Israeli siege of northern Gaza leaves 5,000dead,missingafter100days Oil deal requires Govt. to formally write Exxon to request renegotiation - Dr. Adams ...saysPresidentAli,VPJagdeocowardlyrefusing
Govt. eyeing another US$1.5 billion loan from US EXIM Bank Exxon’s oil projects in operation costing less than US$20 per barrel to produce - Rystad Energy Second terminal for CJIA on Govt’s 2025 agenda
Although the 2016
Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) requires the prior written consent of the Contractor for any a m e n d m e n t s , t h e Government of Guyana (GoG)hascowardlyrefused to engage the company in dialogue for better benefits forGuyanese.
Former Executive
D i r e c t o r o f t h e Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr Vincent Adams recently pointed out
that the talks must commence at the request of
government.
Hesaid,“WhyistheVice President (Bharrat Jagdeo) andthePresident(IrfaanAli) making excuses for not asking Exxon about renegotiation?Whatarethey scaredabout?
Theyaretalkingthatthey are gonna renegotiate every contract except for Exxon. The clause is there very clearly that says the only way you can get them to understand that you want them to renegotiate is by putting it in writing. What aretheyafraidoftoputitin
writing?”
Article 32 of the PSA states, “Except as may be expressly provided herein, the Government shall not amend, modify, rescind, terminate, declare invalid or unenforceable, require renegotiation of, compel replacement or substitution, or otherwise seek to avoid, alter, or limit this Agreement without the prior written consent of Contractor.”
To this end, Dr Adams asked, “Is this the kind of leadership that we want in this country who is afraid to even approach an internationalcompanytoask forrenegotiationforabetter dealforitspeople?”
US$1.5B
The Government of Guyana is prepared to accessanadditionalUS$1.5 billioninfinancingfromthe United States ExportImport (US EXIM) Bank, accordingtoSeniorMinister with responsibility for Finance,Dr AshniSingh.
This announcement was made during the signing ceremony of a US$527 millionloanagreementwith the US EXIM Bank for the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) projectonFriday
Highlighting the collaboration between Guyana and the Bank, Dr Singh described the relationship as entering a new phase of economic, trade, and commercial significance.
“This represents a good example of what can be achieved,andwewanttosee much more business with EXIM. We want to see big, medium, and small-sized projects.Guyanaisopenfor business ” Dr Singh remarked.
He added, “We want to see more American companies investing in Guyana, doing business with Guyana, and in Guyana. EXIM has an importantroleinthis.”
Notably, the US EXIM Bank had committed a total ofUS$2billioninfinancing forprojectsinGuyana,with US$527 million now allocatedtotheGTEproject. Dr Singh underscored the government’s readiness to utilize the remaining US$1.5 billion to further advance development
initiatives.
Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh
“There is still US$1.5 billion and we are looking forward to taking up all of that loan,” Dr Singh stated, signaling the government’s intent to continue s t r e n g t h e n i n g i t s partnership with the US EXIMBank.
Dr Singh lauded the swift progress of the collaboration between Guyana and the US EXIM Bank. He reflected on the journey since the initial M e m o r a n d u m o f Understanding (MoU) was signedin2022,whichsetthe stage for the US$2 billion financingarrangement.
“Moving from zero to half a billion in two and a half years really is a remarkable achievement,” henoted.
In relation to the loan signed for the GTE project, VicePresident(VP)Bharrat Jagdeo recently during his weekly press conference at F r e e d o m H o u s e , Georgetown explained that there is a fixed 4% annual
interest rate on the loan whichwouldberepaidover aperiodof15years.
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 thatsoit’sa4%interestand you can calculate what the repayment would be over a time period. It’s fixed at 4%…principalrepaymentis 3 0 s e m i - a n n u a l installments…so it’s 15 years thereafter,” the VP explained.
Notably,thispublication had reported that Guyana’s total debt has risen sharply, exceeding US$5 billion by mid-2024, according to the Ministry of Finance’s MidYearReport.
As of June 2024, the country’s debt stood at US$5,063 3 million, up from US$4,508.8 million at theendofDecember2023.
President Ali during his end-of- year press conference told Kaieteur News that he has no interest inwritingtoExxonMobilto seek a renegotiation of the contract.
He explained, “No, we don’t need an official response (from Exxon). We havemadeourpositionvery clear that future PSAs, and we have stuck to that and existing PSAs, the sanctity of contract, we respect that. You know this, we have discussed this, many times before.”
Meanwhile,whentheVP was asked to say whether Exxon formally indicated in
Former Executive Director of the EPA, Dr. Vincent Adams
writingthatitdoesnotagree to a renegotiation, he skillfully dodged the issue. Instead,heresponded,“AsI said before, we’re not dealing with the optics We’re dealing with substance. If you want to dealwithoptics,youcanask this question to another party…The AFC and the others can deal with optics. They did that before They’retheoneswhosigned the agreement Now, suddenly they think, oh, we should renegotiate the agreement.”
Stakeholders have arguedthatduetothedrastic changes in the Stabroek Block, Guyana would be well within its right as a sovereign nation to demand greater benefits for its resources. In 2016 when the
agreementwithExxonMobil and its partners were made, the country’s oil reserves stood at a just three billion barrels.
Fast forward to seven years later, the Stabroek Block is now estimated to hold more than 11.6 billion barrelsofoil.
This means that the reserves have almost quadrupled while the countrycontinuestoreceive a thin slice of the pie, with the oil companies enjoying over 85% of the revenue generatedeachmonth.
According to the 2016 PSA,Exxoncandeductupto 75%ofGuyana’soilmonthly tocoveritsexpenses
The remaining 25% is splitwithGuyanaequallyas profits, with the country earning an additional 2% from the contractor’s share asroyalty
PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.
Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456
Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS
Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210
The attacks on the private media by the current government continue unabated despite pushbacks. Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo has been unrelentless. He has evenbeenusinghisweeklypressconferencestogoafterhis criticsandthemediaisnotspared.Asobservedbyoneofour columnists on Sunday, his performance, last Thursday, confirmedwhatmanyhadlongsuspected,heisuncomfortable with differing opinions It also was once again proof that the PPP/C has canonized party paramountcy by conflating party with government through the hosting of a weekly press conferencethatblursthelinesbetweenthetwo.
In Guyana as in many other countries, the media, especially the print media more than any other institution, including the church, school and the family, exert tremendous power and influence in the socialisation of people.Themediaisabletowieldsuchpowerandinfluence because today more than any other time in human history, people are thirsty for information. People will turn to the mediafirsttofindoutwhatishappeningintheircountryand the wider world. The information gathered from the media playsacriticalroleinmoldingtheperceptionspeoplehaveof others,places,issuesandgovernance Themediaalsoshapethe national agenda through the issues it brings to the public attention Andwhileithasremainedanintegralpartofhuman civilization, it faces many challenges Considered the Fourth EstateortheFourthPower,themediacompriseprint,television, radio and the internet, all of which are playing a vital role in creating and shaping of public opinion and strengthening of society Today, technology has given rise to the electronic media which makes much easier for the average person to express views through blogs, website posts, Facebook and Twitter
However, the media’s role as watchdog against the abuseofpowerinGuyanaissafeguarded.Thelaw,byway of the constitution, guarantees the continued existence of the media. A comparison cannot be drawn with the U.S. because the United States is unique when it comes to empowering the media. The FirstAmendment of the U.S. Constitution bars the Congress from passing any law abridgingthefreedomofspeechandfreedomofthepress. The First Amendment probably was informed by persons who believe in freedom, and who generally place the interest of the nation before self-interest and all other considerations. Politicians in Guyana have used the defamationlawasatoolofintimidationagainsttheprintmedia andwiththeintenttosilenceit Itisaformofcensorshipthat shouldnotbetolerated Ifpoliticiansareaccusedofwrongdoing bythemediaandfeelthattheyweredefamed,theycansuethe mediabecausethedefamationlawisplaintiff-friendly Thelaw placestheonusonthemediatoprovethedefamationandtoalso showthatthemediaactedwithoutactualmalice Thereareother laws on the statute books, including the Official SecretsAct, which help politicians and other public officials to avoid scrutiny.Itisaformofindirectcensorship.
However,thisisnotthecaseinAmericanjurisprudence where the burden of proof is on plaintiff to prove their innocence in court. US laws related to the media hold that public officials must be subjected to scrutiny. Not so in Guyana. The media is considered the sword arm of democracy It has an all-embracing role to act against the injustice, oppression, misdeeds and partiality of society as well as protecting the interest of the public against malpractice and at the same time create public awareness. Itsroleistoreportonthefacts,notonrumours.Itactsasthe truthdetector Todaywhenpoliticiansaretakingfulladvantage oftheirpositionsandaremakingthelifeofthecommonman miserable,theroleofthemediaistoexposethem Themedia also help to fight corruption, nepotism and cronyism that are evident in institutions Instead of complaining, Guyanese can assistinbringingaboutamoremedia-friendlyenvironmentby applyingpressureontheauthoritytoinstitutethenecessarylegal reformstosafeguardtherightofthemedia Thiswouldleadtoa conducive environment for the media to deliver the kind of probingjournalismwithoutrunningtheriskofbeingcensored
IamadedicatedNursing Assistant with 14 years of h a n d s - o n n u r s i n g experience.
My service includes one year, six months at Sand CreekHealthCentreandone year, two months at St Ignatius Health Centre and I’m currently still serving in thesecapacities.
With this level of c o m m i t m e n t a n d experience, I was fortunate to be accepted into the HybridProfessionalNursing
Programme offered by the Ministry of Health This programme is essential for nursing assistants like me who seek to upgrade their skillsandqualifications. However, I was stunned when Health Science Education terminated my training, pointing to my Regional Supervisor’s lack of approval as the reason. Shockingly, my direct supervisors - the RHO and the ward sisters - deny such action, stating they are unawareofwhymytraining
wasstopped. This has left me, and potentially others, in an unfortunate limbo, hampering our professional growth, and inadvertently impactingthequalityofcare providedtoourpatients.Itis critical to note that global statistics indicate nurses trained through hybrid programmes have similar, if not better, patient outcomes than traditionally trained nurses (“The National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s Transition-toPracticeStudy”).
We are appealing to the Ministry of Health and HealthScienceEducationto review our cases and reinstate our access to the HybridProfessionalNursing Programme. It’s our right to continue our training, progress in our career paths andprovidethehighestlevel of care to our communities. Kindly sign this petition to support our fight for justice andqualityhealthcare.
Regards
RyanReid
Utterances of Teixeira, Jagdeo, Hinds and
In recent times, many of our leading intellectuals have been expressing their learned views on what to them democracy entails or shouldmeanforGuyana. Strictly speaking, there aremanyaspectstotheword democracy Indeed,asIsitto pen this letter, I have on my bed a book entitled, ‘Democracy’ which is over 600pageslong.IntheWest, while it is held that a major feature of procedural democracy is fair and free elections, questions can be askedhowcananelectionbe considered fair when the electorate is bombarded by the propaganda of one political party because that political party has unequal access to the mass media based upon its ‘war chess’ funded by interest groups. Then they are those who believe that governing parties have the right to do almost anything once they gained50+1%ofthevotesat generalelections. They argue that a party earning the right to govern from such a system has earned the right to implement its programmes and policies unhindered. In Guyana, such a belief is dangerous at one level and inefficient at another Indeed, during the reign of the coalition parties, Gail Teixeira was reported of accusing the then government of having a one seat majority and behaving as though it had a hundred percent of the votes If indeed the then government was behaving as described by the honourable lady, she was right in her criticism. For it cannot be just to relegate the losing party to the opposition benches and notallowingittoeffectively
influence policies and programmes even though it secured49%ofthevotes.
The problem with Miss Teixeira’s argument however is that it lacks sincerity, that it was/is opportunistic Today, the PPP with a similar one-seat majority behaves in similar manner for which she expressed disgust and disdain,butsheexpressesno objections.Thatshebehaves in this manner should not surprise us; after all, it was Vice President Jagdeo who according to Kaieteur News of20thSeptember2022who warned us that “politicians are not the most honest people.”.
This problem with a 50+1 right to rule unchallenged, ignoring the concernsoftheother49%of the population is dangerous, unconscionable, unfair and disrespectful to half of the population In today’s Guyana, there two things about the 50+1 approach to democracy that makes it particularlydangerous.
First, the high level of ethnic/racial animosity Second,theenormouspower and authority that such a system bestows on the government over the management and decisionmaking reference matters relatedtoouroilresource.A resource,whichisseenasthe principal resource for fueling Guyana’s speedy development.
Therefore, when Kaieteur News of 20th August 2023 reports Vice President Jagdeo as telling the nation that he will not take a matter of significant importance regarding oil to the parliament, since in his words, “Where the grandstanding takes place,” he was being dismissive of
the views of half of the Guyanesepeople.
Further, we can make four other observations on hisoutburst.First,hisstance is in complete opposition to the mature view expressed by Teixeira a long standing and senior operative of his party – the PPP Second in whichpartofthedemocratic world does ‘grandstanding’ not occur in the legislative branch?
Third,bywhatlogicdoes thePPPwithaninfinitesimal advantage in parliament feelsthatinademocracy,itis propertotakeuponitselfthe right to make decisions for all Guyana without consulting with the other half of government - the opposition,whichrepresents halfoftheGuyanesepeople?
Fourth, Jagdeo’s nonsensethatifitistakento parliament,itwillbebogged down in debates is ridiculous.Thatisoneofthe aspects of a healthy democracy In totalitarian states, the all-knowing leader and party general secretarymakethedecisions withoutconsultingothers.In ademocracy,wediscuss,we have intellectual battles before crucial decisions are made. Yes, this is likely to slow legislations down. But the democratic process demandsnoless.
So now we come to exPrime Minister and present representative of Guyana at the United Nations– Mr SamuelHinds,writinginthe Kaieteur News of 24th August 2024, Hinds says “ Afro Guyanese and indeed allGuyaneseareinvitedand welcome to join with us the PPP/Csharinginourvision,
p a r t i c i p a t i n g a n d
contributing in our realization…”Whatisthis–“join with us the PPP/C
sharing in our vision...”?
SeemsasthoughHinds,like Jagdeo does not value inclusivity, a cardinal principle of democracy. Seemshetoodidnotlistento that stalwart of his party when she raged about the coalition having a one-seat advantage and behaving as though it had a hundred percentofthevotes.
At Guyana’s last general elections, half of the population made clear its objection to the PPP and its vision for the nation Therefore, logic suggests thatthevisionforthecounty needs to be crafted by both the opposition and the governmentcomingtogether allowingroomforthewishes and views of both halves of the country to shape that vision. Surely that has to be what democracy in action has to mean in Guyana in viewofourrealityexpressed by our voting pattern? It is the people of Guyana who must define the “vision” for Guyana, not a party that enjoysoneseatadvantagein Parliament in a country where ethnic difference tremendously influenced votingpatterns.
Guyana,todayevenwith itshighlevelofmigration,is a land still filled with men and women of high intellect andpatriotism.Whythenare theymakingsolittlemarkon thedirectionofournation?
TheofferingsofTeixeira, a presumptuous Jagdeo and what appears as a subservient Hinds stated in their own words above, make it clear that the deepening of democracy in Guyana cannot be entrusted tothePPPinitspresentform. Given that it is possible that the PPP can win general electionsscheduledforthis
(Continuedonpage06)
Responding to calls for renegotiation of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil, Prof. Stanley A V Paul stated that consideration of such matters‘demandameasured and deeply introspective response, one rooted in historical awareness, legal pragmatism, and economic foresight’ (‘Guyana should
focus on extracting maximum value from the existing PSA rather than pursue a path that could imperil its economic stability’ SN 07/01/2025). These are indeed important elements that should be accountedforinthiskindof consideration, but just as important is an adequate e x p l i c i t p o l i t i c a l contextualisation of the issue, and this is so if only becauseofassertionssuchas those of economist Papa Demba Thiam that are prevalentinGuyana.
Speakingofthesituation in Senegal, he claimed that ‘most of the mining and oil contracts around the world are renegotiated: 40 to 92%
of contracts being renegotiated within 1 to 8 years in Latin America and theCaribbean.
The fear of risks is often usedasapoliticalandmoral threat on underdeveloped
countries, when the Constitution states that natural resources belong to t h e p e o p l e ’ (https://senemgroup com/th e-delicate-equation-ofrenegotiating-oilcontracts/).
Demba identifies possibly the most common reason given by those who s e e k t o p r e v e n t renegotiation, but there are other legitimate political reasonstobeconsidered.For example, in a competitive electoral setting such as exists in Guyana, where because of the ethnic configuration the autocratic
regime is largely unaccountable, is
renegotiation with a powerful and historically quite hard-nosed entity that iswillingtouseitspowerto facilitate the sides that will notunderminethestatusquo not unrealistic? Particularly in the context of Guyana, doesafocusonrenegotiation not detract from one’s dealing with the major obstacles the prevent such renegotiation, namely
national political participation,accountability,
equitability, which,
particularly in a small country,canprovideaunited nationalfrontthatcanleadto victory in these kinds of unevencontestations?
I am not saying that renegotiation is not justifiable or that it should notbeimmediatelypursued. But in the present political context, where should one’s focusbe?
As it is, is it not putting theproverbialcartbeforethe horse: should the focus not be on eliminating the real obstructions to progressive national development and renegotiation?
Thus, for me, while the approach of Prof. Paul is obstructive that of much of Guyana’s renegotiation lobby is utopian and this accounts for the frustrations they face when neither government nor opposition is willing to take on Exxon. Someoneoncesaidthatonly utopia can save us: I hope whoeveritwasisright!
Apart from this general consideration,Prof.Paulhas made a few extremely questionable specific assertions that could affect the environment and have a bearingonwhatIhavetosay nextweek.
He said that, ‘the suggested course of aggressiverenegotiationisa high-stakes gamble that could imperil Guyana’s economic stability, investor confidence, and long-term growth trajectory To suggest renegotiation without ExxonMobil’s willingness reduces the process to an exercise in coercion rather than dialogue.’
I am not certain what is meant by ‘aggression’, but
all negotiations require a levelofbelligerence.Rarely arethosewiththeadvantage voluntarily prepared to negotiate a change in the statusquo.
Howcanoneunilaterally negotiate and who has been suggesting‘cohesion’unless by this Prof. Paul meant the adequately mobilising of all one’s assets to bring the othersidetothetable?
But this is the normal, legitimate and only sensible way of getting a reluctant partner,particularlyonewho has the upper hand, to the negotiatingtable.
The good professor cannot be saying that ‘Historyisunkindtonations thathavechosenthispath’of legitimately forcing renegotiations, for as indicated above, many such contracts
ve been renegotiatedwithoutthedire consequences he portends. Further, he chose to give examples of only those that have resulted in what he considers ‘disasters’, but even so, as in the case of Guyana, he fails, among otherthings,todealwiththe national and global environment factors that may have contributed significantly to such consequences.
‘ A d v o c a t e s o f renegotiation often frame their arguments through the lens of fairness...While it is indisputable that the PSA appears disproportionately favourable to ExxonMobil, theworldisnotgovernedby abstract notions of moral equity but by pragmatism andpowerdynamics.’
This is quite alarming! Generally, human society hankers after fairness:
f r e e d o m , j u s t i c e , equitability, etc. It is indeed the power dynamics that make abstract aspirations real and this is why one needs to mobilise all the necessary resources to confronttheotherside
‘The question we must ask ourselves’, he posits, ‘are we willing to risk economic disruption, legal arbitration, and investor flight in pursuit of an ideal that may ultimately cost us morethanityields?’
All one can say here is that it will be extremely foolhardy to go into a
negotiation without
making a thorough assessment of the possible costandbenefits
But in life, it is deadening to make an inordinatefearofdefeatto prevent the struggle for justice
‘Theprudentpath,’Prof. Pauladvises,‘doesnotliein attempting to strong-arm E x x o n M o b i l i n t o
opportunities already
’
Firstly, the use of the phrase ‘strong-arm’ is another effort to bias the discourse in favour of the status quo when the request for renegotiation isduetothepopularbelief that Guyanese have already been ‘strongarmed’
Secondly,optimisingthe opportunities of the existing contract need not prevent one from immediately or in the future seeking justice. Thirdly, like the question of ‘negotiating a better contract’, ‘optimising the opportunities’ begs the
questionforwhom?
The level of political domination and inequity in Guyana is palpable and thus returns us to the priority q u e s t i o n o f g o o d governance! We are told that‘President,Dr IrfaanAli and Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo are faced with an unenviable but crucial responsibility to secure the nation’s long-term future while navigating the treacherous waters of resource governance.’ Is this not a prostration to autocracy?
The Constitution of Guyana intended that the electedrepresentativesofall the people should be adequately facilitated in the decision-making process aboutthefuture.
Unfortunately, it also gives the executive to the PPPinafashionthatallows the latter, as the late Present Jimmy Carter noted, to take ‘full advantage of its winner takes all’ political system and exclude the peoples’ representatives from decision-making at all levels with the facile claim that they are going directly tothepeople
Thus, the PPP’s autocratic approach has significantly enhanced the
‘treacherous waters of resourcegovernance!’
Prof. Paul has opined that ‘The ExxonMobil agreement represents not just a contract, but a foundation’.
This is not a sensible prioritisation:theagreement is firstly and foremost a contact and only becomes a foundatio
materially liberating However, the existing contract, the responses to c
distribution of its outcomes hav
psychologically debilitating to many and at the rate the current regime, fixated on
neitherthepresentnorfuture generations prosperous human existence even close tooptimality
It is true that ‘Guyana standsatapivotalmomentin its history [and that] [t]he choices we make today will determine whether we seize this opportunity for transformation or squander it through misguided adventurism.’ It is already being squandered by reckless adventuristgovernance.
Sincerely
Dr HenryJeffrey
,
ArecentstudybyForbes India that was released on January 10th this year has placed Guyana 9th in GDP per capita. This positions Guyana just ahead of the United States of America which placed 10th and Denmarkwhichplaced11th.
Luxembourg and Singapore topped the list in 1st and 2nd place respectively It is a very humbling and motivating metric, especially when one considers the history of Guyana and the difficulties that we have faced over the years since having a strong p o s i t i o n p r i o r t o Independence.
The“Mofyahslowfyah” mentality must be put aside to prevent the destruction that comes with it Our nation must overcome that whichhinderslawandorder from taking root, and we mustaidinthegrowthofour nation’sstatureontheworld stage The strength of Guyana was always rooted in the way we treated each other with dignity and respect.Nowthatwehavean opportunity to share equally inournation’sprosperity,we must encourage our leaders to work equitably and fairly witheachother
Our treatment of our fellow Guyanese is also withinourindividualactions andwords.Toseeourfellow citizenfortheuniqueperson
We have overcome a very difficult embargo to reachthispointofincreasing wealth and prosperity What still lays before us is an opportunity to regain the peacefulexistencewhichwe had prior to our difficult times.Wemustembracethis new era in our national development and accept the responsibility that comes with it. We must resist the temptation to revert back to internalstrifeandconflict.If internalconflictisallowedto flourish during the upcoming elections our growth as a nation could be hindered.
that he or she is will help us find common purpose that will allow us to grow to be much stronger than we are today
Itisstillthebeginningof our journey as a nation, and making our growth sustainable for future generations is within us the sixpeoplesofGuyana.
This is a choice we can and must make. We must choosetobebettereachday We must choose to be a promoter of equality and peace. We must choose to helpeachothersucceed.We must choose to free each other from corruption and harm. These are the choices we can and must make to help ourselves and those around us achieve the Great l a n d o f G u y a n a Congratulations to my fellow citizens and God guardyou,greatMother,and make us to be, more worthy of our heritage, land of the free!
Bestregards, Mr.JamilChanglee
DEAREDITOR, In my letter that was published in the Kaieteur News on January 11, 2025 andtitled‘Withdrawalofmy PresidentialCandidacyfrom the 2025 Regional and GeneralElections’andinthe Stabroek News and titled ‘I l o o k f o r w a r d t o
y communities and country
m my presidential aspirations’, I inadvertently stated in the
lastsentencethat…“our‘Oh BeautifulGuyana’isingood hands”. I am amazed by the feedbackonhowtwowords canmakeabigdifference.In fact, what I meant was “our ‘Oh Beautiful Guyana’ will beingoodhands”.
In 2020, when I announcedthatIintendedto runforpresidentatthe2025 elections, I felt that all Guyanese who are of the viewthattheycouldmakea difference should step up
andIsteppedup. In2025,theplayingfield for presidential candidates hasanumberofhigh-quality Guyanese who can be excellent presidents and charter a course of good governance for Guyana. I therefore believe that with these new developments, our ‘Oh Beautiful Guyana’ willbeingoodhands.
Sincerely,
Citizen Audreyanna Thomas
Frompage04 year, what can Guyanese hold on to with some hope that an equitable and just Guyanaisathand?
One cannot deny that constitutional reform is important.
But the PPP is not expectedtoagreetochanges to the constitution that it perceivesasunderminingits returntopower
Nothing in the PPP’s behaviour throughout its history suggests that fair playandthewellbeingofthe nation takes precedence to love of power and greed. Indeed, in fairness, I don’t think the PNC in the PPP’s place would behave any different.
But in the best scenario where we envisage meaningful constitutional reform is agreed on, that alonecannotsaveusinterms of bringing into being a just society A constitution cannot answer to all the challenges in inter group relationships or prevent selfishmenandwomenfrom taking advantage of opportunities for selfaggrandizement that such challenges will give rise to.
Somuchso,thattheyare willing to compromise and reach across the table in brotherhood to those they previously perceive as enemies.
All done by men filled with determination and commitment of creating a just society Like I said earlier, Guyana still have suchmenandwomen.
Itistimeforsuchmenof high integrity to offer themselves for leadership in Guyana The country demands and deserves no lessatthistime.
TheUSAisagoodexample. In a nutshell, the challenges facing Guyana is nodifferentfromthatfacing most countries today –finding leaders whose love of country supersedes selfishness.
Yourtruly, ClaudiusPrince
While ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) has reported that Guyana’s oilprojectshaveabreakeven cost of US$40 per barrel, Rystad Energy in a recent analysis noted that the country’s projects currently producing oil cost less than US$20perbarrel.
Rystad, an independent energyintelligencecompany saidthecostofsupplyisone ofthesignificantfactorsthat drive the desirability of assets and make them comparable to other sources andregions.
To this end, it was explained, “Helping to transform Guyana into a global heavyweight in
offshore production is its competitive breakeven costs,whichaverage$28per barrelacrossallprojectsand less than $20 per barrel for producingprojects.”
Rystad pointed out that Guyana’s offshore oil fields are some of the most competitive supply sources outside of the Middle East andoffshoreNorwayandare cheaperthantheUSonshore heavyweight the Permian, Russia and many other sources.
“In addition, emissions intensity from offshore activity in Guyana is lower than the global average for oil and gas production and d
strengthening the country’s position through the energy transition,” the company stated.
Upstream emissions from Guyana’s deepwater
9 kilogramsofCO2perbarrel of oil equivalent (boe), comparable to Brazil and s
Norway, according to RystadEnergy
W
y intelligence company said Guyana’s oil projects in operation have a breakeven cost of less than US$20 per barrel Exxon recently said this cost was just about US$40 This was also
repeated by the Ministry of Natural Resources in a statement.
I
, “I
y, ExxonMobil Guyana’s Vice President, Phillip Rietema, stated that the company’s operations are secure at a US$40perbarrelbreak-even price…theUS$40perbarrel figure is an average breakeven price that applies to several developments offshore, not specifically to Liza1andLiza2,”theMNR statementsaid.
To this end, the Ministry saidtheLizaOnebreakeven cost was US$35 per barrel,
while the Liza Two breakevencostisUS$25per barrel. Notably, the breakeven price is the minimum price at which the crude needstobesold,tocoverall thecostsofproducingit,the
MNR said. This includes capital, operating, and other necessaryexpenses. A lower breakeven cost relates to higher profits for the oil companies This meansthatoverreportingon the cost factor to produce could be used as a loophole by oil companies to claw back more revenue for shareholders Countries therefore have a greater responsibility to monitor such costs to ensure they receivevalueformoney
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha on Saturday met with President and Chairperson of the United States Export-Import Bank(USEXIM)Bank,Reta JoLewistodiscussareasfor collaboration.
The ministry said the talks explored areas for collaboration within Guyana’s agriculture sector to increase production and diversification. Lewis was accompanied by the US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole D. Theriot, Hazeen Ashby,DeputyChiefofStaff and White House Liaison; Ufo Eric Atuanya, and ActingSeniorVicePresident of the Office of Global Development.
MinisterMustaphanoted thatwhileGuyanaisnowan oil and gas-producing nation, the country is positionedasafoodhuband is currently leading the agriculture agenda in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)region.
Over the last four years, thegovernmenthasallocated funding to develop several new industries within the sector which have significantly impacted Guyana’s economic growth and development. Chair of the US EXIM Bank, on Sunday concluded a fourday visit to Guyana. On Friday, she signed a US$527M loan agreement while on a site visit to the
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha shared a light moment with President and Chairperson of the United States Export-Import Bank (US EXIM) Bank, Reta Jo Lewis, following discussions between the two sides.
Walesdevelopmentsite.
The US EXIM Bank, on December 26, announced thatithasfinalizedaloanaid 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 April2023.Thecountryhad initially applied for a US$646Mloan.
As the government continuestoseekmoreloans
from not only the US EXIM Bank, but other lending institutions, stakeholders have raised concerns over thecountry’sincreasingdebt burden.
The Opposition has warnedinthepastagainstthe reliance on oil revenue and projected revenue streams fromthesectorasameansof justifyingmoreloans. This,sinceaplungeinoil prices can affect the country’sabilitytomeetdebt payments and still fund key development priorities, such as the health and education sectors.
Social media has undoubtedly changed how we share and receive information. It has made communication more open to everyone. Once you have asmartphoneoracomputer and internet and Facebook accounts,yourarewithinthe reachofsocialmedia.
Socialmediagivesthose who might otherwise not haveasay,anopportunityto say what they think and to propagate what their views, however profound or misguidedtheseare.Butone ofitsprimeattractionsisthat socialmediaisoftenthefirst place where important news isshared.
Yet, lurking beneath the immediacyofsocialmedia’s allureisaperilthatcannotbe ignored.Socialmedia,forall its wonders, carries the insidious danger of sacrificing truth at the altar ofspeed.
The problem is one of nature and nurture. Social media’s nature is instantaneous; its nurture, collective. The race to post the next viral revelation or scandal leaves no time to pause for fact-checking, to seek opposing perspectives, ortoprovidecontext.
I n m a i n s t r e a m journalism, editors are supposed to interrogate everyassertionandreporters are supposed to confirm a story from multiple angles. On the other hand, social media thrives on impulsive reactionsandhalf-toldtales.
This isn’t a dismissal of social media’s potential for good. The immediacy that
makes it dangerous also makesitpowerful.Itgetsits news across, gets it across fast and to a large audience.
But for every breakthrough, there are a dozen false starts stories shared in haste that crumble under scrutiny, leaving reputations tarnished.
Considerthelifecycleof a social media scandal S o m e o n e a l l e g e s wrongdoing, perhaps corruption, a breach of contract or an act of fraud. Thepost,oftenaccompanied by an attention-grabbing headline gains traction Social media influencers pick it up and transmit it to their followers with righteousindignation.
By the time anyone thinks to ask for proof or context,thedamageisdone. The accused becomes a trending topic, their name foreverlinkedtoaccusations that may or may not hold water
Arecent example comes to mind. A social media report alleged fraudulent conduct in what was essentially a contractual dispute.
Thestory,toldfromone perspective,questionedwhy authorities weren’t pursuing criminal charges It conveniently omitted to make the point that not all breachesofagreementriseto the level of criminality
But the post didn’t concernitselfwithsuchlegal niceties. It presented one side, and the public, hungry for scandal, swallowed it whole.
In cases like these, the remedy often lies in civil court, where disputes over breach of contract, unjust enrich
t misrepresentation are adjudicated.
These are complex matters, requiring careful examinationofevidenceand intent. But to the casual social media user, the distinctions between civil and criminal law are unimportant.
What matters is the narrative,thedrama,therush ofjudgmentthatcomeswith awell-timedpost.
This phenomenon isn’t new Humanity has always been susceptible to rumour andhearsay What’schanged is the scale and speed at which misinformation can spread. In an earlier era, unverified claims might circulateduringtheteabreak atworkorinthepagesofan obscure tabloid.Today, they canreachmillionsviasocial media.
The rise of so-called socialmediainfluencershas only exacerbated the problem.
These individuals are often untrained in the principles of journalism Many influencers lack the r e s o u r c e s o r t h e inclination to verify the
F r a u d u l e n t misappropriation,acriminal offence, requires proof of d i s h o n e s t intent something that cannot be established without a thorough investigation and an opportunity for the accused toprovidetheirside.
Dem boys seh Robb Street turn onebigjoke.Islikedeminvent anewstyleahparking–double parallelparkingpondesameside!Imagine youparkproper-properandsomenextman comeandjailyuhcarlikeheinchargeahde road.
He come and park alongside you, locking you in and at the same time reducingthewidthoftheroadfordriving. Robb Street now is de commercial district and de comedy central. Dem got cars side by side like is Noah ark parking demtwobytwo.
Youparkfuhgoandhustle,comeback, and yuh car ketch hostage. Wah mek it worse, de police clampers gone missing like dem tek vacation! Police disappear fasterthanfreelunchponpayday
Onedriversehwhenhefinallymanage fuh reverse out, a man come and tell he, “Yuhshouldasignalme,bai.Ibeenplanfuh parkbehindyuhnext.”
stories they share. They are, in essence, transmitters of information, not arbiters of truth.
Mainstream media, with all its flaws, remains a crucialcounterweight. It provides the balance andcontextthatsocialmedia sooftenlacks.
Reporters, bound by ethical codes, are supposed (operative word being supposed) to be trained to dig deeper, to question assumptions, and to present all sides of a story.They are notinfallible.Theydomake mistakes, sometimes the same ones as social media influencers But their
different approach to news dissemination offers an antidote to the often recklessnessof socialmedia reporting.
As consumers of information,wemustdoour part Before accepting a claim at face value, we should ask: Who is telling this story, and what is their agenda?Isthereevidenceto supporttheallegation?
Have all sides had a chance to speak? Truth, as the saying goes, is rarely simple.
Wah yuh could tell dem kinda people? Robb Street turn chessboard, and we de pawnsinthismadness.
Devendorslaugh.Demsehdeonlyting missing is a conductor collecting parking fare.Demboyssehifdeclampingcrewwas a lil more active, by now Robb Street mightabeensaferthanyuhgrannygarden. Butnah,declampcrewgetsoquiet,people startwonderifdeclampsretire. And dem poor pedestrians? Dem walking zig-zag like drunk man, dodging de parked cars, de moving cars, and de sidewalkstalls.Onemansehhefeellikehe tekkingpartinsomesurvivalshow
Demboyssehistimefuhsomebodytek RobbStreetinhand.Alldemleaderstalking big, but dem still can’t fix a lil street parking. Meanwhile, y’all better carry a picnicbasketandabookwhenyuhparking downRobbStreet.Yuhmightbestuckthere fuhawhile. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
Itismessy,multifaceted, and often slow to emerge. The next time a scandal breaksonsocialmedia,take a breath. Resist the urge to reactimmediately Thetruth, elusive and complex, deservesmorethanaclickor a share It deserves our patience.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Talk about a mismatch
and the evidence is overwhelming. There is Guyana’s oil patrimony and there are the stewards, the PPPGovernment.
Looking on, listening, reading and absorbing and contemplating, and the frighteningtakesshape.
There is a trillion-dollar oil sector led by men with $10 heads When the demands of the day are for profoundness and prudence, the best that the PPP is capable of is propaganda.
Chronic leadership churlishnessandperversions arenowinseparablefromthe management of this oil inheritance.
O i l i s a n e w , unprecedented era in the annals of Guyana. Nothing comes close. A new era, a leasehold on a new life, requires a new mindset This business calls for all Guyana’s talented to be activeparticipants.
Incontrast,whatisheard isthisongoingrumbleofthe limited, twisted, and
demented. PNCdidthat;PPPdoing this. This is more than takingdishonestytoanother level;itisofdeformedminds perverted, visions clouded. Whatcangetdone,whathas been done, now that this complicated, fastmoving business involving a huge amount of oil is in local hands?
There is an intricate business to manage, while starting out with many deficits. Guyana doesn’t have a sufficiency of bodies to man the oil decks, and whenthereareafewbodies, legit questions can be raised about the quality of their heads. Ifthosewhopilotthe nation and sector have trouble managing their own heads,thentheprospectsare dim.
For then what could be said about the caliber of those who are below them?
Whenthebestinnational oil management is vital, what Guyanese get from their ruling class is an extension of Exxon management. Check their language, their postures, their passive-aggressive ways.
To pound one another into submission serves as notice of belligerence and distraction. Meanwhile, the best of the wealth keeps trekking out of here on steroids.
Itiseasiertobeaboutthe quarrelsome, rather than dedicateenergiestobuilding relationships, bridging
Mediocrity breeds more mediocrity. Instead of probing to find a way forward, to identify breakthrough points, what gives great psychic satisfaction is the beating of thepantsoffofoneanother Memories that can be inflamed instantaneously control local minds, compel Guyanese footsteps. More than five decades ago and justaboutfiveyearsagocan be recalled, rekindled in a flash. What space, what opening,whatreadinessthen for prudent and sober oil management?
nationalgaps. Theneedhas never been more urgent to findwaystostudywhatisin front of us, and peer for the smallest opening, the slightestadvantage.
The really good legal practitionersdothat,huntfor any edge, and then make it into a strength. Before taking one step, before lifting one finger, the men with $10 heads in this country back off, find ways to say what can’t be done, how much Guyana is handicapped.
The negatives are blown uptosuchanextentthateven iftherewasapositiveortwo, it gets suffocated by the weight of self-inflicted weaknesses.
The men with the $10 dollarheadsintheforefront of the trillion-dollar oil s e c t o r s h o u l d b e relentlessly focused like a heatseekingmissileoneach three areas. What is going on around the offshore oil rugs, what do the GuyanarelateddocumentsofExxon reveal, and how is the management of Exxon positioningitself
The PNC at the PPP Government’s throat, and t h e P P P c r e a t i n g opportunities to bash the PNC let’s Exxon off the h o o k G u y a n e s e diminishing Guyanese, and ratherproudofit,too,isself-
defeating.
This is the worst possible place for this countrytobeatthistime.
I think that because holding onto to power features so prominently, and the fear of getting on the wrong side of themastersofExxonissuch a paralyzing dread for the PPP Government’s leadership cohort that this game being played with specious comparisons involving dollars and programmes.
In addition, there are those weekly leadership sessionsofvitriolandlunacy thatpointtohowmenwould do anything, including making complete asses of themselves, so as not to be a b o u t r o b u s t a n d comprehensive oil management.
Todosowouldbringinto conflict with Exxon, hold it accountable,andthelatteris anonstarter. Guyaneseneed originals; they have counterfeitcommandoes.
Loud voices and sharp words are the favoured substitute for the same hollow men with the $10 heads in the pretense of d o i n g s o m e t h i n g , representing something But what are they doing if not beating futilely against theair?
What is the purpose? Howdoeswhatthe$10men
do benefit any Guyanese in any way? All that their anticsandacrobaticsdoisto succeed for a moment, it distracts attention from the massivefailuresthatabound and the even more massive hauls that surround the patrimony money misused under the all-purpose farce of “national development priorities.”
When the nation starves for bona fide leadership that is wise and courageous, it is treated to a series of entertainmentepisodesfrom men focused on gloss than ongrit.
For a leadership so unconcerned about the priority and dignity of nationalsovereignty,thereis this blatant hypocrisy about anxieties over Nicolas Maduro and his provocative adventures involving Guyana’s territory Men with $10 heads can only mean so much in a trilliondollar business. Almost nothing.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
(OILPRICE com)
StrongEuropeandemandfor Guyana’s crude pushed the oil exports of the South American country soaring by 54% last year, with Europe accounting for the majority of shipments, Reuters reported on Wednesday, quoting shippingdataandtraders.
Crude oil exports from Guyana averaged about 582,000 barrels per day (bpd) last year, as ExxonMobilanditspartners Hess Corp and CNOOC of China continued to boost productionfromtheoffshore StabroekBlock,wheremore than11billionoil-equivalent barrelshavebeendiscovered todate.
European refiners have been increasingly appreciatingGuyana’scrude grades, Liza, Unity Gold, and Payara Gold, which are sweeter and lighter
compared to the crude of some other SouthAmerican exporters such as Mexico or Colombia. Since the end of 2019, when Guyana exported its first crude oil cargo, the country has become the fifth biggest exporter in Latin America, after Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela,andColombia.
The lighter and sweeter crude from Guyana has boosted its market share in Europe and Guyana’s majority of exports went to Europelastyear
A total of 66% of Guyana’s oilwas shippedto Europein2024,accordingto theshippingdataReutershas reviewed. That’s up from 62% of Guyana’s oil that headedtoEuropein2023.
ThecrudesfromGuyana have found a favorable market in Europe due to the proximity, quality, and easy access to sellers, an
anonymous trader of Latin American crude told Reuters.
Guyana’s crude is set to furtherboostitsmarketshare inEuropeandgloballyinthe comingyearsasoutputinthe country is expected to jump to over 1 million bpd before theendofthedecade.
Just five years after starting up production, Exxon has already reached 500 million barrels of oil produced from the Stabroek block, the U.S. supermajor saidinNovember2024.
Guyana already producesmorethan660,000 bpd of crude from the Exxon-operatedblock.Total production capacity from Stabroek will reach 1 3 million bpd by the end of 2027, Exxon said last year, whenitannouncedthegreen light to the $12.7 billion Whiptail development, its sixthinStabroek.
Two drivers are now hospitalised with multiple fractures after their vehicles collided head-on on Saturday night at New Road, Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD).
Police said the accidentoccurredatabout 22:35hrs and involved minibus, BZZ 6795 ownedanddrivenbyTroy Waterman, a 47-year-old resident of Vreed-enHoopandmotorvan,GAC 9067ownedanddrivenby Ronel Pakenram, a 32year-old from Tuschen New Housing Scheme, EastBankEssequibo.
“Should I touch 180?”
AWhatsApp status he posted hours before a crash
The mangled vehicles after the crash.
“Enquiriesdisclosedthat the minibus was proceeding east along the northern side of New Road Vreed-enHoop, while the motor van was proceeding west along the southern side of the road,” police said while adding that as they crashed in the vicinity of the ‘cone shop’.
hisdrivinglaneandcollided head-on into his vehicle”, policereported’.
“It is alleged by the driveroftheminibusthatthe driver of the van drove into
Nearby CCTV cameras captured the crash. The van was reportedly carrying eggs. Bothdriverswerepinned and had to be taken out of theirrespectivevehiclesand rushed to West Demerara Regional Hospital They sustained fractures and multiple injuries to their body Investigations are ongoing.
AmancrashedhiscaronSundayatBushLot,Essequibo Coast,RegionTwoafterreportedlypostingonhisWhatsApp status,“ShouldItouch180”.
Reportsarethatthepostonhisstatuswasmadeearlierin thedaybuthecrashedduringtheafternoonhours.Detailsare sketchybutreportsreaching Kaieteur News isthathecrashed into two sheep before destroying a resident’s bridge and landinginanearbytrench.Afemalepassengerwasinthecar at the time and had to be taken to a hospital after suffering minorinjuries,sourcessay Investigationsareongoing.
His wrecked car in nearby trench
The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has
reportedly expressed concerns over tactics geared towards stoking violence and instability during the upcoming General and Regional Elections, Vice President, (VC) Bharrat
Jagdeo told a news conferenceonThursday
The VP who is also the General Secretary of the ruling People’s Progressive PartyCivic(PPP/C)saidthat he met with members of the PSC to reassure them of government’s commitment to stability during the elections “ I had an engagement as General SecretaryofthePPPwiththe Private Sector Commission and its affiliates and they wantedtospeaktomeabout the upcoming elections They wanted the party’s perspective on some of the issuesinthepublicdomain,” he disclosed. “It was a good meeting and I commend the Private Sector Commission anditsmembershipforbeing
s
upcoming elections,” added theVP
According to him, the group mainly expressed concerns about instability duringtheelections “Thereis afearthatthedivisiverhetoric willcausedivisivenessaswe get close to the elections They expressed concerns aboutinstabilityandhowthat instability could affect their wellbeingandthepeoplewho workwiththembutIpointed out that they should have no concern about the PPP stokinganyinstabilityorany violence around these elections, we have a track record that show that our entire history that we have always been a calming influencearoundpeopleeven when they have been tested and their patience tried; that we have always stood for peace, stability and respect forfreeandfairelectionsand thedignityofourpeople”
To this end, Jagdeo assured citizens that the government is going to address the issue of security robustly He said that the government will not sit idly
(OILPRICE.COM) Chevron Corporation is well positionedtogrowitsfreecashflowbyUS$6billiontoUS$8 billionbynextyear,andlowerexpensesby“acouplebillion dollars,” Chevron CEO Michael Wirth announced on Wednesday
America’ssecondlargestoilandgascompanyexpectsto achievetheseresultsthankstothestartofneworexpandedoil production projects in Kazakhstan, growth in U.S. shale and offshoreU.S.GulfofMexico.
ChevronhasprojectedoilproductiongrowthintheGulfof Mexicotoclockinat300,000barrelsperdayby2026,upfrom 200,000lastyear.BackinAugust,Chevronproduceditsfirst oil from a pioneering U.S. Gulf of Mexico deepwater field underextremepressures.Thefieldisexpectedtoproduceup to75,000barrelsofoilperdayatitspeak,withthecompany lininguptwomoreoffshoreprojects.
Meanwhile,Chevronislookingtoclosethegapbetweenit and Exxon Mobil Corporation through the acquisition of HessCorp.OnMondaylast,HessCEOJohnHesssaidhe’s “veryconfident”thatthecompany’splanned$53billionsale toChevronwillbecompleted.“We’re very confident that the merger is going to go through and we’re getting prepared for that,”HesssaidattheGoldmanSachsGlobalEnergy,Clean Technologies & Utilities Conference on Tuesday last. Hess expectsthatanarbitrationpaneloverExxonMobil’sright-offirst-refusal claim on Hess’30% stake in Guyana’s huge oil discovery will make its final decision by late August or SeptemberwiththehearingsettocommenceinMay “IthinkitshouldbewrappedupbySeptember,’’Hesssaid. “The three arbitrators that are in-place now have been very clear That’s when their decision is going to be rendered. And oncethat’sdone,we’llcloseourdeal.”
Exxonhasbeentryingtostopthemergerwiththefutureof the deal resting on whether the transaction would involve a changeofcontrolofHess’Guyanasubsidiary.Exxonclaims Hessshouldhavefirstgivenittheopportunitytopurchaseits stakeintheprizedGuyanaasset,andthatChevronstructured thedealinawaytobypassExxon’srightoffirstrefusalifit’s triggeredbyachangeofcontrolinGuyana.
byandallowtheOpposition to cause citizens to be intimidatedtosuppresstheir votes.
Inadditiontotheissueof
stability,theVPclaimedthat the PSC discussed the allegations surrounding the voters’ list. He noted howevernotedthepublichas
become enlightened on the issue.“Ithinktherehasbeen recognition now that the issuesraisedamongthePNC and AFC are false and that constitutionally you cannot remove people’s name from the voters’ list the registrationprocessishighly scrutinized,”Jagdeosaid.
Last month, the PSC met with the Chairperson and Chief Election Officer of the G u y a n a E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM) to discuss preparations for the upcoming elections During the discussions, key topics such as electoral integrity, legislative amendments, continuous registration, and the voting process were explored
At that meeting, the PSC noteditssatisfactionwiththe
administration of the Na
onal Register of Registrants, particularly regardinganyamendmentsto the list The Commission emphasised its ongoing commitment to supporting initiativesaimedatenhancing Guyana’selectoralsystem
As a pivotal stakeholder, the PSC advocates for measures that promote inclusivity,transparency,and accountability within the electoral framework The Commissionhadstressedthe importance of continuous dialogue among political parties, civil society, and GECOM, urging that any
thoroughly assessed and implemented in accordance w
provisions
Traffic ranks across the country, according to the Guyana Police Force (GPF), have “ramped up” the use of bodycamstocarryouttheirduties.
The move comes just days after Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken warned them “not to stop vehicles/motorists on the road if they don’thaveontheir‘bodycams’.”
“As such, across the Regional PoliceDivisions,everyeffortwasmade
andiscontinuing,bytrafficrankstobe equippedwiththeirbodypackcameras asfarasisavailabletomeetdemandsof thedayinservicedelivery”,GPFstated onSunday
TheForcethatmakingsteadyuseof the vital piece of equipment will aid to enhance ranks’ professionalism when carrying their respective traffic enforcementduties. Trafficrankshave inthepastandrecenttimesbeenonthe
receiving end of strong criticisms for unprofessionalism, accepting bribes from traffic offenders, abuse of their authority,amongotherallegations.
Ranks have also been assaulted by members of the public too. It is being touted that the use of bodycams might not only enhance professionalism but also bring some level of transparency especially when ranks stop errant motorists.
Okeemo Brummell, one of the suspects in the Giftland car park abduction, willbejointlychargedtoday with police Lance Corporal DelonYoungeforthecrime.
Police had issued a wanted bulletin for Brummell for the October 2024 abduction of Kevin Fiedtkou at the Giftland Mall car park in Liliendaal, Georgetown.
He was arrested a few days ago after being on the runforsomethreemonths.
Police told Kaieteur News on Sunday that investigators have received the greenlight to jointly chargeBrummellandLance Corporal Younge “for the offence of Abduction with intenttoholdforRansom”
Younge, a traffic policeman, was charged last week in connection with the same crime but not for allegedly abducting Fiedtkou.
He was charged with conspiracy to commit a felony and was granted $40,000bail.
In addition to Younge’s charge, police said that another officer would be charged under the Police Disciplinary Act for the
CAPTURED:
unauthorised use of a police
vehicle during the abduction.
The abduction unfolded when Fiedtkou, 31, was approached by three men, two armed with firearms, who falsely identified themselves as police officers. They took him to hishomeinProvidence,East Bank Demerara, where they demanded money for his release. In total, Fiedtkou wasforcedtohandover$9.5 million However, the following day, the suspects returned in a police vehicle and demanded more money Fiedtkou reportedly gave them$40,000,tomakethem leave.
GUYANA’S
Welcome back to Talking Dollars & Making Sense. After takingamuchneededmentalbreak to rebalance and re-centre, I am thrilledtoreconnectwithyouaswe dive into a critical chapter of Guyana’shistory–itsjourneyfrom an oil exploration hopeful to a majoroil-producingnation.
Let’s explore the history of oil explorationinGuyanabefore1999, compare the 1999 and 2016 PetroleumAgreements,anddiscuss what the 2016 deal means for Guyana’sfuture.
For decades, Guyana’s oil potential was more hope than reality From the 1950s to the 1990s, international oil companies conducted seismic studies and drilled exploratory wells, both onshoreandoffshore.Despitethese efforts, no commercial discoveries were made. The lack of proven reserves, coupled with the challenging offshore environment, made Guyana a high-risk country for oil exploration To attract investment, Guyana offered generous terms to incentivise companies to take a chance on its potential.
In 1999, Guyana signed a Petroleum Agreement with ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, Esso Exploration The agreement’s termsreflectedthehigh-risknature of oil exploration in Guyana at the time.Thegovernmentoffereda1% royalty, allowed a 75% cost recoverylimit,andsharedprofitoil 50/50 after cost recovery These terms were reasonable given the absenceofprovenreservesandthe needtoattractforeigninvestment.
Everything changed in May 2015 when Exxon announced a massiveoildiscoveryattheLiza-1
wellintheStabroekBlock.Withan estimated700millionbarrelsofoil equivalent (BoE), Guyana’s risk profile transformed overnight.The discovery proved that Guyana had oil in commercial quantities, significantly reducing the risk for future exploration and production. When Exxon’s consortium discovered first oil on 20 May 2015, Exxon’s stock traded at US$57.25. Fast forward to 10th January2025,thecompany’sstock closed at US$106.93 – an 88% increase. The Guyana Offshore project, alongside the Permian Basin project, stands as one of Exxon’scrownjewels.
THE2016PETROLEUM AGREEMENT
Despite the Liza discovery, the 2016 Petroleum Agreement retainedmanyofthesametermsas the 1999 agreement While it introduced a 2% royalty, a signing bonus of just US$18 million, and provisions for training and local content, the core terms remained unchanged:
· Cost Recovery: Still capped at75%.
· Ring-Fencing: Not included, allowing costs from one project to offsetprofitsfromanother Taxes: The government agreed to pay the income taxes for
Exxon and its partners, Hess and CNOOC.
COMPARINGTHE2016 PETROLEUMAGREEMENT WITHEASTTIMORAND MALAYSIAAGREEMENTS
The 2016 Petroleum Agreement in Guyana retained manyofthesametermsasthe1999 agreement, but how does it comparetoagreementsinotheroilproducing nations like East Timor andMalaysia?
EastTimoremphasizesnational benefitthroughstronggovernment control. Royalties range from 510%, with a production-sharing model ensuring higher state revenue Malaysia offers 10% royalties and caps cost recovery at 50%, providing more immediate benefits to its government. Both nations enforce ring-fencing to ensure project-specific accountability. Guyana’s 2% royalty and 75% cost recovery cap contrast sharply, offering significantly more favourable termstooilcompanies.
Today, Guyana produces approximately 660,000 barrels of oil per day Starting in the second quarter of this year, production is expectedtosurpass900,000barrels of oil per day, solidifyingits status as a major player in global oil markets.
Inmyview,the1999agreement made sense for its time. Guyana was a high-risk exploration country, and the terms reflected that.However,the2016agreement failed to adjust to Guyana’s new realityasaprovenoilproducer The government had significant leverage to negotiate better terms butsettledforanagreementthatleft billions on the table. Had the government reduced the cost recovery cap to 60%, insisted on a signing bonus of US$800 million, implemented ring-fencing, demanded a 5% royalty, and ensured Exxon’s consortium paid its own taxes, Guyana could have gainedatleastanadditionalUS$65 billioninoilrevenuesbetween2020 and 2024 This conservative estimate highlights the lost opportunity to maximize the nation’sbenefitfromitsresources
The responsibility for this oversightlieswithformerMinister Raphael Trotman, who signed the 2016agreement.Hisfailuretohire international experts or leverage the Liza discovery represents an egregiouserrorinjudgment.
This decision should be
remembered as one of the most significantactsofincompetencein Guyana’s independent history To be clear, Exxon and its partners were doing their job Their r
shareholders,andtheynegotiateda fantastic deal for themselves However, the Guyanese people deserved better representation at thenegotiatingtable.
Until political leaders acknowledge this mistake, apologise to the Guyanese people, makeamendsforthiscolossalerror in judgement, they should not be trustedwithpublicsupport.Ifthey continue to defend the 2016 agreement, it’s a sign that they prioritize other interests over the nation’swelfare.
Between 2020 and 2024, Guyana earned around US$6.5 billion from oil production However,ifitweren’tforthe2016 petroleum agreement fiasco, the country would have received at least US$13 billion, double the amount earned during that period. As oil production ramps up, this lostrevenueisnotjustashort-term setbackbutcouldamounttotensof billionsofU.S.dollarsinlong-term losses.”
In our next article, we’ll examine how oil proceeds are managed in the Natural Resource Fund and whether the government is investing and spending them wisely For now, let’s remember: thedecisionsmadetodaywillshape Guyana’sfuture.
Leaders must negotiate from a position of strength, ensuring that our natural resources benefit the people. As always, feel free to share your thoughts and questions. Until next time, keep thinking critically about how we can make themostofournation’swealth.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaperanditsaffiliates.)
TheClericalandCommercialWorkers’ Union (CCWU) recently signed a new wage agreement with the Hand-in-Hand GroupofCompanies.
In a press release, the union said it reached an agreement with the management of the company for wages and salaries.The Union noted that for the period2022-2-23,staffreceivedincreases ranging from 15% and 10% respectively Increaseofwagesandsalariesfortheyears 2024and2025foremployeesoftheHandin-Hand Group of Companies range from 8%to19%andincrementinkeepingwith salary-scalefortheyear2025. Additionally, the union said meal and tea allowance increased from $1,200 to $1,500; overtime allowance from $650 to $700; bicycle allowance from $2,200 to $3,500; motorcycle allowance from $11,000to$12,000;cashierriskallowance from$7,000to$8,000;branchofficerelief cashier risk allowance from $5,000 to $5,500; relief cashier risk allowance from $4,000 to $8,000; branch office risk allowance from $3,000 to $5,500 and temporary relief cashier relief allowance remains$500perday
Puri/ Roti Maker, Porters, cook wanted at Rabbies 266 Thomas & New Market St. Call: 648-8279.
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For Sale 6 used American made Dental chairs excellent condition contact Mr Vino on 661-3030 or 626-8918
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
150 Acre coconut estate Lower Pomeroon Transport. 657-9237.
Garden of Eden E.B.D, 2 Minutes from proposed Heroes Highway 3.8 Acres, 65M per acre. #621-1139 / 712-4020.
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.
Electrical Items Repairs. Whatsapp : 659-5664.
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: 612-2125
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
General Domestic , cook , iron, clean house ECT. Apply Keyfood Mc Doom village next to the post office $6000 daily, 3day work
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
Accounts clerk, Marketing Assistant, HR Associate. Apply at Beacon Roti@ Sheriff St, Campbellville. Email: beaconcafe6690@gmail.com / 658-0885.
Teachers across Guyana have ben efited from a substantial $3.7 billion investment to equip their classrooms with the resources necessary for effective teaching. Teachers and parents experienced significant financial strain to acquire educational materials and class-
e-Learning App with100s of CXC Math video lessons on Flash Drive. Cell; 647 1901. Website: www.VelcroMath.com
Long reach excavator Drainage cleaning slush removal Pipe laying canal Cleaning. 657-9237.
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.
1 Honda CRV, includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, spoiler, crash, low mileage PTT Series (first owner). Call: 649-0956.
One Unregistered Nissan XTrail 2016 model, Mode Premiere. Call : 649-0956.
Receptionist, Supervisor , Room attendant 25-50 years old. 233 South Road Lacytown. 225-0198.
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
room necessities. Fulfilling its commitment to supporting teachers, the government has introduced a resource cash grant to cover all classroom expenses.
Speaking at a press briefing at the ministry’s National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), last week Minister of Education Priya Manickchand, said the initiative will be expanded this year.
“Teachers complained to us…that they have to spend their own resources to get aids and chalk and so on for the classroom, which means they had less income…There’s no longer any need for teachers to go into their pockets and expend resources in the classroom,” the minister noted.
Minister Manickchand said that the intent of the grant is meant “to help teachers be more effective in their classrooms.” The grant can be used by teachers to purchase essential things like chalk, paper, teaching aids,
and other essential supplies.
Each school receives funding based on student enrolment and a school’s location. Schools on the coastline receive $4,500 per student, while schools in the hinterland receive $5,500 per student. A minimum grant of $220,000 is set for smaller schools in remote communities.
The ministry also implemented a seamless distribution process so that schools can receive their grants in a
timely fashion. The funds go directly into the bank accounts of school which eliminates the need for physical cash distribution.
For schools where direct bank transfers are not feasible, the ministry delivers the grant directly.
More than 500 schools will receive their grants through this system. Schools are expected to receive their cash grants for the new school term by next week, the minister said. (DPI)
‘End the willy-nilly stops’ - Nandlall endorses top cop’s warning against arbitrary vehicle stops
The Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, has supported a recent directive from the Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken instructing members of the Guyana Police Force to refrain from arbitrarily stopping vehicles and demanding drivers to produce their licences.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony for the Mahdia Magistrate’s Court in Region Eight on Friday, Minister Nandlall said the directive signals a positive shift within the Guyana Police Force.
According to information from the Guyana Police Force, Hicken also warned officers against stopping persons on the road without turning on their body cameras.
“I’m happy that the commissioner recently in a conversation with the Police Force said, ‘You can’t stop people on the road willynilly’…That was illegal 40 years ago. It is still illegal now. You have to have reasonable cause or suspicion,” AG Nandlall expressed.
Minister Nandlall spoke of cases where persons may be stopped and asked to show their licence, followed by a series of other inspections that he described as nothing more than a “fishing expedition.”
“When you ask me for my licence, I show you, my licence. Then you have to check my brakes light. Then
you have to check my blinker.
Then you want to see my spare tyre. You are now finding a cause to justify your stopping of me in the first place,” he said.
The Legal Affairs Minister said that as information becomes more readily available, the public is now more aware of their rights and they have a right to hold the police to a higher standard. According to the AG, this demonstrates the level to which the Force, and by extension the legal fraternity, must elevate their services to meet the demands of a more educated population.
“We all owe a duty to the public to ensure that the decisions that we make are fair,
are transparent, are in accordance with law and can withstand public scrutiny,” the AG implored.
The Legal Affairs Minister said he plans to engage the legal fraternity to create an accountable and an efficient mechanism for members of the public to lodge their complaints regarding the professional conduct of lawyers.
“There is a system in place, but the general view out there is that the system is not working, and we have to have that conversation going forward. We live in a different type of society. Thirty years ago, things were different. People didn’t have the access that they have now,” the senior counsel stated. (Source: DPI)
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has investedover$300millionin the overhaul of the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on HomestretchAvenue.
The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., said the roof alone cost $9.4 million, while the ceiling and vented wallscost$12million.
At a press briefing on Saturday at the facility, Minister Ramson elaborated on the scale of the project andsaiditinvolvedmultiple contractors working simultaneouslytoensurethe building’s transformation
meetinternationalstandards.
Minister Ramson said that another$4millionwasspent toreplacethebacksectionof the building; $7.9 million went towards the upgrading of the side walls; and an estimated $97.4 million was spenttofixtheentirefrontof thebuilding.
“We then had the completion of the internal works for the building and the front phase, this also includes the locker rooms andsoon.Thiswasdonefor $60 million,” the minister said. He noted that the electrical installation cost $31 4 million, while the
conditioning units totalled $89million.
Minister Ramson explained that the project was terminated in 2023 due toissueswiththecontractor At that time, about $65 million worth of work had beencompleted.
The ministry went back to tender the project and eventually,itwasawardedto another contractor for $37
million.
MinisterRamsonsaidit was important to create a modern state-of-the-art facility that provides a comfortableandconducive environment for both athletesandspectators.
“We are saying that we are the fastest growing economy in the world so w
standards, we have to improve quality of life and
experiences,” the sport ministersaid.
The completed sports hall will benefit Guyanese athletes significantly by p
trainingenvironment
Minister Ramson reiterated the ministry’s 2020 policy of providing free access to the facility for teams that are training He said it is a critical
development of sporting talent.
The final stages of the project include the construction of a parking lot at the rear of the compound and the installationofbucketseats Works are currently underway on fencing the facility When completed, the hall will have a seating capacity of over 2,000 spectators.(DPI)
The Ministry of Education will soon launch an inclusive literacy programme designed to enhancereadingandwriting skills for all age groups in Guyana.
The initiative will target primary and secondary school children as well as adults seeking to improve theirreadingcomprehension andvocabulary
Speaking at a year-end press briefing on Friday, the MinisterofEducation,Priya Manickchand, emphasised
t h e p r o g r a m m e ’ s transformativepotential.
“Thisprogrammeforme is huge. It’s going to be hugely enriching for our children. You could really change your life if you start reading,”theministersaidto reporters during the media conference at the National
Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD)inGeorgetown.
According to Minister Manickchand, one of the main goals is to ensure all childrenhaveagoodgraspof basic literacy principles and can effectively comprehend writing before they enter GradeFour
To achieve this goal, the ministry consulted various literacy professionals to draft a comprehensive and detailed document outlining various learning techniques andresources.
As a result, the ministry now has a collection of resources to help students and adults grasp the basic elementsofliteracy
Minister Manickchand said, “We are going to be incorporating work to make sure it’s not just school children who are benefitting
from this, but also adults in the society who feel they needsomehelpwithreading andwriting.”
Although the document was compiled by an allGuyaneseteamanddesigned for Guyanese students, its model can be used to
influence the teaching strategies of schools in the Caribbean.
The programme’s contentwillbedigestiblefor all students since it was tailored to provide targeted support for students in lowperformingschools.
Although this was not in thegovernment’smanifesto, theinitiativeunderscoresthe administration’s dedication
to learning and the disseminationofknowledge.
The ministry has also procured over 170,000 popular books for hundreds
Alibrary corner of a school
ofpublicschoolsinGuyana. The initiative is meant to ensurethateachschoolhasa functioninglibrary
The Mini
Source:Al Jazeera The Israeli military has only intensified its siege of the north and attacks across Gaza amid renewed ceasefiretalks.
TheIsraelimilitarysiege on the northern Gaza Strip has left about 5,000 Palestiniansdeadormissing after 100 days of brutal attacks that have only intensified amid talks of a potential mediated agreement between Israel andHamas.
A n o t h e r 9 , 5 0 0 Palestinians were injured as aresultoftheIsraelimilitary operation in the north that was launched in early October, a medical source toldAlJazeeraonSunday Gaza’s Government Media Office on Sunday describedtheIsraelisiegeas “the most horrific form of e t h n i c c l e a n s i n g , d i s p l a c e m e n t a n d destruction” that has affected hundreds of thousands in the warravagedarea.
Reporting from Deir elBalah in central Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary said north Gaza is now a “ghost area” of vast destruction and rubble, but some people have managed to stay alive there, refusing to leave. “We are seeing Palestinians being systematically targeted in
everysingleplaceacrossthe GazaStrip.Itdoesn’tmatter whereyouare–ifyou’reina school,ashelter,amakeshift camporevenahospital,”she said.
AsIsraelipoliticiansand settlergroupsopenlydiscuss prospects of building settlements in north Gaza, the siege shows no signs of stopping.
Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in the Mukhabaratareainnorthern GazaCity,witnessessaidon Sunday afternoon Israeli drone fire later killed a young man in the Shati refugeecamp.
Overnight, there were heavy Israeli attacks on the northwestern areas of Gaza City At least eight Palestinians were killed on Saturday when the Israeli military directly hit yet another school-turnedshelter in north Gaza’s Jabalia, calling it a Hamas “command and control centre”.
Unrelenting attacks are also targeting other areas across the enclave many timeseachday,withsomeof the latest hitting the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza.
The Israeli military on Sunday issued another forced evacuation order, targeting people living in residential blocks in the
northern part of Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
Residents were told they would risk being killed if they did not abandon the area.
The Gaza Civil Defence announced on Sunday that theIsraeliarmyhaskilledat least 70 children across the enclaveinthepastfivedays alone.
The ramp-up of Israeli attacks comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorised the heads of spy and security agencies Mossad and Shin Bet to travel to Qatar along w i t h o t h e r t o p representatives to advance negotiationsonthereleaseof captives held in Gaza and Palestinianprisoners.
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US President Joe Biden spoke with Netanyahu on Sunday, the White House said, as US officials try to reach a Gaza captive and ceasefire deal before Biden leavesofficeonJanuary20.
Biden “stressed the immediate need for a ceasefire in Gaza and return of the hostages with a surge in humanitarian aid enabled byastoppageinthefighting underthedeal,”itsaid.
Biden’snationalsecurity adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN’s State of the Union programmde earlier on
Agirl watches as Mohammad Eid mourns his cousin Dima, along with her uncle and grandfather, who were killed in an Israeli air attack on Saturday, during their funeral in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza Strip, January 12, 2025 [Abdel Kareem Hana/AP]
Sundaythatthepartieswere “very, very close” to reaching a deal, but still had togetitacrossthefinishline.
But Israeli leaders have emphasisedthatthewarwill notendevenifanagreement isreached,andthattheywill maintain military control of the enclave, even as they continue to occupy theWest Bank, large parts of Syria, and areas in southern Lebanon.
Despite another largescale demonstration against theIsraeligovernmentandin favour of a deal in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, far-right m i n i s t e r s i n t h e administration remain opposed.
N e t a n y a h u w a s scrambling on Sunday to ensure Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir do not
threaten the stability of his ruling coalition by abandoning it in case of a deal Relatives of the Palestinians killed in an Israeli attack mourn their lossasbodiesarebroughtto Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital forfuneralprayerandburial, in Deir el-Balah, Gaza on January 12, 2025 [Ashraf Amra/AnadoluAgency]
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, meanwhile, as the Israeli military continues to blockmostaidfromentering while creating an unsafe situationthathasenabledthe armed looting of aid convoys.
Thousands of families are forced to brave the open orhunkerindilapidatedtents amid famine-like conditions acrossGazaasIsraeliforces keep attacking hospitals and orderingthemtoevacuate.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), nearly all of Gaza’s 1.1 million children need mental health and psychosocial support amid the ongoing Israeli bombardment, repeated displacement, and catastrophic living conditionsinthewintercold.
TheUNestimatesthatat least 19,000 Palestinian childrenhavebeenorphaned since the start of the war on Gaza that is now in its 16th month.
At least 203 journalists have been killed by the Israelimilitarysincethestart ofthewar,includingseveral inthenewyear Israel has killed at least 46,565 Palestinians and injured 109,660 so far, with 28 killed in the past day, the Gaza Health Ministry said onSunday
LOSANGELES(AP)— Firefighters scrambled Sunday to make further progress against wildfires thathavekilled16peoplein the Los Angeles area as forecasters again warned of dangerous weather with the return of strong winds this week. At least 16 people were missing, and authorities said that number wasexpectedtorise
The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditionsthroughWednesday, withsustainedwindsof50mph (80 kph) and gusts in the mountains reaching 70 mph (113kph) Themostdangerous day will be Tuesday, said weather service meteorologist RichThompson “You’regoing to have really strong gusty Santa Anawinds,averydry
atmosphereandstillverydry brush, so we still have some very critical fire weather conditions out there,” Thompson said at a communitymeetingSaturday night Fierce SantaAnas have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires sparked last week into infernos that leveled entire neighborhoods
aroundthecitywheretherehas been no significant rainfall in more than eight months
Twelve people were missing withintheEatonFirezoneand four from the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Sunday morning. Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 16 over the weekend. Five of the deaths
were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 11 resultedfromtheEatonFire, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said in a statementSaturdayevening. In this photo provide by Maxar Technologies, the PalisadesFireburnssouthofthe EncinoReservoir,upperleft,in LosAngeles,Saturday,Jan 11, 2025 (MaxarTechnologiesvia
The previous number of confirmed fatalities before Saturday was 11, but officials saidtheyexpectedthatfigureto increaseasteamswithcadaver dogs conduct systematic grid
searches in leveled neighborhoods. Authorities have established a center where people can report the missing Officials were buildinganonlinedatabaseto allow evacuated residents to see if their homes were damaged or destroyed In the meantime, LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley urged people to stay away f r o m s c o r c h e d neighborhoods
“Therearestillactivefires that are burning within the Palisades area, making it extremely, extremely dangerous for the public,”
Crowley said at a Sunday briefing “There’s no power, there’snowater,there’sbroken gaslines,andwehaveunstable structures Thefirstresponders are working as quickly as possibletoensurethatitissafe for you to return into your communities.”
Officials warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.
About150,000peoplein Los Angeles County remained under evacuation orders, with more than 700 residents taking refuge in nineshelters,Lunasaid. BySundaymorning,Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires had consumed more than 62 square miles (160 square kilometers), an area largerthanSanFrancisco.
The Government of Guyanahasannouncedthata second terminal for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) is part of its plans for 2025.This follows substantial investments in the airport’s modernisation overrecentyears.
This year’s budget is expected to be presented on Friday, by the Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh According to the Ministry of Public Works, the 2025 agenda for CJIA includes the construction of a second terminal, the implementation of a new border control system, procurement of additional s
and CCTV s
m s , a n d t h e rehabilitation of the runway andtaxiways.
Kaieteur News recently reported that, beyond the US$150 million (GY$31 billion)spentontheairport’s modernisation,theIrfaanAli administration allocated an additional GY$3 billion (US$15 million) for further upgradessince2020.
President Irfaan Ali had disclosed plans for a second terminal in February 2024, stating that the government had engaged two groups for the project During the P r i v a t e S e c t o r Commission’s (PSC) Annual Corporate Dinner that year, the President revealed that proposals for the terminal had been received from a UK-based group and the Punta Cana Airport authorities in the Dominican Republic. While detailsoftheproposalswere not shared, Ali said that the initiative aligns with efforts to position Guyana as a leadingtourismdestination.
For their part, CJIA had also announced a nonbinding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Grupo Punta Cana, a renowned airport developer and operator from the Dominican Republic. “This expansion is crucial to a c c o m m o d a t e t h e anticipatedsurgeinairtravel demand within the coming years, driven by Guyana’s flourishing economy and tourism potential,” the airport said This is the secondmajorpartnershipfor CJIA’sexpansion.In2023,a similar MoU was signed with the ManchesterAirport Group (MAG), a leading UK-based entity, to construct a second terminal and introduce improved managementpractices.
Talks about a second terminal are not new In December2021,CJIAChief Executive Officer (CEO)
RameshGhirhighlightedthe need for a second terminal within the next decade. While the idea seemed dormant for some time, recent announcements by President Ali and key stakeholders indicate a renewed focus on the project.
Moreover, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, saidathisMinistry’send-ofyear press conference, “Three billion dollars have been spent on the other projects outside of the US$150million.”
The contract for the airport expansion project was signed in 2011, under the then President Bharrat Jagdeo with China Harbour a n d E n g i n e e r i n g Corporation (CHEC). The Jagdeo-led administration acquired a US$138 million loan from the China Exim Bank, and used US$12 m i l l i o n f r o m t h e
Consolidated Fund (taxpayers’ money) for the total project cost of US$150 million. Jagdeo had relayed previously that the US$150 million contract was signed with CHEC for a new airport. However, he said, it was the previous Coalition government that made changes which resulted in it being a “rehabilitation” project According to reports, upon assuming office in 2015, the David Granger administration deemed the airport plan defective, necessitating adjustments.
UponthePPP’sreturnto office in August 2020, Edghill expressed dissatisfaction with the contractor’s work Consequently, negotiations resulted in additional works being undertaken by CHEC atnoextracosttoGuyana. While the US$150 million rehabilitation works by CHEC is completed, the PPP-administration has substantially increased
s p e n d i n g f o r t h e modernisationoftheairport,
albeit falling below international standards and
expectations.
“We are building out an admin building, which is removing all the staff from the airport proper across the road, so we can have that space for waiting areas, concessions,loungesandthe restofit,”Edghillsaid,atthe press conference. Notably, theadminbuildingprojectis six months behind schedule and is expected to be completedbyJune30,2025. The project cost is $890 millionandispresently40% completed. When the admin buildingiscompleted,itwill house over 300 airport employees Notably, the adminbuildingcontractwas awarded to Avinash ContractingandScrapMetal Inc.
Another project Edghill said is the new baggage handling system and rehabilitationofthebaggage makeup area. CJIA has procured a new in-line baggage handling system which will allow the airline to place passengers’ bags onto a conveyor system for screening and processing. The civil works are to be completedbeforethesystem becomes operational On August 16, 2024, the contract was terminated and anewcontractisexpectedto commencethismonth.
Moreover, another ongoingprojectattheairport is the rehabilitation of the international apron This project entails replacing the existing asphaltic concrete on the international apron (aircraftparkingpositions14). This project cost $703 millionanduscurrently46% completed. The project is delayed by seven months and is expected to be completedbyApril30,2025. This project was also awarded to Avinash ContractingandScrapMetal Inc.
The construction and rehabilitation works of the VIPsectionandthenewand existing commercial building project are also delayed. According to the update provided at the press
conference, the project is delayed by four months and is now 75% completed. The new completion date for the $1.2 billion project is April 30, 2025. The construction of the VIP lounge and commercial centre is being executedbyPDContracting.
Moreover, Minister Edghill also said, “We have expandedwithmoreairlines coming. So, we’ll build-out anairlineofficebuildingand forconcessionareas,bonded warehouse.”
Notably, last month, the Ministry of Public Works
issuedanInvitationforBids (IFB) to spend $1.5 billion more for “Construction and Rehabilitation of Office Buildings” at the airport. Notably,anofficialfromthe airport had informed this publication that the contract is to construct and rehabilitate office buildings for the several airline companies operating in the country The official said: “This is different from the worksthatisongoingonthe CJIA’s Administrative b u i l d i n g T h i s Administrative building when completed is set to cater for CJIA’s 300-plus staff.”
When this project is awarded, it will bring the total spent for the CJIA expansion since August 2020to$4.5billion.
(Cricinfo)-The2025IPL is set to start on March 21, with Eden Gardens hosting both the tournament opener aswellasthefinalonMay25. It is also understood that the 2025 WPL will be held between February 7 and March2.
Ahead of the mega auction in November, the IPL, in an unprecedented move, had shared with the franchises the windows for thenextthreeseasons(202527). For 2025, the window
was earmarked between March 15 and May 25
However, with the 2025 Champions Trophy final scheduled for March 9, the IPLhasdecidedtokeepclose to a two-week gap between thetournaments.inMarch21 asthestartdate.ThefullIPL scheduleisexpectedtobeout laterthismonth.
Ashasgenerallybeenthe case, the home venue of the defending champions will host the opener and final, which this time will be Eden
Gardens, home base of Kolkata Knight Riders who won the 2024 IPL. While Eden Gardens will also host Qualfier 2, the first two matches in the playoffsQualifier 1 and EliminatorwillbeplayedinHyderabad. The 2025 season will comprise 74 matches, the sameasthelastthreeseasons. That number, though, is ten lessthanthe84matcheslisted by the IPLin 2022 when the media rights for the 2023-27 cycleweresold.Inthetender
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Youmighttoywiththeideaof getting some kind of project or enterprise going with a closefriendorlovepartner If you're serious about it,Aries, this is definitely the day to start.
TAURUS(Apr 20–May20)
Workthatyou'redoingeither at home or on your home is likely to go well today and bring you the results you're hoping for, Taurus. Members ofyourhouseholdmightwant topitchinandhelp.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Today you're likely to feel especially communicative, Gemini. You might want to getonthephoneandrunideas fornewprojectsbycolleagues o r p e r h a p s m a k e arrangements to complete currentprojects.
CANCER(June21–July22)
Business transacted today either in your home or concerning your home is likely to be successful and bringsomeextramoneyyour way
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Today your intuition should be sharper than usual, Leo. You might get a few calls involving possible business opportunities. You can use thisheightenedESPtodiscern which ones might be successful.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Today you should feel especially optimistic and enthusiastic, Virgo, although you may not know why, at least at first. Later in the day some good news could come yourway
document for the new rights cycle, the IPL had listed a varying number of matches per season: ranging from 74 gameseachin2023and2024, 84 matches each in 2025 and 2026, and a maximum of 94 gamesforthefinalyearofthe dealin2027.
Four venues shortlisted forWPL:TheBCCIhasalso decided to add two new venues for the WPL. Along withMumbaiandBangalore, the WPL will also be played in Baroda and Lucknow this year The exact number of matches at each venue is not known as the WPL schedule isnotyetout.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
A new sense of closeness to those around you might have you feeling especially happy today, Libra. Your business and financial life should be going very well, your future seemsbright,
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
Intuition plays a large part in yourwork,Scorpio.You'reapt to sense what others want or need and foresee the consequencesofonecourseof action over another This is definitely going to make a positivedifferenceinwhatyou accomplish.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
Information that you receive from far away could make doing business with a group you're affiliated with that much easier, Sagittarius. All looks promising for group activities and advancing your education.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
This could prove to be a gratifying day, Capricorn Recent success in business might now be making a positive difference in your financial situation. This is apt toboostyourmood.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20–Feb 18)Thisisagreatdaytostarta partnership of any kind, as it will prove cooperative, rewarding, and stable. Any legal papers executed today shoulddefinitelyworkforyou, Aquarius.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar 20
Work you do today, whether related to your job or something you do on your own,couldleadtoatemporary boost in income, which is goingtoelevateyourmood.
TheprestigiousKennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) situated at Bush LotFarmCorentyneBerbice has released its racing dates fortheyear2025.
Theclubwhichisoneof the premiere horse racing entities in Guyana has identified its dates for Phagwah,Emancipationand Boxing Day KMTC, like mostestablishedclubsinthe Country, has annual or traditional racing dates.The KMTChasmaintainedthree ofthosedates.
The racing entity is led by Matriarch and Honorary President Mrs Chan Kennard,whohasoversixty years of involvement in the sportofhorseracing.
Frompage25 Test, neither made it to the XI.
Saim Ayub, who sustained a fracture of his right ankle during the first Test against SouthAfrica, is alsomissingfromthesquad. That will mean a new openingcombinationforthe seriesasAbdullahShafique, on the back of a prolonged run of poor form compoundedby threeducks in three ODIs in South Africa, has also been dropped.The selectors have picked Imam-ul-Haq and MuhammadHurrairaintheir places.
Rohail Nazir will be the back-up wicketkeeper for Mohammad Rizwan He replaces Haseebullah Khan, whosplitthewebbingonhis righthandinSouthAfrica.
Both Tests against West Indies will be played in Multan, with the first starting on January 17 and thesecondonJanuary25.
Pakistan Test squad for West Indies series: Shan Masood (capt), Saud Shakeel (vice-capt), Abrar Ahmed,BabarAzam,Imamul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wk), Sajid Khan, Salman Agha
The club is upset that racing dates were released andtheywerenotcontacted orconsultedbyanyone.She said that there are rules and regulations, things must be done properly and persons must not be allowed to be tyrants.
Over the years the KMTC has been trying its best to help the less developed horse owners by setting Meets so that they canparticipateandgetsome much-neededbenefits.
Meanwhile, KMTC has constantly been doing work on the venue including the pavilion,standsandtrackto keep the complex in excellent shape (Samuel Whyte)
(BBC Sport) - Aryna
Sabalenka says the Australian Open “feels like home” after she began her title defence with a straightset victory over American SloaneStephens.
The world number one and back-to-back champion in Melbourne defeated Stephens 6-3 6-2 in the first roundonRodLaverArena.
The 26-year-old Belarusian is aiming to become just the seventh player to claim a third straight Australian Open women’s singles title, and thefirstsinceMartinaHingis in1999.
“I’m super happy to be back.Ilovethisplaceandwe have a full stadium, I couldn’t dream for more,”
said Sabalenka, who overcame a wobble in the openingsettotakevictory
“Idon’tfeellikeIplayed my best probably but I’m glad that I managed to close thisinstraightsets.
“It definitely feels like home.” Sabalenka has now won 28 of her last 29 matchesinhard-courtSlams since the start of 2023, including 15 consecutive matches at the Australian Open. She has also won 17 consecutive sets at Melbourne Park and is the heavy favourite for the women’stitle.
Sabalenka entertained the Melbourne crowd with some dancing on court after the match, having built up a followingonsocialmediaby
and Martina Hingis if she wins a third consecutive title in Melbourne (Getty Images)
posting videos of her dancing with her team on TikTok.Fastbecomingafan favourite, she then went to take a picture of the crowd with a polaroid camera before realising it had run outoffilm.
The top seed will face Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, who knocked out BritishhopefulSonayKartal, inthenextround. Rainaffectedproceedings on the outside courts on day oneoftheseason’sfirstGrand Slam, but the Rod Laver Arenaroofwasopenintime for Sabalenka’s evening match after Zheng Qinwen, her opponent in last year’s final, beat Romanian qualifierAncaTodoni.
Sabalenka finished 2024 astheyear-endworldnumber one for the first time and, beginning her campaign in Australia as two-time defendingchampionandtop
seed, looked in fine form as sheracedtoa4-0lead.
But Stephens, who has pedigreeonthehardcourtasa former US Open champion, pegged Sabalenka back, breaking back twice for 4-3 as Sabalenka made a series ofunforcederrors.
Often animated on court, Sabalenkaroaredinfrustration at each mistake, waving her armsaroundinexasperation. What had looked likely to be a straightforward openingsetofhercampaign turned out to be more tricky but the three-time Grand Slam champion converted her fifth break point for 5-3 thenservedtotaketheset. Sabalenka once again earned herself a double break in the second set and thistimewasabletoholdon to her advantage over Stephens,whohasnotwona match since last year’s Wimbledon.
Frompage23 atatimeandassessaswegoalong,”Brooks shared.
FollowingtheiropeneragainstIndia,the West Indies will then cross swords with Sri Lanka on January 21, before closing the group stage against hosts Malaysia on January23.Brooksstressedthesignificance of tournaments like the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup for the growth of women’s cricketintheCaribbeanandglobally
“These tournaments are very important for the development of these young ladies. They help players understand the standards expected of them, the level of competition, andwhatitmeanstorepresenttheircountry They also provide a pathway to the senior team, allowing us to identify who can perform under pressure and make the transition,”heexplained.
“So,women’scricketneedstournaments like these to help further develop the sport. Players are inspired to emulate stars like StafanieTaylor,DeandraDottin,andHayley Matthews,whichcontributestothegrowthof female cricket in the region because women cricketers are just as important as their male counterparts,”henoted.
Reflecting on the team’s training camps inAntiguaandwhattheyhavedonesofarin Malaysia,Brookssaidtheyhavedevelopeda positivemomentumashepraisedtheplayers’ progressandcommitment.
“Thefitnesslevelofthegirlsisimproving and peaking at the right time. They’ve been respondingwelltotheworkwe’veputinand welcomingtheideasthatcoachSamuelsand Ihaveshared.Theintensityisimproving,and we’repleasedwiththeirgrowthoverthelast fiveorsixmonths.
“I’mpleasedwiththeladies’efforts,their intensity,theirwillingnesstolearn,andtheir improvement every session. But as I said, we’renotgoingtogetaheadofourselves,”he declared.
Lookingaheadtothetournament,Brooks is clear about the team’s goals and expectations.
“We expect these ladies to showpositiveintent,self-belief,andfightto the very last ball, no matter the situation. They’ve worked on their skills for most of their cricketing lives, and we want them to executeunderpressure,showspirit,andgive agoodaccountofthemselves,”heended.
(SportsMax) - West Indies XI and Pakistan Shaheens had to settle for a draw in their three-day tour match, as both teams delivered competitive performances but ultimately canceled each other out in the final push for a result in IslamabadonSunday. Resumingdaythreewith acommanding134-runlead, after the Shaheens declared their first innings at 212-9, the West Indies XI set the Shaheens a daunting target of 311 after they also declared their second
innings at 177-5 The Shaheens responded with a solid batting effort, as they got to 128-2 by the close of play to ensure the match endedinastalemate.
Alick Athanaze once again led West Indies XI from the front, adding a second half-century to his stellar 98 in the first innings His composed knock of 58 from 84 balls featuredsevenfoursandtwo sixes, as he displayed some semblance of form heading intothemoreimportanttwomatch Test series against Pakistan.
Tevin Imlach also impressed with a fluent 57 off 65 balls, including nine boundaries to keep the momentum in the visitors’ favour
Mikyle Louis (5), JoshuaDaSilva(13),Keacy Carty (1), Kavem Hodge (36)andAmirJangoo(zero) were the batsmen
Noman Ali and Sajid Khan pose with the match ball after the third Test, Pakistan vs England, 3rd Test, Rawalpindi, 3rd day, October 26, 2024. (Getty Images)
(Cricinfo) -Mohammad Abbas and Naseem Shah have been rested from Pakistan’sTestsquadforthe two-Testhomeseriesagainst West Indies with Pakistan lookingtobeefuptheirspin options.
Aamer Jamal and Mir Hamza,whoplayedinSouth Africa,havealsobeenrested
as Pakistan recalled Mohammad Ali and picked fastbowlerKashifAliforthe firsttime.
SajidKhan,whoplayeda leadingroleintheserieswin againstEnglandearlierinthe season, is back partnering Noman Ali. Pakistan have alsorecalledAbrarAhmed. “As part of workload
management, the pace quartet of Aamer Jamal, Mohammad Abbas, Mir Hamza, and Naseem Shah has been rested,” the PCB saidinamediarelease. Abbas was a standout performer in the South Africa series, ending as the joint-highest wicket-taker with ten wickets from the two Tests - including his 100thTestvictim. ThosewerehisfirstTests forthreeyears.Hisrestingis likely also a result of the expected condition of the pitches - aiding spin - on which his relatively slower pacemightnotofferathreat. There is no place in the squad again for Shaheen
dismissed Mohammad Musa Khan,whograbbed2-5,and Ali Raza, who chipped in with 2-32, spearheaded the Shaheensbowlingattack
Chasing 311 for victory, the Shaheens opted for a
Afridi, who also didn’t play in the Tests in SouthAfrica. With Naseem also out, it means that a home season that began with Pakistan talking up their pace depth and fielding an all-pace attackwillendwithShaheen and Naseem having played two and three Tests out of nine.
Thepairwaswidelyseen as the attack’s pace spearheads when the season began but neither managed to play two Tests consecutively
Tellingly, when Pakistan fielded an all-pace attack in Cape Town against South Africaintheirmostrecent (Continuedonpage19)
approach, anchored by opener Mohammad Huraira’s sparkling 80 off 80 balls, decorated with 12 foursandtwosixes. Umair Bin Yousaf supported with a patient 25 asthepairensurednofurther wickets fell after Jomel Warrican’stwoearlystrikes. Heendedwith2-23.
Scores: West Indies XI 346-8 dec & 177-5 dec; PakistanShaheens212-9dec &128-
(SportsMax)-The2025 West Indies Championship willtakeplacefromJanuary 29-April 12, Cricket West Indiesannouncedyesterday
This year’s edition will include a number of innovations such as the return of first innings points indrawnmatches,theuseof Kookaburra balls for two rounds and at least one pink ball day/night fixture per team.
The eight teams will be battling for the prestigious HeadleyWeekesTrophyand an attractive prize purse of US$250,000 for the champions and US$100,000 fortherunners-up.
“The return of the West Indies Championship is a crucial pillar in our cricket development pathway Having eight (8) teams competing across the region reinforces our commitment to first-class cricket, which remains the foundation for developing Test cricketers,”
CWI Director of Cricket MilesBascombesaid.
“This year we have
broadening the experience of our regional players by exposing them to many of the challenges they would otherwise only experience ontour
We are happy to be taking the championship around the region again ensuring that players are tested in the various conditions our region servesup
Thiscanonlyaddtothe resilience needed by our players to excel at the international level,” he added
The teams competing over seven (7) rounds of matches are defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles, Barbados Pride, Combined Campuses & Colleges, Jamaica Scorpions, Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Trinidad & Tobago Red Force,WestIndiesAcademy and Windward Islands Volcanoes.
Both the West Indies A c a d e m y a n d t h e Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) have retained their places as permanent fixtures in the championship following their impressive debut
seasons Guyana Harpy Eagles won last year’s very excitingcompetition,toearn their seventh crown in nine years, after heading into the final round with three other teams within touching distanceofthetitle.
The competition kicks offinlateJanuaryandfans will be treated to three action-packed rounds from January 29 to February15
The first round of games will take place in four host countries –Guyana, Trinidad, St Vincent and Antigua For the second and third rounds, play extends to Barbados, Dominica and St Kitts.
The second block of matches commences on 5 March,withthefourthand fifth rounds scheduled to be held in Barbados, Jamaica,StLucia,Guyana andAntigua
The tournament resumes justunderamonthlaterwith the final two rounds in Antigua, St Kitts, St Lucia and Trinidad, from 2 to 12 April.
Cricket enthusiasts worldwide can catch every moment of the action through live streaming on the Windies Cricket YouTubechannel.
FullSchedule: 1st Round Fixtures 29
January–1February
GuyanaHarpyEaglesvs B a r b a d o s P r i d e –Providence,Guyana
(P) Trinidad & Tobago
RedForcevsCCC–BLCA, Trinidad
West IndiesAcademy vs LeewardIslandHurricanesCCG,Antigua
Windward Islands
Volcanoes vs Jamaica
Scorpions - Arnos Vale St. Vincent
2ndRoundFixtures5–8 February
GuyanaHarpyEaglesvs CCC-Providence,Guyana
(P) Barbados Pride vs West Indies AcademyKensingtonOval,Barbados (P) Windward Islands
Volcanoes vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - Arnos Vale,St.Vincent
L e e w a r d I s l a n d
Hurricanes vs Jamaica
Scorpions–SVRS,Antigua
3rd Round Fixtures 12 –15February
(P) Guyana Harpy
Eagles vs West Indies Academy - Providence, Guyana
Windward Islands
VolcanoesvsCCC-Windsor Park,Dominica
Barbados Pride vs J
KensingtonOvalBarbados
L
Hurricanes vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - Warner Park,St.Kitts
4thRoundFixtures5–8 March
(P)JamaicaScorpionsvs Guyana Harpy EaglesSabinaPark,Jamaica
Wi
Volcanoes vs Leeward
Islands Hurricanes - Daren
SammyStadium,St.Lucia West IndiesAcademy vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force-CCG,Antigua BarbadosPridevsCCCKensingtonOval,Barbados 5th Round Fixtures 12 –15March
GuyanaHarpyEaglesvs Windward Islands Volcanoes – Providence, Guyana
West IndiesAcademy vs Jamaica Scorpions – CCG, Antigua (P) Leeward Island
HurricanesvsCCC–SVRS, Antigua
Barbados Pride vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force - Kensington Oval, Barbados
6thRoundFixtures2–5 April Leeward Islands
HurricanesvsGuyanaHarpy Eagles - Warner Park, St. Kitts (P) Trinidad & Tobago Red Force vs Jamaica Scorpions-BLCA,Trinidad
Windward Islands VolcanoesvsBarbadosPride - Daren Sammy Cricket Ground,St.Lucia CCC vs West Indies Academy - UWISPEC, Trinidad
7th Round Fixtures 9 –12April
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force vs Guyana Harpy
Eagles-QPO,Trinidad (P) Leeward Island Hurricanes vs Barbados Pride-WarnerPark,St.Kitts CCC vs Jamaica Scorpions - UWISPEC, Trinidad (P)WestIndiesAcademy vs Windward Islands Volcanoes-SVRS,Antigua
TheRegionSixEducationDepartment, ledby RegionalEducationOfficerSattish Udit; Deodharie Narine EO 1; Parbati Sookhoo-Surujballi EO 1 and Shenellie Matheson-Jafarally EO 1 along with Head Teachers from all Secondary schools in RegionSixreaffirmedtheircommitmentto ensuringthatGolfwillbecomeakeysport in2025.
Thispastweek,presidentoftheGuyana GolfAssociation (GGA) and Nexgen Golf Academy Aleem Hussain, presented dozens of golf clubs and approximately 1,000golfballstothevariousschoolheads after a brief engagement outlining the benefits of golf for all learners, both academicandeconomic.
The outreach was well received by all present and the Head Teachers were also
given an opportunity to learn the basics of thesport,withtheunanimousviewthatthis would be an easy and welcome addition to their school PE program and CSEC examinations.
Alloftheparticipantsweresurprisedat the ease with which they were able to pick uptherudimentaryaspectsofthegameand spoke about their plans to implement in theirschoolsassoonaspossible.Theyalso were enthusiastic that they were actually leaving with equipment and balls which couldJumpstarttheprogram.
The GGA welcomed the response and pledged it’s support for ongoing provision of additional equipment, balls, tournaments,trophiesandtrainingtoensure that the program continues its successful growth.
(SportsMax) - Though
acknowledging the challenges posed by limited preparation time, West Indies women’s Under-19 assistant coach Shane Brooks remains optimistic about the team’s chances as they prepare to embark on theirICCU19Women’sT20 World Cup campaign in Malaysia.
Brooks, a Jamaican who serves as deputy to head coachandcompatriotRobert Samuels,pointedoutthatthe young squad, which is determined to make their mark on the global stage, continues to build confidence through their preparation.
The young West Indies
women, led by 17-year-old all-rounde
Samara Ramnath, are set for a challenging GroupAopener again
ending champions India on January 19attheBayeumasOval.
Ramnath, who spent her summer as part of the Trinbago Knight Riders squad in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League, is keen to make an impact bothasaleaderandaplayer. Shewillbeassistedbyvicecaptain Asabi Callender, St. Kitts and Nevis’ footballer turned cricketer Jahzara Claxton, who is a medium fast bowler, and all-rounder Naijanni Cumberbatch, all returning for their second ICC U19 Women’s T20
WorldCup.
“We are confident and believethatwehaveasgood a chance as any Yes, the teamisalittleinexperienced,
(Cricbuzz) - Sherfane Rutherford believes there should be a clear line between promoters and playersinfranchiseleagues, emphasising the importance of mutual respect for one another Hiscommentsrefer to an incident during the previous season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL),whichresultedinhis expulsion.
“It’s important that you respecttheplayerbecauseatthe endoftheday,it’smyjoband thisiswhatIwanttodo SoI don’tthinkIpurposelywantto not perform,” Rutherford (26) told Cricbuzz in Dubai on Friday (January 10) on the sidelinesoftheILT20inwhich he’s part of the Desert Vipers team Rutherfordwasalluding to the owner of St Kitts and Nevis Patriots Cricbuzz reported about the incident intheCPLonOctober4.
“Theownerdidn’tplayany cricket So obviously if you neverplaythesport,youwould notunderstandthetopdays,the good days and the bad daystheyarealwaysthereincricket. Soit’sjustemotions.Ithinkhe just got off of emotions. As adults,weneedtocontrolthat because at the end of the day, ourdecisioncantakeusfarther So I think it was him wrongdoing,” Rutherford said.Afterbeingdismissedfor a duck, Rutherford received
a message from the team owner, an Indian-origin businessman, blaming him for the team’s loss
Following a response from Rutherford about the timing of the text, he was asked to leavetheteam.
“After a game against Barbados (which) we lost, the owner texted me about making the team lose. He said, I caused them to lose the game. I responded in a way Thatisnotagoodtime to message a player We are professionals, we have feelings.Soobviouslywhen you’re not doing well, you justwanttoreflect.So,when he texted me at the wrong time, I responded to him. Thatwaswheretheydecided formetoleave”
Owners intervening in cricketingmattersisnotnew in the franchise leagues and Rutherford felt that the
owners should understand thatcricketersdon’tgooutto fail.
“I don’t think the owners shouldtextplayers,especially aboutperformance,becauseat theendofthedaywedidn’tgo there to fail We know that in cricketyou’renotguaranteed anything. The most we can do is prepare well, and I think I have been doing that forawhilenow.”
Reconciled, Rutherford is now looking to move on “I don’tknowwhichfranchiseI will go back to, but I’m looking forward to a new adventure I have told my agentaboutit I told him I’m not comfortable with him texting me about any game becauseattheendoftheday, I’m dealing with the coach and, and the staff,” he said. “On and off, it’s okay It’s a part of life. It was good learning.”
and we would have loved more time to prepare in terms of their technical, tactical, and mental skills, but we had two camps prior toarrivinghereaweekearly to acclimatize to the conditions,” Brooks told SportsMax.Tv “It has been good so far; the girls are adapting and improving in every session and looking forward to the
practice games this week. We are here to compete, to giveourbest,andwebelieve westandagoodchance,”he added.
Despite the excitement andahungertosurpasstheir performances in the 2023 editionwhentheyjustfailed to make the semi-finals, Brooks emphasized the importance of staying grounded.“Wehaveayoung
team short on experience, but we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves; we’ll take it one game at a time. We have the powerhouse in India the first game, and if we are allowed to play our game, we can express ourselves, and you never know—we might just come outontop.But,again,weare justgoingtotakeitonegame
(Continuedonpage23)
Positive momentum:
Asst coach Brooks pleased with Windies Windies U19 Women’s progress, commitment ahead of ICC T20 World Cup
