Over 49 Venezuelans in and robberies - Benn have received at least US$13B Girl, 7, killed after iron gate
Venezuela detains tanker falsely flying Guyana's flag
-Hessbosstellsconference no renegotiation of ExxonMobil contract’ Cop, accomplice charged for abducting man at Giftland
ExxonMobil preparing for
Guyana’s jail for murders th oil production at 6 project collapsed on her ‘Pres. Ali made it clear,
Photo of the detained vessel shared by Venezuelan media on X. (formerly known as Twitter).
Kareena Persaud
‘Guyana could have received at least US$13 billion to date from oil’
Guyana has lost at least US$6.5B in oil revenue betweentheperiod2020and 2024, due to the lopsided termsofthe2016Production SharingAgreement(PSA).
This “conservative estimate”washighlightedby CharteredFinancialAnalyst, Rennie Parris in his column published on Monday in Kaieteur News, ‘Talking DollarsandMakingSense’.
Parris’ academic
credentials include a Bachelor’s in Finance and a Master’sinRealEstatefrom B a r u c h C o l l e g e , complemented by an MBA in Strategic Management fromTheWhartonSchoolat t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Pennsylvania. He holds the prestigious Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, recognized globally as the highest qualification in the finance industry
His 18-year career spans some of the world’s leading financ
ons,
-CharteredFinancialAnalyst
includingS&PGlobalandJP Morgan. In his first column for 2025, the Analyst explored the terms of the 1999 Agreement and comparedittothe2016PSA signed by the previous administration.
Parris described the failure by the Coalition government to secure better termsforGuyaneseasoneof the most significant acts of incompetence in the country’s independent history “In my view, the 1999 agreement made sense for its time. Guyana was a high-risk exploration country, and the terms reflected that. However, the 2016 agreement failed to adjust to Guyana’s new reality as a proven oil producer The government had significant leverage to negotiate better terms but settledforanagreementthat leftbillionsonthetable,”the
Analystexplained.
Forinstance,hesaidthat had the government reduced thecostrecoverycapto60%, insisted on a signing bonus of US$800 million, implemented ring-fencing, demanded a 5% royalty, and ensured the oil companies paid its own taxes, Guyana couldhavegainedatleastan additional US$6.5 billion in oil revenues between 2020 and2024.
Parris was keen to note, “If it weren’t for the 2016 petroleum agreement fiasco, the country would have received at least US$13 billion, double the amount earned during that period this conservative estimate highlights the lost opportunity to maximize the nation’s benefit from its resources.”
In an interview with this newspaper on Monday, the Chartered Financial Analyst
Guyana records 14% reduction in serious crimes in 2024 - Robeson Benn
Guyana saw a 14.4% reduction in serious crimes in2024,with1,235reported incidents compared to 1,406 in 2023, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn disclosedonMonday
The minister was speaking at his ministry’s e n d - o f - y e a r p r e s s conferenceheldattheArthur ChungConferenceCentre.
Hetoldreportersthatthe statistics were highly significant as they indicate that the nature of crime is ever-evolvinginthecountry
“ crime itself is significant and has to be viewed against the challenges we have in relation to transnational organizedcrimeandthefact that the nature of criminal activities has changed,” Benntoldreporters.
Minister Benn attributed the decrease to strategic i n t e r v e n t i o n s a n d developments in crimefighting efforts, including the implementation of various crime-reduction programs.
He highlighted the success of these initiatives, saying, “In the crimefighting areas, there was a 14.4% decrease in reported incidents 820 cases were identified as serious crimes.
Surprisingly still, and to the credit of the Force and Criminal Investigation Departmenttherewasaclear praiseof51.3%inrelationto crimes which were committed and clearly identifiedbytheprosecution from the Guyana Police Force.”
Hefurtherexplainedthat the strategic initiatives were linked to the establishment of command centers throughout the country, w h i c h h a v e b e e n instrumental in improving the response to criminal activity
“The initiatives that we have been working on in relationtocrimefightingare also linked to our
establishment of the command centres. We have the first one, which was established behind this building (the Conference Centre), and four more have already been set up across thecoastalareas,”Bennsaid.
He added that the “Safe City Program” which has expanded into Regions Three, Five and Six, would e n h a n c e p o l i c i n g capabilities, particularly in high-populationareas.
Although there was a decrease in overall crime, some serious offenses still
Chartered Financial Analyst, Rennie Parris
contended that the country could have bargained for at least 25% instead of 14.5% of the revenue. He said the country’stakefromthefiscal pie could have been increased through the measures outlined by him. By capping cost recovery to
60%, the remaining 40% (profit oil) would be available to split with Guyana. This means the country would have been receiving20%ofprofitsand 5% royalty, in addition to taxes from the Stabroek BlockCo-Venturers.
Parris in his column argued that despite the massive Liza discovery, the 2016 Petroleum Agreement retained many of the same termsasthe1999agreement. While it introduced a 2% royalty and a signing bonus of just US$18 million, the Analyst noted that the core termsremainunchanged.
He said, “Everything changed in May 2015 when Exxon announced a massive oil discovery at the Liza-1 well in the Stabroek Block.
showed significant figures. According to the crime statistics, 117 murders were recorded in 2024, marking a 25.9%decrease.
Robberies saw a substantial drop, with 13 reported cases of robbery (a 40 9% decrease), and 85 incidents of robbery with other instruments (a 36.6% decrease) However, there was a 13 5% increase in robberies using firearms, totalling 286 incidents
Other significant figures include a 12% reduction in robbery with violence, a 13.3% decrease in robbery with aggravation, and a 19.1% decrease in larceny fromaperson.
On the other hand, some crimes showed an increase. These include rape, which roseby20.1%,andburglary, which increased by 16.7%.
Break and enter larceny incidents decreased by 31.3%whileonekidnapping casewasreportedin2024.
Benn acknowledged the challenges that face the security sector “When we look at our statistics and do our reviews and critiques, more could have been done, and would have been done. Butwehavetopayattention to the environment in which weoperate,”hesaid.
With an estimated 700 million barrels of oil 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 andproduction.”
Be that as it may, the Coalitionacceptedtheterms widelycriticisedtodaywhile t h e i n c u m b e n t administrationhasrefusedto engage the contractor for a betterdeal.Accordingtothe analyst, “until political leaders acknowledge this mistake, apologise to the Guyanese people, make amends for this colossal error in judgement, they should not be trusted with public support If they continue to defend the 2016 agreement, it’s a sign that theyprioritiseotherinterests overthenation’swelfare.”
Girl, 7, killed after iron gate collapsed on her
An iron sliding gate, on Sunday evening, reportedly collapsed on seven-year-old Kareena Persaud, a student of SkeldonPrimarySchool,killingherinstantly,Policesaidon Monday
The child resided at No. 77 Village Housing Scheme in Corriverton, Berbice The incident occurred at approximately 20:30 hours at the Taj Mahal Hotel and Bar locatedinNo.79Village,Corriverton.Kareenawasrushedto theSkeldonPublicHospital,whereadoctorpronouncedher dead.
According to the Guyana Police Force, Kareena resided withheraunt,MaharanieRamnarine(alsoknownasRanie),a 40-year-oldManagerat theTajMahalHotelandBar
As the elections season sets in, more and more Guyanese are coming out against the lopsided oil contract the Guyana Government signed withExxonMobilbackin2016.Theyarealsodemandinga renegotiationofthedeal.
It is no secret Guyanese want more for their oil. Guyanese need more from their wealth. Guyanese know thattheyshouldgetmore,areduemore,andtheyknowthis withthemostabsoluteofconvictions.Renegotiationofthe 2016 ExxonMobil contract will not dishonour its sacredness. Instead, it will enhance ExxonMobil’s and America’s reputation for doing what is fair and just and could not be more right. The goodwill of the Guyanese people would be immeasurable, something of priceless value to ExxonMobil,American companies, andAmerica itself. The ExxonMobil contract must be renegotiated, in someshapeorform,formoreforGuyanese.Thelivesand interestsofGuyanesearealsosacred.
But not so to Vice President, Bharat Jagdeo, President IrfaanAli and even the Leader of the Opposition,Aubrey Nortonwhododgeseriousquestionsthroughdistractionsto disengage anxious Guyanese from the issue of paramount importance, which is renegotiation of the 2016 contract betweenGuyanaandExxonMobil.
The Vice President’s focus is almost always the opposition and the other routine matters that his ministers areinchargeof.Butwhenitcomestotheoilsector,Jagdeo only speaks about the new Production SharingAgreement (PSA),whichisyettobetestedandproven.Notthatthisis not an important matter, but it has its place, and should be much lower down on him and President Ali’s list of top prioritiesandtalkingpoints.Foremphasis,thatmightbea positivedevelopment,butitfadesintoinsignificancebefore the biggest whale of an issue that is before us. All other matters are aced by renegotiation of our oil contact with ExxonMobilanditsotherprofiteeringpartners.
Outofsheernecessity,itiscompulsorythatoilandgas is the first, second, and third items on the list of any Government of Guyana Leader participating in a media conference, be it with local professionals or those that are foreign-based Whenever oil is pushed into the conversation, it must take centre stage, which means that renegotiationoftheoilcontractisamust.
Renegotiation has to be a ‘must-be’ aspect of such interviews. Renegotiation and how we are being robbed must be brought to the attention of the whole world.And renegotiation and how Guyana must get more, must do better, and must be a real partner (and not some straggler and hanger-on), pounded and hammered into the consciousnessofallwholisten.Thisissotheworldismade aware of the unconscionable deal, the full-out highway banditry,executedbythecorporatevillainsandscoundrels atExxonMobilandHess.
When we study how President Ali, Jagdeo and even NortonareattemptingtoletExxonMobiloffthehook,and also pull the wool over the eyes of locals, we detect their usual trickiness and slipperiness when it comes to confronting ExxonMobil and dealing with the American supergiant. The President and Vice President are twisting themselves into knots so as not to face ExxonMobil and demandmorethroughrenegotiation.
The 2016 oil deal is bad, and the world knows. ExxonMobil was ruthless, and for this reason alone, the PPP/CGovernmentanditsLeadersshouldnotbedoingthe company any favours, or giving it any space, where renegotiationisconcerned.Ourpeoplearehungry,andwe mustgetmorenow Ourpeoplecannotmakeendsmeetin the richest country in the world (by computer calculator), and the PPP/C Government shrinks from tabling renegotiation as their highest priority The leadership dodges and distractions will only work and last so long. Change must come, and it starts with immediate renegotiation.
Shake-up” of GuySuCo a step in the right direction
DEAREDITOR
managementshake-upatthe Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo)signalsapivotal step toward revitalising the nation’s sugar industry
Zulfikar Mustapha has indicated that, starting in 2025, certain managers will be reassigned or relieved of their duties to enhance operationalefficiencyacross variousestates.
This strategic move comes in response to a challenging year marked by subpar production levels, attributed to factors such as extended droughts and operational inefficiencies
The government’s proactive approach, including the
engagement of technical expertsfromIndiaandCuba, underscores its commitment to addressin
these challengeshead-on.
President Dr Irfaan Ali has set clear expectations, emphasisingthat“headswill roll”ifproductiontargetsare not met in the coming year This decisive stance reflects the administration’s dedication to holding management accountable and ensuring that GuySuCo meets its goal of producing no less than 100,000 tonnes ofsugarin2025.
T h e p l a n n e d managementrestructuringis anticipated to bring a fresh perspective and renewed vigour to GuySuCo’s operations. By aligning managerial roles with
individual strengths and expertise, the corporation aims to foster a more dynamic and responsive organizational culture. This initiative is expected to enhance decision-making processes,improvefieldand factory operations, and ultimately lead to increased productivity
M o r e o v e r , t h e government’s investment in technical assistance from international experts signifies a commitment to adopting best practices and innovativesolutionstailored to Guyana’s unique agriculturallandscape. This collaborative effort is poised to address longstanding issues within the sugar industry, paving the way for sustainable
growthandprofitability
In conclusion, the forthcoming management shake-up at GuySuCo represents a critical and commendable effort to rejuvenate Guyana’s sugar industry By prioritizing accountability, efficiency, a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l collaboration, this initiative lays a solid foundation for achieving and potentially surpassing the ambitious production targets set for 2025.
The nation’s sugar industry stands on the cusp ofatransformativeera,with the potential to contribute significantly to Guyana’s economic development and agriculturalprosperity
Sincerely
AnandRagnauth
At Carter Center, Dr. Jerry Jailall held up sign “Guyana thanks President Carter for restoring democracy, ending PNC dictatorship”
D
EAREDITOR
PeopleaskmewhydidI flytotheCarterPresidential Center inAtlanta to hold up my sign, “Guyana thanks President Carter for restoringdemocracy,ending PNCdictatorship.”
I lived through those brutaldictatorshipyearsand it is important that we not forgetthelessonsofthepast. I wanted to express the gratefulnessofournationto President Carter for turning ourdestinyaround.
Manytalkedtomeabout mysignandtookpicturesof my sign I held up at various parts of the Carter campus and at the King Memorial bus/trainstation.
The Carter Center’s involvement was a tipping point for Guyana. By 1992, the country had reached a point of hunger and starvation, the economy and infrastructurehadcollapsed, poverty and fear stalked the land.
The PNC government was in full control of “the commanding heights of the economy.”
They controlled all the military forces, all the Ministries,anditssupporters were entrenched in all the Governmentsectors.
Thatmadeiteasyforthe PNC to continue rigging successfully as it controlled all things Hopelessness enveloped the nation and
people fled to any country for a better life. I remember PNC enforcers in military vehiclesswoopingdownand seizing bread from vendors at Bourda Market and trampling the bread on the ground,asflourwasbanned. You could have gone to jail for “uncustomed” goods if you were found with flour, split peas, and almost anything, as everything was in short supply, and smuggling thrived to providegoodstothepeople.
As rigging seemed embedded in the DNA of the PNC, in 2020, the PNC attempted rigging as in the old days when it routinely rigged to stay in power, until Dr Cheddi Jagan of the PPP approached the Carter Center for help. We must remember that in the 28 years of the PNC’s uninterruptedrule,itwasthe PPPthatborethebruntofthe stealing of elections by the PNC by being shut out of office.ItwasthePPPthatled the fight for freedom from thePNCdictatorship.
Others such as the WPA and groups for democracy joined along t h e j o u r n e y a n d contributed to the struggle in various ways
T h e i n d e p e n d e n t
Stabroek News, for instance, played a key role in the democracy
struggle
KN had not existed
then The Catholic
Standard, Mirror,
Dayclean (a 2-page letter-size leaflet), and Caribbean Contact (published by the Caribbean Conference of Churches) were the major free press It is traumatic torecallthosePNCyears.
The PNC’s penchant for rigging and staying in power “by any means necessary” was well established by 1992 when the Carter Center brokered free and fair elections with counting of ballots at the place whereyouvoted
Thatwasagamechanger Any time the PNC has been inpower,theydon’twantto giveup. When elections were due in 1978, instead of holding elections on schedule, the PNC did a referendum asking whether the Constitution should be changed They rigged the referendum too
This extended their stay by 2 years; elections were held in 1980 instead of 1978 The PNC was always good at predicting how many seats it will win, and predicted it will win a two-thirds majority, which it did in 1985,
when Hoyte rigged worse than Burnham Elections were supposed to be held in 1990 but PNC extended their rule again by two years; elections were held in 1992 instead. During the PNC’s uninterrupted reign between 1964-1992, the morepeoplewerepunishing, the more seats the PNC “took.” In 2018 when the PNC Government fell in a vote of no-confidence t r i g g e r e d b y M r Charrandas’s vote against the PNC Coalition, instead of resigning, the PNC held on for 2 years and elections wereheldin2020.Thefacts show that it is the PNC which has an indelible recordofrigging. As it is now, you cannot rig with the current process where there is transparency at the polling place, and the votes are counted in the presence of all parties and results posted right away So President Carter has a lasting legacy when we talk a b o u t r e s t o r i n g democracy in Guyana As my sign says, “ G u y a n a t h a n k s President Carter for restoring democracy, endingPNCdictatorship.”
Sincerely, Dr.JerryJailall CivilSocietyAdvocate
Misinformation on Seven Curry
DEAREDITOR, Iwritewithdeepconcern regarding recent statements made by Minister Susan RodriguesandPresidentDr Irfaan Ali concerning the origins and significance of sevencurry,adishsacredto the Indo-Guyanese Hindu community Their comments, including the claimthatthenumberseven is sacred and the reason behind “seven curry,” along withassertionsthatgheewas unavailable and Hindus cookedprimarilywithwater, are not only historically
blasphemous Such statementsriskcausingdeep hurt to a significant section ofGuyanesesociety
Sevencurryisnottiedto anynotionof“sevenbeinga sacrednumber.”Instead,itis a culinary tradition born out of the resilience of our a n c e s t o r s d u r i n g indentureship, reflecting the adaptationofIndianculinary practices to Guyana’s tropical environment. This dish,consistingofitemslike dhal, channa, and bhaji, has
The new reality in the poultry sector Is
DEAREDITOR, I am genuinely afraid thatIwillsoonbedescribed as a frequent letter writer to thenewspapers.Thetruthis, I hate writing. However,
matters of national importance often force my hand.
The Ministry of Agriculturesoughttodefend itsstewardshipofthepoultry sector via responses published in the Stabroek News on January 8th, 2025. I crave for your indulgence by publishing my reply to thatarticle.
The essential argument of my criticism of the Ministry, is that the process of importing, and/or allocating,chickenhasbeen perverted. The importation andsaleofimportedchicken
i s l u c r a t i v e , a n d policymakersintheMinistry have seized the opportunity to redirect the sale of imported chicken to politically favoured players who, historically, had nothingtodowiththesector I have been advised that farmers have been told by policymakersthat“thisisthe new reality”. The Ministry failed, probably with good reason, to address this allegation. Consequently, I am now calling on the Ministrytopubliclydisclose the names of the top twenty individuals, or businesses, allottedimportedchicken.
Inclusion body hepatitis
beencentraltoreligiousand social observances for g e n e r a t i o n s
Misrepresenting its origins trivialises the sacrifices of Indo-Guyanese ancestors who preserved their culture under challenging conditions.
Additionally, the suggestion that ghee a symbol of purity in Hindu rituals and an essential elementintraditionalIndian cooking—was not used and that Hindus primarily cooked with water is both disrespectful and factually incorrect.
These remarks, made by leaders in positions of authority, reflect a lack of understanding and sensitivity towards Hindu traditionsandhistory
While the Minister focusesongaininglikesand followers on TikTok, she should leave Hinduism and itssacredpracticesoutofher misinformednarratives.Itis irresponsible for public officials to venture into cultural and religious topics without proper knowledge,
(IBH) has been a pandemic in the poultry sector since 2021. TheMinistryneedsto stop pussyfooting with this disease Vaccine development is beyond the capacity of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority(GLDA). The Ministry must immediately engage top tier international veterinary research institutions to developavaccine.
Editor, poultry farmers are feeling the squeeze
Many have closed their farms and others face the possibility of defaulting on
as this can perpetuate misinformation and sow division. Leaders have a duty to foster unity, not disrespect or alienation, particularly in a diverse nationlikeours.
I call on Minister RodriguesandPresidentAli to issue a public apology to the Hindu community for their misinformed and disrespectful remarks Furthermore, I urge the E t h n i c R e l a t i o n s Commission to investigate this matter, as such statementscouldharmsocial cohesion and disrespect the cultural and religious identity of a significant portionofthepopulation.
Guyana’s cultural diversity is its strength, and it is vital that all traditions andcommunitiesaretreated with the respect they deserve Let us work together to preserve and honor this diversity, ensuring it is celebrated and not undermined by misinformation.
Sincerely, BanmattieSingh
their loans. It appears that thebankshavenotmovedto effect the President’s promise of lowered financing costs announced in 2023. I fear that the profits, “the new reality”, derived from the corrupted process of importation, will stymie efforts to develop a vaccine.
The farmers, and all of thepreviousgains,overtwo decades, to achieve food securityinthepoultrysector, are cannon fodder in this “newreality”.
Yoursfaithfully, TerrenceCampbell
Norton in favour of renegotiating Exxon contract?
DEAREDITOR
Kindly allow me to respond to Dr Vincent Adams in the news item titled “Oil deal requires Gov’t to formally write E x x o n t o r e q u e s t renegotiation-Dr Adams”as published yesterday in the KNof1-13-25.
Dr Adams reportedly said “Why is the Vice President (Bharrat Jagdeo) andthePresident(IrfaanAli) making excuses for not asking Exxon about renegotiation?Whatarethey scaredabout?
Theyaresayingthatthey 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 are they afraid of to put it in writing?”
My understanding is the GOG does not want to renegotiatethecontractright now as this would signal to any potential future investors that if they sign a contract from the inception then that contract would be abrogated to their disadvantage.
Total blame falls on the PNC/AFC coalition for Rafael Trotman signing the flawed contract Trotman saidhewasinstructedtosign but who told him to do so is stillamystery
Thereareotherfactorsto be considered. When Exxon wasabouttostartdrillingthe US government issued a warning to Venezuela not to interfere. Additionally, the GOG reported that Venezuelan foreign minister DelcyRodriguezsentaletter to ExxonMobil’s Guyana officetoopposetheoffshore drillingproject,asVenezuela claims jurisdiction over the maritimezoneinquestion.
Guyanese have to be concerned that if Exxon is pressuredanddoesnotagree to renegotiate then the US wouldnotcometoGuyana’s aidintheeventofmounting Venezuelanaggression.
InaKNarticleof7thJuly 2024 it was reported that “Aubrey Norton has taken a nuanced position on the Exxon PSA, advocating for amendments without explicitly calling for renegotiation Norton expressed this stance during
a press conference in response to a question from Kaieteur News where he emphasised that while Guyana should be open to utilizing advice from other nations, he rejects the term “renegotiation” due to its implications, stating, “no one is going to choose the language we use on this question.”
Norton clarified that he advocates for using legal provisions within the existing contract to engage ExxonMobilforbetterterms without formally reopening negotiations.
He highlighted the importanceofrespectingthe “sanctityofcontracts”under international law, indicating thathisstanceisinformedby thorough discussions ” Would Norton’s PNC renegotiate the contract? There is a perception that theywouldnotdosoasthey are hoping to get power and not ruffle Exxon’s feathers. Ontheotherhand,theAFC’s Nigel Hughes declined to sayiftheywouldrenegotiate asherevealedthatExxonisa clientofhislawfirm.
Respectfully SultanMohamed
ThePNCandPPPcannotbetrustedtogovernthisnation
DEAREDITOR
The recent revelation by Mr Christopher Ram which wasextractedfromthebook ‘FromDestinytoProsperity’ written by former Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Raphael Trotman, has proven a timely reminder to all Guyaneseathomeandinthe Diaspora of the 59 years of
untruths, deceit and hypocrisy of both the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and the People’s NationalCongress(PNC).
The lopsided 2016
Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signed between ExxonMobil and the then PNC led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) plus
liance for Change (AFC) government continues to draw national a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l condemnation
From the inception, the then Opposition
Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, now Vice President, and the PPP, joined in on the wave of well-placed
criticisms brought against the APNU+ AFC over the acceptance of the minuscule 2%royaltyandexcessivetax breaks granted to ExxonMobil.
At no point, did either of these parties see it fit to disclose to citizens, the owners of this oil wealth, how Guyana came to be on the receiving end of such a bad deal
However, now that information has come from the horse’s mouth that both the PPP and the PNC had met in secret and agreed to the terms and conditions of the excessive giveaways, we see the scramble for damage control by the PPP after using the PSA situation to its advantage and blatantly lying about its role in this oil deal Raphael Trotman accused the then opposition leader of meeting with the APNU+AFC government andgavehisblessingsforthe excessive giveaways to ExxonMobil.
Guyanese,thislatest development is just a reminder; that the PPP and PNC for decades have been working together behind the scenes, in secret when they need to, making decisions and agreeing to keep information away from citizens.
It is only after the beans are spilled that we understand why releasing information to the public is sodifficultfortheseleaders, as many decisions are not made for the benefit of the citizenry, but in favour of foreigners, foreigners’ interest and welfare Business and personal benefitstotheseleadershave taken precedence over the development and wellbeing ofGuyanese.
What a crying shame. This is in an election year whenboththePPPandPNC are asking Guyanese to vote forthemonceagain. Theycometothepeople withtheirpokerfaceshiding their true intentions, putting upthisfakefeudtoentangle the masses in their web of
disunity and conflict, while they sit and sip cordially behind doors signing the wealth and future of this countryaway
Citizens should take note that both these parties met to discuss this important resource and were refusing to inform the public on how the resourcesweresharedwith theforeigners,butnowthat the information about their roles are public, both sides are blaming each other In fact,theVicePresidenthas already refuted the opposition’s claims and indicated that party opponentsaretryingtoreel in the PPP to share blame overthePSA
Guyanese, the fact, rather the truth is that the PPPand PNC has been, and continue to work overtime against their own citizens, because of the power struggle to control the resourcesofthiscountry
This power struggle, with tools of division and discord at its heart, has left Guyanese caught in
are therefore denied their basic rights as the powerful increase their p o w e r a n d t h e i r insens
toward the needs and concernsofthepeople
The United Workers Party (UWP) is calling on all Guyanese to break this chokehold that dominant parties have had on our country
The UWP, like many Guyanese, is disgusted by the political circus we have endured for decades and is taking the bold step to do its part in making a difference
The UWP has always been in full support of a commission of inquiry into the handling of that nauseous PSA, since we believe that too much
ng hidden from the public regardingitsoilresource
If elected to represent the people, the UWP promises to press for answers, not only on the oil resource, but on all
issues that matter to the ordinary citizen so that he/she could find opportunities and make decisions regarding their country and wellbeing Guyanese you too must take the bold step to release yourselves from the grips of power and race politics through the demandforinformation
The PSA discourse between citizens would have been much different if it was known what the then government and oppositionhaddone
Be reminded that it is the United Workers Party that announced less than a month ago that the PPP and PNC are now expired goods and are no longer goodforGuyana
The evidence of this beliefcontinuestopileup It is clear that neither the PNC,northePPPcouldbe trusted to govern this nationhonourably
Sincerely
SherwinDowner UnitedWorkersParty Leader
BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT
Guyanese must take a stand Guyanese must take a stand
One reality that hangs over this 5-year-old oil producing country is of hungry Guyanese. Those condemned to exist on the margins, the gullible and impoverished who only now see through the deceptions of leaders. This must not be in a country producing 650,000 barrels of oil daily. This must change now, or the next five years will be worse. Leaders must work to get rid of the repulsive ExxonMobil contract, or Guyanese move to get rid of them legitimately.
Budget must focus on national development not elections - WPA
The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) has raised concerns about the 2025 Budget saying that even though it is an election year, the estimates should be focused on national development instead of beingpartisan-driven.
Theconcernswereraised on Monday during the party’s weekly press conference. Co leader of the party, Dr David Hinds, said the party would not be surprised if the priorities of the 2025 Budget “are in line with the PPP’s intention to remain in government at all costs.”
In fact, Dr. Hinds expressed the party’s fear thattakingintoconsideration the focus of previous budgets,thegovernmentwill continue to view the country’s budget as an extension of the People’s
manifesto “While WPA fully understands the temptation to use the national budget as an electioneeringtool,wewarn that any budget which is driven solely or largely by partisan considerations cannot be considered “national” in nature,” Dr Hindsstressed.
The WPA is of the opinion that one of the “impediments to socioeconomic development since the coming of oil has been the tendency of the government to treat the country’s resources as its personal property and the management of those resources as the purview of the government and the governmentalone.”
Dr Hinds told reporters that even though Vice PresidentBharratJagdeohas
saidthatconsultationsonthe budgetwereheldtohavethe input of communities, the WPA feels that these were not broad-based enough and they have not seen any announcements for the said consultations. To this end, Dr Hinds questioned, “When were these consultations held and with which communities? Were these consultations publicly announced? Which government agency or agencies facilitated these consultations? Were the parliamentary opposition partiesconsulted?Werecivil society organisations, in particular trade unions consulted?”
He went on to explain that, “Budgets by their nature are meant to incorporate the country’s needs and priorities and reflect its broad economic
Exxon, other oil firms lose bid block climate change lawsuits
-
as US Supreme Court clears path for cases to proceed
(NEW YORK TIMES) In a decision widely seen as benefiting climate activists, the Supreme Court, on Monday, declined to hear a challenge to a lawsuit filed by Honolulu against oil companies over their roleinglobalwarming.
The Honolulu case is one of the most prominent among two dozen similar suits brought by state and local governments that argue oil companies engaged in a decadeslongcoverupaboutclimatechangeinaquest for profit, and should have to pay for the consequences.
Othermajorcasesincludealawsuitbythe state of California — which is currently battling historic wildfires — as well as suits by several California cities and counties. If the Supreme Court had chosen to review Honolulu’s lawsuit, experts said, the energy companieslikelywouldhavemovedtopause theothercasesimmediately Andaneventual decisionbytheconservativehighcourtcould have later doomed the cases. Now, however, the lawsuits will be able to proceed in state courts.
“The theory that the oil companies were usinginthiscase,ifitsucceeded,wouldhave shutdownallthoseothercases,”saidMichael
philosophy and vision
Given the plural nature of our society and the fact that the government enjoys a razor-thin majority, it becomes even more imperativethatthisapproach befollowed.Failuretodoso, aswesuspectisthecasewith this budget, renders the documenta“PPPbudgetfor the PPP.” “Therefore, a party budget would reflect the political biases of the administration and the economic philosophy in whichcountrieslikeGuyana runcountertothoseofother segments of the society,” Hindsnoted.
Dr. Hinds made it clear that though the party is not lookingtoprematurelyjudge a budget that they have
neither read nor studied, thereareareastheyintendto pay close attention to Noting that the government hasplacedgreatemphasison infrastructural spending, Hinds said while the WPA welcomes the attention in these areas they are of the opinion that the government hasoverdoneit.
“There needs to be a more balanced spending approach which reflects multiple priorities and an integrated outlook for the
economy Towards this end, the WPA hopes the government reduces the o v e r e m p h a s i s o n infrastructureandspreadthe spending allocations more equally across the critical areas of the economy,” Dr Hindssaid. TheMinistryof Finance has announced that the national budget for the year 2025 will be read on th FridayJanuary14,2025and debates will follow soon after to have allocations approved.
Biomedical hubs to reduce dependency on imported medical supplies - Pres. Ali
President Irfaan Ali on Sunday said that government is taking significant steps to reduce dependency on imported medical supplies by establishing biomedical hubs in Guyana.
The Head of State highlighted that this initiative is part of the broader Vision 2030 plan aimed at transforming the nation’s healthcare system. Ali was at a the time speaking on facebook live, where he emphasised the ongoing investments in the healthcare sector, including the construction of hospitals and the upgrading of health centers. Aliexplainedthatover$180billion has been invested in building six regional hospitals and a specialised pediatric and maternal hospital. Additionally, between 2021 and 2023, $12 billion was spent on upgrading regional health centers across the country
Gerrard, director of the Sabin Center for ClimateChangeLawatColumbiaUniversity
TheodoreJ.BoutrousJr ofGibson,Dunnand Crutcher,whorepresentsChevron,oneofthe targets of the Honolulu lawsuit, said that the company would “continue to defend against meritless state law climate litigation, which clashes with basic constitutional principles, undermines sound energy policy, and is factuallymeritless.”
The lawsuits, which seek potentially billions of dollars in damages, have been growing in number since 2017.As the price tag of damage connected to climate change continuestorise,citiesandstatesaretryingto figureouthowtopayforit.
Legalactionhasseemedlikeapromising avenue.
“California taxpayers shouldn’t have to footthebillforbillionsofdollarsindamages — wildfires wiping out entire communities, toxic smoke clogging our air, deadly heat waves, record-breaking droughts parching our wells,” Gov Gavin Newsom of Californiasaidwhenheannouncedhisstate’s suit in 2023. Energy companies and their allieshavecounteredthatthelawsuitsarea Continued on page 17
The public healthcare system has made significant strides, offering a wide array of services, including treatments for chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. More than 50 telemedicine sites have been established to ensure equitable access to healthcare across the country The health systemisalsoadvancingwiththedigitization of medical records and the surveillance of diseases.
The President said that one of the key achievements is the availability of medical supplies. Between 85 and 90 percent of the necessary drugs and medical supplies are now accessible in the health sector, a significant improvement from previous years.
Furthermore, the establishment of biomedicalhubsisexpectedtoenhancelocal production and reduce reliance on imports, ensuring that Guyana’s healthcare system becomes more self-sufficient and resilient. The President concluded by reiterating the government’s commitment to building a healthcare system that delivers equitable access and services to all regions of the country, improving the overall health and well-beingofitscitizens.
Meanwhile, back in in 2023, Minister of
Health,Dr FrankAnthonyhadsaidthatthere has been much interest from local and internationalprivatesectorbodiestodevelop a biomedical hub to expand the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals
“Biomedical hubs are for researchers, clinicians, and public health professionals across biomedical disciplines to share research findings, ideas, theories, experimental results, and clinical experience,”Anthony had said. Speaking on the‘GuyanaDialogue’recently,Dr Anthony said this is one of the government’s plans to venture into the manufacturing of vaccines.
“We have been in discussion about the possible production of vaccines in Guyana and we have spoken to a number of partners pertaining to this,” the health minister disclosed.
Additionally,thegovernmentisexploring the manufacturing of diagnostic kits and othermedicaldeviceslocally
MinisterAnthonysaidtherehasbeenlots of interest in this area, noting that this is another successful industry that can be developed in Guyana. The government is aimingtopositionGuyanaasamedicalhubin the Caribbean region, by implementing technologies and improving the healthcare infrastructurecountrywide.
President Irfaan Ali
Co-Leader of the Working People’s Alliance Dr David Hinds
The PNCR and AFC are a blight on democratic politics
The People’s
N a t i o n a l CongressReform (PNCR)andtheAllianceFor Change (AFC) have forfeited any moral or political authority to speak about free and fair elections in Guyana. Their utterances on electoral integrity are an insult to the intelligence of theGuyanesepeople. Theirattemptstoimpute electoral malpractice to the People’s Progressive Party Civic(PPPC)ortheGuyana Elections Commission (GECOM) are as laughable as they are deceitful. These two parties, stained by their own disgraceful history, are now attempting to rewrite thenarrative,hopingthatthe electorate suffers from collective amnesia But Guyanese will not forget, andtheycertainlyshouldnot forgive.
The PNCR and AFC have demonstrated that they are ill-suited for democratic politics Their modus operandi reeks of desperation and disdain for t h e p r i n c i p l e s o f representative democracy Their electoral antics are nothingshortofanaffrontto thedemocraticaspirationsof Guyanese citizens These partiesbelongtothedustbin ofpoliticalhistory,anditisa travestythattheycontinueto masquerade as legitimate actors within Guyana’s democraticframework.
No one should ever forget what transpired in March 2020. The audacity, the shamelessness, and the sheerbrazennesswithwhich they attempted to hijack the electoralprocesswillforever be a stain of degeneracy on
these two parties That disgraceful episode was a direct assault on the will of thepeople.Toattemptsucha deed in the 21st century is not only anachronistic but downright criminal. It is an act that, in a just world, would have resulted in their permanent banishment from the political arena. Instead, these charlatans continue to peddle their lies, hoping to erase their crimes against democracy from the collective memory of the nation.
The PNCR and AFC have proven themselves unworthy of the trust and respect of the electorate. They do not belong in democraticpolitics.Theydo not belong in the halls of Parliament They do not belong in any institution of democracy Theirpresenceis
Girl, 7, killed after iron gate...
Frompage3
RamnarinetoldthePolicethatshehadbeen caring for the child since she was four months old after her biological mother abandoned her She said that she had gotten permission from Kareena’s 32-year-old father,RayshamPersaud,todoso.
According to the woman, she has been workingforheruncle,Tejkumar‘Ravo’Persaud, thehotel’sowner,foralmostayear Shemoved from Essequibo and brought Kareena along to Berbice to care for her They occupied a selfcontained room at the hotel About a week ago, Ramnarine said she rented a house at No 77 VillageHousingScheme,buttheyspentmostof theirtimeatthehotelduetoherjob
On Sunday evening, Ramnarine said she wasclosingthedoorsandpreparingtoretireto herroomwhensheheardherniececalloutto
her Shesaidshediscovered theirongatehad fallenonthechild,whowaslyingontheground withheadinjuriesandbleeding Ramnarinetold thepolicethatshescreamedforhelpandothers cameandhelpedtoliftthegateoffofthechild
The Police, in their report, stated that the slidinggateismadeofhollow-sectionmetaland weighs about 250 pounds When the Police arrived at the hospital, Kareena had already beenpronounceddeadandherbodywasseen onabedintheEmergencyRoom,wrappedina sheet
A detective examined the body and observed a cut on the forehead. The scene was processed and photographed. Several CCTV cameras were identified on the buildingandwillbereviewedbydetectives. Statements have also been taken as investigationscontinue.
DEM BOYS SEH
Faithful to a fault
Deh had dis woman who tekloyaltytoa next level. She husband was a regular “man of de night.” He lef home more than de moon does. And every time he come back, he bring sweet talk and some cheap cologne smell pon he clothes. De woman seh,“Isalright.Ismeman. Menahleffhe.” She cook he food. She wash he clothes. She even iron he shirt to go out and look fuh more woman. De neighbours use to laugh and whisper, “She blind or what?” But she seh, “Love isblind.Andmeloyaltode end.”
T h e n o n e d a y, somebody ask she, “Why
youstayin’widhe?Henah care ’bout you.” She seh, “Is me duty Me nah give up ”Same way some people loyal to political parties. De party does rob dem blind. Dem leaders does look after de big one andflyoutfirstclasswhen people deh home hungry Butdeloyalistsseh,“Iswe party Demothersworse.”
De party rig election like how de husband rig excuses fuh find time fuh deh with he sweet woman. Dem promise gold and deliver brass Yet, de faithfulseh,“Weguhwait. Next time, we guh get better.”
De same way de woman mek excuse fuh de husband, de party
an affront to the very ideals that underpin electoral democracy They are the antithesis of everything that a democratic society should standfor
Let us not mince words: these parties are a disgrace. TheiractionsinMarch2020 revealed their true nature opportunistic, undemocratic, and powerhungry They have shown that they are willing to subvertthewillofthepeople and undermine the democratic process to cling to power Such behaviour is unacceptableinanycivilized society It is high time that the Guyanese people hold them accountable for their actions.
It is a sad reflection of our times that such entities are still allowed to participate in the political process. In a fairer world, they would have been permanently disqualified from appearing on any ballot. In a bygone era, they would have been exiled for theirtransgressions.
Butthisworldisnotfair, andsowearelefttocontend with their continued presence in our country’s politics. However, the lack of fairness is not an excuse forpassivity Itisincumbent
upontheGuyanesepeopleto reject these parties outright and to send a clear message that their brand of politics has no place in modern-day Guyana.
Unfortunately, the world isnotafairplace.Whocould have imagined that in the 21st century, a convicted felon who incited an insurrectionwouldstillhold sway over a significant portion of the electorate in theUnitedStates?Theworld watched in horror as the Capitol was stormed, and democracy itself was placed on trial. That such a figure could remain a viable political force is a living example of the dangerous allureofdemagoguery Guyana need not follow this path. Guyanese have a choice. They can reject the politics of rigging, corruption, and deceit.They can choose to uphold the values of democracy The PNCRandAFCmustnotbe allowed to continue their charade. Their attempts to rebrand themselves as championsofdemocracyare as pathetic as they are transparent. These parties are incapable of genuine reform.ThePNCR’shistory is riddled with evidence of their disdain for democratic
norms, and their recent actions in 2020 have only reinforced this reality The AFCwashand-in-glovewith them. Toallowbothparties to continue participating in electoral politics is to l e g i t i m i z e t h e i r undemocratic behaviour It is to signal that there are no consequencesforattempting to subvert the will of the people. This is a message thatGuyanacannotaffordto send.
The Guyanese people must rise above the destructive politics of the PNCR andAFC. They must reject these parties outright and demand a higher standard of political leadership. The future of Guyana’s democracy depends on it. The time has come to consign these parties to the annals of history,wheretheybelong. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s affiliates.)
supporters does mek excuse fuh de party When demnahgetroad,demseh, “Deoilmoneysooncome.” When dem nah get school book, dem seh, “We got to tightenwebelt.”
But hear dis De husband lef one day and nevah come back De woman bawl she eyes out. De party guh do de same thinglikedemanandwalk away Onedaydemguhrun outta promises. And dem faithfulguhlefwidnothing buttearsandaballotpaper Dem boys seh, loyalty is a good ting. But loyalty to nonsense is madness. Yuh could only tek blindnesssofarbeforeyuh starttofeeldepain. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
H@RD TRUTHS
Atrillion-dollarbusinessrunbymenwith$10heads
Talk about a mismatch and the evidence is overwhelming. There isGuyana’soilpatrimonyandthere are the stewards, the PPP Government Looking on, listening, reading and absorbing and contemplating, and the frighteningtakesshape. Thereisa trillion-dollaroilsectorledbymen with$10heads. Whenthedemands ofthedayareforprofoundnessand prudence, the best that the PPP is capableofispropaganda. Chronic leadership churlishness and perversions are now inseparable from the management of this oil inheritance.
Oilisanew,unprecedentedera 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 active participants. In contrast, whatisheardisthisongoingrumble of the limited, twisted, and demented. PNC did that; PPP doingthis. Thisismorethantaking dishonesty to another level; it is of deformed minds perverted, visions clouded. Whatcangetdone,what has been done, now that this complicated, fast-moving business involvingahugeamountofoilisin
localhands?
Thereisanintricatebusinessto manage, while starting out with many deficits. Guyana doesn’t haveasufficiencyofbodiestoman the oil decks, and when there are a few bodies, legit questions can be raised about the quality of their heads. Ifthosewhopilotthenation and sector have trouble managing theirownheads,thentheprospects are dim. For then what could be saidaboutthecalibreofthosewho are below them? Mediocrity breedsmoremediocrity Insteadof probing to find a way forward, to identify breakthrough points, what gives great psychic satisfaction is the beating of the pants off of one another Memories that can be inflamed instantaneously control local minds, compel Guyanese footsteps. More than five decades ago and just about five years ago canberecalled,rekindledinaflash. What space, what opening, what readiness then for prudent and sober oil management? When the best in national oil management is vital,whatGuyanesegetfromtheir ruling class is an extension of Exxon management. Check their language, their postures, their passive-aggressiveways.
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 dedicate energies to building relationships, bridging national gaps. The need hasneverbeenmoreurgenttofind waystostudywhatisinfrontofus, and peer for the smallest opening, theslightestadvantage. Thereally good legal practitioners do thathuntforanyedge-andthenmakeit into a strength. Before taking one step, before lifting one finger, the menwith$10headsinthiscountry back off, find ways to say what can’tbedone,howmuchGuyanais handicapped. The negatives are blownuptosuchanextentthateven iftherewasapositiveortwo,itgets suffocated by the weight of selfinflictedweaknesses.
The men with the $10 dollar headsintheforefrontofthetrilliondollar oil sector should be relentlessly focused like a heat seekingmissileoneachthreeareas. What is going on around the offshore oil rigs, what do the Guyana-related documents of Exxon reveal, and how is the
management of Exxon positioning itself. The PNC at the PPP Government’s throat, and the PPP creating opportunities to bash the PNC let’s Exxon off the hook. Guyanese diminishing Guyanese, and rather proud of it, too, is selfdefeating This is the worst possibleplaceforthiscountrytobe at this time I think that because holding onto to power features so prominently, and the fear of getting on the wrong side of the masters of Exxonissuchaparalyzingdreadfor the PPP Government’s leadership cohort that this game being played with specious comparisons involvingdollarsandprograms. In addition, there are those weekly leadership sessions of vitriol and lunacythatpointtohowmenwould do anything, including making completeassesofthemselves,soas not to be about robust and comprehensive oil management. To do so would bring into conflict with Exxon, hold it accountable, and the latter is a nonstarter Guyaneseneedoriginals;theyhave counterfeitcommandoes.
priorities ” When the nation starvesforbonafideleadershipthat iswiseandcourageous,itistreated to a series of entertainment episodes from men focused on glossthanongrit. Foraleadership so unconcerned about the priority anddignityofnationalsovereignty, thereisthisblatanthypocrisyabout anxietiesoverNicolasMaduroand his provocative adventures involvingGuyana’sterritory Men with $10 heads can only mean so much in a trillion-dollar business. Almostnothing.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Loud voices and sharp words are the favoured substitute for the same hollow men with the $10 heads in the pretence of doing somethin g , representing something. But what aretheydoingifnotbeatingfutilely against the air? What is the purpose? How does what the $10 men benefit any Guyanese in any way? All that their antics and acrobatics do is to succeed for a moment in distract attention from the massive failures that abound and the even more massive hauls thatsurroundthepatrimonymoney misusedundertheall-purposefarce
BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT
Guyanese must take a stand Guyanese must take a stand
One reality that hangs over this 5-year-old oil producing country is of hungry Guyanese. Those condemned to exist on the margins, the gullible and impoverished who only now see through the deceptions of leaders. This must not be in a country producing 650,000 barrels of oil daily. This must change now, or the next five years will be worse. Leaders must work to get rid of the repulsive ExxonMobil contract, or Guyanese move to get rid of them legitimately.
‘Pres. Ali made it clear no renegotiation of ExxonMobil contract’ -Hessbosstellsconference
The renegotiation of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement(PSA)governing the Stabroek Block which is estimatedtohold11.6billion barrels of oil, has been a contentioustopic.
Hess Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Hess, a company that holds 30% interest in the Stabroek Block, speaking at the Goldman Sachs Research “Energy, CleanTech & Utilities Conference,” last weekassuredstakeholdersof political and fiscal stability in Guyana ahead of the planned 2025 General and RegionalElections.
He emphasised the People’s Progressive Party/Civic government’s commitment to honouring the Stabroek Block deal and similar support from the Opposition’s camp in relationtotheextractionand development of the oil and gas resources Hess recounted, “Last week someone asked President [Irfaan] Ali about, ‘Are you goingtousetheelectionasa
catalyst to renegotiate the contract?’ and he was categoricallyvery,veryclear no, ‘No, we are not going to touchtheproductionsharing agreement.’”
Hess underscored that the government wants the StabroekBlockjointventure to continue to aggressively invest to transform the oil wealth into the people’s wealth.“SoIseethepolitical risktherebeingverylowand the fiscal risk being very,
verylow,”headded. Hess’ reference were comments made by
PresidentAliduringhisendof-year press conference, when he told the media that he has no interest in writing U.S. oil major, ExxonMobil to engage the company to renegotiatethePSA.
President Ali’s current stance contrasts with statements he made as the PPP/C presidential candidate.
ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) operates the Stabroek Block in partnership with Hess and CNOOC The agreement exempts the oil companies from paying taxes directly, with Guyana covering these costs, and allows the companies to recover up to 75% of their investments before the remaining 25% is
Hess Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Hess
split Of this, Guyana receives 12.5%, in addition to a 2% royalty paid by the oilcompanies.
During an interview while running for president backinMarch2020,Alihad strongly criticised the PSA signed by the Coalition G o v e r n m e n t w i t h ExxonMobil.Hestatedatthe time,“Wehavemadeitvery
clear, and we can never agree, how could, how could, I don’t think any Guyaneseagreewiththis,no Guyanese except the governmentthatisdefending it.Wehavemadeitveryclear that we have to go towards, we’re looking at these contracts, renegotiating these contracts, looking at contractmanagementandall of these things. Everything wehavetorelookatbecause we have to ensure that our country does not get the wrongendofthestick.” Ali’s remarks back then indicated a willingness to “reviewandrenegotiate”the contract to secure better termsforGuyana. However, since assuming office, his administration has shifted to upholding the “sanctity of contract” The Hess Corporation CEO has leveraged President Ali’s stance to stress that their operationinGuyanahaslow fiscal and political risks associatedwithit.
Venezueladetainstanker falselyflyingGuyana’sflag
Venezuelan military authorities on Sunday reportedly detained a “Guyanaflagged” tanker that illegally entered Venezuela’swaters.
Venezuelamediareportsdetailedthatthe vessel was held at Port Guamache, Nueva Esparta, Venezuela without the necessary permits to navigate the country’s territorial waters. The country’s military authorities identifiedthevesselas“FourPlus”withand IMO registration number, 920393, with a crewofChinesenationalsonboard.
An investigation was immediately launched by a mixed commission of joint servicesofficialswhichincludeacommander of the Pampatar Main Coast Guard Station, troopsassignedtotheGeneralDirectorateof Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim), the Regional Anti-Drug Intelligence Unit 71, Migration of the Bolivarian National Police and the National Institute ofAquatic Spaces (INEA). In a statement last evening, the Maritime Administration Department advisedthatthechemicaltanker,“FourPlus”
bearing IMO No. 9203920, which was recently detained by Venezuelan authorities forunauthorisedentryintothatState’swaters wasfalselyflyingtheGuyanaflag.
“The vessel is not registered in Guyana, soitisnotauthorisedtoflytheGuyanaflagor claimGuyanesenationality.MARADwishes to remind stakeholders and the public that it operates a closed Ships’ Registry, and does notofferaflagofconvenience.”
MARAD reminded that recent media reportshighlightedthesanctioningoffiveoil tankerslinkedtoaSyrianconglomeratewith ties to Iran and Venezuela by the United States Treasury Department. These vessels alsoborefalseregistrationdocuments.
“The issues of fraudulently registered vesselsandtheoperationofaglobalshadow fleet remain on the radar of the global maritime community The IMO at the 112th Session of its Legal Committee, scheduled for March this year, is expected to further develop measures to prevent these unlawful practices,”MARADsaidinitsstatement.
President Irfaan Ali
Photo of detained crew member shared by Venezuelan media on X. (formerly known as Twitter).
ExxonMobil preparing for oil production th at 6 project
Ex x o n M o b i l
Guyana Limited (EMGL) recently indicatedthatthecompanyis conducting developmental drillingoperationsattheWT (Whiptail) site within the Stabroek Block of Guyana’s ExclusiveEconomicZone.
Developmental drilling is conducted subsequent to explorationdrilling.
Itisconductedtodevelop afieldwithprovenreserves. According to a Notice to Mariners, published by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), the well site is situated approximately 109 97 nautical miles (203 66 kilometres) off the coast of Guyanaandcoversanareaof 0.29 square nautical miles (onesquarekilometre).
th ...as 4 on schedule for startup this year A representation of Exxon’s subsea umbilicals, risers, and flowlines (SURF) equipment used for production activities.
and 48 production and injection wells. The floating production, storage and offloading(FPSO)vesselfor Whiptail, which will be called Jaguar, is already underconstruction. ExxonMobil also announced its F
Investment Decision (FID) for the project that is expected to produce approximately 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) by the endof2027.
While the operator prepares for the production of oil at this development, expected to start up in 2027, activitiesaresimultaneously ongoing for the Yellowtail project, Exxon’s fourth development.
The MODU Noble Don Taylorwillbeengagedinthe drilling activities, which is scheduled to be completed onJanuary31,2025.
TheWhiptailprojectwas the sixth to be approved by the Government of Guyana. Kaieteur News understands that the $12 7 billion Whiptail development will target an estimated resource base of more than 850 million barrels of oil and includeupto10drillcentres
Lastweekitwasreported thatinstallationactivitiesfor Yellowtailareexpectedtobe completed in June this year
The FPSO ‘One Guyana’ willbethelargestinGuyana to date The vessel was designedtoproduce250,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) compared with 220,000 bpd at the Payara project, operated by the Prosperity FPSO.
Alistair Routledge in an interview with Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Energy Conference,
Kiana Wilburg, said the company is looking forward tothearrivalofthevesselto add to its already magnificent line-up of
ofthisyearwithhookupand commissioning for start-up slated for the fourth quarter ofthisyear
Presently Exxon is
approval for six deep-water developments in the Stabroek Block The company submitted an application to the Hammerhead. Therearealreadytalksof an eight project on the horizon,Longtail.Exxonhas revealed plans to increase to by
$6.4B reportedly spent on renovation, construction of school dormitories - Manickchand says
Minister of Education, P r i y a Manickchandsaidthatsome $6,429,713,588 has been spent to renovate and constructschooldormitories acrossthecountry
The Minister made this disclosureduringherend-ofyear press conference last Friday “You are aware that intheconstructionbuildout, wehavebeenadvertisingfor t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n , reconstructionandextensive rehabilitation to the dormitories in Guyana. So wehave14dorms,currently 10 are under serious rehabilitation, sometimes that means taking down the entire dorm and building it back - such as at Paramakatoi (in Region Eight),”theMinisterstated. In executing these types of works, she said they have spent $6.4 billion to rebuild
and renovate dorms to the standards developed by a reporttheycommissionedin the Ministry to determine what would be best for children living in the dormitories. “Aprofessional report - done by Deen & Partners - which suggested what the standard should be and we are trying very hard to meet all the major parameters of the requirement and standard setup in those dorms,” she mentioned. The funds were used on projects in Regions: One,Two,Six,Seven,Eight, NineandTen. Some of the projects include the renovation and extension to the North West Students dorm in Region One which cost $362 million, renovation and extension to Santa Rosa (Moruca) dormitory which cost $256,027,650 and the construction of the new
$700M water treatment facility facilit commissioned at Caledonia to serve 14,000 residents
DPI - The new $700 million water treatment facility commissioned at Caledonia, East Bank Demerara,willservecloseto
14,000 residents in communitiesstretchingfrom NewHopetoSoesdyke. The potable water processing facility was commissionedonSundayby PresidentIrfaanAli.
surpasses the project’s original expectation of 6.3 megalitres.
The new facility is equipped with advanced systems that will see the plant treating over seven mega litres of water daily This output drastically
It is designed with two large storage tanks and guarantees a steady water supply during peak hours. Moreover, an integrated power generator is attached
to ensure uninterrupted service is provided during poweroutages.
As one of the first seven large water treatment plants to be commissioned, the Caledonia water plant is a pivotal step by the government to provide access to clean water for Guyanese.
“When we came back into office in 2020, we came with a very clear vision, and thatishowwecanreducethe cost of water to the homes, how we can improve the quality, and how we can expand production, ”
President Ali stated during hiskeynoteaddress.
H e s t a t e d h i s administration achieved somethingremarkableonthe global stage by lowering the costofwater
“Not only did we remove taxes, but we reduced water tariff by five per cent. That wouldhavesavedconsumers more than $260 million annually and that was in keepingwiththeinitiativesto cushion the impact of the pandemic,” the Guyanese leadersaid.
The government has invested over $65 billion in thewatersectoroverthepast fouryears.
In 2024 alone, the government’s investment in the water sector was twice
the total money spent between 2015 and 2020 when the APNU+AFC reigned.
Atotalof$23billionwas allocatedforwaterin2024.
According to President Ali, 98.3 per cent of Guyanese are now enjoying access to potable water as a resultoftheseexpenditures.
More efforts are being undertaken to ensure this figure extends to 100 per cent to create a Guyana where residents can drink directlyfromtheirtaps.
Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal said
“This is only the beginning. We are building a Guyana whereeveryhomehasaccess to clean water Where every family can thrive and where every community can flourish.”
M e a n w h i l e , t h e Caledonia Water Treatment Plant is already making tremendous headway as it exceeds the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, achieving an iron level of 0.01 per litre, well below the WHO standard of 0.03.
In addition to providing clean water to residents, the facilityissettocontributeto the overall enhancement of the region by boosting agriculturalproductivityand supportingfirefighting.
Water treatment plant at Caledonia (DPI)
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali drinking potable water from the plant (DPI)
The construction of a brand new Campbellville Health Centre in Georgetown willbedoneatacostof$831million.
Thisisaccordingtoinformationprovided by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) which revealed on its website that following the competitive bidding process BM Property Investments Inc. secured the contract to the tuneof$831,811,890.
BMPropertyInvestmentswasamong14 contractors who applied for the Georgetown PublicHospitalCorporation(GPHC)project inOctoberlastyear Kaieteur News reported that the decision to have a new building constructed is to properly improve the infrastructure of the health centre so as to introduce more services for patients, thus takingoffsomeoftheloadfromtheGPHC.
Speakingwiththisnewspaperpreviously, GPHC’sChiefExecutiveOfficer(CEO),Mr Robbie Rambarran said that the current CampbellvilleHealthCentrebuildingisvery old and has several defects. “It is a very old
building and what has happened over the years,isthatpieceswereaddedonandsoit’s veryold,it’sleaking,whenitrains,itfloods, thereisnoproperlogicalflowforpatientcare becausetherewerepiecesofthingsthatwere built all around so there is no proper logical flow for patient care and the processing of patients,”heexplained.
Hesaidtoothatthecurrentfacilityisvery smallandcannotmeetthecurrentdemandof the number of patients who go there. The Campbellville Health Centre on a monthly basis sees patients from Campbellville, PrashadNagar,Sophiaandevenpersonsfrom Kitty Rambarran disclosed that GPHC intends tointroduceadditionalservicesattheHealth Centreincludingbutnotlimitedtox-rays.He said the new building will be equipped with an asthmatic bay “This health centre will have something that the majority of health centres don’t have, and that is an asthmatic bay,alotofpeoplewithasthmaratherthan
Continued on page 16
The current Campbellville Health Centre
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49 Venezuelans jailed for murders and robberies in 2024
Forty-nine Venezuelan nationals are currently incarcerated in Guyana for various crimes, including murders and robberies, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, has
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revealed. Speaking at his Ministry’s year-in-review press conference on Monday, Benn acknowledged the challenges posed by Venezuelan migrants, stating, “We have indeed a challenging issue in relation to Venezuelan migrants and those who may be forced into certain activities.
We had a couple of incarcerations and exploitations, 49 Venezuelan nationals in the prison.”
Minister Benn explained that the majority of crimes committed by the incarcerated Venezuelans in 2024 involved domestic violence, disorderly conduct, murders, and robberies.
In 2023, Minister Benn said that Venezuelan men were the fastest-growing group of foreigners within Guyana’s prison system.
He pointed out that alongside the ongoing border controversy, the country faces additional challenges in managing the influx of migrants from Venezuela and other countries.
At that time, Guyana had recorded over 21,000 Venezu-
elan migrants. Minister Benn expressed concern about the rising number of Venezuelan men in the prison system, suggesting a possible connection to the increasing number of Venezuelan migrants entering the country.
Meanwhile, Minister Benn said that as of 2024 the total number of incarcerated persons stood at 2,032 in Guyana. This figure represents a 4% decrease when compared to 2023. Of those, 157 were repeat offenders, and 69 were women. The minister also pointed out that young people are facing challenges, with about 17 juveniles currently held at the juvenile detention centre. “They weren’t born to be murderers and thieves,” Benn remarked, acknowledging the need for reforms to address youth crime.
To curb these challenges in the prison system, Minister Benn emphasized that the government has been investing heavily in the system and will be focusing on rehabilitating prisoners so that upon their release, they can reintegrate into society and contribute positively, rather than re-
offend.
“We want to reduce recidivism in the system… by ensuring that upon leaving the prison, individuals are skilled, trained vocationally, and have the ability to engage in lawful economic activities to support themselves and their families,” he stated.
He further elaborated on the rehabilitation efforts, saying, “The intention is that if you work in a particular activity related to your rehabilitation, you will be paid.
Additionally, if you are upskilled vocationally, upon leaving prison, you will be provided with the full kit to start working—either independently or with partners— in lawful activities.”
The Minister pointed to improvements to the prison system aimed at enhancing security and rehabilitative opportunities and referenced the ongoing rehabilitation of the Prison Headquarters at Lusignan, the upcoming completion of Phase Two of the Mazaruni Prison, and the expected completion of the New Amsterdam Prison in 2025.
$831M contract awarded for new Campbellville...
From page 15 they come to the Georgetown Public Hospital and have to wait for some time to get treated, people with asthma will go there,” the CEO related. Questioned on the location for the new facility, Mr. Rambarran stated that it will be at the same location and also cover the area where the post office is situated. “So next door, there is a post office so the plan is to build one big two-storey building; we will incorporate the post office in the building as well and therefore, we will get additional space,” he mentioned noting that the post office
and health centre will operate separately.
Notably, the CEO revealed that the operation of the Kitty Health Centre will merge with the Campbellville centre in that big building. He mentioned that they have done surveys and observations for this transition over a two-year period and they found that the Kitty Health Centre can be accommodated at the Campbellville Health Centre since it is in the same catchment area.
According to the CEO, when the construction begins, the current operations at Campbellville Health Cen-
tre will relocate to a temporary building. The hospital had gone out to tender for that location.
As it relates to that contract, NPTAB also released on its website that on December 12, 2024 the contract for the ‘Rental of Building space for the relocation of the Campbellville Health Centre’ was awarded to Ramchand Auto Spares to the tune of $57,600,000.
This publication understands that construction on the new health centre is set to commence next month and the project has a duration of 12 months.
FOR RENT
VACANCY
Some Venezuelans being remanded to prison in September 2024.
Benn shields Hicken from accounting for his stewardship
- talks up ‘achievements’of scandal-tarred police force
Home Affairs
M i n i s t e r , Robeson Benn, at a press-conference on M o n d a y s h i e l d e d Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, amid questions about the police multi-million-dollar fraud scandalthathappenedunder hiswatch.
In response to a question directedatHickenaboutwhy he chose to remain ‘top cop’ when a huge, multi-milliondollar fraud was alleged to have occurred under his watch,Bennchosetorespond “The question may be posed to me as to why I opted to remain,”Bennsaid.
Hicken was one of the heads of law-enforcement agencies sitting at the head tableoftheMinistryofHome Affairs’ end-of-year pressconference,whichwasheldat theArthurChungConference Centre, Liliendaal, Georgetown.
JournalistDennisChabrol attempted to grill the recently appointed top cop about the fraudscandal,whichallegedly
involves embattled Assistant Commissioner of Police, Calvin Brutus However, Benndidnotallowit
“Minister, through you, can the Commissioner of Policepleasesaywhyisithe opted to be retained given the fact of this huge multimillion fraud in the police force under his watch?”
Chabrol asked, before asking if other police ranks
Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken sat at the head table but was not permitted to answer any question directed to him.
were implicated in the ongoinginvestigation.
As Benn was about to answer,thejournalistfollowed up asking, “Could the Police Commissioner please answer Minister?Isitpossible?”
“No, no, no sir,” Benn responded while his Permanent Secretary, Andre Ally chipped in: “This is the Ministers’pressconference” Bennrespondedfirsttothe
Exxon,otheroilfirmslosebid blockclimate
Frompage8 “blueprint for chaos” that threaten the country’s energy security. The oil companies say that cases likethese,whichhavebeen filed in state courts, should be thrown out entirely, arguingthatfederallaw,not statelaw,governstheissues in question. They accuse local officials of trying to hijack policy-making and regulate global emissions bycourtorder
The companies that filed the Supreme Court petition included Sunoco, Exxon Mobil, Chevron and others. Shell filed its own petition,asking thecourtto weigh in on similar questions Both were denied on Monday in an order issued by the justices who, by custom, typically don’texplainwhytheyhave declinedtohearacase.
The order noted that Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr did not take part in considering the matter, w i t h o u t o f f e r i n g explanation. According to his latest financial disclosure form, Justice Alitoholdsstockinsomeof thecompaniesnamedinthe Honolulu suit. Honolulu’s case began in 2020, when thecityandcountyfiledsuit in state court against the
changelawsuits...
companies, alleging that their actions had caused “a substantial portion” of the effectsofclimatechangeon the city, including more frequent and more disastrous storms and droughts.
Efforts to move the Honolulu case to federal court — seen as a more favourablevenueforenergy companies — failed, and the Hawaii Supreme Court agreed that the case could proceedtotrial.Theenergy companies had asked the U S Supreme Court to overturn the Hawaii Supreme Court’s decision. Ofthecasespendinginstate courts, ones brought by Massachusetts and Rhode Island are likely closest to trial Ben Sullivan, executive director of Honolulu’s Office of C l i m a t e C h a n g e , Sustainability and Resiliency, applauded Monday’s Supreme Court order “This landmark decision upholds our right to enforce Hawaii laws in Hawaiicourts,ensuringthe protection of Hawaii taxpayers and communities fromtheimmensecostsand consequencesoftheclimate crisis caused by the defendants’ misconduct,” hesaid.
Monday’s order doesn’t meanthejusticeswon’ttake up the questions raised by the cases in the future. If they were to do so, environmentalists do not expect a favourable ruling from a conservative supermajority court In June, the court had asked the Biden administration’s solicitor-general, Elizabeth B.Prelogar,forherviewon the Honolulu case, a sign they were considering hearing it. In a December brief, she wrote that the SupremeCourtshouldhold off as the case plays out in the lower courts. But a Trump-appointed solicitor general could take a differenttack.
The energy industry is pushing hard for a way to quash all of the cases at once Another looming SupremeCourtchallengeto theclimate-deceptioncases was brought by Alabama and 18 other states, asking theSupremeCourttoblock lawsuits by California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey and Rhode Island Steve Marshall, attorney general of Alabama, argued that the cases would impose “ruinous liability and coercive remedies on energycompanies.”
second question on the progressoftheongoingfraud investigation and had to be reminded to answer the first question posed about Hicken choosing to remain police chiefdespitethefraudcharges
Bennbeganbytellingthe journalist that the question shouldhavebeenposedtohim and not Hicken before explaining for nine minutes why he opted to remain Minister with purview over the Police for and other lawenforcementagencies
“Ibelieve,andasIsaidthe lasttime,unlessIamtoldthatI amnolongerwanted,Ibelieve that I can still contribute to
securing our country, increasing peace in our country,”Bennsaid
“The statistics that we have shown over the years haveshownthatwehavebeen very successful There have beenafewhurdlesandbumps alongtheroad,”Bennadded He argued that in very large organisations like thoseinhisportfolio“things happen”.
“There are challenges along the way, issues you have to deal with the planning and awareness in relation to your strategic plansandresortstoimprove services…”
The Minister continued that another mantra of his Ministryandagencies,is“to follow issues of continuous improvement”.
Bennsaidthatdespitethe challenges, the statistical improvement under his leadership is moving in the rightdirection.
Following the recent fraudscandalthatleftBrutus facing over 200 criminal charges, there have been speculations that other top ranking police officials mightbeinvolvedtoo.
HoweveronlyBrutushis wife, his driver, two businessmen and a woman police sergeant have been charged for financial crimes in the matter Benn, while givinganupdateonMonday said, “The chips will fall wherever they may as the investigation goes along the way.”
Brutus is out on bail totalling $17.25 million for some252charges.
Initial reports before he waschargedrevealedthathe had eight bank accounts belongingtohimselfandhis wife Adonika Aulder amounting to $500 million. He also had assets worth $300 million The bank accounts have since been frozen.
Cop, accomplice charged for abducting man at Giftland
Two months after the abduction of Kevin Fiedtkou, an Operations Supervisor at Aurora Gold Mining Inc., Police Lance Corporal Delon Younge and Okeemo Brummell, a suspect involved in the crime, were remanded to prison on Monday after appearingattheGeorgetown Magistrates’Court.
The abduction occurred attheGiftlandMallcarpark in Liliendaal. Younge and Brummell were arrested on January 8, 2025. They were chargedwithAbductionwith Intent to Hold for Ransom, contrary to Section 9 of the Kidnapping Act, Chapter 10:05.OnMonday,bothmen appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore, whoreadthechargetothem. They were not required to plead,andwereremandedto prison The case was adjourned to January 15, 2025, and referred to Court #1 for reassignment by the ChiefMagistrate.
Younge, a traffic police officer, had previously been charged with Conspiracy to Commit a Felony when he
appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court last Tuesday He pleaded not guiltyandwasgrantedbailin theamountof$40,000.
Meanwhile, Brummell, whohadbeenasuspectinthe abduction,wasthesubjectofa Wanted bulletin issued in October 2024, following the abduction Brummellhadbeen on the run for about three monthsbeforehisarrestafew days ago In addition to Younge’s charge, police indicatedthatanotherofficer would be charged under the Police Disciplinary Act for the unauthorised use of a police vehicle during the abduction.
The abduction occurred when Fiedtkou, 31, was approached by three men two armed with firearms who falsely identified themselves as police officers The men forced him to accompany them to his home in Providence, East Bank Demerara, where they demanded money for his release Fiedtkou was coerced into handing over $9.5 million. The following day, the suspects returned in a police vehicle and demandedadditionalmoney Fiedtkou reportedly gave them $40,000 to make them leave.
Remanded: Okeemo Brummell
Remanded Police Lance Corporal Delon Younge
Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn at Monday’s press conference
Final draft of Gaza truce deal presented to sides after ‘breakthrough’, official says
DOHA/CAIRO, Jan 13
(Reuters) - Mediators gave Israel and Hamas a final draftofadealonMondayto end the war in Gaza, an official briefed on the negotiations said, after a midnight “breakthrough” in talks attended by envoys of both U S President Joe BidenandDonaldTrump.
U.S. officials said a deal was closer than it had ever been. In a statement on Monday Hamas said it was keenonreachingaceasefire dealinGaza.
Anofficialbriefedonthe talks,whodidnotwanttobe otherwiseidentified,saidthe text for a ceasefire and release of hostages was presented by Qatar to both sidesattalksinDoha,which included the chiefs of Israel’sMossadandShinBet spy agencies and Qatar’s primeminister
The official said another roundoftalkswasplannedin DohaonTuesdaymorningto finalise remaining details, with incoming U S President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Biden’s envoy Brett McGurk expected to attend, as they had on Monday
An Israeli official said negotiations were in advanced stages for the release of up to 33 hostages aspartofthedeal.
Biden’snationalsecurity adviser, Jake Sullivan, told reporters the negotiations were at a “pivotal” point, withgapsbetweentwosides slowly getting removed. “I
Smoke billows following an air strike, as buildings lie in ruin in Beit Hanoun, in the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as seen from southern Israel, January 12, 2025. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File Photo
think there is a good chance we can close this the parties are right on the cusp of being able to close this deal,”hesaid.
U.S. Secretary of State
Antony Blinken told MSNBC the sides were “closer than we’ve ever been” to a deal, and the ball wasinHamas’court.
“We are very hopeful that we get it over the finish line, finally after all this time,” he said, adding that theproposeddealwasbased on a framework Biden put out in May Blinken said negotiators wanted to make sure Trump would continue to back the deal on the table so Witkoff’s participation hasbeen“critical.”
Qatar’s ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, received a Hamas delegation headed by senior official Khalil al-Hayya to discuss the ceasefire talks, theemir’sofficesaid.
Israel’sKanradio,citing an Israeli official, reported on Monday that Israeli and
Hamas delegations in Qatar had both received a draft, and that the Israeli delegation had briefed Israel’s leaders Israel, Hamas and the foreign ministry of Qatar did not respond to requests for confirmationorcomment.
Officials on both sides, while stopping short of confirming that a final draft had been reached, reported progress.
“The negotiation over some core issues made progressandweareworking to conclude what remains soon,” a Hamas official told Reuters, asking not to be identified due to the sensitivityofthematter
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters the negotiations were being coordinated between Biden’s and Trump’s teams and added: “There is progress, it looks much betterthanpreviously Iwant to thank our American friends for the huge efforts theyareinvestingtosecurea
hostagedeal.”
TheUnitedStates,Qatar and Egypt have worked for more than a year on talks to endthewarinGaza.
In Cairo, an Egyptian securityofficialtoldReuters the draft sent to the two warring sides did not comprisethefinalagreement but “aims to resolve outstanding issues that had hindered previous negotiations”. Sullivan said Biden would soon speak with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi about thenegotiations.
HELLTOPAY
Israel’s Channel 12 said Israeli government institutions had been told to prepare for the intake of weakandsickhostages.
The warring sides have agreed for months broadly on the principle of halting the fighting in return for the release of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian detaineesheldbyIsrael.But Hamashasalwaysinsisteda deal must lead to a
permanent end to the war and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza,whileIsraelhassaidit will not end the war until Hamasisdismantled.
Trump’s Jan 20 inauguration is now widely seen as a de facto deadline.
The president-elect has said therewouldbe“helltopay” unless hostages held by Hamas are freed before he takesoffice,whileBidenhas also pushed hard for a deal beforeheleaves.Theofficial who first disclosed the draft saidtalkswentuntiltheearly hours of Monday, with Witkoff pushing the Israeli delegation in the Qatari capital Doha and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh M o h a m m e d b i n Abdulrahman Al Thani pushing Hamas officials to finaliseanagreement.
The head of Egypt’s general intelligence agency Hassan Mahmoud Rashad was also in Doha as part of the talks. Rashad left Doha on Monday but a source familiar with the talks said an intelligence delegation stayed behind to play an activerole.
Trump envoy Witkoff has travelled to Qatar and Israelseveraltimessincelate November He was in Doha on Friday and travelled to IsraeltomeetPrimeMinister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturdaybeforereturningto Doha.
Biden also spoke on Sunday by phone with Netanyahu, stressing “the immediate need for a ceasefire in Gaza and return
of the hostages with a surge in humanitarian aid enabled byastoppageinthefighting under the deal,” the White Housesaid.
Israel launched its assault in Gaza after Hamas fighters stormed across its borders in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israelitallies.
Since then, more than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials, with much of the enclave laid to waste and most of its populationdisplaced.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and his Religious Zionism party, a hardline nationalist party whichhasopposedprevious attemptsatadeal,saidallits members would oppose a deal that didn’t achieve Hamas’ “destruction” and the latest proposal endangered Israel’s national security
Bloodshed continued in Gaza on Monday Residents reported a series of explosions in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip that targeted homes and roads. Palestinian health officials said at least 40 Palestinians werekilledanddozenswere wounded in Israeli military strikes in the Gaza Strip on Monday
The Israeli military said five soldiers had been killed infightinginnorthernGaza, bringing to nine the number of its troops killed since Saturday
institution certified to conduct
…morehospitalsto becertifiedin2025
The Georgetown Public
Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is the lone medical institution in Guyana certified to conduct organ transplants, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, disclosedrecently
The Minister was at the time briefing reporters at his Ministry’s end-of-year press conference He said the MinistryofHealthisworking with international agencies to certify a number of local
hospitals to perform transplantation surgeries This, the Minister, said shouldoccurduring2025.
“There are others in the private sector that have indicatedthattheywouldlike to be certified, and they have been told the requirements
So, they are going through that process of meeting those requirements to be certified,”hedisclosed.
TheHealthMinisternoted that the government has introduced legislation in keepingwithitseffortstooffer transplantservicetocitizens
“In terms of legislation, we passed a law in 2022 which provides for transplant of organs, tissues and there is a section there thattalksabouttransfusion,”
DrAnthonysaid. He continued: “So, that piece of legislation, it has broadly three broad areas. One, it provides for transplantoforgans,tissues, and there’s a section there that also talks about transfusion…And the third
legislation talks about regenerative medicine, meaning to use things like stemcells.Sothatiscovered in the legislation, and we have been working to bring thatlegislationtolife.”
AccordingtoDrAnthony, the Health Ministry has been working with the Donation andTransplantInstitute(DTI) as well as the Pan American HealthOrganization(PAHO) Hesaidthattheagencieshave been working with the hospitalslocallytobeableto do live transplant donor for kidneys as well as deceased donortransplant.
“We have a transplant agency that has been set up and that agency has worked with several partners both
locally and internationally to putanumberofregulationsin place so that we can monitor andhavethingsinplacetoan international standard,” the ministerofhealthsaid.
Last March, the GPHC was the first institution to be officiallycertifiedasaKidney Transplant Centre The certificationwasconferredby the Ministry of Health in collaborationwiththeHuman Organ and Tissue Transplant Agency(HOATTA)
Back then, the Health Ministerhademphasizedthe significanceofobtainingthe certification in ensuring Guyana’s compliance with internationalstandards.
“What we have done here… and that extensive process is verifying that we
international benchmarks thatexistinotherpartsofthe world so we are happy to have engaged in this process,” Dr Anthony noted. The establishment of the HOATTA was made possible through the enactment of the Human OrganandTissueTransplant Act 2022. Following this legislative landmark, the agency’s members were officially gazetted in February 2023, with their appointments taking effect inAprilofthesameyear
Dr Anthony commended the team at the GPHC for its diligent efforts, which have propelledtheadvancementof transplant practices in G u y a n a H e a l s o
collaboration with PAHO, highlighting its instrumental role in implementing various measures
“As we go forward, moving from living donors to cadaveric transplants, I think the public can rest assuredthatweareadhering to all the best international practices, and I want to commendtheagencyforthe work that they’ve done so far By this action, you’re setting a bar for all the hospitals in our country so that whatever process we have gone through here today, when other institutions would like to be certified the same high standards would apply,” Dr Anthonysaid.
West Indies U-19 Women defeat Nepal by nine runs in first ICC U-19 Women’s
Cup warm-up match
Sir Clive Lloyd to lead operations...
Frompage27
a
SportsMax - The West Indies Under-19 Women securedatensenine-runwin over Nepal Under-19 WomenintheiropeningICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup Warm-up game at the Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar Ground in Malaysia on Monday
Captain Samara Ramnathledthewaywith25 while Asabi Callender and Jahzara Claxton made 23 and 22*, respectively, with Abigail Bryce also contributing19*off11balls.
Rachana Chaudhary and
The young West Indians posted 109-4 from their 20 overs after winning the toss andchoosingtobat.
Seemana KC split two wickets for Nepal while the othertwowicketsfellviathe run-outroute.
Trisha Hardat, Aaliyah Weekes and Amiah Gilbert then combined for six wickets between them to help the West Indies bowl out Nepal for 100 with five ballsleftintheinnings.
SeemanaKChit23while captain Puja Mahato and Kiran Kunwar made 18, each.
West Indies Under-19 Women 109-4 in 20 overs (Samara Ramnath 25,Asabi Callender 23, Jahzara Claxton 22*, Abigail Bryce 19*)
Tuesday January 14, 2025
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Some unexpected but very welcomevisitorscouldarrive today, Aries They might bring some people you don't knowbutshouldconnectwith rightaway Expectinteresting n e w s , f a s c i n a t i n g information,.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Taurus, who's that intriguing new person in your neighborhood? What is it about this new neighbor that makesitimpossibleforyouto stop wondering about them? Quitobsessing.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
An unexpected letter could arrive today, Gemini, with a check enclosed, perhaps a gift, bonus, or offer to make more money.This might be a welcomebreak.
CANCER(June21–July22)
If you're in the arts or sciences, Cancer, sudden inspirationcouldcauseyouto startorcontinueaprojectthat meansalottoyou.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Meditation, dreams, or visions could bring amazing insights your way, Leo. You mightfindthemtoobizarreto believe, at least at first, but follow-up research could reveal that what you've come upwithisquitecredible.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
You're an adventurous soul, Virgo.Areyouthinkingabout a little mischief today? Are yougoingtoproposethatyou and a friend or perhaps your partner skip town for a day andforgetaboutwork,
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
A n u n e x p e c t e d communication may come today from someone connected with your career, Libra.Thisisgoodnews,butit maybesooffthewallthatyou couldwalkaroundinadazefor awhiletryingtomakesenseof itall.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
Anunexpectedchancetoflyto a faraway place, perhaps at someoneelse'sexpense,could cometoyoutoday,Scorpio.A group might be involved, perhaps one connected with education.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
Some bizarre and rather silly dreams might come to you tonight,Sagittarius.Theymay bethesortthatissocrazythat youactuallywakeuplaughing. Don't dismiss them. Silly or not,thesedreamsaretryingto tellyousomething.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Ifyou'resingle,youcouldfeel a very powerful attraction to someone unusual and perhaps alittlewacky Ifyou'realready inarelationship.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Have you been looking for anewjob,Aquarius?Ifso,you might hear of an opportunity from an unexpected source, perhapsatasocialgathering,if possible.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
If you're single, Pisces, love may come to you completely out of the blue today The person could be standing behind you in line at the store or sitting nearby you in the park.
nation “We believe it’s important to have a Cricket Academy here in Guyana because cricket is our leading sport. While sports in general have seen a decline in recent years, c
d considerable success At present, we have more Guyanese players on the West Indies team than at almost any other time in history,” Minister Ramson said.
Nepal Under-19 Women 100 all out in 19.1 overs (Seemana KC 23, Puja Mahato 18, Kiran Kunwar 18, Trisha Hardat 2-9, Aaliyah Weekes 2-16, AmiahGilbert2-18).
He also lauded the individual accomplishments ofseveralGuyaneseplayers. Among them, Shamar Joseph’sstellarperformance in a Test match victory in A
Minister Ramson further defended the government’s significant investment in sports,particularlycricket He emphasized the necessity of nurturing young talent to reverse the decline of West Indies cricket “These investments are absolutely necessary for our players and thesport Anationalacademy willprovidetheinfrastructure andsupportneededtodevelop the next generation of cricketingstars,”hestated
The academy promises to be a major step forward for cricket in Guyana, solidifying the nation’s position as a powerhouse in regionalcricket.
r, Gudakesh Motie’s rise to 11thintheICCODIbowling rankings and 9th in T20Is, and Sherfane Rutherford’s nomination for ODI CricketeroftheYearwereall highlighted as testaments to the nation’s cricketing talent.
Pele FC, Potaro Strikers, Mahaica Determinators
advance to semis -GFFEliteLeagueSeason7Playoffscontinue
Th e G u y a n a
F o o t b a l l
Federation (GFF) kickedoffthe2025Season7 Elite League Qualification Playoffsinhighgearoverthe weekend at the Rosignol Community Centre and Uitvlugt Community Centre grounds.
Pele Football Club (FC), Potaro Strikers, and MahaicaDeterminatorsFC emerged victorious in the opening matches, setting the stage for an intense competition
The action kicked off on Saturday with Mahaica Determinators FC cruising to a decisive 4-1 win over
Paradise Invaders FC, securing their place in the semi-finals
The Determinators showcased a commanding performance led by standout players Nicholas Daw, Travon Adams, and Julius Hamilton, leaving Paradise Invaders without achancetoprogress Adams was instrumental in the East Coast team’s success,nettingtwogoalsin quick succession during the firsthalf;hisfirstinthe42nd minute and the second just twominuteslaterinthe44th.
Despiteaspiritedeffortfrom the Invaders, including a 53rd-minute goal by Eric
Kevin Reddy and Daniel Gardener see Potaro Strikers to 2-1 victory over Uitvlugt on Sunday.
Frompage23 coaching framework and leaving a lasting legacy for youth football development in our country Our local coaching staff has done an incredible job over the past three months preparing the team, and we are confident that this collaboration will bring immense value. The knowledge transfer and relationships formed during thispartnershipwillcreatea ripple effect, benefiting our footballprogramforyearsto come.”
He added, “On behalf of the Guyana Football Federation, I extend our heartfelt thanks for the st
v
cultivated with Racing Madrid. Your unwavering
Calendar, the Determinators maintained control Late goals from Hamilton in the 88th minute and Daw in the 9 0 t h s e a l e d t h e comprehensivevictory
Sunday featured two tightly contested matches, beginning with Pele FC edging past Agricola Red
Triangle 1-0 Akon DeSantos delivered the game’s only goal of the match in the 35th minute, whilePele’sresolutedefense heldfirmtosecuretheirspot inthenextround.
In the day’s second match, Potaro Strikers overcame home team Uitvlugt Warriors in a thrilling 2-1 encounter Kevin Reddy broke the deadlockinthe62ndminute, and Daniel Gardener extendedtheStrikers’leadin the84th.
While the Warriors managed a late goal, their efforts fell short as they exitedthecompetition
Semi-Finals promise High-Stakes act
ow, Wednesday, January 15, 2025, with the semi-finals promising more intense matchups.
Pele FC will clash with Mahaica Determinators, while Lake Mainstay FC takesonPotaroStrikers
Fans can expect electrifyingperformancesas the teams vie for a coveted spot in the finals of the GFF Season7EliteLeague.
Minor roles for Charles, Paul in Sharjah Warriors thrilling win over Hetmyer s Gulf Giants
SportsMax-WestIndiesplayersJohnson Charles and Keemo Paul played minor but impactfulrolesinSharjahWarriors’dramatic three-wicketvictoryoverShimronHetmyer’s Gulf Giants in a pulsating DP World ILT20 encounter at the Dubai International Cricket StadiumonSunday
TheWarriorssuccessfullychaseddowna challenging target of 175, riding on a masterful unbeaten 83 off 56 balls from Englishman Tom Kohler-Cadmore and a crucial 45 off 33 balls from Rohan Mustafa. The pair’s 105-run third-wicket partnership provided the backbone of the innings, after the team found themselves wobbling at 14-2 earlyinthechase.
support and dedication have been instrumental, and we d e e p l y v a l u e t h e collaborative relationship that has grown since our partnership began in October2023.
Weparticularlyappreciate RacingMadrid’scommitment toassigningaHeadCoachand Strength and Conditioning CoachtobolsterourU17Boys FIFAWorldCupqualification
campaign Racing Madrid’s decision to cover their salaries, while the GFF managestheirtravelandlocal costs,exemplifiesthestrength of our partnership and our shared vision for football development” Meanwhile the GFF’s Technical Director, Bryan Joseph noted, “We look forward to welcoming
Coach Marco Bonofiglio, Mr Ahjton Roberts and Dr SteveGennaroasweembark on the final phase of preparation. Their expertise will significantly enhance our team’s chances of advancing and leave a lasting impact on youth footballinGuyana.”
With the expertise of Bonofiglio, Roberts, and Gennaro, the Junior Jaguars are well-positioned to excel in the upcoming FIFA qualifiers, while also laying thegroundworkforthelongterm development of local footballtalent.
The GFF looks forward
t o c o n t i n u i n g i t s collaboration with Racing Madrid to further enhance football development initiativesacrossGuyana.
Charles showed early intent, as he slammedtwosixesinaquickfirefour-ball12 beforehewasthefirstwickettofallwiththe scoreat13-1.
Paullateradded11offsixballs,including afourandasix,duringatensemiddlephase of the chase. Despite their brief stays at the crease,theircontributionsaddedtotheteam’s momentuminatightlycontestedmatch.
Kohler-Cadmore’s innings, which was a clinic in composure and precision, featured sixboundariesandfourtoweringsixes.Even aswicketstumbledaroundhim—fourfalling for just 29 runs after Mustafa’s dismissal—Kohler-Cadmore anchored the chase and ensured the Warriors crossed the lineoffthefinalballoftheinnings.
Mustafa’s contribution, which included threefoursandtwosixes,wasequallyvitalin steadyingtheinningsaftertheearlylossesof Charles and Jason Roy, who departed for a duck.
Mark Adair (2-23) and Blessing Muzarabani(2-27)deliveredexcellentspells for the Giants that kept the Warriors under pressure.
Earlier, Shimron Hetmyer played a brisk
knock for the Gulf Giants, scoring 36 off 23 balls with five fours and a six. Hetmyer, batting at number five, added stability to the innings after the early dismissals of openers JamesVince(3)andAdamLyth(11).
Rehan Ahmed top-scored for the Giants withablistering46off27ballsinaknockthat had five boundaries and two sixes, while JordanCoxchippedinwithasteady38off32 balls.Adairaddedalateflourish,smashing20 off10balls,includingtwosixesandafour,to take the Giants to a competitive total, which provedinadequateattheend.
TimSoutheewasthestandoutbowlerfor theWarriors,claiming3-30,whilePaulwent wicketless in his two overs, conceding 22 runs.
With this victory, the Sharjah Warriors climbed to second place in the standings, behindtheDesertVipers.
Johnson Charles of the Sharjah Warriors
Mahaica Determinators FC goal scorers (L-R) Nicholas Daw, Travon Adams, and Julius Hamilton
Chatargum, Persaud headline Senior National Indoor Barebow Archery Championships
Ace archers Mahendra Chatargum and Juanita Persaud copped the Gold Medals in the Men/Women categoriesofthe2024Senior 2-Day National Indoor
B a r e b o w A r c h e r y Championships which ended on Sunday at the National Gymnasium, MandelaAvenue.
Chatargum copped the Gold Medal in the Men’s Barebow category while GregoryMckoygrabbedthe secondspotwithNolanGrey comingin3rd,afterahighlycompetitiveshootout.
After sharpshooting his way to the final round bracket, Chatargum (6 total set points) shot 16, 22, 25,
Group Photo of 2024 Senior Barebow Open Participants and officials.
and 27 from his respective four sets to beat Mckoy (2 totalsetpoints)whowonone set after shooting 15, 25, 21 and17.
Persaud dominated the Women’slegoftheBarebow championships to capture
Gold.Secondandthirdplace respectively,wenttoRoshini Boodhoo and Melesa Ramnarine.
The eventual champ Persaud, surged through the competitive field of archers onherwaytothefinalround,
against another good sniper inBoodhoo.
A confident Persaud (6 total set points) eased her waytotheGoldMedalafter setsof24,20,24and26with Boodhoo (2 total set points) shooting23,27,8and22;for hersilvermedal. With a few other events slated on the 2025 calendar, Archery Guyana will be preparing to host the NationalIndoorYouthOpen on February 8 and 9 at the NationalGymnasium.
Djokovic joins Alcaraz, Sinner in Melbourne round two but Kyrgios out
AFP - Novak Djokovic survivedascareinhisquest for tennis history before joining Carlos Alcaraz and defending champion Jannik Sinner in the second round of the Australian Open on Monday
ButhomefavouriteNick Kyrgios will not join them
as the combustible Australianfailedtoclearthe firsthurdle,swearingandin pain.
In the women’s draw, IgaSwiatekandCocoGauff powered through with minimum fuss as they seek to dethrone two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
Onablockbustersecond dayinMelbourne,Djokovic lost the first set to 107thranked American Nishesh Basavareddy in the primetime evening match on Rod
Laver Arena But the Serbiangreat,hopingtoroll back the years and win an 11th Australian Open and record 25th Grand Slam singles title, recovered to pullthrough4-6,6-3,6-4,62.Djokovicwasanimatedat the end and struggled to raiseasmile.
Italian world number one Sinner was playing under a cloud after twice testingpositivefortracesof asteroidinMarch. He denies wrongdoing and was cleared by tennis authorities, but the World
Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed and is seekingtobanhimforupto twoyears. Sinner was warmly welcomed on Rod Laver Arena before defeating Chile’s Nicolas Jarry 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/5), 6-1. “I was
curious to see how it was. You never know what’s happening,” he said about thereception.
“I was happy about the crowd,” said Sinner, who has not tasted defeat since losing to Alcaraz in the BeijingfinalinOctober
Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam champion but never a winner in Melbourne, had a couple of hairy moments before seeing off the challenge of Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko,6-1,7-5,6-1.
“This is a tournament I really want to win one day, hopefullythisyear,”saidthe 21-year-oldSpaniard.There was disappointment however for home fans as the colourful but temperamental Kyrgios, only recently back from 18 months out with injury, lost
7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) to Britain’sJacobFearnley
Kyrgios spoke to physiosmultipletimesinthe second set after wincing in painwhileservingandfired expletives at his coaching box.
Earlier, the 11th-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas became the first major casualty when Alex Michelsen blastedpasthim7-5,6-3,26, 6-4 The 26-year-old
Greek, who played Djokovicinthe2023finalat Melbourne Park, never looked comfortable against the42nd-rankedAmerican.
“It just sucks in a way that I’ll be hanging around forquiteawhilenowbefore my next tournament comes in,”saidTsitsipas.
Two-time US Open semi-finalistFrancesTiafoe vomited twice on court
before pulling through in fivesetsagainstFrenchman ArthurRinderknech.
-Gauffsendswarning-
The women’s draw provided few upsets on day two. Red-hot world number three Gauff laid down a marker as she swept aside former Melbourne champion and fellow AmericanSofiaKenin.
Gauff is unbeaten this year after leading the US to UnitedCupgloryandeased past the 2020 Australian Open winner 6-3, 6-3 in 80 minutes.
“I knew it was going to be difficult, but you know, I’m happy with how I played,” said Gauff, the 2023USOpenchampion.
Women’s world number twoSwiatekdefeatedCzech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova6-3,6-4together
tournamentupandrunning.
The Pole has won five Grand Slams but her best performance at Melbourne Park is the semi-finals in 2022.
“For sure it wasn’t an easy first round, so I’m happy that I’m through,” saidSwiatek.
Victoria Azarenka, the 2012 and 2013 champion, was a notable early loser as theBelarusianwentdown62, 7-6 (7/2) to Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti.
USOpenfinalistJessica Pegula, the seventh-seeded American,blewawayhome playerMayaJoint6-3,6-0.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka, a two-time Australian Open champion, later faces 67thranked Caroline Garcia in a repeat of last year’s firstround clash that the French playerwon.
Gold Medal archer Mahendra Chatargum accepts his award from Archery Guyana president Vidushi Persaud-Mckinnon.
Pakistan targets West Indies’ vulnerability with spin-heavy squad for Test series
SportsMax-Pakistanhas unveiled a spin-dominant squadfortheupcomingtwomatch home Test series against West Indies, aiming to exploit the visitors’welldocumented struggles againstspinbowling.
With the strategic selection, which includes the recall of experienced spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali, along with Abrar Ahmed, Pakistan just about signals their intent to leverage spinfriendly conditions in Multan.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced thechangestothesquad,as key pacers Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Aamer Jamal, and Mir Hamza have been rested as p a r t o f w o r k l o a d management
“As part of workload management, the pace quartet... has been rested,” the PCB stated in a media release.
The decision to emphasize spin comes in anticipation of pitch conditions expected to heavily favour slower bowlers, which could spell
Senior Guyana
Harpy Eagles batsmen Kemol
Savory and Kevlon Anderson got their engines going following the end of the first 4-Day practice match, which featured a number of other good individualactsasplayersget one final shot to fine-tune themselvesaheadofthefinal match which bowls off tomorrow morning at Providence.
The first game was a test of the players attentiveness and form, coming off weeks of encampment coupled with rigorous training which was conducted by virtue of adecentlycompetedXIvs XIunderlights
With the measuring stick out, selectors should havehadadecentlookover the past few days with regard to assessing the players approach to Day/Night cricket, with a number of individual performers pushing the
trouble for the West Indies, who have historical difficulties against quality spinattacks.
Khan, who played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s series win against England earlier in the season, is expected to be at the forefrontofthehometeam’s
envelopes ahead of final squadselection.
W i c k e t - k e e p e r Savory, a future Guyana captain, led his XI with poise and class, scoring a crucial 89 to get his eyes going with the Eagles playing their first four games at home
His glove-work also looked crisp as he and Akshaya Persaud, who also scored 89, gave their team an eventual 5wicket win versus the Tagenarine Chanderpaul XI
Persaud has been
The West Indies will hope to negate the Pakistani spin threat.
charge, alongside Noman Ali T
Naseem Shah marks a significant shift from the start of Pakistan’s home season, which began with optimism surrounding theirpacedepth
Both players were
plyin
g his trade across the region in 4-Day cricket for other franchises the past few seasons, but could find himself in the Eagles middle-order this season if selected or chooses to play for his country.
Former Guyana Harpy Eagles skipper Anderson, stroked 69 to get his preseasonformgoing.
T h e B e r b i c i a n alongside Savory will be key to Guyana’s batting success this season, as they were during last
considered the spearheads of Pakistan’s pace attack but have struggled with injuries and form, playing sporadically throughout the season, as they managed only five Tests between them across the home season, and neither featured in Pakistan’s
recent all-pace attack in Cape Town against South Africa
Meanwhile, the squad also sees the exclusion of Saim Ayub, who fractured his ankle during the South Africa series, and Abdullah Shafique, whose prolonged slump in form—including
season’s greatness; especially if coupled with the right pieces around them
The Eagles will definitely have a newlook team, at least for the first couple rounds with a number key players on international duty including; captain Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Motie, Kevin Sinclair to name a few
However, the national youth structure has been good over the past few years and as such, players like dynamic all-rounder
three ducks in as many ODIs prompted his omission. Imam-ul-Haq and Muhammad Hurraira have beencalleduptofillthevoid atthetopoftheorder Fast bowler Kashif Ali hasearnedhismaidencallup, while Mohammad Ali makes a return to the squad.Theirinclusionadds depthtothepacedepartment in the absence of senior pacers.
Rohail Nazir has been named as the backup
replacing Haseebullah Khan, who sustained a handinjuryinSouthAfrica.
Both Tests against the West Indies will be played in Multan, with the first starting on January 17 and thesecondonJanuary25 Pakistan squad: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-capt), Abrar Ahmed,BabarAzam,Imamul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, K
K
Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, M
, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wk), Sajid Khan, Salman Agha
Thaddeus Lovell who grabbed five wickets in a brillianteffort
Another prospect, l e f t - a r m s p i n n e r Golcharran Chulai had a good game with three wickets alongside Junior Sinclairwhohadaquartet ofvictims
Former national youth batsman Sachin Singh is also another player looking to make his mark as a senior opti
scoring
gritty 50 during his innings which kept t
Even National youth skipper Johnathan Van Lange, hit 40-odd to help keep the selectors busy as, a number of other players could easily come to the party over the next few days o f 4 - d a y c r i c k e t simulation
With the second and final match bowling off tomorrow, the players will shift formats to the usual day game with action bowling from 10:00h, giving players one more crucial shot at selection worthyperformances
Thaddeus Lovell
Kevlon Anderson
Kemol Savory Golcharran Chulai
Sachin Singh
GFF/Racing Madrid partnership brings new head coach and two technical experts to Junior Jaguars U17 team
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has appointedMarcoBonofiglio asthenewHeadCoachofthe Junior Jaguars U17 Boys Team, a move bolstered by its partnership with Spanish club Racing Madrid Bonofiglio who has over 25 years of experience as a former professional player andcoach,willleadtheteam as they prepare for the FIFA U17 Boys World Cup qualifiersinCostaRicafrom February7to16,2025.
Bonofigl
e coaching resume, including stints as headcoachforProStars FC and Pickering FC in League1Ontario.Hisrecent achievements include mentoring players under Italy’s Serie C system and l e a d i n g t e a m s t o championship victories in multiple tournaments such as the Ontario Provincial Cup. He is known for his tactical expertise and player
development capabilities, making him a strategic choicefortheJuniorJaguars.
The partnership with Racing Ma
technicalexpertstotheteam.
Ahjton Roberts, a Strength and Conditioning Coach, brings over a decade of experience working with elite athletes, including National and Olympic-level competitors.
As the founder of the 180° High Performance
develop
prevention and sportspecific conditioning, offering tailored training programs that integrate performance analytics
Additionally, Dr. Steve Gennaro, an expert in sports science and performance analysis, joins the team Gennaro,whohasaPh.D.in Youth Studies from McGill University,isanexperienced educator and coach with a background in player
Sir Clive Lloyd to lead operations at proposed Cricket Academy
Guyanese and
West Indies cricket legend
SirCliveHubertLloydisset to take on lead role in the establishment and operations of Guyana’s proposed Cricket Academy The 80-year-old icon, celebrated as one of the greatest cricket captains of all time after leading the West Indies to two World Cup victories, will assume the principal role at the country’s premeir Cricket Academy.
This announcement was made during the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport’s year-end press conference, hosted by Minister Charles RamsonJr onSaturday
According to Minister Ramson, the academy will be a state-of-the-art facility located on a 20-acre plot in GoodHopeontheEastCoast of Demerara. While hints
about Sir Clive’s involvementwerefirstmade during a cricket gear distribution event last year, theMinisterconfirmedthata
formal contract with the cricketing legend will be finalized in the coming weeks.
Ramson provided an update on the project: “We have started clearing the area for the Cricket Academy at Good Hope. I am pleased to announce that Sir Clive Lloyd has agreed to take a leading role in the project’s
execution and the operationalization of the academy A contractual
agreement will be finalized within the next week or two,”hestated.
As cricket remains Guyana’s leading sport, the establishment of a national cricket academy is seen as critical for the development of players and the sport as a whole Minister Ramson highlighted the increasing presence of Guyanese players on the West Indies team, noting that there are currently eight active representatives,asignificant (Continuedonpage23)
ment across North America and Europe. He is also a visiting scholar at the University of Bologna, focusingonsoccercoaching research.
Racing Madrid has committed to covering the s a l a
h e s e professionals as part of its M e m o r a n d u m o f Understanding (MoU) with the GFF, signed in October 2023. Under the agreement, the GFF will manage the
travelandlocalcostsforthe technical team during the preparationcampinGuyana and throughout the competitioninCostaRica.
RacingMadridPresident Steve Nijjar expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating: “Racing Madrid 1914 FC is excitedtosupporttheGFFin the spirit of our MOU. We areencouragedbytheefforts we see the GFF making to prepare this team for the FIFA U17 World Cup
qualifier, and we recognize the great potential in the players.Wefeelhonouredto have the opportunity to contribute to the important workofPresidentFordeand his Council. Our ultimate goal is to create a highperformance, exceedingly professional environment thatwillexpandthecapacity ofthelocalcoachingstaffin the best possible way We look forward to expanding our ongoing cooperation with the GFF to other areas offootballdevelopment.”
GFF President Wayne Forde echoed these sentiments, highlighting the significance of the collaboration: “We are delightedtowelcomeCoach Marco Bonofiglio, Mr Ahjton Roberts, and Dr Steve Gennaro to Guyana. Their involvement goes beyond preparing the team for competition; it’s about fosteringgrowthwithinour
(Continuedonpage24)
Former West Indies Captain, Sir Clive Lloyd. (PA)
Ahjton Roberts is the Strength and Conditioning Coach
Marco Bonofiglio is the new GFF U17 Head Coach
Dr. Steve Gennaro
Pakistan targets West Indies’ vulnerability with spin-heavy squad for Test series
The West Indies West Under-19 Women secured a tense nine-run win over Nepal Under-19 Women in their opening ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup Warm-up game.
