Kaieteur News

Jagdeo was involved - Glenn Lall

in every aspect of ExxonMobil deal

...yetblamesPNCfor‘solely’signingabadcontract

Businessman and

publisher of the Kaieteur News Glenn Lall, on Friday, said he believes that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was involved in every aspect of the oil deal signed with ExxonMobilin2016.

Lall,viahisweeklyradio programme, 'The Glenn Lall Show' said that though the Vice President continues to blame the People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) for solely signing the deal while in government under the coalition umbrella, A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC), there was a unanimous parliamentarydecision.

“This isn't speculation, uncle—this is facts. Jagdeo was involved in every aspect of that deal. Not just the taxes,buteverythingelsethe PNCsignedoffon.

And yet, he stood in Parliament, with a bold, dry, andbrazenface,wagginghis finger and accusing them of betraying the nation,” Lall stated.

On Thursday, at Jagdeo's last press conference, a Kaieteur News reporter

asked, “Why did you and yourpartyjoinwiththePNC i n P a r l i a m e n t a n d unanimouslyapprovethetax waiverforExxonMobil?”

Former Minister of NaturalResources,underthe APNU+AFC government, Raphael Trotman in his book, From Destiny to P r o s p e r i t y s t a t e d ,

“Interestingly, I had been previously informed that the LeaderoftheOppositionhad been “briefed” and would offer no objection, and further, that I should not elaborate too much on the specifics of the June 27 agreement (Exxon deal); except to note that it had been signed and to list some of the provisions This adviceIfollowed.”

In response, Jagdeo said, “Briefed by whom? Exxon? By the PNC? He didn't say who. This is Trotman saying somebody told him, a vagrant walked off the street and said to Trotman, 'You know, Jagdeo has been briefed, you don't need to give the Guyanese people thisagreement.'”

Further, the Vice

President said, “You think if

Businessman and publisher of the Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall

I had a deal with APNU, all these years, they wouldn't have mentioned it; they would've shouted from the top of their voices, taken out ads.”

Lall in response to Jagdeo's response, said the Vice President was attempting to stray from the questionposed.

“But let me say this, it's crystal clear from what R a p h a e l T r o t m a n said—Jagdeo secretly met and agreed to hand ExxonMobil those tax

waivers – what you think? I believehedidthat.”

Jagdeo had referenced concernsraisedbyChairman of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources, Odinga Lumumba,atthattimeabout a Motion being tabled and passed to give effect to an agreement the People's Progressive Party (PPP) had neverseen.

Jagdeo said that the Motion rather than a copy of the Petroleum Agreement, a one-page Order, was tabled

intheHouseonAugust2016 for affirmative action, which means the majority of Parliament can approve its passage.

Jagdeoexplainedthatthe Order was included on a Supplementary Order Paper fortheday Infact,heargued that Members of Parliament (MPs) only saw the document at 7:47pm that evening.

The debate subsequently commencedat11:47pm.

To this end, Jagdeo said two MPs from the PPP side spoke on the Motion, including Lumumba, and GailTeixeira.

According to Jagdeo, who quoted from the Hansard, Lumumba said: “…I was not informed about thisMotionheretonight. We cannot carry on like this in this country…big oil is important, but big oil has already shaken up the roots of many countries whether it be Nigeria, whether it be Ghana, whether it be Venezuela.”

He continued, “We have to be careful, therefore we have to work together. Informingusearlyaboutthis

Motion cannot and will not allowustosayno.

Howcanwe?Firstofall, youhaveaone-seatmajority, secondly, we have been supportive of oil exploration and development for a number of years…what is the problem? Why is there thissecrecy?Itmakesusfeel funny.”

But Jagdeo's explanation found no favour with Lall whosaidtheno-objectionby the PPP, at the time, is what facilitated Exxon having the tax-free paradise they currently operate in. But despite, this the vice president seems to want to “rewrite what he and his partydid.”

“This is what we're dealingwith,people. When it suits their purpose or maybe their pockets they bend backwards, forwards, and sideways to sell out this country and make great t h i n g s h a p p e n f o r ExxonMobil,” Lall told his radio listeners, while adding that the country's political parties are allowing the oil giant to sell the country's resources.

Over a dozen Guyanese write US EXIM Bank for Gas-to-Energy documents

More than a dozen

G u y a n e s e a n d t w o o rg a n i z a t i o n s h a v e requested the United States Export Import (US EXIM) Bank to share documents relatingtotheGas-to-Energy (GTE) project it has providedaUS$527Mloanto support.

In a statement to the mediaonFriday,thecitizens, Elizabeth Deane-Hughes, Danuta Radzik, Alfred Bhulai, Vincent Adams, Andre Brandli, Vanda Radzik, Janette Bulkan, George Jaikaran, Karen de Souza, Fredrick Collins, Darshanand Khusial, Susan Collymore, Halima Khan, Joy Marcus and Wintress White explained that the requestwasmadeonJanuary 10,2025.

T h e O i l & G a s Governance Network (OGGN) as well as the Transparency Institute Guyana Inc (TIGI) also attached their signatures to theletter It was explained that the request is now awaiting the Bank's reply to issue a processing number for a response from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Unit within the EXIM Bank'ssystem.

According to the statement, “Earlier in their interactions with EXIM Bank, members of Civil Society in Guyana were given the reference number 202500055F on their third attempt to obtain loan

applicationdocuments.”

Additionally, the citizens pointed out that they are also awaiting information from US-EXIM Bank on their request for other documents. They had requested any feasibility study for the Wales location; any feasibility study for the use of associated gas, perArticle 12 of the Petroleum Sharing Agreement 2016; any Gas Utilization Plan and any other document relating to theGTEproject.

The US EXIM Bank, on December 26, announced that it has finalized a US$527M loan aid the construction of a natural gas separation plant; a 300 megawatt (MW) combined cyclegasturbinepowerplant

and services related to the gas supply pipeline near G u y a n a ' s c a p i t a l , Georgetown.

Guyana's application to the Bank was revealed since April 2023. The country had initially applied for a US$646Mloan.

Since no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and feasibility studies were c o n d u c t e d f o r t h e controversial project, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo informed that the US EXIM Bank did its own due diligence.

He said, “U.S. EXIM Bank did its own feasibility s t u d y , i t d i d a n environmental study and it made the loan to the governmentofGuyana.”

Subsequently, the former Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams challenged the VP to publishthestudies.

On Thursday during his weekly press conference, Jagdeowasaskedwhetherhe wouldreleasethedocuments when he instructed citizens to seek the information from theBank.

He argued, “Everything we published The Kaieteur News used to make a big issue about, 'Oh we didn't publish all of these contracts that were signed with the oil companies,' so we published even the one signed underAPNU. We put all of the environmental permits online…now, you

Chair of the US EXIM Bank, Reta Jo Lewis

want the environmental and feasibility studies from EXIM Bank Ask EXIM Bankforit.”

Chair of the US EXIM Bank, Reta Jo Lewis is presently in Guyana on a four-dayvisit.OnFriday,she signed the loan agreement while on a site visit to the Walesdevelopmentsite.

Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur News

Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: DR. GLENN LALL - TEL: 624-6456

Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Oil reserves – what is ExxonMobil withholding?

JohnHess,CEOofHessCorporation,and30%partner in the ExxonMobil-led Guyana oil consortium, is restless. Itisthefirsttimethatwecanremember,wherethepartners have had a word of difference publicly It seems that the issueisoverthetruelevelofestimatesofprovenoilreserves in the Stabroek Block. According to Hess, his company’s estimates are higher than that of ExxonMobil. We don’t knowifmoreonthisisgoingtocirculateinthemedia,butit returnsthereserveissueintothepubliclimelight.

Guyanese,asownersofthishugeoffshoreoilpatrimony,are starved for information on most components of their natural resource business Many doubt that they are being provided withthemostaccurateinformationonprovenreserves Duetoa lack of transparency from their government, and a national leadershipgroupthatlivesonsecrecy,thereisscepticismabout the116Bbarrelfiguregiventothem AndnowthatHesshas hadhissay,thetotalprovenreservesissuehasjustgainednew life This reserves issue has got every interested party in the Stabroek Block coming up with their own number The Government of Guyana has a figure of 116B barrels, which promptedExxonMobilGuyanaPresident,AlistairRoutledgeto notethathiscompany’sestimateislower Heisnottakingany chancesbysayinghowmuchlower Apparently,Routledgehas gottenverycautiouswithwhateverheshares Hehasnowayof knowinghowtheindependentmediainGuyanawouldreceive whatever ExxonMobil provides as its expert estimates of reserves ButtherewasJohnHesstellingtheworldduringa Goldman Sachs Research: Energy, Clean Tech and Utilities conferencethathiscompany’sreservenumbersarehigherthan those of ExxonMobil Whatever the two companies reserve numbersare,theyarenotpartingwiththespecifics

Severalquestionsariseautomatically Howfarapartarethe twocompanies? IstheGuyanaprovenoilreservenumberof Hess bigger than that of government’s 116B barrels? Since ExxonMobil’s reserve number is lower than that of Guyana, howmuchlowerisit? Wenotethatduringhisparticipationin theGoldmanSachsconference,theHessCorporationCEOsaid thatExxonMobil’sreservenumberis“veryconservative” This only intensifies interest as to why ExxonMobil is taking this approach,ineffectlowballingthereservesintherichStabroek Block Further,itisreasonabletothinkthatthethirdmemberof theExxonMobil-ledconsortium,ChinaNationalOffshoreOil Corporation(CNOOC)hasitsownnumberforthetotalproven reservesintheStabroekBlock Infact,CNOOChadtouseits own computations to estimate the reserves in the Lancetfish discovery at approximately 746M new barrels of oil The Bluefindiscovery,meanwhile,isestimatedbyCNOOCtohave morethanLancetfish So,rightawaythatisoveroneandahalf billionbarrelsofnewoilreserves,at a minimum, from only twoofthelasteightdiscoveries.

So, what is going on with these estimates of total oil reserves? Specifically,whatisExxonMobiluptowithits“very conservative” estimate, and its thunderous silence with how muchoilthereiswiththeeightnewoildiscoveriesincluded?

ExxonMobilGuyanaPresident,Routledge,whoisnotoneever lackingwithananswer,spokeofdifferent‘methodologiesand assumptions’ We do not have any difficulty with that, but it seems too much of a head fake, the equivalent of one of the company’sslickverbalshiftsthatsayssomethingbutanswers nothing Havetheeightnewdiscoveriesbeenappraised? Ifnot, why are they taking so long, notwithstanding his prior responses,whichwereexercisesindistractionanddenial How can CNOOC do so for two of them, while ExxonMobil maintains a tight hold on what the reserves are? Because ExxonMobilhasbeenapartnerinthethickwebsofsecrecies weaved by the PPP/C Government (US billions in expenses, audit reports, studies), the company’s stock with Guyanese is notinafavourableplace

Methodologies,assumptions,andmonetizingknownoil assets,mayappearpersuasivetoRoutledge. Notsoatthis paper,andwithmoreGuyanesesceptical. Guyanesewere wishingforagenuineoilpartner,butseethemselvesdealing withamanipulator.

Open letter to the Speaker of the NationalAssembly: Lift ban on use of word “Corruption”

Mr Speaker, I write to youwithrespecttotheoffice you hold and the vital role you play in guiding our parliamentaryproceedings.I feel it is my duty to raise an issue that has been a source of continuous controversy and which is now, frankly, absurd:theprohibitionofthe useoftheword“corruption” inparliamentaryspeech.

This ban, instituted by you some time ago, has always been a subject of concern for those of us who believe in free and open debate.

A n u m b e r o f developments have brought its absurdity into sharp focus. One such example is that the Government of Guyana made much ado about an anti-corruption

expoithostedlastmonth—a commendable effort in principle Yet, under the currentparliamentaryedict,I and for that matter, Minister Gail Teixeira under whose ministerialauspicestheexpo wasconvened,wouldnotbe able to properly reference this event in the National Assembly because its very title includes the forbidden word.

Mr Speaker, this situation borders on the comical How does one discuss combating corruption without being abletosaytheword?Should weasMP’srefertotheexpo as the “anti- ‘C’ event”? Or perhapsinventeuphemisms, like “the battle against dishonesty that shall not be named”? Such linguistic

gymnastics is unbecoming of a serious parliamentary discourse and makes us, quite frankly, the subject of furtherridicule.

TheroleofParliamentis toserveasaforumfortruth, accountability, and robust debate.Tobanwordscentral t o t h e s e functions—particularly one a s p i v o t a l a s “corruption” undermines the dignity and purpose of thisAugustbody

It also sends a troubling signal to our citizens: that while the government may host expos and deliver speeches on a so-called battle against corruption, Parliament itself cannot openlydiscusstheissue.

This is not merely a matter of semantics; it is a

matterofprinciple.Ifweare serious about addressing corruption in all its forms, we cannot shy away from namingit.

Banning the word does not make the problem go away Instead, it creates the illusion that we are more concerned with appearances thanaction.

Mr Speaker, I urge you to reconsider this decision. LetusrestoretotheNational Assembly the freedom to engage in meaningful discourse,tonametheissues we face, and to work togethertoresolvethem.The citizens of Guyana deserve noless.

Respectfully,

Hon. Amanza WaltonD e s i r M e m b e r o f Parliament

Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox

Maduro’s existential threat continues

DEAREDITOR, It was not by accident that three days before his scheduled Jan 10th inauguration, Maduro

announced he was scheduling the election of the governor of Essequibo. His referendum of Dec 2, 2023 had approved its “annexation” and on 21 March 2024 his National Assembly had unanimously

created the state of “Guayana Esequiba”, to be run by a Maduro-appointed authorityuntiltheelectionof its governor Knowing his inauguration would precipitate internal and external protests because of its illegitimacy, he again hoped to raise patriotic emotionsovertheEssequibo in the citizenry and the critical military forces, targetedbytheopposition.

But the Jan 9th opposition protests was not as successful as

expected; perhaps

influenced by the Essequibo dog whistle but primarily because of Maduro’s mobilisation of the “organs of integral direction”(ODIS)

T h i s s t r u c t u r e

centralises political power, the Armed Forces, the Bolivarian National Militia, police forces and community groups, to “maintain order” but actually to subdue the population and stifle any

expression of dissent Maduro also organized counter protests and was duly sworn in by his ally, National Assembly leader JorgeRodrķguez. Edmundo Gonzįlez, the opposition leader

s t a n d - i n f o r t h e

charismatic Maria

Machado who had been banned from running in last July 28 elections, had been declared as the “president elect” by the US in view of their voting machines’ tally-sheets showing he had won the elections

Machado’s Electoral Council never released theirs as had been done in previous elections

Gonzalez had been received by President Biden and had promised to show up in Venezuela to be inaugurated, but this never happened Machado did lead some protests inside Venezuela and was briefly detained afterone.

Directly after the i n a u g u r a t i o n , U S Secretary of State

A n t o n y B l i n k e n

reiterated US support of G o n z a l e z a n d

announced an upping of the bounty on Maduro’s and Minister of Interior

Diosdado Cabello’s heads from US$15M to US$25M, on drug traffickingcharges.

They offered a US$15 million reward for Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López and sanctions on “ e i g h t M a d u r oalig

…including members of the security forces and political figures”bringingtheseupto 187persons.

Similar actions were taken today by Canada, the EU, and the UK as in 2019 forJuanGuaido,whichwere thenofnoavail.

M o s t n o t a b l y , however, the Blinken administra

ion left untouched the licence allowing Chevron to e x t r a c t a n d s h i p Venezuelan heavy crude to the US, which would

y adversely impacting the Maduro administration

W i t h T r u m p ’ s inauguration on January 20, it is expected that with the fierce anti-Maduro Marco Rubio leading the State

Department, and Rep Mike Waltz as his National SecurityAdvisor,itishardto imagine Washington taking a softer stance toward Maduro.

Waltz had sponsored the ironically named bipartisan BOLIVAR Act - Banning Operations and Leases with Illegitimate Venezuelan Authoritarian Regimeapproved by the house and now before the Senate Trumpsignalledhisposition when he announced his support for Machado and “President-elect” Gonzalez as the protests unfolded in Venezuela.

However, Trump himself is apparently facing pressure from oil execs to maintain Biden’s policy of granting concessions to Maduro, via licences, to secure oil imports from Venezuela This will be the litmus test of even matching his failed 2019 pro Guaido strategy

There is also the question of Venezuelan migrants, which Trump is committed to returning to Venezuela and for which he will need a quid pro quofromMaduro

All of this now brings us to what should be our response to a third-term Maduro

T h e d a y a f t e r Maduro’s announcement

expressed

once again

Argyle Agreement and the Dec 1, 2023 order of the ICJ ” This is water on duck’s back

We must recognise the realities of the situation: it is quite unlikely that

recourse is to continue strategicallyaugmentingour physical and manpower capabilities: while we may not be able to defeat Venezuela’s far larger military on our own, at a minimumwecanmakethem think twice by waging the type of asymmetric warfare we have seen deployed with successinothertheatres.

We have recommended establishing a military base in northern Essequibo Brazilprotectsoursouthern, Rupununiflank.

Sincerely,

RaviDev

even Trump will move beyond sanctions at best as he focuses on China, the Mid East, Russia, Greenland, Canada and Mexico

Our Essequibo will remain a low-hanging fruit forMaduro,andevenforany possible successor from the opposition Our only

Carter Center and Change of Government in Guyana

DEAREDITOR, Late President Jimmy Carterhadastatefunerallast Thursday in Washington The Carter Center he founded is credited for restoration of democracy 1992 and change in government in Guyana after every observer mission. He undertookmultiplemissions to Guyana. His death does not mean the end of the Center’s association with democratic consolidation in Guyana The Center is expected to be involved in the 2025 electionsunder the aegis of his grandson Jason who is a respected former politician having served in Georgia legislature and made a failed run for Governor as the nominee of theDemocraticParty.

I met Jason Carter in Guyana at Pegasus, Marriott, and Cara Lodge at conferences preceding the 2020 election and daily thereafterduringattemptsat rigging.Hejointlyheldpress conferences with co-leader of the Carter Observer Mission Mrs Aminata Touré, the former PM of Senegal Carter had not come to Guyana but was kept abreast of happenings by Jason, Chair of the Center JasonandMrs.Touré and members of their team were also present at the Ashmincountingcentreand GECOM headquarters duringtheattemptstorigthe election. Both were very approachable and had no security They were very warm and pleasant in their exchanges with reporters. They engaged anyone who approached them I remember meeting Commonwealth election experts Dr Zaidi and Mr Afari of Ghana with them and with other observer missions at Cara Lodge expressing concerns about theattemptedfraud.

Jason and Touré were quite disturbed and perturbed and expressed outrage of the attempts at rigging. In a side meet, I asked Mrs. Touré about her experience in Guyana; she responded that Guyanese were very friendly and respectful to the team but that she was disappointed with the behaviour of the government. Similarly, Jason told me he was disappointed and displeased with attempt to defraud the voters and promisedthatriggingwould not be allowed to stand. I

could see disappointment and rage in his face and behaviouraswellasinhers. They both said they had never experienced anything like what occurred in Guyana in their years of experienceatelections.

The Carter Center through its report to Washington helped to bring about the change onAugust 2.TheCenter,ledbyCarter, also played a critical role in thechangeofgovernmentin 2015 although he left prematurelyadaybeforethe election. He also led the mission to the 1992 elections. It was shocking, therefore, to Jason that an attempt was made to reject thewillofthevoters.

I am reminded friends that every time the Center observed elections in Guyana there was a change in government 1992, 2015, and 2020 Several queried whether the Center will be involved in the 2025 elections.

The Center has not officially announced that it will observe this year’s elections, but reliable sources informed me there willbeapresenceverysoon. Washingtonislikelytofund it in support of a policy to promote democracy worldwide.

With the Center’s presence, will there be a change in government in 2025? Will the pattern or trend of previous Carter involvements hold? The conditions that existed in 1992,2015,and2020arenot fortuitous at this moment to bringaboutpoliticalchange. People were fed up with the

elections observed by the Center, and opposition forces were united to force political change. In 2025, opposition forces are not unitedsofar,andthereisno credible viable alternative and a transformational leader who can instil confidence in people to break away from traditional race voting. PPP has made gains among Africans, Mixed, and Amerindians, and has corralled the Venezuelanvote.

Aubrey Norton has limited support in the PNC baseandnocrossoverappeal among Indians and Mixed. Nigel Hughes of AFC has a

ng the disgruntledPNCsupporters. Itwillbeaclosecontest

(Continuedonpage49)

BLUNT BLUNT

The royal runaround continues for the Gas-to-Energy documents

Guyanese have been on a royal runaround to get a glimpse of the Gas-to-Energy project documents since 2022. This controversial project, blanketed in secrecy, is intended to cut electricity costs by 50%, according to the man in charge of the Petroleum sector, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat was questioned in Parliament, since 2022, about the agreement with ExxonMobil when he said it could not yet be released.

Jagdeo, when subsequently questioned about the documents, instructed reporters to speak with Minister Gail Teixeira since the agreements were to be laid in Parliament.

Teixeira, when confronted, said she knew nothing about this and asked the media to question Prime Minister Mark Phillips about it since he bears responsibility for the energy sector

The Prime Minister, when asked at his endof-year press conference, said he prefers VP Jagdeo to respond since he has been addressing matters relating to the project. Jagdeo has now said that persons should reach out to the United States EXIM Bank for a copy of the studies it conducted.

If this project is feasible and environmentally safe as government claims, why is there hesitation to make the documents public?

Jagdeo’s press conferences are about grievance rather than governance

When it comes to political irony, Vice PresidentBharratJagdeohas ascended to a position so rarefied that one wonders if he’s vying for the title of “UnintentionalComedianof the Year.” Last Thursday, at hisweekly showcasepardon, press conferencehe performed a masterclass inself-parody

Jagdeo attempted to debunk a Kaieteur News editorial,onlytoproveevery syllable of it painfully accurate. If it were a chess match, Jagdeo’s moves would be akin to checkmatinghimself.

The editorial in question accused the Vice President of wielding his press conferences as a cudgel to attack critics, particularly Kaieteur News and its publisher, Glenn Lall It painted him as a broken record—one stuck on the GreatestHitsofPropaganda: ThePNCDidItWorse,Look at My Party’s Glorious Record, and Ignore the Oil Wealth Vanishing Act. The editorial observed that critical questions are deflected with great finesse. Theeditorial,inshort,wasa scathingindictmentofaman

m o r e i n v e s t e d i n grandiloquence than governance.

So how did our embattled Vice President respond? By embodying every criticism levelled againsthim.Inadisplaythat could double as a tutorial in

missing the point, he dedicated swathes of his “presser” to attacking KaieteurNewsandStabroek News. He even resurrected hisfavouriteinsult,labelling Kaieteur News a “rag.” His vendetta against Glenn Lall, who apparently in Jagdeo’s eyes has been transformed overnightfrompastfriendto existential foe, is a study in politicalwhiplash.

He seems to have forgotten that it was this same ‘rag’ that took a principled stance against election rigging in the wake of the 2020 General and Regional Elections The newspaper’s refusal to publish discredited narratives earned praise from the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). The PPP/C and its leaders thanked the newspaper for standing up for democracy This stance caused fissures within the newspaper with the departureofkeypersonsand the dropping of two opcolumns that were peddling discredited and antidemocratic narratives Ironicallyitisthissame‘rag’ that gives more publicity to Jagdeo’s press conferences thatanyothernewspaper Yet, when Glenn Lall dared critique the sacred oil agreement or Jagdeo’s reneging on promises to renegotiate same, the Vice President’s admiration curdled into animosity It confirmed a view that is gainingtractioneachday:In

Jagdeo’s worldview, loyalty must be unflinching, criticismistreason,andfacts that diverge from his narrative are fiction It’s objective truth, Jagdeostyle:wherethemarketplace ofideasisaone-mankiosk.

His performance, last Thursday, confirmed what many had long suspected: Jagdeo is uncomfortable with differing opinions. It also was once again proof

y paramountcy by conflating party with government through the hosting of a weeklypressconferencethat blurs the lines between the two. Jagdeo, ever the oracle of governance, spent much

APNU+AFC’s allegedly a

He repeatedly asserted his government’s right to compare its achievements against theirs. One might ask: Is this the metric by which the PPP/C wishes to

APNU+AFC were so inept, shouldn’t the benchmark be higherthanclearingabarset onthefloor?

Then came the pièce de résistance: his response to a straightforward question from a female reporter The VicePresident,truetoform, was dismissive of her question about making public the feasibility and environmental assessment of the gas-to-shore project. Instead of answering, he

DEM BOYS SEH

Boycott apartheid goods!

Demboyssehwhenyuhseewrong,yuh supposedtocallitout.Butsomepeoplelike they tekkin’lessons in ducking. De PPP/C government ducking the question of why demnotstandinguptoapartheidIsrael,like how Forbes Burnham did back in the day Yes,Burnhamwasn’tnosaint,butatleasthe had the backbone to tell SouthAfrica, “No businesswidyou!”Nowdemboysseh,ifwe coulda stand up to South Africa, why we can’tstanduptoIsrael?

Jimmy Carter did accuse Israel of practising apartheid against the Palestinians. And now dem committing genocide.

Dem boys seh, it look like the PPP/C waitingondewholeworldtodosomething before dem move. But who tell yuh yuh can’t leadby example?Burnham ain’t wait fuhnobody

He went ahead and ban dealings wid apartheidSouthAfrica.Evenwhenhetiehe ownshoelacesincontradictions,atleasthe hadastand.Buttoday,wegotagovernment runningonauto-pilot,lookingfuhprecedent fuh every little thing, instead of acting on

launched into yet another tirade. It was a moment so gratuitously offensive that one half-expected the reporter to receive a medal forendurance.

Week after week, it is a replay of the same script. Andonehastoaskwhydoes the press continue to grace these weekly theatrics with its presence? Jagdeo’s press conferences have devolved into a bizarre fusion where the lines between government and party are not just blurred but obliterated What we’re witnessing is nothing short ofarevivalofthedoctrineof partyparamountcy Andyet, the media dutifully attends, asifhopingagainsthopethat this week’s performance might yield something

substantive. Jagdeo, in his crusade against criticism, has unwittingly done more to validate his detractors than they could have hoped for The man has become a caricature of the very flaws heseekstodeny Hisweekly diatribes are less about governance and more about grievance.

Perhaps Jagdeo should take a moment to reflect on history The press, as the editorial pointed out, has alwaysbeenthewatchdogof democracy It’s a role that predates his tenure and will outlastit.Attackingthepress mayprovideafleetingsense of triumph, but it’s a losing battle in the long run. The truth, as they say, has a s t u b b o r n w a y o f emerging—even if it must

claw its way through a barrage of insults and evasions.

For now, we can only marvelattheirony Jagdeo’s attempts to respond to criticism have amplified it. His disdain for dissent has galvanized it. If this is his strategy, one can only hope he keeps at it. After all, nothing vindicates the press quite like a politician provingthemright.

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

principle.

Dem boys seh, is not just government whogottoact,yuhknow Iswe,thepeople, whogottoshowdemhowitisdone.People all over de world boycotting goods from Israel, and dem boys seh is time Guyanese joindemovement.

Every dollar we spend on apartheid goodsisadollarwegivingtofundgenocide.

Demboysseh,ifyuhvexeverytimeyuh hear how many Palestinians get bombed or bulldozed, then do something. Stop buying Israeli goods. Start asking yuh government why dem fraid to tek a stand. Burnham seh boycott apartheid, and dem boys seh is de leastwecoulddonow

Guyana boycott goods from South Africa back then.Why we can’t boycott de produceofapartheidtoday?

Demboysseh,Guyaneseliketosehwe got a conscience. Well, now is de time to prove it. Stand up fuh Palestine! Boycott apartheid goods Show de world that Guyana still got backbone, even if de governmentspinemissinginaction. Talkhalf.Leffhalf

H@RD TRUTHS

From ethnicity to Exxon, race to renegotiation

For decades Guyanese have been living with a crippling, haunting divide. Race. As if that’s not weakening enough, there is a new divider now. Renegotiation.

F r o m e v e r y i n d i c a t i o n , renegotiation has become as much ofabrutalizingwedgeissueasrace. FromtheethnicdividetotheExxon divide -how do already overburdened Guyanese rise to the challenge? They understand race: DNAdeep,visible,memorable.

However, most Guyanese don’t haveenoughofanunderstandingof oil in all its intricacies, nuances, delicacies, and barbarities. Men die over oil, from wars fought over it. Hotwars,coldwars,proxywars. The latter two are growing in strength in Guyana. Though local understanding of the treasure in hand may be limited, there is knowledge of one vital reality: a few are getting and celebrating the fruits of oil; the majority are reaching and grasping, and coming up with nothing. It’s the fuel of the new divide, part of the tragedy of thismassivepatrimony

I am for renegotiation. The slander of being anti-Exxon and anti-PPP, anti-PNC, even antiAmerican, now seems almost inevitable I am still for renegotiation; would be to my last breath. Does that make me a patriot? What about the Guyanese who are against renegotiation for whatever reason self-serving or noble? Does that make them antipatriotic and, in its worst iteration, traitors? The

disagreement and gap can be vehement, but must not reach to thatleveloftoxicviciousness.

Incidentally, what is patriotism and what is country in Guyana’s new lush context of oil? My conclusion is that those are ordinary conveniences, if not anachronisms. The focus has been on economics, the law, and good name. Rightly so, I believe, but on one condition only All three must betwo-waystreets.

I think that Messrs. Woods and Routledge and the Exxon board have their own anxieties about reputational stains, and simmering resentments heaving beneath forcedcivilcalmlocally

I further believe that, as is customary at such elevated levels, there is a money contingency at hand to work through current percentage and other differences. More simply put, I believe that if men like Woods and Routledge have a shade of the corporate wisdoms that I think they possess, there is an openness to making some concessions, however meagre. The blockages come from local ruling sources, which has been my unshakeable sense since the word renegotiation started to gainstrength,stirpassions.

Recently, I read the startling. Venezuela and America. Not the two together and locked over Guyana, but the sources of the representation. The people in power are now saying what I repeatedlywroteinthepublicspace 6-7yearsago.

Insum,the2%isdetested,butis recognized as the insurance premium that must be paid, part of the one-sided bargain that was executed by the previous Coalition government. At different times, I used such terms as “blood money” and “protection money.” Back then, the PPP opposition mocked and scorned, dismissed outright the thought laid before all citizens. Today, Venezuela and America are inseparablefromthePPPdefensive narratives to rationalize not renegotiating.

Then the law has been summoned in the war against renegotiation. Contract law, the laws of economics, and the binding lawsthatgivepowertocapitalism’s endeavours. Fortheirownreasons, Guyana’s best and brightest give the shortest shrift to the laws of sovereignty and what renders the local Constitution all but nonexistent. Men who are innovative and pioneering in novel stratagems to the application of law (and life itself) are now curiously onedimensional and lacking in energy and sagacity Their reflexive is settled: no! No! to renegotiation. Can’tbedone. Shouldnotbetried. Too dangerous, reeks of the selfdefeating. Before one step has beentaken,onethoughtcompleted, minds are made up, rest immovably

This returns to those two ligaments of discussion, contention: Venezuela and patriotism Stirring were the pronouncements about “Essequibo

isours.” Sezwho? Whoisgoingto be there on the frontlines, or any lines? Perhaps that has been outsourced to the Americans, as an unstated provision of the Exxon contract.

Since I am in this defiant mode, Winston Churchill flashes across the brow. “We shall fight on the beaches; we shall fight on the landing ground….” Do Guyanese think that they have something worth fighting for with their every facility? Who are Guyanese fighting? Once again, it is among themselves.

Review and renegotiation were anthemandmantraforthemenwho are now totally against both. What has brought about the change, this completereversalofposition? The trappings of power are what I conclude. The accession to or retention of power is a more powerful pull than pride, patriotic duty, and the welfare of the people. For the record, there is no compulsionto criticizeor condemn anycitizenanymore.

What remains are the realities with which I foresee Guyanese must cope. There is a national flag and a national pledge, but the Exxon contract mocks both. There is a parliament that stands as a theatre of the absurd due to the Exxoncontract.

A judicial “guarantee” could havebeenmadeorheardrelativeto an oil matter, and the weight of Exxon features heavilyin whatever wassaidbywhomandheardbyMr JohnHess,anExxonpartner

These may all appear to be peripheral to Exxon and oil, but anyone who thinks so is congratulated for being content withtheroleofanostrich.

Finally, Guyana is either a countryoritisanExxonsubsidiary. Ithinkthatthepointisnowmootas to which it is, no longer a matter of disagreement. To assert that Guyana is now an American satellite or outpost has so much going for it, as to no longer be deniable. The oil was long dreamt about,hopedfor,andthenitcamein torrents Now the best that Guyanese can do is to tear each otherapart.

For me, this whole ugliness surrounding renegotiation (or not to) and all that it represents is as painful as cancer and just as poignant. I have had dealings with thatsickness,ambetterforit.

Ifthisiswhatoilhasdonetomy times and peers, then there is really notmuchleftformetodo,togive.

It is the last great irony, the one development, one national resource, that held the grandeur of being the best thing ever for Guyanese has turned out to be the most divisive and destructive to date.

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

Govt. to seek loan to build Corentyne River Bridge- Jagdeo

With a contractor already identified to execute the construction of the Corentyne River Bridge, the Government of Guyana is set to acquire a loan to finance the bridge project, Vice PresidentBharratJagdeosaid.

Jagdeo at his last press conferenceheldatFreedomHouse, Robb Street, Georgetown, said that Guyana is ready to fund its share of theproject.

Asked by reporters about the sourceofGuyana’sfinancingforits 50 per cent of the total cost of the project, the Vice President said, “We can acquire the loan, it would be a loan, it’s a loan. It could be fromChinabutitcouldbefromany othersource.”

The Vice President added that already they have explored several potentialfinanciersfortheproject.

Noting the country’s readiness inmovingforwardwiththeproject, Jagdeo told the media on Thursday that Guyana is now waiting on Suriname.

“We are at a stage now where thepartieshavetocometothetable to say we can come up with our shareofthemoney,weareprepared to make that commitment now and

we can raise our share of the resourcesswiftlyandoncetheother sidecandothatthentheprojectcan movefast,”hesaid.

As reported previously, the CorentyneRiverBridgeisaproject being undertaken by the governments of Guyana and Suriname and is set to link the two countries.

“Well signing the line presupposes that the other partner willbeabletoraisetheirmoneytoo, we can raise our own money, swiftly We have already done a lot ofgroundworkonthis,wecanraise our share of the project swiftly,” he explained.

Jagdeo reminded that this is a jointprojectwithSurinameandthat bothcountriesaregoingtosharethe costandhavegreatbenefits.

“Wewillgetatonofourexports into Suriname and if we do our deep-water harbour, I think we will be able to capitalize, (and) repay thisloanwithgreateaseoncewedo the deep-water harbour in the Berbicearea,”hestated.

Kaieteur News reportedthatthe construction of the Corentyne River Bridge between the two South American nations will be

executed by China Road and Bridge Corporation, a construction firmfromChina.

China Road and Bridge Corporation was among three bidders that submitted proposals to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office last year At that opening, it was revealed that Ballast Nedam Infra Suriname bid US$325,400,000 for the contract, while China Road and Bridge Corporation bid US$236,173,962.

Another Chinese company – China Railway Caribbean Company Limitedalsosubmittedabidbutthe

amountwasnotlisted.

According to media reports, governments of Guyana and Suriname had requested funding from China for the project and are stillawaitingapproval.

In a Department of Public Information(DPI)articlepublished in July 2024, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill was quoted stating, “We have gone through the full tender process, we have a preferredcontractorattheendofan evaluation process and both governments have agreed to approach our partner, the Republic ofChinatofinancetheproject.”

He disclosed then that S u r i n a m e ’s P r e s i d e n t , Chandrikapersad Santokhi had visited China, carrying a letter signed by himself and President Irfaan Ali to solidify the financing agreement.

The Ministry of Public Works said the bridge will span the Corentyne River from South Drain in Suriname to Moleson Creek in Guyana, and is slated to have a life spanof100years.

In May 2022, the consultancy assignment for the Feasibility Study and Detailed Designs for the

Construction of the bridge was awarded to WSP Caribbean, amounting to US$2 million. The assignment included various works such as topographic assessment, hydraulic and hydrographic studies, traffic demand analysis, financial and economic evaluation, environmental assessment, and the preliminary design of the bridge androads.

The bridge will span approximately 1,100 metres in length with 22 spans measuring 50 metres each. The sub-structure will be designed to withstand minor vessel impact. The carriageway is expected to span around 10.05 metres, accommodating two lanes under regular conditions and three lanes during emergencies or controlledsituations.

Additionally, the bridge will feature utilities inside the box girder, which will include an inspection path width of 260 metres, among other features. The infrastructure project holds immense potential for fostering economic growth, strengthening regionalintegration,andimproving transportation links between the twoneighbouringnations.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

$220M Mahdia Magistrate’s Court commissioned

The $220M Mahdia Magistrate’s Court was, on Friday, commissioned in the presence of Attorney

General and Minister of LegalAffairs,Anil Nandlall; Chancellor of the Judiciary (Ag.) Yonette Cummings-

Edwards and Chief Justice (Ag.)RoxaneGeorgeamong otherofficials. Nandlall spoke of the

transformation within the judiciary In his address, the Attorney General said, “No

Guyanese have been able to

importantly, be part of a p

c

s s t h a t

s s o transformational in the developmental equation of our country…What you are part of, what we are part of, whether we are even spectators or whether we are the pioneers, decision makers. At whatever level you are situated in the (Continued on page 50)

Mahdia Magistrate's Court

The ribbon cutting ceremony at the entrance of the court.

Clarifying misconceptions about the Panama Canal

BySirRonaldSanders

Recent remarks by U.S. President-elect Donald Trumphavedrawnattention to the Panama Canal. He accused the Panama Canal Authority(PCA)ofcharging higher fees for U.S. ships passing through the canal comparedtoothernations.

Mr Trump, who is to be inaugurated for a second timeasPresidentonJanuary 20, also expressed concerns that China is effectively operatingthecanal.

He even refused to rule out using military force to retake control of the canal, emphasizing its importance forU.S.economicsecurity

To be fair to the President-elect, he did not volunteer the latter statement about the use of military force; he was responding to a reporter’s question at a free-wheeling press conference as to whetherhewouldassurethe worldthathewouldnotuse military or economic coercion to gain control of the Panama Canal and Greenland

He responded by saying he could not give assurances on “either of thosetwo,butIcansaythis, we need them for economic security”

The human sacrifice behindthePanamaCanal

ThestoryofthePanama Canal is not only one of significant financial investment and engineering skill by the U S ; it is also one of human sacrifice by West Indians Between 1904and1914,thecanalwas c o n s t r u c t e d b y approximately 200,000 West Indian workers who faced gruelling conditions and significantrisks

Research reveals that, in relation to Barbados alone, 5,893 workers perished, succumbing to disease, landslides, explosions, and machinery accidents By comparison, 350 U S nationalsdied

Thehistoricalcontext

In 1903, the United States signed a treaty with a nascent Panama, granting

the U.S. perpetual control over a 10-mile-wide canal zone. While this agreement enabled the construction of the canal, it was negotiated under circumstances of Panama’slimitedbargaining power Over time, Panamanians increasingly viewed U.S. control as an impediment to their sovereignty

However, the United S t

between1904and1914.

The total cost of the project was approximately $375 million, which included the purchase of the assets of a French company that had previously failed to buildthecanal.

During the 89 years that the U S operated the cana

ted substantial revenue from tollschargedtoshipspassing through. However, the primary goal of the canal was to provide a strategic and economic advantage by shortening shipping routes between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, not only for trade but also for the U.S. military

T h e r e f o r e , t h e strategic and economic benefits of the canal to theU.Swereimmense.

The mid-20th century saw growing agitation for change in Panama, leading twice to amendments to the original treaty and granting some concessions to Panama, but not to any alterationofthefundamental structures of U.S. control.

Violent protests by Panamanians, especially students, in the 1960s, together with the rise of independent nations advocatingforfairtreatment around the word, paved the way for the 1977 TorrijosCarter Treaties. Under these treaties,theU.S. committed to gradually transfer control of the canal toPanama.ByDecember31, 1999, Panama assumed full authority,withtheobligation to maintain the canal’s neutrality and to ensure fair

accessforallnations. Thatis an obligation that the PCA unequivocally states it upholds.

TheCanaltoday

Since the transfer of control, no country or companyusingthecanalhas officially complained about discriminatory fees or nonc o m p l i a n c e w i t h internationallaw

The canal’s revenue

expansions,withoutexternal financial dependency on the Treasuryofanyothernation.

T h e P C A h a s categorically denied the suggestion by the PresidentelectthatitchargesUS ships higher fees, emphasizing its commitment to neutrality Similarly, it stated that concerns about China “controlling” the canal are unfounded.

The Authority points out thatwhileChinesecompanies manage ports near the canal and have invested in Panamanian infrastructure, thecanalitselfremainsunder thefullauthorityofthePCA

Addressing misunderstandings

In any event, Presidentelect Trump’s concerns about the canal’s financial arrangements and Chinese influence underscore the importance of clarifying t h e s e i s s u e s Misunderstandings can strain international relations

collaborative history between the U S and Panamaoverthecanal.

For example, the suggestion that Panama is seeking a $3 billion loan from the U S for canal repairs is rejected by the PCA, which points to its historical record of managing its finances responsibly, using revenues

m the international financial market to fund projects like the canal’s expansion in 2016.

Opportunitiesfor dialogue

The Panama Canal is a vitalconduitforglobaltrade,

and its neutrality and accessibility benefit all nations,includingtheUnited States.

Given that Presidentelect Trump has expressed concerns, his remarks highlight the need for open, respectful dialogue to addressthem.

Latin American and Caribbean countries, long committed to principles of mutual respect and cooperation, would undoubtedly be supportive of efforts between the U.S. and Panama to clarify misunderstandings.

Having moved beyond the tenets of the Monroe Doctrine, the region’s interestistomaintainanarea

ofpeacewhereallformsof aggression are rejected in favour of dialogue and cooperation The economic and social growth of each of these countries depends on upholding mutual respect and pursuing shared interests.

Lookingahead

As President-elect Trump prepares to assume office, there is an opportunity to build on the legacy of U S -Panama collaboration.

SIR RONALD SANDERS

o

contentious, and that diplomacy and international orderprevails.

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’sAmbassador to the US and the OAS. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www.sirronaldsanders.com

With an open exchange of views and a commitment to clarity and respect, both nations and the wider Americas—can reaffirm the principles of the TorrijosCarterTreaties,ensuringthat the operation and practices

WEEK-IN-REVIEW

Sunday

Jagdeomustexplainhow Gas-to-Energyprojectis feasiblewithfinalcoststill unknown-Norton …saysloanpolicyneeded toguidepoliticians

L e a d e r o f t h e Opposition, Aubrey Norton, has said that Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo must explaintothenationhowhe hasdeterminedthattheGasto-Energy (GTE) project would be feasible, when the final cost of the initiative is stillunknown.

Norton, during a press conferenceonFriday,wasat the time responding to a

question from this

newspaper when he explained, “I cannot say to you what the final cost will be, but in any project where therearedelays,andthereis not proper planning and execution,thefinalcostwill go up. I think this thing started at just over US$900 million and I think it has gonewaypastUS$1B,sothe figures are showing it is alreadygoingup.”

The GTE project comprises a pipeline - built by ExxonMobil- along with aNaturalGasLiquids(NGL) facility and power plant being constructed by the Government of Guyana (GoG), with funding from the United States Export Import(USEXIM)Bank.

According to an Environmental Impact

A s s e s s m e n t ( E I A ) conducted by Exxon for the pipeline, gas will be transported to the Wales Development Site, West Bank Demerara from the Liza One and Liza Two projects in the Stabroek Block.

Withthereservesofthese two projects likely to be depleted soon, VP Jagdeo hadindicatedplanstoutilize gas from others projects to supporttheproject.Thiswill further drive up the cost of theproject.

Norton was asked how Guyanese could determine the feasibility of the project forthemselvessincethefinal cost is still unknown, when he said the Vice President shouldexplain.

“Thatisaquestionforthe VicePresident.IntheBudget the last time, I did point out to the Prime Minister we don’tknowthecostofit,we don’tknowatwhatpricethe electricitywill be sold…any

proper economist would ensure those things happen. Infact,he(Jagdeo)criticized APNU for having feasibility studies,” the Opposition Leadernoted.

Meanwhile, on the loan contractedtofinancethetwo gasplants,Nortonpointedto the need for Guyana to be carefulinhowitincreasesits debtburden.

“I have always argued thatwehavetobesensiblein how we (are) taking loans that we should use some of our oil resources and only if the loan is of real low interest, we should seek to take it, or the project is of absolute necessity In this case therefore, I would say that the government didn’t evendoafeasibilitystudy,so onedoesn’tevenknowifthis project, how successful it willbe,”heargued.

Norton said that while theoutcomeoftheprojectis still uncertain, it is the hope oftheOppositionthatitdoes notturnoutasdetrimentalas the Skeldon Sugar Factory where, similarly, there was no feasibility study that ended in a waste of resources.

The VP at his Thursday press conference defended theGTEproject,arguingthat the US EXIM Bank has confirmed the feasibility of the initiative through an independent study He has already been challenged by the fo

mer Executive D i r e c t o r o f t h e Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr Vincent Adams to publish copies of thosestudies.

LoanPolicy

Furthermore, the Leader saidhebelievesthereisneed forthedevelopmentofaloan policy He explained, “I believeasagovernment,you have to develop a loan policy;apolicythatsaysthe conditions under which you willtakeloans,whatmonies you will invest from oil into which areas, and that will onlycomeifyouhaveaplan,

but this government doesn’t plan.”

Tothisendhecommitted tothedevelopmentofsucha policy

‘Citizenswhowishto enterthepoliticalrace shouldnotbethreatened’

–NigelHughes …saysthemore contestants,themore optionsavailable totheelectorate

LeaderoftheAlliancefor Change (AFC) and attorney Nigel Hughes, on Friday,

believesanycitizenwhohas a desire to run for political office must be free to do so without any interference or threats.

H

statement by Vice President BharratJagdeo,onThursday a

conference, where he said that persons joining the political race need to be prepared for severe scrutiny as their lives will be closely examined.

Jagdeo told reporters, “Anyone can contest the elections However, once you declare your track record,thesamewayweface scrutiny every single day over a whole range of issues fairly and unfairly, I hope people are ready to answer tough questions and theywouldnotgooffcrying that they being targeted by thosequestions…”

The Vice President said that his party is targeted everyday but if serious questions are posed to others, “suddenly, oh we’re unfairlytargeting”.

Hughes said that Jagdeo’s comments are a clear threat to persons interested in joining the politicalarenaandscrutinyis intruthjusta“falsenamefor harassment”.

His party is of the belief that in Guyana any citizen who wants to run for public

office “should never be threatened,whetherbysome veil or expressive and therefore those persons who might have, I say, attracted the wrath of the fourth term Presidentrecently.”

The attorney said that a strong message needs to be madebypoliticalpartiesand civil society that the more persons in the political race means more options for citizensandtheAFCisinfull supportofthis.

Hughes said that the electorate should not be deterred by “veiled threats coming from offices as high as the vice president, that they will be subject to scrutiny.”

“… and therefore, in the circumstances,werejectany attemptbythegovernmentto put pressure in persons who may be considered,” the AFCleadersaid.

Hughes said, “It is not lost in this population that the message that’s being sent, both in the case of TerenceCampbellandinthe caseofMr Mohammed,and perhapsmorerecentlyinthe case of Mr Lall, is that it is intended as a warning to anybody who dares to threaten the People’s Progressive Party while in office, that they have to be carefulbecausetheywillbe, quote, unquote, subject to scrutiny This is not a new thing.”

Further, he said that if a modern and democratic society is to be built “any person who wants to enter thepoliticalfray,particularly if they appear to be popular, and particularly if they have ideas that can be useful for the development of this country, they should do so. Do not wait until they express some interest to threatenthemwithscrutiny.”

Monday

JagdeoasOpposition Leadersecretlyagreed withCoalitionGovtto waivetaxestoExxonMRaphaelTrotmanreveals

ThePeople’sProgressive Party (PPP) has always stoned the APNU/AFC Coalition for signing onto the lopsided oil contract, often using this to its political advantage in comparing its own managementofthesector

Although the blame is usuallycastsontheprevious government for binding Guyana to the terms of the 2016 Production Sharing

Agreement (PSA), the PPP alsoplayedarolein“signing

President, Bharrat Jagdeo putsit.

In fact, Attorney-at-law and Chartered Accountant, ChristopherRam,inhismost recent column, ‘Every Man, Woman and Child Must BecomeOilMinded’madea shocking revelation about theVP’spartinthelopsided deal with American oil supermajor, ExxonMobil Ram, in describing the actions of both the VP and President Irfaan Ali as betrayal, cited an excerpt of former Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman’s book, From DestinytoProsperity

The lawyer said, “we recall that in his book From Destiny to Prosperity, Raphael Trotman, then oil Minister, revealed that Jagdeo, as Leader of the Opposition, had secretly agreed with the APNU + AFC Government not to opposetheLegislativeOrder granting the ultra-generous tax measures in the 2016 Agreement.”

In Chapter Five of his book, Trotman explained that weeks after signing the deal, it was agreed between the Ministry of Finance and Exxon, that the Minister of Finance would table a Motion for a Resolution under Section 51 of the PetroleumAct,tobeadopted bytheNationalAssembly

“In essence, this provision permits the Minister of Finance to exempt a petroleum company, engaged in exploration and production, to be exempt from the payment of taxes, as per the provisions of its agreement with the Government of Guyana,”Trotmandetailed. He was keen to note that this provision had been utilised by previous PPP administrations for

petroleum companies, as similar Orders can be found under the hands of Sasenarine Kowlessar and Dr Ashni K Singh as MinistersofFinance.

The former minister notedthatwhilethereisgreat objection to this concession being given to Exxon, it is neither unprecedented to Guyana, or in other jurisdictions in the developing world where nascentpetroleumindustries were encouraged and incentivised. In the case of Exxon and its partners, the Order was introduced on August 8, 2016, and gained the unanimous approval of theHouse,hesaid.

“Interestingly,Ihadbeen previously informed that the LeaderoftheOppositionhad been “briefed” and would offer no objection, and further, that I should not elaborate too much on the specifics of the June 27 agreement (Exxon deal); excepttonotethatithadbeen signedandtolistsomeofthe provisions This advice I followed,”Trotmanrevealed inhisbook.

The former Natural Resources Minister under the David Granger presidency, said his presentation to the National Assembly on the evening of August8,2016isamatterof publicrecord,alongwiththe proceedings of the day, as recordedintheHansard.

Notably, in May 2019, the Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, at the time extended these same concessions to Repsol, Tullow Guyana B V and Total E&P Guyana B V, which hold concessions in the Kanuku and Kaieteur offshoreblocksrespectively VP Jagdeo, who now manages the petroleum sector, has, on multiple occasions,distancedthePPP from the 2016 deal, arguing thattheCoalitionis Continued on page 17

Opposition Leader,Aubrey Norton

Frompage16 responsible for the contract.

A l t h o u g h t h e P P P government accepts that the country is not gaining a fair shareofrevenueasaresultof the PetroleumAgreement, it has refused to engage the contractorforarenegotiation of the contract. Instead, it often boasts of the new PSA which demands 10% taxes, 10% royalty and a 65% cap on cost recovery These termshowever,donotapply totheStabroekBlockwhere Exxon pays no taxes, hands over 2% royalty and is allowedtodeductupto75% ofthecountry’soilforcosts.

Back in 2019, Jagdeo, while being interviewed on 94.1FMsaid,“Theysoldus outtotheforeigners–theoil companies.Everytimethere is a find there, our people should be sad because nothingcomesourway We are going to renegotiate those contracts because that’s not what we had in mind. Whenwewereinthe earlydays,wewerecoaxing thepeople(ExxonMobiland partners) to go along. They (APNU+AFC) came into office(andmet)threebillion barrels of proven reserves and then gave up zero royalty, no taxes, no ringfencing, no local content for these people to spend any moneyhere.”

He continued: “Paying our people GY$72,000 a month when the foreigner is

getting US$10,000 Bringing water from California to drink here. We are paying for all that Landscaping – they wanna contract it to a company coming from abroad and the Trinidadians and others are just walking in not only in the oil sector but they are getting all the prime lands too… So that is why I got back into politics. I’m not preparedtoseethishappen;I have no desire to be Presidentagain.”

Although Jagdeo’s comments at the time were focused on the lopsided natureoftheExxoncontract, he now claims that the statements were meant for theotheroilblocks.

Exxontosubmit fullplanfor7th project–Routledge

Some time this year, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited(EMGL)isexpected tomakeafullsubmissionof its Field Development Plan (FDP)fortheseventhproject – the Hammerhead

Development – situated in theStabroekBlock,offshore Guyana.Thisisaccordingto the company’s president AlistairRoutledge. “ I n 2 0 2 4 , w e 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 closelywiththeEPAandthe government on the approval process,” Routledge said, duringanepisodeof‘Energy Perspectives’thatwasposted onSunday.

Exxon, the operator of the Stabroek Block, already receivedregulatoryapproval for six developments offshoreGuyana.Inaddition to the Hammerhead Development, the company had already disclosed plans for an eight project, the LongtailDevelopment.

Last October, the Ministry of Natural ResourcesissuedExpression of Interests (EOI) seeking a consultanttoreviewExxon’s FDP for the Hammerhead Development However, a few weeks later, Guyana’s ChiefPolicymakeronoiland gas, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeohaddisclosedthathe hadinformedtheMinistryto discontinuethesearchforthe consultant. He said he made this decision because the information the company presented thus far is incomplete.

“…So, there will be no consultant hired to review theprojectuntilwehavethe entiresubmission…untilwe have a full submission from Exxon, we are not gonna startthereviewprocessandI expect them to make a full submission some time next year,”theVPhadsaid.

Hammerhead was announced as Exxon’s ninth commercial discovery in

A u g u s t 2 0 1 8 T h e Hammerhead-1 well was drilled in a new reservoir,

encountering approximately 197feet(60metres)ofhighquality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoir. The well was safely drilled to 13,862 feet (4,225 metres) depth in 3,773 feet (1,150 metres)ofwater Theproject will target between 120-180 thousand barrels per day (kbd). Exxon is aiming to commence production activitiesby2029,following therequisiteapprovals.

Notably, the daily production capacity being targeted is significantly lower compared to the last three projects sanctioned, which each target over 200 kbd Hammerhead-1 is located approximately 13 miles (21 kilometres) southwestoftheLiza-1well and follows previous discoveries on the Stabroek Block at Liza, Liza Deep, Payara, Snoek, Turbot, Ranger,PacoraandLongtail.

M o r e o v e r , t h i s publicationhadreportedthat whilethegovernmenthalted 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

Hammerheadproject.

On November 6, EPA published the Terms and S

Environmental Impact

Assessment (EIA) for the Hammerhead Development. The EPAsaid 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.

Tuesday

PMpussyfootsover releaseofGas-to-Energy documents …tellsreporters toaskJagdeoforit

“Almost every week there’s a lot of information being disseminated on the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project but I don’t know if you want a document, so to speak,awrittenreportonthe project.”

This was the response provided by Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips on Monday during his end-of-year press conference at the Arthur ChungConferenceCentrein response to a question from KaieteurNews.

This publication asked the PM to explain what is causing the delay in the release of the GTE

documents and to say how soon these would be made public. The Prime Minister has so far committed, on three occasions, to provide thedocumentstoParliament, butwasadamantonMonday that he did not know what document Kaieteur News wasrequesting.

Whenhewastoldthatthe government signed a Heads of Agreement with ExxonMobil since 2022, the PM said, “I am not aware of what you are talking about herebutIcanassureyouthat we have been consistently releasing information on the Gas-to-Energyproject.”

This newspaper however, pointed out that thereisstillnoclarityonthe repayment mechanism for the pipeline, since it was previously indicated that Guyana would purchase gas torepaythecontractor,butin another instance, it was explainedthatthecostwould be recovered from Guyana’s oil.

Tothisend,heexplained, “WellIruntheriskofgiving an answer that is contrary to whathasbeengivenalready As you know, in our approach to governance, the Vice President has the responsibilityforthedealing on the finances and matters pertainingtothatprojectand he would have already disseminatedinformationon that project, and I rather prefer that we perhaps defer that question to his press

conference because he is handling information pertainingtoit,andhewould have been giving, on a weekly basis, information pertaining to the finances, etc.”

When reminded of his commitment to table the GTE documents in Parliament, PM Phillips explained

o Parliament was to supply informationon the timelines associated with the project. According to him, “The commitmenttoParliamentis about the project itself, in terms of start time, completiontime,etcetera.”

He went on to explain thatwhileconcernsareoften expressed about the financing aspect of the gas project, the government has continuously addressed this and will continue to disseminate information in thisregard.

Inthemeantime,thePM urged, “What is important for the Guyanese people is the benefits of the project and we spend a long time explaining to people that as soonasthisprojectcomeson stream and starts producing the power, they will see not only reliable electricity, not only adequate electricity but a50%reductioninwhatthey arepayingforelectricity.”

Similarly, when he was asked if ExxonMobil has completedandhandedovera Gas Leak Management Plan forthepipeline,heexplained that he could not say anything with certainty about Exxon except that the pipelinehasbeencompleted. With regards to documents hesaid,“Iwilldeferittothe Vice President at his press conference.”

PrimeMinister commitment

In November, the Prime Minister, for a third time, promised the National Assembly to lay over the agreement signed with ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) for the GTE project He also apologised to the House for failing to provide the responseandagainpromised to ensure the necessary information and documents are provided. According to him,thiswillbelaidassoon aspossible.

“Mr Chair,ifIhadfailed in offering my response as requested by the honourable member, let me apologise to this honourable House and I willseekto,intheshortest Continued on page 18

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited President, Alistair Routledge

Frompage17 possible time, honour that request,” the Prime Minister said.

Kaieteur News reported that he assured that the construction phases of the GTE project are insured and related documents can be provided to the House. He

was responding to Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) David

Patterson on whether insurance is in place for the current works to support the gas plants and whether the government can lay those in Parliament The PM said, “The EPC (Engineering, ProcuringandConstruction)

contract has its own insurance policy ” When reminded about the latter part of the question, he said, “CertainlyMr Speaker.”

Similarly,ontheissueof Exxon’s pipeline, the PM noted, “I am advised again Mr. Speaker that Exxon has insurance coverage with the contractor, so that is catered for…wewilllayitover.” He also committed to providing the total sum expended on

theprojecttodate,including costs for the transmission and distribution of electricity, consultancy and substations, among other costs, as well as the agreements signed for the project. The GTE project is divided into two parts, with the first- a 225 kilometres pipelinefromtheLizafields offshore to the Wales developmentsiteontheWest Bank Demerara- being financed by the Stabroek

B l o c k o p

operationoffshoreGuyanais generating enough revenues to be self-funding, the company’s Senior Vice President and Chief FinancialOfficer,JohnRiley hassaid.

Riley disclosed that the upcomingYellowtail project is set to deliver a substantial boost in free cash flow for the American oil company d

investment, the project will introduce a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel capable of producing 250,000barrelsofoilperday (bpd), surpassing earlier developments like Liza Phase 1, Liza Phase 2, and Payara.

, ExxonMob

This is expectedtocostaboutUS$1 billion. The other aspect of the project entails a Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) facility and a 300-megawatt power plant to be financed by the Government of Guyana (GoG) through a loan from the United States Export Import (US EXIM) Bank Thetwoplantsarepeggedat US$759million.

HessStabroek Blockoperationis self-funding–CFO

Hess Corporation’s

transformative financial impact of the company’s operations in the Stabroek Block, where Hess holds a 30%stake.

“Yes, Guyana is selffundingandlook,itwasselffunding now and then Obviously, when the Yellowtail coming on, you getawholebigjump,andwe really do get a big step change in cash flow every time when these FPSOs comeon,”Rileysaid.

The Yellowtail project, Guyana’s fourth offshore development and its largest to date, is slated to commence production in 2025. With a US$10 billion

Discussing Yellowtail’s impact, Riley explained, “Now you’re bringing a 250 boat on, you know, these other ones obviously have beenkindofoptimizedupto 250, but you’re bringing a bigger boat on. You’ve got the three boats already paid for,youknow,behindyouon that So, yes, Yellowtail gives a nice, really nice, big inflection to our free cash flow.”

TheFPSOforYellowtail is expected to depart its construction yard in the first quarter of 2025, with production ramping up midyear, according to Hess’ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) John Hess. This development is part of ExxonMobil-led plans to increase Stabroek Block production capacity to over 1 3 million bpd by 2027 when the company anticipates having all six projects up and running offshore.

When asked how the company plans to use the cash flow generated from Yellowtail, Riley noted, “So let’s just say, if we were staying independent, we’d go back to that where we were, you know, we would grow the dividend That would be the first thing that we’regoingtodo.Well,first, wemakesurewe’refunding ourreturnprojects.Wegrow thedividend,justaswehave been doing and now, just recently did. And then we would take some up to 75% of that cash flow, and we’d returnittoshareholders.”

Riley explained that would be the move in the event of the US$53 billion merger with Chevron not going through. He clarified that this strategy would not move forward as Hess

navigates its pending merger Instead, the company will retain cash duringthetransitionperiod.

The Yellowtail project will target the Tilapia and Redtail reservoirs, adding to Guyana’scurrentproduction of over 650,000 bpd. Along withUaruandWhiptail,itis expected to contribute

significantly to the

consortium’s goal of boostingproduction.

Hess’Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, John Riley

Alistair Routledge, the President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) had announced that the Yellowtail project – the largestdeep-waterprojectto date in Guyana – is on track forthe2025startup. EMGL holds 45% interest and the third partner CNOOC

Petroleum Guyana Limited, holds25%interest.

Recently, Exxon announced that it has achieved the milestone of producing 500 million barrels of oil from the block since production began in December2019.

Wednesday

‘OurStabroekBlock estimateishigherthan Exxon’s11Bbarrels figure’–HessCEO

Hess Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Hess, has disclosedthathiscompany’s estimate of discovered resources in Guyana’s Stabroek Block exceeds the less-than-11-billion-barrelsof-oil-equivalent figure sharedbytheoperatorofthe block, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited.

The Stabroek Block, renowned for its vast oil potential, has been the subject of global attention since oil production commenced five years ago. ExxonMobil’s President, Alistair Routledge, stated that the company’s estimate remains below 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent, d e s p i t e e i g h t n e w discoveriesintheblocksince thepreviousupdatein2022.

However, at the Goldman Sachs Research: Energy, CleanTech & Utilities Conference on Tuesday, Hess said, “Yeah, the operator, and we’ve had talks with Exxon about this as operator, the very

conservative, they haven’t updatedthe11billionbarrels equivalent, greater than 11 billion barrels equivalent of discovered resource Our numberishigher.”

In August 2024, Guyana’s Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, announced that the Stabroek Block’s resource estimate had increased by 600 million barrels to 11.6 billion barrels of oil equivalent. “We have had a minimal increase in resources. I think we have moved to 11.6 billion now,” Bharratstated.

However Routledge, during ExxonMobil Guyana’s October 2024 press conference, noted that e

assumptionsused.

This newspaper had asked him to share how manyoftheeightdiscoveries were appraised for the companytoarriveatthenew resource estimate of 11 6 billion barrels. To this end, he explained, “The government released a number of 11 6B oil equivalent barrels, ExxonMobil’s estimate is lowerthanthatnumber…our numberremainsalittleunder 11 billion oil equivalent barrels.”

Furthermore, he noted thatthecompanyisobligated to make such reports to the US SecuritiesandExchange Commission, making the point that Exxon was not keepingthefiguresaway

M e a n w h i l e , i n explaining the variation between Exxon’s figures compared to the reserves announced by government, Routledge noted that the state conducts independent studies, although it is supplied with data by the company

“ T h e y a l s o d o independent studies (and) verifications with other consultantsandtheworkthat they do themselves and the GGMC and Ministry of Natural Resources so it’s quite normal to have a slightlydifferentviewofthe number,”hereasoned.

Exxon Guyana’s President also stressed the importance of focusing on translating those reserves to development. “We can have a wish list of estimated ultimaterecoverybutwhat’s materialtothecountryis‘are wemovingitintosanctioned projects’withfinance,witha Continued on page 36

Pneumonia in children: What you need to know

UNICEF- Many people associate pneumonia with the elderly, but it is actually the biggest infectious killer of children worldwide Every year, pneumonia claimsthelivesofmorethan 725,000 children under the age of 5, including around 190,000 newborns, who are particularly vulnerable to infection.

Every43secondsatleast

one child dies from pneumonia. Almost all of thesedeathsarepreventable. It is inexcusable that thousands of children are unabletoaccesstheessential

health services and treatments, which can preventpneumoniaandsave their lives. What causes pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection of the lungs. It doesn’t have one singlecause–itcandevelop from either bacteria, viruses or fungi in the air When a child is infected, their lungs get inflamed, may fill with fluid or pus and it becomes difficulttobreathe.Children whose immune systems are immature (i.e. newborns or premature babies) along with those with poor immunities (i e due to undernourishment or diseases like HIV) are more vulnerabletopneumonia. What are pneumonia symptoms?

As pneumonia is an infection of the lungs, the mostcommonsymptomsare coughing, trouble breathing and fever. Children with pneumonia usually experiencefastbreathing,or their lower chest may draw inorretractwhentheyinhale (in a healthy person, the chest expands during inhalation).

I s p n e u m o n i a contagious?

Pneumoniaiscontagious and can be spread through airborneparticles(acoughor sneeze).Itcanalsobespread through other fluids, like blood during childbirth, or fromcontaminatedsurfaces. How is pneumonia diagnosedinchildren?

Health workers can diagnose pneumonia through a physical exam, including checking for abnormal breathing patterns and listening to the child’s lungs. Sometimestheymayuse chestx-raysorbloodtestsfor diagnosis.

In countries without strong health care systems (i.e. few doctors, lack of access to chest x-rays and

laboratories),healthworkers often rely on diagnosing pneumonia by counting the number of breaths the child takes per minute For instance, a five-5 month old child who takes 50 breaths per minute would be breathingtoofast,andcould havepneumonia.

The number of breaths for ‘fast breathing’ depends on the child’s age – younger children normally have higherratesofbreathingthan olderchildren.

What are pneumonia treatments?

The treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia In developing countries, the largest number of pneumonia cases are caused by bacteria and can be treated with low cost antibiotics Yet many children with pneumonia do not receive the antibiotics they need because they lack accesstoqualityhealthcare. Other causes of pneumonia are viruses or mycobacteria (e g those causing tuberculosis)requiringother treatments. Tuberculosis in particular often remains undiagnosedinchildren.

What role can oxygen play in pneumonia treatment?

Oxygen is an essential andlife-savingtreatmentfor children and newborns suffering from severe pneumonia.

That’s because the inflammation of their lungs prevents enough oxygen from entering their bloodstreamtobecirculated totherestofthebody

Accesstooxygenhasfor alongtimebeenunavailable tothosewhoneedit.

In many countries without strong health systems, oxygen is only available at higher level health facilities and hospitals. And the pressure of COVID-19 on oxygen systems has compounded pre-existinggaps.

What can be done to preventpneumonia?

Preventingpneumoniais possible through increasing protectivemeasures,suchas ensuring newborns and youngchildrenarebreastfed early, vaccinated, have access to clean water, good nutrition and limited exposure to air pollution. Studies have shown that good hygiene practices, including improved handwashing with soap reduces th

isk of pneumonia by lowering

exposuretobacteria.

Is there a pneumonia vaccine?

Pneumonia caused by bacteriaiseasilypreventable with vaccines. However, 40 per cent of children around the world are not fully protected with the primary

(PCV) vaccine. In addition, other vaccinessuchasDiphtheriaTetanus-Pertussis and measles-containingvaccines andHemophilusInfluenzaB (Hib) vaccine protects childrenfrompneumonia.

Where are the most children dying from pneumonia?

The countries with the largest number of child pneumonia deaths are concentrated in sub-Saharan AfricaandAsia.

Child deaths from pneumonia are concentrated in the world’s poorest countries Within these countries, it is the most deprived and marginalized childrenwhosufferthemost. They often have limited or no access to basic health services and are more likely to suffer from other health threats like malnutrition, infectious diseases and pollutedair

Theyoftenliveinfragile or humanitarian settings, where often risk factors increase and health systems breakdown.

How does air pollution factorintopneumonia?

Air pollution can significantly increase the risk of respiratory infection, including pneumonia

Almost half of all pneumonia deaths are attributabletoairpollution.

The climate crisis is a childrightscrisisandposesa serious threat to children’s healthandwell-being.

Outdoorairpollutionisa risk to children, especially with growing rates of urbanization in high-burden pneumonia countries. But indoor air pollution –generated by unclean fuels for cooking and heating –alsoposesaglobalthreat.

How big a factor is malnutrition in pneumonia relateddeaths?

Wasting is the leading risk factor for deaths from pneumonia among children. It’sthemostvisibleandlifethreatening form of malnutrition.

When a child is too thin and their immune systems are weak, they’re far more vulnerable to diseases like

pneumonia.Wastingtendsto occur very early in life and disproportionately impacts children under two years of age.

It’s essential that we investinnutritionservicesto prevent children from dying frompneumonia. What is needed to stop pneumonia?

Swift action and investments are required to ensure that no child dies from pneumonia and other

preventable or treatable diseases, this includes: reducing risk factors, protec

Bacterial pneumonia cases on the rise in kids

ensuring all children have accesstogood-qualityhealth care,freeatthepointofuse, with well trained and equippedhealthworkers.

Celebrities who lost their homes and had to evacuate in Los Angeles due to raging fires

Forbes – A series of wildfires has devastated

swaths of Southern

California, causing thousands of residents to havetofleetheirhomesasit rapidlyengulfslargepartsof theLosAngelesarea.

Among the more than 80,000 people displaced were celebrities, many of whom have called the area home for decades. Some, including Leighton Meester and Adam Brody, Anna Faris, Ricki Lake, Cary Elwes, Cameron Mathison, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, have lost their houses Many others, including Mario Lopez, Molly Sims, Kid Cudi and Bebe Rexha, have shared that they have evacuated as thefirecontinuestospread.

LosAngelesLakershead coach JJ Redick lost his home in the fire, ESPN reported, as the Lakers

postponed their home game against the Charlotte Hornets.

Actor Mel Gibson told NewsNation he returned to his home in Los Angeles fromAustin,Texas,tofindit “wasn’t there,” saying he had “never seen a place so perfectlyburnt.”

A M a l i b u h o m e belonging to actor Jeff

Bridges reportedly burned down nearCandySpelling’s home, which was also destroyed in the Palisades Fire, a representative for BridgestoldTheHollywood Reporter

Rosie O’Donnell posted a video to TikTok showing damaged structures along thePacificCoastHighwayin Malibu, saying her home

burneddown.

Paris Hilton said she evacuated her home in Malibu before it was reportedly lost in the PalisadesFire.

Actor and the Pacific Palisades’ honorary mayor Eugene Levy told the Los Angeles Times he fled his home as the “smoke looked prettyblackandintenseover TemescalCanyon.”

was“gone.”

Cookbook author and TV host Sandra Lee said on Instagramsheisstayingina hotel because her house is “gone.”

Actor Adam Brody and his wife, actress Leighton Meester, evacuated their home in the Pacific Palisades, reportedly worth about $6.5 million, before it

James Woods shared videosofhisneighbourhood as it became engulfed in flames, and told CNN in a tearful inte

evacuated his Pacific Palisades home on Tuesday before saying it likely burneddown.

BillyCrystalandhiswife Janice, who moved to the Pacific Palisades in 1979, reportedlylosttheirhometo thefire.

Grammy Award winner Dianne Warren said the

beachhomeshe’sownedfor nearly 30 years was lost in thefires.

Reality TV stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt announced that their home—valuedatabout$3.8 million had been destroyed.

Actor Cary Elwes wrote on Instagram he evacuated his Malibu home on Tuesday, though it was later destroyed.

Melissa Rivers, the daughter of late actress and comedian Joan Rivers, told CNN the Rivers family home was destroyed by the fires Actor Cameron MathisontoldABCNewshe lost “my home and everythingIown”inthefire, saying, “I have this hoodie and a pair of pants and two pairs of sneakers left.That’s it.”ActressRickiLakewrote onInstagramsayingher (Continuedonpage23)

Paris Hilton, JhenéAiko,Adam Brody and Leighton Meester

Celebrities who lost their homes...

Frompage21 “dream home” in Malibu was“gone”inthefire.

Bozoma Saint John, Netflix’s former chief marketingofficeranda“The RealHousewivesofBeverly Hills”star,saidonInstagram her home in Malibu was burnedinthePalisadesFire.

SingerJhenéAikosaid her home “burned to the ground with all of our things” and we’ll be “startingfromscratch.”

T i n a K n o w l e s , businesswoman and the mother of Beyoncé and Solange, said her “sanctuary” in Malibu burned down

A c t o r M i l o Ventimiglia told CBS he watched his home burn down through security

cameras, saying his familywill“makedo ”

Real estate mogul and “Shark Tank” star

Barbara Corcoran said on social media her home in Malibu had been “devastated” by the fires

Actor Harvey Guillen shared a video of his destroyed home, saying, “Wewillrebuild.”

Actress Melissa Claire Egan said she purchased a Malibu home just two weeks earlier and “hadn’t moved in yet” before it wasdestroyedbythefires.

Actress Denise Crosby posted an image to social media saying her home had been reduced to “ashes” in the Palisades Fire

Jen Atkin, founder of the hair care brand OUAI, said on Instagram her “houseisgone ” Images appearing to showtheburninghomesof Anthony Hopkins, John Goodman and MilesTeller

have appeared online, though none of the actors have commented publicly, Reutersreported.

The first fire started in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday,Jan 7

V i d e o s s h o w devastation in the seaside community; as Pacific Palisades resident Maria ShriverwroteonInstagram, “Heartbreaking,devastating, beyond belief. Everything is gone.Ourneighborhood,our restaurants. All our friends havelosteverything.”

The Eaton Fire (also called the Close Fire) followed, sparking around 6:30 pm Tuesday; by late Wednesday morning, it had exploded to 10,000 acres across Pasadena and Altadena.

By 6:15 a m on Wednesday, Jan 8, the Woodley Fire was ablaze, seizing75acresinitswake.

Faizal Khan is Chairman of BritCham

Th e B r i t i s h

Chamber of Commerce in Guyana(BritChamGuyana) hasannouncedtheresultsof its recent Board elections, held following a meeting on 9thJanuary,2025.

According to release from BritCham, the board has elected Chief Executive Officer, Guysons Faizal Khan to the position of Chairman; Head, Strategy and Sustainability -Farfan & Mendes Ltd, Anand Harrilall as Secretary; Chief Operations Officer, Nations Inc , Liam O’Toole as Treasurer

Inadditiontotheofficers holding these roles, the Boardcomprisesofdirectors who will contribute their expertiseandstrategicvision totheChamber’sinitiatives.

BritCham Guyana Faizal Khan

Strategy and Sustainability Farfan & Mendes LtdAnand Harrilall

The following persons werealsoelectedasdirectors Adrian Barrow - Chief Operations Officer, Insurance Brokers Guyana Ltd; Rocky HanomanManager, Strategy & Transactions,Ernst&Young Services Inc; Robert Hiscock - Head of Mobile Networks, Enet; Timothy Miller, OBE - Country Director, Control Risks Guyana Services Inc ; Richard Stanton - Deputy Chief Executive Officer, One Communications and

Director, Wilde

s Explorers Company Ltd

These professionals bring a diverse range of experience and leadership, reinforcing BritC

G

yana’s commitment to fostering a robust and collaborative businessenvironment.

Commenting on the new appointments, Faizal Khan, Chairman, stated: “I am honoured to be elected by my fellow peers, to serve as Chairman of the Board 2025 will be an important and exciting year for Guyana and the UK alike BritCham

Guyana will continue to support bilateral trade growth and relationship building

We aim to build on the Chamber’s successes in 2024, including what was a splendid, sold out UK launch, at the world famous Lord’s Cricket Ground last

September2025willseethe creation of even more opportunities for our members and partners on bothsidesoftheAtlantic,so pleasestaytuned.”

BritCham Guyana extended its gratitude to the outgoing leadership team for their dedicated service and contributions to the organization’s growth

The Chamber remains committed to driving initiatives that benefit its members, and enhance bilateral relations between Guyana and the UK About BritChamGuyana

TheBritishChamberof Comm

Guyana (BritCham Guyana) is a professional business s

c

, promote, and encourage trade and commerce between Guyana and the United Kingdom and, in so doing, improve the quality of business opportunities acrossGuyanaandtheUK

Claire Antell-Thorne

Treasurer. Liam O’Toole

CONSUMERCONCERNS

‘Local

‘Local content’ in relation to the oil industry

content’ in relation to the oil industry

ByPatDial

Severalmembersofthe public have complained to us that though they see the term“LocalContent”much used in the media, they

h a v e n o p r e c i s e understandingofit. Inthis

offering, we shall endeavour to give an explanationoftheterm.

Itisacharacteristicof oilcompanies,whenthey commence operations in ThirdWorld countries, to access the goods and services they require from foreign suppliers whoareaffiliatedtothem or whom they have been accustomed to use and strongly resist any attempt tochangethispattern.

This pattern results in the Private Sector of the host country being

d e n i e d b u s i n e s s

opportunities which should rightly be theirs and reduce the quantum of profit to the host country in cases where there are profit-sharing

agreements between companyandhostcountry

Local content is when

the oil company is compelled to acquire the goods and services it

needs from local companies, once there is availability

It would have been in Guyana and the business community’s interest if

L o c a l C o n t e n t Legislation had been established from the time EXXON had begun productionofoil,butthis wasnottobe

The Local ContentAct

was only passed in December, 2021: Forty goods and services were identified which the oil company had to acquire fromGuyanesecompanies. Various percentages of acquisitionoftheparticular item by the oil company were identified and these rangedfrom5%to100%.

F o r e x a m p l e , engineeringandmachining services were allotted 5% which meant that the oil companycouldaccess95% of this item from nonGuyanese sources. On the other hand, ground

transportation of personnel

and local insurance services were allotted 100%. Examples of other items are local and accounting services 90%; industrialcleaningservices - onshore 75%; security services 95% or medical services 25%. The full list of items with percentages could be seen in the Local Content Act Heavy penalties ranging from $5 millionto$50millionhave been prescribed by theAct for Oil and Gas companies and their subcontractors who fail to meet the minimum targets of the legislation as well as those who are in breach of the Act.

Local companies have been investing heavily in the provision of goods and servicesfortheoilindustry and every year the list is reviewedwiththeintention of increasing the local p e r c e n t a g e s a n d ascertaining what new services could be added. As at November 2024, the Local Content Secretariat had registered 1,032

companies with the certificate to confirm that they are Guyanese companies and eligible to supply oil and gas operations.

Several foreign companieswerediscovered h a v i n g G u y a n e s e companies “fronting” for them but this abuse was appropriately dealt with and the abuse ended Gradual increases in the number of youth-owned businesses have been registered with the Secretariat.

The Local Content Act has been successful in its a i m s a n d i n t h e approximately two years it has been functioning from 2022 to 2024, it has reportedly generated over US$2billioninbusinessfor local enterprises. It has also assisted in the employment of Guyanese n a t i o n a l s a n d approximately 65% of the workforce in the oil sector is Guyanese, with a significant representation ofwomen.

GNBS encourages calibration of torque wrenches, other measuring instruments

Didyouknowthat youarerequired tocalibrateyour torque wrenches? Whether they are used in the automotive industry, aviation, or manufacturing, these instruments require frequent calibration to

e n s u r e a c c u r a c y, consistency, safety, and reliability

Put simply, calibration is the process of fine-tuning measuring instruments to adhere to recognised standards The Guyana NationalBureauofStandards (GNBS) has been at the

forefront of offering meticulous calibration servicestohundredsofclients for over 15 years, with standards traceable to the NationalInstituteofStandards andTechnology(NIST),PTB Germany, and other highly recognised National Measurement Institutes (NMIs) in the Caribbean and LatinAmerica

The GNBS is the only internationally accredited laboratory in Guyana to provide calibration services. Laboratories are accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025:2017

Standard and currently, calibration can be provided for compression testing machinesandinstrumentsin the areas of temperature, pressure, dimensions, mass, volume, electricity, and torque.

Oneofthekeyinstruments requiring calibration to ensure the safety of consumers is the torque wrench These instruments are used by mechanics, fabricators of steel frames,vulcanising/tyreshops, and others to tighten nuts and boltstoapredeterminedtorque value

This instrument allows fasteners to be tightened to thepropertension,helpingto avoiddamagetocomponents of a product from overtightening or joints coming apartfromunder-tightening.

The GNBS encourages users of torque wrenches to get their instruments calibrated to guarantee their wrenches are delivering the correct amount of torque, ensuring consistent output overtime,avoidingpotential safety hazards caused by improperly tightened fasteners, and meeting qualitycontrolstandards.

U

instruments calibrated by the GNBS also protects clients, including users of buildings

engineering and construction company; drivers whose cars were repaired by your mechanic shops, and other passengers travelling in those vehicles Providing an accurate and safe service therefore, helps to mitigate liabilityrisksincaseoffailures relatedtoimpropertorque

With its new facility, the GNBS continues to build capacity to improve its calibration and verification services Our team of highly skilled professionals are equipped with the knowledge to calibrate a diverse array of instruments in accordance

recognised measurement standards and practices. Ultimately,ourlocalindustries have access to the latest advancements in calibration technology

The GNBS encourages every company and laboratorytotakeadvantage ofitstraceable,reliable,and affordable calibration services. Servicerequestscan

b

https://gnbsgyorg/metrology/i ndustrial-metrology/. Upon completion of the calibration process,acertificateorreportis

issuedbytheGNBStoconfirm that the instrument was calibrated For further information, contact the G

numbers: 219-0064-66 or WhatsApp 692-4627. You can also visit our website: wwwgnbsgyorg and our Facebookpage:gnbsgy

‘Bob Marley: One Love’ film earns 6 nominations at 2025 NAACP Image Awards

Dancehall Mag - Paramount Pictures’ Bob Marley: One Love film has earned six nominations at the upcoming 2025 NAACP ImageAwards.

The2024film,whichchroniclesaperiod in the life of the legendary Jamaican musician,willcompeteforthetophonourof ‘Outstanding Motion Picture’ against other films such as Bad Boys: Ride or Die, The Piano Lesson, The Six Triple Eight, and Wicked.

Kingsley Ben-Adir is nominated for his portrayal of Bob Marley, facing stiff competitionfromAndréHolland(Exhibiting Forgiveness), Colman Domingo (Sing Sing), John David Washington (The Piano Lesson), and Martin Lawrence (Bad Boys: RideorDie).

Lashana Lynch is nominated for her role in the film as Rita Marley, competing with Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Kerry Washington (The Six Triple Eight), Lupita Nyong’o (A Quiet Place: Day One), and Regina King (Shirley).

ReinaldoMarcusGreenisnominatedfor

‘Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture’ for his work on Bob Marley: One Love, competing against Jeymes Samuel (The Book of Clarence), Malcolm Washington (The Piano Lesson), RaMell Ross (Nickel Boys),andSteveMcQueen(Blitz).

In the ‘Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture’category, the ensemble cast of Bob Marley: One Love has been nominated, competing with the casts of The Book of Clarence, The Piano Lesson, The SixTripleEight,andWicked

The film’s soundtrack, which features BobMarley’siconicmusic,isnominatedfor ‘Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album ’ It faces competition from soundtracksof Genius: MLK/X, Reasonable Doubt (Season 2), The Book of Clarence, andWicked

The NAACPImageAwards is an annual event presented by the NationalAssociation for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) to recognize exceptional performances in various forms of media, includingfilm,television,theatre,music,and

literature.Similartootherawardssuchasthe OscarsandtheGrammys,theImageAwards has over 40 categories that are voted on by membersoftheNAACP

In the music categories, Jump, a song by South African singer Tyla featuring DancehallartistSkillibengandrapperGunna is nominated for Outstanding International Song.

Fellow Jamaican artist Skip Marley also garneredanominationforClose,markinghis second NAACP Image Award nod after a 2021nominationforOutstandingNewArtist.

The 2025 winners will be announced on February 22 during the two-hour live broadcastofthe56thNAACPImageAwards from the Pasadena Civic Center, airing on BETandCBS.

Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley in Bob Marley: One Love (Photo credit: Paramount Pictures/Everett Collection)

In 2023, TEMS won the award for ‘Outstanding International Song’ with her coverofBobMarley’sNoWoman,NoCry Koffee’s summer hit Lockdown won the awardin2021.

Frompage18 development plan and as we’ve talked about before I think we are around the 5B oil equivalent barrels that w e ’ v e n o w m o v e d successfully in the six projectsintothatcategory.”

Notably, the third

Stabroek Block partner, ChinaNationalOffshoreOil Corporation (CNOOC), had revealedthatoneoftheeight discoveries – Lancetfish –averaged 100 million tons, translating to an estimated 746 million barrels of oil. It was also later announced by CNOOC that yet another discovery-Bluefin-hadover 100 million tons of oil and gas.

CNOOC has 25% shares in the Stabroek Block; Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30% interest while ExxonMobil,theoperatorof the Stabroek Block, holds a 45%interest.

Exxontofocuson exploringandappraising moreofStabroekBlock beforelicenceexpiresin 2027–Routledge

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited plans to focus on exploring and appraising untapped areas of the Stabroek Block before its exploration licence expires in October 2027. This was revealed by ExxonMobil Guyana President, Alistair

Routledge, during an episode of ‘Energy Perspectives’ aired on Sunday

The licence, originally settoexpireinOctober2026, wasextendedbyoneyearto 2027. This extension allows ExxonMobilanditspartners, Hess Corporation and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana

Limited, to continue

e x p l o r a t i o n a n d developmentactivities.

Routledgeexplainedthat whilethecompanycontinues to set records with its development wells, exploration remains a priorityastheclocktickson the current licence He stated, “Just as in 2024 and 2023, the majority of the wells will be on the development side… But as the exploration licence continues through till October 2027, we still want tofocusonwhatmaystillbe plays or opportunities that we can explore for and appraisebeforetheendofthe prospectinglicence.”

He also spoke about the ranger discovery, a carbonate rock find made a

few years ago, stating that it will play a pivotal role in Exxon’s plans for 2025

Routledge described the discovery as challenging compared to sandstone resources, which have been the primary focus of the company’s developments thusfar.

“It’smorechallenging… Ittakesalotmoreefforttogo through the geoscience data thatwe’vegatheredfromthe wells that we’ve already drilled,” he said He also

noted that Exxon is analyzing data from nearby exploratory wells to assess how these resources can be combined into a potential developmentproject.

There are over 30 significantdiscoveriesmade by Exxon in the Stabroek Blocksince2015.Currently, oil is being produced from three developments: Liza Phase 1, Liza Phase 2 and Payara. Next year, Exxon’s largestdeep-waterprojectto date in Guyana will commenceoilproduction.

Similar to comments madebyRoutledge,recently, President of ExxonMobil Upstream Company, Liam

Mallon, said that the company is confident it will capture all remaining opportunitiesintheStabroek Block offshore Guyana beforeitsexplorationlicence expires.

Reflecting on the company’s progress since theinitial2015oildiscovery, Mallon highlighted the

remarkable pace of

development “It is absolutely extraordinary

You know, my smile beam when I talk about this,butitisextraordinaryto think about 2015 was the discovery and here we are today, producing 660,000 barrels a day, gross at an incredible pace, on an incredible resource with crediblepeople,”hestated.

Notably, the Stabroek BlockPetroleumAgreement requires relinquishment of non-commercial areas at the end of the exploration period Speaking on this, Mallon assured that this obligationismanageable.

“We feel very confident thattheareathatissubjectto relinquishment, which, as a reminder, excludes all the areas we’ve declared commercialandexcludesthe inaccessible, 30%, is relatively small and very manageable,”heexplained.

He underscored that ExxonMobil has been operating a six-rig drilling programme in the Stabroek Block,withtwotothreerigs focused on exploration and appraisal.Thiseffortensures that all necessary data is gathered to optimize resource capture before relinquishment.

Thursday

Gov’tfearfulof whatinvestigationof lopsidedoilcontract wouldreveal-ChrisRam

The resistance of the Government of Guyana (GoG) to launch an investigationintothesigning of the lopsided oil contract withExxonMobilshowsthat they are fearful of what might be revealed, such as theirownroleinmaintaining the very terms they condemn.

This is the view of

Attorney-at-law and

Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram In his 150th instalment of his column,‘EveryManWoman andChildMustBecome Oil Minded,’ the prominent

advocate for good governance zeroed into the actionsofthegovernmentin 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 questionthecompany’sfalse accounting, “made-up cost recovery claims and unsupervisedoperations”.

Additionally, he argued thatgovernmentevenresists meaningful environmental oversight and delay promised sector reforms, including establishing a Petroleum Commission or holding a Commission of InquiryintotheAgreement’s negotiation despite former Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman’s willingnesstotestify

Tothisend,Rampointed 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.”

The lawyer highlighted that Trotman in his book, From Destiny to Prosperity revealedthatBharratJagdeo, asLeaderoftheOpposition, had secretly agreed with the APNU + AFC Government nottoopposetheLegislative 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.

Tothisend,theadvocate reasoned, “Who else but the top echelon of the current Administration could give such an assurance? The surrender of parliamentary sovereignty through the

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, HessCorporationCEOJohn Hess said, “We have a Field DevelopmentPlanthatwe’re looking for the government tosanctionlet’ssaybyApril ofthisyear.”

stability clause until 2057 represents a constitutional crisis unprecedented in resource agreements globally.”

Ram went on to urge 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 theirfoundingfatherswould 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.Theyhave soldthecountryforamessof pottage. They want to shut downthevoiceofthepeople. They will not allow a referendum,” the lawyer argued.

Hewas,however,keento point out that this year’s electionsofferthepeoplethe opportunity to respond

“Will they support any political party that sells out theirbirthright?Orwillthey reject them for any party committedtorenegotiation,” Ramquestioned.

HesshopesGov’t7th oilprojectwillbe approvedbyApril –saysdespiteproject’s smallerproduction capacity,companywill stillearnbecauseof lopsidedcontract

HessCorporation,a30% 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

Hammerheadisexpected to produce approximately 150thousandbarrelsperday (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

Despite this, Hess highlighted the project’s robust economics. H a m m e r h e a d w a s announced as Exxon’s ninth commercial discovery in August 2018 Exxon is aiming to commence 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 though it’s a smaller ship,” hesaid.

The Production Sharing Agreement(PSA)governing theStabroekBlockthatHess referred to is one that has been criticised for being lopsided, favouring 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,givesGuyanaa 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

Continued on page 37

ExxonMobil’s President,Alistair Routledge HessCorporation’sChiefExecutiveOfficer,JohnHess

Frompage36 underscored outlined plans for the Longtail project, the eight development which he said is expected to be sanctionedin2026.Longtail will feature 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 PresidentAlistair Routledge duringanepisodeof‘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 closelywiththeEPAandthe government on the approval process.”

Last October, the

Ministry of Natural ResourcesissuedExpression of Interests (EOI) seeking a consultanttoreviewExxon’s FDP for the Hammerhead Development However, a few weeks later, Guyana’s ChiefPolicymakeronoiland gas, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeohaddisclosedthathe hadinformedtheMinistryto discontinuethesearchforthe consultant. He said he made this decision because the information the company presented thus far is incomplete.

“…So, there will be no consultant hired to review theprojectuntilwehavethe 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 whilethegovernmenthalted 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

preparation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Hammerhead Development. The EPAsaid 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.

Friday

Jagdeo-ledPPP supportedtaxwaiversto Exxonwithoutseeing termsofoilcontract

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday, said the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) gave its support for the tax waivers to ExxonMobil in the National Assembly, although it had not seen the terms of the Production Sharing Agreement(PSA).

The VP’s comments on the issue comes on the heels of a Kaieteur News article, publishedonMonday,where it was reported that former Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, in his book, revealed that Jagdeo was briefedandwouldnotobject to the tax waivers to the company Trotman in his book stated, “Interestingly, I had been previously informed that the Leader of the Opposition had been “briefed”andwouldofferno objection, and further, that I should not elaborate too much on the specifics of the June 27 agreement (Exxon deal); except to note that it had been signed and to list some of the provisions.This adviceIfollowed.”

During his weekly press conference on Thursday,

informed about this Motion here tonight We cannot carry on like this in this country big oil is important, but big oil has already shaken up the roots ofmanycountrieswhetherit be Nigeria, whether it be Ghana, whether it be Venezuela.”

Jagdeoquestionedthesource who gave the former minister these instructions, sincethiswasnotmentioned in the book. He reasoned, “Briefed by whom? Exxon? By the PNC? He didn’t say who-thisisTrotmansaying somebody told him, a vagrantwalkedoffthestreet and said to Trotman, ‘You know, Jagdeo has been briefed, you don’t need to give the Guyanese people thisagreement.’”

The former President continued, “You think if I had a deal with APNU, all theseyears,theywouldhave mentioned it, they would’ve shoutedfromthetopoftheir voices,takenoutads.”

Jagdeo was explicit that the Coalition brought a Motion to the National Assembly for approval, rather than a copy of the Petroleum Agreement A one-pageOrderwastabledin the House on August 2016 foraffirmativeaction,which means the majority of Parliament can approve its passage Jagdeo explained that the Order was included on a Supplementary Order Paper for the day In fact, he argued that Members of Parliament (MPs) only saw the document at 7:47 that evening.

The debate subsequently commencedat 11:47 pm.To this end, Jagdeo said two MPsfromthePPPsidespoke on the Motion, including Odinga Lumumba, who was

Teixeira.

Hansard, th

VP said Lumumba raised concerns about the Motion being tabled and passed the same night to give effect to an Agreement that the PPPhad neverseen.Lumumbastated according to Jagdeo quoting from the Hansard: “I am C h a

t h e Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources and I was not

He continued, “We have to be careful, therefore we have to work together Informingusearlyaboutthis Motion cannot and will not allow us to say no. How can we? First of all you have a one-seat majority, secondly, we have been supportive of oil exploration and developmentforanumberof years…whatistheproblem? Whyistherethissecrecy?It makesusfeelfunny.”

WhythePPP supportedtheMotion Meanwhile, Jagdeo told reporters that the PPP were given the false impression that the terms of the oil deal had been improved. He noted, “(Former Finance Minister Winston) Jordan said in his presentation they are strengthening the

benefits. We did not see an agreement. We asked to see the agreement. They signed the agreement in June of the year, they brought an order foraffirmativeactiontorush through one night to give effect to the agreement and the benefits but nobody saw the agreement until a year andahalfafter.”

Instead, the VP stated, “Trotman cleverly created theimpressionthatitwasthe 1999 Agreement signed by Janet Jagan that we didn’t bring this enabling order under the Petroleum Act of 1986andJordanspokeabout strengthening the benefits forthepeopleofthecountry inanagreementwehavenot seen.”

Although they had not seen the agreement, Jagdeo said the PPP wanted to support the growth of the industrysoitgaveitssupport totheMotion.Heexplained, “We were in the sector, we worked very hard to get the oilindustrygoinginGuyana -from seeking out people to put into this industry for years, exploration – when

nobody wanted to do so, to the entire period when we had a force majeure, we solved a border issue to get peopletocomeback.”

Jagdeo added, “We are not the PNC, we don’t because they are in government, we have to run downeverything…soweare toldhereatthislatehourthat they have strengthened the agreement-fiscal terms- we raised the concerns but they didn’t need our support to pass the Motion All they neededwastovote.Ourvote didnotmakeadifference.”

Presidentstomps Nandlall’splantoappeal $24Mawardedto QuindonBacchus’family

President Irfaan Ali has stopped Attorney General Anil Nandlall from appealing a court award of $24M for the slaying of Quindon Bacchus by a policeman over two years ago.

Nandlall had recently arguedthatthecourt

Continued on page 38

Former Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman

Frompage37 decision, which was handed downbyJusticeNigelNiles, was flawed and that the government would be appealing it. However, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo,

speaking at his press conferenceonThursday,said that once the President got windoftheplan,heaskedthe AG to stop. “The President was made aware of the ongoing efforts by the

Attorney General’s Chambersandinstructedthat the appeal should not proceed Instead, the compensationmustbepaid,” Jagdeotoldreporters.

The judgment for compensation of $24M was handed down by Justice Niles in the unlawful killing case of Bacchus, who was fatallyshotbyaconstableof the Guyana Police Force (GPF) two and a half years ago. During the Attorney General’s end-of-year press

conference, Solicitor

General Nigel Hawke told the media that they felt that thejudgewentoverwherehe was supposed to go in relation to the evidence “We felt that he did not take into consideration some aspects of the evidence. So wethinkthematterisworthy of an appeal. So to set the record straight at the appellate level because remember, we are dealing here with compensation,” Hawkesaid.

He explained that it is a l a r g e a m o u n t o f compensation and to set the record straight, the State did accepttheliability;however, thereistheissueofquantum that needs to be dealt with.

“…We think the arguments inrelationtoquantum,some of the considerations by the judgewere,inourrespectful opinion, over the pail and that is why we have since appealed,”Hawkesaid.

Nandlallforhispart,said that in the assessment of compensation, judges are guidedbypreviousawardsin

c a s e s o f s i m i l a r circumstances Making it clear that they are not contesting liability, Nandlall said that they felt that the Police officers were in the wrong and “there was a finding to that effect, by the Police Complaints Authority The DPP filed criminal charges against the offendingofficers.”

Taking this into consideration, “We felt it would have been wrong for the State to contest liability, so we went to the judge and

we said, ‘look, the State is wrong, let us only deal with compensation.”

However, they are of the opinion that the judge entered the arena and went ahead to grant “measure of damagesthatwerenotbefore him, and if we are to leave thatontherecord,webelieve thatitwouldleadtoawhole array of wrong decisions beingmade.Forthatreason, we have challenged the legality of the judge’s a s s e s s m e n t o f t h e compensation.”

On November 15, 2024, thispublicationreportedthat Justice Niles ordered the State to pay the family of Bacchus$24Mforhiskilling back in 2022 Bacchus, a father of one, was shot dead on June 10, 2022 in Haslington, East Coast Demerara, by Police Lance C o r p o r a l K r i s t o ff DeNobrega. DeNobregahas beenchargedwithBacchus’s murder and the case is still ongoing but the family had

sued the State and won, according to the law firm representing them, Dexter ToddandAssociates.

The law firm had said that Bacchus’s mother filed the lawsuit. “The State first defendedtheaction,denying liability for the killing and claiming that Mr Bacchus died during an authorised police undercover operation while he was attempting to illegally sell firearms,” Dexter Todd and Associates said in a statement before adding, “However, by letter dated July 24, 2024 the Office of the Attorney General wrote the attorneys for Mr Bacchus’mother, as well as the judge, indicating that the State has accepted liability for the brutal shooting and requested that thecourtmakeadecisionon the quantum of damages to begrantedtotheestateofthe deceased.”

Submissions from both sides were made and the judge ruled that Bacchus’s

killing“breachedhisrightto life, as protected under the ConstitutionofGuyana,”the law firm said The court reportedly ordered the State topay$1millionforfuneral expenses, $22.5 million as damages for breach of his righttolifeandfivehundred thousand dollars ($500,000) in court costs. According to the law firm, investigations revealed that there was no authorised Police operation inHaslingtonwhenBacchus was shot and that no Police Commander was aware of anysuchoperation.

Givingsomebackground into the case, the law firm saidasaresultoftheincident andtheinvestigation,several Police ranks were allegedly placedonclosearrestbythe GPF In addition to DeNobrega,twootherranks: Lance Corporal Simon and Sergeant McLennon, were alsochargedwithattempting to obstruct the course of justice Lance Corporal Simonwasalsochargedwith

the offence of conduct prejudicialtogoodorderand discipline.

The post-mortem report notedthatBacchusdiedfrom multiple gunshot wounds Dr Nehaul Singh, in the autopsyreport,revealedthat Bacchus received six gunshotsandalsoconfirmed thathewasshotfivetimesin the back and once in the chest. He has left to mourn his family and friends, including his three-year-old son, the law firm said. The circumstances which led to the death of Mr Bacchus caused great public outcry, national grief, massive protests across Guyana and the temporary lockdown of certainareasofthecountry

Govt,US-Exim BanksignUS$527M forGTEproject

The Government of Guyana, on Friday, signed a US$527 million loan agreement with the United

States Export-Import (US EXIM)Bank,fortheGas-toEnergy (GTE) project. The signing ceremony was held at the Wales, West Bank Demeraraprojectsite.

Theloanwillsupportthe constructionofaNaturalGas Liquids(NGL)facilityanda 300-megawatt power plant. Gaswillbetransportedfrom the offshore Stabroek Block Liza oilfield via a 12-inch pipeline to the project site, where 50 million cubic feet ofgaswillbeconvertedinto power daily The project is expected to cut electricity costsnationwideby50%.

Government had hired a joint venture CH4Lindsayca back in 2022 Lindsayca, a Texas-based and Puerto Rican company, CH4. The joint venture was hired to construct the power plant and NGL facility for U S $ 7 5 9 m i l l i o n . Construction is expected to becompletedthisyear.

Inheraddress,USEXIM Bank President and Chair, RetaJoLewis,describedthe project as transformative, and beneficial “As you know, last week, the Board of U.S. Export Import Bank of the United States voted unanimouslytoapproveover ahalfbillioninUSdollarsof f i n a n c i n g f o r t h i s transformative gas-toenergyproject,”Lewissaid.

“ T h i s d e a l i s a gamechanger Not just for Guyana and the United States, but for the people, businesses, and shared aspirationsthatuniteourtwo nations Together, we are taking bold steps to strengthen energy security, enhance environmental sustainability, and unlock economic opportunity,” she added.

Further, Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, underscored the importance of the GTE project for Guyana’sdevelopment.

“I will therefore, very simply reiterate, personally howimportantthisprojectis. As Chair, Lewis has already said, this single project is

doubling our electricity generating capacity and importantly, you’ll see us advance in our journey towards cleaner and more renewablesourcesofenergy, given the gas to be a transition fuel,” Dr Singh said.

M i n i s t e r S i n g h highlightedthebroader Continued on page 39

From left, Dr Ashni Singh, Prime Minister Mark Phillips and US EXIM Bank President and Chair, Reta Jo Lewis at the signing ceremony of the loan on Friday afternoon.Also photographed are Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat (left) and U.S.Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot (right). (DPI)

Frompage38 economicimpact.He stated, “In addition to that, [the project] will see us improving the reliability of our energy supply and reducing the cost of our energy supply to the extent thatwewillbeabletoreduce the cost of electricity to the consumerby50%.Thiswill, in turn, catalyse a quantum leap in the competitiveness a n d p o t e n t i a l competitivenessoftheentire non-oileconomy.”

Similarly, Prime

Minister Brigadier (ret’d) MarkPhillipsreferredtothe GTE project as the largest and most transformative initiative in Guyana’s history Healsospokeabout how the project will benefit citizens.

ThePrimeMinistersaid, “This project will empower our people, our industries, and our aspirations as a nation. Today, we are speaking of a clean, more reliable,andmoreaffordable energy future. Families will findreliefinlowerelectricity costs Businesses will discover new avenues for growth. Our industries will expand, bringing with them jobs, opportunities, and prosperity.”

Repayment

Recently, Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo during his weekly press conference at Freedom House, Georgetown explained that there is a fixed 4% annual interest rate on the loan whichwouldberepaidovera periodof15years.

He said the country will be required to make two annual payments on November 1 and May 1, commencing on May 1, 2031.

“The interest rate is 4% soifyoucalculateitoverthe period, but remember there are moratoriums and all of that so it’s a 4% interest and you can calculate what the repayment would be over a time period It’s fixed at 4%…principal repayment is

3 0 s e m i - a n n u a l instalments…soit’s15years thereafter, ” the VP explained.

Backgroundonloan

Back in April 2023, it was revealed that Guyana applied to the Bank for a US$646M loan to support theNGLandpowerplant.

On November 28, 2024, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo announced that approval had been granted fortheloan.

At that time, Jagdeo

explained that the loan would be providing retroactivefinancing,soifit is made available, it will be covering financing that the government had to make sincethestartoftheproject.

Last month, Prime

Minister Phillips indicated that some $99B has been spent to date on the GTE project. His revelation came as Parliament approved an additional $25.3B to further advance the project. As of November,58%ofthework had been completed, according to the Prime Minister

RystadEnergyissues misleadinganalysison Guyana’ssharefrom ExxonMobilcontract …says country gaining 59% of total value

RystadEnergy,anenergy intelligence company that provides data, insights and education on key energy issues, has again made it to the spotlight for publishing misleading information aboutGuyana.

In its most recent analysis, the company painted an illusion of the massive benefits Guyana receives from the Petroleum Agreement inked with American oil major, ExxonMobil.

Rystad Energy senior vice president and head of Latin America and the Caribbean,SchreinerParker, said that Guyana’s fiscal regime, compared to other offshore leaders, is on the higher end. Although there was no indication of how he arrived at his conclusion, Parker said Guyana’s total take was 59%, compared to theUnitedStates’40%. Hesaid,“Comparingthe fiscal regimes of other offshoreleaders,Guyana’sis

on the higher end, with the governmenttakeclockingin at 59% of total value In contrast, applying the US fiscalregimetotheStabroek block would result in a government take of only 40% Nigeria and Brazil align more with Guyana’s fiscalpolicies,with58%and 61%,respectively.”

Thefiguressharedinthis analysis could not however be further from the truth, sinceitiswidelyknownthat Guyana only receives a 14.5% share of the wealth generated in the Stabroek Block.

This is so since the Stabroek Block partners, ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC deduct 75% of the oil produced each month towardscost.Theremaining 25%, which is considered profit oil, is then split with Guyana evenly. In this manner,thecountryreceives 12.5% profits in keeping

. Additionally,Guyanaispaid one of the lowest royalty rates across the industry, a meagre 2% on a quarterly basis. It is therefore unclear how Parker arrived at the conclusion that the country was benefitting from a massive “59% of total value”.RystadEnergy,akey “independent” source for dataset on global energy issues, is often cited in international media reports. Thecompany’sreachcannot thereforebeunderestimated, as several reports have already been carried on the verypiece.

It should also be noted that this is not the first instance where Rystad’s Schreiner Parker has presented dangerously misleading information on thecountry

Propagandastudy

Back in August 2022, Kaieteur News reportedthat several Guyanese punched gapingholesintoa“study”it produced with mysterious projections about the country’s oil earnings into 2040.

The report titled, ‘Guyana Upstream Industry and Country Benchmarking Update’ was unveiled to members of the business community by Rystad’s Schreiner Parker The VP noted, among other lofty statistics, that Guyana is pro

e US$157B by 2040. He also spoke about the amount of associated gas Guyana has andthefactthatitismoving

in the right direction by bringingittoshorethrougha pipeline project. Parker also praised Guyana for having a Natural Resource Fund in place, noting that it is a step intherightdirectiontogood governance.

It was during the

Question-and

Segment however that a q

Chartered Accountant and A

d Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall, strategically interrogated and debunked the methodology and basis upon which Parker and his Norwegian team arrived at several conclusions in their report.

Leadingoffthefirstsetof questions was Ram who demanded to know the q

presenter or the entire range ofexpertisethatunderpinned the study. Ram contented that this was crucial to understandingthelengthand breadth of knowledge that supported the so-called s

udy Given that the opinion-piece touched on several fiscal issues, Ram also asked if the study was subjected to a peer-review, beitinternally,orpreferably, externally

Parkersaid,“Rystadisan independent research house that puts out these types of reportsforthegeneralpublic because we believe it is of interest. It has not been peer reviewed and nothing that Rystad publishes is peer reviewed. It is 100 per cent ourowntakeonthesituation hereandbasedonourability to gather research, and use our proprietary models which allow us to do our forecasting…”Headded,“It is an interest-piece and I don’t believe it needs to be p e e r – r e v i e w e d ”

Importantly, Parker did not answer Ram’s questions about his qualifications or thatofhisteammates.

On the gas-to-energy project, Parker could not present a shred of evidence to support his conclusion of why the gas-to-energy project is financially viable

as asked by Lall. He noted nonetheless, that it is a necessary project and r e g u r g i t a t e d

h e government’s mantra that it will slash energy rates by half. Importantly, Parker did not pointedly answer Lall’s question on whether he was paid by the government or Exxon to spread his company’s propaganda. But following a question by Stabroek News, he confessed that Rystad is indeed

ExxonMobil.

T o s e e t h e f u l l presentation and Q&A segment, follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/ oilnowgy/videos/419294920 007538)

IncorrectmapofGuyana During the 2023 TrinidadandTobagoEnergy Conference Parker in a presentation used a map showing the Guyana’s Stabroek Block overlapping into Venezuela’s territorial waters It was later explained that the erroneous map used was an unfinished onefromhiscompany

Rystad Energy, senior vice president and head of LatinAmerica and the Caribbean, Schreiner Parker

ANNEOFGREENGABLES

Once upon a time, on the beautiful island of Prince Edward Island, there was a little village called Avonlea. It was a quiet place with green fields, sparkling streams, and friendlypeople.InAvonlea,therewasahouse calledGreenGables,whereanelderlybrother and sister, Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, lived.Theywere kindbutserious peoplewho decided to adopt a boy from the orphanage to helpthemwithchoresaroundthefarm.Little didtheyknowthattheirliveswereabouttobe turnedupsidedown!

One bright afternoon, Matthew took his horseandbuggytothetrainstationtopickup the boy. But instead of a boy, a little girl with fiery red hair and a face full of freckles stood waiting.Hereyessparkledwithcuriosity,and shewastalkingtoherselfasifshewashaving a conversation with the sky Her name was Anne Shirley, and she had a wonderful imagination.

“Where's the boy?” Matthew wondered, feeling confused. Anne looked at him with hopeful eyes. “Didn't they tell you?” she asked. “I'm Anne, and I'm ever so glad to be here!” Matthew, too kind-hearted to send her back,decidedtotakehertoGreenGablesand letMarillasortitout.

When they arrived, Marilla was surprised to seeAnne instead of a boy. “There's been a mistake,” she said, shaking her head. “We asked for a boy!” Anne's heart sank, but she couldn't help talking. She talked about how muchshelovedthebeautifulcherryblossoms outside, how she dreamed of having a family, and how she hoped they would want to keep her Marilla, despite her strict nature, found herself softening as she listened to Anne's livelychatter

Anne quickly became a part of life at Green Gables She made every day an adventure. One day, she climbed to the top of acherrytreetopretendshewasafairyqueen. Another time, she tried to dye her red hair black to look more like other girls, but it

turned green instead! Marilla and Matthew couldn't help but laugh at Anne's mishaps and mischief, even though Marilla triedtohidehersmile.

Anne also started going to school in Avonlea, where she met many new friends. She became best friends with a girl named Diana, and they did everything together But Anne also met a boy named Gilbert Blythe, who teased her by calling her “Carrots” because of her red hair Anne was so mad that she broke her slate over his head! But as time passed, Anne realized that Gilbert wasn't so badafterall.

Despite her mischievous nature, Anne was kind-hearted and always tried to help others. She read to Mrs. Lynde, the nosy neighbor, when she was feeling lonely She helped Marilla around the house, even if she sometimes made a mess. And she worked hard in school, determined to make Matthew andMarillaproud.

As the seasons changed, Anne's red hair and wild imagination became part of the magic of Green Gables. Matthew and Marilla realized that the mistake at the train station had been the best thing that ever happened to them They couldn't imagine life without Anne's laughter and stories. Green Gables wastrulyherhome,andAnnewasdetermined to live each day to the fullest, making new memoriesandfriendsalongtheway

TheEnd.

HOW TO MAKE CLAY VOLCANO

SUPPLIES:

*Acrylic paint: orange, red, black

* White clay

* Paint brush

* Foil pan (to avoid mess)

Step-1

Take a chunk of air-drying clay and roll it out on a large square cake board. Continue until the cakeboard is completely covered with a 0.5-centimetre layer of flat clay

Step-2

Place the small jam jar in the middle and twist into the clay. Roll sausage-shape pieces of clay with your hands and start building up layers of clay around the jam jar. Carry on adding more clay until you have formed a mound around the jar, then add some thin strips of 'lava' from the top to the base. Make small marks with your fingertips all over the surface of the clay, then leave to dry for 3 to 4 days.

Step-3

Step-4

Start painting the top of the dry clay volcano with light orange paint. Work your way down with dark orange, then red, then burgundy, and finally black around the bottom of the volcano.Add splats of orange paint all over the volcano, then leave to dry

To make the volcano erupt, first add the water, bicarbonate of soda and food colouring into the jar and mix. Then pour in the vinegar and watch the volcano bubble and fizz.

Doing better in the New Year

It is now a brand new year, And I think this tells me something –That I should try to start again, And do better in everything.

I need to improve in all my work, Whether at home or school, Try to be right in all I do, And with everyone act nice and cool.

But what I think is most important, Even more than work and play, So that God will always help me, I must find more time to pray

Adopt the values to enrich your life in this New Year and onwards

In all times and in most places, mankind has looked up to and revered certain values. They are what make the difference between a barbarian and a cultured person, between chaos and a civilisedsociety

They are called virtues, and are simply the qualities adopted by each of us by which we reject the bad and adopt the intention to do good.

Valuesrepresentthevery essence of what is most important in life. When you identify them, you begin to reconnect with yourself in a deep and meaningful way Lifestartstomakesenseasa direction begins to reveal itself. You feel a sense of realignmentthathelpsyouto see where you should be spending your precious time andenergy Asyoucontinue to explore your inner landscape, clarifying your

values can help you to understand yourself on a much deeper, more spiritual level.

Each religion has encouraged some set of virtues in its tenets, so look for these, examine them objectively, and start by adopting those in which you feelyouarelacking. Christianity has always cherished and promoted the following, which you would do well to emulate and practise: Prudence (wisdom to act in the best interest of all), Temperance (self-

control in all your actions), Fortitude (the courage and strength in reacting to all situations), Justice (a sense of fairness an honesty), which, along with Faith (beliefinanAlmightywhich results in self-confidence), Hope (an optimistic view in all your doings) and Charity (loveandwillingnesstogive help where it is due), have been termed the Cardinal Virtues.

Among those added to these by other groups are: C o u r a g e , Wi s d o m , Generosity, Respect for others, Courtesy, Openmindedness, Self-control, Love,Appreciation,Service, Excellence, Potential, Patience, Persistence and Decisiveness.

We will be discussing someothervaluesinournext article, so until then please take the time to think on the foregoing and explore how they can impact your own life.

Make use of this fresh opportunity to develop yourself by inculcating worthwhile values into your personality.

RIPPLE EFFECT

he heavy T

l i n e s i n d i c a t e areas called cages. Fill each cage with unique digits, counting up from 1. For example, a 1-cell cage must containthenumber1,a 2-cell cage contains 1 and 2, a 5-cell cage contains 1 through 5, and so on These numbersmayappearin any order within the cage. Iftwo identical numbers appear in the same row or column, at least that many cells must separate them For example, if two 3s appear in the same column, they must be separated by at least threeothercellsthatdo notcontain3.

God gave this world to you and me, It's priceless, yet it's also free; It is beautiful beyond compare, And he has left it in our care. Everything begins anew, Like a rose sparkling with the dew; They blossom in the morning sun, And bloom until the day is done. Alittle seed becomes a tree, And gives its shade for you and me, Every creature large and small, The Lord above has made them all. The bear, the bee, the kangaroo

ANYONE WHO STOPS LEARNING IS OLD WHETHER AT TWENTY OR EIGHTY EDUCATION IS NOT PREPARATION FOR LIFE ITSELF

Interesting Creatures...Kingfisher

Kingfishers are a family of small to medium-sized, brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with

most species living in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, but also can be found in EuropeandtheAmericas.

They can be found in deep

forests near calm ponds and small rivers. The family contains 118 species and is divided into three subfamilies and 19 genera. All kingfishers have large heads, long, sharp,pointedbills,shortlegs,and stubby tails. Most species have bright plumage with only small differences between the sexes

Most species are tropical in distribution, and a slight majority arefoundonlyinforests.

The scientific name is derived from Greek mythology and the ancient belief that the birds nested in the open sea and called them halkyons(Latinhalcyon)fromhals (sea) and kyon (born). In Greek mythology the gods gave the halkyons the ability to calm the waterswhennesting.

InGreekmythology,oneofthe PleiadesnamedAlcyone(Alcedoin Latin) married Ceyx who was killed in a shipwreck. Alcyone drowned herself in grief and the gods revived them both as kingfishers.

They consume a wide range of

prey, usually caught by swooping down from a perch While kingfishers are usually thought to live near rivers and eat fish, many species live away from water and eatsmallinvertebrates.

Like other members of their order, they nest in cavities, usually

tunnels dug into the natural or artificialbanksintheground.Some kingfishersnestinarborealtermite nests. A few species, principally insular forms, are threatened with extinction. In Britain, the word “kingfisher” normally refers to the commonkingfisher

Meet the gorgeous Canada-based Guyanese, Damale Adshead. Damale is an optimist who prides herself on always being genuine and a light to others. This week's beauty describes herself as God-fearing and a strong believer that anything can be achieved through hard work and discipline. One of Damale's main goals is to be financially independent. Her favourite quote is, “What you become is totally dependent on how you use your time.”

Damale Adshead

BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCIES!

In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about on-going indecencies in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.

SUNDAY

– January 05, 2025

Critic Campaign:Acry by a CONtractor

Mikhail Rodrigues, a want-to-be, and failed contractor who hides behind the guise of a reporter, has embarked on a new mission to campaign for government advertisements to be pulled from Kaieteur News and be placed with online pages, suchastheoneheruns.

The fact remains that K a i e t e u r N e w s , a n independent voice and people’s representative, has always told the stories that others are afraid to tell or

shared with a spin to cover up corrupt tracks or the truth behind the actions of our leaders.

A failed contractor can try to stifle the newspaper, but Kaieteur News will not changeitsroute.

We remain committed to truthandthefightforabetter GuyanaforGuyanese!

MONDAY

– January 06, 2025

Jagdeo and Guyana’s wealth

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo is the wrong man to be spearheading Guyana’s oilbusiness.

Mr Jagdeo is the wrong man, in the wrong place, in the wrong business. Mr Jagdeo is the worst presence that we can think of that should be allowed to be near this nation’s trillion-dollar oil and gas sector Mr Jagdeo must not have anything to do with this sectorgoingforward.

He has caused enough damage, and he has displayed those worrying qualities t

thunderously: he is not a fit and proper person, or leader, or contributor where the stewardshipofthisoilwealth isconcerned.

Weak governance often results in failed efforts to transform wealth to prosperity

- Natural Resource Governance Institute ...says more needed than understanding of economics

“ T o o o f t e n t h e transformation of resource wealth into prosperity fails not because of a lack of the correct economic policies, but because of a weak underlying system of governance.”

This is according to the N a t u r a l R e s o u r c e Governance Institute (NRGI) in its second edition of the Natural Resource Charter Thedocumentoffers policy options and practical advice for governments, s o c i e t i e s a n d t h e international community on how best to manage resource wealth. Such guidance can ensure that resource-rich countries are not alone in facing these challenges, but rather that they can draw on accumulated experience to learn from history and avoid themistakesofthepast.

The Charter contains 12 precepts on how a country and its government might manage natural resources and explores the functions of extractivecompanies.

According to NRGI, a successful strategy for resource management not

o n l y r e q u i r e s a n understanding of the economics, but also an a p p r e c i a t i o n f o r accountability, the structure andcapabilityofgovernment

institutions, and the relationship with civil

society. It was keen to note that resource-rich countries have a great opportunity to harness their natural wealth for transformative and sustained prosperity; however, if mismanaged, resource extraction can impose severe costs on a country

“As stewards of their extractive resources, it is

typicallytheresponsibilityof governments to manage those resources for current and future generations Effective and sustainable resource management requires an inclusive and comprehensive national strategy,” the Institute pointedout.

To achieve this, it was explained that governments must make a series of key decisions that will affect different groups and set choicesextendingfarintothe future.

“To avoid making decisions in a piecemeal fashion and to build a shared

sense of direction, governments should, in dialogue with stakeholders, use a national strategy process to guide extractive

Mr Jagdeo is a lost cause, a precious hope wasted. This is the essence of the man Jagdeo, and as harsh as this may come across, he has lost all claims for any consideration that he is a leader who can be trusted.

TUESDAY

– January 07, 2025

Ask Jagdeo

Prime Minister Mark Phillips held a news conference on Monday and could not answer questions on matters relative to his portfolio.

Reporters from this newspaper asked him about the Gas-to-Energy project, which he supposedly has ministerial oversight for, but the former army chief, instead of answering, told us to ask the Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo.

How is it possible that a f t e r 5 8 y e a r s o f Independence Guyana - an oil rich country -remains shackledbycrushingdebts?

Andifthatisn’tshameful enough, the leaders, the men and women of the PPP and the PNC continue to borrow and borrow to feed this nation.

Imagine this: a country sitting on oil, gold, timber, and other riches, yet still begging for loans to survive. Howcanthismakesense?

This isn’t just poor management; this is a betrayal of the highest order These leaders are gambling withourfuture,borrowingto patch roads, to build schools and hospitals, and now even borrowing to rent electricity Is this the best we can hope for? After 58 years, is this what independence looks like?

resource manage

decisions,” NRGI said. Notably, this national strategy should take a longterm approach, recognizing t h e f a c t t h a t t h e transformation from wealth in the ground to wider societal benefits can take many years, and present many challenges and surprisesalongtheway

In the meantime, this strategy is likely to be more successful if it is the product of inclusive processes that are open and participatory For instance, the Institute explained that a debate in public will expose policy conflicts and inconsistencies sooner, constrain selfdealing and corruption, and render inevitable course correctionslessdisruptive.

Importantly, decision makers should seek to incorporate the inputs of other stakeholders, ranging f r o m g o v e r n m e n t departments,parliament,and citizens directly affected by extraction, to civil society more broadly, as well as the extractive companies and private sector businesses in general,NRGIsaid.

The Natural Resource Governance Institute is a non-profit organization that supports informed, inclusive decision-making about natural resources and the energytransition.

We know Jagdeo is the super minister and defacto president, but it is pitiful for the Prime Minister to call a press conference and can’t answer basic questions on a project listed under his portfolio.

WEDNESDAY

– January 08, 2025

Leaders or beggars?

THURSDAY

– January 09, 2025

Depress-conference

Todayreporterswhocare to attend, will be at Freedom House to listen once again to aFormerPresidentnowVice 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, VincentAdams, 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 what he is supposedly doing now to uplift the countryanditspeople.

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—itisasifGuyana is a cassava and eddoe plantation, not an oil or gold producingnation.

You hear nothing about the billions flowing out of t h

transparency, no answers And when questions are put to him about these issues, youwouldthinkhesuddenly gonedeaf.

Autism care centre opens in Georgetown to offer support to children with ASD

Specialized support servicesplayanessential r o l e i n s o c i e t y, particularly for conditions that are often under-recognized and misunderstood.

One such condition is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a lifelong developmental condition

that affects how people communicate, learn, and interact. In an effort to raise awareness and offer support, Rosanne Farley, a passionate advocate for autism care,hasopenedacentrededicating toservingchildrenwithASD.

The Early Childhood Services AutismCareCentre,locatedatLot 6 Duncan Street, Georgetown, opened its doors onApril 2, 2024. The centre’s creation was inspired by Farley’s own journey as a mother In 2015, her daughter was diagnosed with ASD at the age of two, a time when Farley felt lost andoverwhelmedduetothelackof information and resources availableinGuyana.

Reflecting on her experience, Farley shared, “There was little to nothingintermsofinformationand serviceshere.Inanattempttohelp mydaughter,Icommittedmyselfto reading everything I could about the condition, attending every workshop,everytrainingsession.I also studied online courses and workedattheStep-by-StepSchool

forchildrenwithautism.”

Withtheknowledgeshegained, Farley witnessed significant improvement in her daughter, who is now preparingto writeher CXC exams at an A-level school Inspired by her daughter’s progress, Farley made it her mission to help other families. “I wantedtoofferthehelpIwishIhad when my daughter was first diagnosed,”sheexplained.

At the Centre, Farley offers a range of interventions, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, screening services, and one-on-one sessions to monitor progress.

In addition to opening the Centre, Farley has hosted sensitization sessions at various organizations and provided autism training for teachers. “We know that there are teach

in mainstreamschoolswhoneedtobe aware of strategies to support children with autism,” Farley said, emphasizing the importance of equipping educators with the right tools.

AsforthesuccessoftheCentre, Farley is pleased with the progress seen in the children who have attended.“Therewasonechildwho spentonlyeightweekswithus.He had some behavioural issues, but aftertheprogramme,hewasdoing so much better, and he was

discharged We’ve made great strides,andwehopetoexpandour servicesevenfurther,”sheshared.

However, Farley has faced challenges,particularlyinsecuring resources for the children “Childrenhavevaryingissues,and sometimes the furniture gets broken We need more learning materials, toys, and reliable personnel to help with the children,”sheexplained.

Farley also discussed common signs of autism, which can be difficulttorecognize,assymptoms can vary Some common behaviours include a lack of eye contact, self-stimulatory movements(suchashand-flapping or head-banging), and failure to respondtoone’sname.

“It’simportantforparentstobe aware of these signs, as early intervention is crucial,” Farley stated. She encouraged parents to seek help as soon as they notice unusual behaviours in their child. “If you notice something strange, getitcheckedout.Whenyoubring a child for help at ages seven to nine, it becomes much more difficulttoassistthem,”sheadded.

Farley also advocated for systemicchangestoaddressautism in Guyana. “Many parents are in denial about their child’s challenges I would like to see universaltestingforchildrenbyage

Construction of Christ Church school to be completed by March 2025

The deadline for the construction of the Christ Church Secondary School has been pushed to March 2025, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand disclosed on Friday The Minister was speaking at her Ministry’s end-of-year press conference Sheexplainedthatanextensionwasgivento thecontractorduetoachangeofdesign.The school was originally scheduled for a February2024completion.

“So, no liquidated damages was not applied because an extension was given becauseofachangeindesign,”shetoldthe media.AccordingtotheMinisterthisisone of the projects that her Ministry is eagerly awaitingcompletion.

“So, trust me when I say this is somethingwewantfinishedtoo.Infact,we wanted it finished so much that we started something new We said we wanted eight Lots.So,we’renotgivingonecontractor,we are giving eight contractors and all y’all gonna work simultaneously and finish this school,”theMinisterrelayed.

Having taken this approach, she mentioned that there were some minor hiccupsalongthewaywhichsawLotoneof the project - that is the foundation aspect, takingsometimetobecompleted.

“So,Lotonewasthesmallproblem,and thenwehadalittlechangeindesignbecause theschoolissomethingcompletelydifferent fromwhatitinitiallywas.Andso,theseare some of the challenges we have,” she admitted.

Manickchand said “we expect this to finish byMarchofthisyear.”

Kaieteur News reported that the reconstructionof school startedfollowinga fire, which gutted the original building

Following this, in June 2023, the Ministry had inked seven contracts totalling $688.1 milliontorebuild.

The seven contracts included Lot -1 Construction of Sub-Structure – BM P r o p e r t y I n v e s t m e n t I n c ($303,595,000.00);Lot-2Super-Structure–Zeco G

c ($295,137,706.00); Lot -3 Installation of Electrical Infrastructure & Fixtures – N. Balgobin & Sons Contracting Service & ElectricalSupplies($41,938,500.00);Lot-4 Installation of Plumbing Infrastructure and Fixtures – BM Property Investment Inc. ($17,600,000.00); Lot -5 Installation ofAir Conditioning Infrastructure and Units – A. Ograsein & Sons General Contracting ($10,745,000.00);Lot-6InstallationofFire Prevention Units – A. Ograsein & Sons General Contracting ($6,759,000.00); and Lot -7 Masonry and Finishing Work –Pantheon Construction Inc ($12,385,800.00).

Instead of splitting the students of the school,adecisionwasmadebyteachersand parents to have them accommodated at the CyrilPotterCollegeofEducation,Turkeyen.

two, and we need more public awareness. There are still misconceptions, with many thinking that if you have autism, you are ‘retarded,’ but that’s far fromthetruth,”shestated.“Wealso need trained specialists to work withchildren.”

Looking ahead, Farley is planningtolaunchaparentsupport group for children with autism in February Despite the challenges, sheisproudoftheworkherCentre has accomplished so far “We’ve

done a lot, and I’m proud of the progresswe’vemade,”shesaid.

Farley shared some advice to childrenwithautismstating,“Your conditiondoesnotdefinewhatyou are capable of doing, you can do anythingyougetourmindto.”

Farleyinvitesparentsoranyone seeking assistance with autism to reachouttoherCentre.Shecanbe contacted at 622-420

interventions, autism-related knowledge, or to join the Centre’s efforts.

Vista Services Inc. launches streaming platform to showcase eco-destinations

In an effort to boost tourism and

highlight Guyana’s natural beauty, Vista Services Inc launched Vistapoints gy on Friday, an innovative streaming platform designed to showcase the country’seco-destinations.

The managing director of Vista Services Inc., Orson Ferguson, in a press statement explainedthat Vistapoints.gy wasdesignedto provide viewers both locally and internationallywithanimmersiveexperience ofGuyana’snaturalwonders.

“Vistapoints gy was created to make it easyforpeoplearoundtheworldandathome to get a taste of Guyana’s unparalleled natural beauty Using solar-powered, highdefinition cameras and high-efficiency satelliteequipment,ourplatformdeliversthe highest quality video stream using the smallest possible footprint This aligns with our LCDS (Low Carbon Development Strategy) Policy and underscores our commitment to sustainability,” Ferguson explained

The platform will feature prominent ecodestinations and is set to expand further with collaborations with the Protected Areas Commission, which will allow the inclusion ofadditionalsites.

This expansion will help diversify the country’s tourism offerings, attracting a wide range of visitors, from adventure enthusiasts to cultural explorers Ferguson emphasized that this growth also supports

local businesses and community-based initiatives, helping them thrive through increasedtourism

Further,DeeGeorge,ChairoftheTourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG), lauded the initiative, describing Vistapoints.gy asatransformativetoolforthe tourismsector

“Vistapoints.gy provides a window into Guyana’s stunning landscapes, rich culture, and unique experiences. Through authentic storytelling, it connects audiences globally, fostering international tourism while preserving and celebrating our heritage,” Georgesaid.

Andre Jones, Chief Executive Officer of WANS,alsoexpressedhissupport,notingthe innovativenatureoftheplatform.

“This collaboration demonstrates how localinnovationandadvancedtechnologycan elevate Guyana’s profile. The solar-powered equipment, with its programmable powersaving capabilities, aligns perfectly with our country’svisionforsustainabledevelopment. Vistapoints.gy is not just a platform it’s a benchmark for digital media in the region,” Jonessaid.

Vistapoints.gy is poised to reshape how people around the world engage with Guyana’s eco-tourism offerings, blending technology, sustainability, and cultural storytellinginanexcitingnewway Formore i n f o r m a t i o n , c o n t a c t vistaservicesgy@gmail.com.

Sensitization sessions with parents at GreenAcres School

Israel steps up Gaza attacks amid renewed ceasefire push

Al Jazeera - At least eight people have been killedinanIsraeliattackona school sheltering displaced Palestinians in northern Gaza, as Israel sent several seniorofficialsfortalksona potentialceasefire.

An Israeli attack on Saturday hit the Zainab alWazir school in northern Gaza’sJabaliaal-Baladarea, killing eight civilians, including two women and two children, according to the Palestinian civil emergencyservice.

“The Israelis have targeteduswithoutanyprior warning,” a mother told Al Jazeera, as she searched through the debris. “They attacked us with a missile. I don’t know where our children are. I don’t know anything about them, whetherthey’rewoundedor killed.”

Al Jazeera’s Moath alKahlout described the scenesatal-AhliHospitalin Gaza City, where dozens of the wounded were taken, as “bloody” and “dire”, noting the dearth of medical supplies under Israel’s ongoing siege of northern Gaza, which has been in placeformorethan80days.

Later on Saturday, the official Palestinian news agencyWafareportedstrikes on various locations across Gaza,includinganattackon a house in the Daraj neighbourhoodinGazaCity, which killed four Palestinians and wounded severalothers.

Israeli fighter jets also

Netanyahudispatcheshigh-leveldelegationtoQatarto‘advance’ ceasefiretalksonsamedaymilitaryattackedschool,homes.

Palestinians gather to receive aid food being distributed along the roadside at the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, on January 11, 2025. [Eyad Baba/AFP]

bombed a tent sheltering displacedfamiliesinDeirelBalah, located in the centre of the enclave, killing three people,Wafareported.

Additional strikes reportedly killed one person near the Bureij refugee camp, also in central Gaza, and another in the southern townofKhanYounis.

The intensified attacks came as Egypt, Qatar and the United States made renewed efforts to reach a deal to halt fighting in Gaza and free remaining Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails ‘Tough sticking points’OnSaturday,Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Presidentelect Donald Trump’s

incoming special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who had travelled to Qatar earlier in the week

Witkoff had reassured Egyptian and Qatari mediators that the US would continue to work towards a fair deal to end the war soon, said Egyptian security sources cited by news agency Reuters

After the meeting, Netanyahu dispatched a high-level delegation, including the head of the IsraeliMossadintelligence agency,toQatarinorderto “advance” talks, according to a statement from Netanyahu’soffice

“There are a lot of moving parts here,” said Al

Carter Center and Change...

Frompage06 between the two for the opposition vote. If the two parties come together under a respected, likable, charismatic, acceptable leader, they will be a strong forceasin2015and2020. Outside of PNC and AFC, no credible potential political figure has expressedaninteresttolead a “third force”. And among thevarioussmallopposition forces, none of whom can win a seat. Thus far, only Glenn Lall, Azruddin Mohamed, and Chris Ram have good traction among voters that can lead a movement to win seats. But none of them has showed their hands in leading a movement Disgruntled lower-classvotersandsome others hope that Glenn Lall

andAzruddin enter the fray Andmiddle-classvotersand elements in the business communityhopeChrisRam or some other credible person of integrity and scholarship comes forward. Azruddin is portrayed as a populist who aid people in distress. His philanthropic kindness,likethatofGlenn’s, is much appreciated, but can it translate into votes? Glenn Lallrunsafreepressthateven publishescritiquesofhimand his media house. He also daily criticizes the government and opposition onitshandlingoftheExxon contract.Canittranslateinto votes in a racially polarized electorate against an incumbent party flush with state funds? Ram is one of the country’s leading thinkers, lawyers,

accountants, and columnists withhardlyanycomparison. Heiswidelyrespectedbythe middle and professional classes.CanRam’sintegrity, patriotism, scholarship, and nationalism win votes in a country that votes race? Can they all compete against President Irfaan who has presented himself as a populistandwhoisdolingout handoutsalloverthecountry. With no prominent figures not taking an electoral leap and with limited options currently availabletovoters,thestatus quo will hold. The trend of the presence of Carter Center in Guyana of bringing political change may face a jinx this time around.

Yourssincerely, VishnuBisram

to remember that there are tough sticking points on eachside,”shesaid.

“The Israelis say that they’re not going to end the war, and Hamas says that they want to see a comprehensive ceasefire that sees an end to the war and a withdrawal of Israeli troops. “And you also have the Israeli public, which is constantly demonstrating a g a i n s t B e n j a m i n Netanyahu, against the Israeli government, saying thathe’sneithercapablenor willingtomakeadealfifteen months into this war,” she said.

‘Impossibletostayalive’

withemptypotseverysingle day searching for communitykitchens,talking withfamiliessayingtheyare barely able to feed their children one meal per day,” said Khoudary, reporting fromDeirel-Balah.

“It’s not only the continuous air strikes, but alsomalnutritioniskilling Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,”shesaid

“DonaldTrumpsaidthat hewouldbequiteaggressive intryingtogetaceasefireif it didn’t happen before he took office But you have

Asmediatorspreparefor more ceasefire talks, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary said that Palestinians under attack in Gaza were also contendingwithseverefood shortages, with Israel continuing to ignore United Nations demands on lifting its restrictions on supplies enteringtheStrip.

“We’re seeing children

“When we say Israel is committing genocide, it is not an opinion, it’s a conclusion on the basis of a legal, thorough analysis,” she told The European Palestinian Network conference in Co

n “I

s increasinglyimpossibleto stay alive in the Gaza Strip Ourroleaspeople is to stop the genocide,” sheadded

At least 46,537 people have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza since O c

o

7 , 2 0 2 3 , according to Palestinian healthauthorities

Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut, reportingfromtheJordanian capital,Amman.

WANTED VACANCY

Wanted a male handy person to work in the interior. Call : 664-0844 / 677-0809.

Puri/ Roti Maker, Porters, cook wanted at Rabbies 266 Thomas & New Market St. Call: 648-8279.

Domestic (Live in option available), female cook and male & female workers for the interior :660-9093 / 6749999 / 680-7803.

Kitchen Assistant needed Tel: 676-5534 / 709-8131 Famous Flavour Restaurant.

Experienced male cooks and camp attendants / administrators wanted for mining operation. Call : 688-6575.

Experienced Utility operators ( excavator, bulldozer, ADT) needed for mining operation. Call : 688-6575.

FOR SALE

For Sale 6 used American made Dental chairs excellent condition contact Mr Vino on 661-3030 or 6268918

One Nissan Double cab pickup, fully off road setup ; -5 Million Negotiable. Call: 626-8919 / 661-3030.

Rice farm sale Lavarda 132, Massey 290, Flat 110-90 Tel: 695-2220

NOTICE

Survival Shopping complex will be closed for stock taking on 13th January and will be resuming on January 14th.

SERVICES

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

Visa Application:U.S.A, Canada & UK:Graphics design, advertisements, wedding arch rentals.Tel:6267040.

Job opening- Truck drivers, project manager, Civil engineer. To apply, please send your application via Whatsapp 638-5303 / 6082114.

Female cleaner call 615-9132 or 645-8443

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

One (1) electrician for Eccles Call 615-9132 or 645-8443.

One night watchman call: 6122125

Mason, Tiles mason , Carpenter, Engineer, construction foremen, Paver operator experience with 6-7 years. Mumbai Construction. 648-8001.

Are you a RETIRED SECRETARY? We have a job for YOU!Call: 648-1821

The #1 Plant Shop Sales Staff Needed! Secondary Education Must be willing to learn NO knowledge needed WhatsApp: 648-1821/ 6462108

Bess choice is hiring water truck driver & Porter located in Diary- West Demerara. Call: 716-2996

1 Bull dozer Operator to work in the interior, Interested persons contact : 701-4000.

Vacancy for bodywork guy. Monday to Saturday. 36k - 60 k per week depends on skills. Call: 644-0833.

General Workers, shift 7-3,310 & 10-7. Sound secondary education / 3 cxc subjects. Salary $110,000 Monthly. Whatsapp 668-0306 / 6557405 .

Cashier, servers, cooks, Kitchen Assistant, Handyman. Apply at Beacon Cafe @ Quamina & Carmichael. Email: beaconcafe6690@gmail.com / 655-8944

Accounts clerk, Marketing Assistant, HR Associate. Apply at GK Inc @ Quamina & Carmichael. Email: beaconcafe6690@gmail.com / 655-8944

EDUCATION

e-Learning App with100s of CXC Math video lessons on Flash Drive. Cell; 647 1901. Website: www.VelcroMath.com

FOR RENT

One bedroom house located in Mon Repos E.C.D. Single male over 35 years old. Tele : 728-4053 / 2340965. Call 8 am-7 pm $40,000.

Two & Three bedroom Luxury apartments $2500 USD long term rental, Campbellville Georgetown. 682-2585/ 712-8641.

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Property (Old Building) Land size 45/WX200L Ogle.Contact: 663-0800/ ssrinvestgy@gmail.com

Property at Good Hope on the main road. Land size 150 x 120, house is 8,000 sqare feet.Contact: 663-0800/ ssrinvestgy@gmail.com

LAND FOR SALE

Garden of Eden E.B.D, 2 Minutes from proposed Heroes Highway 3.8 Acres, 65M per acre. #621-1139 / 712-4020.

Land 30.991 acres at Princess Carolina upper Demerara river West Bank. Contact: 6630800/ ssrinvestgy@gmail.com

Land lot 17 Bushy Park Parika (275 x 72) river and road access. Contact: 663-0800/ ssrinvestgy@gmail.com

Land 120 x 600 Alliance Road Timehri river and road access.Contact: 663-0800/ ssrinvestgy@gmail.com

Land 31 section A Triumph Badlands. Contact: 663-0800/ ssrinvestgy@gmail.com

VEHICLES FOR SALE

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

Govt. to work with Buxton, Strathspey on transformative agricultural projects - President Ali

President Dr Irfaan Ali, on Saturday, said that his government will support the development of innovative agricultural projects in Buxton and Strathspey on the East Coast of Demerara.

During outreaches to the communities, the President had extensive interactions with residents to discuss solutions to problems and ways of maximising community development.

According to a release issued by the Office of the President, while at Buxton, President Ali told hundreds of residents that, through the Ministry of Agriculture, his government is ready to engage with the farmers, agriculture groups, women and young people in the community to identify 25 acres of land. The community’s land would be developed, through innovative and smart agricultural practices, into one of the largest pork production projects in the country.

“We are here to focus on your community. We are here to focus on how we can further build your community,” the President added.

Hand-in-Hand

From page 47 adjusted to better support employees.

Meal and tea allowances will increase from $1,200 to $1,500, while the overtime allowance will rise from $650 to $700. Employees receiving bicycle allowances will see an increase from $2,200 to $3,500,

A number of other initiatives are in the pipeline to enhance Buxton’s agriculture.

Meanwhile, during the meeting in Strathspey, the Head of State posited that the Ministry of Agriculture will work with a group of young people and women in the community to build at least 50 beehives and teach sustainable beekeeping.

“We are going to give you all the hives, we are going to give you all the safety gear and equipment and they (NAREI) will give you the training.”

The President said the aim of the project is to improve the agricultural productivity of the community and enhance the involvement of young people and women in community development and economic opportunities.

“This year, 2025, we’re going to focus heavily on community investment, ensuring that the investment is focused on people-centred issues in a greater way.”

During both meetings, residents had the chance to engage with the President and offer suggestions on pri-

orities for the development of their community.

As a result, in Buxton, the President said that his government will work on developing a community sewing project and look at developing a space for a learning resource centre where youths can be trained and mentored. He underscored that his government will continue developing communities across the country with a focus on security, sanitation and services. Over the week, President Ali has conducted community outreaches in eight different communities across the East Coast.

“One of the important things of this government is the involvement of people, the involvement of communities, the involvement of everyone in the development process of our country.”

Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony; Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill; Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, other Government officials and technical staff from various ministries were also present.

659-5664.

Accounts clerk, Marketing Assistant, HR Associate. Apply at Beacon Roti@ Sheriff St, Campbellville. Email: beaconcafe6690@gmail.com / 658-0885.

Receptionist, Supervisor , Room attendant 25-50 years old. 233 South Road Lacytown. 225-0198.

One Unregistered Nissan XTrail 2016 model, Mode Premiere. Call : 649-0956.

Vacancy for one Porter and hauler truck Driver. Contact: 611-7088 for more info.

Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, age 23-50, Car/ Van licence Call 615-9132 or 645-8443.

Male cleaner for Eccles Call 615-9132 or 645-8443

The relief cashier risk allowance will also see a notable jump from $4,000 to $8,000, while the branch office risk allowance will increase from $3,000 to $5,500.

The temporary relief cashier allowance will remain at $500 per day.

Group and CCWU sign new labour... and motorcycle allowances will be boosted from $11,000 to $12,000. Other adjustments include an increase in the cashier risk allowance from $7,000 to $8,000, as well as a rise in the branch office relief cashier risk allowance from $5,000 to $5,500.

$220M Mahdia Magistrates’ Court...

From page 11 societal ladder of Guyana. You are part of beginning the reality, the dreams of our forefathers,” Nandall said.

The Chancellor mentioned the Mabaruma Magistrates’ Court that will be commissioned on February 17, 2025.

Additionally, Mahdia will soon have its own Deeds and Commercial Registry Authority Office.

Meanwhile, acting Chancellor Cummings-Edwards said that there was never a dedicated building for court in Mahdia.

She said over the years, the judiciary has been sharing a space with the Guyana Police Force (GPF).

“The first wooden building by the police station comprised a police station, rather, [it] had a small office, which was the CID office. I believe…I kid you not, it was six by four, six feet by four feet.

That is where the CID rank operated, and on the days for court, I guess the rank had to be placed elsewhere, and the courtroom, consisting of the magistrate, the prisoner, the prisoner dock, and the de-

fence counsel and the prosecutor, had to be accommodated in that small space,” the Chancellor shared.

Chief Justice (Ag.) George reminded that Mahdia always had a magistrates’ court but there was a need for better accommodation.

“We are grateful to the Guyana Police Force for accommodating the court over the years, but we realized, as we are doing with other courts, we realize we have to modernize.

This court took a little longer to be completed, and was anticipated partly because of the COVID 19 pandemic, which halted construction for a while,” she explained.

The Mahdia Magistrates’ Court will provide domestic violence, probation and social services. It will be presided over by Magistrate Clive Nurse from Monday. It will be staffed by persons from the community as well as Georgetown. Meanwhile, it was disclosed during the commissioning ceremony that works on the Providence Magistrates’ Court, which has a price tag of $842,385,910, are

scheduled to begin on January 13, 2025. The new building is set to have modern amenities and multiple court rooms.

The $489,856,592 magistrates’ court at La Parfaite Harmonie is currently under construction. The $437,242,665 Friendship Magistrates’ Court has been completed and the keys were handed over to the Registrar of Supreme Court on Christmas Eve Day, the attorney general disclosed.

The Anna Regina Magistrates’ Court will be completed in first week of February at a cost of $178,232,102.

During the commissioning ceremony which was chaired by the Registrar of the Supreme Court Sueanna Lovell, the Attorney General told the gathering that this generation is the luckiest in the history of Guyana.

He also said that the Mabaruma Magistrate’s Court is completed at a cost of $253,368,148. Other ongoing projects of the judiciary are the Timehri Magistrates’ Court which is 60% completed and the Cove and John Magistrates’ Court which is 65% completed.

VACANCY

Implement national voluntary programmes to address youth involvement in crime – Nigel Hughes

BYCHRISTALYONG

Amidtherecentsurgein robberies and other crimes perpetrated by teenagers, Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Nigel Hughes has called for the implementationofanational voluntary programme to tackletheissue.

Speaking at his party’s weekly press conference on Friday, Hughes emphasized theurgentneedforashiftin how the country engages with its young people, particularly those who are strugglingtoaccesstheskills and opportunities necessary for economic and personal development.

Hughes stated that many young people are entering society without the appropriate skills to thrive, and this lack of opportunity oftenleadsthemtocrime.

“It is evident that we are releasing unto the society, young people who don’t have appropriate skills to afford the proper opportunity for appropriate economic development and self-development and, as a consequence, the easiest thing that happens is they turn to crime, (which is) a b s o l u t e l y t o b e condemned,”theAFCleader said. According to Hughes, therootoftheproblemliesin the country’s educational system,whichhebelievesis failing many students. He pointed out that too many young people are either dropping out of school or, even if they finish, are not r e c e i v i n g p r o p e r certification.

Theleader,whoisalsoa prominent attorney-at-law said, “We now realize that several people are falling through the cracks and are eithernotfinishingschoolor those that actually finish the five years, they are not gettingcertification.”

Alliance For Change leader, Nigel Hughes

To address this, Hughes proposed the creation of a

trainingopportunitiesacross

programme, similar to a voluntary national service, would offer young people the chance to gain valuable skills, become certified, and receiveimportanteducation, all while also focusing on discipline.

Hughes explained,

“Thereisnosocietythathas been successful in the modern world, in which there hasn’t been a high degree of discipline, high levelofeducationandahigh commitment to National Development Goals, you don’t get that by allowing peopletofailandcontinueto fail and just leave it to them to find their way, it never happens, it requires leadership.”

In addition, Hughes stressedthatwhileGuyana’s formal education system is failing,thereisstillhopefor improvement.Hestatedthat the country needs to collectively create opportunities for youth who fall outside the traditional education system A key aspect of the proposed voluntary national service programme would be providing stipends to participants,sothattheycan support their families while

undergoingtraining.

He asserted, “So at the end of that period, whether its eight months, nine months, a year, we will then haveabettereducatedcadre of young people, who come back into society (to contribute).”

In addition to education, Hughes also pointed to the f a i l u r e o f s p o r t s development in the country He criticized the current approach,whichhebelieves focuses too much on infrastructure, such as stadiums, rather than investing in coaching, training, and youth developmentprogrammes.

He argued that effective sports development should begin with investing in trainers and youth programmes,asseeninother countries that have used sports to engage young people and provide opportunities on the world stage.

“You don’t see potential because you got a fancy groundinLindenwithlights, the potential is what programme do you have for the development of those people and that is what is going to take young people off of the streets, with nothing to do and therefore their mischievous minds, it is what it is - kids are mischievous.

They are going to find t h i n g s t o d o a n d unfortunately a lot of that perhaps is going to be criminal,”hereasoned.

Hughes cited that this is not a political issue but a national concern that requirescollectiveeffort.

“So,we,andIsay,weas a country, this is not partypolitical dispute; we have to have a programme, a national programme,” the attorneysaid.

R e c e n t y o u t h

involvementincrime

Several incidents involving young people between the ages of 11 and 17 have raised concerns about youth involvement in crimeacrossthecountry Kaieteur News reported that on December 31, 2024, at a Chinese Restaurant on Dennis Street, Sophia, Greater Georgetown, a 15year-old suspect was capturedfollowinganarmed robberythere. One bandit was shot dead by a security guard, while anotherwasapprehended

The third suspect managedtoescapewiththe weapon. OnDecember20, 2024, at Aubrey Barker Road, South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, a 17-yearold bandit, identified as CarlRollandReid,wasshot dead by a security guard after robbing a woman and her daughter there. Police discovered a toy gun and stolen cell phone on Reid’s body On October 29, 2024, a 13-year-old boy,

Kareem Durant, was fatally stabbed by his 11year-old friend during an

The 19-year-old suspect, who was arrested for his connection to a robbery.

argument at Cummings Park, Sophia. The conflict escalated when Durant attacked the suspect’s older brother, leading to the fatal stabbing by the younger brother

On November 5, 2024, at Durban Park, a 14-year-

old boy was shot and beaten after his friend, known as ‘Ranks,’ robbed awomanofherhandbag. The victim was left with a gunshot wound to his chest after a public chase, while his friend managedtoescape

Mahdia

ByAnasaWilliams

The Waterfalls is back with ‘Village Focus’ Happy 2025!This week we visited not a village but a town in the interior region of Guyana long-considered the El Dorado of Guyana. Welcome to the peaceful and serene town of Mahdia, the heartbeat of the Potaro-Siparuni (RegionEight).

Mahdiaislocatedintheheartof Guyana elevated approximately 1,360feet.Itspopulationaccording to the residents, currently stands at around 3000 persons and is made up primarily of three groups: the indigenous tribe of the Patamonas, coastlanders hailing from Georgetown and other coastland regionswhoventuretheretopursue their Eldorado dreams and Venezuelans.

TheWaterfallsjourneyedtothe townoverlandandthisprovedtobe an interesting but exhausting feat. Leavingthecapitalcityat06:10by busthejourneytookusthroughthe Heroes’HighwayandontotheEast BankPublicRoad.

Turning on to the Linden SoesdykeHighway,onecanadmire the lush greenery and sand along theroadways.Thefun,bumpyride began approximately halfway on theLinden-MaburaRoad.

The approximately four and a half hours journey took us through the trail along countless streams, ravines and check points into the beautifulandquiettownofMahdia. The town acquired its township in 2018.

Duringtheday,thetownisvery quiet Checking into the Roger Hinds hotel one can expect courteous staff and a pleasant atmosphere.

ThetownofMahdiahasallthe necessary amenities to make life

comfortable. While in some cases prices may be slightly different to thecity,itisfavourabletakinginto consideration transportation costs togetthegoodstothetown.

There are nursery, primary and secondary schools, a hospital, post office,policestationandthepolice headquarters, the newly commissioned Magistrates Court, hotels, a regional administrative office, restaurants and snackettes that cater for both vegetarian and meat eaters and a very promising commercialsector

Needanoutfitforanightouton the town? Or a business-smart outfit? The numerous boutiques have got you covered for every occasion.

Venturing in search of the best vegetarian food in town, The Waterfalls arrived at Lene’s – a nightclub, bar and restaurant combination with very polite staff. It was reasonably cosy and very clean, with a very tasty menu that hadnumerousoptions.

During a chat with residents, this publication was informed that the area has a playground. One residentrelayed:“Hereisveryquiet mostly We don’t really get problems with anybody and everybodyknowseverybody.”

SergeantMurrayoftheMahdia Police Station told this publication that the crime rate in the area is almost non-existent. “We do not really get crime in the town. No stealingandnomurdersbutittooka lotofworktogetushere,”hesaid.

Sinceitwasaschoolday,there weren’t that many people in the streets, and a good portion of the population had ventured into the ‘backdam’inpursuitofgold.

However, the town has a very activenightlifeandafter18:00hrs, thebarsopenandtheadultsareseen relaxing after a hard day’s work.

Grilles were fired up and a variety of meats thrown on. Food vendors often pop up to serve hot food as well as cutters, and the bartenders are ready to serve a variety of cold drinks.

Therearetwolandroutestoget to and from the town: one passes through Regions Four, and Ten straight to Eight, while the other takes you through Regions Eight, Seven,TenandfinallytoFour

Mahdia settlement was established in 1884 by ex-slaves after Emancipation, after they travelledfromBerbiceandtheEast CoastDemerarainsearchofgold.

The British Consolidated MiningCompanyexpandedmining exploration in Mahdia and e s t a b l i s h e d C o l o n i a l Administrativeoffices.Duringthis period,Mahdiawasonlyaccessible bywaterways.

Goldminingattractedanumber of St. Lucians to Mahdia, bringing with them the French Patois (Kweol) language and cultural traditions such as La Rose

celebration.

In November 1933, in order to create a link between Mahdia to Bartica by trail a bridge was constructed over the Garraway Stream.

Thebridge,whichissuspended by cables was named the Denham Suspension Bridge, after the then Colonial Governor Sir Edward Denham.Itisstillinusetodayand hasbecomeatouristsite.

One year later…

Driver charged with 2023 fatal accident, placed on bail

A40-year-oldmanwasonFridaychargedandreleasedonbailforthe 2023fatalaccidentwhichoccurredattheintersectionofNorthRoadand CampStreet,Georgetown.

Theaccident,whichoccurredonSeptember7,2023claimedthelife of30-year-oldLoydenAlexanderBritton,aresidentofBagotstown,East BankDemerara(EBD).

At approximately 01:10 hrs on the said day, Britton was riding his motorcycle(CJ4079)westalongNorthRoadwhenhefailedtostopata redtrafficlight.

As a result, he collided with a motorcar (PNN 7200) driven by 40year-old Abayomi Hart, a technician from Farm, EBD Hart was travellingsouthonCampStreetwhenthecrashoccurred.Theforceofthe impact flung Britton several feet, causing him severe head and bodily injuries.HewasrushedtotheGeorgetownPublicHospital,wherehelater died.

After more than a year of delays, the case finally reached the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on Friday, and Hart was charged. AppearingbeforeMagistrateFabayoAzore,Hart,whodidnothavelegal representation,pleadednotguiltytothecharges.

MagistrateAzoreaskedthepoliceinvestigatorwhythecasehadtaken solongtobebroughttocourt.Theinvestigatorexplainedthatthecasehad beenforwardedtotheDirectorofPublicProsecutions(DPP)foradvice and that the file had only recently been returned, prompting Hart’s summonsonDecember31,2024.

The prosecution raised no objections to bail, and Magistrate Azore grantedHart$250,000bail.Hart’snextcourtappearanceisscheduledfor February7,2025,forthesubmissionofastatement.

Aview of the mountains

Mahdia Magistrate’s Court

Mahdia Police Station

Shakib bowling ban remains after failing retest

( B B C S p o r t )Bangladesh all-rounder

Shakib Al Hasan remains banned from bowling in international cricket after failing an independent reassessmentofhisaction.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) subsequently confirmed the ban extended to all domestic cricket

internationalcricket.

T

SaturdaythatShakibfaileda reassessment in Chennai, India, last month, but added he is eligible to play as a

Shakib, 37, was suspended from bowling in England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) competitions afterhewasinvestigatedfor hisbowlingactioninhissole appearanceforSurreyinthe County Championship last season.

ShakibAl Hasan was investigated after playing in his first County Championship match in 13 years. (Getty Images)

Spectators experience and playing...

Frompage57 for the first time in the tournament’s history Additionally, the Global Super League’s launch attracted significant internationalattention.

Acknowledging the longstanding issue of inadequate sports facilities, Minister Ramson reiterated the ministry’s commitment to addressing this challenge through substa

investments.

Sunday January 12, 2024

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

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

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

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

GEMINI(May21–June20)

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

CANCER(June21–July22)

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

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

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

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

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

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

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

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

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

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

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

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

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

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You may have had some emotional disappointments lately, but today will restore yourfaithinlove.Allyouneed to do is act. Your amazing lucidity and realism keep you from hoping for the impossible.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

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

specialist batter in all forms ofcricket.

Shakib has previously said he plans to retire from internationalcricketafterthe Champions Trophy in March,butBangladeshmust nowdecidewhethertoselect himasabatteraloneintheir 15-man squad for the 50overtournament.

Former Tigers captain Shakib has played 71 Tests, 247 one-day internationals and 129 T20s for Bangladesh.

He has already retired from T20 internationals and has almost certainly played hisfinalTestforBangladesh, whodonothaveanotherTest scheduled before the Champions Trophy begins on19February.

The slow left-arm spinnerwassuspendedfrom bowling in December after testing at Loughborough University found his elbow extension exceeded the 15degreethresholdallowedby ECBrules.

His action was flagged by the on-field umpires in a match for Surrey against SomersetinSeptember

Ramsonprovidedupdatesonthe ongoing construction of the five new stadiums, noting that most projects are expectedtobecompletedby May/June 2025, with the Palmyra facility facing slightdelaysduetologistical challenges. “This year will be a ribbon-cutting year for all of us,” he remarked. “These projects represent a significant undertaking by t h

“Infrastructure and facilities have been the vehicle for transforming the local sports sector,” he stated. “We recognized the significant deficit in sports facilities, and that’s why we prioritized the construction of five new stadiums Spectator experience and playing standards must alwaysbeourtopgoals.”

T

lso invested in 246 community centre grounds, with some facilities receiving cash grantsofonemilliondollars each for rehabilitation works T

administration’s dedication

development Minister

y a n d government, and their completion will benefit everyone.” In another major development, a stipend programme for athletes and national players has been introduced, with 40 athletes a

. Additionally, the ministry amended two key pieces of sports legislation, positively impacting horseracing and updatingtheCricketWorldCup Act

concluded by emphasising

technologicalinvestmentsin achieving the country’s full potential in sports The administration remains resolute in its commitment torealisingthisvision.

Spectators experience and playing standards high on the agenda says Minister Ramson

Minister of Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., along withateamofofficialsfrom the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, hosted the 2024 year-end press conference yesterday at the newly renovated Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH). During the event, Minister Ramson discussed the ministry’s performance and achievements over the pastyear,emphasisingplans toelevatethesportssectorto unprecedentedheights.

Re

accomplishments of 2024, M i n

R a m s o n highlighted that the sports sector has experienced unprecedented success over the past four years, with 2024 standing out as the most accomplished year in the nation’s history Guyana secured an impressive 537 medals in international and regional tournaments, marking a staggering 296% increase from the previous

year M

n remarked, “This in itself shows that our investments are working; it also shows thatourcountryismovingin the right direction Our p

collaborations forged over thepastcoupleofyearshave transformed every sport Small initiatives have createdtremendousbenefits, not just for athletes but also forspectatorswhocomeout

competitions.”

08 international and regional tournaments in 2024; a 100 percent increase from the previousyearreinforcedthis success. Over 800 athletes were provided opportunities tocompeteoverseas,further demonstratingtheministry’s commitment to fostering talent and development Locally, the number of international tournaments hosted rose from 15 in 2023

to29in2024.

Notable events included the return of the Caribbean EliteCyclingChampionship toGuyanaafter23years,the

successful hosting of the CAC Bodybuilding and Fitness Championship, the Caribbean Squash Championship both of which saw Guyana achieving championship status and the hosting of the CPLsemifinalsandfinals (Continuedonpage56)

Sport Minister, Charles Ramson Jr speaking at yesterday’s press conference

Savory,Persaudshow classaheadofRegionalC/shipswithfifties

Captain Kemol

Savory and

AkshayaPersaud stroked identical halfcenturies during the 2nd innings of the Savory XI versus Chanderpaul XI 4Day practice match which continued at the Guyana

National Stadium, Providence on Friday and

Saturday Today’s final day of action in the Day/Night clash is expected to be intenseaskeyplayerslookto fine-tune themselves ahead oftheJanuary29starttothe CWI Regional 4-Day Championships.

The Eagles will play theirfirstquartetofgamesat Providence,makingthenext

few days of practice which willbecrucialtotheplayers andhowtheyacclimatizeon home turf, ahead of the competition.

After keeping the

ChanderpaulXIto230inthe first innings of the practice game which bowled off Thursday under lights, Savory led his team with a

classy 89 off 92 with 14 fours.

Persaud, who could likely play this year for Guyana having opted to representotherfranchisesin the region, matched his captain with a knock 89 off 99(16x41x6).

Eagles all-rounder Richie Looknauth was the thirdbestscorerwith25,as seamer Joshua Jones bagged4-55

National youth left-arm spinner Golcharran Chulai staked his claim as a possible prospect for the spin department, with returnsof3-21ashetoohad agoodouting

Chanderpaul XI enteredthethirddaywitha smallleadof51havinglost a few wickets, leaving the core of Saturday and today’s battle to be contested under lights, ahead of the second practice game this coming week

Kemol Savory led by example but he unfortunately missed out on a century during his team’s inning versus Chanderpaul XI.

Archery Guyana’s 2024 Senior Barebow Open officially declared open

Archery Guyana proudly kicked off the highly anticipated 2024 Senior Barebow Open on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at the NationalGymnasium.

Theeventwasofficially declared open by President VidushiPersaud-McKinnon, who delivered inspiring opening remarks to the assembledathletes,officials,

c o a c h e s , c l u b representatives, sponsors, mediaandspectators.

In her address, Persaud-McKinnon celebrated the unwavering dedication of Guyana’s

archery community, stating, “Today we celebrate the skill, focus, and sportsmanship that define archery This event highlights the growth of

barebow archery in G u y a n a a n d t h e dedication of our athletes who continue to elevate thesport

Whether they achieve

v i c t o r y o r f a c e challenges, their journey

defines success ” President PersaudM c K i n n o n a l s o expressed gratitude to the Honourable Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Charles Ramson; Director of Sport, Mr. Steve Ninvalle; the N a t i o n a l S p o r t s Commission; President Godfrey Munroe and the Executive Committee of the Guyana Olympic Association; Mr Samuel Arjoon of Guyana Beverages Inc , Oasis Water and members of the media for their invaluable support

F o l l o w i n g h e r remarks, Director of

Shooting, Mr Ryan McKinnon introduced the officials, including Chairman of Judges Robert Singh, Judges Afzal Karim andPersaud-McKinnon,and the Results Team, led by Chair of the Technical Committee, Mr Saeed Karim, along with Anopa Ramdial and Idrees Shakeem. The competition

commenced with an official equipment inspection, followed by 20 minutesofpractice.

A t h l e t e s t h e n proceeded to the ranking rounds, consisting of 20 ends of three arrows each, totaling60arrows.

For the first time, Archery Guyana is utilising the globally

recognised IANSEO software for live scoring. This technology ensures immediate updates of results, offering real-time insights for athletes, coaches, and fans alike Participants and spectators can access the live scores throughthefollowinglink: https://ianseo net/Deta ils php?toId=20798

T h i s s y s t e m guarantees transparency and efficiency, keeping everyone connected to the u n f o l d i n g a c t i o n Tomorrow’s finals will also utilise the IANSEO software, allowing scores to be shared instantaneously, creating a dynamic and engaging experience for all ofGuyanaandabroad.

Athletes across Guyana demonstrated exceptional skill and composure in the ranking rounds.

Thefinals,scheduledfor

today, promise thrilling performances as archers vie fortophonours.

Archery Guyana invites the public to support and celebrate the growth of this incrediblesportbyattending the finals or following the liveupdates.

Athletes opening in the ranking rounds, consisting of 20 ends of three arrows each.

Spectators experience and playing standards high on the agenda says Minister Ramson

Savory, Persaud show class ahead of Regional C/ships with fifties

Akshaya Persaud hit an exceptional 89 as he got himself into form ahead of the Regional 4-day Championships.

Archery Guyana’s 2024 Senior Barebow open officially declared open

Minister of Sport, Hon. Charles Ramson (Photo: DPI)