Kaieteur News

Berserk man

…blames‘misleading ultrasound’

Lance Corporal, Kevin Thompson, one of the ranks busted with the drugs seen in photograph

VP Jagdeo exposing Cabinet colleagues to public ridicule and embarrassment

…ashecontinuestoduckkeydocumentsongas-to-energyproject

Social commentator and businessman, Glenn Lall, hascalledoutVicePresident Bharrat Jagdeo for refusing to release key documents of the gas-to-energy project, insisting that the magnitude of the undertaking deserves national scrutiny, which the PPP/C administration has beenresisting.

L a s t w e e k , t h e government signed a

US$527 million loan agreement with the United States Export-Import (US EXIM)Bankfortheproject, which will support the constructionofaNaturalGas Liquids(NGL)facilityanda 300-megawatt power plant.

Gaswillbetransportedfrom the offshore Stabroek Block Liza oilfield via a 12-inch pipeline to the project site, where 50 million cubic feet ofgaswillbeconvertedinto power daily According to Jagdeo, the project is expected to cut electricity costsnationwideby50%.

However, since the conceptualisation of the project, the administration has been reluctant to release the agreements despite several requests from citizens and even the opposition Recently, Jagdeo explained that there isafixed4%annualinterest rate on the US$527M loan whichwouldberepaidovera period of 15 years. He said the country will be required to make two annual payments on November 1 and May 1, commencing on May1,2031.

soifyoucalculateitoverthe period, but remember there are moratoriums and all of that,soit’sa4%interestand you can calculate what the repayment would be over a time period. It’s fixed at 4%…principal repayment is 3 0 s e m i - a n n u a l instalments…soit’s15years thereafter, ” the VP explained.

Plunging Guyanaintodebt

“The interest rate is 4%

However, speaking in one of his recent social

commentaries,Lallobserved that the government was plunging the country into freshdebtandwasnotbeing transparent with citizens Speaking directly about Jagdeo,whomanagestheoil and gas sector, Lall said the

formerpresidenthasclaimed theprojectwillcutelectricity bills by half but to this day, he has not provided any prooftobackthisup.

”Sinceheannouncedthis project, the call has been clear: make the documents

CDB working to increase women entrepreneurs’ access to new markets -GlennLall

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB, the Bank) through the SheTrades Caribbean Hub, a joint initiative with the International Trade Centre (ITC), will launchanewpartnershiptostrengthenNorth American market access for the Region’s womenentrepreneurs.

The Bank is deepening its relationship withCaribshopper,ane-commerceplatform designed to connect Caribbean businesses with global consumers, by on-boarding SheTradesHubmembersintheinstitution’s 19BorrowingMemberCountriestoselltheir productsviathedigitalmarketplace.

In a press release, the CDB said the Caribshopper platform, connects regional businessestoconsumersintheUnitedStates of America (USA) and Canada through its logistical hubs in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.Itcurrentlyfeaturescloseto10,000 Caribbean-made products from over 650 brands.TheSheTradesCaribbeanHubisthe CDB’s flagship resource centre for women led businesses to access new markets, mentorship, networking and capacity building. Through this new partnership, Caribbean women entrepreneurs who are membersoftheHubwillenteranestablished andreputedvirtualspacetoconductbusiness and receive logistics and in-market compliancesupport.

AccordingtoActingDirectorofProjects at CDB, L. O’Reilly Lewis, “The Bank continues to explore innovative ways to buildresilienceandgrowtheprivatesector

The SheTrades Caribbean Hub is a major vehicle by which we are advancing the interestofwomenledbusinessesandMicro,

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs).” TheActing Director added that admittancetotheCaribshopperplatformwill undoubtedly increase market access opportunities available to SheTrades Caribbean Hub members. The partnership willalsoassistwiththedeliveryoftheHub’s capacity-building mandate while also increasingtradeandexportsfromCaribbean womenledMSMEstolargermarkets.

Lisa Harding, Acting Head Private Sector Division at CDB, emphasized the importanceoftheinitiative.“We’rebuilding on our existing relationship with Caribshopperandhelpingtoconnectwomen entrepreneurswithinternationalconsumers. Itisapowerfulandempoweringopportunity touseadigitalplatformtofacilitatewomen to reach otherwise untapped markets and to navigate persisting logistical and financial constraints.”

“We are thrilled to work alongside the SheTrades Caribbean Hub to provide women entrepreneurs with the tools they needtosucceedontheglobalstage,”saidMr Kadion Preston, Founder and CEO of Caribshopper “E-commerce offers unprecedented opportunities, and as a company,wearecommittedtoensuringthat Caribbean women are equipped to take full advantageofthedigitaleconomy.”

The partnership will be officially launchedduringavirtualeventonTuesday, February 4, 2025 at 11:00 am AST, along with a call for applications for SheTrades Caribbean Hub members to join Caribshopper Interested businesses can registerfortheeventhere.

public and show the nation the evidence. He has been asked repeatedly by the opposition, the media, and even myself—but instead of releasing that document, he keepsonplayinggamesand

Continued on page 16

Businessman and Social commentator, Glenn Lall

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

Prime Minister, Mark Phillips Government Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat

Kaieteur News

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

Publisher: GLENN LALL-TEL: 624-6456

Editor: NIGELWILLIAMS

Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Natural disasters and wildfires

The current wildfires sweeping through LosAngeles and California in the United States is a stark reminder of the existential threat posed by climate change to citizens' existenceandsurvival.

In recent years, we have witnessed not just earthquakes and hurricanes but floods occurring with greater frequency, devastating lives and countries. Up to yesterday authorities estimated that more than six million people in southern Californiaremainedindangeroflife-threateningwildfiresas weatherofficialsinLosAngelesissuedfreshwarningsabout more extreme winds set to blast the parched region and four blazesstillburnedfiercely

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that as wildfiresincreasearoundtheglobeinfrequency,severityand duration, there is heightened need to understand the health effects of wildfire exposure. The risk of wildfires grows in extremely dry conditions, such as drought, heat waves and during high winds. According to the WHO, wildfire smoke is a mixture of hazardous air pollutants, such PM , NO , 2.5 2 ozone,aromatichydrocarbons,orlead.

Inadditiontocontaminatingtheairwithtoxicpollutants, wildfiresalsosimultaneouslyimpacttheclimatebyreleasing largequantitiesofcarbondioxideandothergreenhousegases intotheatmosphere. Withclimatechangeleadingtowarmer temperatures and drier conditions and the increasing urbanization of rural areas, the fire season is starting earlier and ending later, the WHO said. The health body said wildfire events are getting more extreme in terms of acres burned, duration and intensity, and they can disrupt transportation, communications, water supply, and power andgasservices.

Righthereathome,wearenotstrangerstowildfires.Just last year the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that a total of 91,128 fires were recorded from January to May With May having the lowest count and March having thehighestcountofwildfires,theEPAsaidatotalof5045.45 squaremilesoflandwereburnedoverthefivemonths.

But the wildfire phenomenon alone is not our only concern as we seek to fight climate change- our ramping up of fossil fuel production with little safeguards and the everpresent threat of floods are also major bugbears for us. In the last decade we have repeatedly talked about global warming andclimatechangeparticularlyafterthiscountrysufferedthe worstfloodinitshistorybackin2005. Forthefirsttimethen, Guyanese recognised how fragile this narrow strip of coastland is that accommodates some 70 per cent of the population. Indeed, the floods were concentrated in Regions ThreeandFour,andtosomeextent,RegionFive.

TheeffectswereharshestinRegionFour,andlosseswere widespread; people, crops and livestock died. The international community was forced to rush to our aid. One group duly informed us that had the flood continued, we couldhavefacedasituationwherethepressureofwaterfrom the land would have caused the sea defence to collapse. Needless to say, with the coastal plain being some six feet below sea level, the disaster would have been catastrophic. The capital and the coast would have been lost forever. Salt waterwouldhaveputpaidtotheagriculturallandsandtothe very existence of this country People were forced to vacate their homes, which were often under as much as four or five feetofwaterforthreeweeks. Thepanicisstillthere,evenas we recall the authorities wisely contemplating evacuating large sections of the population to the higher reaches of the country Over the past few decades, we have had to shift our sea defence inland, in cases by as much as 200 metres because of the relentless attack from the Atlantic; but, even then, we did not contemplate the danger, choosing instead to fool ourselves into believing that the attack by the Atlantic was seasonal. Over the past few years, we have been spending millions of dollars on sea defence, because there is constantcollapse. Today we have to think about oil production and the

Is there the political or national will to renegotiate

DearEditor, Ireadaninterestingletter in one of our national newspapers, captioned "Article 32.3 circumvents our Sovereign Powers," by Mr Jamil Changlee, on whichIwilloffermyopinion aswell.

Firstly, let me state from the outset that I am not legally trained, but as a lawmaker, I am exposed to many laws and engaged in research and debates about them.Inthisregard,Ibelieve that Article 32.3, as Mr Changlee alluded to, raises a significant legal issue regarding a nation's sovereignty in regulating its own laws, particularly in relation to international agreements with foreign contractors, as was made pellucid in the "infamous" 2016 Petroleum Agreement between ESSO, CNOOC, and HESS. Most Guyanese believe Guyana should have received a better deal, and most are of the view that the c o n t r a c t s h o u l d b e renegotiated.

Now, specifically, the

said clause regarding the effectoflegalchangesonthe contractor's economic benefits, as well as the arbitration clause, raises questions about the government's and judiciary's power in maintaining nationalcontrolandensuring that foreign contracts do not undermine the state's authority

I believe it is important forusasGuyanesetoexplore the sanctity of this contract and whether such clauses t h e r e i n a r e i n d e e d enforceable, unchangeable and how they interact with ournationalsovereignty,and whether they can be overridden by the nation's laws or constitutional principles.

It is vital for us to accept and understand that International contracts involving states, particularly in high risk sectors like petroleum and several other natural resources, often include "stabilisation clauses" like the one mentioned in article 32.2, which states, “If at any time after the signing of this

oil contract?

Agreement there is a change in the laws of Guyana, whether through the amendment of existing laws (including the hydrocarbons law, the customs code or tax code) or the enactment of new laws or a change having the force of law in the i n t e r p

application thereof (whether the change is specific to the Agreement, the Contractor or of general application) and such change has a materially adverse effect on the economic benefits, including those resulting from the fiscal regime provided by thisAgreement, accruing to the Contractor hereunder during the term of this Ag

nt, the Government shall promptly take any and all affirmative actions to restore the lost or impaired economic benefits to Contractor, so that Contractorreceivesthesame economic benefit under the Agreement that it would have received prior to the change in law or its interpretation, application, orimplementation."

These clauses are placed and are designed to protect investors against changes in thelawthatcouldundermine their economic benefits. It is important to note that these clauses are a form of legal protection for foreign investors, often incorporated in developing countries like ours to encourage foreign direct investment (FDI) However, such clauses must and should be balanced with thestate'srighttoregulateits own affairs, including the enactment of laws to protect its people, the environment, and the country's national interests.

One should be reminded that national sovereignty over legal matters is an essentialpartofinternational law, which is generally governed by principles such as the sovereign immunity doctrine and states' rights to regulate within their own borders.These principles are rooted in customary international law, codified in the United Nations Charter (Article 2.7), and reinforced (Continued on page 6)

Nascimento again bats for lopsided oil contract

DearEditor, Lest there be any misunderstanding at all, I wish to make it very clear that I am not, let me repeat, not, writing this letter on behalf of the government. I write it out of sheer disappointment and chagrin that the Stabroek News has descended to the level of the Kaieteur News and has jumpedonthebandwagonof the popular cry for renegotiating the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with Exxon.

Worse, the Stabroek News Editorial (Monday, th13 January, 2025) joins its columnist Christopher Ram

in singling out President Ali for personal attack According to the author of the Editorial (it may not be the Editor-in-Chief, Anand Persaud, though, ultimately, he is accountable), “there is however a big fly in the ointment:theGovernmentof Guyana, or more precisely P r e s i d e n t A l i T h e government is steadfastly refusing to do its duty to invite ExxonMobil to the negotiating table in the same manner that Guyana was invited in 2016”. This is rubbish.2025isnot2016. Our country is palpably now, as distinct from then, hugely benefitting from the massive development taking

effects on the climate. On one hand, Guyana at one time had positioned itself as an advocate for the environment, dedicating vast acreages of its forests to conservation, biodiversity research and sustainable forestry development. One of its Presidents was even named as a 'Champion of the Earth'. Today, its actions tell a different story– one of embracing and accelerating fossil fuel production and calling for a just transition to renewables – a position seen as defending increased fossil fuel exploration and production in the short-to-medium- term. This perplexing duality raises questions about the sincerity of Guyana's commitment to environmental stewardship. However, one thing is sure, ExxonMobil's purpose is clear: make money for its shareholders and making money and climate change challenges are like two scorpions in a bottle, meaning that something must give and it is not going to be profit maximization.

place from the money that comes from the oil and gas. In his response to the KaieteurNewsreporterathis Press Conference raising the same question, the President made the point: “I think that you also are aware of the tremendous benefit from the resources we are getting, not only from oil and gas, but from the expanded economy arebringingtoourcountry”.

The President gave examples: “we are able to restore the Because We Care grantthatwas takenawayby theAPNU/AFC government that will go to $50,000 per child. We are giving every single child text-books in their school.We are building a world class health care system. We are building an education system in which secondary education will be available to all of our children”. These are benefits directly affecting each and every one of us. He could have gone on to mention the h u g e l y e x p a n d i n g infrastructure of roads and bridges destined to open up the hitherto unreachable parts of our country for the purpose of development and the expansion of our tourism industry

According to the

StabroekNews,“therehasto besomeexplanationforwhy President Ali and his government is refusing to invite ExxonMobil to the table when Georgetown accepted such an invitation in 2016”. The answer is obvious and the President hasgivenit,buttheauthorof the Stabroek News Editorial chooses to ignore it E x x o n M o b i l i s n o t interested The contract states that both parties must agree to the renegotiation. Forcing Exxon to the negotiationtableatthispoint intimewouldbesenseless.

As I pointed out in my th letterof7 January,2025,we would risk “Exxon shutting down production in the interim, regardless of whether they are legally permitted to do so or not”, and we would witness “a plethora of potential investors cancel their visits to Guyana and those that are here buy their tickets out of Guyana”.

The government has not, astheStabroekNewsclaims, “refused to renegotiate” and the President was pellucid at his Press Conference in explaining: “what we committed to was to respect (Continued on page 6)

$100K cash grant scheme shrouded in corruption Is Raphael Trotman's book the Holy Grail for denigrating the PPP & PNC?

DearEditor,

Transparency and accountability are the two mostfundamentalprinciples in any civilised and democratic society

However, Guyana appears to be an extraordinary country in God's world, when it comes to these two tenets of good governance; where any and everything

WRONG should be acceptable as “right or a norm.” This in my view, is not an approach individuals should accept, especially if theirbeliefsaregroundedon morality, and would call a 'spadeaspade.'

Imagine living in a country where dignified

Guyanese have been

d i s r e s p e c t e d b y a government,whoforcedand forces them to stand in long queues and having to c o n t e n d w i t h t h e unfavourable conditions. It is clear the government has absolutely no compassion and care for the citizens, whom they serve. Matthew 22:39 reassures us, 'to love

o u r n e i g h b o u r s a s ourselves…'

A s i m p l e a n d straightforward process in the distribution of the people's $100K cash grant

t h e G o v e r n m e n t i s struggling to get right Concerning to me, the National Assembly on

December 18, 2024, approved the sum of $30.5B to be paid as cash grant to 305,000 eligible Guyanese, at 18years and above. From inception I sensed that this will be shrouded in CORRUPTION, since the m a n y m e c h a n i s m s a n n o u n c e d b y t h e government to effect

Payments have NOT worked in their interest Initially, we heard and read f r o m t h e w o r d s 'instantaneously to the creation of an app.' The $100K cash grant is worse

than the $25,000 00 COVID-19 cash grant,

which had its own challenges and many Guyanese four years after, are still left with the famous 'pink slips' in their possessions to be paid with

what is rightfully theirs. We heard of the many stories reported that monies were embezzled for personal g r a t i f i c a t i o n s T h e continuousmanipulationsof the process to pay out the $100K cash grant has exposed the Government's i n e p t i t u d e a n d incompetence. It is clear they cannot manage huge expenditures effectively Just a reminder of the many FAILED projects under Mr Bharrat Jagdeo's leadership, from the 'Sheldon Factory Expansion Project to the AmaliaFalls.'

May I remind your readers that the $30.5B was badly placed under the OfficeofthePrimeMinister. This was also pointed out to the government during the consideration of Financial Paper 4 of 2024. Now that the chicken has come home to roost, it is evident that the Office of the Prime Minister was and is NOT involved in t h e p r o c e s s , f r o m r e g i s t r a t i o n t o implementation. During my visits to several registration sites in Georgetown, I observed private citizens from communities were employedasenumerators.

Editor, I have written previously on this grave issue (the $100K cash grant, h i g h l i g h t i n g t h e government's short sightedness and posited several recommendations how the monies can be disbursed to Guyanese However, the stubbornness of the Ali Regime has FAILED to implement workable solutions, which they could have used to conducta“pilottesting.”My a s s u m p t i o n o f t h e government's lacklustre

approach is a deliberate move to create conditions of chaos, confusion, and frustration, to deny Guyanese what is justly theirs.

From the total sums approved in the National Assembly, it means that some three hundred thousand Guyanese should receivetheir$100Kcheques by now In a recent article, (Guyana Times, January 7, 2025) has quoted Dr Ashni Singh, “over 400,000 citizens registered for 100K cash grant to date, and 95,000 cheques have been distributed.” The question one would seek answers for, why ONLY 95,000 cheques have been processed at January 7, 2025, if 400,000 Guyanese registered and moniesareavailable?

Let's assume that the figures provided by Dr Ashni Singh are accurate. My contention, which any right-thinking individual will reason is that with an already approved $30.5B, thisshouldtakecareofthree hundred and thousand (300,000) registered Guyanese Therefore, the balance of $500M should take care of an additional five thousand registered Guyanese Therefore full $30 5B will cover for 3 0 5 , 0 0 0 r e g i s t e r e d Guyanese, leaving a balance of 95,000 (from the 400,000 registered thus far) persons to be paid, with those regions and persons currently being registered acrossregions.

Editor, with the lack of t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability in data collection, it is difficult for themoniestobetraced.Why so? Teachers, Public

Servants, and NIS Seniors were listed as the first categories to be paid from t h e $ 3 0 5 B

Notwithstanding this, with the figures circulated by Dr Singh, as mentioned in the paragraph before the above, the nation is left in the wilderness as to the following:

a. Number of Teachers, Public Servants and NIS Seniors who have registered asofDecember31,2024?

b. Number of Teachers, Public Servants, and NIS Seniors, received their $100KCash.

Therefore, if Dr Singh want to play fair, to avoid scepticism, then he should provide disaggregated figures as per categories, for those who received their chequesatJanuary7,2025.

F r o m t h e a b o v e categories,Iamcognizantof persons, who have NOT received their $100K cheques. Every day, persons are in contact with me expressing frustration and how badly the situation is a d d r e s s e d I h a v e

InformationofSeniorPublic Servants in Region 3, who registered in late November 2024 at the RDC office have NOTreceivedtheircheques, while many of their colleagues who registered on the same day have receivedtheircheques.

The 'app' created by the Ministry of Finance as a 'tracking mechanism' is useless, unhelpful, and proven to be ineffective in the process Contact numbers provided by the Ministryareleftunanswered in many cases, when follow ups are done. It was further reported,behavioursof

(Continued on page 6)

DearEditor,

I make reference to Mr Sherwin Downer, Leader of the newly formed United Workers Party's (UWP) January 14th, 2025 letter to your established Kaieteur News, entitled: “The PNC and PPP cannot be trusted to governthisNation”.

Though accusatory in most parts, he legitimately posits that 59 years of Guyana's stewardship were in the hands of the two behemoth parties- PPP & PNC. Both were tasked to administer the affairs of Guyana judiciously and both hadzenithsandnadirs.

What I take exception to in his missive is not about the mis-management of Guyana for the 59 years but the accusation that the PPP was in cahoots with the PNC to accept wholesale, the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement( PSA) Oil Contract that Rex Tillerson, then Exxon Chief, crafted anddrafted.

I am astounded that the basis of his missive to denigrate juxtaposes squarely between a few lines extracted from Raphael Trotman'sbook.

Trotman, in 2016, was the Minister of Natural R e s o u r c e s , i n t h e APNU/AFC Government taskedwithfieldingateam to negotiate said oil contract with Exxon and in the process, suffered Guyana with this egregiously woeful oilcontract.

B u t w h y t h e pronouncement now, 20242025, about PPP's collusion in 2016 when the PPP

government was empowered since 2020 and grievously lamentthelopsidedcontract.

Fact of the matter, Bharat Jagdeo, then PPP Opposition Leader railed in Parliament andonsocialmediaaboutthe absurdity of the signed 2016 P S A O i l C o n t r a c t Additionally, whilst gearing up for the 2020 election, i n c l u d e d t h e RENEGOTIATION of this lopsided contract, in the PPP 2020Manifesto.

The PPP is not getting a free pass on this Manifesto promise.(NOTE:Todatethat PPP Manifesto promise has not been fulfilled in its entirety).

Why did Trotman, in 2020, not counter the PPP's argument then or even when vehemently shrilled in Parliament by the PPP who were in opposition 20152020? Did Trotman add that excerpt to “spice up” his book? To drum up sales? To accelerate provocation, public distrust, sow seeds of discord, etc? Would it not have been super great P r o p ag an d a f o r th e APNU/AFC to debunk Jagdeo's narratives then, in 2020Electionperiod?

Credible evidence, Mr Downer-a taped convo, minutes of the meeting when this alleged PPP agreement took place, eyewitnesses graphic accounts of this epic axiom-will suffice Please don't tell me, “It deh in Trotman book, Bai, see fu self.” Unless fact checked, c o n t r o v e r s i a l a n d provocative excerpts in Trotman's book remain pure (Continued on page 6)

Nascimento again bats for lopsided...

From page 4

thesanctityofcontract,that's international law that has implications for us as a country

Other investors are looking on. What we said is that future PSA's would not have these fatal flaws, and future PSA's would not have the t y p e o f o n e - s i d e d arrangement that Exxon had, and we have made those adjustments to future PSA's we have also to understand the market in which we are operating to ensure that whatever we do from a policy perspective

does not drive away investment, but that it strikes the balance where you can haveinvestmentwhilst atthe same time have the greatest benefit to Guyanese people andourcountry”.

A letter published alongside of the Stabroek News Editorial from Dr S t a n l e y A V P a u l underscores the wisdom of the President and the government's position. Dr Paul writes “it is my contention that governance particularintimeofimmense national transformation, must transcend the reactive implementation of public sentiment.

Instead, it demands prudence, foresight, and a

commitmenttobalancingthe immediacy of popular opinion with the enduring necessity of stability and sustainability”.

The author of the Stabroek News Editorial should have read the letter beforeputtingpentopaper?

The Kaieteur News and now Stabroek News demand for renegotiation have, not surprisingly,providedfodder to others to feed off such as the disappointing and surprising reactions to this public sentiment, such as Dr Vincent Adams, whom I personally respect and who shouldknowbetter,claiming that “the Government of Guyana has cowardly refused to engage the company in dialogue for b e t t e r b e n e f i t s f o r Guyanese”.

Dr Adams should more properly address his concern to his boss in theAFC, Nigel Hughes, whose conflicting legal interest permanently prevent him from even addressing Exxon on the subject of renegotiation, and then there is the verbose meaningless buffoonery of G.H.KLall.

As the President went on to warn at his Press Conference, “when you look at the oil and gas sector in totality, and you look at what

Is Raphael Trotman's...

Frompage5

speculation. Swallowing Trotman's excerpt, hook, line and sinkerandusingthattofeedthepiranhafrenzyandbedevilling the emotions of the Guyanese public, to score cheap political points, is disingenuous and unmeritorious.As a newly formed politicalparty,thepublicneedstobeconvincedthattheUWPis legit. Feeding the nation with objective, solid, bonafide information-notsloganeeringandpropaganda-willlegitimize advocacyofUWP-lestUWPbepaintedwiththesamebrush.

Respectfully,

Jonathan Subrian Esq.

is happening around the world. Exxon pulled out of Suriname….if you look at the Middle East, and you look at some places inAfrica there is tremendous pulling outofassets.

What we have in Guyana isconsolidationofassets.So, we have to understand the balance and what is taking place in the market. The marketisnotsimplistic”.

No, it's not. But sadly, simplistic is an apt description of the collective bleating for renegotiation coming from the Kaieteur News, mimicked now, sadly, by the Stabroek News, for forcing renegotiation on ExxonMobil regardless of the consequences and, at the end of the day, with no predictable results which wouldbenefitGuyana.

Amusing,toputitmildly, was the suggestion from the author of the Stabroek News Editorial that a political party, excluding, of course, t h e P P P / C a n d t h e APNU+AFC, “could contest the 2025 elections on this single issue – renegotiating the contract” and that this “could put both of the major partiesonthebackfoot”.

Are the owners of the S t a b r o e k N e w s contemplating entering into politics?

That opinion alone tells you how incredibly absurd and absolutely thoughtless is t h e a r g u m e n t f o r renegotiationnow.

The time may come, in fact, for the government to initiate the renegotiation of the 2016 PSA contract but it is certainly not now Any attempt at it would be a prescription for losing the elections.

Yours sincerely, Kit Nascimento

Is there the political or national...

From page 4 in legal cases such as the B a r c e l o n a Tr a c t i o n (Belgium v Spain), where the International Court of Justice (ICJ) upheld the sovereigntyofastateoverits own territory, even in the c o n t e x t o f f o r e i g n investments.

Further, in the European Union, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) also dealt with the issue of national s o v e r e i g n t y v e r s u s international agreements. In cases where member states have negotiated treaties with non-EU countries, the ECJ has sometimes ruled that such treaties cannot override EU laws, particularly in cases where they contravene the EU's foundational principles (such as nondiscrimination and state aid rules).

In Argentina's 2001 Sovereign Debt Crisis: In 2001, Argentina faced a financial crisis and implemented various measures to deal with sovereign debt, including d

f a u l t i n g o n d e b t o b l i g a t i o n s S o m e international creditors, however,hadclausessimilar to the one described (which protected their investments), b u t t h e A r g e n t i n e government took steps to override these clauses based on national emergency powers. This issue led to numerous lawsuits and arbitration proceedings. The Argentine courts, along with international tribunals, w e i g h e d n a t i o n a l sovereigntyandtheprinciple of economic necessity against contractual obligations.The question of whether the government of Guyana can or should maintain its sovereignty in the face of such contractual provisions hinges on several principles: One such is constitutionalsupremacy In many countries, the constitution is the highest legal authority, and any international agreement

c o n f l i c t i n g w i t h constitutional provisions may be challenged For example, if implementing a stabilization clause violates principles of public law or constitutional provisions related to natural resources or sovereignty, a national court may have the authority to invalidate or modify the contract.

Additionally, courts in various jurisdictions have recognised that national policy,particularlyinsectors such as natural resources, should take precedence over private contracts when national welfare or public policyisatstake.

For example, in Brazil, the constitutional court has, in several cases, ruled that national sovereignty and economic interests must come before private agreementsifthereisadirect conflict with the country's constitutional or legal framework.

Further, arbitration and judicial authority is also another dimension. As the article in question provides for arbitration in case of disagreements, it is important to note that arbitration clauses in c o n t r a c t s d o n o t automatically supersede a nation's judicial authority While international arbitration is binding in principle, many states, including those in Latin America,havedemonstrated a willingness to challenge t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n o f international arbitral tribunals, particularly when the state's sovereignty is involved.

In addressing legal tensions, some countries facing similar issues have responded in a variety of ways, such as resource nationalism. Countries like Ecuador and Bolivia have implemented policies of resource nationalism, where they seek to regain control over their natural resources, ofteninoppositiontoforeign

contracts This approach involves revising laws or e v e n n a t i o n a l i z i n g resources, in defiance of internationalagreements.

Moreover, investment treaty reforms: Many countries, particularly in Latin America, have reformed their investment treaties to protect their sovereignty For instance, some countries have withdrawn from bilateral investment treaties (BITs) or included carve-outs to ensure that national laws s u p e r s e d e f o r e i g n investmentagreements.

In the final analysis, the c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n stabilization clauses and state sovereignty in relation to international agreements is not uncommon. Legal frameworks in various countries demonstrate that w

agreements are generally b

g n t y a n d constitutional principles often take precedence. The government'sabilitytoenact new laws or amend existing ones,eveninthefaceofsuch clauses, will depend on the judiciary's interpretation of thecontract,theconstitution, and international legal norms.Further, in the case of legal conflict, our courts in Guyana could potentially assert the primacy of national law, particularly if the change in law pertains to public interests such as environmental protection, tax collection, or national resources. Case law from various jurisdictions, particularly those dealing with sovereign debt and resource extraction agreements,providesinsight into how this tension has been addressed by other nations.

The question to be answered is: Is there the political/national will to act, hereinGuyana?

Yours respectfully, Hon. Jermaine Figueira M.P.

$100K cash grant scheme shrouded in corruption

From page 5 staffersatMinistryofFinanceareoftentimes obnoxiousandunprofessional,when inquiries are done. Again, where is the love and compassion towards our fellow mankind?Whileintheeyesofthoseexternal tous,Guyaneseareconsideredas'hospitable and loving people.'Why same cannot be said home?

The 2025 National Budget will be presentedtothenationonFriday,January17, 2025;andwiththousandsofGuyanesestillto be paid, I am waiting with abated breath to hear what Dr Singh will announce, and to inform us what has caused the delays in the processing of their cheques, and where is the remaining$21B?

In concluding, when the announcement onthe$100Kwasmade,Guyanesehadplans to utilize theirs. The government must come clean and give account for the $30.5B of which$9.5Bhasbeenpaidoutthusfar,based on my calculations, as per information provided by Dr Singh; with a balance of $21Btobepaid.Finally,theGovernmenthas rolled out a rigorous community outreach programwithoutbudgetaryallocations.Let's hopethe$21BisNOTbeingutilizedforthese purposes with a hope of getting approval from the National Assembly to replenish what was spent and the additional sums to paytheremainingregistrants.

Yours truly, Annette Ferguson, MP.

Bishops’ High School to get $129M library

The Ministry of Educationissetto construct a modern library block at the cost of $129 million at the Bishops’HighSchool.

The Education Ministry, in a press statement on Wednesday,saidthatthenew library block which will be

constructed by Apex Engineering over a ninemonthperiod,isdesignedto serve as a state-of-the-art resource hub, providing students with access to modern facilities and fostering a culture of academic excellence “A mobilisation sum of $19.3 million has already been allocated, signalling the Ministry of Education’s commitment to timely and efficient execution,” the Ministrysaid.

Further, the contract for the construction of the librarywasawardedthrough a public bidding process conducted in accordance with the National Procurement and Tender AdministrationBoardandin compliance with the Public ProcurementAct.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand during the PTA meeting

TheMinistryhighlighted thatinadditiontothelibrary, Bishop’s High School will also benefit from a series of other critical infrastructure improvements. Those will include the repair and upgradeofBiologyLabsone and two, Physics Labs one and two, the Agricultural Science Room, the

Preparation Room, and the ChemistryLab.TheMinister stated, “To further support hands-on learning, a manufacturing space will be created for Agricultural Science students, allowing them to develop practical skills aligned with their curriculum.”

Berserk man attacking persons shot dead by police

...pensioner who tried to subdue him died after being stabbed, accidentally

Policeshotandkilledamentally-illman on Wednesday after he went berserk at Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara (ECD) stabbingtwopersonsandinjuringathird.

Oneofthepersonshestabbedwaskilled while trying to restrain him from harming morepeople.Policeidentifiedthementallyill man as Roger Erwin Pierre better known as“Pants”andthemanwhowaskilledashe was trying to restrain him as Frederick “Terrence” Williams, 68, of Airy Hall, Mahaicony,ECD.

Police said that Pierre stabbed Williams multipletimes.Aftertheyshothimdeadand transported his body and a wounded Williams to the Mahaicony Hospital, they learnt that Willaims had also sustained gunshotwoundsinadditionthestabwounds. Williamsdiedwhilereceivingtreatment.

Police said that a probe has since been launched into the deaths of both men. The killings reportedly took place around 11:00hrs at Airy Hall, when Pierre, armed with a knife, went berserk at 09:30hours beginningatHuntley,Mahaicony

Police said he stabbed and wounded 63year-old Laldat Tooknauth there before fleeing Tooknauth was taken to the Mahaicony Hospital in a critical condition, but was transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation due to the severity of his wounds. Police later learnt around 10:30 hours that a knife-wielding PierrewasattheNovarSchoolDam,causing panicinthevicinity

“A team of police ranks responded,” policestated,addingthat“upontheirarrival, they spotted the suspect on Dundee Public

carpentry throughout the building.

In 2024, over $71 million was invested in maintenance projects at the school, covering electrical work, plumbing, roof repairs, and general building upgrades The Ministry said, “These investments highlight the Ministry’s commitment to maintaining high standards across the education sector”

shot

Road,brandishingtheknife”. Officerstried to arrest him but he resisted them aggressively.Ranksresortedtoshootinghim inthefoot,butitdidnotdeterhim.

Acellphonerecordedvideodepictedthe stand-off between police and the Pierre at a location. He was seen tossing a bottle and sand at them, even as they pointed their weapons at him. Police resorted to firing shotsathimbuthekeptresisting.Thevideo evenrecordedthemomenthewasshottothe foot but he kept on moving. “As he reached the neighbouring village of Airy Hall, bystanders attempted to persuade him to surrender,”policesaid.

He reportedly attacked them by hurling glass bottles and sand at them. “He then concealed the knife in his waistband, retrieved a steel rod from a nearby construction site and attacked a resident named Lambert Nunes, age 69 years, inflicting a wound to his left hand,” added police. As police continued to pursue him, several locals, including Williams, tried to assist in restraining him. He reportedly joined other men in tackling Pierre to the ground.Pierre,however,managedtoretrieve the knife from his waistband and overpowered Williams. Police said he knelt overWilliamsrepeatedlystabbinghiminthe headandtootherpartsofhisbody

“Witnessing this, two of the ranks fired multiple shots at the suspect, rendering him motionless,” police said. It appears as thoughWilliams may also have been struck by the bullets. The Office of Professional Responsibilityisconductingaprobeintothe killings.

repositioning of the canteen and the Home Economics Room is also part of the school’supgradeplan.These changes aim to optimize spaceusageandenhancethe functionality of key facilities, ensuring that students can benefit from a more efficient and comfortableenvironment. It

wasaddedthattheupcoming initiatives at the Bishop’s High School build on recently completed projects, includingtheconstructionof a new annex, the electrical rehabilitation of an older wing, auditorium upgrades, extensive roof repairs, and renovations to the Home Economics Department and

During a meeting with the Board and Parent TeachersAssociation(PTA), MinisterofEducation,Priya Manickchand stressed the importance of involving parents in discussions about the school’s future She emphasised that their input andsupportarecrucialtothe success of these initiatives. Parents expressed their appreciation for the Ministry’s proactive efforts to improve the school’s infrastructure,ensuringtheir children have access to the best can excel both academicallyandpersonally, preparing them for a bright future.

Young mother loses twins after premature birth at GPHC

…blames‘misleading ultrasound’

A young mother has lost her twins after deliveringextremelyprematureinfantsof27 weeks at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation(GPHC) onFriday

Astatement from GPHC said the mother who delivered extremely premature infants, which were given the best treatment and chance of survival, unfortunately passed away “Their conditions which were very tenuous at birth continued to decline after interventions They both subsequently demiseddespiteeffortsofthemedicalteam,” theGPHCsaid.

The young mother’s partner, 21-year-old ChavezNankishore,toldthispublicationthat he and the mother went for an ultrasound at the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital when she was21weekspregnant.

The ultrasound which was conducted on December2,2024,indicatedthatthe18-yearold mother was expecting a boy; however a month later, after experiencing abdominal pain which led to the mother going into labour, it was revealed that she was actually carryingtwins.

Nankishore shared that the twins were born last Friday However, the firstborn tragicallydiedjustminutesafterlabour,while the other twin passed away on Sunday He said that on Friday at about 19:30h, the mother began to experience severe abdominal pain and she was taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, then later transferredtotheGPHC.

“When she reach GPHC, about three minutes she had the first child and then they transportshetothematernitysidewhereshe hadtheothertwin.Sheendeduphavingtwins

buttheultrasoundshowthatisonlyonechild we(are)having,”themansaid.

Nankishore explained that after consulting with doctors from a private institution, he was informed that the twins’ deathscouldhavebeenprevented. “Wellthe doctors say that it was an early pregnancy Well, we didn’t know she was having twins right,sotheysaidifwedidknowithasspecial steps in terms of taking in this type of situationbecauseshewouldhavehadtogoto theclinicmoreoften,”hestressed.

The man said that the doctors found it strange,explainingthatitisnearlyimpossible not to detect a second child at 21 weeks, as this stage is well beyond the first trimester and into the second Nevertheless, the emotional impact on the young couple has beenimmense.Nankishoredescribedtheloss as something that has caused emotional damagebeyondexplanation,astheycontinue tocopewiththegriefoflosingtheirtwins.

Late last year, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) reported a totalofeightmaternaldeathsand41neonatal deathsin2024,markingthehospital’slowest recorded numbers in recent years. The announcement was made during the hospital’s annual year-end press conference, which covered the facility’s achievements, challenges,andmilestonesfromthepastyear, as well as its vision and goals for the upcomingyear

The hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Robbie Rambarran, had highlighted that last year’smaternalandneonataldeathrateswere the lowest the hospital had ever recorded, surpassingthepreviousyear’sperformance.

The gas-to-energy project is a study in concealment

W h y w o u l d a government so eager to plunge a nation into over $2 billionofdebtbesoreluctant to share the documents that justify such an audacious leap?After all, this is almost the same as the external debt that the PPP/C assumed in 1992.

Theanswerastowhythe secrecy, it seems, lies somewherebetweenfearand contempt fear of what transparency might reveal andcontemptforthepublic's demand for accountability

The Wales Gas-to-Energy project is as opaque as it is ambitious.Thedealhasbeen shrouded in a fog of secrecy

This raises far more questionsthanitanswers.

The mantra from the government has been simplistic: the project will halve electricity costs. Yet, despite repeated demands for evidence to substantiate this claim, the proof remains elusive. What the public has instead is a litany of obfuscation This is not merely about numbers or feasibility A government that cannot be forthcoming about a project of such monumental scale is a government that demands scrutiny

In 2022, after relentless calls for transparency, the government staged a press briefingtoassuageconcerns. What transpired, however, was an affront to democratic norms. Editors and media owners were summoned, only to be instructed not to record the proceedings.

Imagine that—the nation's largest post-independence financial undertaking discussed in an environment designed that was less that transparent The message was clear: the less the public knows,thebetter

But the spectacle of avoidance didn't end there.

F

inquiries from the media, a minister supposedly the custodian of critical project information claimed the documents could not yet be released.

This admission came as the project barrelled forward unmoored from public scrutiny

The argument that these documents are not ready for public consumption rings hollow A project of this magnitude cannot, and should not, proceed without rigorous scrutiny That the government has chosen to disregardthisbasicprinciple suggests either gross incompetenceoracalculated e f f o r t t o c o n c e a l uncomfortable truths Neither scenario inspires confidence. The opposition formally requested that the project documents be submitted to Parliament, the forum designated for such deliberations. The result? A deafening silence that continuestothisday

To add insult to injury, thegovernment'sresponseto further queries has been to send the media on a merrygo-around. When asked to release the documents, one m inister directed reporters

to another, who, in turn, professed ignorance and redirected them elsewhere. Meanwhile, the clock ticks, the debt mounts, and the public's right to know is treated as an inconvenience ratherthananobligation.

The government's aversion to transparency becomes even more troubling when one considerstheinvolvementof the U.S. EXIM Bank, a key financieroftheproject.

A group of civil society activists has resorted to writing directly to the bank in a desperate bid for clarity That such measures are necessary underscores the extent to which the governmenthasabdicatedits responsibility to inform its citizens.

As far as the government is concerned all the public needstoknowisthatthecost of electricity will be reduced by 50%. There is, of course, thematterofthepresent25% electricity loss due to theft. This startling figure casts doubt on whether this 50% really amounts to a substantial reduction since if electricity theft is reduced there can be a 25% reduction.

The public has every right to ask: what is the government hiding? Are the project's costs understated? Are the environmental risks downplayed? Is the promised reduction in electricity costs a mirage?

These are not idle speculations but legitimate concerns born of the

DEM BOYS SEH

Some young professionals tun landlord!

Here's how dem boys see this ting wid de young professional housing scheme. Dem boys seh, dis scheme suppose to give young people ah chance to own dem own roof over dem head—no more landlord drama, no more sleeping by yuh aunty in de backroom, and definitely no more excuses why yuh late on de rent. But hear wah happen: some people tek dis ting and tun it into ah big hustle!

Dem boys hear how some young professionals who get house already got house before. So dem boys wan know, how you gon call somebody wid two house a “youngprofessional”?Thatsoundlikeanold hustletowe!

One man seh he got one house fuh he family and de next house fuh Airbnb. Imagine dat! De taxpayers' money start de process of building house fuh young professionals and instead of moving in, dem rentingoutfuhUSdollars!

Dem boys seh, is not no small rent some of these people charging, you know Is not Guyanese dollars De rent coming in greenbacks! One landlord boasting how he house in de young professional scheme pay fuhhetriptoMiamiandfuhheRolexwatch. Meanwhile, other young professionals

g o v e r n m e n t ' s o w n evasiveness. A government that operates in the shadows forfeits its moral authority to lead. The people of Guyana deserve better than a leadershipthattreatsthemas obstacles to be managed rather than stakeholders to be informed. This is not a matter of political posturing or partisan bickering. It is a matter of principle. When a nation's future is mortgaged on a single project, the peoplehavearighttoseethe terms of the deal. They have

arighttoknowwhethertheir leaders are acting in their best interests. The Wales Gas-to-Energy project, as it stands, is a monument to the government's disdain for accountability

sittingdownwaiting,hopingandprayingfuh getahcallfuhdemownspot.

Wah mek it worse, some ah these houses empty! Where are the owners? Dem boys seh, if de government serious, dem need fuh go house to house and check who living whehandwhorentingout.

Dem boys seh de solution simple: tek back dem house from dem who not living in it. Refund dem de money and gi de house to somebody who actually need it. And as fuh de ones renting out de house, dem boys seh mekdempaytaxpondatrentat50%!

Dis ting nah fair at all. Imagine yuh applying fuh years and can't even get a piece ah land but somebody get house in dis scheme and rentingit out fuh mek big bucks. Demboyssehdeyoungprofessionalhousing scheme nah suppose to turn into de young professionallandlordscheme!

So hear wah, de government need fuh pull up dem socks and put some order in dis ting. Otherwise, dem boys seh, next thing yuh gon hear is people building duplex and triplexindeyoungprofessionalschemesand renting dem out too. De place gon turn into one big real estate market. Dem boys nah supportdat! Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

It is a stark reminder that power, when unchecked, breeds arrogance The government's behaviour suggests that it views transparency not as a duty but as a threat. This mindset is incompatible with the p r i n c i p l e s o f g o o d governance and must be challenged at every turn.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinion of this newspaper.)

Even a census

Even how many citizens residing in the Republic?

C’mon, Mr Jagdeo! I can understand a whole host of otherthingsthatmustbekept under lock and key, but the results of a national census

also, Dr Jagdeo?

Understand, not agree, to be clear Where is the threat? Whatkindoffoulcouldbeso

feared, Captain Vice President? Ifacensusisthe latest, then what is next on the secrecy agenda? Cosy chats about this and that relative to the darker side of oilwithAlistairRoutledgeof Exxon Guyana? The last question is rhetorical, me simply ensuring that still trustingGuyanesehaveafull picture of how their confidence in political leaders is, er, used against them.

What’s a census, if not a count of how many people like me, like my neighbours in Georgetown, and my brothers and sisters all over the place. The Guyana family is a sprawling affair

Even someone like me who hardlyhasanyrelationshere, have a few who I can claim kinship, and they bravely with me. To set everybody right, many of them don’t look like me; some don’t evensoundlikeme,withlilt of Spanish in their a r t i c u l a t i o n s a n d modulations. Howhardisit to conduct a count and then compile the composite? Of Guyanaanditssegmentsand fractionsandpercentages? I am willing to bet scarce money that Dr Cruz and company over at the census house know how to account for all the elements and components and have that master profile already in hand. In fact, after two years, it could be getting mildewed in the mind and cobwebbed in the hand, Dr Jagdeo.

So, what’s the hold up, Skipper Jagdeo? Why what looks like yet another hijacking of the thinking of the Guyanese people, Mr J? If something as ordinary, as

simple, as a census result is the source of so much anxiousness that it has to be keptbehindasteelcurtainin the Bank of Guyana vault, thenIcanonlyimaginehow much Dr Bharrat Jagdeo cowers when Darren Woods and Alistair Routledge look at him with a glint in their loving Texas eyes. This census business, i e , the results being held under a thick blanket of secrecy for two long years, does reveal thefearandtremblinginthe PPP General Secretary and the Guyana Government’s chief oil minister of oil and gas (a lot of gas). My thinking is that a Kremlin tutored economist of the global stature of Bharrat Jagdeo would be most at home with addition and subtraction, percentages and demographics and the like. Yet,hereheistodayin2025 as silent as a sitting serpent withthatcensusresult. Ifhe has ever been transparent, this is one of those times. Transparentinwhatmustbe

hidden at all costs, and by any means, just so that no Guyanese gets the wrong idea.

I am trying to figure out whatistherenottolikeabout a census and its results. Perhaps, I should make an inquiry of the US Embassy or take a peek at those State Department numbers for a period of years, for the little census light that is needed.

S i n c e n e i t h e r t h e government nor Jagdeo (he is the guvment) is forthcoming with the census numbers, then there is only oneinterpretationleftforthe determined and now longrunning resistance to publishing the results. I put it as a question first: how much is the difference between the two major electoral presences in the Guyana demographic? I arrive at a conclusion based on Dr Jagdeo’s blank expression (worried also) relativetothecensusresults, whichhavenowtransformed into another dogfight, a

junkyard dog one. I think thatthenumericaldifference between Indian Guyanese (forgive me if I have that wrong) and African Guyaneseisnowsocloseas to be almost negligible Razorthinjustbecamemore thanacloseshave;itisnowa nick on the face, then another I assert so, because the irrefutable fact is that primarily one kind of Guyanese have been bailing out of this country without let-upevennowthatthePPP isbackinpowerandthereis oilundertheriverbed. Now thisshouldexplainwhythere is all this hullabaloo about cash grants. One out of nowhere and not even for cost-of-livingrelief. Thanks for the rare honesty The confirmation of the census deficit (from a PPP perspective) came with that first cash grant. The next piece of the census puzzle fell in place on New Year’s Day, thanks to Mr Showman, President Ali

More cash grants coming and in this year Mouth open, story jump out. The economistinJagdeofounda way to overcome the statisticsinthecensus. One, two,threecashgrantsandall inelectionsyear2025. What census deficit, folks, when the overseas votes now feature highly? Guyanese are being paid to vote. Not forthePNC,butthecupfrom which all that cash flows. One cash grant for the plane ride. The second US$500 for drinking rum and slumming around. And the third US$500 to celebrate victoryfor thePPPsnatched from the jaws of defeat by Jagdeo. ErroldelaCruzcan keephiscensusresults. Best wishes to Guyanese for a smooth elections process (andcount).

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

BLUNT BLUNT

Jagdeo said he signed blindly

Last week,Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo would have believed, that when he was leader of the opposition, he signed off blindly to back the then Coalition Government in passing a law that grants ExxonMobil tax waivers.

He said at the time of backing the passage of the bill in Parliament, he had not seen the lopsided contract which the Coalition Government had already signed with the US oil major.

Imagine tax waivers involving billions of US dollars were put before then Jagdeo and he quickly, seamlessly was onboard immediately The first thing to be said is that the clever political operator that is Jagdeo doesn’t rush into situations or decisions with his eyes closed and his hands tied. He is not a man to be hurried, but one who functions according to his own calculations.

There was a big calculation in that tax waiver pushed under his nose by the Coalition. Had he refused to give it his full backing, so that there was unanimous parliamentary approval of the waivers, the word would have leaked straight back to ExxonMobil.

The clearest message would have been sent about what Jagdeo was all about and which side of the oil fence he stood. To refuse to back the tax waivers would have left him in a bad place with ExxonMobil, and the people in that company do not forget.

Prison officer jailed 3 years for ganja at Mazaruni Prison

A 21-year-old prison officer was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to a narcotics possession charge at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday

JoelJohnson,aresidentofLot1,Section ‘C’ Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara, was foundinpossessionof804gramsofcannabis on January 14, 2025, at the Mazaruni Prison Checkpoint/ScanningArea. He was arrested on the same day and later charged with Possession of Narcotics for the Purpose of Trafficking, contrary to Section 5(1)(a)(i) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic SubstancesControlAct,Chapter10:10.

Appearing before Magistrate Teriq Mohamed, Johnson pleaded guilty to the charge. He was subsequently sentenced to threeyearsinprisonandfined$30,000.

According to police reports, on January 14 at approximately 18:30 hrs, a prison officer was on duty at the Mazaruni Checkpoint/Scanning Area when Johnson returned from a four-day leave. Upon his return, he was subjected to a mandatory search During the inspection, Johnson presentedagreenhaversackforexamination. Upon searching the haversack, eight soap boxesandtwoColgatetoothpasteboxeswere found, containing leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis, all wrapped in transparentplastic.

Prison officer sentenced to 3 years imprisonment: Joel Johnson

Theotherprisonofficerondutyidentified thesuspectedcannabisandpromptlyarrested Johnson. The matter was reported to the police, and officers responded to the scene. Thesuspectednarcoticswerehandedoverto CorporalYearwood,alongwithJohnson,who wasescortedtotheBarticaPoliceStation.At the station, the narcotics were weighed, totalling804grams.

SWAT team members busted with ganja

TwoSWATunitranksare under close arrest after they werebustedonTuesdaywith almost a kilogram of marijuanaatCampandNew MarketStreets,Georgetown.

The policemen were identifiedasLanceCorporal KevinThompson and Lance CorporalDwaynePerry

Theyweretravellingina Toyota Axio car, PAJ 2421, onedrivingandtheotherthe front seat passenger, when specialbranchranksstopped thevehicle.

Thespecialbranchranks were reportedly acting on a tipoffandsearchedthecarin theirpresence.

The marijuana found in the car

Cannabis found in toothpaste boxes and soap boxes amounted to 804 grams

Forensic lab acquires new

$86M

scanning electron microscope

…equipment to help fast-track analysis of gunshot residue

TheGuyanaForensicScienceLaboratory (GFSL) on Wednesday unveiled and commissioned a “state-of-the-art” $86 million Zeiss Sigma 360VP Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) at a ceremony held at its Area ‘M’ University of Guyana ComplexinTurkeyen.

Withthisacquisition,theGFSLbecomes thefirstforensiclaboratoryintheCaribbean to possess this high-tech equipment. The MinistryofHomeAffairsissuedastatement, detailing the events that took place at the launch.

HomeAffairsMinister,RobesonBenn,in hisfeatureaddress,hailedtheacquisitionasa significant step forward for scientific and forensic advancement in Guyana. He stated, “Thisacquisitionrepresentsasignificantleap for science and research in Guyana, extending beyond the forensic science laboratory It reflects our government’s commitment to equipping our scientists and researcherswithcutting-edgetechnologythat meetsglobalstandards.”

Lance Corporal Kevin Thompson, one of the ranks busted with the drugs.

custody.Policesaidthetotal marijuana found amounted to748.4grams.Investigators learnt that the car they were inbelongedtoDianaPersaud ofNorthRoad,Lacytown.

Benn highlighted the SEM’s critical role in enhancing forensic investigations, particularlyintheanalysisofgunshotresidue

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn during his address

(GSR) evidence, which has faced delays in thepastduetoresourcelimitations.Henoted, “Withthisadvancedinstrument,wecannow analyse the distribution, morphology, and chemistry of samples with unprecedented precision. This will enhance the GFSL’s abilitytoprovidefaster,morereliableresults tosupportthejudicialsystem,particularlyin GSR investigations.” He also emphasized that the acquisition aligns with President Dr IrfaanAli’svisionfortheGFSLtobecomea hubforscientificandforensicresearchinthe Caribbean,furtherstrengtheningthe Continued on page 16

Zeiss Sigma 360VP Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

“…In the back seat, a black travelling bag containing a quantity of leaves, seeds and stems suspectedtobecannabiswas found, along with plastic wraps, a black scale and a blackbagsealer,”policesaid in a public statement on Wednesday

One of the busted cop’s common-law wife, told policethatshehadrentedthe car from Elite Auto rentals located at Garnett Street, Kitty, to use while her vehicle was being repaired. Thewomansaidthatshelast drove the vehicle on 10th January 2025, and she gave the keys to Thompson after he asked her for a vehicle to use,”policesaid.

The ranks were cautioned and they chose to remain silent. They were arrested and taken into

The vehicle remains lodged at the Alberttown Police Station. Meanwhile, searches were carried out at thepolicemen’shomes.They remain under close arrest as investigationscontinue.

Exxon still to return 20% of Stabroek Block

Minister of

N a t u r a l

Resources, Vickram Bharrat, has disclosed that ExxonMobil Guyana Limited is nearing the completion of its obligation to return 20% of the Stabroek Block to the GovernmentofGuyana.

The company had up to October 2024 to decide on which portion to hand back totheState Inkeepingwith the provisions of the 2016

Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), Exxon, the operator of the block, is required to hand back

acreage where no commercial discoveries have been made in any appraisal or producing areas.

During his Ministry’s en d - o f - y ear p r es s conference on Tuesday, the Minister provided an update on the progress of the relinquishment process

“With regards to the relinquishment,I’mhappyto say that between the Ministry, GGMC (Guyana

Geology and Mines Commission), and Exxon, we have already agreed in principle on the acreage, the submissionofthereport,and the acreage that will be relinquished,” Bharrat stated.

TheMinistersaidthatthe relinquishment of a producing block involves a more complex process than

…Oil minister says Govt.finalising acreage

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat

simple mathematics would suggest, in relation to handingback20%ofthe6.6 million-acre Stabroek Block totheState.

Minister Bharrat said, “It’s aproducingblock…we need to take out the production area, we need to take out the appraisal area and the area where there is potential commercial interest right, that’s in the PSA. We can’t go against thatsoonceweexercisethat out of take of the acreage then whatever is left you relinquishthe20%ofthat.”

He further elaborated on the technical challenges involved in finalising the relinquishment process Minister Bharrat said, “It’s notassimpleasitmayseem, is very complex especially with blocks that are producingbecauseyou have Liza 1 there, Liza 2 there, Payara you have the other

developments,thenyouhave discoveries, you have appraisal areas so we now havetodecidewhereweare takin

from…”

However, the Minister assuredthattheprocessisin its final stages. “Once we finalisethatwewillgiveyou theexactacreagethatshould be finalised very soon…we willgiveyouafullreporton itwiththeexactacreagebutI can tell you yes, the process has been advanced significantly almost to completion,”hesaid.

Notably, the last update receivedfromExxonbackin November was that they have applied for the relinquishment area and were in the process of finalising the acreage to returntothestate.

The Stabroek Block is locatedabout120milesfrom the coast of Guyana and

Notably, Exxon was required to return a portion oftheBlocktoGuyanasince October 2023, however, former President David Granger had granted the company an extension in 2020 to conduct further explorationactivities.

Accordingtodocuments released by the Ministry of NaturalResources,Granger signed an order giving

Exxon a one-year grace period to hold in their entirety, the Stabroek, Canje and Corentyne Blocks

The three orders state that Granger was written to by Exxon’s Country Manager,Alistair Routledge on July 2, 2020, seeking a grace period given the COVID-19pandemicandits impact on restricting the implementation of exploration for the three blocks.

Theextensiongrantedby theformerHeadofStateone month before he demitted office, required the operator toprovideproofthatitswork programme was indeed impacted.

Notably, despite the changeinadministration,the extension was honoured by the new government, with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo indicating that the pandemic’s impact was significant enough to justify thegraceperiod.

19 companies bid to construct office buildings at CJIA

Following the advertisement for the construction and rehabilitationofofficebuildingsat the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), a total of 19 contractors from both local and overseas have submitted bids for thejob.Theprojectwhichis being executed through the Ministry of Public Works, had its bids read on Wednesday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office. There it was revealed that the project is estimated to cost $1,598,148,232, according to the government’sengineer

Fromthelistofcontractorswho applied for the contract, their bids

are as follow: BM Property InvestmentsInc.-$1,620,815,141; Country Side Recycling -

$1,234,270,329; Dundas C o n s t r u c t i o n I n c$1,287,667,304; Roopan Ramotar Investment - $1,579,635,398; D. D

$1,503,520,997; Blue Print Builders Inc - $1,342,926,615; Urban Edge Builders Inc$1,401,006,615;R.Bassoo&Sons

Construction Company$1,556,263,797; Sheriff C o n s t r u c

o n I n c$1,298,376,615; Ashoka Buildcon Limited (India) - $2,031,523,021; MSR International Enterprise$1,500,167,647; China Harbour

Engineering Company Limited (China)-$1,967,276,659;Avionics EngineeringInc.-$1,128,391,330; K&SGeneralContractorsInc.;PD Contracting - $1,354,756,239; Gurdev Mahadeo Contracting Services - $1,515,000,000; STP InvestmentsInc.-$1,526,406,860; Qingjian Group Company Guyana Inc. - $1,664,535,140; and BK InternationalInc.-$1,508,279,568

As it relates to the new CJIA project, back in December, an official from the airport informed this publication that the contract is to construct and rehabilitate office buildings for the several airline companiesoperatinginthecountry The official said: “This is different

from the works that is ongoing on theCJIA’sAdministrativebuilding. ThisAdministrativebuildingwhen completedissettocaterforCJIA’s 300 plus staff.” Kaieteur News understands that currently over seven airlines have presence in Guyana. These include Sky High Dominicana, Caribbean Airlines, Inter-CaribbeanAirways, Jet Blue, AmericanAirlines,BritishAirways andCopaAirlinejusttonameafew This publication understands that the construction of the office buildings now stands as part of the several projects the Irfaan Ali led administrationisundertakingatthe country’smainportofentry

Itwasreportedthatthecontract for the airport expansion project was signed in 2011, under the then President Bharrat Jagdeo with China Harbour and Engineering Corporation (CHEC). The Jagdeoled administration acquired a US$138 million loan from the ChinaEximBank,andusedUS$12 million from the Consolidated Fund (taxpayers’ money) for the total project cost of US$150 million.

Jagdeo had relayed previously that the US$150 million contract was signed with CHEC for a new airport.However,hesaiditwasthe

Coalition government that made changeswhichresultedinitbeinga rehabilitationproject.Accordingto reports, upon assuming office in 2015, the David Granger administration deemed the airport plan defective, necessitating adjustments Subsequently, in August 2020, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill expressed dissatisfactionwiththecontractor’s work. Consequently, negotiations resulted in additional works being undertaken by CHEC at no extra costtoGuyana.WhiletheUS$150 million rehabilitation works by CHEC are completed, the PPPadministration has substantially increased spending for the modernizationoftheairport,albeit falling below international standardsandexpectations.

At his Ministry’s end-of-year press conference for 2024 earlier this month, the Public Works Minister told the media that since 2020, the government has expended $3 billion on the other projects outside of the US$150 million.

Meanwhile, when the office buildingsprojectisawarded,itwill bring the total spent for the CJIA expansion since August 2020 to approximately$4.5billion.

spans 6 6 million acres Exxon had made over 40 oil discoveriesinthatblock.

The Stabroek Block

The Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA)

Banditsshot,capturedduringhigh-voltagechaseinAnnandale

Twoarmedbandits were captured by

residents of

Annandale, East Coast Demerara (ECD) Tuesday night following a highvoltageshootoutandchase.

According to a police

p r e s s r e l e a s e , a t approximately 21:17hrs, a 35-year-old contractor from Lusignan,ECD,washeading

to his workshop at

Annandale when he observed a suspicious white wagon, the licence number unknown, parked a short distance from his premises. According to the police, the contractor drove past the vehicle, contacted his workers,andwarnedthemof thepotentialthreat.

Shortly after, the vehicle

The suspect who is hospitalised and under police guard.

approached his workshop and three men, dressed in dark, hooded clothing and armed with cutlasses, exited thecarandbeganadvancing toward the location

However,uponnoticingtwo of the contractor’s workers, the men retreated to their vehicle and fled at high speed, the police release stated.

Later, at about 00:10 hours on January 15, the contractor, according to the police, noticed four men on two motorcycles riding suspiciously around the village with what appeared to be firearms in their possession Alarmed, the contractor alerted his neighbours, who rallied together and courageously

In police custody: Shawn Jones

pursuedtheindividuals.

During the chase, one of the suspects aimed what appeared to be a shotgun at the contractor’s vehicle and fired.

Theprojectilesstruckthe right front wheel, causing damage to the vehicle. Despite this, the pursuit c o n t i n u e d w i t h determination and in the course of the chase, one of the suspects (pillion rider) fell from one of the motorcycles, the release added.

The two other suspects ontheothermotorcyclefired additional rounds at their pursuers before another pillionriderfellandtheother motorcyclist escaped, leaving behind the man who

fell The neighbours, undeterred by the gunfire, managedtosecurethescene and discovered a 12-gauge shotgun and a .22 Beretta pistol next to the two suspects.

Oneofthesuspects,who refused to provide any information,wasfoundwith a suspected gunshot wound tohisrightabdomen.

At approximately 00:19 hours, detectives along with the anti-crime patrol, and crime scene ranks, responded to the incident.

Emergency Medical Technicians from the Melanie Fire Station were alsosummonedandrendered aid to the injured man, who was later transported to Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation under police guard.Hisconditionislisted serious.

The second suspect, identified as Shawn Jones, a 30-year-old vendor of 387

Pennylane Street, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, was arrested and taken into custody The recovered firearms a 12-gauge shotgun and a .22 Beretta pistol with its serial number partially defaced, were examined,securedinfirearm boxes,sealed,andlodgedfor analysis.

The recovered firearms

processed, with eight suspected 9mm spent shells collected as evidence. Both suspects’ hands, along with the contractor’s, were s

residue Statements are being obtained as the investigation continues, policesaid.

Oil spill bill to be tabled after budget reading, debates

MinisterofNaturalResources,VickramBharrat,saidthe much-talkedaboutOilSpillBillwillbetabledintheNational Assemblyshortlyafterthereadingofthenationalbudgetand thedebates.

This was announced on Tuesday during the Minister’s pressbriefing. Henotedthattherehasbeenalotofattention paidtothiskeypieceoflegislationinthemedia.“…Wehave budget (reading) coming up on Friday, and then, you know, afterbudget,wehavethedebatesandtheexaminationofthe estimates. Sothatwilltakesometime,butI’msureit’ssoon. Atsomepointintimeafterthat,onceeverythingisokay,we willtabletheOilSpillBill,”Bharratsaid.

He reminded that Attorney General Anil Nandlall had issuedastatement,sayingthatthedraftwascompleted,andit was sent to the Office of the Vice President for further examination. Minister Bharrat boasted that it is a modern piece of legislation and a quick survey of the world’s oil producing countries will show that maybe only a few countries have similar law in place to govern the sector He went as far as saying that even if they have similar laws in place,Guyana’sownisaheadduetoitsmodernnature.

“This Bill will not only cover oil spill in the exploration productionareaoffshore,butitwillalsocovertransportation of petroleum products and petrol and food as well too. So if there’sanymishap,boataccidentsthatwehaveseeninsome countries,itmeansthatwe’llbecoveredheretoo,anditwill speaktocleanup,itwillspeaktocompensation,itwillspeak to restoration, which are critical areas in dealing with (the sector),”heexplained.

The Minister told reporters that, “So far, we are satisfied with the level of safety, the level of precaution and the operation of the operator offshore and their operations. So much so that we have not gotten any major incident from explorationtonow Wehopeandwishtheywillcontinuelike that,butneverthelessweneedthisinplaceintheeventuality, weneedthisinplace,ofanythinghappening.”

-MinisterBharrat

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat

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Jagdeo exposing Cabinet colleagues to public ridicule...

From page 3 dodging the nation,” said Lall,astaunchadvocatefora better oil deal with ExxonMobil.

Lallrecalledthatin2022, afterrelentlesscallsfortransparency about the project, Jagdeo and his team held a press briefing with editors and media house owners. “What happen next would shockallofyou.Atthatmeeting, we were bluntly told not to record what they were about to tell us. Yes, you heardmeright—norecording at a press briefing meant to inform the nation about this US$2billionproject.Imagine that - a briefing of the country’s most expensive project since independence, the media was barred from documenting what was to be said. What kind of transparency is this?” Lall asked.

The businessman detailed that following incessant calls by the media and other stakeholders for answers and the release of the agreements signed for the project, Jagdeo first sent reporters to Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, who told the nation that the documents could not yet be released.

“Imaginethisprojectracing full steam ahead, but the documentstojustifyit,isstill

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not ready for us to see. The Opposition formally requestedthatthiscriticaldocumentbelodgedinParliament where it rightfully belongs, for scrutiny and accountability Yet, to this very day, just like the media and the rest of the Guyanese public, the entireParliamentisstillwaiting to see that document.”

Lall recounted that Jagdeo was again confronted about the Opposition’s demand to make the project documentavailableinParliament at which point he told reporters to go to Government’s Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira since she is the personresponsibleforlaying such documents in Parliament.However,whenTeixeira was confronted on the issue, she told the reporters she knew nothing about it and directed the media to the Prime Minister, saying he is the man responsible for that sector

Recently, at his end-ofyear press conference, when thePrimeMinisterwasquestioned, his response was that it was better for Jagdeo to respond, since he has been the one addressing all matters related to the Wales project.

“Round and round it goes—a game of hot potatoes with a US$2 billion project at stake. Jagdeo circus of passing the buck shouldmakeeveryGuyanese stopandthinkaboutthelevel of respect this man has for us

and the future of this country,” Lall said. Jagdeo was againaskedabouttherelease of key documents last week at his news conference at which point he directed this media house to ask the US EximBank.

“It is clear he doesn’t want anybody to ask him anything about the Wales project.Askyourselfpeople: Isthataleader?Isthatsomeonewecantrustwithourfuture? Is this a man committed to informing the people, or is he bent on deceiving us at every level? You be the judge.

You know what is more troublingherepeople,ishow he is dragging members of his own cabinet and senior governmentofficialstomake fools out of themselves, just so that they can keep their jobs and stay in office.

These people, supposed to be leaders in their own right,arereducedtopuppets, forced to endure public embarrassmentwhiletoeingthe line of Jagdeo’s evil and twisted agenda,” Lall commented.

Onlylastweekthisnewspaper reported that more than a dozen Guyanese and two organisations have requested the United States Export Import (US EXIM) Banktosharedocumentsrelating to the Gas-to-Energy (GTE)projectithasprovided aUS$527Mloantosupport.

In a statement to the me-

dia, the citizens Elizabeth Deane-Hughes, Danuta Radzik,AlfredBhulai,Vincent Adams,AndreBrandli,Vanda Radzik,JanetteBulkan,George Jaikaran, Karen de Souza, Fredrick Collins, Darshanand Khusial, Susan Collymore, HalimaKhan,JoyMarcusand WintressWhiteexplainedthat therequestwasmadeonJanuary10,2025.

TheOil&GasGovernance Network(OGGN)aswellasthe Transparency Institute Guyana Inc (TIGI) also attached their signatures to the letter. Itwasexplainedthatthe request is now awaiting the Bank’s reply to issue a processingnumberforaresponse fromtheFreedomofInformationAct(FOIA)Unitwithinthe EXIMBank’ssystem.

According to the statement,“EarlierintheirinteractionswithEXIMBank,membersofCivilSocietyinGuyana weregiventhereferencenumber202500055Fontheirthird attempt to obtain loan application documents.”

Additionally, the citizens pointed out that they are also awaitinginformationfromUSEXIM Bank on their request for other documents. They had requested any feasibilitystudyfortheWales location;anyfeasibilitystudy for the use of associated gas, perArticle12ofthePetroleum SharingAgreement2016;any Gas Utilization Plan and any otherdocumentrelatingtothe project.

Forensic lab acquires new $86M scanning...

From page 12 country’scapabilitiesincombatingcrime.

Permanent Secretary, AndreAlly, also spoke at the event, underscoring the SEM’simportanceinimproving the laboratory’s efficiency, especially as Guyana undergoes rapid economic and infrastructural growth. He pointed out the pressing need for timely and accurate GSR analysis, particularly given that over 200 firearms were seized by the Guyana Police Force and CANU last year. “The SEM will enable the GFSL to clear backlogs and deliver results more efficiently, strengthening its support for the justice system,”Allystated.Healsoemphasized the importance of maintainingtheSEM,adding, “Downtime is not an option for such a vital tool. We are grateful for Zeiss’s commitment to providing ongoing supportandservicing,ensuring this machine operates at peakefficiencyandcontinues

to bolster our capacity to combatcrimeeffectively.”

During the ceremony, GFSLDeputyDirectorCharis Griffith,expressedherpride inthelaboratory’sexpanding capabilities, noting its continued success in maintaining ISO 17025 international accreditationanditsgrowing staffofqualifiedforensicexperts.

Additionally,representatives from Zeiss also highlightedthesignificanceofthe SEM, stressing the company’s commitment to advancingscientificinnovation. Juergen Frank, a Zeiss representative, explained that Zeiss considers itself a partnerinscientificprogress, not just a supplier. “We invest15%ofourrevenueinto research and development, significantly exceeding the industry average, to deliver groundbreaking solutions,” Frankshared.CarlosPeralta, another Zeiss representative, emphasized the versatility of the SEM, noting,

“TheSEM’sabilitytoanalyze form, composition, and intricatedetailsmakesitinvaluable across disciplines. Its potentialisonlylimitedbytheimagination of its users, offering endless possibilities for innovation and discovery.”

According to the statement, the acquisition of the SEM is part of a broader investmentinadvancedtechnology at the GFSL, which also includes the purchase of an Orbitrap Exploris 120 Basic System (LCMS) for USD $353,344, which will be used for identifying and quantifying drugs, toxins, and volatile compounds, and an Agilent Technologies8890/7000EGC MSMS System for USD $265,324.24,whichwillbeused foranalysingfiredebris,blood alcohol levels, and chemical impurities.Inaddition,fiveforensicexpertsarecurrentlyundergoing specialized training tofullyutilizetheseadvanced tools, ensuring that the GFSL is equipped to deliver highquality forensic analyses.

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Israel and Hamas reach deal on Gaza ceasefire and hostage release

Young Palestinians celebrate in Khan Younis after the ceasefire deal was reached

WASHINGTON — A ceasefire deal was reached Wednesdaytoend15months of fighting in the Gaza Strip, according to President Joe Biden, Qatar's prime minister and Hamas officials.

Thehard-wonagreement will also free dozens of hostages held in Gaza, as wellasPalestiniansinIsraeli jails, bringing the first real break in violence since a weeklong truce expired Dec. 1, 2023. The deal will take effect Sunday, according to Qatar's prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh M o h a m m e d b i n Abdulrahman Al Thani, whose country hosted weeks ofintensenegotiations.

Under the phased agreement, Israeli forces would withdraw to the Gaza border, allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their homes and for the transfer of hostages and prisoners L a r g e a m o u n t s o f humanitarian aid would be shipped to the enclave and hospitals and health care centers would be rebuilt, he said. Hamas, meanwhile, will release 33 hostages in exchangefor100Palestinian prisonerswithlifesentences, according to a portion of the deal shared by Hamas. Israel will also release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners who werenotinvolvedintheOct. 7 attacks, the text says, and an unspecified number of Palestinian prisoners will also be released abroad or in Gaza.

In a statement, Biden hailed “many months of intensive diplomacy” by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar “My diplomacy never ceased in theireffortstogetthisdone,” the outgoing president said inpart.

In subsequent on-camera remarks, Biden said he was “deeplysatisfiedthisdayhas

finally come, for the sake of the people of Israel and the families waiting in agony, and for the sake of the innocent people in Gaza, who suffered unimaginable devastation because of the war ” The news follows comes amid a brutal winter for civilians in Gaza, as well as dramatic developments across the Middle East that have dealt setbacks to Iran, anIsraelifoe.

“We are very happy to reach a deal today to stop the aggression against our people, but unfortunately we were unable to reach the same deal last May,” Basem Naim, a senior Hamas official,toldNBCNews.Ina statement, Netanyahu's office touted what it c h a r a c t e r i z e d a s a compromiseonHamas'part.

"In light of Prime Minister Netanyahu's firm stance, Hamas has backed down on its demand at the last minute to change the deploymentofforceson"the Philadelphi Corridor, the Israeli name for the narrow strip of land between Gaza andEgypt.

"However, there are still severalunresolvedclausesin the outline, and we hope that the details will be finalized tonight,"theprimeminister's officeadded.

Gil Dickmann, the cousin of deceased hostage CarmelGat,saiditwas"very exciting" to see that finally hostages are going to come home.

“It's also really sad to know that Carmel could have and should have been amongthem,butadealdidn't come in time and she was murdered in captivity," he said. Earlier, a diplomatic source in Washington told NBC News that Netanyahu was preparing to meet with his security Cabinet, where approval of the deal was

expected quickly. He would then take the pact to the full Cabinet, which is also expectedtoapprove.

Israel's Supreme Court would have 24 hours to permit an appeal, so the earliest a ceasefire could go into effect would be Friday, the source said. The first group of hostages would come out Sunday, the person added.

Israel launched its military campaign in the Palestinian enclave after Hamas' Oct 7 terrorist attack, in which 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage. Just more than 100 were released in lateNovember2023duringa pause in hostilities, in exchangefor240Palestinian prisoners The war has s h a t t e r e d G a z a ' s infrastructure and displaced most of its population Health officials in the enclave say more than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces, mostofthemcivilians.

The chances for a c e a s e f i r e s e e m e d vanishinglysmallaftermany false dawns in recent months The Biden administrationhadcalledfor a final effort before the president leaves office, and many in the region and in Washington viewed Trump's inauguration Monday as an unofficialdeadline.

Trump pledged last month that “all hell will break out” if Hamas doesn't promise to release hostages by Jan. 20 and his Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, joined talksintheregiontopushfor a deal Internationally, Israel's staunchest allies have largely stood by it during its war in Gaza, but that support has been coupled with the strongest criticism in a generation and widespread calls for a

ceasefire from the United Statesandothers.

World leaders have also strongly condemned incidents of sexual violence during Hamas' attack on Israel, as well as allegations of the sexual abuse of Palestinian prisoners by members of the Israeli military, which Israel has saiditisinvestigating.

Israel's allies have been largely supportive of its proxy war against Iran, which the U.S. has long accused of funding Hamas and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed in November to halt months of deadly fighting with a ceasefire that has largely held.The scale and nature of Israel's offensive have drawn condemnation fromabroad.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Netanyahu for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders in December accused Israel of carrying out a genocide in Gaza. Israel has rejected those accusations as false andantisemitic.

Choice is between "bad and very bad," Israeli foreign minister says of ceasefire deal

(CNN) Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar has characterized the ceasefire-for-hostages deal as a painful choice “between bad and very bad” –without saying explicitly whether he will vote for it or not. “I'll speak honestly – this is a difficult decision when it involves releasing so many terrorists, including those who have murdered Jews,” Sa'ar said during a speech at a synagogue in Rome on Wednesday “There are also other painful elements in the deal. We must

choose between bad and very bad.”

The currentdealisexpectedtorelease33 hostagesinitsfirstphaseinexchangefor hundreds of prisoners currently held by Israel But it still needs to gain approval fromthesecuritycabinet,andthenthefull governmentcabinetwillneedtopassitby a simple majority vote, a senior Israeli sourcetoldCNNonMonday Atleastone member of Netanyahu's cabinet, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, has indicatedhewillnotvoteforthedealas it currently stands. “If we delay the decision – who knows how many will remain alive?” Sa'ar continued, according to a copy of his remarks released by Israel's foreign ministry and obtained by CNN. “It is painful –for the victims of terrorism and for all the citizens of Israel.” “We have a responsibility to the citizens who were abducted from their beds,” Sa'ar concluded. “The commitment of the Israeli government to bring them home – that is what will guide us in these difficultcircumstances.”

Gaza deal needs

to allow major increase in aid, refugee council says

(CNN) The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) says the ceasefire-forhostages deal between Israel and Hamas needs to allow for a major increase in aid to Gaza. The group's Secretary General Jan Egeland called on Israel to immediately lift allrestrictionsonaidandaid agencies “to avert faminelike conditions and ensure access to shelter, food, and medicalcareforallinneed.”

The group also called on Hamas and other armed groups to release hostages

withoutdelay

The NRC drew attention to the mass destruction in Gaza and the need to repair and rebuild homes, schools, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure The group also called on Israel's allies to make sure it keeps border crossings open to allow the inflowofaid.

The group said its teams on the ground stand ready to “scaleupourefforts,helping families begin the long process of rebuilding their lives.”

Hamas shares document detailing how ceasefire-for-hostages deal will be implemented

(CNN) Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim has shared a document detailing how the ceasefire-forhostages agreement between Israel and Hamas will be implemented.

According to the document, Israel will release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners who were arrested on October 8, 2023, but were not involved in Hamas' attack on Israel the day before.

Of the 33 hostages Hamas is expected to release, nine who are ill and injured will be exchanged for 110 Palestinian prisoners with life sentences, according to the document.

Under phase one of the deal, Israeli forces will gradually reduce their presence along the Philadelphi Corridor, a

narrowstripoflandalongthe Egypt-Gaza border, and begin withdrawing after the last of the 33 hostages is released Its forces will complete their withdrawal by day 50, under phase two of the deal, according to the document.

It also says Israel will work on getting the Rafah border crossing ready as soon as the agreement is signed to facilitate the return ofdisplacedcivilians.Onthe seventh day after the deal takes effect, unarmed pedestrians will be allowed toreturntothenorth,without undergoing inspection, whilevehicleswillbeableto return after being inspected by a third party Egypt, one of the mediators of the deal, confirmedtheauthenticityof thedocument.

Chairman of QC Board gets contract to design new wing of school

Queen's College located in Georgetown. (Photocourtesy,Queen'sCollegeOldStudentsAssociation/Facebook)

Chairman of the Queen's College (QC) Board of Governors and Engineer, Marcel Gaskin was recently awarded the contract to designthenewwesternwingoftheschool.

Gaskin's firm, Marcel Gaskin and Associates Limited is no stranger to the government as the company has been providing consulting and engineering services for several projects in the country This publication understands that in December, the Ministry of Education went out to tender seeking a contractor for the 'Reconstruction of Queen's College West Wing' of which four companies applied. Among the bidders was A. Orgasein & Sons that was awarded the contract. From the minutes provided by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), A Orgasein & Sons submitted a financial proposal of $514,756,823forthecontract.

Kaieteur News understands that the move to have the western wing of the school demolished and rebuilt comes after the Ministry was professionally advised that the buildingisseriouslycompromisedandunsafe forchildren'soccupation.Thisisaccordingto Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand w h o p o s t e d o n h e r Facebook page on Tuesday that “As soon as welearntofthatinwriting,wecommissioned a drawing, went to public tender in the

newspapersandontheworldwidewebandan awardwasmadebyNPTAB.”

The Minister stated that after an award was made, they briefed all the stakeholders about the upcoming project. In light of the school'sproject,concernshavebeenraisedon the chairman's involvement in the project.

Addressing these concerns, the Minister on WednesdayinaseparateFacebookpoststated thatGaskinwhoisChairoftheBoard,hasthe expertise to design and supervise this project as he has done for many other projects in the country

“On the issue of Marcel Gaskin's involvement being a conflict of interest I ask, how? Marcel happens to be chair of the board and has the expertise to design and supervise this project as he has done for many other projects in the country For many years. He is not the contractor So he isn't supervising his own works He would be supervising someoneelse'swork,”theMinister

In clarifying, the Minister said that the supervision for this project has not yet been awarded, adding that “Marcel did however

Ministry and while we have not yet paid for that,Idon'tseewhythatshouldbeforfree.”

This publication understands that works on the new wing will commence shortly Some of the children affected will be facilitatedthroughonlinelearning.

No bail for construction worker charged for stealing phone

A 2 3 - y e a r - o l d construction worker was remanded to prison on Wednesday after appearing a t t h e G e o rg e t o w n Magistrates'Courttoanswer arobberyunderarmscharge.

Marlon Rodrigues of 1A Guyhoc Park, Perry Street, Georgetown, is accused of robbing Rupnarine Kurpaul of a cell phone valued at $34,000 while armed with a knifeonJanuary13,2025,at C o m m e r c e S t r e e t , Georgetown.

Rodrigues appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty, who read the charge to him. He pleaded not guilty to the accusation. During the court proceedings,theprosecution objected to bail, citing the seriousness and prevalence of the offence as well as the penalties associated with the charge The prosecution outlined the events leading to the arrest, stating that on the day in question, Kurpaul was in the vicinity of

C

approximately 17:00 hrs when he was approached by Rodrigues, who allegedly robbed him of his cellphone.

An alarm was raised, and public-spirited citizens gave chase to Rodrigues. During the pursuit, a police officer on duty spotted Rodrigues, who was later apprehended. The stolen phone and the weapon used in the robbery werefoundonhim.

prosecution revealed that K

identified Rodrigues and the stolen phone at the police

Rodrigues was charged with the offence. Rodrigues, who appeared without legal

remanded to prison and is scheduled to return to court on February 5, 2025, for furtherproceeding.

The last couple of days were crucial to get ceasefire-for-hostages deal done - Qatari official tells CNN

(CNN) The last couple of days were crucial in getting the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal done, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson MajedAl-Ansari told CNN'sBeckyAndersononWednesday Ansari voiced his appreciation for both the outgoing and incoming US administrations “working in tandem” to help pushthedealthrough.

When asked about potential violations of the agreement, Ansari said there are checks and processes in place to ensure the deal is implemented.Hesaidwhilenegotiatorshave learned to be cautious in their expectations, “everything has been discussed in a very clearmanner.”

The ceasefire and hostage release deal that was agreed upon by Israel and Hamas is expected to go into effect on Sunday and the Qatari official said mediators will work to ensure that there are no delays in its implementation.

When asked if the deal proposed by US President Joe Biden in May last year was similar to the one the parties agreed on

Majed Al-Ansari, Qatari Foreign Affairs Ministry Spokesperson, speaks during a press conference on Wednesday

Wednesday, Ansari said the agreement is very similar but “the document was progressing.” “The spirit of the document is actually very similar to that which was (proposed) in May, but obviously the devil is inthedetailandthisiswhatwewereworking on for 400 days,” Ansari said. Biden said Wednesday the latest agreement was “the exact framework of the deal I proposed back in May, exactly, and we got the world to endorseit.”

Remanded: Marlon Rodrigues

‘Court system cannot conduct trials and deliver judgements within the four-month time’

ByShaniaWilliams

The court system

witnessed a significant rise in case filings in 2024, and ActingChiefJusticeRoxane George has acknowledged thechallengesofconducting

trials and delivering judgments within the prescribed four-month timeframe.

She has called for the adoption of alternative dispute resolution methods to manage the increasing caseload.Thisstatementwas made during the opening of the Law Year 2025 at the Victoria High Court on Tuesday

The Chief Justice noted thatsincethelaunchoftheelitigation portal in January 2024, the court system has seen a rise in appeals and applications filed through theportal.

This launch aligns with the Judiciary Strategic Plan 2024-2031, which has facilitated the rollout of the e-litigation system for the Court of Appeal, the Full Court, and the High Court,

resulting in 311 appeals and applicationsbeingfiled.

However, despite the appointment of additional judges and judicial officers in 2024, Chief Justice George emphasised that the court system is struggling to keep up with the volume of cases. “Despitetheincrease in the number of judicial officers, the court system cannot realistically conduct

trialsineverycaseordeliver judgments within the fourmonth timeframe prescribed by law due to the heavy caseload dealt with by each civiljudge,”shestated.

Between October 4 and December 31, 2024, a total of 37 appeals were filed in the Full Court, and 1,637 cases were filed in the High Court. The breakdown is as follows: 1,373 cases for

-ChiefJusticesays, amidsurgeincasefiling

Justice recommended the need for innovative approaches to improving accesstojustice.

Despite the challenges, she praised the seamless transition to the e-litigation system, calling it a transformative step in the administrationofjustice.

Demerara, 377 for Berbice, and 76 cases for Essequibo. “Given the high rate of filings, I again strongly encourage persons to consider resolving their disputes through alternative dispute mechanisms including mediation and restorative justice,” she urged.

In response to the growing caseload, the Chief

Lookingahead,theChief Justice also announced that filing criminal indictments through the e-litigation portalwillbeginthisquarter Additionally, to further improve efficiency in court administration, the court system plans to introduce electronic human resources and inventory management systems.

Meanwhile, Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonette CummingsEdwards, also addressed the issue of the court’s capacity, h i g h l i g h t i n g t h e reconstitutionoftheJudicial Service Commission. This development, she said, has

been pivotal in enabling the appointment of 10 High Court

commissioners of title, and additional legal and support staffintheregistryandcourt recording unit. “It makes us more effective and efficient in addressing the caseloads andindealingwiththemany mattersthatcomebeforeus,” the Acting Chancellor said.

“There have been increases in the volume of cases filed, and the precious judicial workforce needed to be enhanced to deal with those increases,” the Chancellor added.

Acting Chief Justice

Roxane George

Victoria High Court

Andre Russell led the trio of West Indians with good performances.

Windies trio shine as Abu Dhabi Knight Riders secure 30-run win over Warriors

SportsMax -West Indies trio of Andre Russell, Kyle Mayers, and Jason Holder were integral in the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders' commanding 30-run victory over the Sharjah Warriors at the Zayed Cricket Stadium yesterday

Russell, who served as captainforthisencounter,led

by example with an explosive unbeaten 24 off just 12 balls, including three towering sixes. His late blitz poweredtheKnightRidersto 159-5intheir20overs.

The explosive Jamaican shared a vital unbroken 50run sixth-wicket partnership

with Laurie Evans, who anchored the innings with a measured 39 not out off 31 balls, including three fours andasix.

Earlier, Kyle Mayers provided a fiery start, smashing 21 off nine balls withtwofoursandtwosixes, while Joe Clarke contributed a steady 32 off 27 balls, featuringfourboundaries.

Despite a top-order wobbleat62-3,contributions from Alishan Sharafu (25) and the Russell-Evans finish ensured the Knight Riders postedacompetitivetotal.

Adil Rashid (2-14) and Adam Milne (2-37) were the

standout bowlers for the Warriors.

Holder and Mayers turnedthegamedecisivelyin the Knight Riders' favour during the Warriors' chase. Holder delivered a matchwinning spell, as he claimed 4-23 from his four overs, including the key wickets of West Indies teammates Johnson Charles (12) and KeemoPaul(21).

Mayers was equally impactful, finishing with 216in3.3overs.

Theduo,alongsideDavid Willey(3-19),dismantledthe Warriors' batting lineup, reducing them to 129 all out in19.3overs.

Thursday January 16, 2025

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19

Matters involving your community might require your attention. This is likely to involve communication in some way. Perhaps you want tomakesomephonecalls.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20)

Financialmattersmightneed attention today Bills may need to be paid, checks deposited, and budgeting worked out. Your powers of concentrationarehigh.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Some projects might require practical attention today, getting irritating little details clearedupandoutoftheway Your natural efficiency is at a peak.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

Relatives or old friends, particularly seniors, who visit you today are likely to awaken childhood memories that you'd long since forgotten.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Today you might spend a lot of time on the phone with friends, some of them seniors. Your conversations will be loving, informative, andrevealing,Leo.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22)

Today you could resolve to work harder than ever on whatever it is that brings the results you hope for, Virgo. This is likely to involve nothingmoreglamorousthan practicaltasks.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22) P

interests may be on hold today because of career matters Your ambitions, whatevertheyare,couldgeta shot in the arm through some newinformation.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Memories of past events that caused traumas that you're still dealing with could come to light today This is a positive development, as the releaseoftheseoldemotions.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Today you might see old and newfriendshipsandromantic involvements reach a new understanding, Sagittarius. This creates a stronger commitment between you andthosewhocareforyou.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

An important project could require intense concentration today, Capricorn, and you're intherightframeofmind.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)

Your practical skills should be operating efficiently, Aquarius A creative or intellectual discipline that fascinates you might require someintenseconcentrationtoday

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

Practical matters involving home and family might need some attention today This isn't anything alarming, Pisces, just a few tasks that youmayhaveputoff,suchas housecleaningoryardwork.

The Warriors' chase never gained momentum as they lost half their side for just 62 runs. Lower-order contributions from captain TimSouthee,whotop-scored with a brisk 24 off 11 balls, and Rohan Mustafa, who made 20 off 19 balls, offered briefresistance.

Paul's 16-ball 21, featuring four boundaries, andCharles'14-ball12witha four and a six were the only othernotablecontributions.

The victory was a crucial bounce-back for the Knight Riders, who had suffered a loss in their opening match. They now sit third on the table with two points, while the Warriors slipped to fifth, also with two points but trailingonnetrunrate.

Rutherford

hits...

From page 26 with 76* off 62 balls including five fours and two sixes. Aayan Afzal Khanwastheonlyother batsman to get into double figures with 15 as captain Ferguson's pace was too much to handle for the batsmen as he finished with 3-22 fromhisfourovers.

H e w a s w e l l s u p p o r t e d b y Mohammad Amir who took 2-23 from his four overs.

A second win in as many games moves the Vipers to the top of the table while the Giants are second from bottom aftertheirsecondlossto starttheseason.

Djokovic creates slice of history as Zheng stunned in Melbourne

AFP - Novak Djokovic celebrated a slice of Grand Slam history on his way into the Australian Open third round yesterday, but last year'swomen'sfinalistZheng Qinwen was knocked out in thebiggestshocksofar.

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, in-form

Coco Gauff, former Melbourne winner Naomi Osaka and a rampant Carlos Alcaraz were all victors on a rainydayfour

Alexander Zverev also progressed but Norway's Casper Ruud went down in four sets to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik to become the highest men's seed to fall at six.

Playing under the roof on Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic needed four sets for the second match in a row before defeating Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-7 (4/7),6-3,6-2.

It was Djokovic's 430th singles match at a major to

claimsoleownershipofmost ever played, men or women, in the Open Era ahead of Roger Federer (429) and SerenaWilliams(423).

The Serb is chasing a record-extending 11th Australian Open title and historic 25th Grand Slam crown.

"Whether I win or lose, I will always leave my heart out on the court. I'm just blessed to be making another record," said Djokovic, 37,

now coached by former rival AndyMurray

Djokovic faces Czech 26th seed Tomas Machac next and is drawn to meet Spain's Alcaraz in the last eight.

Four-time Grand Slam winner Alcaraz dropped just five games in an ominous displaytosprintintothethird round.

The third seed showed no mercy to Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka in a 6-0, 6-1, 6-4

routin81minutes.

Belarus'

(WILLIAM WEST/AFP/AFP)

"The less time you spend on court in the Grand Slams, especiallyinthebeginning,it is going to be better," said Alcaraz, who is yet to go beyond the quarter-finals in Melbourne.

Second seed Zverev swept through with a straight-sets victory over Spain'sPedroMartinez.

Heading home on Wednesday with Ruud was qualifier Hady Habib, who

Rockaway Group of Companies on board with Project

“Cricket Gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana”

R o c k a w a y G r o u p o f Companies out of Queens, New York, USA, is thelatestcompany to provide support for this joint initiative between Anil Beharry of Guyana and Kishan Das of the USA. Jameel'Hafeez'Ali,aUSA based Guyanese, owner and business magnate was in Guyana recently and he presented one gear bag, two thigh pads, two pairs of batting pads, two pairs of batting gloves, two cricket bats, sevenbatrubbers,tenwhiteballs, andonebatcone.

The group of company consists of Royal Express Hall, Roti Shop and VIP Taxi Service, all very popular businesses. Ali mentioned that he is happy to be part of this initiative that he was followingforawhile.

We take this opportunity to say thank you to the Rockaway Group of Companies and wish them continued success. We also encouraged Guyanese living in the USA and visiting, to support the company Special thanks to Ali, a very generous person, who continues to give back abundantly to his country of birth.Thisprojectispleasedtobe part of the development of young cricketers in Guyana. Our aim is

to keep young people off the streets and get them actively involved in sports, cricket in particular.

To date, ninety-two young players, male and female, from allthreecountiesofGuyanahave benefited directly from cash, seven gear bags, two trophies, fourarmguards,thirty-threebats, four boxes, six helmets, thirtyfour pairs of cricket shoes, twenty-one pairs of batting pads, twenty-four thigh pads, one bat grip, thirty-seven pairs of batting g l o v e s , o n e p a i r o f

wicketkeeping pads and three pairs of wicketkeeping gloves. Many others benefited indirectly. In addition, two clubs in the Pomeroon area benefited from two used bats Pomeroon, Leguan and Wakenam Cricket Committees and Cotton Tree Die Hardalsoreceivedoneboxofred cricket balls each, Cold Fusion Cricket Club thirteen color uniforms while RHCCCC received six boxes of balls, fifteen white cricket shirts, one pair of junior batting pads, one pair of wicketkeeping gloves, twosetsofstumpsandbails.

Cricket related items, used or new,aredistributedfreeofcostto young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skills, discipline and education are important characteristics of the recipients. Talent spotting is being done across the country and club leaders also assist to identify same Progressive and well managed cricket clubs with a youth programme, will also benefit.

Distribution will continue. Anyone interested to contribute can contact Anil Beharry on 623 6875orKishanDas on1718664 0896.

really uncomfortable positions," said Sabalenka, who beat Zheng in the 2024 final.

The win kept the Belarusian world number one on course for a rare hattrick of consecutive Australian Open titles, a feat last achieved 26 years ago by Martina Hingis and only matched by four other womeninhistory

on Sunday became the first playerfromLebanontowina GrandSlammatch.

He exited in three sets to France'sUgoHumbert.

-'Nothingmore'-

Olympic champion Zheng was sent packing 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 by world number 97 Laura Siegemund, the second-oldest player in the women'sdrawatage36.

"I knew I just had to play more than my best tennis. I had nothing to lose so I just told myself to swing free," saidtheGerman.

"It's tennis Nothing more," said China's Zheng, 22, who was given two time violationsandlosthercoolas her tilt at a maiden major crown evaporated in only the secondround.

Sabalenka dropped her serve three times and faced 11 break points before overcoming Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 7-5, rattlingoffthelastfivegames inarow

"I have to fight. Today's match proved that. Girls can gothereandjustplaywithout any fear, without anything to lose. They can put you in

Former world number one Osaka, the 2019 and 2021 champion in Australia but now unseeded, stormed back to defeat 20th seed Karolina Muchova 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.

Osaka called it a "little revenge" for defeat at the US OpeninAugusttotheCzech. World number three Gauff, who finished 2024 by winning the China Open and the WTATour Finals, fought back from 5-3 down in the second set to see off Britain's JodieBurrage6-3,7-5.

Asked what she had to do to beat 30th seed Leylah Fernandez next, Gauff told reporters: "Obviously serve better!"

Gauff's fellow American Jessica Pegula, beaten in the US Open final by Sabalenka last year, eased through against Belgium's Elise Mertens.

On Thursday, men's number one Jannik Sinner steps up the defence of his Melbourne crown when he faces Australian wildcard TristanSchoolkate.

Daniil Medvedev, Iga Swiatek and Brazilian teenage sensation Joao Fonseca are also in secondroundaction.

St. Joseph High School benefits from GBA Shuttle Time project

The Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) made a timelydonationtothestudentsofSt.JosephHighSchoolthis past week, as the Shuttle Time programme continues across schoolscountrywide.

OnbehalfoftheGBA,executiveMrs.AmeliaRamdhani madethetimelydonationofthekit,whichincludesracquets, nets and shuttlecocks to the students of the Secondary School, as to further promote the sport across learning institutionsacrossthecountry

Accepting the kit on behalf of the GBAwas Head of the St.JosephHighSchoolPhysicalEducationDepartment,Ms. TonyaWilliams.

The donation of badminton gear thus ensures that students can now further orient themselves with the fundamentals of the sports; while working on their fitness amongotherareasofPE.

The GBAsaid the move was geared towards supporting PhysicalEducationprogramsacrossschoolswhilegivingan introduction to Badminton as it seeks to widen its horizon andunearthmoretalentforthefutureofthesport.

Aryna Sabalenka celebrates victory against Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

Naomi Osaka has been dealing with a lot over the past two weeks. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

Novak Djokovic (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Jameel 'Hafeez' Ali

CWI launches high-performance initiatives to accelerate player, coaching development

SportsMax - Cricket

West Indies (CWI) started 2 0 2 5 w i t h t h r e e groundbreaking highperformance programmes aimed at elevating the standard of West Indies cricket across all levels. The initiatives brought together international expertise and regional talent in an unprecedented effort to strengthen both playing and coachingcapabilities.

The first two initiatives focus on advanced batting techniques against spin bowling and enhancing spin bowling capabilities with a focus on wrist spin. The

s p e c i a l i z e d H i g h -

Performance Batting Spin and Spin Bowling Camp began on January 11 and runs until January 17. It features 30 of the region's mostpromisingplayers.

Under the guidance of Chennai Super Kings Academy Head Coach Sriram Krishnamurthi and spin bowling coach Amar Rashid,thesix-dayintensive programmes aim to refine participants' skills For players like Matthew Nandu (Guyana), Kirk McKenzie (Jamaica), and Kevin Wickham (Barbados), this camp builds on their experience at the Chennai Super Kings Academy in India last December, where they trained alongside four otherWestIndiesplayers.

The third initiative is a Coaching Symposium, held at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua from January 13 to 15 The symposium aimed to enhance the skillsets of regional franchise coaches

A number of leading rising regional players are expected to benefit.

while broadening their knowledge to support franchise and international players'development.

One of the symposium's key objectives was to bring clarity to coaches on the requirements for developing and managing players at the franchise level to meet the West Indies brand. It also aimed at empowering and enabling a collaborative learning community among coaches to achieve worldclassoutcomes.

Newly appointed West Indies Head Coach Daren Sammy as one of six presenters over the three days Coaches from the Chennai Super Kings Academy joined CWI Coaching Development Consultant James Davidson indeliveringsessions. In attendance were elevenfranchisecoachesand two from the Combined

Campuses and Colleges team The symposium provided a platform for knowledge exchange and emphasized creating a pathway for coaching excellenceintheregion.

CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe praised the threeinitiatives.

“Theseparallelprograms

investment in West Indies cricket's future. By bringing together international expertise with our regional talent, we are developing skills and building a

ecosystem.The combination of specialized player development through our High-Performance Camp and the elevation of coaching standards through the symposium creates a powerful framework for success.

"Particularly exciting for

us is the way we have connected our recent initiatives, like the Chennai Super Kings Academy experience, with these new programmes to create continuous development

p a t h w a y s T h i s comprehensive approach ensures we're developing both our current and next generation of cricket professionals in alignment with modern cricket demands,"Bascombesaid.

Cricket West Indies remains committed to a comprehensive approach to player and coaching development, ensuring the region's cricket remains competitiveandalignedwith moderncricketdemands.

Eleven (11) coaches from the six franchises attended the symposium, alongwithtwocoachesfrom the Combined Campuses andCollegesteam.

Guyana Harpy Eagles 4-Day practice match Game 2…

Hundreds from Alimohamed, Sinclair set tone for interesting second game

Scintillating tons from all-rounders

R o n a l d o Alimohamed and Junior Sinclair helped set the tone for an exciting final Guyana Harpy Eagles 4-Day practice match which bowled off yesterday at the Guyana N a t i o n a l S t a d i u m , Providence. TheDaymatchsawamore aggressive approach by the budding prospects, who continue to press their case for seniornationalselectionahead of the upcoming Regional 4-

DayChampionships. Nial Smith XI posted an imposing 472-7 thanks to a blistering 59-ball 121 from Alimohamed while Sinclair stroked a classy 129, sharing a solid7thwicketpartnershipof 179runs.

Fast-bowling all-rounder

Alimohamed smoked 11 sixes and 10 fours as he clobbered the opposition bowling to further solidify his case as one ofGuyana'stoputilityplayers. Sinclair hit 8 fours and 9 sixes as he alongside Adrian Sukwah (56) and Afraz Ali

Budhu(66)lentidealsupport.

Kemol Savory XI bowling suffered despite Zeynul Ramsammy (3-35), Eagles pacer Isai Thorne (2-42), Thaddeus Lovell (2-73) and spinner Richie Looknauth (2111)returningwickets.

Trailing by 453, openers Raymond Perez (10*) and Brandon Jaikarran (04*) will needtoresumetheirinningsin a positive manner, as their batsmen will have runs to play with as they continue their p r e p a r a t i o n f o r t h e Championships.

Ronaldo Alimohamed hammered hundreds on the opening day of the second 4-Day practice match at Providence.

Junior Sinclair

Windies U19 Women suffer heavy 79-run loss to New Zealand in warm-up match

SportsMax - West Indies Under-19 Women endured a crushing79-rundefeattotheirNew Zealand counterparts in their second warm-up match at the UKM-YSD Cricket Oval in Malaysiayesterday

With their ICC Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup opener against reigning champions India just days away, the Caribbean side faced a reality check against a disciplinedNewZealandunit.

Chasing a challenging target of 152,theWestIndiesstruggledto72 all out in 18.5 overs. Despite the effortsofBriannaHarricharan(16), Kenika Cassar (13 not out), and Asabi Callender (10), the team failed to build any substantial partnerships New Zealand's bowlerskepttheWestIndiesbatters under pressure, with Anika Todd leadingtheattack,assheclaimed23 from her solitary over Six other bowlers chipped in with a wicket apiece Earlier, New Zealand captainTashWakelinelectedtobat, andheropenersEmmaMcLeodand

Kate Irwin seized control with a commanding89-runopeningstand. McLeod retired out after scoring an even50off42balls,whichincluded four boundaries, while Irwin followed suit with a solid 46 from 41deliveries,strikingfivefours.

West Indies bowlers were unable to make a breakthrough as EveWolland(22notout)andAnika Todd (20 not out) carried New Zealand to 151-2. Both players added finishing touches with composed knocks, striking two boundaries each.After a narrow nine-run win over Nepal in their first warm-up match, New Zealand's potential highlighted the Caribbean side's frailties, particularl

ng partnerships and maintaining consistencywiththeball.

As such, the West Indies camp, led by head coach Robert Samuels and assistant Shane Brooks, will need to regroup quickly, especially with their tournament opener against a formidable Indian side loomingonSunday

Rutherford hits 40* off just 18 balls as Desert Vipers beat Gulf Giants by six wickets to move to two wins from two games in ILT20

SportsMax-SherfaneRutherford continued his recent good form with an 18-ball 40* to help the Desert Vipers record a comfortable sixwicket win over Shimron Hetmyer's Gulf Giants in International League T20 (ILT20) action at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday Rutherford hit three fours and three sixes while sharing in a matchwinning 55-run fifth-wicket partnership with fellow left-hander Sam Curran who top scored with a

Sherfane Rutherford continued his recent good form with an 18-ball 40.

patient 43-ball 42* including four foursandasix.

Chasing just 120 for victory, the Vipers reached 121-4 with two balls th remaininginthe18 over.

Mark Adair was the only Giants bowler who had any real success on thedaywith2-12fromhisfourovers.

Earlier, the Giants were restricted to 119-9 from their 20 overs after Vipers captain Lockie Ferguson won thetossandchosetofieldfirst.

James Vince played a lone hand (Continued on page 25)

West Indies Under-19 Women suffered a crushing 79-run loss to New Zealand in their second warm-up match.

Bris-O Promotions planning 'in-person' Caribbean Boxing Promotion meeting for Guyana early next month …8 Caribbean Promoters to indicate interest by Saturday

Bris-O Promotions, a boxing outfit led by Brooklyn-based boxing official Seon Bristol, has drawn up plans towards the formation of a Caribbean Boxing Promotions body With this in mind the United States based Guyanese has invited boxing promoters from within the Caribbean area to a “closed door meeting“ hopefully to be held in Guyana next month. This proposed Joint Venture Boxing Promotion grouping is being organised by a wellknownboxingpromoterwith over 20 years of experience both at the amateur and professionallevelsinandout o f G u y a n a According to Bristol, several promotershavebeenreached but the date, time and location is still to be f i n a l i z e d . Bristol noted that: “The prerequisites of being a memberare:1.Youmustbea boxing promoter “in good standing”2.Youmustbeable to invest USD 10,000 on a date agreed upon and 3. You must have a valid passport. Those promoters who were

invited to attend are to signal their intentions to attend the very important caucus suggested to be held in Guyana on February 1 and 2, and the venue will be determined once responses are confirmed by Saturday, J a n u a r y 1 8 Those eight boxing investors invited towards this boxing venture are Barath Ramoutar of Trinidad and Tobago, Bobby Ottley of St. Maarten, Andrew Boland of Jamaica, Seon Bristol of Guyana, Steven Benjamin of Grenada, Floyd Trompth of Canon Island, Ronald Als of Barbados and Carl Hield of T h e B a h a m a s .

The agenda items include 1. Attendance 2. Sanctioning 3.

Seon Bristol

Basil Persaud elated to represent West Indies at IMC Over-50 World Cup in Sri Lanka

Dynamic all-rounder and Essequibian Basil Persaud stated that he is elated to be given the opportunity to represent West Indies at the forthcoming International Masters Cricket (IMC) Over50 World Cup from February 9-23inColombo,SriLanka.

Persaud is among other Guyanese in the 15-man lineup and promised to do his best once finds himself in the startingX1.

In 2023, the 55-year-old Persaud played for West Indies in South Africa churning out few good performances in the 45-over showpiece.

“I [am] really excited to representWestIndiesagain;I want to help my team lift the trophy on this occasion but we have got to play committedcricket,”therightarm bowler and right-handed batsmanrelated.

West Indies are set to begin their campaign against SouthAfrica.Theyareplaced in Group B alongside Pakistan, Australia, India, CanadaandWales.

Group A is comprised of

Wiltshire with the championship trophy.

the hosts, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, United Arab Emirates,USAandNamibia.

“I think we have a strong group but I am very much confident we going to reach far;Ipersonallytraininghard because I can anticipate competitive cricket but having said that I am really overwhelm

opportunity again to play for We

International stage,” Persaud commented.

Persaud reflected on the tour of Sou

ca mentioning that it was very fiercecricketfromballoneso preparation is paramount for theassignment.

“Yes, you have to play good cricket from the beginning if you want to be thechampionside;likeSouth Africa the cricket was very competitive so I learned a lot and more equipped now to make an impression for West Indies, ” the former Essequibo Inter-County playerexpressed.

Persaud plays local competition cricket for City team Everest and also plies

Wiltshire birth anniversary dominoes tourney set for Sunday at Transport

Mark Wiltshire birth anniversary dominoes tournament will be contested on Sunday at Transport Sports Club with a number of top city teams expected to battle for Supremacy

The free entry tournament will see the top team taking home a trophy, $250,000 and medals. The runner up will receive $100,000 and a trophy, third place $50,000 and a trophy fourth place $20,000.

The MVP in the final will pocket $10,000, while the first female team that register before13:30hrs will be given a hamper and $5,000 and the first male and female player that mark the first 6 with the best average will receive a hamper and $5,000.

Double six time is 14:30hrs. There will also be a private international tournament. Teams can contact Wiltshire on 659-8672 for registration.

his trade for Richmond Sport Club on the Essequibo Coast (Region 2) He strongly believes that playing the game consistently and competitively helps with his selectionandpreparationsfor theSriLanka'strip.

Late last year, he was in Barbados too as Cricket Indies Masters Cricket

A s s o c i a t i o n h e l d a tournament as part of their preparations.

West Indies will have

former Guyana first-class opener Sudesh Dhaniram as theirprimarybatsman.

Meanwhile, Persaud said thatheisexpectedtodosome commentary while on tour. He had done it in South Africa when he was not playing.

“ I e n j o y d o i n g commentary and again I am looking forward to call the game as well; I did some commentary in South Africa on Youtube and it was

amazingsoIreallypredicting another great trip again,” Persaudstated.

Notably, England had won that year's edition.The full West Indies squad reads: Zamin Amin-Captain, Julian Boyce, Deonarine Deyal, Sudesh Dhaniram, Rajendra

Dilraj, Harry Narain Heeralall, Fareed Hosein, Stephen Howell, Ishwar Maraj, Basil Persaud, Sudeesh Persaud, Terrance Romain, Rajendra Sadeo,

Anthony Sahadeo, Surendra Seeraj, Vejai Seonarine, KamrajSumair

Mark

Basil Persaud

CWI launches high-performance initiatives to accelerate player, coaching development

St. Joseph High School benefits from GBA Shuttle Time project

Windies U19 Women suffer heavy 79-run

The six-day intensive programmes aim to refine participants' skills.

GBA executive Mrs. Amelia Ramdhani presents the Shuttle-Time kit to St. Joseph High School PE Head Ms. Tonya Williams, in the presence of a few students.