ON GAS-TO-ENERGY PROJECT
US EXIM Bank says no feasibility study was done
Jagdeo now claims bank did due diligence study bars media from asking further questions on project
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo holds up what he said is a copy of the due diligence report done by the US Exim Bank
VP JAGDEO EXPOSED ON GAS-TO-ENERGY PROJECT US EXIM Bank says no feasibility
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo holds up what he said is a copy of the duediligence report done by the US Exim Bank
In a bid to brush off the constant requests for the studies he claimed were conducted by the United States Export Import (US EXIM) Bank for the controversial gas-to-energy project, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo directed citizens to ask the financial institutionforcopiesofthese documents.
I n a n o f f i c i a l correspondencetoagroupof citizens who subsequently filedarequest,theUSEXIM Bank explained on January 22, 2025 that it never conductedafeasibilitystudy fortheGas-to-Energy(GTE) project.
Deputy Chief Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officer, Lance Matthews, in his response to the citizens' said, “We conducted a comprehensivesearchofthe files within the Office of Board Authorized Finance, E n g i n e e r i n g a n d Environment Division for records that would be responsive to your request. Thisisthecomponentwithin EXIM in which responsive records could reasonably be expectedtobefound.Please beadvisedwewereunableto locate or identify any responsiverecords,asEXIM did not conduct a feasibility study.”
Meanwhile,Jagdeoathis weekly press conference on
Thursday said he observed the response from the Bank was shared on social media. He went on to explain that when he spoke of the feasibility study previously, he was referring to the due diligence report, conducted by a Consultant group, SargentandLundyonbehalf oftheEXIMBank.
Jagdeosaid,“NowIhave here a due diligence report EXIM Bank did, which looks at technical feasibility and financial feasibility and it was done by a company calledSargentandLundyfor EXIMBankitself.”
The VP argued that the Opposition parties believe that the Bank would operate the way in which they did, while in office, and grant a loan for over US$500 million without conducting due diligence. To this end, he clarified, “...and it's the due diligence I was talking about surrounding the feasibility.”
AccordingtoJagdeo,the Consultant did a 197-page duediligencereportthatisin thehandsofgovernment,but this remains the property of theUSEXIMBanksincethe institution financed the study
Nomorequestions!
During the question and answer segment, Kaieteur News attempted to question the VP on the GTE project
when the former President becameannoyedandsaid,“I don't remember anything abouttheGas-to-Energyand KaieteurNews.”
This newspaper even volunteered to refresh his memorybuthesaid,“Please don't If it's on Gas-toEnergy, I've dealt enough with that. It's done. I'm not going anymore into this big charade.Youwritewhatyou havetowrite.Thestupidness that Kaieteur News writes and we (are) working on completing the project for the people of this country.”
As such, he urged the reporter, “Move on to the next question! No Gas-toEnergy anymore.” He explained that another reporter“testedhispatience” so “no more on that, move on!”
Governmentexposed Meanwhile, one of the citizens who had written to the Bank, Elizabeth DeaneHughes, in an invited comment told this newspaper that the recent revelation points to the importance of following the adviceofpoliticians.DeaneHughes, who has been a strong advocate for transparency in this project, also explained that the citizensareawaitinganother response under the Freedom of Information Act for whether or not the
study was done
Jagdeo now claims
bank
did due diligence study bars media from asking further questions
government of Guyana submittedanydocumentsfor the feasibility of the GTE, and whether or not a feasibility study was conducted in accordance with Section 12 of the Petroleum Agreement with ExxonMobil-thecontractor of the pipeline to transport gastotheplants.Shesaidthe information has been requestedandhasreceiveda number for processing withinthesystem.
In the meantime,DeaneHughes said this situation taught citizens to follow the advice given by the government. “We will see where this all leads us to at the end, but right now, we k n o w t h a t i t ' s a terminological inexactitude of what was claimed- that EXIM Bank had done their own feasibility studies,” she said.
The advocate added that it would be interesting to understand what the VP meant that citizens should ask EXIM for the studies since they conducted their own feasibility of the project.
Feasibilitystudy andJagdeo
The Vice President had previously argued that the Bank conducted its own f e a s i b i l i t y a n d environmental studies beforearrivingatitsdecision
on project
to provide financing for the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility and the 300megawatt (MW) power plant, currently being constructed at Wales, West BankDemerara.
He said, “So suddenly, the United States of America, the U.S. EXIM Bank did its own feasibility s t u d y , i t d i d a n environmental study and it made the loan to the government of Guyana so they were wrong on all counts…for years we took a beating for one, it's not feasible; two, there's no environmental impact study and three, the loan will not happen – all three were provenwrong.”
W h e n a s k e d subsequently on January 9, 2025 about making those studies public, he directed Kaieteur News to request them from the US EXIM Bank. The VPargued, “All the agreements that we signed – the large-scale mineral agreements; they complained about that, we put that online...now, you want the environmental and feasibility studies from EXIMBank.AskEximBank forit…”Tothisend,agroup of citizens in a statement, dated January 10, 2025 said theyrequestedBanktoshare documents relating to the GTEprojectithasprovideda
US$527Mloantosupport. Hidingdocuments
Since 2022, the government signed a Heads of Agreement with ExxonMobil for the project however, the administration has been reluctant to release that study N
, Vickram Bharrat told the National Assembly that, “Thereareotheragreements o
, f i e l d development, licensing conditions, onshore works, and land matters that are currently being drafted. The respective agreements and policy documents will be presentedtothisHonourable House when they have been agreed upon and executed. All agreements are being done in a timely manner to meet the Final Investment Decision which will allow for the project to be completedbyourcommitted deadline of December 2024.”
Although the pipeline has been completed by ExxonMobil, the agreement is yet to be laid in Parliament. Similarly, no study has been released to dateconfirmingthefinancial feasibility of the GTE project, the single largest financial venture ever pursued in the history of Guyana.
KaieteurNews
PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.
Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456
Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS
Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210
EDITORIAL
Another audit, another set of questions
Athird audit of US$19.6B of expenses of ExxonMobil for the period 2021 to 2023 will take five months to complete. The team of VHE Consulting and Martindale Consultants, in association with the Norwegian technical firmIKMAconaASmustbeintherunningforconsideration asmiracleworkers.WithfivemonthstoauditUS$19.6Bin expenses of a sophisticated oil company as ExxonMobil, whatshouldGuyaneseexpect? Whatcantheygetasvaluefor that huge sum when ExxonMobil has not been the most cooperativeauditee,asapriorauditteamhadlamented? Wethink thatitwillbemoreofthequestionofresults,moreissuestakenwith theTermsofReferenceoftheauditandthedepthoftheprobingto unearththetricksofExxonMobilanditspartners Becausethe ExxonMobil-ledconsortiumdoesnotpresentacombinedsetof books,fivemonthstakeonawholenewmeaning Thechallengeis thatthreesetsofbooks/expenses(ExxonMobil,HessCorporation, andChinaNationalOffshoreOilCorporation)havetobeaudited ThisauditthatisscheduledtobecompletedinMarchintroduces moreuncertainty, andraisesafairamountofsuspicion
The fact that Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Joslyn McKenzie, is doing the honours forthePPP/CGovernmentwiththisauditspeaksforitself. Vice President Jagdeo usually commandeers such announcements, and side-lines ministers and senior public servantsfromhavinganyinput. WithPSMcKenziepushed into the front row, it is clear that this audit is going to be a source of much attention, and with probably the disbelief thathasaccompaniedthepreviousaudits. Wethinkthatthis iswhyJagdeotookhimselfoutofthisUS$19.6Bfive-month audit. ThePShastodealwithwhatfollows,andwithothers setuptobethewhippingboys.
AccordingtoPSMcKenzie,theGuyanaRevenueAuthority (GRA) has the lead role and that other expert areas of the governmentwillbecloselyinvolved TheAuditOfficeisoneof themoreprominentStateentitiesidentified First,hastheGRA succeededsoquicklyinbuildingthecapacitythatitwassoshortof, waslosingtomoredeep-pocketedcompetitionforexpertstaff? Second,theAuditOfficehasslippedintoaninvisiblerole,with manyGuyaneseconcernedabouthowmuchitislookingat,and howdeepitisdigging ConsideringthepresenceoftheGRA,the Audit Office, and the Bureau of Statistics, among other State agencies,thereshouldbeaswarmofbodiesinvolvedinthisaudit Willtheirnumbersmakeadifference,the qualitative one that Guyanese must get to ascertain how their oil dollars are being spent? Past audits of ExxonMobil expenses have generated mixed reactions, at best, with the thoroughness andcredibilityofthoseauditsnotheldhighly Veteransinthelocalauditfieldhaveraisedquestionsabout whethertheauditteamspossessedthenecessarycompetenceto undertakeandfulfilthedemandsthattheseExxonMobilexpenses require One audit team was compelled to speak out about the complicated nature of ExxonMobil’s accounting systems, and howtediousitwastogetwhatwaswanted Infact,thatsameteam was blocked by ExxonMobil’s watchers from accessing raw production data Because so much of ExxonMobil’s offshore operations is conducted away from the eyes and knowledge of Guyanese, secrecy has abounded. To compound matters, the auditorshavefoundthattheirworkismademorecumbersome thanitshouldbe,duetoExxonMobil’ssubtleresistancetotheir presence.
GuyanagotabaddealwiththeExxonMobiloilcontract. Expenses up to 75% are snapped up from the top of oil revenues,withchronicsecreciesprevailingrelativetothose expenses. Audits,therefore,takeonanevenmorevitalrole. With proper and comprehensively probing audits, there is the one opportunity for Guyana to ensure that it is getting value for money, and from expenses that belong to this country Pastauditshavealwaysseemedtolackpersuasive powerintheirresults. Withsuchahugeamount,US$19.6B, involved, this could be a backbreaker Let’s hope that Guyanese get some degree of truth and justice from this seemingly rushed third audit. The prospects are not too encouraging.
GECOM is unravelling the democratic process it has been put in place to secure
DEAREDITOR, I was not particularly surprised by the recent decision by the Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh, to rule against the implementationofbiometric voting in this year’s general and regional elections. It is not only worrying but also a significant blow to the integrity of Guyana’s electoralprocess.
More,thisrulingcoming at a time when questions surrounding electoral transparencyandfairnessare at their peak, casts a very dark shadow over the credibility of the upcoming elections,laterthisyear.Itis not only troubling but beyond disappointing given theampletimeGECOMhad to implement biometric systems if it truly wished to enhancethecredibilityofits operations. It now appears that GECOM is happy and contented with the high levels of inefficiencies and its systemic problems and failures in almost every phase of its work. If it were not so then the commission would have grasped the opportunity to improve its operation by implementing biometricsystems.
Aseriouscriticismofthe ruling is the fact that this issue has been raised and debated for years The questionofbiometricvoting emerged in the aftermath of the highly contentious 2020 elections, which were
marredbyallegationsofvote manipulation, irregularities, and opaqueness These concerns, combined with a growing public demand for electoral reforms, made it clear that a more secure and trustworthy voting system was urgently needed Therefore, it is important to note that GECOM has had ample time to implement biometric systems ahead of the2025elections.However, ratherthanadoptaproactive stanceontheissue,GECOM has allowed the matter to remainunresolvedforyears.
With discussions about biometric voting being raised as early as 2020, and the facility of consultations and technical assessments availabletotheCommission, the argument that there was insufficient time to put the systeminplacedoesnotpass muster. The logistical challenges of implementing biometric voting were wellknown but GECOM had the duty to begin addressing these concerns long before now With several years of lead time, there was no reason why biometric identification systems could nothavebeenintegratedinto the electoral process in time fortheseelections.
Again,theChairperson’s decision against biometric voting is not just an unfortunate procedural setback- it is a serious indictment against the very integrity of the upcoming elections. The absence of biometric safeguards means
thatthecurrentsystemsused by GECOM remain vulnerable to manipulation and fraud. In a political climate where trust in the electoral process has been severely eroded, this ruling serves to further diminish publicconfidence. It is common knowledge that biometric voting provides a crucial step toward mitigating electoral fraud by ensuring that each voter’s identity is verified before they cast their ballot.
The system could have significantly reduced the c h a n c e s o f v o t e r impersonation, multiple voting, and other forms of electoral malpractice By shunning this proposal, GECOM is effectively endorsing a system that many Guyanese see as outdated, easily susceptible to exploitation, and inherentlyflawed.
F o r m e , t h e Commission’s failure to implement biometric systems can only be viewed as a lack of commitment to a d d r e s s i n g t h e s e fundamentalconcerns. Inarealsense,theruling also raises troubling questions about the true intentions of those in charge of GECOM Was the rejectionofbiometricvoting drivenbyagenuineinability to implement the system in time, or is there a hidden agendabehindthisdecision? Whatever the answer, the result is the same: the integrity of the upcoming
elections is terribly compromised, and many citizensareleftwonderingif theirvotewillevencount.
Moreover,therulingalso highlights a broader issue w i t h G E C O M ’ s t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability For an institutionthatissupposedto be the bedrock of Guyana’s democratic process, GECOM has too often demonstrated a lack of responsiveness to the felt needs and concerns of the public.
The Commission’s ability to act with speed and decisiveness has been called into question repeatedly, whether during the post2020 election crisis or in matters such as the implementationofbiometric voting.Theabsenceofclear, convincing communication from GECOM about the reasons for its decision only adds fuel to the fire. Instead of engaging with the public in an open and transparent manner,theCommissionhas left many questions unanswered, further deepening public suspicion. If GECOM is to regain the public’s trust, it must demonstrateawillingnessto listen to the concerns of the people, provide clear explanations for its decisions,andtakeproactive steps to safeguard the electoralprocess.
All in all, the refusal to adopt biometric voting systemsisadecisionwith
(Continuedonpage06)
SwamiAksharananda, the ubiquitous, indefatigable Hindu monk
DEAREDITOR, Swami Aksharananda, theubiquitous,indefatigable Hindu monk from Guyana received on January 10, 2025, the Pravasi Samman Award,thehighestthatIndia hands out to any individual or organisation from the Diaspora.
In this case, it was Saraswati Vidya Niketan, (SVN) the school founded
by Swami that was
recognised for its contribution to education and culture. Both the event and the timing are of tremendoussignificanceand connect us with this most ancientculture.
Pictures shared by Parbattie Bisram show both President Droupadi Murmu and Swami bowing to each other with hands clasped in the traditional manner It wouldbeinterestingtoknow how many Hindus in the West still greet each other this way It is only one exampleofhowfarwehave strayedfromthewaysofour foreparents.
It is also the time for the festival of Maha Kumbh Melaanextraordinaryevent held every 144 years at the holiest of locations, Prayagraj, the confluence of three sacred rivers Ganga, YamunaandSaraswati.
Anislandwithinanation
T h e a c a d e m i c achievementsofthis“model school” as recognised by many Ministers and Heads of State are well known throughout Guyana and the Caribbean. What few may not recognise is how this piece of land within the country can teach government and people about nation building. The structure itself took many years to be completed as contributions were sought from many donors not only inside Guyana but also in CanadaandUSAandfurther afield.Studentsandteachers come from every religion and while they may be exposed to Sanskrit prayers and some aspects of aVedic lifestyle, upon graduation they leave without being asked to change their religion This is much different from the days of Conversion, a policy of Colonialism based upon presumed religious and culturalsupremacy Even our first nations attend and excel at SVN. Readers may recall the rare coincidence of Amerindian twins from St. Cuthbert’s Mission achieving identical resultsintheirexaminations
inthesameyear
Alearningenvironment
Throughout Guyana and especially in the towns and thecapital,Georgetown,the sight and stench of garbage is quite obvious. Contrast this with the premises of SVN and one would think they are in another country.
T h e g r o u n d s a r e immaculate, the washrooms and surroundings are kept tidy by the students themselves. They can teach adults how to continue to pickupthegarbage.
Efforts by community leaders and a handful of volunteers are quickly nullifiedbytheoldhabitsof disposing of garbage anywhere Beaches like Leonora once an area for picnicsandcricketarenowa sea of bottles and plastic. Bartica, also the site for regatta, appears to be cleaned up only for that annual activity The improved beach at Canefield, Leguan has the potentialtobeapopularsite for tourism but first those broken beer bottles and rubbish have to be removed from the sand that one day maybeasattractiveasanyin theCaribbean.
Take a regular taxi or mini bus to the school, ask thedrivertoturnofforeven
turn down the music and even the rest of the passengers would object Silenceseemstomakethem uncomfortable.
Contrast this with SVN compound, a space of bliss and serenity, and one feels rescuedfromthenoisesome call music. PM Narendra Modi must have thought he was in Bharat when he visited this unique school. His positive impressions may have had something to dowiththeaward.
The cornerstone of this peaceful environment most conducive of learning is the strict discipline expected of bothteachersandstudents.
It is also the institution that contributes annually to thenation’sbloodbank.This is the best form of giving as thedonorsdonotknowwho benefits from their generosity
Governmentassistance
The teachers are well qualifiedbutarededicatedto the goal of excellence in the little humans who pass through their hands. Several are former students and worklongerhoursthanother teachers, yet carry on their normal lives Current principal is Nirmala Singh, one of the first batch of students,amotherofthree
(Continuedonpage17)
Inadequacies, unfairness of certain policies of Insurance companies in Guyana
D
EARE
DITOR
, I think it was Dr Jerry Jailallwhowroterecentlyon the inadequacies or unfairnessofcertainpolicies of Insurance companies in Guyana.
Iwishtogiveanaccount of MY personal experience regarding an insurance matter
A truck owned by Associated Brands Guyana Inc slammed into my vehicle on 14th October, 2024atthe forkontheEast Bank road by Rahaman’s Park,Houston.
The driver of the truck was charged, determined to be guilty and fined. I then went to the company’s Insurance Brokers (P&P Insurance Brokers) and the Insurance Company (Diamond Fire & General InsuranceInc)andpresented myclaimforreplacementof completely damaged parts (Bumper, Turn Signal, Lamp, Mirror Assembly, Fender Front and Head
Lamp Assembly, totalling $590,064andworkmanship of $144,000, totalling $734,064. After weeks of constant checking, my brokers (Apex Insurance Brokers) informed me that DiamondIns.wereprepared topayatotalof$324,000.
I then started to attempt to contact any Management officialatAssociatedBrands to pay the difference, and that turned out to be “like pullingteeth”.Theiraddress was listed at places where they no longer had their operations, and only this weekMondayfoundthemat Little Diamond, East Bank Demerara.
By mere chance, I managed to speak with the Sales Manager, Mr Shay Douglas, who was on a call in the yard, and explained myrequestforhisCompany to pay the difference of $410,064.
I gave him names of persons I attempted to call, including his CEO, Mr
Jeranzee (Jimmy) Marques, Shyam, Rachel Moses and he himself. He promised to contact Mr Marquez, who was in Trinidad, and we exchanged tel numbers, which he hasn’t done and whenever I contacted him, otherpromisesweremadeto get back to me with an answer NOTHING.
Today, I learnt that DiamondIns.wouldpaythe $324,000BUTIhadtosigna document NOT to pursue any further action to obtain theamount,thedifferenceof $410, 064. I now intend to pursue legal intervention, but thought it would be worthwhile for the public to know how cards are stacked againstthem.
I’mhopingthatthisletter serves to initiate some positiveactionandresponse from this Trinidadian headquartered company, Associated Brands Guyana Inc.
Regards,
HarryNNawbatt
NDC workers still waiting on 10% retroactive
DEAREDITOR, Decemberhaslonggone and January almost expired, the NDC workers are still waitingtoreceivetheir10% retroactive pay announced for public servants by Governmentfor2024.
In2023itwas6.5%plus a $25,000 bonus and it was paid before Christmas, like allthepreviousyears.
These lowly paid workers (earning about 65,000 per month) had grownaccustomedtohaving this retroactive payment to supplement their Christmas holidays. Every Guyanese knows that on a salary of 65,000 per month these NDC workers and their families had a bleak Christmas.
The touting of “One Guyana” by the president seems to be nothing more thanamirageasthepoorare forgotten and pushed back moreintoabjectpoverty
ThewordisthattheNDC Overseers had written letters to the Local Government Ministry since the announcement of the 10% retroactive in December, seeking permission to pay theirstaffthesameandtothis date no response has been received There has been no word in the media about the ministers in the local GovernmentMinistrybeingin a coma or otherwise incapacitatedsinceDecember and as a result, their lack of responseissendingchillsof fearthroughtheheartsofthe
Fire in the
DEAREDITOR
, The fires that destroyed the garbage bins in an area that had recently undergone a beautification process shouldbecondemnedbyall.
Was it the work of Venezuelans? Was it the work of an enemy of the State? All political parties should condemn such actions and support police action to bring those involved before the courts. NocitizenofGuyanashould be involved in the destruction of government property The destruction shown in the video circulating on social media
requires a thorough investigation The bins destroyedshouldbereplaced and police stationed in the
NDC workers. The workers arewonderingifanincrease from6.5to10%,amere3.5 %ontheirmeagresalaryhas made them fall from grace, whereby they are no longer being considered as public servants by the Ministry of Local Government and by extension the present government. Eitherwaythe NDC workers and the general public deserve to knowasitwillhelptodecide the degree of vindictiveness ofthegovernment.
Paying now when it was normally paid before Christmas is vindictive, dropping the workers status frompublicservantsismore vindictive.
Yoursrespectfully, RudolphSingh
garbage bins
areatoensurepublicsafety
We, the Guyanese, people should not be involved in unpatriotic acts, especially acts that one wouldexpectfromanenemy state.Itisimperativethatwe donotwastethehard-earned resourcesthatarebeingused to improve our country The destruction of government property is an act that one would expect from the Venezuelan military and the Venezuelan militia. It is our duty to not aid them in creatingdivisionamongstus while also destroying our country It is our unity that will help us defend against foreignenemies.
We must remain united as Guyanese during our political disagreements and
especially during our elections Remember the current circumstances under which we live. Venezuela has built a military base on our side of the Ankoko border We are at the International Court of Justice trying to resolve a veryseriousdisputeinorder to avoid war Venezuela is electing a Governor for Essequibo,whichmeansthat anydivisionbetweenuswill prove to be to their advantage. Stay united and respectful towards each otheranddonotdestroyeach other’s hard work. We must live our national motto to preserveoursovereignty Sincerely, Mr.JamilChanglee Chairman
Differencesintransparency:LCDSvNRF
DEAREDITOR
, I write to extend congratulations to the Senior Minister responsible for Finance for the clarity, and detail, regarding the expenditure of funds received under LCDS 2009andLCDS2030.
TheMinister,inhis2025Budgetpresentation, sharedthefollowingprojects,andexpenditures, withthenation:(a)Constructionofseveralhighlevel discharge drainage systems similar to the HopeCanal,inRegions3,5,and6atatotalcostof $23billion b)Rehabilitationofover40sluicesand drainagestructures,andpurchasingofequipmentto
maintain these, at a total cost of $93 billion c) Installationof33MWofsolarpowerinBerbice, Essequibo,andLinden,atanestimatedcostof $151billion Editor, it was good to see such transparencyregardingtheuseofLCDSfunds I am overjoyed that these funds were not “Balkanized” Thequestionthatnaturallyarises, iswhyaretheNRFfundstreateddifferentlywhen thelaw(Section16:2oftheNRFAct)demands similar treatment? Someone needs to tell the Ministerthathis“slipisshowing”
Sincerely, Terrence
Campbell
GECOM is unravelling the democratic...
Frompage04 far-reaching consequences for Guyana’s democracy It signals to the electorate that their concerns about electoral integrity are not being taken seriously In a country where political divisions run deep, and whereelectorallegitimacyis alreadyveryfragile,thisruling risks further undermining
confidence in the democratic process WhilstIamawarethat biometric voting is not a silver bullet that can solve all of the challenges facing Guyana’s elections,itisanessentialtoolthat wouldhavecontributedtoamore transparentandsecureprocess
H o w e v e r , t h e Chairperson’srulingagainst it facilitated not only a missed opportunity to
improvetheelectoralsystem but also created an inability forthatconstitutionalbodyto uphold the principles offree, fair, and credible elections In essence, by the ruling of the Chair on this urgent issue, GECOMisunravellingthevery democraticprocessithasputin placeenhanceandsecure Regards, RoysdaleFordeSC
Tribunal appointed to probe disciplinary charges against Brutus
The Police Service
Commission ( P S C ) h a s appointed a special tribunal to investigate a series of serious disciplinary charges against embattled Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP),CalvinBrutus.
Brutus, who is facing over240criminalchargesin theGeorgetownMagistrates' Court, is under scrutiny for allegations of misconduct during his tenure as Deputy Commissioner of Police, from August 2020 to July 2024 The tribunal was convenedonWednesday The Tribunal consists of Shoshanna V Lall as Chairman, with Attorney, Keoma Griffith and former Commissioner of Police, SeelallPersaudasMembers.
T h e T r i b u n a l ' s administrativeaffairswillbe managed by Hugh Park, Attorney-at-Law, who has been appointed as Secretary to the Tribunal, while Bernard da Silva, Attorneyat-Law, will serve as CounseltotheTribunal.
ThisTribunalcomesless
than two weeks after Brutus filed a lawsuit against the Government, challenging the"DiversityPolicy"ofthe GuyanaPoliceForce(GPF).
discrimination and other related violations, seeking $1.6 billion in damages for the alleged infringement of his constitutional rights, including the right to equal protectionandfreedomfrom racial discrimination under Articles 149D of the Constitution.
In a statement on Thursday, the commission outlinedthelegalframework under which the Tribunal operates and provides specificdetailsregardingthe charges levelled against Brutus.
The charges against Brutusincludetwocountsof "Conductprejudicialtogood order and discipline" under Section 4 (z) of the Police (Discipline) Act, Chapter 17:01.Thefirstchargestems fromBrutus'involvementin directing a payment of $13,670,204 from the
Guyana Police Force's Welfare Fund, a payment made in violation of the Force's Standing Order 36. The second charge involves falsifying records at the QuartermasterStores,where Brutusisaccusedofcreating false documentation to suggest that goods valued at $101,431,050 had been d
y Corwin Nicholson trading as 3D Construction, resulting in fraudulentpayments.
In response to these allegations, the Tribunal confirmed that it will not interfere with any criminal proceedings Brutus is currently facing before the Magistrates'Court.
"The Tribunal does not intend, in any way, to infringe on those proceedings, and/or on Mr. Brutus' right to properly defend himself before that forum," the statement clarified.
However, the PSC noted that all proceedings of the Tribunal will be conducted in-camera, and media representatives will be
excluded from the hearings. "Giventhattheseareinternal police disciplinary charges, all proceedings will be conductedin-camera,andto the exclusion of the media," thePSCconfirmed.
D e s p i t e t h e commencement of hearings, the Tribunal reported that Brutus failed to attend the scheduled sessions On January 22, 2025, Brutus submitted a medical certificate claiming that he wassufferingfrombackpain andmusclestrainandwould be incapable of work for 14 days.
He requested that the hearingberescheduledfora date after February 2, 2025. However, upon summoning the doctor who issued the certificate, the Tribunal was informed that the symptoms describedbyBrutuswerenot severe enough to prevent him from attending the hearing either in person or virtually
In the recall letter dated January23,2025,thedoctor stated that upon appearing before the Tribunal, he
GCCI praises Budget 2025 for $5k increase in old-age pension, investment in agriculture, infrastructure
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on Thursday applauded the Government of Guyana (GoG)onthepresentationof the 2025 Budget, set at $1.382 trillion, an increase of 20.6% compared with Budget2024.
TheNationalBudgetwas presented on January 17, by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh under the theme 'A Secure, Prosperous, and SustainableGuyana'
TheChambersaidthatas Guyana's development continues on an upward trajectory, it is pleased with the projected growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 10.6% for 2025, coupled with the anticipated 13.8%growthinthenon-oil economythisyear
These projections are expectedtoallowGuyanato remain the world's third fastest growing economy it said.
“Guyana's development and outstanding economic
p
mic management and measures, and the Chamber has taken
realized that the medical certificate may have been used to avoid appearing at the inquiry. "Mr. Brutus' current condition does not incapacitatehimmentallyor confine him to bed," the doctorstated.
noteofseveralinterventions that cater to increasing sectoral performances sustainably, while investing in socio-economic development,” the GCCI noted.
Among the initiatives in this year's Budget, the Chamber said it wished to firstly applaud the Government for increasing the income tax threshold to $130,000, while decreasing thePayAsYouEarn(PAYE) rate to 25%, thereby increasing employees' disposableincome.
According to GCCI, “These measures, in conjunction with several othercashinjectionsthrough one-off cash grants, annual cash grants, and old age pensions and public assistance increases, as well as measures to alleviate the cost-of-living amount to a keen focus on improving citizens'welfare.” It also commended the increased investment in the agriculture, extractives, m a n u f a c t u r i n g , construction, and services sectors. Additionally, the Chamber noted the strong
focus on infrastructural development and the energy sector
GCCI said, “It is crucial that focus be placed on aligning the country's infrastructure with the increased investment interests especially as it relates to energy and transportationinfrastructure.
Among the numerous projects announced, the Chamberwishestohighlight the focus on small business development with the injectionof$3billionforthe establishment of industrial estates in Regions Two, Three,Fourand10.”
Additionally, the Chamber noted that the proposed removal of import VAT machinery used in the agriculture sector, the removal of VAT on automated poultry pens and veterinary supplies, and back-up generators, as well asmeasurestoreducefreight costs are welcomed interventions.
Meanwhile, GCCI pointed out that over the years, it continued to highlightchallengeswiththe labourshortage,assuch,the
GCCIPresident, Kester Hutson
movetoinvestheavilyinthe education sector—including thefundingoftheUniversity of Guyana and other technical institutes across the country As such, it said that removing tuition must be commended as a step in the right direction that will furtherenhancethecountry's workforce and ability to meet the needs of all sectors—particularly the oil andgasindustry.
GCCI was keen to note its support for the Government of Guyana in these initiatives, adding that it welcomes Budget 2025 as a vehicle for continued growthanddevelopment.
Hefurtherexplainedthat he was unaware that Brutus was scheduled to appear on January 22, 2025, when he issuedthecertificate.
Despitethisclarification, Brutusagainfailedtoattend the hearing yesterday, after being served with a summons The Tribunal expressed its concern regarding Brutus' repeated attempts to evade the proceedings.
The Tribunal considers theseactionsas“flagrantand clandestine efforts to avoid appearing before the Tribunal," the statement noted.
As a result, the Tribunal hasre-issuedasummonsfor Brutus to appear on January 27,2025,at09:00hrs,either virtually or in person. The statement concluded with a
reminder that the Tribunal's mandateislimitedto28days from January 22, 2025, unlessextendedbythePSC. "It is hoped that these proceedings can be completed within a reasonable timeframe to allow the Tribunal to deliberate and prepare its report,"thePSCadded. According to the PSC's statement, the Commission is vested with the power to exercisedisciplinarycontrol over individuals holding or acting in offices above the rank of Inspector within the GuyanaPoliceForce. It also highlighted the framework provided under Article 212 (6) of the Constitution, which grants Parliament the power to legislate on offences against policediscipline.
"Any power to exercise disciplinary control (including any power to removeapersonfromoffice) shall be exercised in accordance with any such provision," the statement specified.
The body of an unidentifiedmanwas,on Wednesday,foundinside a drain at Black and White Road, 'D' Field Sophia, Georgetown On Thursday, Police said that the discovery was made around 14:15 hrs. "The victim is a maleofEastIndiandescent. Preliminary investigations revealed no visible signs of violence," the Guyana PoliceForcereported. The man's body is at the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home where it awaits identification.
EmbattledAssistant CommissionerofPolice, Calvin Brutus
Berbice and Jagdeo’s legacy
By any reckoning, Region 6 should h a v e b e e n Guyana’s most prosperous region. It has a rich history, has produced some of Guyana’s most learned individuals and is endowed withuntoldresources.Yet,to survey its modern state of affairs is to witness a paradox a region of potential abundance yet riddled with despair, its vitality sapped by systemic neglect.
How did Region 6, henceforth referred to as Berbice, reach this state of affairs?Thisisnoaccidentof historybutaconsequenceof themisguidedpoliciesofthe Jagdeo presidency and, by extension, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPPC) government Jagdeo’s tenure as president was marked by sweeping pronouncements of progress, grandiose visions
of development, and promises to elevate every corner of Guyana into the modern age.Yet in Berbice, these promises have proven tobeemptyrhetoric.
IfhislegacyinRegion6 were to be judged by population decline alone, it would tell a damning tale.
Under Jagdeo, the population of Region 6 fell by more than 12%, a staggeringfigurethatspeaks to mass exodus rather than m a s s p r o s p e r i t y Cumulatively, under the PPP/C, the decline exceeds 20%. No other region in Guyana suffered a negative population growth between 1991 and 2012 It is a dubious distinction that is a direct result of economic
stagnation, social dysfunction,andapersistent senseofabandonment.
The statistics tell only part of the story Behind the numbers lie the lives of families who depend on remittancesfromlovedones overseas lifelines that stave off complete collapse. In Berbice, the economy is buoyed not by the fruits of locallabourbutbythehardearned dollars of those who havefleditsshores.Without these remittances, many households would struggle to survive.Thereare no less than 7 licensed money transferagenciesinRegion6 alone. The World Bank’s 2023 Migration and
Development Brief, titled “Leveraging Diaspora Finances for Private Capital Mobilization”, revealed a significant and steady increase in remittances to Guyana,eveninthepost-oil era. The report highlighted that remittances grew from US$380 million in 2019 to US$429 million in 2020, reaching US$548 million in both 2021 and 2022. This is more than the export earnings for sugar and rice combined.
Theregion’spovertyrate is high The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper: 2011-2015, showed that 28 5% of Region 6’s population lived in poverty Butworsethanpovertyisits stark and unforgiving inequality The bright-eyed school-leaver in Berbice confronts a bleak reality Young people face high unemployment, scarce opportunities, and an education system riddled with failures. The majority
of students fail to matriculate, and the dropout and absenteeism rates are a sourceofconcern.Thelatest available date shows the school drop-out rate for Region 6 was 3 times the nationalaverage. And even those who manage to complete secondary school, the prospects are not good. The dream is not of thriving in Berbice but of escaping it, preferably to the distant shores of America or Canada.
Region 6 is not merely a casualty of neglect; it is a crucible of despair Berbice has earned the unenviable titleofthe“suicidecapitalof theworld,”agrimreflection of the hopelessness that pervades the region. The New Amsterdam Hospital alone recorded 114 cases of attempted suicide in 2013, two years after Jagdeo left office.
The sugar industry, once a foundation of Berbice’s economy and the major employer in the region, has been gutted. The narrative spun by the PPP/C is one of blame-shifting, pointing fingers at theAPNU for the layoffs of 7,000 sugar workers. But the truth is more insidious: more workers exited the sugar industry under the PPP/C than duringAPNU’s tenure. The wounds inflicted on the industrywerenotsuddenbut sustained, a slow bleed that leftBerbiciansadrift.
This is Jagdeo’s legacy a legacy not of empowerment but of evisceration Berbice, the regionthathasbeenreduced to a cautionary tale Its
DEM BOYS SEH
30 Years Later, Still Secret!
InsomeplaceslikedeUSA,dempeople deh serious ‘bout history and transparency
Demsehafter30years,governmentpapers mus’ come out so everybody could read dem.Dehdeclassifydempapers,throwdem outtodepublic,an’say,“Goahead,findout wahwebinupto.”
ButinGuyana?Eh-eh!Dempapersain’t declassifyin’.Dempaperslikesecretsinde confessionbox—foreversealed!
Demboyssehdeonlywaywegonknow wah happen 30 years ago is if somebody leakit.An’evendatlikefindingoilwidout Exxon—rare! Guyanese don’t leak t’ings; demholdittighterthanamiserholdin’onto alastdollar
TekfuhexampleOctober1992,whende PPP/C first come back to office. Dat first Cabinet meeting under Cheddi Jagan mus’ be bin historic! You know Cheddi had to givedemMinistersagoodcharge.Butwah hetelldem?Wahdeplansbin?Uptonow,de people don’t know Dem Cabinet minutes
decline is emblematic of the broader trajectory of the PPP/C under Jagdeo’s stewardship His grand rhetoric masks an abject failuretodeliversubstantive change.Whiletherestofthe country grappled with development, however uneven, Berbice languished in a state of arrested progress. The decline of Berbicecannotbeviewedin isolation; it is a microcosm of leadership failures that prioritized patronage over progress, optics over outcomes The PPP/C’s policies under Jagdeo were rooted in expediency In
Berbice, this translated to token gestures and hollow promises that failed to address the structural challenges plaguing the region. For that woman appearing on a reel on Facebook and others who wax lyrical about Jagdeo’s contributions to Berbice, a simple question suffices: what exactly has he done? The evidence points to a legacy of neglect, a pattern ofabandonmentthathasleft theregionbereftofhopeand opportunity Jagdeo’slegacy in Berbice is written in the languageofdecline,despair,
and disillusionment. It is a legacy that stands as a stark reminder of what happens when leadership loses sight of its purpose. Berbice deserves better, and so does Guyana.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionofthisnewspaper.)
lock up tighter than Fort Knox, an’dat is if demstillexistan’determitesain’tdoneeat dem!
Dem boys seh, wah yuh expect in a country where not even de last Cabinet meeting minutes gon ever see daylight? OverindeUSA,demdeclassifyin’t’ingsso people could study history In Guyana, we waitingponleaksdatdoesonlycomewhen somebodyvexorgetfire.
Dem boys laugh when dem hear bout “Freedom of Information.” Freedom? Is more like Freedom to Wonder Dem seh if yuh want to know wah really happen in de past,yuhmightaswelllightacandle,pray, andhopeaghostfromdemCabinetmeeting comebacktotellyuh.
Demboysseh,inGuyana,secretsdon’t expire;demdoesjustturnintofolklore.Ah wonderifdefolkloregontellwehowdefirst PPP/C Cabinet meeting in 1992 really guh down? Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
H@RD TRUTHS Ministers and business ownership
Ministers can own businesses. So said Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo. Ministers of the government,notministersof religion,thoughforsomethe governmentistheirreligion, their god Forgive me WheredoesJagdeogetthese things from, come up with thesepositionsthatflyinthe face of common sense? As longasthereisnoconflictof interest, he doesn't have a problem. Thisisasorrystate ofaffairs,indeed.
Let me paint this in red, white, and blue: many ministers in the PPP Government are scoundrels. The consensus out there in thestreetisthatmostofthem are not to be trusted to be around a dime, much less a dollar ButJagdeo'sposition is that they can be in business, so long as they keep their noses clean and their hands in their own pockets. Fatchanceofeither ofthetwohappening.
Myquestionandconcern is why do they have to be in business,anybusinessatall,
other than the business of government. From the last news, ministers of the governmentarethefattestof fat cats. They enjoy more milkandcreamthanthebest keptcatsinthiscountry,and that includes the growing foreigncontingentwiththeir baskets of adorable pets. Kitty, Kitty, Kitty, come to mama! Lookatthenumbers becausetheydon'tlie. Look at a minister's pay, senior or junior Forget about going so far as pay, start with their slew of allowances Why, they could live very nicely on thosealone. So,whatisthis slickbusinessfromBigBass Bharratthathedoesn'thavea problem with ministers havingbusinesses,aslongas there is no conflict of interest. This is where me and the vice president part company, and I get to fill anotherpageinhisbadbook. HowstupiddoesMr Jagdeo thinkGuyaneseare?
I zero in on conflict of interest. Who in Guyana is going to say that a minister
has a conflict of interest? Who, when almost all the people in the key places are PPPcronies, part of the rich action? Andwhenministers come up with their versions of a street con by recusing themselves or perform one oftheirrope-a-dopetricksby employing fronts (family, friends, flunkeys, and assortedfelons),thenwhois going to do the tracking and thentheobjecting?
For Dr Jagdeo's information, his Integrity Commission doesn't have much of a reputation. I am pullingpuncheshere,taking thesoftroute. Neitherdohis boards and all those other watchdogareasthatarebusy watching and listening for how and where the wind blows than to do a halfway decent job of principled representation of the Guyanese people So, straight off the bat, that sleight of hand and twist of tongue from Jagdeo about conflict of interest has no standing. It is not just because he said it, but
because of the subservient machinery that he has setup withtherightkindofpeople. Those who see no conflict of interest in anything from one of their own political brethren Businesses take off with the awardoflucrativecontracts. Whenaministerisknownto be involved (shareholder, principal, interested party), the whole process becomes tainted,tilted. Itismorethan unfair advantage; it is a damn felony Ways and wordsarealwaysgoingtobe foundtoslideoutofconflicts of interest situation. Plus, there are those standing as referees, who will find grounds to justify whatever is being reviewed for approval.
It is just the way things work in chronically corrupt countrieslikeGuyana. Here is a teaser: after over four years in government and trillions in government
business, how many “problem” situations have been uncovered? Is this a clean city and clean governance, or what?
Sections of the newly constructed $286 million Charity Market in Region Two. (Photo courtesy, Charity/ Urasara NDC/ Facebook)
$130M more to be spent on $400M Charity Market project
Withover$400millionincontracts already awarded to construct the new Charity Market in Region Two, the government will be spending an additional $130 million more to construct the southern portal frame shedatthestructure.
This is according to information provided on the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board's (NPTAB) website NPTAB has awarded the $130,458,720 contract to Builders Hardware, General Supplies andConstructionfollowingthenational biddingprocess.
Itwasreportedthatthegovernment through the Ministry of Local G
Developmenthasbeenundertakingthe
marketprojectsince2023.
Kaieteur News reported that following a fire, in July 2023, that destroyed a section of the Charity Market on the Essequibo Coast, the Ministry and Regional Administration tendered to have a new and modern marketconstructed.
The$286millioncontractwaslater signedinDecember2023withBuilders Hardware and General Supplies. That firm was given a two-month period to completethestructure.
The resilient steel frame structure which spans 152 feet by 164 feet was completedearlylastyear,withthestalls being the next phase of construction. Once completed, over 100 vendors are set to be accommodated there
T h e m o r e
convincing policy has tobethatministersmust focusonthebusinessof people, given so much is goingoninGuyanatoday If they are truly committed to serving the people, there would be no time, not even the interest, to think about getting involved in business opportunities. Ministersare freetoparticipateinbusiness once they are not in the government. The choice is clear to me: stay in governmentandworkforthe people. Or step away from government and look after owninterests.
Additionally, washroom facilities are expectedtobeinstalledatthefacility
Regarding the stalls, in October 2024, NPTAB awarded the contract whichwillbeexecutedin12lots.This phase of the project amounts to $143,989,900 With three separate projects now awarded by NPTAB, it brings the total spent on the market projecttoapproximately$560million.
Thispublicationreportedthatonthe night of July 6, 2023, a fire said to be electricalin origin, destroyed a section of the market.This resulted in damage to 29 stalls, and water damage to another 11 due to firefighting Followingthis,vendorswererelocated toatemporaryareanearbythemarketto plytheirtrade.
FortheedificationofMr Jagdeo, there was a PNC minister whose name came up about a probable conflict of interest involving some real estate transaction
Everything I say today, I wrote back then, including that she be fired, and that ministers should not have any business connection or involvement when holding office.
Whyshouldthey? Why does it have to be that a minister is competing with citizens for government dollars (or foreign vendor ones, which comes back to the same place) when they are holding office? The same must also apply to publicservants.
N o b u s i n e s s involvement means no conflict of interest. No business interests mean taking care of portfolio and citizeninterests. Ifministers are so greedy, so money oriented, then leave office. Mr Jagdeo should know better than present this patented farce in public (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionofthisnewspaper.)
EPA and GEA instructed to probe gas- bottle explosions incidents
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA) to conduct a thorough investigation intoaseriesofrecentgasbottle-relatedexplosions,whichhave resultedintwofatalities.
During his regular Thursday press conference, Jagdeo emphasisedtheneedforapromptandrigorousinvestigation, stating,“IthinkthisshouldbeastandardthingfortheEPAand others,theregulatorybodieshavetolookatthis,theGEAand also the EPA should launch an investigation immediately to look into this.”The tragic incidents have been linked to gas bottle explosions, with reports confirming the deaths of two individualsasofWednesday
In early January, the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission (CCAC) initiated investigations into the matter following official complaints from affected individuals. The CCAC released a statement, noting that investigations were underway and would involve relevant industry experts to assessthesituationandmakerecommendationsbasedontheir findings. "The CCAC intends to pursue these investigations untilthereisredress,"thestatementread.However,theCCAC has not disclosed which gas company was involved in the complaints,andtherehavebeennoupdatesonthestatusofthe investigationthusfar
Several explosions related to gas cylinders have been reported in recent months, with some victims accusing a specific gas company of negligence. One of the most devastating incidents occurred on the morning of January 4, 2025,atLot194,FifthStreetFoulis,EastCoastDemerara.A suspected fuel leak from a Massy gas bottle led to a violent explosion that claimed the lives of 55-year-old Basmattie Ganpat and her common-law partner, 58-year-old Manu Sukhu.BothvictimswereadmittedtotheGeorgetownPublic HospitalCorporation(GPHC),whereGanpatpassedawayon January 19, and Sukhu succumbed to his injuries on January 22, 2025. Post-mortem results confirmed that Ganpat died frominfectedburnssustainedintheexplosion.
Thecallforaninvestigationintotheincidentscontinuesas the public and authorities seek answers to prevent further fatalitiesandensurethesafetyofconsumers.
UK Company installs monitoring system on four drill rigs in Guyana
Salunda, a United
Kingdom company has announced that it has integrated its Red Zone monitoringsolutionsonfour drilling rigs in Guyana with Intellilift's proven digital technologies to deliver automated location and controlofcriticalequipment and personnel, World Oil reported.
Kaieteur News recently reported that ExxonMobil Guyana Limited will now
have five drill rigs supporting its Stabroek Block operations as one of Stena Drilling rigs has
completed its work programme Exxon had
StenaDrillMAX contractual period is completed and the Stena Ca
ron work programme will be up in June.
World Oil stated that the collaboration – on assets belonging to a major offshoredrillingcontractor–marks the world's first deployment of a real-time digital interface between wearable sensors, drilling controls and moving machinerytoprovideinstant alerts to workers in the line offire.Thisadvanceddigital interface streams precise machine location, velocity andstatusinreal-time.
contracted four drill rigs from Noble: Noble Tom Madden, Noble Sam Croft, Noble Don Taylor, and NobleBobDouglasandtwo fromStena:StenaDrillMAX and Stena Carron The
Intellilift's platform with Salunda's CrewHawk, the system provides a low latency digital interface
proprietary Motion Trigger and Equipment Status
environments to track individuals and equipment while Intellilift's platform providesadigitalinterfaceto
thedrillingautomationsuite, includingpositionandstatus ofalloperationalmachinery
Alan Finlay, Salunda's Chief Executive Officer said, “This is a significant step in the evolution of
offshore safety equipment, and we are proud to be working with Intellilift to ensurethatcrewsareassafe astheycanbewhenworking in Red Zones.” He added, “The digital integration marksastepchangeinsafety for the sector and by knowingwhereworkersand equipment are, as well as having the data behind the movements accurately captured and logged, this trailblazing solution ensures that personnel working in safety critical areas can feel well protected during daily operations.”
Salunda's Hawk Analytics platform, which enables users to scrutinize data, generate trends and display heatmaps showing where violations are clustered and around which machines, they are most common. Reports can then be used to coach crews and adapt working practices to bolstersafety.“Themarketis in urgent need of new technology, and we are witnessing a growing willingnessamongoperators to disrupt markets Our collaboration with Salunda exemplifies the potential of innovative companies to challenge the larger players i
chnology and transparency The journey we've had together has been truly remarkable, and only time will reveal what lies ahead,” said Stig Trydal, CEOofIntellilift.
The project marks the s
o organizations, having first joinedforcesinAugust2024 to optimize safety and a
ll construction.
Salunda's wearable technology and camera solutionswirelesslymonitor hazardous working environments in real-time, tracking individuals and equipment to provide anonymised feedback that focuses on safe operations andminimizingrisk.
Users of Crew Hawk, which has MET, IECEx and ATEX certification, can set upperimetersintheworking environment around areas that pose the greatest risk to personnel. (Modified from WorldOil)
Photo taken from World Oil
Speed bumps delaying ambulance access during critical times - Edghill
Whilespeedbumpsareusedto suppress the ongoing challenges with speeding, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill said at times they impede emergency services response.
The public works minister was at the time speaking on Thursday during the handing over of traffic resources to the Guyana Police Force. During his remarks, he
reiterated that while speed bumps are often seen as a solution to curb speeding, he raised serious concerns about their unintended consequences for ambulances and emergency services Edghill emphasised that speed bumps, while effective at slowing down traffic, can severely hinder the timely delivery of medical care, especially in life-or-death
situations.
"Iwantallofyougatherhere… to think about your mother, grandmother or wife in an ambulance where two minutes to medical attention means a lot and the ambulance have to traverse the road with speed bumps, and that twominutesislostontheroad,"he said.
Edghill further reflected on the
devastating impact of delayed emergencyresponse.
“'Iamsorry'issomeofthemost importantwordsthatshouldbesaid but nobody wants to hear it from a doctor,”hesaid."So,whilethereis abigdemandforspeedbumps,itis not the answer It might suppress speeding but it can also interfere with accessibility at a very crucial time where minutes makes a
differencebetweenlifeanddeath."
As regards the continuous issues with speeding, Edghill stressedtheneedforaculturalshift inhowroadsafetyandtrafficissues are approached in Guyana. He called for greater peer pressure to discourage reckless behaviour and emphasised the importance of personalresponsibility,particularly whenitcomestodrunkdriving.
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GECOM incapable of holding 2025 national elections – AFC says
Leader of the Alliance For Change Leader (AFC) Attorney-at-law, Nigel Hughes has expressed the view that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is incapable of holding the 2025 General and
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Regional Elections.
Hughes spoke briefly to members of the press outside the GECOM headquarters in Kingston on Thursday afternoon following a meeting with his party and the commission. He described the meeting between members of the AFC and GECOM officials as nothing but “disastrous.” At a subsequent press briefing, the AFC Leader sought to update media personnel on matters discussed during the three hours long meeting with the elections commission.
According to Hughes, the meeting provided the party with insight on GECOM’s preparedness to manage the upcoming elections as well as the issues related to the commission’s internal management.
Hughes stated that during the discussions, Chairperson of GECOM retired Justice Claudette Singh among other things admitted that it conducted no review of the 2020 elections. “GECOM admitted
it had not conducted any review of its operations. It had not conducted any review of the way in which they internally managed the 2020 elections. We enquired of them if any of the recommendations made by the [International] observers were actually implemented and they said none of those as far as they are aware,” Hughes revealed.
As it relates to enquiries made by the party regarding the continued occupation of
The New Liberty Movement (TNM)’s representative Asha Kissoon of a seat in the National Assembly; Hughes said the responses from the commissioners was quite frightening.
“The Chairman of the commission said that when she sought to address the issue of Asha Kissoon, she got no mandate from the National Assembly to take any action in relation to Asha Kissoon.” “One of the commissioners refuted the claims by Chair. Another allegation made is that the decision to have Ms. Kissoon there, is because of due diligence on the part of the CEO of GECOM who failed to check the details of the documents submitted for occupation of the seat and fraud perpetuated as a result.”
Additionally, the AFC leader revealed that the chairperson of GECOM had extended the contract of the Chief Elections Officer, Vishnu Persaud for three (Continued on page 17)
AFC leader, Nigel Hughes
APNU and AFC sign MoU to explore pre-election alliance for 2025
The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) andtheAllianceForChange
(AFC) formalised a M e m o r a n d u m o f
Understanding (MoU), outliningthefirstandsecond phase of their joint working arrangements ahead of the 2025 General and Regional ElectionsinGuyana.
Leader of the AFC, Nigel Hughes during the party’s press conference earlier this week had announced that the APNU and the AFC on Tuesday signed the MoU to explore the possibility of coalescing ahead of the 2025Elections
This collaboration representsthefirstphaseofa potential two-phase approach to the upcoming elections.
PhaseTwo will focus on developing the necessary arrangements, institutions, and mechanisms to govern effectivelyandefficientlyas a unified entity postelection.
However, the MoU stipulates that if no agreement is reached by March 31, 2025, to proceed asacoalition,theagreement will end, and no coalition willbeformed. In Phase One, both parties have agreed to collaborate on a common
The MoU issued on Thursday, explains that Phase One aims to explore the possibility of a preelection political alliance between the two parties “The objective is to identify shared principles, a political platform, goals, andtermsforcollaboration in the interest of achieving the mutual political goal of successfully contesting the General and Regional Elections, which are constitutionally due in Guyana, in 2025,” the documentstates.
CampaignPoliticalPlatform (CPP).
If they reach consensus on the CPP, Phase Two will address the coalition’s governance structure (CGS) andelectoralstrategy
The MoU outlines severalkeyprioritiesforpreelection agreements, including the creation of a
SwamiAksharananda, the ubiquitous...
Frompage05 whohasplayedakeyroleinguidingteachers andstudentsinlivinguptothehighstandard that was established since the institution openeditsdoorsin2003withonlyahandful ofstudents.
Todaythatnumberexceeds500.
Since this is a private institution, school feesaretheonlymeanstomeettheexpenses a substantial part of which is teachers’ salaries.Inorderforthisschooltocontinueto serve the nation by producing fertile minds the day may come when Government may have to pay the salaries of the teachers so parents do not have to meet this additional burden.
Govt has already included private schools in handing out educational cash grants. Students also benefit from several scholarshipsthelatestbeingonededicatedto the cultural icon, the late Mohan Nandu but expensesincreaseannually
It is noted that in nearby Trinidad all salariesofteachersofprivateschoolsaremet by the State.If there are going to be significant changes in the behaviour of the citizens especially with regards to cultural knowledge and how to lead a pollution free life many more such institutions will be necessary. Each region should have at least one.
Many Hindus have achieved material
success in this land and abroad. They now know more about the principles of Sanatan Dharma popularly known as Hinduism and the contribution that Vedic values can make to Guyana, and how the next generation can benefitfromaculturaleducation.
The oil and gas funds may finance gigantic, beautiful buildings, highways and otherdevelopmentalprojects,butthecountry willalwaysneeddedicatedteacherswhowill remainhometosharewithfuturegenerations thevaluesofculturalknowledge.
Theycannourishthemindsoftheyoung by sharing some of the wisdom that shaped the world’s oldest enduring civilization i.e. BharatthatisIndia.
ThefestivalofMahaKumbhMelawhich anticipates attendance of over four hundred andfiftymilliondevoteesthisyear,overa44dayperiod,isthelargestgatheringofhumans ontheplanet.
It should certainly impress the most sceptical of those who are now delving into thehistoryofthisspiritualEmpire.
The challenge in Guyana is to find or mould a few more dedicated, fearless Aksharanandas for the nation that received about 238,909 Indentured Servants from India. Since 1838, it has only produced one homegrownleaderofhiscalibresofar.
Regards,
RamnarineSahadeo
GECOMincapableofholding2025...
Frompage16
years without the involvement of the other commissioners.
According to Hughes, Justice Singh revealed that she took the decision personally without having theconsultationoftheentire commission. He noted this was a clear breach of the rulesofthecommission.
Meanwhile, AFC
Executive member, David Pattersonnotedthattheissue ofbiometricswasonceagain raisedwithGECOM.Justice Singh, announced that a biometricvotingsystemwill be shelved in the upcoming electoralprocess.
S h e s a i d t h a t implementation of the system was not possible in
comprehensive political work program, coordinated public relations and communication efforts, and an integrated fieldwork approach.
The MoU states, “This
development is to achieve greater integrated coverage and focus on an agreed message and narrative and approachtofieldwork.” T h e M o U a
e m p h a s i s e s t h e establishment of a “HighLevel National Campaign Management Team” to oversee the political work
matters.
A unified approach to G u
E
Commission (GECOM) issuesisalsoapriority,with mandatory interactions b
commissioners and the participatingparties.
time for the national polls.
“We enquired on what basis the use of biometrics was ruledoutandweenquiredof the chairperson if there was anyreportorstudyorissues with a budget on which she ruled out the use of biometrics, the responses p r o v e d t o b e n o t satisfactory,” Patterson added.
The document further stipulates that to support their collaboration on a common political platform, thepartiesmustimmediately a d d r e s
a l organisational matters, includingagreeingonajoint campaignbudget.
The budget is to be allocated in three equal instalments, with each party designating an accounting officer to handle reporting and coordination with donors
Importantly, the MoU includes a “sunset clause,” specifying that these arrangements will expire if Phase Two is not agreed upon by the stipulated deadline
Regarding post-election agreements, the MoU outlines that the two parties must agree on policy priorities, a timeline for national development, and a clear government structure to guide the creation and communication of policies andprograms.
Alliance For Change Leader, Nigel Hughes
Opposition leader of APartnership for N ational Unity (APNU), Aubrey Norton
FormerK/NEWSsportsjournalistloseshomeinKittyfire
-
Wife suffers minor burns
Fire of unknown origin destroyed the William Street, Kitty, Georgetown home of former Kaieteur News sports journalist RawleWelchonThursday
The fire, which started between 15:00h and 16:00h left Welch’s wife Cecilia nursing minor burns to her
right arm. When Kaieteur News arrived at the scene, theentiretop-flatofthetwostoreyhousewasengulfedin flamesthatquicklyspreadto aneighbouringhouse.
Kitty residents told KaieteurNewsthattheysaw thickblacksmokeinthearea b
someone was burning garbage. However, a closer examinationshowedthatthe Welch’s home was being destroyedbyaragingfire.
W
ghters arrived on the scene, they quickly worked on saving both the house the fire s
neighbouringbuilding.
As the strong breeze continuously pushed the flames towards the house to the right of the burning
b
ilding, n
ghbours stormed out of their homes fearing that the blaze could getoutofhand.
In a nearby yard stood Cecilia looking-on in distressasherhouseburned. Burn injuries were clearly visible to her right arm. The distraught woman told Kaieteur News that she was in the lower flat of her home when her neighbour calledandinformedherthat thehousewasonfire.
“BytimeIreach-up,Isee theback-roomonfire,”Mrs. Welchsaidwhileaddingthat noonewasintheroomatthe time, leading her to believe thatthecauseofthefiremay be electrical Cecilia
explained that she was burned while trying to put out the fire in the room by her-self but because of its rage,shehadtoabandonher efforts “Everything gone money, clothes gone,” she remarked as she s t o o d b a r e f o o t e d contemplating her next move. “I ain’t even know where I gon stay tonight,” the distraught woman told KaieteurNews. Ceciliawas subsequently taken for treatment by the Guyana Fire Service’s (GFS) medicalteam.
The Private Sector
Commission (PSC)hasthrown its support behind the decision made by Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh to rule out the use biometrics at this year’sGeneralandRegional elections.
The political opposition has been calling for the implementation of biometrics at this year’s elections.
Kaieteur News had reported that in making her determination,JusticeSingh considered a number of factorsthatwouldneedtobe in place before introducing biometrics; these include public consultation on the use of the system as well as trainingofGECOMstaffon the use of the biometric equipment.
In a statement, the Commission said, “The Private Sector Commission is in support of the position taken by the Chair of GECOM.
The Private Sector Commissionwishestopoint out that there is no
Meanwhile, Kaieteur News understands that the top flat of the neighbouring house was badly damaged while the lower flat was water logged. An occupant of that house said that she had to rush out of the house withheryoungchild.
Thewomansaidthatshe is forced to seek lodging by her relatives until the house could be repaired. It is unclear who occupied the upper flat of the two-storey house. The GFS is investigating the Thursday afternoonfire.
Herhusband,Rawlewas not at home at the time the fire started. In an interview withCapitolNews,thesport journalist said he had left home to collect one of his childrenfromworkwhenhe receivedacallthathishome was on fire. He told Capitol News, “I am glad to know that ma family intact ” Rawle said he lived in his home for more than half of hislife. “Amean…agotto sitdownanddiscusswithmy wife what is our next move from here; we lost everything.”
PSC supports GECOM’s position on biometrics
constitutional nor legal requirement for the introduction of biometric fingerprinting identification attheplaceofpoll.”
ThePSApointedoutthat biometric fingerprinting is presently only legally required at the time of registration It was explainedthatthisprocessis c o n d u c t e d w i t h representatives from each political party present to verify voter identity and, on completion of the process, the scanned manual fingerprints are transformed into digital images and stored in a secured database which is subsequently checked internationally for crossmatching to ensure againstduplication.
Additionally, the PSC stressed that the voting process is highly secured and well protected at the placeofpoll.
“It is impossible at each polling place for anyone to vote more than once, or for oneindividualtocastavote onbehalfofanotheraseach polling station is staffed by officials from the various contesting political parties, aswellaswithbothlocaland
internationalobservers,who are present to ensure the accuracy and transparency ofthevotingprocess,”itwas noted.
PSC stressed that every step of the process is transparent,andevenallows for theprocess to stop and a verification process to be conducted if there is any doubt The Commission noted that the process does not continue until everyone issatisfied.
Further, the PSC concluded that it is convinced that, for the reasons set out above, the current use of biometrics at the point of registration is perfectly acceptable for verifying voter identity in the2025elections.
Notably,PSChasserved asanAccreditedObserverof the country’s General and RegionalElections.
In anticipation of the 2025 General and Regional Elections PSC said it is engaging with all of the key stakeholders, including GECOM, the international Diplomatic Community and the established political parties contesting the elections.
The Welch’s William Street, Kitty home on Fire
$350 billion in loans to fund 2025 budget - Jagdeo
The $1.382 trillion 2025 National Budget will be funded by over $350 billion in loans, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said on Thursday
He made the comments during his weekly press conference at Freedom House.
Asked what percentage of the budget that will be funded by loans, the Vice President said that if one takes a look at the oil and non-oil revenue there is a table in the estimates under
VicePresident, Pr Bharrat Jagdeo
So, that is a trillion dollars…” Looking at the estimates it shows that $ 3 4 9 9 8 B w ill b e accumulated from financing which represents roughly 25 25% of the budget Giving a breakdown of the financing external financing represents $322.44b while $27.5B will be domestic financing.
Despite commencing oil production in 2020, the Government of Guyana (GoG) has grown the country's deb
the heading 'Public Sector Financial Operations' which will give a breakdown of how the funds are accumulated.
The VP said, “basically, if non-oil revenue is about 500 billion, billion dollars, and non-oil revenue if you include inflows from GRIF and the LCDs, would be another 500 million. So that means about three, 300 odd billion would be funded through loans. So just read. thereaditthere.”
“You would see it here, public sector financial operations, and you can see howmuchoftherevenue,or the exact figures would be $454B,inrevenue,plus$16 billion of GRIF in flows, about $41 billion from carboncreditinflows,which will give about $511B and then $512B is from NRF withdrawal.
significantUS$4.2Basatthe end of December 2024. In 2019,thecountry'sdebtwas US$1 8B According to Annual Reports from the Bank of Guyana (BoG), the nation'sdebtgrewby46.7% in2020toUS$2.6B.
In 2021, the debt surged toUS$3.1B,andin2022this trend continued with the total stock of debt climbing to US$3.7B. In 2023, debt increased further by 23.4% to US$4.5B while this grew to a massive US$6B at the endof2024,asindicatedby Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singhlastweek.
The Irfaan Ali-led administration has often touted the low GDP to debt service ratio, meaning that the country's Gross DomesticProduct(GDP)far outweighs the country's annual payment repayment onloans.
For instance, Dr Singh pointed out the country's progress over the past four yearsinthisregard.Hesaid, “Importantly, over the last four years, the ratio of total PPG (Public and Publicly Guaranteed Debt) debt-toGDP plummeted by more than 20 percentage points, from47.4percentattheend
of2020to24.3percentatthe endof2024.
This provides clear indication of a marked improvement in Guyana's capacity to maintain public debt into the future, without the need for fiscal adjustments, and places Guyana in the position of having one of the lowest
worldwide Indeed, the latest available statistics rank Guyana as having the second lowest debt-to-GDP ratio within the Western Hemispherein2024.”
It should be noted that the country's growth, its GDP, while largely reflective of exports from
the petroleum sector, is not the real value that the country received from the sector In fact, only on Sunday Kaieteur News reported that exports from theoilandgassectortotalled US$18BwhileGuyanaonly receivedUS$2.6Bin2024in the Natural Resource Fund (NRF).
SportsMax-WestIndies middle-order batsmanAlick Athanaze expects the team to employ the same aggressive approach with the bat in the second Test against Pakistan beginning on Saturday in Multan despite a crushing 127-run defeat in the first Test at the samevenue.
Thetouristswerebowled outfor137and123lastweek on a pitch that can only be described as a spinner’s
paradise, conditions they will most likely encounter once again Pakistani spinnersSajidKhan,Noman Ali and Abrar Ahmed combinedtotakeall20West Indian wickets over the three-daycontest,withWest Indian spinners also having success,mostnotablyJomel Warrican who took 10 wickets in the game including a career-best 7-32 inthesecondinnings. In an attempt to combat
the dominant spin attack of the hosts, the West Indians adopted an aggressive strategyofbattingincluding sweeps and reverse sweeps withalowrateofsuccess.
Despite that, many believe this might be the West Indies’ best chance of gettingtheupperhandonthe dominantPakistanspinners.
Middle order batsman AlickAthanaze, speaking in a pre-match press conference on Thursday,
says the key for the West Indies will be to execute better “Ithinkitwasentirely about execution, to be honest.Ifwelookatmostof the guys that scored runs on thewicket,theyplayedalot of sweeps and they played aggressively It only looked that way because I think we didn’t execute as well as we wantedto,”Athanazesaid.
“I think we will have a similarapproachintermsof playing our sweeps and playing our shots Obviously, we’ll have to assess conditions first but thatwouldbetheapproach,” headded.
Friday January 24, 2025
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
A rise in your income could lead to a transformation in
your values, Aries, particularlywherebusinessis concerned You could be opening up to the vast potential for prosperity that existsnow
TAURUS(Apr 20–May20)
Stress, strain, and a little conflict within a business,
romantic, or creative partnership could have you toyingwiththeideaofending it, Taurus. Don't do anything rashrightnow
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Today, Gemini, you might feel a little insecure about your state of physical fitness. You could decide to make up for any lack of exercise over the past few weeks. This is fine,buttakeitslowly
CANCER(June21–July22)
A friend may be going through some pretty big changes,Cancer,andcometo youforasympatheticear The problemisthatyoumightbea littlestressedyourself.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Today you might have thoughts of expanding your horizons, perhaps on a monumentallevel,Virgo.You might consider traveling or even moving to a distant place.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Today you might have thoughts of expanding your horizons, perhaps on a monumentallevel,Virgo.You might consider traveling or even moving to a distant place.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Today you may receive some information about how to increaseyourincomeinashort periodoftime,Libra. This information may or may not be valid. Be cautious. Check out the facts before committing.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
Relations with partners of all kinds - business, romantic, creative - might be somewhat strained today, Scorpio. You and the other parties involved may have been under a lot of stress.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
Stress due to overwork might becausingyourenergytoflag somewhat today, Sagittarius. You might even feel a little under the weather This is a great day to stay home and recover
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Todayyoucouldfeelarushof sensual passion and desire, Capricorn. You may want to gettogetherwithalovepartner intheevening,butnotbeable todoitrightnow.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Someproblemsmightarise withequipmentthatyouuseat home or with the structure of the house, Aquarius Appliances might go on the blink or the plumbing or electricity could require repairs.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar 20)
Some disturbing news could come today, Pisces. This isn't likely to concern you directly It's apt to be something about the world situation that might eventuallyreflectindirectlyon you.
In fact, he was one of only three batsmen to pass 20fortheregionalside,with the other two being bowlers Jomel Warrican and Jayden Seales with their scores of 31* and 22 in the first innings.
“Obviously runs under your belt as a batsman is currency and that is what makes you feel good,” said Athanaze. “I’ve felt good since the practice match so I’mnotshortofconfidence,I would say I’m feeling good,”headded.
Itwasn’tabadmatchfor Athanaze, individually He was the only West Indies batsman to score a halfcenturyinthegamewithhis 55inthesecondinnings.
From page24 a promising 38 for 2 at the halfwaymark.
Ramnath’sbrilliancecame in a devastating sequence where she claimed all her wicketseitherbowledorlbw, leaving the Malaysian batters struggling to cope with her offspin Her scalps included the dismissal of Malaysia captain Nur Daniya Syuhada, which triggered the hosts’ downfall She was ably supported by fellow offspinners Erin Deane (2 for 7)andNaijanniCumberbatch (2 for 14), who ensured Malaysia had no chance of mountingacomeback Earlier, the West Indies batters faced challenges of their own after being put in to bat Opener Assabi Callender held the innings together with a measured 42-ball 30, while Jahzara Claxton (19) and AbigailBryce(14)provided useful contributions However, Malaysia’s disciplinedbowlingkeptthe scoringrateincheck,andthe West Indies had to settle for what appeared to be an under-partotalof112for7.
Despite the low score, the West Indies bowlers turnedthegamearoundwith a clinical performance, demonstrating the team’s ability to fight under pressure.
This victory marked a turning point for the West Indies, who endured a challenging start to the tournament. In their opener, they suffered a heavy defeat toadominantIndiasideand then crashed to an 81-run
executeandlookattheballa bitlonger Itisdifficulttobat on the wickets here, no doubt, but I guess just trust your defense and work on your sweeps and reverse sweeps,”hesaid.
The Dominican also gave credit to Pakistan’s bowlers, noting that the regional side have to find a waytogetonestepaheadof them.
Hesharedtheadvicehe’s given to the batting unit headingintothesecondTest, once again emphasizing the useofhorizontalbatshots.
“I think the wicket suits my game. I’m a sweeper so my suggestion to the other batters would be to try to
loss against Sri Lanka on Tuesday With their backs against the wall, the Caribbean team delivered a spiritedperformancetokeep theircampaignalive.
Withmomentumnowon their side, the West Indies U19 Women advance to the
“They understand their conditions very well and have world class bowlers. We have to just try to get them off their game and think one step ahead all the time. Get in their head, see what they’re trying to do to usandcombatthat,”hesaid.
Timewilltellwhetheror nottheWestIndianbatsmen can execute the way they needtointhoseconditions.
Super Six stage, where they will face tougher challenges against stronger teams Captain Samara Ramnath’s all-around leadership and the team’s bowling depth willbecriticalastheyaimto extend their journey in the tournament.
West Indies U19 Women secure first win, advance to Super Six with victory over Malaysia
SportsMax - The West Indies U19 Women’s team clinchedtheirfirstwinofthe ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, defeating hosts Malaysia by 53 runs to
advance to the Super Six round.After a tough start to theircampaignwithlossesto IndiaandSriLanka,theWest Indiesbouncedbackinstyle, defending a modest total of
112 for 7 by dismissing Malaysiaforjust59runs.
This crucial victory not only secured third place in GroupAbut also eliminated Malaysia, who finished at
thebottomofthegroupwith threedefeats.
West Indies captain Samara Ramnath was the standout performer in the virtual knockout fixture
Although she contributed only 5 runs with the bat, Ramnath delivered a matchwinning spell of bowling, taking4for6 thethird-best figures of the tournament so far
Herperformancesparked a stunning collapse, as Malaysia lost eight wickets forjust21runsafterreaching (Continuedonpage23)
Sam, Fernandes outshine competition at GCF/Moo Milk National U12 chess tourney
The Guyana Chess Federation(GCF)MooMilk sponsored 2025 National Rapid Under-12 tournament wrapped up with Abel Fernandez and Kataleya Sambeingcrownedchamps, when the tournament ended this past Sunday at Oasis Terrace Room, Pegasus Hotel.
The seven round tournament was played under Open and Girls categories via the Swiss format.
Players were allotted 20 minutes plus five-second increments after the first move, making the
competitionmoreintensefor thealmost60participants.
Rookie Abel Fernandez emerged winner of the Under-12 Open Category aftertallying6points,while 2nd place to 2024 Open U12 winner Jeremy Cole (5.5 points), tied with 3rd place winner,YanWenChen.
Meanwhile, defending girls champ Kataleya Sam easily retained her crown despite some tough competition, beating off the likes of Chelsea Harrison (5 points) 2nd place, while RebhaLatchmanalsotiedon pointsforherthirdplace. BestU-10playerwentto
Aiden Tinnie, in the Open Category, Saura Ruplall Best U-10 Girls players, Zidane Harmon Best U-8 andIsabellaLoyintheOpen a
respectively
presented to the second and thirdplacewinnersintheU10 and U-8 age categories, amongwinners.
The championship was p
experienced eyes of Chief Arbiter, John Lee alongside
Callender, Kim Shing Chong,RicardoNarine,Odit Rodriguesandothers.
BerbiceCricketBoardselects25 femalestocontinuetrainingforfemale intercountyCricketcompetition
The selection committee of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) has short listed 25 female cricketers. Of the amount, 21 of those playerswereselectedfollowingtwodaysof practice session at the Rose Hall CommunityCentre(RHCC)Groundanda trial match at the Berbice High School ground.
The players selected are asked to continue training in anticipation of being selected to represented the county in the upcoming female Inter County cricket competition.
TrainingsessionsbeganonWednesday at the RHCC ground and is expected to continuefrom15.00hrs.or3PM.
RealeannaGrimmond,KatanaMentore, Sherika Campbelle, Reneta Ramdeo, Sheneta Grimmond, Jada Fraser, Tameka George, Danielle Lindee, Tina Ganie, Plaffiana Millington, Crystal Durant, Daniella Hicks, Tia Isaacs, Danielle Manns, Kianna Leach, Leah Kamalall, Krishnaveni Rengasanmy, Saradha Ramnauth, Olisha Peters, L D’anrade,D Jagmohan
Meanwhile, the following players Shemaine Campbell, Shabiki Gajnabi, Ashmini Munisar and Tricia Hardat are on West Indies duties overseas and will be drafted into the squad upon their return (SamuelWhyte)
Tucber Park Cricket Club defeat
Rose Hall Community Center B in BCB T20 2nd Division Competition
Play in the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) second division T20 cricket competition continued over thelastweekendforteamsin TheNewAmsterdam/Canje areas.
Tucber Park Cricket Club defeated Rose Hall CommunityCenter(RHCC) ‘B’ by 78 runs in their encounter played at The Rose Hall Community Centre (RHCC) Ground, EastCanjeBerbice. TakingfirststrikeTucber Parkposted187-7intheir20 overs Skipper Zeynul Ramsammyledthewaywith 70. He was supported by Kevin Kisten and Abdul Ramsammy with 29 each while Leon Swamy contributed17.
Bowling for RHCC ‘B’ R Ramdehol picked up 3wickets, Sanjay Algoo snaredtwowhileN.Halland R.Vankenietookoneeach. In reply, RHCC were dismissed for 109 in 19 overs with Sanjay Algoo hitting56.
BowlingforTucberPark CC,leftarmspinnerGilbert Griffith led the way with three wickets, there were twoeachforCarleyDejonge and Gavin Kisten, while Leon Swamy and Abdul Ramsammy picked up one each. (SamuelWhyte)
Abel Fernandez and Kataleya Sam dominated the competition at the National Under-12 Rapid Chess tournament.
DaveWestIndianImportsgetsEverest CricketClub’srenovationsoffthemark
Po p u l a r
Philanthropistand ardent cricket supporter, Dave Narine, of Dave West Indian Imports (USA), on Wednesday January22launchedEverest Cricket Club’s pavilion and hall rehabilitation fund with a first donation of five
hundred thousand dollars (GYD500,000) Receiving the cheque on behalf of Everest, in the club’s pavilion, was National Player, Richie Looknauth.
The launch of the RenovationFundprecedesa massiveBingowhichwillbe heldonSaturdayJanuary25
onthegroundsoftheclub.
The project is integral to the programmes of the club which contribute to the development and overall wellbeing of its members. Some programmes include Everest’s Annual Youth Cricket Camp, Yoga and Karate classes and seminars
for management and mental strength.
The project has a twenty million dollars cost and will begin in the first quarter of 2025.
Speaking to the
Contribution Dave Narine said that this is an initial contributiontokickstartthe projectandthathewillmake a further contribution. He said that Everest Cricket Club has been leading the nation in terms of the provision of sporting facilitiesofexceptionalhigh standards. Congratulating and commending the club, the Guyanese businessman addedthattheexecutiveand members of the Club have been working hard to meet the high expectations of a modern nation He encourages others to come aboard the project that will contribute to talent development as Guyana prepares to compete at the Olympics in the sport of cricket.
Dave’s West Indian Importsistheproudsponsor of an annual rival match betweenAlbionCommunity Centre Cricket Club and Everest Cricket Club and wasoncethetitlesponsorfor the Guyana Cricket Board’s under-15 Inter-County tournament.
Thanks to Dave’s West Indian Imports many of the finest Guyanese and West Indianproductsareavailable in Queen’s New York, Maryland and New Hampshire in the United StatesofAmerica.
To the laying of the first block, Dave Narine (left) hands over the cheque to Richie Looknauth at Everest Cricket Club
Interim leadership agreed to dissolve GCF executive issues a
In a significant development for the Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF), ongoing internalandexecutiveissues have been dissolved, paving the way for renewed focus
on the growth and development of cycling in thenation.
This positive outcome
follows a critical
membership m
eting orchestrated by Godfrey Munroe, President of the Olympic Association of Guyana,aimedataddressing governance and leadership issues that had hindered the federation’soperations.
L a s t S a t u r d a y, representatives from several clubs including; KARCC
C o n t i n e n t a l , K F C
Evolution, Carlton Wheelers, Flying Ace, Flying Stars, We Stand United, Team Coco, Team Alanis, and Team Trojan gatheredtodeliberateonthe pressing matters affecting the organisation. The meetingservedasaplatform
for open dialogue, which allowed stakeholders to voice concerns, and collaboratively seek solutions to challenges that had been impacting the proper functioning of the federation.
Discu
e intense,withflaringtempers and candid exchanges underscoring the urgency of the situation However, through c
c
ive engagement, the meeting culminated in a mutual agreementthatsatisfiedboth the federation and its exec
v
body A unanimous vote was cast to adopt measures designed to restore stability and chart a clearpathforward. Oneofthekeyoutcomes of the meeting was the establishment of an interim leadership team This
he collective recognition of the need for a temporary governing body to navigate the federation through its current challenges and
Ramzan, Fraser pilot Demerara U15 to strong win over East Coast U17
Demerara Under15 stormed to a 48-runwinover the East Coast Under-17 lads, thanks to brilliant spells from Shahid Ramzan and Patrice Fraser this past Sunday at the LBI Ground, EastCoastDemerara.
Preparation for the upcoming Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Under-15
Inter-County 50-over tournament commenced with the reduced 40-overs persideaffair
OpeningbatsmanLomar Seecharranledwith29with four fours. Support came from Makai Dowlin who chipped in with 23 while Joshua Bollers (22), Vinesh Kalpoo (20) and Ramzan (15) pushed Demerara to 152-8, despite some good bowling by the East Coast lads.
The duo of Narindra Isurdeen (2-10) off Rishi Seodat(2-12)starredforthe East Coast, who were restricted to 104 all out inside24overs.
Damage was done by
ensure continuity in its operations The interim leadership is tasked with fostering unity, rebuilding trust among stakeholders, and laying the groundwork forlong-termstability
While the meeting addressed several critical issues, the overarching
agreement on how the federation will operate moving forward marks a significant agreement. This resolutionnotonlyalleviates internal strife but also sets the stage for the GCF to refocus its energies on advancing the sport of cyclinginGuyana.
Spinner Shahid Ramzan and speedster Patrice Fraser steered Demerara Under-15 team to a strong win over East Coast U17.
fast-bowler Fraser (3-15) and a returning Ramzan, who spun his way to 4-16; after both bowlers achieved triplewicketmaidensduring theirspells.
Spirited knocks from Yannick Newton who topscored with 26 after finding the ropes on five occasions andall-rounderArunGainda (20), tried but failed to negatetheeffortsofRamzan andFraser. The second match is slated for this Sunday January26atLBI.
GCF President, Horace Burrowes
-Athanazesaysbatsmenwill continuetobeaggressiveagainst PakistanspinnersinsecondTest spinners
AlickAthanaze expects the team to employ the same aggressive approach with the bat in the second Test against Pakistan.
The West Indies U19 Women’s team clinched their first win of the tournament.
WestIndiesU19Womensecure U19 firstwin,advancetoSuperSix withvictoryoverMalaysia
Sam, Fernandes
