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Guyana protests as Venezuela plans to elect governor for Essequibo...saysMaduroviolatingArgyleagreement
Copcharged inconnection withGiftlandcar parkabduction The police car used by bandits when they returned for more money
Woman dies while relaxing in car with boyfriend Women in court after fight over lover -saysdespite projectissmaller,wewillstillmakemoneybecauseofthelucrativedeal
Flashback President Irfaan Ali and Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro shake hands following the signing of the Argyle Agreement during a meeting in Saint Vincent and The Grenadines on December 14, 2023.
Govt. fearful of what investigation of lopsided oil contract would reveal
The resistance of the Government of Guyana (GoG) to launch an investigation into the signing of the lopsided oil contract with ExxonMobilshowsthatthey are fearful of what might be revealed, such as their own role in maintaining the very termstheycondemn.
This is the view of
Attorney-at-Law and
Chartered Accountant, th ChristopherRam.Inhis150 installment of his column, 'Every Man Woman and Child Must Become Oil Minded,' the prominent a d v o c a t e f o r g o o d governance zeroed into the actions of the government in upholding the petroleum Agreement with U S oil giant,ExxonMobil.
Ram was keen to point out that the People's Progressive Party (PPP) government has become
Exxon's most reliable defender, ignoring or dismissing those who dare question the company's false accounting, “made-up cost recovery claims and unsupervisedoperations”.
Additionally, he argued that government even resists meaningful environmental ove
g
nd delay promised sector reforms, including establishing a Petroleum Commission or holding a Commission of Inquiry into theAgreement's negotiation despite former Minister Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman's willingnesstotestify
To this end, Ram pointed out, “Their resistance to investigation suggests they fear what might be revealed about the previous administration's actions and perhaps their own role in m a i n t a i n i n g t h e s e arrangements.”
Draft oil spill bill sent to Jagdeo for perusal
The draft Oil Spill Bill is completed and has been sent to the Office of Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo for his perusal, Attorney General Anil Nandlall has said.
He was at the time speaking on his weekly programme 'Issues in the News' Tuesday night Nandlall told his viewers that he is pleased to announce that the draft has been sent for examination and action. The name of the bill, is Oil Pollution Prevention, Preparedness, ResponseandResponsibility billof2025.
Nandlall said with the draft bill completed, discussions are expected to begin soon on possible changes, as the Office of the Presidentdirects.
“So I just want (give an update), since it was (said) outthere,thatthebillisatthe Attorney General chambers, I'm reporting to you that it has now left the Attorney General chambers and has gone to the Office of the President, in particularly, the Office of the Vice President,”heclarified.
On December 15, 2024 this publication reported Jagdeo saying that he was
- Chris Ram
The Lawyer highlighted that Trotman in his book 'From Destiny to Prosperity' revealedthatBharratJagdeo, as Leader of the Opposition, had secretly agreed with the APNU + AFC Government not to oppose the Legislative Ordergrantingtaxwaiversin the2016Agreement.
In the meantime, Ram noted that John Hess, Chief Executive Officer of Hess Corporation, a shareholder in the Stabroek Block, previously announced that the oil companies have been assured that the “fiscal terms” in the 2016 Agreement will continue until2057,attheveryleast.
To this end, the advocate reasoned, “Who else but the
top echelon of the current Administration could give such an assurance? The surrender of parliamentary sovereignty through the stability clause until 2057 represents a constitutional crisis unprecedented in resource agreements globally.”
Ram went on to urge
Attorney-at-Law, Christopher Ram
readers of his column that Guyanesecanlookbackona year and period of shameful surrender by political leaders,orlookforwardwith hope that the more people willfinallysay“enough”and reclaim the patrimony that their founding fathers would have insisted upon and is g u a r a n t e e d b y t h e
Constitution.
“One thing for sure: The 2016 Agreement allows for renegotiation (President Irfaan) Ali and Jagdeo, with the tacit agreement of the leading opposition, have done more than turn their backsonGuyana.
They have sold the country for a mess of pottage.
They want to shut down thevoiceofthepeople.They w i l l n o t a l l o w a referendum,” the Lawyer argued.
He was however keen to point out that this year's Electionsofferthepeoplethe opportunity to respond “Will they support any political party that sells out their birthright? Or will they reject them for any party committedtorenegotiation,” Ramquestioned.
Govt. processing application for Elon Musk's Starlink services
The Government of G
Attorney General, Anil Nandlall
hopeful that the final draft of Guyana's oil spill legislation willbetabledintheNational Assembly before the end of thatyear Jagdeo had expressed optimism, despite telling reporters,athisweeklypress conference,thattheAttorney General's Chambers has been “very delinquent” in completing the final draft of the legislation. “I've been pressing them they've been very delinquent at this but I've been pressing them to get this done, because we made certain commitments that we want this tabled before the end of the year,” Jagdeosaidbackthen.
y processing the application for Starlink, a satellite internet constellation founded by the world's richest man- Elon Musk, to beoperationalinthecountry Starlink is operated by Starlink Services, LLC, an
provider that is
wholly
company SpaceX, providing coverage to over 100 countries and territories. It also aims to provide global mobile broadband. Starlink has been instrumental to SpaceX'sgrowth.
During his end-of-year,
on Monday Prime Minister, Mark Phillips explained that the government has held and is continuing to have d
company “Starlink has an
application on file and it's going through the process. We've had discussions with Starlink.
The discussions are ongoing. And I envision it will reach to a point where theother124countriesinthe world where Starlink has contracts, we will reach to the point where we will have alicence.”
“Intermsofatimeframe, I would say as early as possible because those discussionsareongoing.You may recall the President
himself had a conversation with Mr Elon Musk. And I myself had conversations with senior executives of Starlink. And we're moving towards licensing them in the shortest possible time,”
PM Phillips who has o v e r s i g h t f o r t h e telecommunication sector in thecountryrevealed.
Last November at his weekly press conference Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had revealed that Starlink's interest is “actively being considered”
bytheGovernment.
He explained then that if the licence is approved, it means the company will have to pay taxes to the Government.
He noted that at present private individuals would import the Starlink equipment and provide internet services to sections of the local population “Right now, a lot of people are just bringing in the dish themselves, and they're installing these dishes, and then they don't have to pay anytaxes. It's a bit unfair to the other companies that are providing the same service,” he explained. Jagdeo noted the broader scope of the digital transformation underway in Guyana and that was one of the dominant topics discussed between President IfraanAli and tech giant Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX,inJuly
Every week this newspaper and its publisher are at the receiving end of the vilest abuse by the Vice President, BharratJagdeoathisnewsconference.
Hisattackonthepressatthisforumissometimesnotjust restrictedtotheKaieteurNews,butalsotheStabroekNews. Todayreporterswhocaretoattendhisweeklyconferenceat Freedom House will hear about everything under the sun. Endless talks about the PNC, the AFC, this newspaper’s Publisher, Glenn Lall, Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram,Columnist,GHKLall,Internationallawyer,Melinda Janki and Former EPA head, Vincent Adams, and anyone else who dares to point out the flaws and faults in the country
Every week, he is stuck on the same old tune: what the PNC did 40 years ago, what he saved Guyana from, and whatheissupposedlydoingnowtoupliftthecountryandits people. Every week, we hear about his plans to build 12 hospitals, a harbour bridge, 2,000 miles of roads and schools. It is like a never-ending checklist of projects, but whenitcomestothemismanagementofourresources—our oil wealth especially—it is as if Guyana is a cassava and eddoe plantation, not an oil or gold producing nation. We hearnothingaboutthebillionsflowingoutofthiscountry: no accountability, no transparency, no answers.And when questions are put to him about these issues, you get no meaningfulanswers.
This newspaper is attacked both for our editorial position and reporting. We at Kaieteur News are not surprised. Anyone familiar with the history of democracy would know, that journalism played a pivotal role in the struggle of the ordinary people against the absolutist monarchies that were the norm in the 19th century Since thattime,thepressineverydemocracyhasguardeditsrole as the watchdog of the interests of the people against the ever-presentdangerofabuseofpowerbythe“Leviathan”. Wearefollowinganhonourabletradition.
Even in the US and Britain, bastions of liberal democracy, there has always been a tension between the government and the press – with the former persistently accusingthelatterofoversteppingitsbounds.Wehaveseen and heard of the aggression by incoming US President DonaldTrump.
BillMoyers,regardedasoneofthemostcrediblefigures in American journalism and one who served in the White House during the Vietnam War, once said: “In the White Housewecircledthewagons,grewintolerantofnewsthat didn’t comfort us and, if we could have, we would have declaredillegalthestingofthebee.”
Here in Guyana, even though the governing party has been around for decades it does not appear that its leaders havelearntthelessonthatthepeople’srighttoknowcanbe trumped by very few imperatives in a functioning democracy Even a US President was forced to demit his officebecauseofthepress’fidelitytoitscause.
AsMoyerscontinued,“TheFirstAmendment(theright tofreedomofspeech)isthefirstforareason.It’sneededto keep our leaders honest and to arm the powerless with the information they need to protect themselves against the tyrannyofthepowerful,whetherthattyrannyispoliticalor commercial.”
InGuyana,ourConstitutionalsodeclaredthatwehave freedom of speech and we would indeed be derelict in our dutyifwedidnotreportthefactsaswediscernthemrather thanbendthemtotheagendaofthegovernmentoftheday Weknowthatinthegrandflowofhistoryofnations,Guyana is a comparatively young democracy For most of our history we had a commercial press that mirrored the positions of the colonial power and denied the legitimate right of the citizenry to become aware of the facts that created the chains of their bondage. However, from the abolitionofslaverytherewerebraveattemptsatcreatinga
Upgrades to Meadow Bank Wharf bring hope to Guyana’s Fishing Community
DEAREDITOR, The Meadow Bank Wharf in Georgetown, Guyana, is getting a muchneeded facelift, with major upgrades aimed at improving conditions for fisherfolk and fish vendors. With about $150 million already invested, the project is80%completeandissetto finishbyJanuary2025.
Keyimprovementsinclude resurfacingthetarmac,building a new shed and stalls for vendors, and adding modern amenitieslikeasanitaryblock and concrete drains to prevent flooding Enhanced lighting andapoliceoutpostarealso being installed to ensure bettersecurityandsafetyfor everyone working there Fisherfolk are ecstatic about
this new development and these upgrades are a gamechanger for the local fishing community
Fisherfolk and vendors willnowhaveacleaner,safer, and more organized space to work, making their jobs a little easier and their businessesmoreefficient
This initiative shows the government’s dedication to supporting one of Guyana’s oldest industries, which plays a vital role in the country’s economy As the project nears completion, the fishing community looks forwardtoreapingthebenefits of a wharf that better meets their needs and helps them thrive.
Regards
AnnetteLynch
Willful waste brings woeful want
DEAREDITOR
, Tears of anger and pain flowedwhenIreadwhatcan be best described as a kin to formsofcriminalityorgross incompetence, when I read today’s Wednesday, 8th of January, 2025 Editorial in the Stabroek News titled “CASHquestions.”
It was an analysis of monies spent on the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Homestretch Avenue. Tears of pain because when the facility, Cliff Anderson Sports Hall was built at a modest cost (no kickbacks, etc) the effort was spearheaded by one of our
superbenduringpatriots,the lateKenDeAbreu.
TheMinisterresponsible for Sports and Culture was Shirley Field-Ridley Discussions took place whether to name the facility after either of the abovenamedpersons.
In my presence, they both agreed to name it after Cliff Anderson, for reasons articulated in the SN Editorial, 8th January, 2025. When the initial Sports Hall was constructed, account was taken of the north-east trade winds and the ventilation was designed accordingly Many events
took place and no one has ever comp
d of discomfortandwhytheneed for expensive airconditioned units is another exampleofoursillystepsof stupidity, as we engage in this wasteful, woeful spendingspree.
The personnel who worked in this purported renovationandthequalityof the toilet and sanitary facilities are of course anothermatter
In any other society, the Head of the Ministry of Youth, Culture & Sport and his lieutenants would have been brought before some
tribunal to explain this woef
S N
Editorial,8thJanuary2025.
MyquestiontotheEditor and to citizens, is when will the people say ‘enough is enough?’
Remembertheoldadage ‘willful waste brings woeful want ’ Guyanese, in particular our young people, rise from your slumber beforeitistoolate.Congrats totheauthorofthatEditorial for the quality of research anderudition.
Regards HamiltonGreen Elder
Keeping our eyes on the prize and not being trapped in the silly season dramas
DEAREDITOR, It is incumbent upon Guyanese citizens to stay focused, united, and resist thetemptationtosuccumbto thecustomsoftheridiculous silly season dramas, which are frequently obscene and discouraging, as our nation isinitselectionyear Historically, die-hard supporters of Guyana’s major political parties engage in vitrolic and uncouth behaviours that cause trepidation among the major ethnicities, i e AfricansandEastIndians,in acountrythatisregardedasa diversified and civilised
society As a young man whoisinhistwenties,Ihave experienced the melee that transpired during the 2015 and 2020 General and Regional elections, respectively, which of course created a bad image ofourunifiedsociety
For over 60 years preand post-independence, our country has been subject to racism and divisiveness, which has undoubtedly led to a sense of distrust, superiority, and animosity among Guyanese ofAfrican andEastIndianDescent.
We live in a society that is continuously evolving,
free press that would lift the scales from the eyes of the masses.Wepositionourselvesfirmlyinthelatterposition.
Aswehavepointedoutonsomanypreviousoccasions, thegovernmenthasnothingtofearfromthetruth,ifitorany ofitsagenciesarenotcoveringupthattruth. Inademocracy, the“consentofthegoverned”mustbeaninformedconsent and it is the task of the press to present the facts that will informthecitizenry–especiallyasitrelatestotheactivities ofthestatetowhichtheyhaveconferredsomuchpower In thecriticismsdirectedatthisnewspaperbythegovernment’s topleadersandevenotherrepresentatives,wedetectalevel of hubris that belies the social contract that undergirds all democraticstates,whichdeclaresthoserepresentativestobe “servants of the people”. We suggest that they heed the lessonsofhistory
which means that our behavioural patterns and outlook should change as well.
Since the ethnic composition of Guyana’s two major political parties, the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) and the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), has obviouslychangedovertime, theabhorrentpracticeof“race baiting”muststopasithasno placeinthe21stcentury
Regardlessofourpolitical inclinations, we must remember that everyone ultimatelyhastherighttotheir own prerogatives, which essentiallymeansthatwemust respectoneanother Weshould never force, mistreat, or assault one another just because they may hold differentviewsaboutacertain politicalparty
Furthermore,ifsomeone is not interested in supporting a political party, wecannotconjuretheminto doing so. I find it extremely disheartening when friends and family who used to be unified diverge because of the political atmosphere,
especially during elections. Doesthemotto“OnePeople, One Nation, and One Destiny” really resonate with us? As the younger generation in this beautiful country, I am of the staunch beliefthatwhenweexamine thepoliticallandscape,there is a dire need for “maturity andrespectability”.Wehave allowedouropposingbeliefs to drag us into a state of disdainforfartoolong,even though we are aware that these destructive traits have led to our social regression, all eyes are continuously on us. I sincerely hope that racism and division are rejected in this country because they are definitely impeding our progress as a nation.As the leaders of the future, we must assume the responsibility that our predecessors did not, and lead a socially cohesive Guyana.
Can we do it? Yes, we can!
Regards AntonioDey Faculty of Sciences, FinalYearStudent UniversityofGuyana
Nascimento bats for non-renegotiation of lopsided oil contract
DEAREDITOR
,
In responding to my letter with regard to the government seeking to renegotiate the Oil and Gas 2016 PSA Contract with ExxonMobil, Christopher Ram resorts to the lowest formofdefencebyattacking the messenger while ignoring the message, arguing that I do not speak withanindependentvoiceas a Public Relations Consultant tothePresident Infact,Iwas notasked,directedorexpected to express my view on this matterandwhy,mayIask,is my defence of the government’s position any less valuable or legitimate thanRam’srepresentationof clients who pay him to represent them in or out of court?Further,IaskRamto explain what my past politicaldifferenceswithDr. andMs.Jaganhaveanything to do with the subject at hand,otherthanhumbugon thepartofMr Ram.
Christopher Ram has enthusiastically embraced thepopulistdemandthatthe government, or, for that matter, any government in office, must force ExxonMobil, whether they like it or not, to renegotiate the Oil and Gas 2016 PSA Contract. Ram, of course, can do so knowing that the consequences to the country of any government following thiscourseofactionwouldnot fallonhisunelectedshoulders
Ramrepeatsadnauseum that “the agreement itself provides for renegotiation, and Exxon cannot refuse to engage in good-faith discussions” Really The Contract requires that both parties must agree to renegotiation.AsIhavesaid in my letter, it matters not that just about every Guyanese is in agreement thattheExxonContractis,to use President Ali’s own words, “a bad deal”. Bad deal or not, the Exxon Contractwasenteredintoby the Government of Guyana and, regardless of which political party was in government, the obligation tohonouritremainswiththe GovernmentofGuyana.
Christopher Ram, nevertheless,wouldhavethe government force Exxon into arbitration, taking on a battery of Exxon’s well experienced lawyers in a court battle lasting over numerous years, with the riskofExxonshuttingdown production in the interim, regardless of whether they arelegallypermittedtodoso
or not, and watch while a plethora of potential investorscanceltheirvisitto Guyana and those that are here buy their tickets out of Guyana.
ChristopherRamisbigon thelossesGuyanasuffersfrom failure to renegotiate the Contract but, seems in ignorance, as Mr Sanjeev Datadinpointsoutinhisletter onthesubject,thatifExxonis forced to renegotiate the Contract, the Government of Guyana “must pay directly to Exxonthefullvaluebywhich their financial gain is reduced bythenewcontract”
As Professor, Dr Stanley AV Paul so correctly points out in his letter in today’s Stabroek News (7th January, 2025) coinciding with Ram’s, “the suggested course of aggressive renegotiations is a high-stakes gamble that could imperil Guyana’s economic stability, investor confidence and long-term growth trajectory” Hegoesontopoint out that “to suggest renegotiation without ExxonMobil’s willingness reduces the process to an exerciseincoercionratherthan dialogue Negotiation by definition presupposes mutual interest If ExxonMobil remains disinclined to revisit the existing terms, then any attempt to impose revisionswouldbeseen,not as negotiation, but as an act of unilateral economic aggression”. Precisely, but thisiswhereMr Ram,who,
asIhavesaidwouldbearno consequences,wantstotake our government and our country Anotherletterfroma Mike Persaud, I don’t know him, also prefers to attack the messenger(me)ratherthanthe message He writes in sheer ignorance of the reality of the threat from Venezuela, which hecalls“somesaber-rattling”
Stabroeknewshas,infact, published two Editorials pointing out the very real and present danger of Venezuela’s recentactivitiesonourborder, particularlytheconstructionof a bridge that unlawfully connectsVenezuela’smainland to the territory of Guyana on AnkokoIsland.Abridgewhich cancarrymilitaryvehiclesand lighttanks.Maduro’sunelected regimehasbuiltthisbridgewith obviously no good intention towards our country. By building this bridge, the Venezuelan government is in completeviolationofallofthe internationalagreementsithas signed on to with regard to refraining from any hostile action towards Guyana, both theICJandtheDeclarationof Argyle,but,Persaudchoosesto ignore this and describes as “nonsensical”, the need for Guyanatorelyuponitsfriends and allies to protect us and to ensure that we do nothing to undermine those friendships andalliances.
Surely, too, Persaud must know, since he presumes to express an opinion on the subject, that the reason that the Maduro
regimeaggressivelypursues its illegitimate claim to the Essequibo region is not because of the land but the fact that the possession of it giveslegitimateaccesstothe oil offshore which we are nowwithExxondeveloping. I end by asking a simple question of all of the protagonists for forcing renegotiating the Oil and Gas Contract with Exxon r e g a r d l e s s o f t h e consequences, that in spite of it being hugely advantageous to Exxon, would they prefer that we had never entered into any contractwithExxonandthe oil instead remained untouched, unexploited, entirely our own, under the groundandofnoearthlyuse atall?
Yourssincerely,
KitNascimento
The cash grant distribution
DearEditor, I am writing this letter as a concerned citizen of this so-called beautiful / oil-rich country of Guyana
I am very disturbed about the way old age pensioners are treated j u s t t o g e t t h i s $100,000 dollar that was promised by the Government of Guyana
This is a cash grant for all Guyanese, but the old aged pensioners are being treated like rubbish with no respect and like they have no value
The way in which the cash grant is being d
y disturbing.
When there is an
numerouspollingstations.
Why can’t the same be done for the cash grant distribution, which wouldbemuchbetterforthe old age pensioners and others to save the hustling, cost and time of moving from one location to another?
Why is it so hard to get this right?
Yourstruly
location to another just to be told that they are not distributing cash grant there anymore, that the time has passed for that So, what will happen to those old aged persons who did not receive the cashgrant?
HalimaKhan ForRedThread
Some observations around Georgetown Coming to the aid of a mother in Mocha
D
EAREDITOR
I am highlighting some observations from my Christmas holidays with a genuine concern for my country, all my people, and animals, for the greater good.
Bourda Market: The surrounding is terrible with rotted piled up garbage in trenches, guttersandonroads
This is rooted from a segment of culture that partakesinitasnormal
This shouldn’t excuse that people can change
per environmentalhygiene
a n d Godliness; give these people a reason and purpose to learn rather t
m
Demolish this dilapidated and raggedy market and erect a modern sheltered
vendors proper dwellings to sell their bountiful harvest
CJIA: Editor it is my impartial opinion that our national airport be r e n a m e d G u y a n a International Airport It will reflect our diverse people and exhibit country of vibrancy, e x c i t e m e n t a n d enthusiasm in our vast tropicallandscape.
When they see tons of garbage, they will add to it Authorities, please clean up the environ; place many garbage bins for people to cultivate proper standards; place sign
Horse-drawn Carts: it is unforgivable that
provide an alternative
den horses with battered and painful injured hoofs, to pull heavy loads of cement and wood daily in swelteringheat.
We must empathize and have compassion for animalsbyabolishinghorse drawncarts.
Editor, other issues
are: maddening and suffocating loud noise some call music felt on the seawall; gridlock and chaotic road traffic, all of which is old news, all of which, I wouldn’t burn my bridge Regards, Z.Williams
D
EARE
DITOR
, It is with profound disappointment that I write to address the glaring failuresofMinisterofSports Charles Ramson Jr and Minister of Local Government Sonia Parag. Their inability to deliver on promises to assist a struggling mother of two fromMochahaslaidbarethe lack of accountability and compassion in their leadership This mother, unable to walk for three yearsduetoillness,hasbeen forcedtoraiseherchildrenin a dilapidated home while waiting for help that never came.
Despite being entrusted with the resources and authority to improve lives, bothministershavefailedto act Their inaction is a betrayalofpublictrustanda stark reminder of the disconnectbetweenpolitical promises and reality This situation also exposes the emptiness of President IrfaanAli’smuch-publicized “One Guyana” initiative, which,forallitsfanfare,has failedtoaddresstheplightof thisvulnerablefamily.
Insharpcontrast,private citizen Azar Mohamed has shown what true leadership looks like. Without the resources or publicity of a government office, Mohamed stepped in to provide this family with a new home His selfless
actions highlight the glaring inefficiency of the government and its initiatives, such as the Men onMissiongroup,whichhas received millions in funding y e t c o n t i n u e s t o underdeliver
The time has come for accountability Ministers Ramson and Parag must resign.Theirfailuretofulfill their basic responsibilities demonstrates that they are unfittoholdpublicoffice.If they cannot serve the most vulnerable, they have no place in a government that claims to represent “One Guyana.”
This incident is not an isolated one but a symptom of a larger systemic failure.
President Ali and his administration must reevaluate their priorities and shift from publicity stunts to meaningful action.
Citizensdeserveleaderswho will act with urgency and empathy, not empty words andbrokenpromises.
The stark contrast between the actions ofAzar Mohamed, a private citizen, and the much-publicized “Men on Mission” initiative led by President Irfaan Ali could not be more evident. Azar Mohamed, without the fanfare or the vast resources at his disposal, has consistentlysteppedforward to help vulnerable citizens.
His most recent act of compassion providing a
new home for a disabled mother of two from Mocha speaks volumes about his genuine commitmenttohumanity In contrast, the “Men on Mission” group, which has received millions of dollars in funding and extensive media coverage, has yet to makeasignificantimpacton the lives of those most in need Despite its grand promises, the initiative has failed to deliver meaningful results. The story of this struggling mother and her childrenisaglaringexample of how the government and its well-funded programs have fallen short Azar Mohamed’s quiet but impactful efforts highlight what true service to the people looks like. He has shownthatonedoesnotneed vast resources or political p o w e r t o m a k e a difference—just a genuine desiretohelp.Hisactionsare areminderthatleadershipis notaboutemptypromisesor orchestrated photo opportunities; it is about delivering real results for thosewhodependonyou.
President Ali and his Men on Mission group shouldtakenote. Instead of pouring millions into initiatives that are heavy on publicity but light on results, they should focus on the real issues facingordinaryGuyanese (Continuedonpage09)
Hess hopes 7th oil project will be approved by April
Hess Corporation, a 30% stakeholder in Guyana's StabroekBlock,isoptimistic that the Government of Guyana will approve the H a m m e r h e a d development the seventh oil project—by April 2025. However, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), the operator of the block, is yet to submit a complete Field Development Plan (FDP)fortheproject.
SpeakingattheGoldman Sachs Research “Energy, CleanTech & Utilities Conference” on Tuesday, Hess Corporation CEO John Hess said, “We have a Field DevelopmentPlanthatwe're looking for the government to sanction let's say by April ofthisyear.”
Hammerheadisexpected to produce approximately 150 thousand barrels per day (kbd) a smaller capacity
compared to the 250 kbd expected from the fifth and sixth projects, Uaru and Whiptail developments, set to come onstream in 2026 and 2027 respectively
D
highlighted the project's
announced as Exxon's ninth commercial discovery in August 2018 Exxon is
production activities by 2029,followingtherequisite approvals.
“That's one tank of oil, it's a little heavier, but it's still got very attractive economics,oneevenofitself and two because of the production sharing contract thatwehave.Sowe'regonna have very high returns even thoughit'sasmallership,”he said.
The Production Sharing
Agreement(PSA)governing theStabroekBlockthatHess referred to is one that has been criticised for being lopsided, favoring the Stabroek Block partners more than the country The deal waives all taxes from the oil companies and caters for it to be paid by the government, gives Guyana a 2% royalty on its rich resources, and agrees to the oil companies recovering 75% of investments before theremaining25%isshared, with Guyana receiving 12.5%.
M o r e o v e r , H e s s addressed concerns about whether Hammerhead's smaller output signals declining opportunities in Guyana's oil sector “Now people are saying, 'Well that's your 7th ship and it's not250,it's150,sotherefore the future opportunities you
have in Guyana are not as attractive.' Not true. It's a tank of oil we wanna produce. We don't leave the oilbehind,”hesaid.
He underscored outlined plans for the Longtail p r o j e c t , t h e e i g h t development which he said is expected to be sanctioned in2026.Longtailwillfeature a 240,000-bpd Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO), focusing on gas liquids and lightercrude.
Hessstated,“Clearly,the pathwayto2030shouldhave 8 FPSOs producing in the range of 1.7 million barrels per day, and there's more to come after that there's some deeperhorizons,thereisalso some inboard horizons, younger rock as well, then there is some exploration thatwe'redoinginGuyana.”
A d d i t i o n a l l y , ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge during an episode of 'Energy Perspectives'thatwasposted onSundaysaid,“In2024,we c o m m e n c e d t h e environmental permit for Hammerhead and we anticipate in 2025 that we will submit the field development plan working closely with the EPAand the government on the approval process.”
ResourcesissuedExpression of Interests (EOI) seeking a consultanttoreviewExxon's FDP for the Hammerhead Development. However, a few weeks later, Guyana's Chief Policymaker on oil and gas, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had disclosed that he had informed the Ministry to discontinue the search for the consultant. He said he made this decision because theinformationthecompany presented thus far is incomplete.
“…So, there will be no consultant hired to review the project until we have the entiresubmission…untilwe have a full submission from Exxon, we are not gonna startthereviewprocessandI expect them to make a full submission sometime next year,”theVPhadsaid.
M o r e o v e r , t h i s publicationhadreportedthat while the government halted
itspartduetotheincomplete s u b m i s s i o n , t h e Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advanced its part in relation to the applicationthatwasmadeby E x x o n M o b i l f o r E n v i r o n m e n t a l Authorisation for the Hammerheadproject.
On November 6, EPA published the Terms and Scope to guide the p r e p a r a t i o n o f t h e Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Hammerhead Development. The EPA said it conducted a reviewoftheapplicationand determined that the project may significantly affect the environmentandwillrequire an EIA. “This Terms and Scopeguidesthepreparation oftheEIA.WhileSection11 of the Act specifies “EIA”, this Terms and Scope seeks to include social and economic components in keeping with the Guyana Environmental Protection Act…”EPAsaid.
Copa Airlines increases flight frequencies between Guyana and Panama
Copa Airlines (NYSE: CPA), a subsidiary of Copa Holdings,S.A.andamember of the global Star Alliance network, has announced the expansion of its flight schedule between Guyana andPanamaCity
The expansion, which started on January 5, 2025, will see passengers enjoying increased flexibility and more travel options with the addition of two weekly flights, bringing the total to sevenflightsperweek.
This enhancement reinforcesCopaAirlines'role in connecting Guyana with over 80 destinations in the Americas via the Hub of the Americas® at Tocumen International Airport in
Panama City.Since 2014, Copa Airlines has been a key player in connecting Guyana with the rest of the Americas, promoting the country's growth and f a c i l i t a t i n g i t s integration into global markets.
“By increasing our flight frequencies to Guyana, we aim to further strengthen the country's ties with the region and open new opportunities for tourism and commerce.
At CopaAirlines, we believe in Guyana's potential and connectingitstravelerstothe world,” stated Karen Nanne, Regional Sales Manager for Central America and the Caribbean. The additional flights
will operate on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays starting January 5. Flight CM181 will depart Tocumen International Airport at 8:57 a m , arriving at Cheddi JaganInternationalAirportat 1:28 p.m. (local time). The return flight, CM180, will leave Guyana at 2:23 p.m. and land in Panama at 5:10 p.m.(localtime).
Expanded Flight Schedule
These two new flights complement the five weekly flights already connecting Georgetown and Panama City Theupdatedscheduleis asfollows: From Panama City (Tocumen International Airport): (Continued on page 09)
Hess Corporation CEO, John Hess
Jagdeo’s policies were a disaster
Bharrat Jagdeo’s proclamation of his party’s approach to reducing income inequality is a tutorial in politicalsleightofhand Athis weekly press conference last Thursday,Jagdeolaidbarehis government’s strategy to tacklethisage-oldscourge
The PPPC’s strategy, according toJagdeoinvolves creating employment, ensuring higher-paying jobs througheducation,improving healthcare, and promoting wealth accumulation via housing Yet, as one unpacks Jagdeo’s gilded declarations, theglaringcontradictionsand historical failures of this neoliberal model surface, exposing the inherent inequality embedded in its verydesign
Jagdeo’sfaithintheneoliberal model is neither new nor surprising. Since 1992, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPPC) has adhered to a playbook that
champions market-driven solutions, privatization, liberalization and private sectordevelopment. While this approach has undeniably fostered the emergenceofamiddleclass, it has also exacerbated the chasm between the lower, middle, and upper classes Income inequality, rather thannarrowing,haswidened, leaving a significant portion of the population grappling with poverty and economic disenfranchisement
Jagdeo’s policies were a disaster when it came to reducing inequality in Guyana A World Bank document noted the following: “The 2017 Labor ForceSurvey(LFS)suggests that Guyana’s poverty rate is among the highest in the region, at 434 percent in 2017,usingtheupper-middle incomepovertyline(US$55 a day 2011 PPP) Moreover, duringthephaseofsustained
growth between 2006 and 2017, the income of the bottom 40 percent grew slower than the average, resultinginincreasedincome inequality, with the Gini coefficient, rising from 046 to048”
Yet Jagdeo persists today with the same prescriptions thatfailedhimandsuccessive PPPC governments When willhelearnthathismedicine is making the country sicker; whenwillhechange?
Employment creation, Jagdeo’sfirstpillarinreducing inequality, is emblematic of the neo-liberal model’s shortcomings Theabsenceof alivingwageunderminesany potentialbenefitsofincreased employment Whilejobsmay have been created, they are often low-paying, insecure, and incapable of lifting workers out of poverty This failure is compounded by the government’s alignment with thebourgeoisclass,whichhas
Coming to the aid of a mother...
Frompage06 citizens. The failure to provide basic assistance to the most vulnerable among us is not just a failure of leadershipbutafailureofthe very ideals that the “One Guyana” slogan purports to stand for. It is time for the governmenttoreevaluateits priorities and focus on genuine service to the people.Meanwhile,wemust continue to recognize and support private citizens like Azar Mohamed, who are makingatangibledifference without the pomp and circumstance. Yourssincerely, B.Beharry
Flight CM190: Departs 9:31 p.m., arrives at Cheddi Jagan International Airport at 1:59 a m (operating Mondays, Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays,andSundays).
From Georgetown
(Cheddi Jagan International Airport): Flight CM180: Departs 2:23 p m , arrives at Tocumen International Airport at 5:10 p m (operating Tuesdays, Saturdays,andSundays).
Flight CM191:
Departs 5:18 a m , arrives at Tocumen International Airport at 5:52 a m
(operating Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays). Passengers can book their flights to and f r o m G u y a n a v i a copa com, sales offices, or callcenters
DEM BOYS SEH
Is best fuh know what yuh wife want!
Yesterdaydemboystell destoryaboutBobandhow he did fuhget fuh buy he wifeananniversarygift.Up tonowdemcan’tfindBob. Well today dem boys wanttotelldestoryofJohn. Now John is one man who don’t fuhget dates.Yuh see hewas aloancollectorand he does remember when every loan due. So when it comes to birthday or anniversaries, he don’t fuhget. In fact, if was one thing yuh could be certain of every year, is that John gan buy he wife something f
birthday.You see, John and Marybinmarried40years. AndJohnwantedtogether somethingthatshewanted. But like most husbands, he did not know what she reallywanted.AndsoJohn decidetoaskMarywhashe want fuh celebrate de big 40th anniversary After all was a major milestone and he wanted to get her something nice. He start widsomefancyideas.
“Mary, yuh want a new diamondring?”heask.
Mary seh, “Nah, I good.”
“Well how ’bout a brand-new Mercedes Benz
stymiedeffortstoconvergethe nationalminimumwagewith the public service minimum wage Suchactionsrevealthe government’s priorities: safeguardingtheinterestsof theeliteattheexpenseofthe workingclass.
The government’s investments in education are touted as a means to ensure higher-paying jobs But these have yielded dismal results Despite significant spending, morethan50%ofstudentsfail school-leaving examinations at both the primary and secondarylevels Thisstatistic is an indictment of the education system and the structural inequities it perpetuates The PPPC’s education policy is characterizedbysurface-level interventionsandsocialmedia posturing It lacks the vision anddepthrequiredtoaddress therootcausesofeducational underperformance.
A n e n l i g h t e n e d education policy would prioritise quality over quantity,equityoveraccess, andoutcomesoveroptics.It wouldrecognisethatringing school bells and posing for Facebook photos do little to bridge the educational divide.Thecurrentapproach further entrenches inequality
Jagdeo’s claim that the government’s housing program promotes wealth accumulation is perhaps the most audacious of his assertions. While it is true thatmanypoorfamilieshave accessed housing through government schemes, the programme’s inherent flaws have allowed the rich to benefit disproportionately The practice of acquiring house lots using irrevocable powers of attorney, a loophole exploited by the wealthy to bypass regulations, underscores the inequitieswithinthesystem.
These discrepancies raise serious questions about the government’s commitment
to equitable housing policies.IfJagdeoissincere about addressing inequality, he must confront the uncomfortable truth: the government’s housing program has become a vehicle for wealth accumulation among the elite rather than a tool for povertyalleviation.
Even more concerning is the issue of land ownership
The concentration of land ownership remains a persistent concern When the PPPCassumedofficein1992, 5% of the population owned 75% of the land Thirty-two years later, Jagdeo has yet to provide data to demonstrate anymeaningfulredistribution
If the government is serious about reducing inequality,itmustabandonits reliance on the neo-liberal model and adopt a holistic, bottom-up approach. This b e g i n s w i t h t h e implementation of a national poverty reduction scheme targeted at the poorest of the poor,includingthroughdirect transferstotheneediest
A living wage must become the keystone of employment policy The government’s failure to converge the national minimum wage with the publicserviceminimumwage reflectsalackofpoliticalwill rather than economic constraints
By ensuring that all workers earn a wage that meets their basic needs, the government can take a significant step towards reducingincomeinequality
In education, the focus must shift from access to equity. Education policy should aim to create a level playing field, enabling all students to achieve their potential regardless of their
loopholes and ensure that housing schemes serve their intended beneficiaries. An auditshouldbeconductedto determine whether persons who previously owned property illegally benefitted from government’s housing programme and these lots must be repossessed immediately and distributed to the poor To invoke the rhetoric of reducing inequality while adhering to policies that exacerbate it is notonlymisleadingbutalso an affront to the tens of thousands of Guyanese who continue to struggle in the faceofgrowinginequality
The neo-liberal model, which underpins Jagdeo’s policies, is inherently unequal.
It prioritizes economic growth over social equity, wealth accumulation over wealth distribution, and market efficiency over human dignity By perpetuating this model, the government has entrenched inequality rather than alleviated it How come Jagdeo has not learnt this in hislongcareer?
car?”Johnaskagain.
Mary shake she head. “Nope.” John try one more time. “Wha ‘bout a nice vacationtoParis?”
Mary seh, “No thanks, John.”
By now, John get lil frustrated.Heseh,“Alright, M a r y , t e l l m e straight—wha you really wantfuhyuhanniversary?”
Mary look him dead in de eye and seh, “John, I wantadivorce.”
A casual glance at government housing schemes reveals the stark contrastbetweenthemodest homes of the poor and the opulentmansionsoftherich.
policy, too, requires a fundamental overhaul. The government must clamp down on the exploitation of
It is time for Jagdeo and his government to confront the failures of the past three decades and chart a new course one that places the needs of the many above the interestsofthefew If Jagdeo wishes to be remembered as a champion of the people rather than a steward of the elite, he must abandon the neo-liberal playbook and embrace a vision of governance that prioritizes equality. But then again,youcannotteachanold dognewtricks!
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
H@RD TRUTHS
John Hess speaks, Guyanese should listen
Exxon's partner, John Hess,isfeelinghisoats. The venue was the Goldman Sachs Research: Energy, CleanTech, and Utilities
Conference held last Tuesday Mr Hess used that open forum to broadcast his disagreement with Exxon over the proven reserves of oil in the Stabroek Basin.
Mr Hess has gained a reputation among Guyanese as being a man who speaks fluently Somemaysayheis toofluent.
In this matter of the inventory of oil-up-to-date, accurate, reliable-I want to hear him speak as freely as he can, so that Guyanese havetheclearestideaofhow much oil overall has been found.
It should be a normal aspect of any companycountry partnership routine, withcitizensbenefitingfrom the info flow It hasn't been sohere.
Say whatever must be said about him, but John Hess, Chief Executive Officer of Hess Corporation hasbeeninbusinesssincehe was knee-high to a calf.
Though more of New York roots, he has cut his teeth on oil, with his father, Leon Hess, as good a teacher as can be had. It helped that he spent some time at the Harvard Business School. For emphasis, he may be talkative, but he is a keen businessexecutive.
So,heisconcernedabout the oil reserves matter His company has one estimate for the total in Guyana's Stabroek Block, while Exxonhasasmallernumber It seems that something is nagging at Mr. Hess causing him to vent publicly A Goldman Sachs gathering is a good place to get his message across. Exxon's estimates are too tight. I agree.
There were eight new discoveries as ofApril 2022, but Exxon was busy counting sheep and not barrels of new oil. Since April 2022, Exxon has become like the Communist Party of North Korea. It has been a Corporate Iron Curtain of silence, not one wordaboutonenewbarrelof oil. It also appears that new
discoveries have gone on an extended sabbatical. First, there was the gush of discoveries Since Guyanese started clamoring for renegotiation of the company's Machiavellian masterpiece, the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement, better known as the oil contract, new discoveries fell out of favor Well, at least in the public sphere.
Exxon is riding high in the saddle, like one of those legendary old-time Texas badmen. So,itcanaffordthe luxury of saying little about new discoveries and how much new oil is under its wing. What is good for Exxon is not as good for HessCorp.
It doesn't have that cushionofgoodwillandhigh regard from the eagle-eyed watchers who tune in to confabs like the recent GoldmanSachsone.
Asanoutsiderandnever one of the Seven Sisters of oil, Hess Corp has to be a scrapper So,therewasJohn Hess leaning impatiently against the proven oil
reserve numbers for Guyana usedbyExxon.
Exxon's top Guyana trail boss, Mr Alistair Routledge, was ready and waiting Listen, these numbers have to be reported to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), so be done with the questioning, second guessing, and disagreeing. Get over it, Johnny
For sure, Exxon has a duty of timely reporting to the SEC for full and fair investor disclosure purposes.
But what Mr. Routledge did was get the first half, the compelling half, of his oil reserve story on the public record. What he didn't tell his audience, especially the Guyanese people, is how much leeway the rules amended in 2010, and as last tweaked in 2013, allow a champion oil acrobat like Exxon to deal with reserves tosuititself.
The SEC's new reporting rules allow oil and gas companiestoemployarange of probabilities, along with reliable technology, to make
estimates about reserves with r e a s o n a b l e certainty Further, the SEC is also now allowing reporting of “probable reserves” and “possible reserves” alongside“provedreserves”, and with “analogous reservoirs” thrown in as an addedbonus. Insum,there is a tremendous amount of company expertise and discretion allowed by the SEC.
A company as reporting savvy as Exxon is sure to recognize the opportunities to work reserve estimates to suititsvisions,andallwithin therules. It is not the oldest American oil company for nothing. Its history goes all the way back to Titusville, Pennsylvania, John D Rockefeller, and Standard Oil. Exxon will report, but only after exhausting all the spaces it can create to buy time.
Hess himself is no poke atthisgame. Hecanrockthe boat a bit, but Exxon is the engine Of course, his
courtship with Michael Wirth and Chevron has left a sour taste. For a while, Exxon firmly believedthat it wasfirstinlineinanysaleof shares in the Stabroek Block by any partner Their domestics about shares and sales are of less importance to me when the real number of new oil (the total) has become such a lock-and-key issue for Exxon Mr. Routledge's all-too-careful navigationoftheoilreserves issuehasbeenfullyabsorbed here.
Why,sir? Andnowthere is an insider and partner, JohnB.Hess,addingmoreto the reserve story It is a little toorichforme,frankly (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)
BLUNT BLUNT
Depress-conference
Today reporters who care to attend will be at Freedom House to listen once again to a Former President now Vice President.
Every week this man goes on about everything under the sun—and even the rain. He talks endlessly about the PNC, the AFC, Glenn Lall, Christopher Ram, GHK Lall Melinda Janki, Vincent Adams, and anyone else who dares to point out the flaws and faults in the country
Every week, he is stuck on the same old tune: what the PNC did 40 years ago, what he saved Guyana from, and whathe is supposedly doing now to uplift the country and its people.
Every week, we hear about his plans to build 12 hospitals, a harbour bridge, 2,000 miles of roads, schools, and the whole nine yards. It is like a never-ending checklist of projects, but when it comes to the mismanagement of our resources—our oil wealth especially—it is as if Guyana is a cassava and eddoe plantation, not an oil or gold producing nation.
You hear nothing about the billions flowing out of this country: no accountability, no transparency, no answers. And when questions are put to him about these issues, you would think he suddenly gone deaf.
Chair of US EXIM Bank on three-day visit to Guyana
Chairman and President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) Reta Jo Lewis will visit Guyana from January 9 – 12, 2025 to highlight the bank's recent approval of US$527 million in financing to support a gas-to-energy project that will double thecountry'sinstalledelectriccapacity
The project will help Guyana transition to more reliable and cleaner energy for consumers and businesses, while supporting 1,500 American jobs, theUnitedStatesEmbassyheresaidina press release announcing Lewis' visit. “It will also unlock economic growth potential for U S and Guyanese companies of all sizes,” the release added.Lewis,accordingtotheembassy will meet with President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, senior Guyanese officials, and business leaders to discuss the projectandfutureopportunitiesforU.S. and Guyanese companies to partner for the benefit of the American and Guyanesepeople.
The EXIM Bank loan will support the US$759 million cost of the natural gas-fired power plant and natural gas liquids (NGL) plant being constructed by a joint venture, CH4-Lindsayca and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has said that the interest rate on the US$527 millionloanis“verycompetitive”.
Over the 15-year repayment period, Guyana will pay the bank a whopping US$316 2M in interest alone, in keeping with the 4% annual rate. This means the country will be paying the Bank a total of US$843.2M overall for the amount it borrowed. During his press conference at Freedom House, last week Jagdeo defended the interest rate as he compared the terms of the loan to a previous loan agreement
President of the US EXIM Bank, Reta Jo Lewis
administration. He reasoned, “Let me just say to you, 4% interest is a very competitive interest rate. If you look at the 10 years treasury bill in the U.S, its higher than 4%. If you look at when APNUhadconcludedthe4.7%loanfor GuySuCo through Republic Bank, they were paying 4.7% with a sovereign guarantee.” Jagdeo argued that the global interest rate at the time was the lowest,atabout1.6%ontreasurybills.
Furthermore, he said, “When we took office, interest rates were 40% in the early period, just imagine, at 4% if this is burdensome imagine how much we would have had to pay if that was the case.” Additionally, the VP explained that based on the terms of the loan agreement with the US EXIM Bank, Guyana will not be required to make any payments in the first five years, but will only commence paying installmentsin2031.
Guyana will be required to make
two annual payments on November 1 and May 1, commencing on May 1, 2031. Back in April 2023 it was revealed that Guyana applied to the Bank for a US$646M loan to support the NGL and power plant It is important to note that the Gas-toEnergy(GTE)projectalsocomprisesof a 12-inch diameter pipeline being developed by the Stabroek Block operator,ExxonMobilGuyanaLimited. Exxon previously said the structure is expectedtocostUS$1B.Guyanaisalso expected to repay the contractor for the pipeline over a 20-year period. Project Head,WinstonBrassingtoninFebruary 2023 explained that Guyana will be required to pay back ExxonMobil some US$55millioneachyearfor20yearsto repay the company for its investment in thepipeline.“ThatUS$55millionisthe amortized cost of US$1 billion for 20 yearsatadiscountrate,”hesaid.
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is the nation's official export credit agency with the missionofsupportingAmericanjobsby facilitatingU.S.exports.
T o a d v a n c e A m e r i c a n competitiveness and assist U S businesses as they compete for global sales, EXIM offers financing including export credit insurance, working capital guarantees, loan guarantees, and direct loans. As an independent federal agency, EXIM contributestoU.S.economicgrowthby supporting tens of thousands of jobs in exporting businesses and their supply chains across the United States. Since 1992, EXIM has generated more than $9 billion for the U.S. Treasury for repayment of U.S. debt. Learn more at www.exim.gov
Woman dies while relaxing in car with boyfriend
Police are investigating the death of a woman who died after falling ill while relaxing in a car at Linden Region,10.
The dead woman is identified as 32-year-old Tiffianna Stewart of Wismar Linden.
Police said that she was with her boyfriend relaxing in a car when she suddenly started coughing. Blood was seen coming from her mouth and she subsequently fell unconscious Stewart was rushedtotheLindenHospital Complex where she was pronounceddeadonarrival.
Police has since learnt that the woman was living with a heart condition and would sometimes have troublebreathingproperly
Security guard on bail for discharging firearm
A 38-year-old security guard appeared before the Georgetown Magistrates' Court on Wednesday to a n s w e r c h a r g e s o f discharging a loaded firearm withintent.
Ryan Weekes, of Lot 150 6th Street, Alberttown, Georgetown, is accused of shooting Jason Hardy on June 16, 2024, at Lot 16 Durban Bank Lands, Georgetown.
The charge was read to Weekes by Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty to which he pleaded guilty Weekes' attorney, Everton Lammy-Singh, questioned why his client was only now being charged, nearly seven months after the incident.
Lammy-Singhexplainedthat while on duty at a China Trading store, Weekes had witnessed an attempted robbery According to Lammy-Singh, the incident occurred around 05:00hrs when the suspect, identified as Hardy, attempted to steal tilesfromthestore.
"At around 5:00 AM, the individual attempted to rob China Trading, where my client was working He picked up some tiles, and whenheattemptedtoretrieve the items, he (Weekes) stepped back, and fired shots in the direction of the individual," Lammy-Singh said.
Lammy-Singh further noted that Weekes had already been on bail for six months and had no prior criminal convictions The prosecution objected to bail, stating that Weeks was not threatened by Hardy at the
time of the incident
A c c o r d i n g t o t h e prosecution, while Weekes was in possession of the gun, Hardy was picking up abandoned broken tiles locatedoppositethestore.
The prosecution further stated that CCTV footage showed no indication of a direct threat from Hardy toward Weekes The prosecution contended that Weeks and Hardy had an interaction before the shot was fired, and Weekes discharged the firearm withoutjustification.
The prosecution also highlighted that Hardy had sustained "life-threatening injuries" as a result of the shooting.
Despitetheprosecution's objections, it was revealed thatHardyhadattendedcourt but was denied entry due to inappropriate attire After considering both sides of the argument, Magistrate McGusty granted Weekes bail in the sum of $150,000, with the condition that he report to the East La Penitence Police Station Weekes is scheduled to return to court for further proceedings on February 5, 2025.
Dead: Tiffianna Stewart
Ryan Weekes
Womenincourtafterfightoverlover
A21-year-old w o m a n appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, facing chargesofassaultinganother woman who was seen with her spouse and the father of her children outside her home.
Javshana Gonsalves, a mother of two young children aged three and one, is accused of assaulting Alicia Myers at Gonsalves' home on Hadfield Street, Lodge, Georgetown, on November 12, 2024
Gonsalves pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to her by Acting Chief MagistrateFaithMcGusty When asked by the Magistrate to explain her actions, Gonsalves shared her side of the story She explained that she lives with
her partner of seven years and their two children at the address in question
According to Gonsalves, Myers, who also claims to have a relationship with her partner, arrived at her home and knocked on the gate, callingforhim.
“I thought she was very disrespectful,” Gonsalves toldthecourt.
However, Myers, who appeared virtually, provided a different account She explained that she had come to return a toolbox to Gonsalves' partner “I called for him, he didn't answer becausehewassleeping,soI went outside and shouted for him.
A few minutes later, he cameouttome,andwesatin the car and spoke a bit,” Myersstated.
Myers continued, saying
that soon after, Gonsalves was seen approaching the car, picking up a piece of wood, and allegedly punching her in the face.
During the proceedings, the Magistrate asked Gonsalves whether she was still in a relationship with the man, to
US teen drowns in Linden during Boxing Day outing
An 18-year-old man from the United States drowned on Boxing Day, December 26, 2024, while celebrating his birthday in Linden.
Dead is Demarius Willabus Payne, who hails from Atlanta, Georgia, and hadtravelledtoGuyanawith family members to mark his milestonebirthday
According to Payne's aunt, Onica Narr, the family had been enjoying a boat trip on the Demerara River at Coomacka Mines in Linden when disaster struck. Payne, along with other relatives, was in a small boat when it capsized and began to sink.
“Unfortunately, while he was swimming, he caught a cramp and panicked. As a result of that, water entered hislungs,”Narrsaid.
Other family members were able to pull Payne from the river in a semi-conscious state,butdespitetheirefforts to rush him to the Linden Hospital,hewaspronounced deadonarrival.
Police confirmed the incident, stating that the body was escorted to the Linden Hospital Complex, where Payne was declared dead on arrival. A postmortem examination was performed on December 30, 2024, by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh. “The PME was done onDecember30th,2024.Dr Singh gave the cause of death as drowning,” the police reported. The body has since been handed over
tothefamilyforburial. F o l l o w i n g t h e devastating loss, Payne's family expressed their grief on social media. His aunt, Onica Naar, posted a heartfelt message on Facebook: “I woke up today praying this was just a bad dream but it's not. My heart can't begin to process the amount of pain I feel. Mario, it hurts, and it hurts even more having to see you fight and take your last breath
which Gonsalves responded in the affirmative, saying, “We have been together for sevenyears.”
H o w e v e r, M y e r s complicated the situation further, stating that she too has a relationship with the man. Magistrate McGusty questioned Gonsalves about her actions, stressing that such behaviour could have resulted in her being
separated from her children.
Acknowledging Gonsalves' frustration, the Magistrate advised her to handle conflicts in a more mature way.“Because of the tender ages of your children, I will notplaceyouincustody
You need to learn how to control your temper,” Magistrate McGusty told Gonsalves. Gonsalves was fined $20,000, with the
The police car used by bandits when they returned for more money
Dead: Demarius Willabus Payne
yesterday All you wanted was to spend your 18th birthday with your family It's unfair to know that you are so full of life and it was taken away from you. Only God knows best. And I pray that my family has the strength to deal with the loss we had yesterday Mario, I love you. Rest in peace, my nephew.” The family is now mourning the sudden loss of a young man full of life, takentoosoon.
stipulation that failure to pay would result in one month in prison.Additionally,shewas placed on a bond to keep the peacefor12months. The magistrate also offered some advice for both women. “I think you both need to speak with this gentleman,” she added, suggestingthattheyconfront the man involved in the situation.
Cop charged in connection with Giftland car park abduction
Police Lance Corporal, Delon Younge appeared at theSparendaamMagistrate's CourtonTuesday,chargedin relation to the October 2024 abduction of Kevin Fiedtkou at the Giftland Mall car park inLiliendaal,Georgetown.
The incident, which occurred on October 10, saw Fiedtkou, an operations supervisor at Aurora Gold Mining Inc., being abducted and robbed by three men posing as police officers. Following an investigation, the GPF confirmed that two officers would face criminal charges in connection with thecrime.
Inanupdatepolicestated that the DPP chambers returned the file on the case Wednesday morning with recommendations that Youngebecharged. Younge, who was stationed at the Brickdam Police Station's Traffic Department was charged with Conspiracy to Commit a Felony
He appeared before MagistrateCliveNurse,who read the charge to him. He
pleaded not guilty and was granted $40,000 bail. The case was adjourned until February 2025 for further disclosure.
In addition to Younge's charge, police said that another officer would be charged under the Police Disciplinary Act for the unauthorized use of a police vehicleduringtheabduction.
The abduction unfolded when Fiedtkou, 31, was approached by three men, two armed with firearms, who falsely identified themselves as police officers.
They took him to his home in Providence, East Bank Demerara, where they demanded money for his release.
In total, Fiedtkou was forced to hand over $9.5 million However, the following day, the suspects returned in a police vehicle and demanded more money Fiedtkou reportedly gave them $40,000, to make them leave.
In connection with the
robbery, the GPF last year, issued a wanted bulletin for 29-year-old Okeemo Arak Brummell. Brummell's last known address is in Bel Air Springs,Georgetown.
Fiedtkou later recounted the ordeal, stating, “One of them had on a suit and the other two had on normal clothes” Surveillance footage released by a local media outlet showed the suspects arriving at the mall in a heavily-tinted silvergrey Toyota Premio. The footage revealed the men exiting the car, approaching Fiedtkou's pickup truck, identified themselves as police. Fiedtkou was then handcuffed and forced into thecar
The suspects then drove Fiedtkou to his home at Providence, East Bank Demerara, where they continuedtodemandmoney
"My son was home when they came," Fiedtkou recalled, describing the trauma the experience caused both him and his family
Javshana Gonsalves
Mabaruma gets $46M maternity waiting home
Minister of Health, Dr FrankAnthony and his team on Tuesday commissioned the newly built $46 million maternity waiting home at Mabaruma,RegionOne.
The 14-bed waiting home, the second such facilityintheregionisaimed atimprovingmaternalhealth outcomes by providing a safe environment for e x p e c t a n t m o t h e r s , particularly those living in far-flungareas.
Ac c o r d i n g t o information released by the Ministry of Health on Wednesday, the waiting home is located in close proximity to the Mabaruma Regional Hospital and it offers a comfortable and secure place to stay during thelaterstagesofpregnancy, ensuring that mothers have accesstoessentialhealthcare services.
The facility is said to be equipped with trained staff
to provide support and monitor the health of both mothers and their babies
Delivering brief remarks at
Anthony related that this project is part of the government's efforts to ensure health equality while reducing maternal mortality
During his address, Dr Anthony mentioned that
last year they have recorded about 14 maternal deaths across the country noting that most were recorded as indirect deaths, meaning the persons had other issues and due to the fact that they did not come and access care early,itwastoolate.
“The 14 deaths reported, however, reflects a significant decline in maternal deaths in Guyana but we still want to work to get as close as possible to zero death,” he further stated.
Appealing to persons not justinRegionOnebutacross the country to utilize the
health services that is being offered, the Minister also warned about the dangers of shirking the regularly scheduled antenatal clinic visits as this can lead to severe complications which canbelife-threatening.
T h i s p u b l i c a t i o n understands that maternity waiting homes are part of a broader initiative which includes training healthcare providers, increasing access to prenatal and postnatal care, and telehealth services and increasing awareness and education about the importance of maternal health.
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand on Wednesday turned the sod for another major secondary school project, this time in the community of Kaneville on theEastBankofDemerara(EBD).
The school which will be built forapproximately$1.2billionisset to cater for over 500 students from the Kaneville/Grove areas and will beaGradeAschool.
In December 2024, Kaieteur News reported that the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office awarded the contracts following the national bidding procedure.
Sheriff Construction had receivedthelargestsinglecontract, valued at $418 22 million, to constructaportionoftheschool.
Meanwhile, You Nailed It Construction secured two contracts: $27 million for Block I and$148millionforBlockJ. D&S Constructionwasawarded$116.56 million for Block F, while JK Enterprise Inc. won two contracts totaling $225 million $115 million for Block G and $110 million for Block H JD's Construction Company also secured two contracts: $48 26
million for Block D and $109.05 million for Block E. Additionally, A. Ograsein & Sons was awarded $74.38millionforBlockA,andNP Contracting & Transport Services received $39.76 million for Block C.
access to high-quality learning facilities. The construction of the brand new building is set to commence on January 12, 2025, with a construction duration of 11 months.
speaking at the simple ceremony reaffirmed the government's c
educational needs of students from the Kaneville-Grove area, addressing longstanding challenges of overcrowding and improving access to secondary educationintheregion.
KaieteurNewsunderstandsthat alongsidetheKanevilleSecondary, the Education Ministry will also be constructing a secondary school at ProspectontheEastBank.
According to a release from the ministry, this state-of-the-art secondary school is set to enhance the educational landscape of the region, ensuring that students have
e education, highlighting that the school is a vital component of its overarching mission to provide every child with access to modern facilities and a nurturing learning environment.
Government had set 2025 to achieve universal secondary education. To achieve this, the ministry has since moved to have several secondary schools constructedacrossthecountry Sodturnedfor$1.2BKanevilleSecondarySchool
Notably, the ministry shared, a subsequent three-month defects period will guarantee that the completed school meets all quality standards. The construction works will be supervised by Origin
The school will cater to the
“So far we are extending the Diamond Secondary even as we speak, we are building another school at Prospect, we just finished Yarrowkabra, we are extending significantly the other schools on the East Bank, extending and rehabilitating a large sum but we still need this large secondary schoolsothatwecanaccommodate all our children,” the Minister said in her live broadcast. As reported previously, the ministry had embarked on an aggressive programme to ensure that the nation's children have access to
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand along with her team and contractors turning the sod for the new Kaneville Secondary School.
Section of the Mabaruma Maternity Waiting Home. (Photos: Ministry of Health)
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony on Tuesday commissioning the newly built $46 million Maternity Waiting Home at Mabaruma.
TheMinistryofForeignAffairs has expressed grave concern regarding recent actions and statements by the Government of Venezuela, which constitute clear violations of theArgyleAgreement of December 14, 2023, and the binding Order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued on December1,2023.
The ForeignAffairs Ministry in a statement noted that the violation oftheArgyleAgreementtheArgyle Agreement, signed in the presence of regional and international interlocutors, unequivocally commits Guyana and Venezuela to refrain from escalating any conflict or disagreement arising from the territorial controversy between the twoStates.
This includes refraining from actions that could aggravate tensions or alter the current situation in the disputed territory, pending resolution in accordance withinternationallaw
However,theannouncementby
President Nicolás Maduro on January 7, 2025, regarding the election of a "Governor of the Guayana Esequiba" by "the people ofGuayanaEsequiba"constitutesa direct viola
commitments.
According to the Ministry, this unilateral action disregards the spirit of the Argyle Agreement, undermines the agreed framework for dialogue and peaceful coexistence, and significantly escalates tensions between our nations. The people of Guyana's Essequibo region are Guyanese nationals who live in Guyana's sovereignterritory.
The statement noted: “It would be a flagrant violation of the most fundamental principles of international law, enshrined in the UN Charter, for Venezuela to attempt to conduct an election in Guyanese territory involving the participation of Guyanese nationals. Violation of the ICJ Order the ICJ, in its Order dated
December 1, 2023, directed that Venezuela shall refrain from any actions that would modify the situation prevailing in the disputed territory, which is currently administered by Guyana The Order also emphasized that both States must avoid actions that might aggravate or extend the dispute or make it more difficult to
President Irfaan Ali and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro shake hands after the Argyle agreement on 14 December 2023.
resolve,”thestatementcontinued.
According to the Ministry, President Maduro's statement, coupled with any actions to integrate the Essequibo region into Venezuela's administrative framework,includingbycallingfor an election "by the people of Guayana Esequiba" of a governor of "Guayana Esequiba," represents
a blatant disregard for this binding Order The Ministry noted that “Such actions not only jeopardize the judicial process but also undermine the authority of the ICJ astheprincipaljudicialorganofthe United Nations. Guyana reserves the right to ask the Court for additional provisional measures in the event that Venezuela takes any steps toward conducting its socalled "election" in Guyanese territory or involving Guyanese nationals.”
As such, Guyana urges Venezuela to immediately cease all actions that contravene the Argyle Agreement and the ICJ Order and to recommit to the principles of international law and peaceful dispute resolution to which it agreed at Argyle. Guyana remains prepared to engage in constructive dialogue under the agreed frameworks, but it cannot condone or accept unilateral actions that threaten its sovereignty and territorialintegrity
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Speed meters being introduced as part of new E-ticketing system
New speed clocks are being installed across the major highways in the country as part of efforts to introduce an E-ticketing system, Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall SC said on Tuesday. He was at the time speaking during an episode of his Facebook commentary, ‘Issues in the News.’ According to the AG, work is ongoing to ensure the system is operational soon. “If you look along there are devices along the highway that are placed there to record the speed of your vehicles and that is being implemented across the major highways of this country. That is part of the E-Ticketing system which we will launch very shortly,” he disclosed.
Speaking of the progress made in bringing the system on stream, Nandlall explained that “The contractor, the tech-
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs
Anil Nandlall SCA nical person and our legal advisors at the Attorney General Chambers are working together to ensure that our laws are complied with. To ensure that the technological mechanisms are in place and to ensure also that the legal machinery is in place. So that when the tickets are generated they are done so efficiently, they are done so legally and the due process is
observed.” “It’s a complex exercise because we are moving a process that is manual and paper-driven to one that is completely electronic we have already passed amendments to the road traffic act and we now have to build out machinery that will support them.”
He added, “The other part of it is a paper system that allows for you to pay electronically…We will have to do more public education on the system just before it becomes operational.”
Last year, amendments were made to the Traffic the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act to bring about the utilisation of 24-hour surveillance cameras on major roadways into law, aims to help police identify drivers who violate speed limits and refuse to wear seatbelts while driving. The road intelligent camera system will be fitted onto traffic lights to support the
implementation of this new law. The system will be managed by the Guyana Police Force.
Championing the passage of the bill, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn underscored that this type of legislation is necessary as Guyana continues to see transformational development. The minister also pointed out that over the past few years; there have been hundreds of deaths owing to road accidents. “We have noticed generally…the growth and development of our country. Along with this growth and development, along with the investment in our roads [and] an increase in vehicles on the road, we still struggle with road traffic accidents and deaths,” he posited. The new laws are expected to play a critical role in acting as a deterrent to speeding and the violation of other traffic laws.
CDB approves US$ 909,000 grant to UWI to strengthen water resource management in Jamaica
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB/the Bank) has approved a grant of USD909,000 to The University of the West Indies (UWI) to support critical efforts in strengthening water resource management and building climate resilience in Jamaica’s coastal and inland communities.
Jamaica is among the 36 most water-stressed countries in the world, according to the World Resources Institute.
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According to a CDB release, despite having an abundant freshwater supply, with 77% of safe yield remaining unused water distribution across the island is uneven. Primary water sources are concentrated in the north, while population centres, industries, and agricultural areas are predominantly in the south. Rural and semi-urban communities often face chronic water shortages, poor water quality, and unreliable distribution systems. These challenges are further compounded by aging infrastructure, insufficient treatment capacity, and inadequate storage facilities.
Climate change poses an additional threat to Jamaica’s water security. The island frequently experiences droughts, hurricanes, tropical storms, extreme rainfall, extensive flooding, leading to infrastructure damage and loss. More than half of Jamaica’s nearly three million residents live in coastal areas, making them particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels, storm surges, and shoreline erosion. Addressing these challenges is essential for improving water access and security for all Jamaicans.
The Technical Assistance – Strengthening Water Resource Management and Climate Resilience in Coastal and Inland Communities – Jamaica project targets the coastal community of Port Maria and the inland Kingston and Rio Cobre Basins. Project funds will be used to finance consulting services and procure goods and services aimed at strengthening water resource
management and enhancing climate resilience in coastal and inland watershed communities in Jamaica. Activities will include a comprehensive assessment of water resources in the Kingston and Rio Cobre Basins, the design and development of genderresponsive and socially inclusive flood early warning systems, and the enhancement of knowledge, awareness, and capacity building for vulnerable communities. The remaining US$355,220 of the total project cost of US$1,264,220 will be provided by The UWI as counterpart funding.
“We are dedicated to fostering sustainable solutions that deliver lasting benefits to the region. This project will help strengthen community resilience to climate change and extreme weather events by improving water quality and security, and flood risk management in Jamaica. A clear understanding of water availability and quality is essential for effective water management. Equality important is enhanced flood forecasting capabilities to better predict and respond to flood events and, consequently, protect lives and livelihoods. We are excited to collaborate with the UWI to bring this project to life,” said Dr. Yves Robert Personna, Senior Programme Manager, CDB Environmental Sustainability Unit.
Dr. Debbie-Ann GordonSmith, UWI Lecturer and Project Lead, expressed gratitude for the Bank’s input.
“Through this grant, The UWI will be able to honour its commitment to supporting national and regional devel-
opment through improved water resource management and climate resilience in flood prone communities. This project will provide vital assistance to communities that are experiencing significant climate-related challenges, as important steps will be made towards securing Jamaica’s water resources and empowering vulnerable populations. We look forward to this collaboration with the CDB and other stakeholders on this journey towards a climate resilient Jamaica.”
The project is being executed under CDB’s Caribbean Action for Resilience Enhancement (CARE) Programme, which is funded by the European Union through the 11th European Development Fund’s (EDF) Intra-African Caribbean Pacific – European Union (ACPEU) Natural Disaster Risk Reduction Programme. CARE is a five-year, €14 million initiative to support disaster risk management and climate resilience-building efforts in CDB’s 19 Borrowing Member Countries. The programme provides grant financing to support initiatives aimed at improving governance on disaster risk management and climate change adaptation. CDB has previously provided grant funding to UWI under CARE for the implementation of the Climate Systems, Techniques, and Resources for Improved Decision-Making, Education, and Sustainability as well as provided technical assistance to the Water Resources Authority to upgrade and expand the flood early warning system in the Bog Walk Gorge.
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$130,000
President Irfaan Ali announced on Wednesday that the minimum wage of the joint services will now be$130,000.
He was at the time addressing a small gathering at the handing over of Forty Rapid InterventionVehiclestothe Guyana Fire Service and thecommissioningoftheir new Homestretch Avenue Headquarters.
Referencing the salary adjustment the President said that, “we had those adjustments for the ranks ofourjointservicesandin those adjustments there were some anomalies that hadtobeaddressed,oneof it,isthedifferenceinbasic salary of ranks at the lowest level, the level of Constable, it was $130,000 in some agencies and it was $105,000-$110,000 in some agencies, so I have spoken to the Minister of Finance and I have asked that he ensures that every rank in the joint services, atthelevelofconstablebe paid$130,000 ”
He explained that this will bring consistency in the salary scale whereby constables in the Police Force and the Joint Services as well as privates who are currently earning $105,000 and $110,000 respectively, whenitmovesto$130,000 itwillbringequality
“So,wehaveyourbest interest at heart because
weaskofyourbestandfor you to give your best to your country and the country will invest the bestinyou,”PresidentAli assured Just late last year
the joint services benefitted from a months’ salary as a bonus, the $100,000 citizens cash grantanda10%increase
Meanwhile, Co Leader of the Working People’sAlliance (WPA)
Dr David Hinds told reporters on Monday d u r i n g a p r e s
adequate minimum wage is somewhere upward of $200,000
He explained that while his party has not arrived at how far above $200,000 the mark should be, figures are currently being thrown around as the party is looking to determine the exactamount
“Giving everything that we are hearing, giving everything that we are seeing, giving everything that the economy is, (we) are saying clearly the
minimum wage of $ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 o r 8 0 something thousand is inadequate
We would think that an adequate minimum w a g e h a s t o b e somewhere upwards of $200,000 we do not put the figure on it, because we are still doing our work,”headded
The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs invested $1.3 billion in the Community Service Officers (CSO) programme for2024.
This was disclosed by Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai on Friday,duringtheministry’s end-of-year press conference held at her main office located at Quamina and Thomas Streets, Georgetown.
The CSO programme focuses on the engagement of young people aged 16 to 35 years. This programme one of the largest budget allocations under the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs for 2024 is designed to create opportunities for youth involvement in local governance and community development projects. With approximately 2,759 participants, the programme reaches a significantportion of the youth population in Amerindian villages Notably, each village between 10 to 15 young individuals are involved in the programme, with the number varying depending
onthesizeofthevillage.
“And the investment is not only about reimbursing them for the engagement of their contribution to community development as they are attached to the village council but it is an investment in Amerindian humancapital,”theminister said.
A major component of the CSO programme is skill development Throughout the years, young people are trainedinavarietyoffields, ranging from hospitality to
agriculture and business Minister Sukhai highlighted that in 2024, a total of 124 youngpeopleweretrainedin school uniform production, providing a vital service to their communities while developing valuable skills. Additionally, 120 youths have received training in small engine repairs, 110 in tractor driving and maintenance, and 44 in businessmanagement. She added, “One of our tasks in the ministry is to ensure the cultural and also
their (students) traditional knowledgeatcraftmakingis retained,sowesupportedthe training of 40 young people in craft making ” The minister also related that Shade house management, an innovative form of agriculture that has gained participation in Amerindian communities,isanotherarea where44youngpeoplehave beentrained.
Meanwhile, she elaborated that the stipend for Youth Entrepreneurship exceeded$1billionin2024, providing significant income for young people. She explained that while their employment may not necessarily be full-time or professional, it plays a crucial role in village development.
T h e p r o g r a m m e encourages young people to engageintheircommunities, recognizing their important contributions to the growth oflocalareas.Aspartofthis initiative, youth are given the opportunity to work as apprentices with village councils in various fields, including environmental support,agriculture,mining, andforestry
Motorcyclist's liscense suspended for breaking traffic rules
motorcyclist of
Coast, Region Two on Wednesday had his license suspended for one year for multipletrafficoffences.
Runako Critchlow, appeared
S
e Magistrate'sCourttoanswer f
be
e MagistrateTamiekaClarke. Among the offences listed by police are: Breach of Insurance, Riding a motorcycle without safety helmetandfailuretoconfirm to a (road) sign. Critchlow pleadedguiltytothecharges andwasorderedtopayatotal fine of $52, 500. His license was also suspended for a year
Runako Critchlow
Business groups ready to work with Young
( T R I N I D A D GUARDIAN) - Trinidad and Tobago’s premier businessgroupssaytheyare ready to work with Energy
Minister Stuart Young after MPs of the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) chose him to be the next PrimeMinister
The PNM caucus made the decision yesterday to support Stuart Young’s leadership of the party, as they completed a two-day retreat at Plantations in Tobago. Prime Minister Dr KeithRowleyannouncedon Friday that he would be retiring as the country’s political leader and as the leaderofthePNMthisyear
After learning of the news of Young’s selection, the president of the T&T Chamber of Industry and
Commerce, Kiran Maharaj, told Guardian Media yesterday that the body is eager to continue collaborating with Young and working together in the bestinterestsofT&T
“While the nation faces significant challenges, we view this moment as an opportunity to adopt a renewedvisionandstrategic
approachforthefuture.“The T&T Chamber also underscores the critical importance of addressing crime, corruption, and economic recovery, emphasising the need for strongcollaborationwiththe private sector to foster growth, stability, and prosperity for the country Welookforwardtoengaging w i t h a l l r e l e v a n t stakeholderstoachievethese objectives, ” Maharaj detailed.
Commenting on the news,AMCHAMT&TCEO NiradTewariesaidwhilethe chamber does not get involved in politics with the individual parties or pick sides,Younghashadseveral engagements with the business community “Minister Young has been
one of the more active ministers in terms of engagement with the business community and so largesectionsofthebusiness community would have interacted with him and he has led several of our international efforts to deepen relations with our international partners on a variety of issues,” Tewarie stated.
Meanwhile, President of the Downtown Owners a n d M e r c h a n t s Association (DOMA), Gregory Aboud said Young approaches his job with a measure of passion and that is what is needed for the job in this country
He said DOMA is cautiously optimistic that Young will fulfill his role quitepositively
Aboud also observed that Young redeemed h i m s e l f o n m a n y occasions with the Association, particularly in his role as Minister of NationalSecurity
“He has risen through the ranks He has stayed the course and he has m a d e h i s m a r k , obviously impressing his colleagues We not only would like to say that we h a v e h a d g o o d e x p e r i e n c e s w i t
Minister Young but we would like to say that we certainly wish him well a
success in his role,” said theDOMAhead
Asked if he believes Young is capable of being Prime Minister, A
experience in several
i g international agreements and has met with major corporations all over the world Young has also b
diplomatic interactions
South America
“I do not want to a p p e a r t o b e t o o o v e r c o
h confidence, but we are probably of the view that Young will take this a
n
v e r y seriously, as he has done with all his other tasks, and that would be the measure of his success, as to how seriously he takes the task,” Aboud added
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai
‘Ceasefire,captivesdealinGaza‘veryclose’-Blinken
(TIMES OF ISRAEL)
US Secretary of State
Antony Blinken said
Wednesday that mediators were “very close” to securing a ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas and that an agreement is all but inevitable, even if it has to wait for the next administrationtofinalize.
“I hope that we can get it over the line in the time that we have left, but if we don’t, then the plan that President [Joe] Biden put forward for a ceasefirehostage deal will be handed over to the incoming administration, and I believe that when we get that deal and we’ll get it it’ll be based on the plan that President Biden put before the world backinMay,”Blinkensaid during a press conference
w i t h h i s F r e n c h counterpartinParis
The plan unveiled by Biden in May was an Israeli proposal authorized
by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which envisioned a threestaged hostage release Now, however, the US,
Qatari and Egyptian mediators are largely focusing on reaching an agreement for the first phase of that framework
d u r i n g w h i c h t h e remaining female, elderly and severely ill hostages would be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners, a partial IDF withdrawal from Gaza and a m a s s i n f l u x o f humanitarian aid into the Strip
T h e t e m p o r a r y
ceasefire would last around six weeks and see the release of roughly 34 hostages, officials familiar with the negotiations have toldTheTimesofIsrael.
Blinken said that the Biden administration has also spent significant
time advancing an initiative for the postwar management of Gaza that includes arrangements for the Strip’s security, administration and reconstruction
“There too, we’re ready to hand that over t o t h e [ T r u m p ] administration so it can work on it and run with it when the opportunity is there,” he said
He then highlighted the work that the Biden administration has done to secure a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi
Arabia.
“Allofthatisreadytogo if the opportunity presents itself, with a ceasefire in G a z a , a s w e l l a s understandings on a pathway forward for the Palestinians,” Blinken says. “So there’s tremendous opportunitythere.”
Blinken characterized t h e o u t g o i n g administration’s Gaza “Day After” plan and its effort to secure an IsraelS a u d i A r a b i a normalization deal as ready for implementation, but both initiatives face significant hurdles due to Netanyahu’s refusal to grant the Palestinian Authority a foothold in Gaza and rejection of Riyadh’s central demand foratwo-statesolution.And while Blinken talked about the opportunities that US President-elect Donald Trumpwillhavetobuildoff o f t h e o u t g o i n g administration’s work, Biden aides have privately briefed their Trump counterparts about some of thechallengestheywillface intheregion.
In one of those briefings with senior Trump transition member Joel Rayburn, who is expected to become the next assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, State Department officials warned that recently passed Israeli legislation to effectively shut down the UN agency known as UNRWA in
Gaza could spark a h u m a n i t a r i a n
“catastrophe ”
The legislation barring Israeli contact with UNRWA, which would severely hamper its operations in the Strip is set tocomeintoplaceattheend ofthemonth.
Biden officials told Rayburn that no serious backup plan for providing humanitarian supplies and services to Palestinians has been advanced, according totheAxiosnewssite
The outgoing Biden administration has been looping in the incoming Trump administration on the hostage talks, and incoming Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff said on
Tuesday that he is traveling to Doha on Wednesday night to join th
claimed are on the verge ofcompletion
Before departing, he was slated to meet with StrategicAffairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close Netanyahu confidant, who has been in the US for meetings with top Biden and Trump aides
Witkoff also told
C h a n n e l 1 2 o n Wednesday that a hostage deal is Trump’s “ m o s t i m p
t a n t mission
ore the inauguration,” adding that the president-elect has instructed him “to apply pressure to advance a deal ”
“ H e p r e f e r s a diplomatic solution, but if that does not happen, there will be serious consequences,” Witkoff
The protesters blocked trafficonKingGeorgeStreet as they marched with an English-language sign reading: “End the war Hostagedealnow.”
On Monday, a forum representing the vast majority of hostage families held a press conference during which relatives of four captives called on Netanyahu’s government to pursue a comprehensive deal that wouldseealloftheirloved ones released, blasting the framework Jerusalem is currently pursuing that would only free roughly one-third of the remaining 98 captives during a temporaryceasefire.
prosecution of the war c o n t a i n s n o e x i t strategy since he has refused to advance a viable alternative to Hamas’s rule, thereby allowing the terror group to repeatedly return to areas briefly cleared by the IDF
T h e s e c u r i t y establishment and the international community havepushedforallowingthe PA, which enjoys limited governingpowersoverparts oftheWestBank,toreturnto GazatoreplaceHamas.
said Trump on Tuesday reiterated his warning that “allhellwillbreakloose”in the Middle East if the hostages are not released by hisJanuary20inauguration. Relatives of the seven American-Israeli hostages stillheldinGazaannounced Wednesday that they will a t t e n d T r u m p ’ s inauguration.
During their time in Washington, the families plan to meet with officials from the incoming Trump administration along with members of Congress and theirstaff,theysaidinajoint statement, urging leaders to prioritizethereleaseoftheir lovedones.
While Trump and Biden officials have described negotiations as being on the cusp of a breakthrough, a senior Arab diplomat involved in the talks told The Times of Israel on W e d n e s d a y t h a t significant obstacles remained, even as slow progress has been achieved.
Also on Wednesday, Netanyahu’s office denied a report in Lebanese media that negotiators were examining the possibility of a truce lasting six to eight weeks, during which Israel would receive a list of the names of all the living hostages.
Around the same time, the families of some of the hostagesheldinGazahelda protest outside the Likud headquarters in Tel Aviv, calling for a deal that would see all remaining hostagesreleased
While Hamas has long pushed for a permanent ceasefire,officialsfamiliar withthetalkshavetoldThe Times of Israel that the terror group has indicated willingness in recent weekstoprioritizethefirst stage of the three-phase deal that has been under discussionsinceMay The senior Arab diplomat said on Sunday that Hamas had approved a list of 34 hostages it was prepared to free as part of the deal.
Hamas has insisted that it does not know where all of the hostages are, but would be able to ascertain their locations and conditionsifIsraelagreesto abriefceasefire.
Israel has rejected the idea, insisting that Hamas knows where all of the hostagesare.
Israel is seeking to maximize the number of livinghostageswhowillbe releasedaspartofthedeal, while Hamas is looking to holdontoasmanyhostages as possible, as long as Israel plans to resume fighting once the temporary ceasefire is over Israeli intelligence assesses that as many as halfofthehostagesarestill alive
Netanyahu’s office
has preferred the temporary ceasefire framework, with the premier arguing that e n d i n g t h e w a r p e r m a n e n t l y i n exchange for all of the hostages would allow Hamastoregaincontrolof Gaza Repeatedpollshave indicated that the majority of the Israeli public rejects Netanyahu’sapproach.
Much of Israel’s security establishment has maintained that N e t a n y a h u ’ s
N e t a n y a h u h a s rejected the idea out of hand, likening the PA which backs a twostate solution to Hamas
H i s f a r - r i g h t coalition partners have backed collapsing the PA entirely and would likely threaten to collapse the government if he considers empowering Ramallah.
Thesecurityestablishment has also backed a more comprehensive deal to free thehostages,arguingthatthe IDF can return to Gaza if need be and that putting off the release of two-thirds of the hostages not freed in a temporarydealwouldlikely beadeathsentenceforthem.
The ceasefire that U S , Q a t a r i , a n d Egyptian mediators are trying to advance is still within the threestaged framework, but Israel this time around is much more open about the second and third phases not coming immediately after the first one
The second phase of the deal is supposed to see the release of the r e m a i n i n g l i v i n g hostages men of military age and the third stage would see the releaseofthebodiesofslain hostages.
On Wednesday, the IDF announced that it had recovered the body of Youssef Ziyadne along with findings that raise concerns for the life of his son Hamza. Hamas is demanding assurances from the mediators that there will be some linkage between the first and subsequent phases, as it seeks a permanent ceasefire
Since the weekend, Qatar has been hosting Israeli and Hamas delegations for talks, but no breakthroughs have been reported
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot prepare to deliver remarks at the Quai d’Orsay in Paris, on January 8, 2025. (Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP)
Govt. blames lack of $$$ for slow move to renewable energy
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips on Monday explained that the lack of financing resulted in only 5% of the country's energy needs being generated byrenewables.
The PM was at the time respondingtoaquestionathis end-of-yearpressconference, hosted at the Arthur Chung ConferenceCenter
He said, “It's just about 5% of our energy needs, at thispointasIspeakbutthatis gonna increase tremendously
over the next year2025/2026- and definitely 2025/2030 because we have threeutilityscalesolarenergy projects We've already signed contracts for the construction of solar farms in Berbice and Essequibo and soon we will be signing for a 15MW solar farm in Region 10.”
Inadditiontothat,hecited government's plans for the 165 MW Amaila Falls Hydo project.Evaluationofbidsfor the hydro project is ongoing, according to him, which will see construction occurring duringthenextfiveyears.
As such, he assured that Guyana will be increasing its generation of energy from renewablesources.
Although it has been the intention of government to increasethenation'ssupplyof renewable energy, access to finance has resulted in only 5% being generated by these sources.
“The government always has an intention of doing
more but you know everythinghastobefinanced. You need to have money or some source of money in termsoflendingorborrowing to finance those projects. We are in a stage now where we have an increase in revenue from the oil stream and as we promised the people of Guyana, we will utilize this increased revenue to improve the lives and livelihoods of people,”Phillipsnoted.
T o a c h i e v e t h e improvement he referenced, the PM explained the government will need to ensure citizens are more resilient in the face of climate change.
Throughout the world, Phillips said it is known that investinginrenewableenergy ispartoftheplan.
With more resources now available to the GoG, he assured, “We will utilize the resources to have greater usageofrenewableenergy.”
Presently,thegovernment is investing over US$2B to
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret'd), Mark Phillips
deliver cleaner and more reliable energy, through the Gas-to-Energyproject.
It was explained that the use of gas, compared to Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) will significantly reduce emissionsand providea more reliablesourceofpower
While the Prime Minister cited access to financing as a barrier to increasing the country's renewable electricity generation, reports have shown that over the past 10 years, the cost of renewable energy has decreasedsignificantly.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its 2022 Report titled: “Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a Transforming World”, stated that power generation through solar has become far cheaper than whichisbeingreported.
T h e o r g a n i s a t i o n explained, “Contrary to the projected average annual cost reduction of 2 6 percent between2010and2020,solar photovoltaics costs declined by 15 percent a year over the sameperiod.”
This means that the price of electricity from solar declined by 89 percent in these10years.
The UNDPused a chart to depictthe massive declinesin which it explained that in 2010, the cost to generate one megawatt (MW) of power moved from US$359 in 2009 tojustUS$40in2019.
Not only that, but this meanssolarpowergeneration also proved to be cheaper in comparison to at least two other clean energy options –gas and wind. Despite both wind and gas power also recording a decline in cost to generate, the report maintained solar is the cheapestoption.
Levelized cost of energy ($/MWh)
The price of electricity from solar declined by 89% in these 10 years.
Chart showing the huge decline in the cost to generate electricity using solar and other renewable options (Source: UNDP2022 Report)
The price of onshore wind electricity declined by 70% in these 10 years.
New IPL-backed CPL franchise set to be based in Jamaica
Jamaica ObserverJAMAICA Cricket Association President Dr Donovan Bennett says there areplanstohaveanewteam representingthenationinthe Caribbean Premier League (CPL)T20tournament.
Bennett expects a team in placeforthenextseason,which isexpectedtostartthisAugust “This happens to be an extension of an IPL [Indian
Premier League] franchise coming to Jamaica,” Bennett told the Jamaica Observer on Monday “It’snotsignedoffyet but it is being worked on and beingnegotiatedaswespeak” Bennett says these plans meanthatSabinaPark,which wouldhosttheteam’sgames, would need immediate upgrades He says two of the mostpressingneedsareanew scoreboard,whichhasalready
beensourced,andupgradesto the lighting as several CPL matchesoccuratnight
TheTallawahsdebutedas oneoftheoriginalsixteamsin CPL 2013 and represented Jamaica until 2023 In that time it won three CPL titles (2013, 2016, and 2022) Its ownershadrepeatedconcerns
Upgrades coming to Sabina Park ahead of 2025 season
Thursday January 09, 2025
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
A scheduling conflict may come up today, Aries A business engagement could interfere with a social event. Youmightdoubtwhetheryou can attend both, but if you plancarefully
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Confusing communications couldbethepatternfortoday, Taurus. Some paperwork you needtodoforataskmightbe delayed - hung up in the mail orfiledinthewrongplace.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Today you could doubt the amount of money you might get from a business transaction.Ifyoucan,verify this before starting anything. You aren't being told something. Personal relationships.
CANCER(June21–July22)
Business transactions that couldtakeplaceinyourhome or perhaps involve the home might seem a bit unclear today, Cancer Before agreeingtoanything,readthe fine print and verify all the facts about what you're signing.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
You might get a lot of mixed messages from friends, relatives,andcolleagues,Leo. Theymaysayonethingwhile you sense that they mean something else Insist on hearing how they really feel. This can prevent a lot of resentmentlater
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Today you might not feel secure about your financial situation, Virgo, and get a littlenervous.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Some unsettling news about your work situation might reachyoutodayandmakeyou worried, Libra You might question your future in this field and possibly consider a change.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
You're a logical person, Scorpio. When insights come to you through ESP, you tend todoubttheirvalidity Don'tdo this.Ifafeelingisparticularly strong,gowithit.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
Doubts about a friend's motives could plague you today,Sagittarius.Thisperson seems to be acting strangely and isn't communicating.This probably has little if anything todowithyou.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
A friend or family member might act strangely and seem distracted.You may wonder if he or she is upset with you. This probably isn't the case. This person has issues that needattention.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Afriendorfamilymember might act strangely and seem distracted.You may wonder if he or she is upset with you. This probably isn't the case. This person has issues that need attention. Allow them somespace.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar 20)
Doubts about business and financial matters might weigh on your mind now, Pisces, so muchsothattheyinvadeyour dreams.Thedreamsareonlya reflection of your worriestheyaren'tprophetic.
about funding throughout its time in Jamaica, especially becauseofwhattheysaywas insufficient financial support fromtheGovernmentandalso because of dwindling attendance figures at Sabina Park That led to the team hosting only two of its five home games there during the 2018 season, with the others played in Lauderhill, Florida Its final season with matches playedinJamaicawasin2019, with the following seasons played in specific territories acrosstheCaribbean,initially becauseofCOVID-19andthe resultant restriction on movement The team then moved to Antigua and Barbuda, where it competed forthefirst-timelastseasonas the Falcons When this new agreement is finalised this team will become the fourth in the CPL under ownership by an IPL franchise The others are the Trinbago
Canada-based Guyanese Umpire...
From page27
Council The tournament will be divided into two groups with the top two sidesreachingupinthefinal
: Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo.
Quizzed on some of the challenges while calling play in a tournament of this magnitude, Budhoo responded: “You have to make the right decisions; sometimes it can be challenging because it is a huge tournament and you want to be spot-on with your decisions, but I am an experiencedumpireandI’m confident of doing well in SriLanka,”Budhoorelated.
He further stated that he issuperbexcitedtobegiven the opportunity as well to exhibit his skills on a big stagelikeaWorldCup.
“I am grateful to be given the chance to put the bails on in a country where cricket is being played passionately so I am really looking forward to it,” Budhoo, who has been an activeumpireforthepast24 years,declared.
Among the teams set to be in Sri Lanka for the occasion are: England, South Africa, West Indies, Australia, New Zealand, India, USA, United Aram Emirates, Sri Lanka and Walesamongothers.
Knight Riders, owned by the Kolkata Knight Riders; the Barbados Royals, owned by theRajasthanRoyals;andthe StLuciaKings,ownedbythe PunjabKings
Bennett also confirmed to the Jamaica Observer that Sabina Park will feature in Australia’s tour of the West Indies this summer, andsaidtherewill beotherinternationalteams visiting over the next two years “We have the Australians coming here in
June for one Test match and twoT20s,” he said “In 2026 we have the Pakistanis cominghere,andin2027we havetheIndianscominghere So, we have a full internationalschedule” Sabina Park’s last activitywasaTestmatchin a two-match series between the West Indies and Bangladesh from November 30 to December 3 Bangladesh’s 101-run win allowed them to draw theseries1-1
Bangladesh women’s cricket team...
Frompage24
Coach:DamienWright Team Analyst: Gary Belle Physiotherapist: Angelica Holder Strength & Condit
Performance Coach: Dr Nadine Sammy Media & Content Officer: John Phillips Games will be broadcast on ESPN Caribbean, while admission to the venue is free Bangladesh Women’s Tour of the West Indies Schedule (EasternCaribbeanTime):
ODIs:
1st ODI on 19 January 2025, 2:00PM at Warner Park,StKitts2ndODIon21 January 2025, 2:00PM at Warner Park, St Kitts 3rd ODI on 24 January 2025, 2:00PM at Warner Park, St KittsT20Is: 1st T20I on 27 January 2025, 6:00PM at Warner Park,StKitts2ndT20Ion29 January 2025, 6:00PM at Warner Park, St Kitts 3rd T20I on 31 January 2025, 6:00PM at Warner Park, St Kitts
Bangladesh women’s cricket team set for historic West Indies Tour
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua –Cricket West Indies (CWI) yesterday announced the women’s squad to compete against Bangladesh in their upcoming inaugural bilateral white-ball tour of theWestIndiesfrom19to31 January. The tour will feature three (3) CG United OneDayInternationalsandthree (3) T20 Internationals, all scheduled to take place at Warner Park in Basseterre, StKitts.
This marks the West Indies Women’s first-ever bilateral series against Bangladesh, and it is Bangladesh’s first bilateral seriestouroftheCaribbean, as both teams continue their preparation for upcoming ICCevents.
Cricket West Indies’ Director of Cricket Miles Bascombewelcomedtheseries: “We are pleased to welcome Bangladesh for an exciting white-ball series This tour is significant for multiple reasons as it strengthens our bilateral cricket relationships, provides our team valuable match practice,andoffersopportunities for vital ICC Women’s Championshippoints.”
He added, “We’ve seen Bangladesh’sprogressinrecent years,andthesematcheswillbe crucial for both teams We are particularly excited about showcasing our women’s team toalargerhomeaudience,giving cricket fans throughout the region a chance to see internationalwomen’scricketup close These bilateral series are essential for the continued development of women’s cricketworldwideandinour region We expect some highly competitive matches acrossbothformats.”
Thetwoteamslastmetinthe groupstageoftheICCWomen’s T20WorldCup2024intheUAE on 10 October, where West IndiesWomensecuredaneightwicket victory at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium Previously, their last T20I clash was on 9 November 2018 at Guyana’s ProvidenceStadiumduringthat
year’sICCWomen’sT20World CupintheCaribbean. Their last ODI meeting, which took place nearly three years ago in New Zealand on 18 March 2022, resultedinafour-runvictory for theWest Indies. Overall, the two teams have met five times in international competition—four times in T20Is and once in an ODI—and West Indies are yettotastedefeat.
Aseriesvictoryisalsoin the sights of West Indies captain Hayley Matthews, with her team seeking automatic qualification to the2025ODIWorldCup.
WestIndiesWomen’sHead
Coach Shane Deitz commented: “Bangladesh’s visit comes at an ideal time in ourpreparationcycle They’rea skilled unit that has shown impressive growth, and this series gives us an excellent opportunity to examine our squad depth and continue to implement our aggressive, flamboyant brand of West Indian cricket” He continued, “We have been focusing on specific areas of improvement inourtrainingandtouring,and these matches will help us gauge our progress The conditionsatWarnerParkwill challengebothteamsandmake for compelling cricket I’m
Under the leadership of Matthews, the selected squad represents a blend of seasoned campaigners and eagernewcomers.
While Stafanie Taylor is still recovering from a knee injury, Jannillea Glasgow andCherryAnnFraser,who recentlyhadsuccessfulstints in state cricket in Tasmania, havebeenincluded.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has charged UK Athletics Limited with “corporate manslaughter and a health and safetyatworkactoffence”.
Keith Davies, the head of sport for the 2017 World Para-athletics Championships, hasalsobeenchargedwith“grossnegligence manslaughterandahealthandsafetyatwork actoffence”.
UKAthleticsandDavies,77,willappear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 31
Kennard
Frompage25
January Hayayei was training for theWorld Championships in London at the time of the incident.
The United Arab Emirates thrower had beensettocompeteintheF34shotput,discus andjavelinevents.
Hayayei,afatheroffive,finishedsixthin the javelin and seventh in the shot put when makinghisParalympicdebutatRio2016.
London 2017 was due to be his second appearanceataWorldChampionships.Atthe 2015eventinDoha,Qatar,Hayayeifinished fifthinthediscusandeighthintheshotput.
Amoment of silence was held in honour of Hayayei during the opening ceremony of the World Championships at London Stadium.
Memorial Turf Club expresses...
Delmur Company Limited, Metro Company Limited Mike’s Pharmacy, N and S Matai and Company, Rohan Auto Sales, Khanai’s Guyana Electrical Agency, Devin Sawh Mechanical Work Shop, Joe Jagmohan, Big G Sawmill and Lumber Yard and Anirude Ramcharitar Construction and the Guyana Police
Force, especially Assistant Superintendents Michael Newland and Inspector Looknauthamongothers.
The event was well organizedandcameoffwith a bang pulling one of the largest crowds at the venue.
Close to 70 horses took part in the event which representedoneofthelargest to enter for a horse racing eventfortheyearinGuyana.
The committee looks forward to continued patronage from all for the nextracemeet.
Over $7M were at stake for the seven event activity The feature event was for Horses classified C1 and lower and was won by BeckhamJamesoftheNand Persaud Horse Racing stable.
(SamuelWhyte)
Nikita Miller ready to spin a new chapter as Windies assistant coach
Miller’s coaching philosophy emphasizes understanding one’s strengths and preparing meticulously to succeed on game day
SportsMax - Former Jamaica and West Indies spinner Nikita Miller is embracing a significant milestone in his coaching career, having been appointedassistantcoachfor the regional side’s twomatchTesttourofPakistan.
Theseries,scheduledfor January17–29,attheMultan Cricket Stadium, marks the WestIndies’firstTesttourin Pakistan in 18 years and the finalchapterofthetwo-year World Test Championship cycle.
Miller, who replaces unavailable fielding coach Rayon Griffith, brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the gametotheAndreColey-led coaching staff. In fact, his role on the subcontinent is p
conditions that traditionally favourspinners.
Though his appointment might be short-term, Miller welcomedtheopportunityas he reflected on the path that ledhimtothismoment.
“Iwastheassistantcoach for Andre Coley when he was the head coach for the Jamaica Scorpions, and I’ve worked with Cricket West Indies in different camps overtheyearsasaspecialist
BangladeshtourwhereIwas the head coach for the tour game against them the
Antigua and when the seniorteamcametoJamaica, Iwenttheretohelpoutwith the spinners,” Miller told SportsMax.Tv
“Seeing that we’re coming to the subcontinent, andspinnersmightplayabig roleintheseparts,theyasked me to come and assist the team. So it’s not necessarily along-termrole;I’mherefor thistour,andI’mjusthereto givemybesttotheteam,and hopefully my best can be of significant help to the spinnersmoreso,”headded.
Miller, 42, has held various coaching positions sincehisretirementin2019, including assistant to AndrewRichardsonwiththe Jamaica Scorpions before his contract ended in Septemberlastyear
Miller, a lethal left-arm spinnerduringhisheyday,is currently the lead pathways coach with the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) and has been a part of the Trinbago Knight Riders coaching staff for several years.
A s s u c h , t h i s
appointment at the
internationallevelrepresents a new chapter in Miller’s cricketingjourney—onethat fillshimwithpride.
“Itisformeamilestone onmycoachingjourney I’ve represented the West Indies as a player, and to represent themasacoachisabigstep. I’mproudofthismomentas well Hopefully, my contributiontotheteamwill be an asset and a good thing for the bowlers,” Miller shared.
Havingcoachedforover six years and worked with many of the current players in camps and franchise teams, Miller is confident in his ability to integrate seamlessly into the environment.
“It’s really not that difficult to kind of integrate and be comfortable at this level. Having played at this levelaswellisalsoaplus.It helps you to integrate into t h i s t e a m o r t h i s environment,”henoted.
Miller’s coaching philosophy emphasizes understanding one’s strengths and preparing meticulously to succeed on gameday
“ M y b i g g e s t encouragement for the players is to take some time to understand your game, workoutyourstrengths,and focus on what you do best. While you’re working on your skills, identify your strengths, because once you’ve identified those, everything else becomes mucheasier Thenyougoin, practice, and work at them very hard so that when it’s game day, you can express yourself and enjoy the moment,”Millerexplained.
That said, Miller’s ambition is simple yet
Kennard Memorial Turf Club expresses sincere gratitude
The Board of Directors, management and members of the Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) says thankyou.Theentitywould like to express gratitude to all who contributed in one way or the other in the successful staging of their one-day Boxing Day horseracemeet.
The management committee, which is led by
Matriarch and Honorary
President Mrs Chan Kennard,wouldliketosaya bigthankyoutoallfortheir patronageandsupport.
The event which was heldonThursdayDecember 26attheKMTCentityBush Lot farm, Corentyne, Berbice, received overwhelming support from sponsors, horse owners and spectators. The day’s event
powerful—to help the team stay grounded and perform attheirbest.
“Myoverallambitionfor thisteamisnottolooktoofar
wasincidentfreeandhighly successful.
Among those receiving kudosareRameshSunichof Trophy Stall, P and P Insurance Brokers, Kharag Family of USA, Patsan Trading Establishment, Mr MohinPersaudandtheNand Persaud group of Company, Horse Shoe Racing Services,ColinElcock
(Continuedonpage24)
ahead.It’sjusttotryandwin the series. Start from Test number one, game number one, lock in, and try to be positive. Enjoy the moment,
gooutinthemiddle,express yourself, and win the game for the West Indies. That’s pretty much it, really,” he ended.
Jessica Pegula reaches Adelaide quarterfinals
Reuters - Top-seeded
Jessica Pegula cruised into the quarterfinals of the Adelaide International with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Greece’s Maria Sakkari on WednesdayinAustralia.
Playingherfirstmatchof 2025 aftera first-round bye, Pegula shook off the rust afterfallingbehind2-0. She broke Sakkari’s serve six times to set up a meeting with fellow American AshlynKrueger,a7-6(4),67(4),6-2winneroverNo.5 seedPaulaBadosaofSpain. No. 2 seed Emma Navarro reached the final eight with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 defeat of Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova. No. 3 Daria Kasatkina of Russia ousted Aussie Emerson Jones 7-5, 6-3.MadisonKeysupended No. 8 Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. Also advancingwereNo.6Diana Shnaider and Liudmila Samsonova,bothofRussia.
HobartInternational
The top three seeds advancedtothequarterfinals in Australia, with No. 1 Dayana Yastremska having thetoughesttimeina1-6,75,6-2defeatofAnnLi. No.2seedEliseMertens of Belgium and No 3 Amanda Anisimova both woninstraightsets.Mertens won 6-4, 6-3 over Mexico’s Renata Zarazua and Anisimova won 6-3, 6-4
over Hungary’s Anna Bondar.
Australia’s Maya Joint pulled off the day’s biggest upsetwitha6-1,6-1triumph overNo.4MagdaLinetteof Polandin60minutes.
No. 6 Elina Avenesyan was a 6-2, 6-2 winner over Belgium’s Greet Minnen and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova took down Colombia’s Camila Osorio 6-4,6-1.
Anil Beharry Real Estate and Related Services contributes to
CWC Bomb Squad award ceremony
The Crab Wood Creek Bomb Squad Cricket Club will be hosting its first ever awards ceremony on January 11, 2025 and it will cover outstanding performances for the 2023 to 2024 period Several young cricketerswillbenefitfromthisfinegesture.
Anil Beharry Real Estate and related services is on board by providing two trophies. The newly formed company is ownedbyAnilBeharry,amanwithcloseto forty years of banking experience which includestwenty-sevenyearsinmanagement positions. Beharry played cricket for over fourdecades,representingBerbiceandwas oncecalledfornationaltrials.Inaddition,he servedcricketinadministrativepositionsfor close to three decades, once as President of BerbiceCricketBoard.
Ryan Ramdass, the head of the CWC Bond Squad expressed gratitude and promised to continue to focus on the development of young cricketers. Beharry said that he is happy to be part of the development of the sport and indicated that his company also offers services such as conveyancing, compliance, valuation, and propertymanagementamongothers.
Young’sbuzzer-beatersealswinforAtlantaHawks
BBCSport-TraeYoung scored a dramatic buzzerbeater to earn the Atlanta Hawks a thrilling 124-121 winovertheUtahJazzinthe NBA.
The game looked set for overtime when Collin Sexton’s three-pointer for the Jazz made it 121-121 withfoursecondsremaining at the Delta Center in Salt LakeCity
ButYoungrepliedwitha stunningeffortfromthehalfcourt line just before the final buzzer sounded to signal end of play, earning victoryfortheHawks.
Young finished with 24 points - including 10 in the fourth quarter - and 20 assists for Atlanta, while Lauri Markkanen matched hisseason-high35pointsfor theJazz.
InDenver,JaysonTatum top-scored with 29 points as the Boston Celtics beat the DenverNuggets118-106.
KristapsPorzingisadded 25 points for reigning
championsBoston,whostay second in the Eastern Conference.
scored 26 points and nine rebounds in reply for 2023
The Dallas Mavericks endedafive-gamelosingrun with a convincing 118-97 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Quentin Grimes came off the bench to score 23 points and nine rebounds for Dallas, who were without Luka Doncic and
Kyrie Irving because of injury
Anthony Davis scored 21 points and LeBron James added 18 for the Lakers, who drop one
place to sixth behind the Mavericks in the Western Conference
Zion Williamson’s comeback from injury was not enough for the New Orleans Pelicans, who lost 104-97 to the M i n n e s o t a Timberwolves.
Williamson scored 22 points on his return after missing the previous 27 games with a hamstring injury, but Anthony Edwards’ game-high 32 points helped Minnesota tovictory
E l s e w h e r e , t h e Charlotte Hornets ended a10-gamelosingrunwith a 115-104 victory over thePhoenixSuns
N
topscored with 20 points as the Miami Heat beat the Golden State Warriors 114-98 in San Francisco, w
Washington Wizards 135112
Some of the trophies given to the Crab Wood Creek Bomb Squad Cricket Club for their Awards.
Trae Young (centre) was mobbed by his team-mates after securing victory for Atlanta. (Getty Images)
Barbora Krejcikova
Seven Regional Champions to vie for direct promotion single spot in Elite League Season Seven
Th e G u
a F
Federation (GFF) is set to commence the highly anticipated Elite
League Qualification
Playoffs on Saturday, January11,2025.
This knockout-style tournament will feature seven regional champions vying for a chance to compete in Season 7 of the GFF Elite League and will u
e promotions.
Participating teams are all league winners of their RegionalAssociation’s2024 SeniorMen’sLeague.
Theteamsinclude:
• Potaro Strikers FC (BarticaFA)
• Paradise Invaders FC (BerbiceFA)
•Agricola Red Triangle FC(EastBankFA)
•MahaicaDeterminators FC(EastDemeraraFA)
• Lake Mainstay FC (Essequibo Coast Pomeroon FA)
• Pele FC (Georgetown FA)
• Uitvlugt Warriors FC (WestDemeraraFA)
All matches will be played at community fields
due to vital maintenance worksscheduled fortheNationalTraining Centre(NTC). Thefullfixturelistisas follows:
• Potaro Strikers FC vs. Uitvlugt Warriors FC at UitvlugtGround,1:00PM
• Pele FC vs. Agricola Red Triangle FC at Uitvlugt Ground,3:00PM
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
• Semi Finals 1- Lake Mainstay FC vs. Winner of MahaicaDeterminators
FC/ParadiseInvadersFC (Venue and time to be determined)
Saturday, January 18, 2025
•Semifinal2(Venueand timetobedetermined)
Wednesday, January 22, 2025
• Elite League Qualification Playoffs Final (Venue and time to be determined)
Canada-based
Matches will be played in full compliance with FIFA’s Laws of the Game, withreferees and officials appointed bytheGFFRefereeCouncil. An additional spot will be up for grabs through a single game play-off match whichwill be played by the loser of the Final match against the Season Six ninth place
Guyanese Umpire Suresh
Budhoo excited to officiate at upcoming IMC Over-50 World Cup in Sri Lanka
Canada-basedGuyaneseSureshBudhoo is excited to officiate at the upcoming International Masters Cricket (IMC) Over50 limited-over tournament in Sri Lanka fromFebruary9-23.
Budhoo,whoumpiredearlylastyearin Cape Town South Africa at the inaugural Over-40WorldCupalsohostedbytheIMC, stated that he will be doing his best at the showpiecewhichissettohave14countries participating.
“I[am]reallyexcitedandreadytodomy best in Sri Lanka; I am thrilled also to do another World Cup event and I am looking forward to it,” the 60-year-old Budhoo stated.
He reflected about the 2024 edition in Cape Town mentioned it was a memorable experienceandalsolearnedalot.
“It was a great tournament in South Africa; I think the IMC did a fantastic job and I am confident they will do a good tournamentagaininSriLankabutIamglad that I will be going out there and call play having gained some invaluable experience in Cape Town,” an enthusiastic Budhoo commented.
Suresh Budhoo doing duties in Cape Town South Africa last year.
Team Reps at the meeting to inform on the GFF Elite League Qualification Playoffs.
finishers, Ann’s Grove United This match will therefore determine ifAnn’s GroveUnitedwillbe relegated from the League like the Season 7
10thplacefinisherandanew clubwilltake its place, or if it will remainintheSeason7roster
As part of its ongoing commitment to football
development, the GFF aims toprovidea pathway for regional champions to ascend to the nation’s premier football competition.
Former Jamaica and West Indies spinner
Nikita Miller is embracing a significant milestone in his coaching career
Nikita Miller ready to spin a new chapter as Windies assistant coach
Bangladesh women’s cricket team set for historic West Indies Tour
UK Athletics charged with manslaughter over death of Paralympian
Jamaica Tallawahs players celebrate the wicket of Kyle Mayers of Barbados Royals during the Hero Caribbean Premier League final at Providence Stadium in Guyana on September 30, 2022. The Tallawahs went on to win the title by eight wickets. (Photo: CPLvia Getty Images)
