, and to place our clients in positions where they can bloom,” said Mr. Vidal. Mr. Vidal noted that the YEA was pleased with the response to the project. “The YEA was created to support Saint Lucia’s young entrepreneurs through interventions including funding and training, to plant the seeds for the next generation of business leaders. From inception, we have been overwhelmed by the volume of interest from eligible persons, clearly indicative of the need for such an organisation. We are delighted that the CDB has also recognised the agency as fit for purpose,” said Mr. Vidal. This launch reinforces the strengthened partnership between CDB and Saint Lucia since January 2023, with initiatives and agreements exceeding USD63 million in loan and grant funding, including co-financing commitments from the Government and donor partners including the InterAmerican Development and the European Investment Bank.
Govt. launches projects with CDB to boost food security The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), on Tuesday launched two projects to propel the country’s food security agenda and boost market access and export. The two projects cost approximately $143.1 million (€$636,106), through funding from the CDB and European Union’s CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and CSME Standby Facility. The first project aims to strengthen surveillance programmes to protect against bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis. These are milk-borne infectious diseases that affect cattle. It is expected to protect the growing livestock industry while increasing beef and cattle production productivity. This initiative will also catapult the dairy industry, advancing ventures such as the government’s dairy project, which benefits hundreds of single parents. “This here will safeguard the livestock industry. We are in the process of building a state-of-the-art abattoir in Region 5, where we are now looking to develop the cattle industry in beef and dairy,” Minister Mustapha noted. Meanwhile, the second project sees the development of a food traceability system for pineapples and leafy greens in Guyana. This design ensures transparency in the journey from farm to table. It supports supply chain transparency and
disease outbreak response. “A traceability system in agriculture and the food sector is particularly important. An effective one can promptly identify, single out and remove unsafe food products from the market, and we are having a lot of that in our markets in Guyana and I am hoping that these things can eradicate and remove it,” The minister described the projects as ‘groundbreaking’ and said that they will address critical challenges while unlocking new opportunities for growth and development. “The agriculture sector is undergoing rapid transformation, as many initiatives are being executed to ensure the availability, accessibility, utilisation and stability of food, driven by both the public and private sector,” he pointed out. In 2023, the livestock industry grew by 12.7 per cent, while the crop industry expanded by 4.1 per cent. This is a testament to the impact of the government’s interventions with the support of international partners. The agriculture minister said that these partnerships will continue to build a sustainable agriculture sector, positioning the country as a regional food hub. Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Madanlall Ramraj, Head of the CDB’s Private Sector Division, Lisa Harding, and CARIFORUM Deputy Programme Manager, Yvanette Baron-George, also delivered remarks at the simple ceremony. (DPI)
Kaieteur News
Wednesday February 07, 2024
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Over 180 Cotton Tree residents receive land titles after waiting for decades Over 180 residents of Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice (Region Five) received Certificates of Title, solidifying their legal ownership of lands they have occupied for decades, passed down through generations. The land title documents were handed over by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, along with A tto r n ey G en er al an d Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, at a simple ceremony at the Cotton Tree community centre ground. President Ali highlighted the ongoing effort by the government to complete more than 4,000 titles for residents in Cotton Tree and its surrounding areas. Notably, President Ali emphasised that the entire cost of this extensive process, exceeding $100 million, has been fully covered by the government. Acknowledging challenges faced in the process, President Ali assured the community that the government is actively working to address the shortage of land court
judges. He announced that the government is examining the possibility of engaging temporary judges to collaborate with the judiciary, implementing a mechanism to expedite the processing of all remaining land titles within the next six months. “The government will find the resources to finance this mechanism so that we can expedite this,” he underscored. Furthermore, President Ali stated that the Attorney General will be examining the existing backlog within the land court system to extend the established mechanism to residents who are eagerly awaiting judgements at the land court. He said the Attorney General will be examining the backlog in the land court system so that this mechanism can be extended to the residents. The president underscored the significance of land ownership, emphasising its impact on economic and financial empowerment. “This process will allow the empowerment for families,
His Excellency, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali hands over a land title to a resident as the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC and another official watches over the process the ability for wealth creation and build prosperity for families,” he said. This initiative is part of the government’s national land regularisation programme spearheaded by the Ministry of Legal Affairs in conjunction with the Office of the President and the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission. Meanwhile, several areas are being regularised under the Ministry of H o u s i n g a n d Wa t e r . President Ali said ongoing efforts are in progress to regularise all outstanding areas in Region Five within the next eight weeks. This includes areas such
as Shieldstown and Bushlot, where 166 households are slated to receive their titles. “This now allows for a swift and smooth operation in the expansion of the infrastructure in your communities,” he said, stating that more than $3 billion is being invested in infrastructure in areas such as Sheildstown, Balthyock and Burma. Meanwhile, highlighting the arduous nature of the regularisation process, the Attorney General explained that the land titling process, which commenced in 2011, was halted during the tenure of the coalition government. However, the initiative
recommenced under the current administration led by President Ali, reaching the pivotal point where individuals can now obtain their land titles. As part of the national land regularization programme, the Attorney general said that in addition to the 3000 persons to get land titles in Cotton Tree, an ongoing effort in No. 46 village is set to grant titles to over 300 families, Mon Choisi, 300 families, Everton 320 families, Number 5 (Zeelust Village) 400 families, and over 300 families in Number 7 village. In Bath Settlement, more than 60 titles have been
distributed to sugar workers, following agreements of sale from GUYSUCO spanning nearly three decades. The initiative extends to Enterprise on the East Coast Demerara, where several individuals have received titles. Moreover, in De K e n d r e n , We s t C o a s t Demerara, 60 titles were awarded to sugar workers. Through a collaboration with the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC) and the Ministry of Housing and Water, efforts are underway to facilitate the issuance of 450 titles to families in Ann’s Grove and Dutchfore villages. (DPI)
CEPI and PAHO collaborate to boost Labour Ministry probing death regional preparedness against diseases of man pinned by excavator with epidemic or pandemic potential at Guyana Shield Resources T h e C o a l i t i o n f o r E p i d e m i c support projects of mutual interest without
The Ministry of Labour is probing the death of a man who was killed on Sunday after being pinned by an excavator while working at Guyana Shield Resources Incorporated, Dora, East Bank Demerara (EBD). The dead man, an excavator operator, was identified as Lennox McPherson of Cinderella City, Linden. Investigations so far revealed that McPherson was pinned by a Doosan Excavator Bucket, against the tracks of another excavator just outside of a sandpit at Dora, EBD. The Ministry of labour said that an
investigation was immediately launched when the Ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Department received information about the incident. The investigation led by senior OSH officer, Darwin Bourne, began with an inspection of the accident site and meetings with the employer, Hilbert Shields, and staff. Meanwhile, Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton while extending his sympathy to McPherson’s family, expressed concerns about the lack of good workplace safety and health practices at work sites. Investigations are ongoing.
Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen collaboration between the two organisations as they strive to enhance regional epidemic and pandemic preparedness, and to support infectious disease prevention and response and greater equity in access to vaccines and other health technologies in the Americas. The partnership will enable the two organizations to share technical expertise, knowledge and experience and to strengthen support to Member States and partners in the Region in areas related to vaccine research and development and in the rapid deployment of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases. Additionally, the organisations seek to further enhance disease surveillance, vaccine manufacturing and research and clinical trial capacity in Latin America and the Caribbean. This will support equitable and timely access to vaccines and health technologies as part of epidemic and pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. CEPI and PAHO will further explore how best to leverage their respective expertise and resources to achieve these shared goals, identifying synergies to
duplicating efforts or resources. This new Memorandum of Understanding builds on previous fruitful collaborations over the years between CEPI and PAHO, including to foster technology transfer to facilitate regional vaccine manufacturing and supply. Richard Hatchett, Chief Executive Officer of CEPI, said, “CEPI is delighted to formalise this new relationship with PAHO. This partnership will enable both organisations to draw on the strengths of the other and help to fortify our defences against emerging infectious diseases across the Americas. It is through global partnerships, like this one with PAHO, that we can forge a pathway to a pandemic free future, one where collaboration becomes the catalyst for stronger global health security.” Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director: “A key lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic is the need to ensure more equitable access to vaccines and health technologies for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean,” PAHO Director Jarbas Barbosa said. “This collaboration aims to support efforts to increase regional vaccine development and manufacturing capacity in the Region and ensure countries are better prepared to handle present and future health emergencies.”
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Wednesday February 07, 2024
Qatar says Hamas response to truce proposal ‘generally positive’ On a visit to Qatar, top US diplomat Antony Blinken says Hamas’s response to a truce proposal has been shared with Israel Aljazeera - Mediator Qatar says Hamas has given a “generally positive” response to a proposed truce deal with Israel, as the Palestinian group reiterated its demand for an end to the Israeli assault on Gaza. During a press conference on Tuesday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh M o h a m m e d b i n Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani described Hamas’s reaction to the proposal as “generally positive”, without providing more details. Blinken said Hamas’s response to the proposal brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States has been shared with Israeli officials. Blinken is on a lightning tour of the Middle East, and said that he would discuss the response with Israel’s officials when he visits the country on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters in Doha on Tuesday, Blinken said the deal is “essential”. “There’s still a lot of work to be done. But we continue to believe that an agreement is possible and indeed essential, and we will continue to work relentlessly to achieve it,” he said. Hamas said in a statement that its leaders had r e v i e w e d t h e “comprehensive ceasefire deal … with a positive spirit”, including details on securing relief and shelter, reconstruction, the lifting of a 17-year-old crippling
siege, and the completion of the “prisoner exchange” process. Qatar has been working with the US and Egypt to broker a truce that would involve an extended halt in fighting and the release of hostages held by Hamas. PM Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani said there are a number of challenges that mediators are facing throughout the talks, and that events on the ground in Gaza affect the course of the negotiations. “We are hoping to see it yielding and yielding very soon,” he said. The proposed deal was drawn up more than a week ago by US and Israeli spy chiefs at a meeting with Egyptian and Qatari officials. Hamas has said previously that any deal must bring about a definitive end to the war. Israel has said it will not halt the war permanently until Hamas is destroyed. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Hamas’s response to the deal is being studied by all parties involved in the mediation process. “Hamas’s reply has been conveyed by the Qatari mediator to the Mossad. Its details are being thoroughly evaluated by the officials involved in the negotiations,” a statement f r o m I s r a e l ’s f o r e i g n intelligence agency, the Mossad, said on Tuesday, per the office of the prime minister.
A 40-day truce? Sources close to the talks have said the truce would last at least 40 days, during which fighters would free civilians among the remaining hostages they hold. Further phases would follow, to hand over soldiers and the corpses of hostages, in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. The only truce so far, in November, was initially agreed for just four days and extended to last a week. At the time, Hamas released 110 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Most of the besieged e n c l a v e ’s 2 . 3 m i l l i o n population is displaced, facing severe shortages of food, water, medicine, and shelter, with the majority of Gaza now in ruins following nearly four months of Israeli bombardment. Israel began its military offensive in Gaza after Hamas fighters killed 1,139 people and took around 150 hostages in southern Israel on October 7, according to an Al Jazeera tally based on official Israeli figures. At least 27,585 people have been confirmed killed
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani at Lusail Palace, in Doha, Qatar [Mark Schiefelbein/Reuters] i n I s r a e l ’s m i l i t a r y campaign, with thousands more feared buried under rubble, according to Palestinian health authorities in Gaza. More than 66,000 others have been wounded, according to Palestinian authorities. In his remarks, Blinken outlined the US’s vision for the region, emphasising Israeli integration. He mentioned continuing US efforts to promote normalisation deals that critics say sideline Palestinians and do little to address the political problems at the root of the conflict. His visit comes amid statements from Israel that it plans to expand its ground attacks in Gaza, particularly in the southern governorate of Rafah that is crammed with internally displaced Palestinians.
Rafah, on the Egyptian border, is where more than half of Gaza’s population have sought refuge and are now living in increasingly miserable conditions. United Nations humanitarian monitors said Tu e s d a y t h a t I s r a e l i evacuation orders now cover t w o - t h i r d s o f G a z a ’s territory, driving thousands more people every day towards the border areas. Egypt has warned that an Israeli deployment along the border would threaten the peace treaty the two countries signed more than four decades ago. Egypt fears an expansion of combat to the Rafah area could push terrified Palestinian civilians across the border, a scenario Egypt has said it is determined to prevent. Blinken, who met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo earlier
o n Tu e s d a y, h a s s a i d repeatedly that Palestinians must not be forced out of Gaza. Many have criticised the US and the secretary of state himself for not taking a tougher tone with Israeli officials, even as they have publicly contradicted US positions on the future of Palestine and on military action and humanitarian aid in Gaza. Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara, said the both Blinken and Biden have been “a leading party in the conflict”. “They are the ones who’ve backed Israel’s aggression, financially and m i l i t a r i l y, a n d diplomatically,” Bishara said. T h e B i d e n administration must “change its tone” and “impose its will on the Netanyahu government”, he added.
‘Live and feed your families on a basic teacher’s... From page 18 though the teachers are on strike, resources were sent to the school for teachers who are in the classrooms to teach the classes in their absence. “So, don’t feel as if teachers dropping everything and we’re not leaving systems in place. We love your children. I’m telling you, 13 years I’ve been in this profession and I could not see my way, I could not save until I opened my own business,” the Sir Samaroo added. Notably, during the strike action yesterday the teachers of Region Two challenged Minister Manickchand and other officials, to take care of their families on a basic teacher salary. “If the minister could take my salary for I don’t even want to say six months or a year. Let’s just say for two months, just two months…and if you can
survive on that with your family, then I’ll stop the strike action,” the teachers said. TEACHERS DENOUNCE MANICKCHAND Joining the chorus of discontent, another teacher addressed as Mr. Hinds denounced attempts by the Ministry to undermine the strike action, asserting the teachers’ unwavering resolve until their demands are met. “We will not stop there until they deal with us properly…” Sir Hinds said. He condemned proposed deductions from teachers’ salaries and emphasized the broader implications for educators striving to support their families. A teacher addressed as an executive of GTU said the intimidation antics by the education ministry will not deter them. He said, “We saw a document, and
this document stipulates clearly that the union dues which we are paying to sustain and maintain our union, which is $700, the mere $700, the ministry decides that they will not deduct that money on behalf of the union. So, that is one move. Now, how we deem that move. That move is a move to cripple the Guyana Teachers Union. Which is the longest formed union in this country…and so, what will happen? I know and I believe that the GTU is of God, and anything that is of God will not crumble. So, our $700, we will make arrangements for it to get to the union in a different way.” The teacher added that he is certain, if teachers like himself are adequately compensated, the Union would be able to receive a $1000 monthly fee from
teachers. Additionally, a man identified as Brother Bristol, who is also said to be a teacher, in his address said it’s time for teachers to be paid a livable wage. He said, “The issue is the financial issue that they are running from. They are not talking anything about the financial issue. We all know once we are satisfied financially, we can continue to perform. That’s right. If you look at how we operate, we don’t have enough, but we make something out of everything that we have.” Brother Bristol said too, “But it’s time for us to ask for what we deserve. It’s time we start looking at collecting little things to make the big things. So the Ministry need to come forward, sit down. If they cannot meet what we demand, they can say something.”
Wednesday February 07, 2024
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Wednesday February 07, 2024
President Ali says Guyana Foreman crushed to death needs a second gas plant at John Fernandes Wharf President Mohamed Irfaan Ali
President Irfaan Ali on Monday told members of the Private Sector Commission (PSC) that Guyana requires a second gas plant to be able to meet the country’s future energy demands. The President was at the time speaking at the PSC’s annual corporate dinner. He said that the 300 megawatts Wales gas plant that is yet to come on stream is inadequate to meet Guyana’s future energy demands. The Wales power plant, located on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD), is part of a $US2B and counting gas-to-energy project that the government said will end power outages and slash electricity bills by half. “Already, based on our assessment, the power plant that we are engaged in now from the natural gas, will be inadequate for the type of development that will come our way,” President Ali said.
He continued: “So we have to already think about a second power plant…” the Head of State said noting that a second gas plant will cater to the country’s demands. The President said he wants a similar agreement to the one Guyana has for the Wales gas plant. “So we have to already think about the second power plant and whether there is actually opportunity, not only for foreign investment to come with a second power plant on the same terms and condition that the power purchase agreement would have with GPL on the first power offtake and that again might open up oportunities for local investors because we want again as much local capital that we can raise to place in that,” President Ali said. The multi-billion-dollar gas-to-energy project has been criticised for being too costly for 300 megawatts of power, and runs the risk of not being profitable to the country. In response to the critics, the government, through Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, on numerous occasions argued that the project is needed to curb the country’s electricity woes. He posited that it will significantly reduce the c o s t o f e n e rg y c o n s u m e d b y t h e manufacturing sector, possibly slashing bills by half. Further, the government believes that it can earn revenue from the liquid gas by producing cooking gas and lighter fluids and selling it locally and further afield. The Vice President has asserted that the project will be able to pay for itself and would not place a financial burden on taxpayers.
A stevedore foreman attached to John Fernandes Wharf was on Tuesday morning crushed to death by a reversing super reach stacker (a heavy duty forklift-like machine that stacks containers) at the Wharf located at Water Street, Georgetown. The dead man has been identified as 64-year-old Trevor Jones of Mandela Avenue, East Ruimveldt, Georgetown. The stacker that killed Trevor Jones The workplace accident reportedly took place around vehicle”. 07:30 hrs after he completed He fell and one of the rear wheels his 00:00 to 06:00 hrs shift. According to a preliminary investigation reportedly crushed him. Jones met his demise done by the Ministry of Labour Jones was between the facility’s main entrance and the “struck by the counterweight at the rear of the wharf. Investigations are ongoing.
Ministry of Labour officials on the ground conducting investigations
Kaieteur News
Thursday November Wednesday February24, 07,2022 2024
Woeful Windies suffer 8-wicket thrashing as Australia completes series sweep SportsMax - West Indies suffered a white-wash in the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against Australia, after another woeful batting performance saw the Caribbean side slump to an eight-wicket thrashing at Manuka Oval on Monday. Opener Alick Athanaze with a 60-ball 32, was the only batsman to offer any real resistance as West Indies were embarrassingly bowled out for 86 in 24.1 overs, their
fifth lowest ODI score. Only Keacy Carty (12) and Roston Chase (10) were the other double figure scores in the dismal innings. Still, Australia, playing their 1,000th ODI, the second nation to do so after India, were almost flawless following comprehensive victories in Melbourne and Sydney. Xavier Bartlett, like he did in the first contest, again starred with the ball, as he ended with four wickets for
21 runs, after which openers Josh Inglish and Jake FraserMcGurk raced toward the low target by smashing 67 runs within five overs, and laid the foundation for the hosts to complete their eightwicket victory with 43.1 overs to spare in what was the shortest men’s ODI ever played in Australia. The match lasted just 31 overs and was completed in three hours, including the innings break. Scores: Australia 87 for
Wednesday February 07, 2024 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You might be feeling a bit more hesitant than usual when it comes to making decisions. Even if someone accuses you of being distrustful, it's your sense of caution that saves you a lot of grief. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You may feel that you have to defend your motives today, Taurus, and this can really put you off, especially if you can't see a reason for it. Try not to take it personally. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) RIs there a person in your life who keeps coming to mind again and again, Gemini? If so, it might be time to get together. Whether there's something that needs to be worked out or you simply miss him or her. CANCER (June 21–July 22) Your usual outgoing and often radical nature may be far more conservative today, Cancer. This can be a result of the day's planetary influences, and if used well, this mood can prove most beneficial. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Focus on yourself today, Leo. Yours is often an extremely giving nature. You can be compassionate to a fault, in that too much of your energy goes to helping solve others’ problems. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today is an excellent day to set some new goals, Virgo. When was the last time you did this? Many think that New Year's Day and birthdays are prime times to make resolutions or set goals, yet this is something that can be done any time.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Another person will probably bring you much comfort today, Libra. It could be someone you know well, but chances are it will be someone you’d least expect to be there for you. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) You may find yourself feeling more aggressive than normal today. This can serve you well when it comes to getting what you want, provided no one suffers in the process. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) It would be wise to spend some time thinking about your finances today, Sagittarius. Do you have a realistic budget, or does yours exclude such things as entertainment, gifts, and occasional splurges? CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Take the time to consider your physical and mental health today. Given your hard-driving nature, these are areas that may be neglected. If you overwork your brain or put off dealing with problems, your physical health will suffer. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) It's the perfect day to do some planning, Aquarius. Take the time on a regular basis to think about the things you want to do and accomplish. It’s essential for feeling you have control over your life. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Today is a good day to think about your ambitions, Pisces. Considering what you really want out of life can be instrumental in setting goals and making dreams come true. Reaching them can often be as simple as making a decision and taking that first step.
2 (Fraser-McGurk 41, Inglis 35*) beat West Indies 86 (Bartlett 4-21) by eight wickets. Inglis raced to 22 off seven deliveries, as he played gorgeous orthodox shots, but was quickly overtaken by FraserMcGurk, who muscled three sixes in four balls off seamer Matthew Forde. Fraser-McGurk was on track for a rapid half-century, but holed out to mid-on to end his 18-ball 41 and dashed Australia’s hopes for a 10wicket win. Aaron Hardie made just two before Australia passed the target after 6.5 overs. Earlier, Steven Smith’s decision to bowl first was aided by a shoddy West Indies effort with a number of batters dismissed in tame fashion. Following his stunning four-wicket debut at the MCG, Bartlett was immediately on the money with the new ball, as he had opener Kjorn Ottley trapped in front in his second over. Athanaze and Carty held firm as West Indies’ fortunes momentarily seemed to turn, and they eyed a decent total on the traditionally battingfriendly Manuka Oval surface. West Indies avoided the early collapses that marred their opening two games, but the introduction of Lance Morris in the 11th over soon left them in familiar woe. Morris had his first international wicket when Carty was brilliantly caught by a flying Marnus Labuschagne at backward point. Captain Shai Hope unsuccessfully reviewed a leg-before-wicket decision off Sean Abbott in the next over, before Morris clean bowled debutant Teddy Bishop with a searing full delivery that rattled the stumps. Athanaze held the innings together until he threw away his wicket with a rash sweep stroke against leg-spinner Adam Zampa that was caught at deep backward square. Smith went on the attack and brought back Bartlett, who on his first delivery nicked off Romario Shepherd. West Indies’ woeful performance was summed up with a comical run out of Forde, who bickered with batting partner Roston Chase on his way off, as their 27year ODI drought against Australia in Australia continues.
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Eagles Assistant Coach Nedd... From page 31 a similar setup in terms of skill set, so we will definitely want to perform.” “Having said that, the last couple of years we have secured more victories against them, I think the last 5 years we had 3 out of 5 encounters with a draw; so we know the track record and how to play against them. For us, it’s just for us to go along with the coaches’ plan and execute them.” The last time these two teams met was almost one year ago (March 2023), although slightly new-look now, the Guyana Harpy Eagles beat Red Force by 143 runs. Today’s match will be important for both teams, especially Guyana who will want to see their new captain and a few uncapped players in action. Meanwhile, the two first round games between Guyana and Trinidad, as well as the West Indies Academy and Leeward Island Volcanoes will bowl off from 10:00h. Barbados Pride and Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) along with Jamaica Scorpions and Windward Island Hurricanes, will bowl off from 12:00h. Guyana Harpy Eagles squad: Kevlon Anderson (captain), Matthew Nandu (vice-captain), Veerasammy Permaul, Antony Adams, Kevin Sinclair, Ronsford Beaton, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Raymond Perez, Ronaldo A l i m o h a m e d , S t e v e n S a n k a r, K e m o l S a v o r y (wicketkeeper), Richie Looknauth and Neiland Cadogan. Red Force squad: Joshua DaSilva (captain), Bryan Charles (vice-captain), Amir Jangoo, Imran Khan, Terrance Hinds, Jason Mohammed, Jyd Goolie, Jayden Seales, Anderson Phillip, Vikash Mohan, Cephas Cooper, Tion Webster and Khary Pierre.
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Kaieteur News
Patrick Rooplall slams 172 to fire Caribbean... From page 29 toss and opted to bat with the right-handed Rooplall hammering 14 sixes and seven fours as his team amassed a formidable 285-3 from the allotted 20-overs. Hibernia Strikers, in reply, only reached 173-9 when things formalized. Rooplall got support from the inform Eshwar Singh with 53, while Ganesh Mangal stroked 43. For Hibernia Strikers, Rody Spencer made 44 and former Guyana youth player Latchman Rohit chipped in with 20. Jamuna Persaud claimed 3-24 from his maximum four overs delivering for the victorious side while Yaseer Mohammed backed him up nicely with 2-31 (4).
Rooplall was named player-of-the-match for his pulsating knock. He received a trophy. The winning side took home $75,000 and a trophy while Hibernia Strikers carted off a trophy and $25,000. A trophy each was given to the best batsman with the most runs, most wickets and Most Valuable player of the Tournament. The eight-team tournament, which got cracking late last year, was sponsored by Bhiska Taxi Service. According to Chairman of the ESCL Wakeel Layne, a new tournament is slated to begin soon. On Sunday, he thanked Bhiska Taxi Service for coming on board and all the teams for their participation.
Wednesday February 07, 2024
Minister Ramson meets with Petterson-Grifith ahead of... From page 30 the competition. “On behalf of the Ministry and by extension the government of Guyana, we want to wish you the best as you go out there to represent yourself and the nation at a competition that features the best 12 male and female athletes in the world. You have worked hard, trained hard showing admirable discipline in following your training routine, so it’s now time to show the world what you’re made of, enjoy every moment of the competition.” Sheffield24 is a highprofile event with the largest prize fund in powerlifting
history. The event will build on the success of last year’s inaugural Sheffield championships, bringing together 12 men and 12 women to battle it out for world records and the title of champion of champions. Petterson-Grifith thanked Minister Ramson for his, the Ministry, and the Government’s continued support of him, and the sport. Also present at yesterday’s engagement were Petterson-Grifith’s Coach and Assistant Dexter Jones and Jamie McDonald, Guyana Amateur
Powerlifting Federation President Franklin Wilson, and Peterson-Grifith’s sister, Nicola Searles. The competition is set for Saturday 10th February at the Sheffield City Hall, Barker’s Pool, Sheffield, United Kingdom. Additionally, Sheffield was created to showcase the stars of the sport and offer a platform to breakrecords. The allocation of the prize fund supports this vision: Total prize fund: £445,000; Potential maximum an individual athlete can win: £45,000; World records on squat, bench press, deadlift, and total: £5,000.
Kaieteur News
Wednesday February 07, 2024
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Patrick Rooplall slams 172 to fire Caribbean Cricket Club to ESCL Over-40 Championship Pugnacious opening batsman Patrick Rooplall slammed a flamboyant 172 to pilot Caribbean Cricket Club to a commanding, 112-run win over Hibernia Strikers in the final of the Essequibo Softball Cricket
League (ESCL) Over-40, T20 competition on Sunday at the Reliance Sports Ground, Essequibo Coast, Region 2 (PomeroonSupenaam). Caribbean Cricket Club won the (Continued on page 28)
Caribbean Cricket Club take a photo following their win over Hibernia Strikers in the final of the Essequibo Softball Cricket League (ESCL) Over-40, T20 competition.
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Kaieteur News
Wednesday February 07, 2024
Petra Organisation launches 10th Edition of Milo U18 School’s tournament The 10th Edition of the Milo Schools Under-18 (Boys) Football tournament was officially launched yesterday at the Massy Distribution, D4 Starlite Square location on the East Coast of Demerara. The event saw Massy Distribution, operating under the Nestle Brand (Milo), contributing G$4,000,000 to Petra Organisation to support the 2024 school’s competition. Scheduled to kick off on February 18th at the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and Ministry of Education (MoE) grounds, the tournament will showcase 24 schools from regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10. Co-directors of Petra, Troy Mendonca and Marlan Cole, GFF Director of Competition Dion Inniss, MoE Administrator in charge of Allied Arts Unit, Nicholas Fraser, and Nestle’s Senior Business Manager Teisha Milner, among others, were present at the launch. Mendonca explained that some teams would receive automatic berths, while others would engage in playoffs fixtures to qualify. The tournament will feature six groups under a roundrobin format, with the four third-place teams advancing to the round of 16. Financial incentives await the top finishers, with $300,000, $200,000,
Petra Organisation Co-director, Troy Mendonca $150,000, and $75,000 awarded to the first, second, third, and fourth place, respectively, designed to be used in any school project. Trophies and incentives will also be presented to the most outstanding player, the top g o a l - s c o r e r, a n d t h e goalkeeper with the most saves. Reflecting on the previous edition, Chase’s Academic Foundation School emerged as the winner, followed by Bartica and Carmel in second and third places. These tournaments provide schools with an opportunity to enhance their skills, gain more playing time, and establish a strong football foundation for national programmes. The top finishers will also feature in Petra’s year-end Goodwill International Series. During his address, Mendonca also highlighted the significance of the competition, stating, “This
competition gives our boys the opportunity to showcase their talents and to compete at a higher level.” He commended the inclusion of the Santa Rosa school team last year, adding value to the competition. M e n d o n c a acknowledged Marti De Souza, Deputy Chief Education Officer of MoE, for his tireless efforts in assisting Petra in organising teams from hinterland areas. Meanwhile, Nestle’s Senior Business Manager, Teisha Milner, expressed enthusiasm for the 2024 tournament launch, emphasizing Massy Distribution’s commitment to youth and sports development. Milo, under the tagline “Energy to Go Further,” aims to elevate school football to new h e i g h t s . T h i s y e a r ’s competition is organised by Petra Organisation under the t h e m e “ Vi o l e n c e i n Schools.”
Minister Charles Ramson (3rd left) is flanked by from right, Dexter Jones, Carlos Petterson-Grifith, Nicola Searles, Jamie McDonald, and Franklin Wilson.
Minister Ramson meets with Petterson-Grifith ahead of Sheffield 24 participation Ahead of his historical participation at the Sheffield 2024 Powerlifting Championship, a joint project between the InternationalPowerlifting Federation and SBD to showcase the stars in the sport, Guyana’s Carlos Petterson-Grifith and his team paid a courtesy call on Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson
Jr., Monday. Minister Ramson welcomed PettersonGrifith who qualified for the event as the top athlete in the 93kg category in South America at the 2023 edition of the World Classic Open Championships held in Malta, wished him every success, and encouraged him to enjoy (Continued on page 28)
Kaieteur News
Wednesday February 07, 2024
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Eagles Assistant Coach Nedd says team upbeat, confident ahead of opening match today versus Red Force CWI Regional 4-Day C/Ships Round 1…GHE vs. TTRF
Defending Regional 4Day champs Guyana Harpy Eagles will open their title defence against long-time rivals, Trinidad & Tobago Red Force and Assistant Coach Garvin Nedd said the champs were poised as they head into battle, when opening round of the 2024 Cricket West Indies (CWI) Regional 4-Day Championships bowls off today in St. Kitts and Nevis. Guyana will be wary of the looming threats which they will face over the next few weeks as they seek to return home with yet another 4-Day title under their belt. The Guyanese lot, led by Kevlon Anderson will be keen on making a strong statement against the equally young Red Force side led by West Indies wicket-keeper
Joshua DaSilva. Assistant Coach of the Guyana Harpy Eagles team, Garvin Nedd, during an interview prior to the team’s final training session on Tuesday, said his boys were eager to get themselves going in this opening round. “The mood of the players in the camp is good, everyone is in good spirits. We had a good session yesterday (Monday) where our batters had a hit and our bowlers did some assessment work regarding the type of surface and soil which they will be operating on here in St. Kitts over the next few days,” Nedd explained. The ex-Guyana national youth spinner further explained that along with Head Coach Ryan Hercules,
the pair have been working along with leading 4-Day c r i c k e t ’s w i c k e t - t a k e r Veerasammy Permaul, as they map out logistics surrounding a key area of the Eagles, their spinners. “Some of the areas we will be focusing on as coaches in the nets or in the game is to build pressure and be consistent. We also want our bowlers to work in tandem, especially our spinners, who we want to see operating as a team. Our senior pro Permaul is also lending his expertise and sharing knowledge having been at the top level, so we just want to ensure that the bowlers can focus and do what they need to do,” said Nedd. Speaking on the importance of opening their
Guyana Harpy Eagles Assistant Coach Garvin Nedd speaking with a few of his players during training ahead of today’s first match.
Cricket Zone USA ropes in Adrian Hetmyer... From page 33 with a highest of 55. He has been a runs machine for Rose Hall Community Centre Cricket Club in Canje, scoring 10 centuries, including three double-hundreds, at the Under-15 level within the last two years. Just this past weekend, young Hetmyer stroked a belligerent 181 not out against Edinburg, using the E4 bat. “I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude and generosity to Mr. Etwaroo for providing me with the cricket equipment. Your support means a lot to me and will truly make a difference in my training sessions and matches. Thank you for believing in me and for your valuable contribution,” Hetmyer said. Ameer Rahaman, Hetmyer’s head coach at the Rose Hall Community Centre Cricket Club, was also appreciative of the support given by Etwaroo. “I want to thank him for recognising the young talent of Adrian Hetmyer and allowing him to use theE4 brand. What I can say is that I have been buying all my gear and coaching equipment from Cricket Zone USA and I must say everything is of top quality,” Rahaman stated.
“Rose Hall Canje has been producing a lot of top young cricketers and we value Mr. Etwaroo’s recognition of our cricketer.” Etwaroo said Cricket Zone USA is not only in the business for profits, but also to lend a helping hand to young cricketers and the sport of cricket as a whole. The USA-based Guyanese entrepreneur said he has been following the progress of Hetmyer over the years and he is impressed with the cricketer’s huge appetite for runs. “He is a very good young cricketer and we at Cricket Zone USA and E4 want to play a meaningful part in his development. I want to personally wish this young man the very best in his cricket career and hopefully the E4 brand can help to elevate his game to another level,” Etwaroo said. Hetmyer is the latest in a growing list of players who have endorsed Cricket Zone USA and E4, including Sherfane Rutherford, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Gajanand Singh, Kennar Lewis, Matthew Nandu, Kimani Melius, Navin Stewart, Oraine Williams, Tevin Imlach, Akshaya Persaud and West Indies female cricketers Rashada Williams and Natasha McLean.
account with a win, especially as champs, Nedd was adamant that getting off to the best positive start is what’s required for a successful campaign this
season. “It’s always good to start this 4-day tournament on a winning note or even a draw, so you can get your max bonus points heading into the
next round, which plays a role as we go deep into the tournament. We also know that Trinidad will be coming for us because we have quite (Continued on page 27)
Kaieteur News
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Wednesday February 07, 2024
Phagwah horseracing set for March 17 Horseracing action will return to the Kennard’s M e m o r i a l Tu r f C l u b (KMTC), Bush Lot, East Berbice, on Sunday March 17. Six races are on the provisional Phagwah race programme with the feature
race being the C1 & Lower one mile race. The top horse will be rewarded one million dollars. Other races on the card includes G1 and Lower, J&K Class, and three-year-old Guyana bred horses; which will all run at a distance of six
furlong. The L Class Open and L Non winner races which will run at five furlong, concludes the provisional programme for the Phagwah meet. These races will run under the rules of the Guyana
Horse Racing Authority. In the event that there are less than five horses entered for any event, the club reserves the right to cancel or reframe the said event or reduce the prize money after consulting with the horse’s owners. Owners of horses must pay at least $5,000 for each horse at the point of entry. If not paid the horses names would not appear on the official programme and the horse would not be permitted to run. Five horses to start before a third prize is paid. Seven horses to start before a fourth prize is to be paid. If only four horses start,
Horse racing will return at Kennard’s Memorial on March 17.
the prize money will be reduced by 25%. If only three horses start, the prize money will be reduced by
40%. No late Entry will be accepted. Horses can be entered by contacting members of the KMTC.
Kaieteur News
Wednesday February 07, 2024
Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition
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Back Circle will hope to again collect the top prize from this year’s Mash Cup.
Teams busy preparing for next month’s showpiece
Mashramani Street Football C/ship
Gold in Money would be looking to be on the collecting end of the grand prize once again. Thirty-two teams, eight nights and bragging rights will be the showpiece of street style football when the Georgetown Zone of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition kicks off on March 15, at the historic National Park. The other playing days are March 16, 17, 22, 23, 24 and 30 with the final set for the 31st. Recognised as the most celebrated tournament in the street-style format, teams have been expressing excitement at the prospect of the event returning after a short hiatus due to circumstances beyond the Organisers control. The competition, which has a long history of success, will once target talent in the respective communities across the Georgetown environ and fans and players are getting ready to support the tournament through their attendance and participation respectively. As usual the Organisers have agreed to exempt 16 teams with automatic qualification, while a number of teams have expressed their desire to participate in a qualifying round which will be used to select the other sixteen teams to join those with automatic berths. Up to press time the Organisers have been inundated with calls requesting entry forms for the qualification process.
Entry forms can be obtained at Colours Boutique on Robb Street and De Grill Jerk bar on South Road and Cummings Streets where boxes are also stationed for entrants to deposit their team’s name and list of players. Meanwhile, brand executive Lee Baptiste said that this year’s zone opener will enjoy unprecedented media exposure, assuring that all platforms will be used to promote the event. “We are quite aware of the popularity of the event and because of its unfortunate absence for some time, players and fan experience are top priorities for us so very shortly we will be rolling out our plans to sensitize communities, where these teams will come from, about all the information pertaining to the tournament,” he said. Defending champions Gold is Money will be aiming to secure their third consecutive title, an accolade if they achieve it will make them the first team to do so, while the most successful team in the tournament’s history Sparta Boss’s inspiration must be to stop them in their quest of accomplishing such a feat. Among the other favoured teams slated to compete are Back Circle, Bent Street, Sophia, North East La Penitence, Stabroek Ballers and Albouystown. Over $1.5million in prize monies and trophies are up for grabs, while the winner is guaranteed a spot in the national final.
The Entry boxes being prepared for the upcoming tournament.
Who will it be? Judging from the upsets and surprises being witnessed in the ongoing street football which is being played at Back Circle in East Ruimveldt, the upcoming Mash Cup slated to be staged on February 18, at the National Park, is shaping up to be an explosive showdown for the title. With prize monies more than $1million up for grabs, the talk in all the participating communities is one of excitement and anticipation so already fans are being assured of a high quality of football, while the battle for the ultimate prize is well and truly on. The winning team will cart off $500,000 and trophy, while second, third and fourth place runners-up will take home $250,000, $150,000 and $100,000 along with trophies respectively. The recent performances of some of the new teams in the format have been so
impressive that many pundits have agreed that at this point there seems to be no clear-cut favourite since all teams are exhibiting fine form ahead of the big oneday event. Defending champion Back Circle knows fully well that they will have to be in top form to retain the title, while teams such as Sparta Boss, Gold is Money, North East La Penitence, Bent Street and Festival City, undoubtedly some of the more established teams, will have to be in similar form to stave off the new upstarts. Te a m s s u c h a s L A Ballers, Team Cruel, Ballerz Empire, California Square and Lodge All Stars are all loaded with players skillful enough to spring upsets. The format has become so exciting and must see that promoters and organisers are being bombarded with requests from teams as far as Bartica and other outlying areas for invitation to
Cricket Zone USA ropes in Adrian Hetmyer as E4 brand ambassador
participate. Organiser Edison Jefford said it is becoming increasing difficult to turn down the request of some teams but reminded that because of the rising costs of hosting the event he has had to be truthful to some of the teams and apologise for the disappointment of them not being able to make the cut. “I’ve had to tell some teams that we cannot accommodate them this time around and the mere fact that I’ve had to say so to them is truthfully disappointing, but just the r e a l i t y, ” J e ff o r d s a i d . Meanwhile, the fixtures have been released and they are as follows: Back Circle vs. Family; California Square vs. Agricola; Gold is Money vs. Lodge All Stars; Stabroek Ballers vs. Ballerz Empire; Sparta Boss vs. Unstoppable; Festival City vs. LA Ballers; Bent Street vs. Team Cruel and North East La Penitence vs. Team Xtreme.
Adrian Hetmyer
The prolific Adrian Hetmyer has secured the backing of Cricket Zone USA, owned by Guyanese businessman and cricket fanatic Ravi Etwaroo. The right-handed Under-15 Berbice batsman was signed as a brand ambassador of Etwaroo’s homegrown brand E4, securing sponsorship for a year. Hetmyer, the nephew of Guyana and West Indies batsman Shimron Hetmyer and son of former national youth player Seon Hetmyer, recently captained Berbice in the Guyana Cricket Board’s 50-over Inter-County Managing Director competition, scoring two fifties of Cricket Zone (Continued on page 31) USA Ravi Etwaroo