Kaieteur News

Israeli strike on UN school in Gaza kills at least 35 Jagdeo says:

Wales gas-to shore project US loan or not, Govt. will build -Jagdeo

Three charged in $117M CJIA gold bust

Jamaican born singer shot dead in Sophia

Eldery man killed by speeding biker on pedestrian crossing

Koker attendant crushed by sluice door 3-ton weight

ExxonM bills Guyana $55 billion for dry holes drilled in 2023

Put our own meters on Exxon’s oil pumps!

ShameenaAhamad Ian Jacobis

Ashiana Salamaly

Jamaican born singer shot dead in Sophia

A Jamaican born singer living in Guyana was on Thursday shot dead by his friend in Sophia, Greater, Georgetown.

Policeidentifiedhim asNavarGeorgeBarton, age 29, but he is better known by his stage name, Stero Don. He reportedly lived in AFieldSophia.

Policelearntthatthe suspect had allegedly gonetoBarton'shomein A–Field by mini-bus to ask for his money and ended up shooting him inthehead.

Thesuspectthenran out of the yard, reentered the minibus and escaped.

Bartonwasrushedto the hospital but doctors pronouncedhimdeadon arrival.

Investigations are ongoing.

Shot dead, Stero Don

‘ExxonM should stop misleading Guyanese’

Exxon should stop misleadingGuyana-Jagdeo Vice President Bharrat

J

y afternoonlashedoutatUSoil major- ExxonMobil Guyana accusing the company of misleading Guyanese with recent statements about his financials and investments here.

H

, ExxonMobil hosted a media backgrounder at its Duke

S

Georgetown office, where among other things, the company boasted about how its operations transformed the financial landscape of this country Taking a break from his usual venue at Freedom House, the VPtold reporters at the Office of the President that ExxonMobil should desist from its efforts tomisleadthecountry

“IheardtodaythatExxon did a briefing about their investments in Guyana and

so I have here a document that appa

ly they circulated...I looked through this and obviously Exxon is trying to defend its position and its investment in Guyana,” Jagdeo explained. The former President however made it clear that the company will not be given a free pass to misinform the nation about its contributions to the country's development throughtaxpayments.Onthe

ExxonMobil math incorrectly inflates fuel costs for support vessels

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) has over the years been rounding off its percentages when mathematically calculating the fuel used by its support vessels.

Thispracticeofrounding off the figures to the closet percent, versus using actual figureshasledtotheoperator overcharging Guyana for fuel it imports to support its operationsthroughtheuseof supportvessels.

This was unearthed by auditors VHE Consulting which had been hired by government to scrutinise the expenses already recouped bytheEMGLoperatorinthe Stabroek Block as per the provisions of the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signedwiththecompanyand itsconsortiumpartners,Hess Guyana Limited, and China National Offshore Oil Company(CNOOC)backin 2016.

Under the terms of that agreement up to 75 percent of the gross revenues from

- Auditors Find

coverable, as per thePS A, each month.The auditors in their probe of the consortium's spending and money recovered between 2018 and 2018 over which there is now dispute found that EMGL included on the Cost Recovery Statement allocated marine vessel and fuel costs coded to Marine Support Vessel (MPV), Marine Supply Vessel (PSV),andMarineFuelCost Objects.

According to VHE Consultingfinding“in2020, MPV and PSV charter costs

percentages, but marine fuel costswereallocatedbasedon percentages rounded to the nearestwholepercent.”

Theauditorssaidthatthe fuel costs should have been allocated precisely the same as the boat costs; that is,

percentages. It was found to that, the samemetric is used to allocate boat and associatedfuelcosts,“sothe ultimate percentage shares paid by a given property should be the same for both boatsandfuel.”

VHE poignantly observed “this is especially true with high-dollar cost pools where fractions of a percentage can mean huge sums; also, rounding down, canresultinanoperationnot sharing any costs even if it used a boat and associated fuel.”

According EMGL requested to credit the Cost Recovery Statement for this incorrect allocation of 2022 marinefuelcosts,correctthe 2021 and 2022 allocations based on unrounded the percentages,andbeginusing decimalized percentages in order, “to more equitably allocate boat and associated fuelcosts.”

contrary, J

gdeo reminded, “they pay zero taxes.”

The Vice President reasoned that the government has agreed that the 2016 Petroleum Agreement, signed by the former administration is flawed and has made corrections in a new Production Sharing

Agreement The 2026 contract stipulates that Exxonanditssubcontractors shall not pay taxes to the government In the meantime, he said, “They want to speak about the national budget and they haveshownthegrowthinthe nationalbudgetfrom2020to now and somehow is attributing this to their tax revenue.”

The Vice President pointedoutthatlessthanhalf of this year's $1.146 trillion budget is funded by oil revenue, but Exxon somehowwantstocreatethe illusion that the massive

-Jagdeo

fiscal plan is fully financed fromtheirtaxes.Jagdeosaid: “This is very misleading” as he encouraged the company to instead report how much profits it recorded from Guyana.

“What Exxon should focusonishowmuchmoney they are making, that's what they should tell the reporters not how much taxes we are collecting because already we agree that the tax take is lowerthanwhatweshouldbe getting and this is not really taxes because none of this comes from taxes except the 2%royaltysoit'snotreallya tax because they pay zero tax,”theVPquipped. He continued, “When Exxon does its own PR, I would urge them to keep away from this and maybe talk more about the big question that people been

asking- how much money they make on this matter It irks me same way that they didthesebillboardsthatthey look like they are financing all our activities in this country.”

The Vice President thereforecautionedExxonto steer clear of these topics in thefutureandtalkabouttheir profittakeoverthefiveyears ratherthanGuyana's.

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

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

Oil audits and partners

ExxonMobil holds itself out as a healthy partner to Guyana, viz, until it is time to count profits When the company’s profits are part of the local oil equation, then partnership takes a backseat We have this US$73B audit completedbyVHEConsultantsforExxonMobil’sexpensesfor the 2018-2020 period and it has gone nowhere The 2016 ProductionSharingsaysonething,Guyana’smaninchargeof oil, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo says another, and ExxonMobildoesn’tcarewhateithersay,andcontinuestodo itsownthing

Itisalongtimethat231daysbeyondwhatispermitted by the 2016 PSA Section 15 (b) doesn’t allow for audit findingstobehangingunresolvedandunclosed Jagdeosays that the government is still going through the first audit, the 1999-2017 audit executed by the British-based IHS Markit, which has US$214M in findings The back and forth surrounding that first audit has impacted the second one completedbyVHEConsulting,whichiswaitingitsturninline, fromallindications Thisreinforcesthreepointsthatweatthis publicationhavemaderepeatedly

First,ExxonMobilcannolongerbeseenasapartnertobe trustedinmattersrelatedtomoneywiththisnation’soilwealth Thefirstaudit,1999-2017,isarelativelysmallerone,though covering a much longer period Those findings should have been resolved within the time permitted by the PSAand not going back and forth, as Jagdeo himself noted This is unacceptable, and the government should ensure that its impatience and disappointment with ExxonMobil’s delaying tactics are made clear to Country Head, Alistair Routledge WhentheGuyanesepeopleareimpatientwithExxonMobil’s stonewalling tactics, the PPPC Government should be even more furious When the people making the decisions at ExxonMobilconductthemselvesinthisdilatorymanner,withone obfuscationafteranother,thenJagdeoshouldreadRoutledgetheriot act The PPPC Government, from the president to various ministers,lovetoreadriotsactstoGuyanese Thesameshould applyinthesharpestandsternestmannertoExxonMobil Thisis Guyana’soil,andGuyanesewillbetheonestocalltheshotsonhow itsdevelopmentsarehandled Makeauditfindingsandtheclosure ofsuchthefirstexample ItisnotonlyExxonMobilthatknows about oil profits, but Guyanese also do So, when there are significantauditfindings,closethemoutwiththenumbersfinalized inarespectabletimeThismustbetheongoingstandard

Second, we have said and written that ExxonMobil is corporate greed in its finest exhibition This American companywantseverything,alltheprofits,foritself,andwould gotoanylengthstosqueezeGuyanaforthelastdollar Check whatishappening Forthesplash-in-the-bucketcash(slightly overUS$100M,thatisitsshare)ExxonMobilissobarefacedly, doggedlyresistanttoclosingouttheauditfindingsandhanding backtoGuyanawhatitexpensedsoimproperly Thisshould answerallquestionsandconcernsabouthowfarthiscompany wouldgotosnatchadollarforitselfattheexpenseofGuyana Incircumstanceslikethese,thereisamplejustificationinthe assessment that ExxonMobil is less of a credible partner and moreofabirdofprey Rightisright,andprincipleisprinciple, butwehavenochoicebuttoask:whataboutExxonMobil,what are its partnership principles? Some things do speak for themselves,andnotinawhisper

Third,oneoftherecommendationsthatwehaveofferedtothe government is to slowdown project approvals and offshore activity,ifonlymarginallyandsensibly GiveGuyanaachanceto build capacity, and grow in expertise alongside the oil developments Perhaps, because the source of such a recommendation is this paper, it was given the shortest thrift Now reality has caught up with the PPPC Government Completed audits struggle to get to a final closure, and this emphasizestheleadershiprecklessnessthathasplaguedthisoil sector. The exposures through audit findings note what is happeningonland. NoGuyanese,noteventhegovernment anditsself-congratulatingleadershipteam,hasaclueabout possibly costly exploitations occurring offshore Slowdownsothatlearningintensifies,sothatExxonMobil iswatchedclosely

VHE confident detailed Exxon’s

audit report can withstand the highest levels of scrutiny from any of the authoritative bodies

DEAREDITOR

Mr Glen Lall is his relentless attack on this governmentcontinuestouse the VHE audited report, 2018 -2020 as springboard for his specious and incendiary remarks. Fueled by this obsession, Mr. Lall demonstrates a reckless disregard for facts and a c o m p l e t e l a c k o f understanding of the audit process.

In a recent article “Glen Lall Questions absence of ExxonMajorExpensesfrom 7.3 B audit report “Kaieteur news June 4th, Mr Lall seemstoimplythattherewas somegrandschemetocover up or to withhold pertinent information concerning the results of the audit. Editor, nothing could be further from the truth. Here are the facts.AlittleoverayearagoI appeared on a Kaieteur News Radio programme hostedbyKianaWilburg.

At the time of the interview, the audit report was still under review and had not been made public eventhoughitwasclearthat someone had leaked the report. On that programme I stated clearly that I would not pre-empt my client (the GovernmentofGuyana)and discuss the details of the audit report, further I stated that I was not authorized by my client to discuss specific items in the report. This decisionwasbasedinparton my ethical and professional responsibilityandrespectfor myclient.

There were no hidden agendas,nocoverupsandno conspiracies. No one has ever asked me to withhold information, nor would I honour such request. In fact asProjectlead,Iwasgranted complete autonomy to develop and build my team, conducttheaudit,andreport t

interference. Further, Mr Lall claims that examinations of certain costs were missing from the report. Once again Mr. Lall shows a profound lack of understanding of the audit processandthepurposeofa report. For the record, an audit report does not

engagement, rather it

exceptions i.e. questioned costs that the auditors d

reimbursable under the P

g Agreement.Mr Lallcanrest

g examination and field work theVHEteam reviewed and examined all major costs. There is no way for one to look at and audit report and determine which costs were examined,theVHEteamhas detailed work papers that underpins our approach and

corroborates our findings. We are confident our detailedreportcanwithstand thehighestlevelsofscrutiny fromanyoftheauthoritative bodies.

FloydN.Haynes

VHEProjectLead

Publisher’s note: I never accused Mr Haynes or his team of not conducting a professional audit.All I said publicly was that the report the government released to the public did not include major expenditures by ExxonMobil, which he talked about on national radio that his team checked, but did not get permission from the government to speak on. The crooks of the matter here Mr Haynes is that the government said they have released to the public the full report you handedthem.Myquestionto youisverysimple:isthatthe full report you presented to them?

Alexander responds to Jagdeo

DEAREDITOR

, On Thursday, May 23, the General Secretary of the PPP and Vice President, BharratJagdeo,prefacedhis

explanationastowhyhehas to address every matter undertheheavens,including aspects of people‘s personal l i f e ( c h a r a c t e r assassinations) On one hand, as General Secretary of the governing party, democratic centralism bequeaths him the ultimate authority and responsibility for everything, unless he decidesotherwise.

Whileontheotherhand, he seeks to counter the purported falsehoods (his fabrications) of those opposed to his government, less they be taken for the truth (lies repeated over and overaresoontakentobethe truth)accordingtohim.

He then proceeded to do exactly what he accused othersof,thatistoregalethe press conference with halftruths and out-right lies, many of which he would have iterated at previous pressconferences.

Ontheeveofthevisitof CongressmanJacksonofthe Black Caucus of the United States of America House of Representatives, IDPADAGwastargetedwitharepeat doseofhisfalsehoods/lies. First, he contended that

the Rastafarian community and some forum of the

African Guyanese community, in 2018, fingered IDPADA-G for elitism and neglect of the African Guyanese community

Interestingly, he had to hark back to 2018 about an organization that has grown from37innumberin2018to 78 at present (IDAPADA-G is obviously doing something right to have sustained its existence and growth, which is aligned to its mission), including Rastafari organizations, barring the then leadership of one, which assumed an anti-PNC and pro-PPP posture.

IDPADA-G has since held free and fair elections twice, in addition to the receiptofunqualifiedannual audits as required by the Company‘sAct, and a clean bill of health from an investigative audit that was ordered, and conducted, by the Ministry of Finance‘s InvestigativeAuditUnit.

Nottomentionthatthere was never a forum of IDPADA-Gthatcalledforits dismantling, but for a rogue group, most of whom were notconstituentsofIDPADAG, objecting to IDPADAG‘stransparentemployment process, in an attempt to disrupt the first annual general meeting (a similar

act perpetuated against the GPSU). They subsequently issued a call for the dismantling of IDPADA-G and became Jagdeo‘s point of reference, in the African Guyanesecommunity,inhis attempt to discredit

IDPADA-G. No wonder in recent times, efforts have been made to establish at leastfourfrontorganizations intheGovernment‘sattempt todivideandruletheAfrican Guyanese community Alas, IDPADA-G, deprived of the state‘s subvention, has keep its doors open; continues to provide valuable voluntary service to the community through its coordinating council members, who were maliciously accused of syphoningoffthefunds,and others, including its CEO, although the ‘so-called’ highly paid professional staff are no longer in the employ of IDPADA-G for closetotwoyears.

Second, he continues to question the rental of Corbin‘s building where the secretariat was previously located.

In that regard, he feebly suggests that there is a conflict of interest because Corbin and Alexander, IDPADA-G duly elected chairman, are colleague c o m m i s s i o n e r s o f GECOM.Without an iota of evidence, and in complete ignorance or dishonesty in

relation to the ethical standards that define a conflict of interest, he equates IDPADA-G‘s operations to the normal practicesofthoseassociated withhisgovernment,alathe awardofcontractstofriends, family and favourites as exemplified by the findings in relation to the contract awardedtoTepuiGroupInc.. Asforhiscontentionthat IDPADA-G was established tocampaignforthePNC,the investigative audit ordered by his government did not, and could not unearth any activityorfundingrelatedto the PNCR, since there was none.

Meanwhile, while being apolitical, IDPADA-G‘s programmes and the UN‘s declareddecadeareintended to benefit the people of African descent, the PNC‘s constituency, in the main. Thedecadewasdeclaredfor the people of African descent.

The PNC, for whatever reasons gets the majority of its votes from that community There is thereforeanaturalconflation of interest that requires no collaboration.

Jagdeo is Goebbelian at best, in his attempt to discredit IDPADA-G, and validate his Government‘s contentionthattheGuyanese ofAfricandescentdonot

(Continuedonpage06)

PPP/C in campaign mode, PNC/R in snooze

DEAREDITOR, Within the last thirty days or more the PPP/C has been in almost full political campaign mode in the four daily print media, with the party’s spokesperson

General Secretary Vice President Jagdeo talking aboutissuesfromapolitical party policy position and governance and President Ali addressing current government issues to do withthestate.

A question for today is, should Ambassador D i p l o m a t L e s l i e Ramsammy be writing political party campaign articles while holding the office?

On the other side of the political spectrum the PNCR-APNU does not seem to really be putting in theefforttoreadilyrespond, challenge, and debate the PPP/C and there are many opportunitiestodosoduring primetime news hours on

TV channels 11 and 28 per election season and the four mainnewspapersnotjustthe VillageVoiceonline.

Arecent article after the PPP/C congress states the PPP/Chasnowdiscontinued the pursuit of MarxismLeninism ideology they are about 37 years late in deleting that ideology from their constitution.They also announced that they are “on a path promoting a fair and equitable society” so what did they stand for in the last thirtyyears?

Well the PNC fully dismantled remnants of Marxism - Leninism socialism economy in the late80"sattheurgingofthe U.Stobeabletohaveamore open economy to attract more foreign investors and allow private foreign ownership.

President Ali is as Capitalistastheycomeheis aggressive in obtaining Foreign Investment and

private ownership deals. He is not shy about taking on very large credit and financial risk for fast development in addition to the oil funds, he has a huge appetite for development projects, whether his Finance Minister and Vice President agree with his decisions on national projects development strategy and blueprint only they know internally However it must be a question to start asking the votersnow

In addition to this the PNC has always nurtured, embraced and pioneered pluralism, racial harmony, national unity, racial and religious harmony and tolerance. At our national events Christians, Hindus and Muslims say unique prayers.

Bestwishes, RonaldThompson Civil Society - Political SocialActivist

Why the hesitation?

DearEditor Russia has made it clear that they are about to increase their military presence in the Caribbean amid increasing global tensions and planned military escalation in the Ukrainewar Yetthecurrent administration has not established a National Security Council nor has a meeting been held by the Foreign Relations Committee.

Why the hesitation?

CRG had suggested that G u y a n a p l a c e a n ambassador in Russia to strengthen our relationship and lobby for Russia to remain neutral in then Venezuelan conflict This hasnothappened.Nowboth IranandRussiaarebuilding

up their presence in Venezuela,whilethecurrent administrationhasnottaken any action to break diplomatic ties with Venezuela. An agreement for a military base with our allies hasnotbeenestablishedand the government appears to be underplaying the seriousness of the situation. If the concern is that a U.S. led military presence in Guyana will be difficult to wind down in the future, then the United Kingdom shouldbetheonesweaskto

takethelead.BringingaUK led base to our western border with the EU, US and other strategic allies involved has no downside for Guyana Yet the government continues to hesitate and continues to pushasidetheimportanceof discussions on national security issues Our ambassador to Venezuela should have been recalled months ago The Argyle agreement is dead and Venezuelashowsnointerest inslowingdowntheir (Continuedonpage06)

Lawlessness at the Demerara Harbour Bridge

DEAREDITOR, This letter is being written to highlight the uselessness of the members of the Guyana Police Force during the morning peak hourtrafficontheWestSide of the Demerara Harbour Bridge.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of inconsiderate drivers who break the laws every morningandthepolicestand

there and just allow it to happen without even considering charging or warning the drivers. They drive on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic in an effort to force theirwayintothelinewhere citizenswhohavebeenthere maybeahalfhourtoanhour before them and is being allowed to do this by the policewithoutconsequence.

Do we really need to have two inspectors doing absolutelynothingeveryday

(Continuedonpage22)

Thislawlessbehaviouris even encouraged by the two inspectorswhoarepresentat thejunctionoftheDemerara Harbour Bridge every day sincetheyallowhundredsof vehicles to drive straight to the bridge without joining any queue and cause much moreinconveniencetoother citizens.

The ICC ought to be more reasonable with tickets

DEAREDITOR

Cricket the game we dearly love has reached our shores once more The International Cricket Council(ICC)Twenty20or “T20” World Cup is being hosted by the Caribbean nationsandtheUnitedStates ofAmerica(USA).

Fortunately, in Guyana, we are elated to be a host nation.Thejoyofseeingthe local team, the West Indies taking on members of the group in Guyana such as newcomers Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Uganda and established competitors of New Zealand and Afghanistan inTrinidad and St. Lucia respectively As hosts, we are looking forward to achieving a feat that has never reached,

which is to lift the trophy at thefinalmatchinBarbados. Itwillnotonlybethefirstfor a host nation to win a T20 world cup but also will add ourtallytothreeasthemost worldT20titleshavingwon in2012and2016editions.

Theturnoutofspectators for the recent game vs PNG has been disappointing While the Orange stand and Grass Mound seem to have hadmorefans,theredstand was slightly less populated, and the green stand sparsely hadanyspectators.

This is due to the outrageous ticket prices set by the ICC for the home team games With ticket prices slated online at US $45 (GUY$ 9450) for the orangestand,US$85(GUY $17850) for the red and US

$135(GUY$28,350)forthe green stands, we must assume the ICC is out of touch with the pocketbooks ofthelocalfans.

Moreover,thegamesthat are less relevant to the local fanssuchastheAfghanistan vs. Uganda game played on June 3rd, tickets are sold at US$17(GUY$3570)forany stand and $6 (GUY$ 1260) for the grass mounds. It is then for us to assume that cricket’s global governing body has a lack of empathy forusasahostnation.

It is obligatory that the currentadministrationofour country address this issue withtheICC.Weareanation that has produced world classcricketerssuchasClive Lloyd,RohanKanhai,Lance (Continuedonpage05)

Education as an investment for growth

D

EAREDITOR

Guyana is experiencing remarkable economic growth, requiring a greater pool of skilled and

experienced human resources. Guyana’s gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to grow 34 3 percent in 2024, increasing thedemandforarobustlabor force.

In a strong and deliberate commitment,theGovernment ofGuyanahasrecognizedthis need and is dedicated to the training, retraining, and developing new skills of Guyanese.

PresidentIrfaanAli,inhis speeches, continuously emphasizesthetransformative power of education, stating that “education is the most powerfultoolforpersonaland nationaldevelopment Itisthe keytounlockingopportunities and achieving sustainable growth” The President also frequently speaks of his government’s role in providing opportunities to all communities in Guyana,

instilling a sense of reassurance in the audience about the government’s commitmenttoeducation

The 2024 budget confirms its focus on education In 2024, the Guyana government allocated approximately $100 5 billion to the education sector This includes $4.1 billion for the UniversityofGuyanaand$4 billion for the Guyana

Online Academy of

L e a r n i n g ( G O A L ) programme Additionally,

$4.9 billion is dedicated to the school feeding programme, benefiting about 126,000 children nationwide. The “Because We Care” student grant was increased to $40,000 per child and a $5,000 uniform voucher, amounting to $9.2 billionforthesetransfers.

Over the past two years, Guyana teachers have seen significant salaries and benefits increases under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government. Salaries for teachershaveincreasedfrom $24.4 billion in 2020 to $39.4 billion by the end of 2023, marking a 61 4% increase This includes comprehensive adjustments suchasaminimumofa12% increase for graduate teachers and up to a 16% increase for those in hinterland areas, along with enhanced allowances for higherdegrees.Additionally, new benefits include dutyfree concessions for senior teachers near retirement and education allowances for teachersinremoteareas.The government has also introduced cost-of-living relief measures and has committed to further investmentsintheeducation sectortoimprovetheoverall qualityoflifeforteachers.

The educational investment is forwardthinking and shows that the President, Dr Irfan Ali, and his ministers are being strategic in resolving a potential gap that could hamper economic growth.

There is a direct correlation of education and economic growth For growth to continuethecountryneedsa workforce that is skilled, knowledgeable and has the competencies for the new economy, this is coined human capital development. Education also allows for labor market efficiencies where worker’s skills match t

o r requirements. A good example is the growing oil and gas sector as well as agricultural sustainability. Educationalsohastheadded advantage of reducing income disparity and poverty, as Guyanese can find a pathway out of poverty Education has a positive impact on health outcomes, which in turn a f f

m i c productivity, instilling a senseofhopeintheaudience aboutthefutureofGuyana.

As a nation, Guyana is

g education to the masses, including on-site and online expansionsinallgeographic areas The University of Guyana and the GOAL programme have several physicalexpansions.

By addressing these variousaspects,educationis acornerstoneforsustainable and equitable economic development Economic growth, that is, increased GDP, has a direct impact on the communities across Guyana in the form of improved living standards, household income levels,

employment opportunities, access to education and h e a l t h c a r e , a n d infrastructure development. Guyanese will benefit from improved quality with the investmentineducation.

An important aspect of the education policy is that education it is made available to all Guyanese regardlessofrace,gender,or political affiliations. This inclusive approach provides sustainable and inclusive benefits to all members of society while minimising negative environmental and

social impacts. Some have argued that the Government shouldusesomeofitsbudget to increase cash grants to more Guyanese, which was doneinthe2024budget,but educational investments are paid back because of the increased productivity This emphasisoninclusiveaccess to education reassures the audiencethattheirneedsand concerns are being addressed.

Educational spending supports efforts to improve governance and services to Guyanese households and

businesses. It also supports efforts to improve transparency, improve commerce,andbuildamore robust, technologically advanced, and skilled economy Guyanesestandto benefit directly from the focusofeducationspending. This is an investment in Guyanese, and their Governmentismakingthem the priority, which is crucial for long-term economic prosperityanddevelopment.

Respectfully, Dr. Tilokie Arnold Depoo,Economist

Why the hesitation...

Frompage05 militarybuildupalongourborder Whyisthe Ali administration not taking a stronger position?

The PPPC has recently stated that it has shed its Communist philosophy, but actions will always speak louder than words. In a world where religion and economic philosophy mix deeply with political ideology there is no other way to evaluate a country’s position, but by its actions. The

current administration must show clearly whereitstandsonthecurrentglobalpolitical climate.IstherejectionofIsrael,theU.S.and theircapitalistalliesmoreimportantthanthe embracing of Islam, Communism, Venezuela and their allies? This is the question that the Ali administration’s inaction has raised. Words alone will no longersuffice.

Sincerely, Mr JamilChanglee

The ICC ought to be more...

Frompage05

Gibbs, Carl Hooper, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and the newcomer fast bowling sensation Shamar Joseph,amongothers.

I f t h e c u r r e n t government respects our adorned cricketing history, they will intervene as the

Prime Minister of Barbados the Hon. MiaAmor Mottley echoed that under her governance, Bajans will be able to watch cricket at affordable prices. The late great commentator Tony Cozier said “Cricket is a g a m e o f g l o r i o u s uncertainties” which leaves

us to wonder at what point will the ticket prices be lowered to keep the fans in aweofthiswonderfulgame.

*Exchange rates are estimatedat1$USD=GUY $210 based on the Bank of Guyana’swebsite. Regards CollinHaynes

Alexander responds to Jagdeo...

Frompage04

need special attention (equitable attention).

TheUNexpresslydeclaredthedecadeasan endeavour to provide a period, and opportunity,forthepeopleofAfricandescent toovercomethehistoricalinjustices;lackof recognition; and underdevelopment that plaque them and can only be overcome by addressing the inherited oppressive

institutional and legal frameworks, in addition to the provision of equitable cushioning. In that regard, the state‘s role is central, a role that our state refuses to acknowledge.

Yourstruly VincentAlexander Chairperson IDPADA-G

Was the full report released?

Mr. Floyd N. Haynes, Project Lead of VHE Consulting responded to one of our front page articles this week regarding the absence of ExxonMobil's major expenses from the US$7.3B audit report. He sought to attack the Publisher of Kaieteur News, Glenn Lall.

However, Mr. Lall never accused Mr. Haynes or his team of not conducting a professional audit. What Mr. Lall said publicly was that the report the government released to the public did not include major expenditures by ExxonMobil, which he (Floyd Haynes) talked about when he appeared on the Kaieteur Radio last year.

Mr. Haynes said then that his team did check the major expenses but did not get permission from the government to speak on them at the time.

The billion-dollar question for Mr. Haynes is: Did the Guyana Government release full report you handed over to them?

ExxonM bills Guyana $55B for dry holes drilled in 2023

In 2023, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) billed the country a jawdropping $55 billion for dry holes it drilled during exploration activities across theStabroekBlock.

This is according to the

company's financial statement for the year ended

December 31, 2023. According to the report shared with the media on Thursday at the company's Duke, Street, Kingston, Georgetown office, explorationexpenseswassix times higher in 2023 when comparedto2022.

The company reported that some $55,496,143,794 wasspentonfivedrywellsin 2023 while $8,744,062,803 was expended on one dry hole in 2022. Each well is distinct from the other, meaning the cost varies on a

number of factors such as depth, location, technology usedandequipmentcosts.

Notably, the exploration costs reflected on the financial statement does not include the successful wells drilled by Exxon, but only those that were “dry”. Successful exploration wells are accounted for separately.

A total of two commercial discoveries were announced in2023.

Thisyear,Exxonwillbe pursuing a number of exploration and appraisal wells ahead of its scheduled relinquishment of a portion of the Block in October.The Country Manager, Alistair Routledge said recently that two wells, Redmouth and Trumpet fish, will be drilled inhopesoflandingafindbig enough to suppo

a standaloneproject.

ExxonMobil to date has made over 40 discoveries in the Stabroek Block since oil wasfirstdiscoveredin2015. T

commencedoilproductionat its first offshore deepwater project in 2019. Presently, ExxonMobil Guyana is producing oil from three Floating,ProductionStorage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels in the oil rich S

company is currently pumping over 645,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) cumulatively from the three projects-LizaOne,LizaTwo andPayara.

Agreement (PSA) allow the company to bill Guyana for its exploration activities, even if those efforts do not produceoil. Thismeansthat

Guyana pays ExxonMobil for its drilling campaign regardless of whether oil is found. In fact, the company uses Guyana's oil to recover these and other expenses relatedtoStabroekBlock.

One of the drillships used by ExxonMobil for its exploration activities in the Stabroek Block

t h , ExxonMobilcandeductupto 75% of the revenues earned from oil production to cover itsexpenses. The remaining 25% is then shared equally with Guyana as profits ExxonMobil is the operator

of Guyana's lucrative Stabroek Block The company holds a 45% interest, while Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds 30 percentinterestandCNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited holds25percentinterest.

DissectingtheWestIndiesTeamSelectionfortheEnglandTour

As the West Indies cricket team prepares for its summertourofEngland,the selection of the squad has already sparked debate. The batting line-up is notably fragile with only the captain among the top order with substantial experience in international cricket. This vulnerability is likely to be exploited by the seasoned English bowlers, raising concerns about the competitiveness of the West Indiesteam.

Notably absent from the squad are Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer, two players whose inclusion could have bolstered the team’s prospects Their inclusion would have lent stability and depth to the batting line-up, something that is woefully missing. But this depends on their availability to tour.With the heavy workload from involvement in the many T 20 franchises, several contracted T 20 players are not eager to extend themselves and their fitness towards playing Test and One-Dayinternationals.

Reflecting on the heydays of West Indies cricket, one can’t help but wonder if the current selection strategy needs revisiting, especially with the talented pool of T20 players who, if available, couldstrengthentheTestand One-Day International (ODI) squads. The current squad’s top-order batting

lacksdepthandexperience,a glaring weakness for Test matches The captain, undoubtedly experienced, should not be expected to shouldersuchaheavyentire burden of an inexperienced battingline-up.

Historically, West Indies cricket thrived when both their batting and bowlingline-ups were fortresses, comprising players who could withstand and counter the best bowling attacks. Today, the scenario is markedly different, with frequent collapses and an over-reliance on a few key players Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer, both possessing the talent and temperament for the longer formats, are notable omissions. Hope, with his classical technique and composure, has shown flashes of brilliance in both Tests and ODIs. His 2017 heroicsatHeadingley,where he scored centuries in both innings, exemplify his capability to anchor the inningsandbuildsubstantial scores against formidable bowling attacks. Hetmyer, on the other hand, brings an aggressive flair and the ability to shift gears, essentialtraitsforturningthe gameinfavourofhisteam. These players not only add depth but also bring a sense of familiarity with Englishconditions,whichis crucial for success on such tours.Butofcourse,itneeds to be asked whether both

were available for selection. The bowling line-up is equally weak. Our seamers are likely to struggle in Englandwithoutthesupport of a bowler who can swing the ball. English conditions are conducive to swing bowling, an area in which West Indies is lacking. The West Indies team urgently needs bowlers adept at both swing and seam bowling, particularly for their tour of England where swing yields betterresults.

English conditions are notoriously favourable for swing movement, making it essentialforvisitingteamsto possess bowlers who can exploit these characteristics effectively Wi

proficient swing and seam bowlers, the West Indies attackrisksbeingoutclassed bytheEnglishbatsmen,who are well-versed in handling their home conditions. Strengthening this aspect of their bowling arsenal could significantly enhance the team’s competitiveness and ability to take wickets consistentlyinEngland.The advent of T20 cricket has undeniably transformed the cricketing landscape, introducing a new breed of players adept at explosive batting and innovative bowling. Unfortunately, this evolution has also led to a clear demarcation between players suited for T20s and thoseforthelongerformats. While specialization has its benefits, it also poses a

DEM BOYS SEH

De government without a plan!

Yuh ever hear bout a government dat lock up money and can’t find de key? Well, welcome to de world of de Pee Pee Pee.

Seven billion dollars sit down like a big, fat jumbie in de Treasury and de people catching real hell. Dem boy seh, yuh could put a goat to guard a cabbage patch,anditwoulddoabetterjob.DeVee Peegetasklastweek‘boutdesevenbillion lock up fuh cost of living relief and whether the government has decided on how to spend it. He seh, “Not as yet.” Imagine dat! Not as yet! De people bawling;wealmostreachhalfyearandde government nah decide how fuh spend de moneysetasidetoholddownpricesinde market. Imagine all dat money sitting like a sleeping giant and de government can’t wakeitup.Demboyseh,itrealsadwhen yuhgotagovernmentwithallderesources andnoneofdesensetouseit.Intellectual bankruptcy? Nah man, dis more like commonsensebankruptcy

dilemma for teams like the WestIndies,wherethetalent pool needs to be optimized across formats. During the golden era of West Indies cricket, the same set of playersoftenrepresentedthe teamacrossallformats.This continuity ensured that the best talents were always on thefield,maintainingahigh level of performance. The current scenario, with distinct squads for different formats, sometimes leads to underutilization of top talent, at least for the West Indies. Given the current

stateofWestIndiescricket,it might be prudent for the selectors to consider integrating some of the better T20 players into the Test and ODI squads, provided they are available andwilling.Theteamwillbe aidedbyninesupportstaff,a stark contrast to the days when the manager was the sole support figure The Board should question the valueofsuchalargesupport staff..Optingfor16players and reducing the support staff could provide greater flexibility and depth in the

(The

Yuhknowwhatfunny? Disisdesame PeePeePeewhodoeswalkrounddeplace with dem big book talking bout “plans”. Seven billion dollars fuh cost of living reliefanddemnahevenstarttouseit.Dem boy seh, if yuh give de Pee Pee Pee a roadmap,demstillcan’tfinddewayoutta apaperbag.

NowallofyuhknowdemPeePeePee love a good cash grant near Christmas time.

DemdoesactlikeSantaClaus,sharing out money to everybody But tell me nah, what sense it make? Rich man and poor mangettingdesamething?Datishowyuh does solve cost of living crisis? It like throwingabucketofwateronablazingfire andexpectingittoout.Madness!Demboy seh,degovernmentneedamanwithaplan. Maybedemshouldcallupdejumbieofde old bearded planner from de Great Beyond.

Hewouldaknowwhattodo.Butwhen he done explain he plan, yuh done fuhget whathetalkingabout. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

H@RD TRUTHS

AG Nandlall- a kind profile

Guyana's Attorney

General, Mr Mohabir Anil Nandlall,SC,MP,hasalotin his head and much in his hands. He could go a long way The direction he chooses is paramount. To this point, I see the description that fits him the bestisthatofaturtle.Helies low,pusheshisheadforward occasionally,rollsoveronhis back as suits his ideas, and takes a timid step when the interests of Guyanese are up forgrabs.

Oil. The world calls it a treasure.Afullstorehouse,it is. Where is Nandlallsahib?

I call this oil a bonanza, stupendous Powerball first prize,motherlode,andmore.

I am still waiting to seeAnil Nandlall the Guyanese man, not for Exxon, but being there for Guyanese in this their season of long-awaited harvest. Insteadofbeingthe foremost man in this oil season of Guyanese, he has madeourhandsfall.

For he fights hard fights against his own. For what, squire? For the string on whichdangledwillbereeled in, and it will be that longdelayedturnatthehelm?

To Mr Nandlall, I tender this: there is the greatest difficulty, inestimable internal upheavals, with a Stability Clause in an oil contractthathasadurationof decades.

That abomination can never be acceptable to any patriotic Guyanese. That Stability Clause is a life

I firmly believe that in AnilNandlall,thereisaman of rich talents, but one of those perennial regrets Someone who joins the long list of shirkers and absconders whose middle nameispotential,butthefirst i s n o o t h e r b u t disappointment, and all in caps. The potential is there, no question. Where is the patrioticfirethatmustburnat fever pitch. Brother Anil? Where is the deployment of perspicacity for Guyanese? Why am I counseling this learned, ranking Guyanese, when it should be the other wayaround?

sentence, with parole when there is assurance that the legsarecrippledfromallthe energy drained Maybe, more than a life sentence, with an economic and psychologicaldeathsentence wrapped in one. I can never callmyselfaman,acitizen,a patriotagain,ifIweretokeep the company of Alistair Routledge.

He is patriotic to his corporate calling, and I must recognize the man for that quality But Mr Nandlall, what happened to the trousers? Where have they gone? Whoyankedthemoff, sire? Icouldunderstandand supportaStabilityClausefor five years max in the first place to recover sunk costs, with another five years (and some upward flexibility) to reap the returns of capital invested, skills and technology shared, and systems put in place. In aggregate, I am somewhere betweenadozenand15years altogether with that infernal concoction (clause), but not onehourmore.Itistheextent

of my good will. Perhaps, Mr Nandlall cares to share publicly…. What Guyanese live with is not a Stability Clause, but a strangling prenuptial straitjacket without the rich joys in this Exxon-Guyana oil marriage. It has all been one-sided, reducing this country's people to virtual chattel slaves. It is all about taking by Exxon and no giving to Guyanese. It is appalling when Colonel Routledge shows his mug around here and talks about an incomparable revenue stream.

Thosewordsareaninsult to the voiceless and powerless of Guyana, who are made even more gullible and docile by the betrayers that they have for leaders. They are not limited to politics,butacrosseveryarea and layer of this enslaved society trapped in the throes ofbothgreedandfear Iask myself how much of a contribution Mr Nandlall hasinthefearportionofthis culture. Howmuchishethe

personification of this nationalloser'sculture.

I confess that there is somegrapplinghere. Idon't know, won't try to understand, how a man like MohabirAnilNandlallcould livewithhimself. Ican'tand Iamonthefarperiphery Of whatgood,whathonor,isQC andSC?

investors, and their Guyana viceroyAlistairRoutledgeas anyother,thenIrechristenhe orshe,Maduro.

The former is parchment andnotwigsandgowns. We are either men, or we are snailsfitonlytoslitheronour bellies. Stand up and be counted, my brother, hopefully a friend in this national journey for the best from our patrimony I care not for regard. I live for devoting heart and sinew to wrest the best from Exxon, from this oil, for all citizens (including Venezuelans, Haitians, Trinidadians). It wouldbehelpfultoobservea reborn Anil Nandlall. A delight to welcome to the fight against these new imperialists and colonizers. If any Guyanese see Mr Woods, the Exxon board of directors, its slew of

Thesecrecymustvanish. The Faustian fraternity fragmented. The ravishing reduced. Get moving Mr Nandlall. Get that monkey off the back, shed mountain from the mind. Stand for a noblecause. Thereisnonebetterthan to lay it all on the line, and fightwithonemorethrustfor one'speople.

It is the stuff of which authentic Kshatriyas are made, honorable ones. The Bushido code lived by the Samurai.Regardless of what Nandlall does or doesn't do, likeOl'ManRiver,Ijusthave tokeeponrollin'along.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)

US loan or not, Govt. will build -Jagdeo

Wales gas-to shore project

The Government of Guyana will be going ahead to build the Gas to Shore project with or without the approval of the loan it applied for from the United States Export Import Bank (US EXIM Bank) The revelation was made by the Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo at his weekly press conference, on Thursday at the Office of the President (OP).

TheVPwasaskedbythe media to give an update on the current state of the talks in relation to the loan's approval and at which stage it was at currently He informed the reporters present that the issue was being dealt with by the embassy in the US. Jagdeo explained that, “The last report I got from Ashni Singh they have been dealing with this from our

Embassy there is that it's being prepared at the technical level. They came they did the environmental assessment on their own so that was a good thing that they came because of the attemptbytheselocalpeople linking up with foreign NGO'stotrytoblockit.”

He said that when the report is finished from the independent assessment it will go the board, though he does not have a direct time frame, he estimated that this shouldbedoneinamonthor two. “I don't know exactly when but I believe maybe a month or two, I have to find out from Ashni. I didn't follow up on that. But right now the project is going forward and we are paying for it. We are paying for it from our resources. So it's moving forward so we are not desperate (or) at a point

where we have to stop this project because the loan is not coming through and we have a number of alternativestoo,”headded. It was recently reported that16,000Americanswrote a letter to the Chairman of the US EXIM Bank, demanding that it does not fund the Gas to Energy (GTE) project that the Guyanese Government is currently pursuing. It was revealedthatthegovernment

US$646M loan since April of last year to support the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility and the 300megawatt gas-fired power plant-twocomponentsofthe venture. Fast forward over a year later there has been no approval.

According to a letter from 16,452 members of Friends of the Earth United

States, a non-governmental organization, the project is both a disaster for Guyana and the climate. They said, “This project is both a disaster for Guyana and the climate! The U S government should not be using taxpayer dollars to subsidize Exxon – a company that has recently reportedbillionsinprofits.”

Jagdeo during a press conference in October last year had said that the loan has not yet been approved, but government is confident that the green light will be given soon. To this end, he explained, “If there is need for, we can have bridge financinguntilthatcomeson

stream and from what I gather, the loan can fund retroactive expenditure so if you have bridge financing then you can go back and clear it easily once the loan comesonstream.”

Jagdeotoldreportersthat PresidentIrfaanAlimetwith the President of the USEXIMBankduringavisitto the United States and had “reallygooddiscussions”.A damninginternationalreport by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) released s

3 highlighted that solar is a cheaper alternative to the US$1 8B Gas-to-Energy (GTE) however, the

Government of Guyana (GoG) is yet to provide any evidence to refute these findings and is instead pushing ahead with the controversialproject.

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

Thomas Lands corridor to be upgraded to major traffic route

Extensive rehabilitation and expansion work worth $397.6 million is underway along the Thomas Lands corridor,transformingitintoa main route connecting Camp StreettoVlissengenRoad.

Minister of PublicWorks, Bishop Juan Edghill on Tuesday explained that the developed thoroughfare will becapableofaccommodating allcategoriesofvehicles.

HetoldtheDepartmentof Public Information (DPI) thatThomasLandswasnever intended to be a heavy-duty road. However, given the current traffic conditions, once Carifesta Avenue becomes congested with morningtrafficduetopersons headingtoschoolandintothe city,allthetrucksandheavily

laden vehicles are rerouted there.

Minister Edghill stated that this is one of the reasons whytherehabilitationworkis a priority and is progressing rapidly to alleviate traffic congestion.

To reinforce and stabilise the aging infrastructure from slipping, Mechanically Stabilised Earth (MSE) retaining walls are being constructed on both sides, utilising geo-grid and geofabrics materials filled with sand at the lower base and concreteintheouterwalls.

Although new to Guyana, the technology has been employed in first-world countries for years and is renowned for its retaining ability It will also allow for

Guyana Marine Conservation Society signs

MoU with UG for research

collaboration

The Guyana Marine

Conservation Society (GMCS) celebrated World Environment Day by hosting its second scientific symposium under the theme " F o u n d a t i o n s o f Sustainability: The People and the Resources of the BarimaMoraPassage."

The bi-annual event, supported by funding from IDB Lab, brought together experts and representatives fromvariousorganizationsto discuss critical research and initiativesintheBarimaMora Passage (BMP), GMCS said inapressrelease.

GMCS' Research Manager, Puja Jaichand, noted that while research is integral to conservation effortsintheBMP,muchofit wouldnotbepossiblewithout the support of the communities.

the expansion of the road by 1.5 metres on both sides to accommodate existing travel lanes and a pedestrian pathway, particularly for students within the area. JKP Construction is executing the works which are expected to be completed by October Simultaneously, bridges and culverts are being rehabilitated to expedite the project The public works ministeralsoreassuredthatno access to the road would be hinderedduringtheupcoming Emancipationcelebrations.

A highlight of the event was the signing of a M e m o r a n d u m o f Understand

U) between GMCS and the University of Guyana. This significant agreement, witnessed by an esteemed a

beginning of a collaborative and concentrated effort to involve local researchers, especially students, in research initiatives in the BMP The MoU was signed by P

Mohamed-Martin, Vice Chancellor of UG, and Dr. A

H

Vi

Chairperson of the GMCS BoardofDirectors.Dr.Marie Correia, Chairperson of the GMCS Board of Directors, emphasizedtheimportanceof this partnership in fostering

conservationists. I

app

, GMCS presented drawings by students from the Region 1 school district to the British High Commissioner, Jane Miller OBE, Vice Chancellor Mohamed-Martin, and IDB Country Representative, Ms. LorenaSalazar

The symposium featured presentations on topics such as mangrove conservation, DNA, building with nature, community engagement, and alternative livelihoods for stakeholders impacted by conservation efforts Attendees included representatives from the United Nations, the British High Commission, the University of Guyana (UG), IDB Lab Guyana, the European Union, the Greater Guyana Initiative, and numerous conservation agencieswithinGuyana.

Ongoing works on Thomas Lands, Georgetown

17 new judges to join judiciary –AG

Within the next three months, Guyana's judiciary will receive a much-needed boostwiththeadditionof17 judges, effectively addressing the heavy backlogofcases. This announcement was made by the Attorney General and Minister of LegalAffairs, MohabirAnil Nandlall, SC, during Tuesday'seditionofIssuesin the News. He outlined various measures being implemented to enhance the judiciary, including a substantial increase in judges. Minister Nandlall

pointed to the recently assented Court of Appeal legislation, which aligns withthegovernment'saimof increasing the complement ofjudges.Theactallowsfor the number of appellate court judges to be increased fromfivetonine.Sincethen, and with the swearing-in of the Judicial Service Commission, the number of judges in the courts continuestoincrease.

In April, three new CommissionersofTitle,who willbepostedtoserveinthe Land Courts at Berbice, Region Six, and Suddie, Region Two were sworn in.

Additionally, 12 new judges wereappointedandaresetto besworninshortly “So,you have 12, the largest complement of judges ever addedtoanexistingstatusof judges…And then we have about five more who are likely to be appointed at the CourtofAppeal.So,inthree months, you will have 17 additionaljudges.Thatmust have a monumental impact on efficiency and speed in the judicial system,” the legal affairs minister underscored.

Meanwhile, Minister Nandlall highlighted several othersignificantmeasuresto

improve efficiency. He pointedtotheintroductionof automatic voice recording systems, which replaced manual note-taking, freeing up judges and magistrates. The system was first implemented in the High Court,andtoday,itiswidely used across the judicial system.TheAGalsopointed to the electronic filing system, which has helped to streamline court processes. Thesesystemswerealsoput attheprisoncentrestoavoid

havingtotowprisonersfrom thefacilitytothecourts.

“Normally, you have trucks trucking prisoners from the various prison centrestothecourts.So,you hadtrucksfromCampStreet prisons to Georgetown Magistrates Court New Amsterdam prisons to the various courts in Berbice, [and] Timehri to the various courtsinEastBank.Wenow have containerised e-courts at each of those locations,” the att

Elderymankilledby

explained.Headdedthatthis method saves millions of dollars, and removes the need for additional security measures that would have had to be expended in previous instances These measures address a longrecognised issue of slow case processing within the court system The AG emphasised that these are just the beginning, and Guyana can expect further improvementsinthecoming months.(DPI)

speeding

bikeronpedestriancrossing

Policeareinvestigatinga fatal accident that occurred on Thursday on the Mc Doom Public Road, East Bank Demerara (EBD) involving a pedestrian and a motorcyclist.

Dead is 66-year-old Munaisar Sewcharan of Houston Housing Scheme

EBD Investigations revealedthatSewcharanwas struck by motorcycle #CL 9030, driven by a 29-yearold from Craig, EBD According to police reports, on the mentioned date at about 07:12hrs, the motorcyclistwasproceeding north along the western carriageway at a high speed while Sewcharan was crossing the road from west to east on a pedestrian crossing.

Vehicles proceeding southinboththeeasternand westernlaneshadstoppedto allow the elderly man to

cross the road. However, when he reached the center of the road, the motorcyclist failed to stop and continued traveling southbound, resulting in a collision with Sewcharan.

As a result of the collision, Sewcharan was thrown a considerable distance from the pedestrian crossing and landed on the road, sustaining injuries to his body The motorcyclist also fell onto the road and sustained injuries The ambulance service was

summoned to the scene, whereSewcharanwasfound unconscious by Emergency Medical Technicians He w a s s u b s e q u e n t l y transported to the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) Despite receiving medical treatment, Sewcha

an succumbed to his injuries.A n

of intended prosecutionwasservedtothe motorcyclist who is currentlyincustodyassisting withinvestigations.

Koker attendant crushed by sluice door 3-ton weight

IntheearlyhoursofThursdayatthe Woodlands/Farm Sluice, East Coast Demerara,thebodyofakokerattendant wasfoundpinnedundera3-tonboulder that serves as the counterweight of the apparatus.

Dead is 54-year-old Leevorn Stanford McGarrel, known as 'Shortman' and 'Hacket', of High Dam, Mahaicony, ECD. McGarrel was last seenaliveonWednesdayeveningwhen he departed his home to report for his shiftatthesluice,whichmeansthatthe incident must have occurred at some pointbetweenapproximately18:00hrs th th on June 5 and 06:40 hrs on June 6 , when his body was discovered under

the counterweight by his son-in-law, LlavarWelch,whoisalsoemployedby MMA/ADAatthesamesite.

McGarrel was the only attendant present at the sluice at the time of the incident, and it appears that the wires that attached the counterweight to the sluicerupturedwhilethedeceasedwas attempting to operate the device, resulting in it falling and crushing the unsuspecting attendant. After Welch found the body and identified it as his father-in-law, it was removed from beneath the counterweight and examined, upon which “visible crush injuries”wereobserved.Thebodywas subsequently taken to the Mahaicony

Dead, Leevorn McGarrel

Hospital,whereadoctorconfirmedand certified it as deceased Further investigationisunderwaytodetermine that that resulted in the untimely death ofMcGarrel.

Israeli strike on UN school in Gaza reportedly kills at least 35

(BBCNEWS)AnIsraeli air strike on a UN school packed with displaced Palestinians in central Gaza has reportedly killed at least 35 people. Local journalists toldtheBBCthatawarplane fired two missiles at classrooms on the top floor of the school in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp

Videos showed the destruction and a number of bodies. Israel's military said it had “conducted a precise

strike on a Hamas compound”intheschooland killed many of the 20 to 30 fighters it believed were inside.

Gaza's Hamas-run Government Media Office deniedtheclaimandaccused Israel of carrying out a “horrificmassacre”.TheUS has called on Israel to be "fully transparent" in making information about thestrikepublic.Theheadof the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa), which runs the school, described the incident as "horrific" and said the claim that armed groups might have been inside a shelter was "shocking" but could not be confirmed.

Dead and wounded peoplewererushedtothealAqsa Martyrs' Hospital, in the nearby town of Deir alBalah, which has been overwhelmed since the Israeli military began a new ground operation against Hamas in central Gaza this week. The BBC is working toverifythereportsaboutthe strike in Nuseirat camp Local journalists and residentssaidittookplacein the early hours of Thursday

at al-Sardi school, which is inasouth-easternareaofthe densely-populated, decadesold camp, where Unrwa providesservices.

Unrwa said 6,000 displaced people were sheltering in the school complex at the time. Many schools and other UN facilities have been used as shelters by the 1.7 million people who have fled their homesduringthewar,which has lasted almost eight months. Videos shared on social media showed the destruction of several classrooms in one of the school'sbuildings,aswellas bodies wrapped in white shroudsandblankets.

“I was asleep when the incidentoccurred.Suddenly, we heard a loud explosion and shattered glass and debris from the building fell on us,” Udai Abu Elias, a man who was living at the school, told BBC Arabic's Gaza Today programme “Smoke filled the air, and I couldn't see anything I didn't expect to make it out alive I heard someone callingforsurvivorstocome out from under the rubble. I struggledtoseeasIstumbled over the bodies of the martyrs.” He added: “The situation has become extremely difficult, especially for children and the elderly Everyone is a target. The blood of the martyrs has not yet dried; it stains the stairs, walls, and bedding " Another man, Jabr,saidhe“wokeuptothe sight of bodies and [human] remains everywhere”, while a third who asked not to be named said the casualties included "elderly people,

young individuals, and children".

Residents initially said that more than 20 people were killed in the attack. Later, an official at al-Aqsa hospital told a freelance journalist working for the BBC that it had received 40 bodies from the school Gaza's Hamas-run health ministrysaid40peoplewere killed,including14 children and nine women, and 74 others were injured The samedeathtollwasgivenby the director of the Hamasrun Government Media Office, Ismail al-Thawabta. Unwa's commissioner general, Philippe Lazzarini, said in a statement on X, formerlyTwitter,thatatleast

35 people were killed and many more injured The agency's director of communications, Juliette Touma, told the BBC that "thefiguresarecomingfrom our own Unrwa colleagues ontheground".

The BBC has been reviewingvideosandhasnot yetseenconclusiveevidence of civilian casualties at the sceneofthestrike.However, there is footage showing child casualties at al-Aqsa hospital US State Department spokesperson MattMillerurgedIsraeltobe transparent over the strike.

""The government of Israel hassaidthattheyaregoingto release more information about this strike, including

thenamesofthosewhodied in it. We expect them to be fully transparent in making that information public," he said.

In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said jetshadconducteda"precise strikeonaHamascompound embedded inside" the school. An annotated aerial photograph highlighted classrooms on two upper floorsofthebuilding,which the IDF said were the “locations of the terrorists”.

The IDF said members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad who took part in the 7 October attack on southernIsrael,whenaround 1,200peoplewerekilledand 251 others were taken hostage, had been operating inthebuilding.

“Before the strike, a number of steps were taken toreducetheriskofharming uninvolved civilians during the strike, including c o n d u c t i n g a e r i a l surveillance, and additional intelligence information,” it added.

Later,IDFspokesmanLt Col Peter Lerner told reporters that between 20 and 30 fighters had been using the school to plan and carry out attacks, and that many of them were killed in the strike. "I'm not aware of any civilian casualties and I'd be very, very cautious of accepting anything that Hamasputsout,"headded.

HealsosaidtheIDFhad calledofftheattacktwicein order to limit civilian

casualties and accused Hamas and Palestinian IslamicJihadofdeliberately using UN facilities as operationalbases.

Mr Thawabta rejected the IDF's claims, saying:

“The occupation uses lying tothepublicopinionthrough false fabricated stories to justify the brutal crime it conducted against dozens of displaced people ” Mr Lazzarini said the school was hit “without prior warning”tohisagencyorthe people sheltering there

“Claims that armed groups may have been inside the shelter are shocking.We are however unable to verify these claims,” he added “Attacking, targeting or using UN buildings for military purposes are a blatant disregard of international humanitarian law UN staff, premises and operationsmustbeprotected atalltimes.”

M r L a z z a r i n i complained that more than 180 Unrwa buildings had beenhitsincethewarbegan despite their co-ordinates being shared with parties to the conflict, and that more than 450 displaced people hadbeenkilledasaresult.

At least 36,650 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched a military campaign in response to the 7 October attack, according to the territory's health ministry, whose figures do not differentiate between

(Continuedonpage20)

UN schools across Gaza have been used as shelters for displaced people throughout the war

Witnesses and local journalists said missiles hit classrooms on upper floors of the UN school

BankofGuyanapoursUS$$$intobankingsystem tostabiliseforeigncurrencymarketinGuyana

Amid complaints of the long wait to access foreign currency and suspicions of a shortage, Government has askedtheBankofGuyanato pourmoreUSdollarsintothe system to stabilize the situation, Vice President, BharratJagdeohassaid.

Kaieteur has in the past received reports from affected businessmen who were having a difficult time sourcing US currency to pay for their goods. Those who wereunabletoaccessforeign currency ended up paying higherratesfortheUSdollar just to make payments on time and restock their businesses Persons were beginning to fear that their might have been a shortage andthatexchangeratewould sky rocket. Kaieteur News had raised the concern with vice-president at previous press-conferences.

However, onThursday at hisweeklypressconferencethistimeheldattheOfficeof thePresidentJagdeooutlined that escalating demand for foreign currency, driven by importation and other financial transactions, had caused prolonged waiting times and a significant disparitybetweensupplyand demand within the banking sector “We've seen a situation where we've had a short-term mismatch and we've asked the central bank to make a major injection in the foreign currency market and this morning most people said that the market is entirely cleared,”hesaid.

He emphasised the government's vigilant oversight of the banking sector, underscoring its readiness to intervene when necessary Addressing the timing of the intervention, Jagdeoclarified,“Previously, we had seen that overall, the market was clearing itself. Althoughtherewasawaitlist for… number of importers, themarketwasclearingitself because on a daily basis, we watch the aggregate foreign currency available to the bank and their aggregate demand. We don't want the rate to appreciate too much because that will lead to another set of problems, but we don't want the rate to depreciate too much ” Notably, Guyana's import expenditure for 2024 has surpassed $5 billion, with a significant portion originating from the United States.Inthelatestexchange rate update provided by the Central Bank, the buying price for USD stands at

$207.98, with a selling price of $210.45.Additionally, the buying and selling prices for Canadiandollarsarelistedat $152 and

, respect

ly EURO's exchangerateisreportedata buyingpriceof$225.89anda sellingpriceof$228.79.

Back in April this newspaper had reported that despitenumerouscomplaints of long waiting time at local banks to access foreign currency Jagdeo was adamant that there was no sustained shortage of the US dollar in Guyana and his government has not seen anythingtoindicatesuch.He said back then that the administrationreceivesdaily reports from the Central Bank and no shortage had been reported At his th ThursdayApril4 2024press conference at Freedom House, the VPwas asked by Kaieteur News to comment ontheUSdollargoingscarce and the exchange rate rising overGYD$220.Hesaidthat, “Themomentwebelievethat there is a sustained shortage… because we get dailyreportsfromthecentral bank on these matters. If we believe there is a sustained shortage then we can inject large amounts. We have the capacity to do that. That's what central banks are for…to smooth out markets and we wouldn't hesitate to use the Central Bank to smoothoutthemarket.”

Jagdeoexplainedthatthe administration believes that it is, “the choppiness of demandwhenyoulookatthe entire market on aggregate supply and aggregate demand it should even itself outataratethatdoesn'tseem massive.” The government's currentinterestiskeepingthe currency around the historic range. “So what happens is that some banks have more foreign currency because they have more customers and suppliers of foreign currency than other banks and they don't share their currency so if you're dealing withonebanketc,”headded. For its part the Bank of Guyana (BOG) also inApril had reported that the country'sbankingsystemhad atotalof52MUSDavailable for transactions to be done, even as it sought to debunk claims that there was a shortageofforeigncurrency “BOG would like to inform the public that while the available funds are not evenlydistributedamongthe banks, and there may be a short waiting period for the transfer of funds, there is

The Bank of Guyana has intervened to allay fears in the foreign currency market

enoughtocoverthecashflow needs of transactions arising from businesses in Guyana,” theysaid.Further,“BOGhas also been injecting US dollars into the banking system and will continue to do so as is necessary The BOG would like to reiterate thatthebankingsystemwith anaveragemonthlyturnover in excess of USD 500 million, has an adequate supply of US dollars to meet the demand.” The statement further explained that the,

“Bank of Guyana is aware that some businesses are seeking funds to meet the same payments from more than one bank and also there is a speculative queue for foreigncurrencybecauseofa perception that there is a shortageofforeigncurrency Additionally, there is some hesitancy by commercial banks to submit invoices as required by the BOG which is used to monitorthelegitimateuseof funds.” “Cash flowing to the

banks is cyclical, as such there will be periods of excess liquidity and periods of limited supply The Bank continues to monitor the foreign currency position in Guyana to ensure there is no disruption nor adverse impact on economic activities.”

The Bank of Guyana comments had come a day after the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) said it was dissatisfied with the central bank's lack of action, vision and modern financial policiestoimproveaccessto f

l businesses In a sharp statementtheGCCIsaidthen thatthecountry'seconomyis one of the fastest-growing in the world, with oil revenues generating hundreds of millions of US dollars annually The business body said according to its own

statistics, the Bank of Guyana has failed to intervene in the ongoing foreign currency shortage issue, despite the Private Sector complaining of a lack of US dollars since 2019.

“Therefore, the Chamber views the Central Bank's inac

mitigating strategies to address the foreign currency situation as a disregard for business The GCCI will continue to advocate this cause in hopes that a thorough, independent investigation is conducted in order to uncover the root cause An independent intervention is needed since theGCCIhaslostconfidence intheleadershipoftheBank of Guyana or its capacity to implement policies that will guide Guyana's financial sector to support growth beingexperiencedinthereal sector,”thestatementread.

Local group launches book chronicling MahaicaWetlands and Mangroves

The Environmental Management Consultants (EMC) Foundation on Wednesday unveiled its landmark coffee table book, “TheVisualChroniclesofthe Mahaica Wetlands and Mangroves,” at the historic Umana Yana in Georgetown onJune5,2024.

This pionee

ing publication celebrates the vibrant culture and rich biodiversity of the Mahaica Watersh

compelling narratives and stunning visuals captured by tal

photographers, EMC said in apressrelease.

T h e b o o k w a s intentionally launched on World Environment Day, observed this year under the theme "Land Restoration, Desertification, and Drought Resilience," as a timely reminder to celebrate and redouble efforts to protect and sustainably manage

Guyana'snaturalandcultural assets: its forests, watersheds,biodiversity,and people.

Thelaunchwasavibrant affair,featuringapoemfrom P a k u r i Vi l l a g e , a photography exhibit, and captivating videos that highlighted the diverse beauty of Mahaica It b r o u g h t t o g e t h e r representatives from partner organisations and local communities, all of whom played a crucial role in the project's success. The event included contributions from key project supporters, including Kemraj Parsram, the Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Timothy Andrews, theToshaoofPakuriVillage, a n d B r i t i s h H i g h Commissioner to Guyana, Her Excellency Mrs. Jane Miller OBE. His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali delivered the keynote speech He endorsed the initiative and congratulated the EMC Foundation on its efforts in environmental

education.

Shyam Nokta, the

Founder and Director of the EMCFoundation,sharedthe inspiration behind the project. “Mahaica is a truly special place, both ecologically and culturally We can only understand and appreciate it by visiting and engag

ng with its communities and culture

This is why the EMC Foundation identified the MahaicaWatershedasoneof its priorities. We are committed to working with agencies and local stakeholders to help raise awareness of the importance of this area, especially among the youth, and hopefully inspire affirmative action for its preservation.” The coffee-table book is the culmination of the Visual Chronicles of the Mahaica Wetlands and Mangroves: Capturing Culture and B i o d i v e r s i t y f o r Conservation Project, implemented by the EMC Foundation with support from the Blue Social ChallengeFundPilot,partof the UK's Sustainable Blue Economy Programme. It is partoftheEMCFoundation's sustained efforts to manage and protect the Mahaica Watershed. It aims to raise awareness and cultivate a collective commitment to preserving the Mahaica wetland and mangrove ecosystems.

A copy of the book: The Visual Chronicles of the Mahaica Wetlands and Mangroves

President Irfaan Ali being presented with a copy of the book by Founder of EMC, Shyam Nokta

CanadiancompanyworkinginGuyana goldreservesclimbsby1Mounces

G2 Goldfields Inc , a Canadian-based company has announced an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of its 27,719-acre Oko gold project, located in Guyana.

The updated MRE comprises a discrete highgrade resource for the Oko Main Zone (OMZ) and a disseminated bulk mineable resourcefortheGhanieZone. It was stated that while the total contained gold increased by 69% to 2.0 million ounces (oz), the total indicated gold increased by 320%to922,000oz.

The total combined open pitandundergroundresource reported in the MRE for the OMZincludes686,000ozof gold in Indicated resource, withanadditional495,000oz ofgoldininferredresources. The total combined open pit and underground resource reported in the MRE for the Ghanie Zone includes 236,000 oz of gold in indicated resource, with an additional604,000ozofgold in inferred resources. The company disclosed that the MREwaspreparedbyMicon InternationalLimited.

Speaking on the updated MRE, Patrick Sheridan, the company's Executive Chairman, said, “The OMZ

has proven to yield exceptional high grade at mineable widths as we drill deeper, and Ghanie is taking shape to be highly complementary to the Oko gold system We will

continue to aggressively explore the Oko to Aremu trend and anticipate an updatedresourceinQ4.”

AsitrelatestotheGhanie Zone maiden MRE, the company said it signifies a major shift towards realising thedistrict-scalenatureofthe Okogoldsystem.

The Ghanie Zone represents a disseminated bulk mineable and openpittable deposit which strongly complements the adjacent high-grade underground deposit at the OMZ It was noted that Ghanie South (GS), Central (GC), and North (GN) all remainopenwithsubstantial depthpotential.

G2Goldfieldssaid,since April 2022, the OMZ has been further defined with additional indicated resourcesconfirmed.

T h e O M Z i s characterised by shear vein hosted mineralization with spectacularlyhighgrade.

Moreover, in a June 3 statement, the company provided an update on the new discovery at Northwest Oko(NWOko)whichispart of the Oko-Aremu gold project.

The NW Oko discovery lies about 3.5 km from the current established gold

resource at the Oko Main/Ghanie areas, opening upanewdistrictforresource expansion.

Geologically,NWOkois very similar to the Oko Main/Ghaniezone,featuring

long prominent shear structu

es that host mineralized quartz veins which are situated near the margins of carbonaceous sedimentsandvolcanics.

The company stated, “The most advanced of the discoveries to date is the target 1 area where nearsurface gold mineralization has been delineated over an 800-metre strike length Multiplediamonddrillholes

considerable widths as well as discrete, high-grade shoots, spaced along the lengthoftheshearzone.”

As it relates to the NW Oko, Sheridan said, “The NW OKO discovery is the third discovery by Dan

Noone,BoazWadeandtheir team, illustrative of the considerable prospectivity within G2's properties. This

summerwillbeverybusyfor the Company as we will be drilling with two rigs in NW OKO, three rigs in the

Ghanie area, as well as maiden drill programs at several new, previously unexplored, high priority targets along the 17km long Oko-Aremutrend.”

Moreover, the G2 Goldfields team comprises professionalswhohavebeen directly responsible for the discovery of millions of ounces of gold in Guyana as well as the financing and development of the Aurora GoldMine(AGM),Guyana's largestgoldmine. Also, the company disclosed that Anglo Gold Ashanti, the fourth-largest gold producer in the world, recently made a substantial investment in the company At the close of the subscription, AGA owned approximately11.7%ofG2's issued and outstanding shares.

G2 Goldfields project in Guyana ( Credit: Alisha Hiyate)

“Pandit”, charged with murder of woman killed in front of 5-year-old son

A 67-year-old Farmer/ Businessman was remanded to prison, when he appeared at the Mahaica Magistrate'sCourtonThursdayafterhe waschargedwithmurder.

Theaccused,KhemrajPersaudalso known as 'Pandit', a resident of Lot 2 Unity Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD),madehisfirstcourtappearance at the Mahaica Magistrate's Court before Magistrate Alan Wilson Persaud is accused of brutally murdering Chormanie Tulsie called Anits, between November 21 and November22,2023,inUnity,ECD.

Tulsie was found murdered around 08:00hrsonNovember22,2023,inthe bottomflatofherhomewithhermouth gagged and a knife stuck in her throat. Police had initially arrested three peopleforquestioningandamongthem wasPersaud.

Thetriowasreleasedonstationbail after being held for 72 hours but investigations continued in what appearstobeacold-bloodedmurderin thepresenceofher5-year-oldson.

New information resulted in the police rearresting the businessman. Kaieteur News understands that the businessman was very close to the

victimandfrequentedherhome.

The woman was last seen alive around 19:00hrs on November 21, 2023.

Theindividualwhodiscoveredthe lifeless body of Tulsie said calls were made to the woman, but no response was given.As the person was about to leave,Tulsie'ssonwasseenatawindow intheupperflatofthehouse.

An alarm was raised and residents

broke into the premises to get to the child.

After gaining entry, the concerned residents ventured to the bottom flat where Tulsie's lifeless remains were found.

During the court proceedings, Persaudwasnotrequiredtopleatothe indicatablechargeandwasremandedto prison. He is scheduled to return to courtonJune20,2024.

Woman,twomenrobtaxi driverofcar,cellphone

Ataxi driver attached to Double 'D' Taxi Service in Eccles, East Bank Demerara wasonWednesdayrobbedof hismotorcarbytwomenand awoman.

The robbery occurred at approximately 21:30 hrs

Shon Azeez, the 32-year-old taxi driver of Eccles, ECD, was sitting in his vehicle around 20:30 hrs and was approached by a man and womanwhosolicitedatripto SouthRuimveldtGardens,to which Azeez obliged. The man entered the back seat of thevehicleandsatbehindthe driver, while the woman occupied the seat next to the driver andAzeez drove them to their destination. Upon arrival in South Ruimveldt, the woman instructed Azeez to come to a stop behind a shopping plaza, where she exitedthevehicle.

Hercompanion,however, didnotleavethebackseatof the vehicle but instead proceededtochokethedriver

from behind, while another maleaccomplice,armedwith a handgun, approached the vehicle and brandished the weaponinthedirectionofthe victim, instructing him to open the door, which he did. Subsequently,thevictimwas pulled from his vehicle, had his limbs bound, and was thrown into the backseat of his vehicle. The suspects, now at the helm of the commandeered vehicle, dumpedthesuspectoutat'A' Field Sophia and made good theirescape.

Azeez,withhishandsstill bound, was able to alert members of the public who assistedhimandescortedhim to the Turkeyen Police Station,wherehewasableto make a report. Up to press timethesuspectswerestillat large The motorcar in question, a black Toyota Allion, registered as PRR 8812,isvaluedat$1.6Mand the victim's cell phone is valuedat$50,000.

Israelistrike on...

Frompage16 civiliansandcombatants. Medics also told AFP and Palestinian news agency Wafa that another pre-dawn strike on Thursday killed six peopleatahouseinNuseirat camp. The IDF meanwhile said troops had located underground tunnel shafts andweaponsineasternareas of Bureij refugee camp - just westofNuseirat-andeastern Deir al-Balah, a day after it said they had taken "operational control" there. Residents reported intense bombardmentintheareason Wednesday, while Médecins Sans Frontières said at least 70 bodies - the majority women and children - had been brought to al-Aqsa hospitalovertheprevious24 hours.

The IDF also said on Thursday that troops and aircraft had killed three suspectswhohadapproached the Gaza-Israel border fence intheRafaharea,andthatan Israelisoldierhadbeenkilled inbattleinsouthernGaza.

Last month, there was globaloutrageafteranIsraeli airstrike,whichtheIDFsaid targeted two senior Hamas officials, and a resulting fire reportedly killed dozens of Palestinians at a tented camp for displaced people near a Unrwa logistics base in the southern city of Rafah. The IDF said the loss of life was “tragic” and that it was investigating the possibility that ammunition stored by

Hamas could have caused a secondary explosion That incident prompted mediators to revive their efforts to broker a ceasefire and hostage release deal between IsraelandHamas.

US President Joe Biden outlinedwhathedescribedas an Israeli proposal that had been presented to Hamas. The first phase of the plan would last six weeks and includeatemporarytrucethat wouldseethereleaseofsome of the hostages still being held in Gaza in return for PalestiniansfromIsraelijails. The second phase would include a permanent cessation of hostilities. On Thursday,theUS,UKand16 other countries with citizens among the hostages issued a jointstatementcallingonthe leaders of Israel and Hamas “to make whatever final compromises are necessary to close this deal and bring relief to the families of our hostages”. Hamas political leaderIsmailHaniyehsaidon Wednesday that the group would deal "seriously and positively" with a proposal based on an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal fromGaza.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insistedhewillnotagreetoa permanent ceasefire before Hamas is defeated and the hostages are released. On Wednesday, he declared the country was “striving for totalvictory”.

Khemraj Persaud called Pandit

Dead: Chormanie Tulsie called Anits

WANTED VACANCY

Caricom Insurance is now hiring Sales Agents/Representatives. Attractive Commission and Training provided. Call (592) 610-6650.

Wanted! Workers for packaging pasta and chowmein.

$4100-$4900 per day. Workers paid weekly. Call: 6117839.

One male able- bodied Staff. For more information Call: 231-2029, 616-5954.

One female able-bodied Staff. For more information Call: 225-2313, 658-8559.

Porter to work in warehouse and Canter driver. Experience is an asset, Attractive salary. Call: 673-7373.

Wanted two office Staff, must have English and Mathematics. Call: 677-4896/664-2374.

Looking for a honest & reliable female to do light work, ages 55 years & older. Call: 227-2321.

SERVICES

We repair & install fridge, freezer, washer & dryer, AC units, stove, etc. Whatsapp/ Call Omar: 683-8734/ 6549711.

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

Visa Application and consultation, advertisements publishing, graphics design, local & USA passport application forms & i130 application. Call: 626-7040.

FOR RENT

One bedroom apartment at New road Vreen-en-Hoop. Serious enquiry only. Call: 638-8858.

2 bedroom apartment at C Field Sophia. Couples only, $50,000 per month. Call: 6403861.

3 bedroom furnished apartment, close to UG. $120,000 monthly, 1 month's rent and security. Free Wi-Fi & parking. Call: 709-4391.

Vacancy for professional or trainee Welder. Call: 6981267/ 657-9121.

One Clerk for TSI Eccles office. English & Mathematics, grade 2. Email application: techserigy@yahoo.com or Call: 615-9132.

Maid to cook & clean for East Bank area. For more information Call: 615-9132.

Male Cleaner needed for Eccles. For more information Call: 645-8443/ 615-9132.

Auto Electrician and Mechanics needed. Send your CV To: omaransarimi@gmail.com or Call: 618-7066.

Lathe Operator, Welder & Handyman needed at Good Hope, ECD. Call: 645-9333/ 220-6078.

Now hiring: Truck Drivers, Secretary & Accounts Clerk. To apply, send application via Whatsapp at 608-5303/ 608-2114.

Vacancy available for Factory workers at Dyna's Embroidery screenprint 22 Austin Street, Campbellville. Call: 226-2621.

Vacancy available for Porter at Dyna's Embroidery screenprint 22 Austin Street, Campbellville. Call: 226-2621.

Accounts Clerk needed, must have English & Maths and knowledge in QuickBooks. Email: mikeswholesaledepot @yahoo.com

Registered Pharmacist. Experienced in community pharmacy would be an asset. Email: mikeswholesaledepot @yahoo.com or @ their location

Cashier & Driver with canter (Truck Licence).Apply @ mikeswholesaledepot@yahoo.com or @ their location.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

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

1 Toyota Allion, Pioneer DVD, CD & USB deck, reverse camera, alarm, low milage. Call: 649-0956.

Two women, one man charged with $117M CJIA gold bust

Two women and a man were on Thursday granted bail in the sum of $600,000 each for the US$560,000 (GYD$117,001,604) gold bust at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport on Tuesday.

Ian Jacobis, age 44 years, of 749 Plantation Best, West Coast Demerara; Shameena Ahamad, age 52 years, of 38 Roraima Scheme, West Bank Demerara; and Ashiana Salamaly, age 34 years, of 38 Roraima Scheme, West Bank Demerara, were all charged with the offence of Exporting Gold without a license - in contravention of Section 8 of the Guyana Gold Board Act, Chapter 66:01, contrary to section 23 (a) of the said Guyana Gold Board Act, Chapter 66:01.

The defendants appeared at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court before Her Worship Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman, where the charge was read to them, and they all pleaded ‘not guilty’.

Bail was granted in the sum of $600,000, with the condition that Ian Jacobis lodge his passport at the Diamond Magistrate Court and report to the Clerk every first Friday of the month, while Shameena Ahamad and Ashiana Salamalay are to report to the Clerk every Friday pending the outcome of the matter. The matter was adjourned

FOR SALE

German shepherd mix with Husky available. Call

0111.

One immaculately kept Teana Executive car. Call: 592-701-4514.

for sale at West Demerara (50x100) ft residential lot. Contact: 2260066 / 660-6751.

for

in Kitty, Georgetown. Contact: 2260066 or 660-6751.

until 18th June 2024.

Customs Officers of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), on Tuesday seized the gold jewellery from three passengers, two of whom are US citizens, who were attempting to leave on an outbound American Airlines flight for New York. The operation, which was fully supported by officers of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), and the Customs Anti Narcotic Unit (CANU), led to the discovery of approximately 240 ounces of virtually pure gold disguised as silver plated jewellery, that was being transported out of the country without the necessary permits and declaration to

Customs Officials, with a value of over US$560,000.

(GYD$117,001,604)

According to a press release by the GRA, the outgoing passengers were arrested, taken into custody and handed over to the Guyana Police Force. Investigations are continuing, with a view of determining whether they are part of ring(s) reportedly smuggling gold out of Guyana. Charges are likely to be made under the Customs and Anti-Money Laundering Acts, with the relevant Authorities both in Guyana and overseas being informed of the results of the investigations. “The Authority continues to note the alarming trend

in the efforts to smuggle items including gold, monetary instruments, arms, and narcotics through ports in Guyana and cautions that all such persons dealing in or contemplating engaging in such illegal activities should cease and desist therefrom, or face the consequences of their actions,” the GRA said. “The Revenue Authority again entreats the General Public to report any illicit, unlawful or smuggling activities on telephone number 227-6060, Extensions 3201, 3204, 3205, 3206, 3211, 3212, or 3408.All information provided will be dealt with strict confidentiality,” the statement concluded.

Lawlessness at the Demerara...

From page 5 at the bridge? There are a few times where the junior officers will actually do their jobs and try to maintain order by stopping these lawless drivers however is embarrassed by these inspectors since they will allow the lawless drivers to join this ‘Priority Lane’.

What is a Priority Lane? Why is there a Priority Lane? Who is allowed to join this Priority Lane? Are hundreds of drivers ‘Priority’? Why is their time more important than the other citizens? Do the police take part in some sort of corruption in order to allow these drivers to get away

with the lawless behaviour? These are questions which need to be answered by the officers.

Based on the general every morning situation citizens face. I think it would be much better to have much more traffic cones than to have these officers present since it would be of much more use to stop errant drivers.

We all accept that this traffic is caused by inconsiderate and brainless drivers but we have a police force who should be there to maintain law and order however the lack of consequences for these drivers’ actions and encouragement of lawless-

ness by the higher positions within the police force will only see this problem getting worst.

If the police or any other individual believe this is not the case, I would suggest that anyone just check the Pixels camera for the West Side of the bridge from 6:30 to 7:00 and see what is being allowed. On a positive note, I would like to commend the Harbour Bridge’s management on trying to curb the traffic problems and it has worked but the Guyana Police Force makes a lot of their effort in vain.

Sincerely Fed up Drivers

: 648-

Ashiana SalamalyShameena Ahamad Ian Jacobis

M.V Barima to undergo $104M in repairs

The Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Harbours Department will soon be docking the M.V Barimaforrepairs.

The project which was openedatarecentreadingof bids at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB)officeisestimated to cost $104,702,400. A

total of six contractors have submittedbidsfortheworks.

K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that this project will form part of the $405 million that was set aside in the national budget to improved ferry services

Also the allocation will be spent on similar works for MV Malali and MV Makouria.

Notably, the Transport

Below are the companies and their bids:

TransportandHarboursDepartment DockingandrehabilitationofM.V.Barima.

MinistryofAgriculture

RehabilitationofMeadowBankwharf.

andHarboursDepartmentis planning on rehabilitating the Wakenaam Ferry Stelling in Region Three. Among other projects that openedisthecontractforthe

MeadowBankwharf.

The project which is estimated to cost $151 million, a total of 20 contractorshavebid.

RehabilitationofWakenaamFerryStelling.

Constructionofperimeterfenceatthe NationalDrainageandIrrigationAuthority (NDIA)officeTarlogie,RegionSix.

New York moves to revoke Trump’s gun licence - reports

(BBC NEWS) Police in New York are seeking to revoke former President DonaldTrump’sgunlicence

following his recent criminal conviction, US mediareports.

Unnamed officials within the New York City Police Department told CNN, the New York Times and ABC News that it was currently completing an investigation that would likely lead to the former presidentbeingbannedfrom owningagun.

Both state law in New York and wider federal law prohibits individuals with felony convictions from

PJ’s Constitution caution

Former PM serves warning about several recommendations of the CRC

possessing a firearm. The NYPD has not publicly confirmed the move in the caseofMr Trump.TheBBC has approached it for comment.

Mr Trump became the first president in US history to be criminally convicted lastweek.AManhattanjury found him guilty of 34 countsoffalsifyingbusiness recordstoallegedlyconceal a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016presidentialcampaign.

The former president was accused of buying the silence of Ms. Daniels over an alleged sexual encounter

betweenthetwo.Mr Trump has consistently denied sexual contact with Ms Daniels, and of having brokenthelaw

The 77-year-old has called the verdict a “disgrace” and indicated he intendstoappealagainstthe conviction.

Mr Trump is due to be sentenced on 11 July - four days before he is officially declared the Republican party’s nominee for the presidential election this November Police sources told the New York Times that the former president turned two guns over after he was charged in the

criminal case in April last year and his licence was suspended. A third firearm was reportedly transferred toFlorida,thoughitremains unclear whether it is still in hispossession.

Mr Trump has been an ardent advocate of gun owners’ rights He has frequently spoken at events putonbytheNationalRifle Association-thelargestgun lobbygroupintheUS-and h a s r e c e i v e d i t s endorsementintheelection.

At an NRA event in February, he described himself as the “best friend gunownershaveeverhadin theWhiteHouse”

( J A M A I C A OBSERVER)

FORMER

Prime Minister PJ Patterson has voiced reservations about several proposals containedinthereportofthe Constitutional Reform Committee (CRC) now before the House of Representatives despite objections from the Opposition People National Party(PNP).

O n We d n e s d a y

Jamaica’s longest-serving primeminister—inaforum dubbed ‘A Reasoning With The Most Hon PJ Patterson

about the Jamaican

Constitution’ put on by the Faculty of Law of The University of the West Indies, Mona — first took aim at the proposed method of appointment of the president of the Jamaican republic.

T h e C R C h a s recommended that the selection of the prospective president be done through a two-stage process of n o m i n a t i o n a n d confirmation. According to the CRC, the nomination is to be done by the prime minister, after consultation with the Opposition leader, with a view to arriving at consensus. It further said confirmationistobedoneby the Parliament, in a joint sittingofbothHouses,where membersofeachhousevotes separately by secret ballot with the vote to confirm the nominee an affirmative vote by two-thirds majority of eachHouse.

But Patterson charged that the proposal for a twotiered system of the election ofapresident,“quitefrankly fills [me] with great alarm”. “ I t i s a b s o l u t e l y unacceptable, must be vehemently resisted, and would totally destroy the purpose and the intent and legitimacyofaheadofState because what it is saying is, nominated by the prime minister after consultation with the leader of the Opposition, and if you can’t get two-thirds, it speaks about taking into account political realities in our democratic system of government.

It also provides a solution through the application of the majority rule to a problem where gridlock exists,” Patterson toldtheforum.

“You cannot afford gridlock in this. There are several things that can be done. In Barbados it is done bytheprimeministerandthe leader of the Opposition. If you put that position in, you

would not only get twothirds, you will get unanimity If you don’t put that in, and the first nomination fails to get the two-thirds, you must treat it likeapapalconsistory,thatis to say, lock them up and don’t let them out until you have got a nomination then youcanletthesmokeoutof thechimney,wehaveelected a new head of State,” said Patterson to a smattering of applause.

In the meantime, Patterson said he also has reservations about the proposalsinthereportforthe extension of membership in theSenate.“Letmesayvery clearly,Iamnotopposedtoa careful consideration as to whether you should get representativesintheSenate otherthanthosewhichcome from the political parties. I am saying, that the categories would have to be specifically defined,” he said.Pattersonadded,“They wouldhavetoprovideforthe people within that category to do that selection and not vest it in the head of State, because if you vest it in the headofState,youarehaving theninterferencebythehead of State in the legislative process and that you cannot afford.Iamsayingifyouare going that route; consider very carefully whether the representatives of the Diaspora should not have someroleorsomevoice”.

In stating that he was “notproposingitasasettled matter”, the internationally respected politician and attorney-at-law said the inclusion of members of the Diaspora has to be given furtherconsideration.

“If you are going for putting in the Church, the privatesector,theunions,the NGOs [non-governmental organisations],thereisavery important group called the Diasporasoyouwouldhave tolookatwhetherornotyou are going to include them and if so, how; because the oath of allegiance those citizens are required to take, makeitinconsistentforthem t o b e s e r v i c i n g simultaneously in the Jamaican Parliament,” Pattersonargued.

“Please also note that there are several Jamaicans who have lived, particularly intheUnitedStatesforyears, have children and grandchildren, who to this day operate on green cards because they refuse to take an oath of allegiance which will in any way seem to renounce their Jamaican citizenry

Novak Djokovic says his knee surgery went well and he wants to return to action as soon as possible

PARIS (AP) — Novak

Djokovicsaidthesurgeryon his right knee “went well” after he was injured during the French Open and added yesterday that he hopes to return to competition “as soonaspossible.”

Djokovic had an operation in Paris on Wednesday, two days after he hurt the knee early in the second set of a five-set

victory against Francisco Cerundolo in the fourth round.

The 37-year-old from Serbia withdrew from the clay-court Grand Slam tournament—wherehewas the defending champion — onTuesday,sohewasunable toplayinthequarterfinals.

“In the past day, I had to make some tough decisions after sustaining a meniscus

tear during my last match. I’mstillprocessingitallbutI amhappytoupdateyouthat thesurgerywentwell.

I am so appreciative of theteamofdoctorswhohave been by my side,” Djokovic wrote on social media yesterday, when he posted a photo showing him with crutches and the Eiffel Towerinthedistance.

“I’mgoingtodomybest

Friday June 07, 2024

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Overall,theforecastfortoday is fairly good. The aspects seemtofavorfiguringoutthe meaning of all that's transpired over the past several weeks It's an opportunity for you to take a leisurely

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Have you felt somewhat lost forthepastfewdays?Thefog maylifttodayandenableyou to situate yourself at last. You'reprobablyeagertosettle a question that has nagged at you and interfered with your judgment.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You may have been feeling somewhat disillusioned. Perhapsyoulostsightofyour goals or misplaced your faith in yourself. You'll feel some reliefbeginningtoday

CANCER(June21–July22)

Youmightbetemptedtosettle certain matters by radical means. The visionary part of you means you're painfully aware of the world's wrongs. You see no reason not to take actiontocorrectthem.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Today will be fairly calm in terms of outside events, but yourinnerworldislikelytobe in a rush of activity Today you wish you could find the solutiontoyourheartachesas well as your career predicaments.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

You have a lot of thinking to do about your professional goals, Virgo. You'll go over the elements to see if there isn't some way to approach thingsdifferently

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Youjustcan'tdoeverythingat once, Libra. How do you expect to reduce your stress and recuperate while at the same time continue to be a superstar performer in every areaofyourlife.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

Thisisagoodmomenttoadapt your logic and reason to reality, Scorpio. If you don't, you're going to run into some

Everyone knows that you find newideasplentiful.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

It'sgoingtobealittledifficult t

u

y, Sagittarius. You, who can be easily influenced by others, will be listening to and criticizing everything that peoplesay

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Haveyoubeenreviewingyour family history lately, Capricorn? Of special interest is your cultural background. What educational, social, and religious environment were you born into? What are its values?Intheend.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) It's time to elevate your senseofself,Aquarius.You're justasgoodasanyoneelse,so why don't you believe it? The problem is that you're very sensitiveabouthavinganego. Even though you know everyonedoes.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Today your intellectual and expressive abilities should receive a boost from the planets.It'sanexcellenttimeto organize your thoughts about presentingaproject.

tobehealthyandfittoreturn to the court as soon as possible,” he wrote. “My love for this sport is strong and the desire to compete at the highest level is what keeps me going.” He also thanked his fans for their “ o v e r w h e l m i n g support ” It is unclear exactly how long his recovery will take and when he will be able to play next Wimbledon, where he has won seven of his 24 Grand Slam titles, begins on July 1 The tennis events for the Paris Olympics start on July 27 at Roland Garros, the site of the French Open Djokovic was supposed to face No 7 seed Casper Ruud, the runner-up each of the past two years in Paris, in the quarterfinals on Wednesday Instead, Ruud got a walkover into the semifinals, where he w i l l f a c e N o 4 Alexander Zverev today, Friday The other men’s semifinal will be No 2 Jannik Sinner against No. 3 CarlosAlcaraz.

With Djokovic, the owner of three French Open titles, gone from the bracket, and Rafael Nadal owner of a record 14 eliminated in the first round, someone will be holding the French Open men’s trophy for the first time on Sunday.

And on Monday, when the new ATP rankings are released,Djokovicwillslide down from the top spot and be replaced by Sinner, who becomesthefirstItalianman togettoNo.1.

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic receives medical assistance for his right knee during his fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Monday, June 3, 2024. (AP Photo/ Jean-Francois Badias, File) Novak

Two more matches set for tomorrow at Amelia’s Ward Hard Court Ward Raiders Edge Kings, 51-48, as LABA Senior League continues

Retrieve Raiders defeated Central

M a c k e n z i e Kings in a ding-dong affair which ended, 51-48, as ShemarAnderson’swinning shot separated the 48 tied scoreswithunderaminuteto gametimeWednesdaynight, in the Linden Amateur Basketball Association’s S e n i o r L e a g u e Championship continued at the tournament venue in Amelia’sWard.

It was the only game set for the night and the basketballfansweregivena game which ended dramatically after the teams were locked up 35-35 going into the final quarter, after Kings had led 13-8 after the firstquarterand26-22athalf time.

Raiders’ win was their first after losing toAmelia’s Ward Jets as the Kings lost forthesecondtime.

Neil Marks Jr led the

scoring for the winning Raiders team with 13 points while Anderson scored 11 and Shemar Savoury added eight for the winners. For the Kings, Ming Wong was the top shoot scoring 10 points, Stephen George got nine and Tyreese Arthur six points.

It was Raiders first win since losing to Amelia’s Ward Jets in their first game but the Kings second loss after falling to Block 22 Flames in their other game playedsofar

After this preliminary round robin play involving fiveclubs,thefourtopteams will move to play the semifinals as one will be eliminated. Nigel Hinds has donated to the LABA $200,000 to the staging of thisclubchampionship.

The senior champions willcollect$100,000andthe losing finalist gets $75,000. The third place finishers receive $50,000 and the fourthplaceside$25,000.

USA outclass sloppy Pakistan in thrilling Super Over finish

ESPNcricinfo - USA muzzled an experienced Pakistan top order, brought their hitters to heel, then producedameasuredbatting performance that tied the scoresat159-all.

Thisforcedthegameinto a Super Over, and here is when USA really seemed like the veteran team on the circuit while Pakistan went into high-pressuremeltdownmode.

Mohammad Amir, Pakistan’s most experienced bowler,bowledthreewidesin hisSuperOver,theUSbatters stealing another run every time, and Mohammad Rizwan conceded another extrarunonanoverthrowoff thelastofthesewides

Thanks to the extras and other acts of fielding indiscipline from Pakistan, USAmade18offtheirSuper Over Ifthisalreadyseemeda tough ask for Pakistan to better, Saurabh Netravalkar made their job even more difficult He had been outstanding for USA in regular play, taking 2 for 18 fromhisfourovers HisSuper Overwasoutstandingtoo,as he conceded just one boundary Thankstofourleg byes off the penultimate delivery, Shadab Khan had the opportunity to send the

Saurabh Netravalkar sinks to his knees after the victory in the Super Over. (AFP via Getty Images) Over

match into a second super overifheclobberedasixoff thelastball Hecouldonlyhit it to deep point, all along the ground

The USA were jubilant, havingtakendownthebiggest oppositiontheyhadeverfaced Pakistan,aheadoftheirmassive match against India, had been subjected to one of their greatestWorldCupsetbacks. It’snotasifPakistanhadhad itintheirgripandletitslipUSA had actually been in control of this match for much of its duration Netravalkar and Kenjige

share five wickets Left-arm seamer Netravalkar had Rizwancaughtatslip-fairly spectacularly by Steven Taylor - to begin with, second over Then, in the third, left-arm spinner Nosthush Kenjige had Usman Khan holing out to long-off,bringingPakistan’s score to 14 for 2.Others would take wickets in between,ofcourse,butthese two would continue to imposethemselves.

Pakistan made only 35 in thepowerplay,andNetravalkar bowledthreeoversforjusteight

runs in that phase Kenjige camebackinthemiddleovers and made crucial incisions, dismissing Shadab Khan, who looked the most fluent of Pakistan’s batters, for 40 off 25 balls, before getting Azam Khan first ball with a fast slider All up, these two took 5 for 48 in eight overs betweenthem.

Netravalkar bowling the SuperOver,andconcedingjust onefour,wasabonus USA measured in their approachAlthoughthis would turnouttobeUSA’sfirstmajor actofgiant-killingontheglobal

stage, their measured batting performance gave no sense ofbeingaboltfromtheblue. Their openers were not parted for five overs, but theyonlymade36together

Then the second-wicket partnership, between captain Monank Patel and Andries Gous, brought 68 runs in 48 balls,andformedthebackbone ofthechase

Monank provided most of the highlights in this partnership, making 50 off 38, hitting seven fours and one glorious six down the ground to get to his half-

century, off Shaheen Shah Afridi. He was out soon after, but had left USA in a potentiallywinningposition. Pakistanpullthingsbackat thedeath

Even with Monank and Gous out with 35 balls to go, Pakistanstillhadtobowlwell, with USA only needing 49 Naseem Shah, Shaheen and Amir shone through the death overs to leave USAneeding 15 off the last over Haris Rauf, landing his yorkers thereorthereabouts,brought the equation down to 12 off 3.Butthen,Jonessmashedasix off a low full-toss on the stumps,thenwithfiverequired off the last ball, Nitish Kumar crashedafourovermid-offto tie the game. Super over mayhem

It was at this point, though, that the more experienced international team lost their heads, and USAkepttheirs.Bothteams hitafoureachintheirSuper Overs But Pakistan’s waywardness in terms of wides and overthrows cost them. USA won the Super Over18to13.

Scores: USA 159 for 3 (Monank 50, Jones 36*, Gous 35) beat Pakistan 159 for 7 (Babar 44, Shadab 40, Kenjige3-30,Netravalkar218)viaSuperOver

Tomorrow night Kings take on Amelia’s Ward Jets in the first game from 6.30pm while the other at 8.00pm is between Royals andRaiders.

Retrieve Raiders after Wednesday night’s win over Kings.

2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup…West Indies vs. Uganda

Windies, Uganda clash under lights as home team look to keep win streak at Providence alive

ICCMen’sT20World Cupactioncontinues

at the Guyana

National Stadium, Providence tonight with host’sWestIndieslookingto

secure their second consecutive win on their hometurf.

Both sides are fresh off wins but with the home crowd behind the Windies, momentumcouldshifttothe hometeam.

West Indies had a good start with a five wicket win over Papua New Guinea, while Uganda recovered fromahorridlosstosecurea winby3wicketsagainstthe same opponents, setting the stage for what could be a competitivematch.

RostonChaseprovedhis worth as a veteran, leading the team home with the bat after Nicholas Pooran and Brandon King looked to be

indevastatingform;coupled with a returning Shimron Hetmyer who will want to showoutinfrontofhisfans.

Coach Darren Sammy recently outlined that the Windies will be looking to utilize some of their world classstarssuchasShaiHope and Shamar Joseph; with either or both likely to play their first match depending ontheassessmentofthefinal XI.

Local players Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd and Sherfane Rutherford have already sampled the conditions on their home ground with some success versus PNG; further adding totheirroles.

AndreRussellwasbyfar the best bowler in the last gamegoingfor2-19andhis late partnership with Chase propelled the Windies to their opening win, making

his presence this evening ominousfortheUgandans. Uganda regained some momentum with their last win but with a slightly inexperienced side compared to that of the Windies, top-scorer from thelastgameRizatAlShah along with skipper and spinner Brian Masaba will playakeyrole.

T h e U g a n d a n s managed to bowl out PNG forunder77,somethingthe Windesfailedtodointheir match where both sides scoredover130 Skipper Masaba, Alpesh Ramjani, Cosmas Kyewuta,JumaMiyagiand FrankNsubugaallreturned 2 wickets for less than 20 runs against PNG, making their roles more crucial coming up against a dangerous West Indies battingteam

Dindyal returns as Guyana U19 Captain ahead of July’s CWI Rising Stars 50-Over Championships

Ba t s m a n

M a v i n d r a

Dindyal will return as skipper to lead a strongGuyanaU-19teamas theyprepareforactioninthe upcoming CWI Regional U19 tournament which bowlsoffJuly2. Last year’s Guyana

u n d e r - 1 7 c a p t a i n Jonathan Van Lange was named deputy, as he and Dindyal will have a number of talented players at their disposal, most if not all of whom featured or playedkeyroleslastseason.

Among the highprofile names selected by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Selection

P a n e l , R a m p e r t a b R a m n a u t h , S a chin Balgobin, Alvin Mohabir, Zachary Jodah, Johnathan VanLange,ThaddeusLovell and others will form a starstuddedunit;whichformthe future core of Guyana’s cricket. The Guyanese, who h a d a n e x c e l l e n t tournament last season despite coming up short, are expected to wing out on June 30, with action bowlingoffafewdaysafter inSt.Vincent.

Jamaica are the defendingchampions Guyana U19 TeamRampertab Ramnauth, S a c h i n B a l g o b i n ,

West Indies will look to have an impressive showing against Uganda.

The home team sit in secondplaceofGroupC,led by Afghanistan while Ugandaareplacedthirdwith both opponents looking to m

respective 2 points, with action bowling off from 20:30h.

Mbappe on target as France stroll past Luxembourg

A l v i n

(vice-captain) , Thaddeus Lovell, Romeo Deonarain, M a v i n d

y a l (Captain), Shahid Viera (WK), Krsna Singh, Riyad Latiff, Golcharran Chulai, Bruce Vincent and Anthon Lim. St

Khan, Wavell Allen and MahemKhan T

s Nazeer Mohamed, while the head coach is Andre Percival

AFP - Euro 2024 favourites France beat Luxembourg 3-0 in an international friendly on Wednesday with superstar striker Kylian Mbappe on thescoresheet.

In the tournament that starts in Germany next FridayFranceareinGroup D with Netherlands, Austria and Poland, all far more challenging rivals on paper than Luxembourg, who however stood firm untillateinthefirsthalf.

Withathirdgoalinfour games for France Randal Kolo Muani scored a soft header on 43 mins after a sweetcentrefromMbappe, while Marseille defender Jonathan Clauss fired a scorcherintothetopcorner on70minutestomakeit2-0.

Thebiggestcheerofthe evening came however when substitute Bradley Barcolawaltzedaroundthe visiting defence to set Mbappeupon85minswith the Real Madrid bound forward slamming home withconviction.

“That did him good,” saidDeschamps.“Kylianisa greatleaderandweneedhim at his best,” he said of Mbappe, who looked off

3-0 romp. (Jean-Christophe VERHAEGEN)

form in his previous two Francegames.

The 33-year-old AlIttihad (Saudi Arabia) based holding midfielder

N’Golo Kante got his first run out since June 2022 and left the pitch exhausted midway through the second half after putting in a solid performance supporting bothdefenceandattack.

“He was as good as ever,” Deschamps said. “Hedidhimselfproud.”

Mike Maignan was hardly tested in the France

goal with his defence also enjoying a relatively quiet evening

supportatthematch held at Metz, who were relegated from the French top flight in a play off with Saint Etienne, who climbed back into the top flight on Sunday.

France forward Kylian Mbappe scored in the

Mavindra Dindyal

Sachin Balgobin

John Van Lange

CaribbeanPremierLeague2024...

Joseph, Hetmyer, Shepherd

among 8 Guyanese retained by Amazon Warriors

Defending CPL champs Guyana Amazon Warriors have retained 8 of their Guyanese players including Shamar Joseph, Shimron Hetmyer and others ahead of the 2024 tournament.

The Guyana Amazon

Warriors have

c o n f i r m e d 8

Guyaneseplayershavebeen

retained ahead of the Republic 2024 Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL)draft.

Some nine players are confirmed for the 2024 seasonandthefranchisecan sign up to five overseas

players.Theremainingthree squadmemberswillbefilled at the CPL draft which will take place in July. The Amazon Warriors won their maiden CPL title in

2023 and they have retained the core of the team that helped them secure the trophylastyear.

Guyanese players Shimron Hetmyer, Romario

n c

a i r . The 2023 Player of the Tournament,Barbados’Shai Hope will also be back for thisyear’stournament.

Shepherd, Gudakesh Motie and Keemo Paul will all be part of their home franchise this season. The other Guyanese players retained are Junior Sinclair, Keemo Paul, Kevlon Anderson and K e v i n S

Swiatek to face Paolini in Paris final after dominating Gauff

BBCSport-IgaSwiatek continued her dominance overCocoGaufftoreachthe FrenchOpenfinalandmove closertoathirdstraighttitle atRolandGarros.

World number one Swiatek will face Italian 12thseedJasminePaoliniin Saturday’sfinal.

Poland’s Swiatek, 23, brokeGauffinthefirstgame ofthematchand,apartfrom briefly losing serve in the second set, retained control towin6-26-4

Third seed Gauff saved three match points before Swiatekclosedoutvictory

The 20-year-old Americanhasnowlost11of her 12 matches against the world number one. “It was intense, especially in the second set but I’m happy,” saidSwiatek “Istuckwithmy tactics,didn’toverthinkthings andjustwentforit”

Paolini, 28, beat unseeded 17-year-old RussianMirraAndreeva6-3 6-1 in the second semi-final yesterday Gauff cannot end Swiatek hex Whatever

happened between Swiatek and Gauff, the pair were still going to leave Roland Garros as the leading two women’s playersintheworldrankings But the outcome again illustrated the gulf between them when they face each other US Open champion Gauff talked bullishly after beating three-time major finalist Ons Jabeur in the quarter-finals, saying she had “nothing to lose” and claimed the pressure was on Swiatek. That is not how it panned out. Gauff looked overcomebynervesfromthe start and paid the price. Trying to land heavily with herforehandintheralliesdid

Iga Swiatek is aiming for her fifth Grand Slam title. [Getty Images] 2

Iga Swiatek is aiming for her fifth Grand Slam title.

[Getty Images]

not come off, with a stream oferrorsfromthatsidedoing alotoftheworkforSwiatek. Gauff made 18 unforced errors in a first set where Swiatek only needed to hit two winners and the American’s body language showed she was feeling the pressure. After going for a bathroombreaktogatherher thoughts, Gauff had to dig deeptoholdserveatthestart of the second set before a row with umpire Aurelie Tourte over a line call sparkedherintolife.

An emotional Gauff appearedtowipeawaytears between points in the next game-buttheenergyfuelled

her into breaking Swiatek’s servefora3-1lead.

However, Gauff could not consolidate and, although she showed more resistance towards the end, she has more problemsolving to do about how to end Swiatek’s hex Can PaolinistopSwiatek?

The question before the tournament was whether anyone could stop Swiatek becoming only the third woman to win three French Open titles in a row She is aiming to join Monica Seles (1990–1992) and Justine Henin(2005–2007)astheonly women to achieve the feat in the Open era Only former

world number Naomi Osaka, who had little previous form on clay and won her four majors on hard courts, has come close to stopping her Swiatek has gone up several gearssincethattitanicsecondround contest - where she saved a match point before winninginthreesets Shedid not drop a game in a 40minute thrashing against Anastasia Potapova in the fourth round and made light work of 2019 finalist MarketaVondrousovainthe quarter-finals. Paolini is the finalplayerinSwiatek’sway after reaching a maiden major singles final with a powerful performance

against Andreeva. The lateblooming Italian’s run at Roland Garros is the latest surprise in a season where she has registered several careermilestones.

Paolini had never previously gone beyond the secondroundinParis,buthas built on lifting the firstWTA 1,000 title of her career in Dubai and earning notable wins over some established top-20 players After beating third seed Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals, she continuedtouseherpowerful forehand to draw mistakes from 38th-ranked Andreeva The teenager, who was the youngest Grand Slam semifinalistsinceMartinaHingis at the 1997 US Open, was visibly emotional as the second set ran away from her

“Ilearnedabitlaterthan other players maybe but to dream is the most important thing in sport and life. I’m happy I could dream this moment,” Paolini, who won the final five games of the match,said.

Guyana Beverages Inc. onboard with Petra Organisation to host Upper Mazaruni U18 Football

In another effort to grow youthfootballinthecountry, thePetraOrganisation,wellknown for its role in coordinating many youth football tournaments, has once again joined forces with Guyana BeveragesInc. (GBI) to roll off the UpperMazaruni Under-18 Boys

and Girls Football Tournament. This marks the second consecutive year, Petra has taken on role to overseethistournament.

The Upper-Mazaruni U18 Football Tournament, conceptualized by DC Caesar Fox Secondary, School Teacher Niel Henrito, has garnered considerable support from GBI to sponsor this event through its Busta and Turbo EnergyDrinkbrands.

During a simple ceremony held at GBI’s

conference room in

Diamond, East Bank

Demerara, Henrito received

various sponsorship packages and expressed his

The Telegraph -

ThepitchinNew Yorkwaslabelled “shocking” and “borderline dangerous” after India bowled Ireland out for 96 and a string of batsmen on bothsideswerehit.

Rohit Sharma, the India captain, retired hurt after with a shoulder injury caused by a short ball from JoshLittleandRishabhPant also had treatment when he was hit on the arm by a delivery that reared up off a length.

Teams batting first in New York have made 77 and 97 in the two matches staged there so far and againstIndia’spaceattack on this surface it was a no contest. India won by eight wickets.

But with India and Pakistan playing at Eisenhower Park on Sunday and between them boasting some of the quickest bowlers in the world, there will be fears batsmen could be hurt by dangerous, inconsistent bounce.

On Wednesday, some balls struck batsmen on

gratitude for the continued backing.

“I am grateful to be associated with Petra Organisation They have beenattheforefrontofyouth football in Guyana, and when I spoke with them previously, they mentioned

GBI’s Lalita Latchman (second from right) presents a sponsorship cheque to school teacher Niel Henrito; Troy Mendonca, Petra’s co-director, and a representative from Petra also sharing the moment.

their interest in expanding into the hinterland. I was pleased to have them as a sponsor last year, and now I amdelightedtohaveGuyana Beverages Inc on board,” Henrito stated Looking forward,headded,“Wewant our tournament to grow into

something we can be proud of.”PetraOrganisation’sCoDirector, Troy Mendonca, highlighted the significance oftheirinvolvement,saying, “We are proud and happy once again to see that the tournament is going to be played. We wish him all the

NewYorkpitchbranded‘borderline dangerous’asIndiasteamrollIreland

Rohit Sharma was struck twice by deliveries that reared up at New York’s Eisenhower Park. (Getty Images/Timothy A. Clary)

the arm, gloves and head while others bounced twice before reaching the keeper.

“I’ve got to say that is not a good surface to play an international match on,” said former England coach Andy F l o w e r o n E S P N cricinfo

“It is bordering on dangerous You see the ball bouncing on a length both ways so skidding low

occasion but in the main bouncingunusuallyhighand striking people on thumb, gloves and helmet and making life very very difficultforanybatsman.”

Six of the 10 strips on the drop in square

before being laid in New York Damien Hough, the

Adelaide Oval, has been drafted in by the ICC to overseepitchpreparation

The square is hosting four games in eight days including the IndiaPakistan sell out at the pop up ground

The outfield is also very sandy and teams are worried ab

t injuries diving or sliding onthegrass

“Shocking surface,” Michael Vaughan posted on X He later added: “Tryingtosellthegamein the States is great love it but for players to have to play on this sub standard surface in New York is unacceptable You work so hard to make it to the WC [World Cup] then have to play on this.”

Earlier this week Sri Lanka were bowled out for 77 by South Africa with 90mph fast bowler

Anrich Nortje was unplayable taking four for seven Mickey Arthur, the former South Africa and Pakistan coach, joined the criticism of the pitch sayingitwas“verypoor”

“Itisapleasureforus(GBI) to continue supporting sport activities in the hinterland.” She explained, “At Guyana Beverages Inc. we firmly believeinthepowerofsports tounitecommunities,inspire young talents and foster a culture of healthy competition.”

“Thistournamentholdsa specialplaceinourheartsas it not only showcases the incredible talent that thrives i n o u r h i n t e r l a n d communities but also provides a platform for young athletes to excel and pursue their dreams in the world of football, ” Latchmandeclared.

best in the tournament and we hope it is a success.”

Additionally,

Mendonca lauded Guyana Beverages Inc for stepping up in “giving the youthsanopportunity”.

Meanwhile Lalita

Latchman of GBI said that,

T h e i n a u g u r a l tournament saw Paruima Boys emerge as winners, among the six participating villages in the Upper Mazaruni District last year This year, the tournament will include both male and female teams from various villages competing for top honoursstartingJune16.

Golden Jaguars go down...

Frompage31 whoplaysforAlJandalSC in Saudi Arabia, scored in the 62nd minute, catching the Guyanese defenders off guard with what many thoughtwasanoffsidegoal.

Three minutes later, Rodríguez scored the decisive goal, sinking the GoldenJaguars. The Golden Jaguars now shift their focus to redemption against Belize, a team they defeated 2-1 in 2019, thanks to goals from Neil Danns and Emmery Welshman.

F1 unveils new ‘nimble’ car for 2026 in FIA announcement

Independent - The FIA haveunveiledthenew-look, lighter and smaller car for the 2026 Formula One seasonandbeyond.

Thechangestothepower unit are the biggest since F1 moved to hybrid power in 2014, a year which saw the start of Mercedes’ dominance of the sport. The cars in two years’ time will incorporate a simplified combustion engine, using fullysustainablefuels.

The 2026 car is depicted by the FIAas “lighter, safer and more competitive.” It is

30kglighter,200mmshorter and 100m narrower than the currentgenerationofcar

Anew function is a new energy boost button to be usedasanovertakingdevice, with the DRS (drag reduction system) rear-wing device to be utilised automatically on the straights. Among other changes, the 2026 cars are also set to take in active aerodynamics systems, featuring movable front and rearwings,withdriversable to switch between two modes to maximise top

speed. Downforce and drag will also be reduced. FIA single-seater director NikolasTombazissaid:“We continue to embrace change and we have to perform change quite periodically This is why we’re changing the regulations for 2026.”

FIA president Mohammed BenSulayemadded:“Today, the FIAis defining a hugely exciting future for the pinnacle of motorsport with t h e l a u n c h o f a comprehensive new set of regulationsforthe2026FIA Formula One championship

St. Lucia Kings sign Klaasen, Ahmad for 2024 Caribbean Premier League

SportsMax - St Lucia Kings have signed South Africa batter Heinrich Klaasen and Afghanistan wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad for the 2024 edition of the Caribbean Premier League 2024 ahead of the player draft. Faf du Plessis, whose stint with Kings last year was cut short due to injury, has been retained. Namibia allrounder DavidWiese and Sri Lanka batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa are also among theoverseasretainees.

K i n g s h a v e 1 2 confirmed players for the season and will have five spots to fill at the draft in

July Theyhaveretainedthe core of Caribbean players, which includes Johnson Charles, Alzarri Joseph, Roston Chase, Matthew FordeandKharyPierre.Fast bowlers Shadrack Descarte and McKenny Clarke round outtheirretentions.

Colin Munro, who was named du Plessis’ replacement last year, has been released as have SikandarRaza,SeanWilliams andChrisSole. Klaasen has been in phenomenal form in T20s since2023 Hefinishedasthe second-highest run-getter in theSA20earlierthisyearand

wasintopformintheIPLas well with 479 runs in 16 games. His strike rate in the formatsince2023is176.80. This will be Klaasen’s second stint in the CPL, having represented Guyana Amazon Warriors in 2022 where he made 118 runs in fivegames.Kingsmadetheir fourth consecutive playoffs spot in 2023 but lost in the Eliminator against Jamaica Tallawahs The 2024 edition oftheCPLissettorunfrom August 30 to October 7. Kings will open their campaign against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on September1inBasseterre.

and beyond. “Following the publication of 2026 power unit regulations two years ago we have taken the opportunity to redefine the chassis regulations to match the energy requirement of thenewpowerunits.

“Collaborating with our partnersatFormulaOneand with the assistance of the sport’s 10 teams and all our stakeholders, this represents a unique revision that will ensure our premier championship is even more relevant to what is happeningintheworld.”

The FIA credits its new engine regulations to six power unit manufacturers –Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, Honda, Audi and Red Bull Powertrains–forsigningup tothesport.

For the first time, Red Bull are making their own power units – in partnership with American automotive giant Ford – whileAudi are taking over Sauber, with their first year in F1 coming in 2026. Aston Martin have alsoannouncedanewengine deal with Honda – who currently work with Red

Bull – for the new era of regulations. The last major overhaul of regulations was introducedin2022withRed Bull’s Max Verstappen dominating to win the past threeworldchampionships. Ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, the Dutchman heads the current driverstandingsby31points after eight races, although McLaren’sLandoNorrisand Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc won in Miami and Monaco respectively last monthtosuggestRedBull’s supremacyisunderthreat.

Seven-star S. Korea breeze through as India legend Chhetri bows out

AFP-PSG’sLeeKangin and Tottenham’s Son Heung-min both scored twice as South Korea trounced Singapore 7-0 in World Cup qualifying yesterday while India legendSunilChhetrifought back tears as he made his 151st and final appearance forhiscountry

Thousands cheered an emotionalChhetriashewas given a guard of honour on leaving the pitch, bringing to a close an international careerwhichputhimamong the world’s all-time leading scorers.

Nearly 59,000 fans in Kolkata came to see their captaininanIndiashirtfor the last time in a 0-0 draw against Kuwait a remarkable turnout in a country where football comes a distant second to cricketinpopularity

The39-year-oldscored 94 goals over nearly two decades for India, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo, Iran’s retiredAli Daei and Lionel Messi in the alltime international scorers’ list

South Korea secured the top spot inAsia Group C and passage to the final qualifying stage in latest interim coach Kim Dohoon’s first match in charge

Jurgen Klinsmann left inFebruaryafterfailingto win the Asian Cup and Under-23 coach Hwang Sun-hong oversaw a draw and a victory against ThailandinMarch

Joo Min-kyu, Bae Junho and Hwang Hee-chan were also on the scoresheet

Next up for Son’s side onJune11isahomegame in Seoul against China, who need a point to clinch the second qualifying place after Branko Ivankovic’s side drew 1-1 at home to Thailand in Shenyang

Indonesia would have guaranteed their progress from Group F with a win against already qualified Iraq. But they slumped to a 2-0 defeat in Jakarta, finishing the game with 10 men after Jordi Amat was red carded as Iraq made it

fivewinsoutoffive.

Vietnam lie one point behindIndonesiainthefight for the second qualifying spotafterathrilling3-2win overthePhilippines.

Kevin Ingreso thought he had rescued a draw for the Philippines when he made it 2-2 in the 89th minuteinHanoi.

Butinthefifthminuteof added time Pham Tuan Hai bagged the winner to keep his side’s hopes alive of making the final round of qualifying.

Vietnam travel to Iraq while Indonesia host the Philippines in their final groupgamesonTuesday

Bayern Munich-bound teenagerNestoryIrankunda madehisdebutforAustralia inGroupIastheSocceroos also made it five wins from fivematcheswitha2-0win against Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Irankundawasbornina refugee camp in Tanzania after his parents escaped fighting in their native Burundi and will move to Germany next season.with teammateKouItakura.

South African batsman Heinrich Klaasen (left) and Afghan wrist-spinner Noor Ahmad have both signed for the St. Lucia Kings for the 2024 Caribbean Premier League season.

A front-on image of the 2026 F1 car. (FIA)

The 2026 car will be lighter and slightly smaller. (FIA)

Guinness ‘Greatness of the Streets’ ‘Greatness Essequibo Edition kicks off tonight

Withallsystems in place and anticipation atafeverpitch,theinaugural edition of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Essequibo Championship will kick off this evening at the Anna Regina Car Park Tarmac

Coordinator Mark Bradford confirmed that the two-day event will feature 14 teams competing in an elimination format, with over $600,000 in prizes up for grabs, along with the opportunity to represent the region at the national championshipsinAugust.

Bradford noted the overwhelming response from both teams and fans, and he expects a large audience throughout the event, highlighting the growingfootballsceneinthe region.Healsodisclosedthat beverage giant Banks DIH Ltd, through the Guinness brand, and co-sponsor Colours Boutique, included Essequibo in this year’s season to foster greater community participation

across Guyana The competing teams are: Police A, Queenstown, Lakers, Gunners, Suddie, 007, AllStars, Richmond Young Guns, Police B, Spartacus, GDF, Chelsea, Dartmouth, and Gold Star After the first round, the seven winners and the best loser will advance to thequarterfinals

The event’s champion will receive $300,000 and a trophy, while the second, third, and fourth-place finishers will take home $200,000, $100,000, and $80,000 respectively, along withtheirtrophies.

TheGeorgetown,Berbice, andLindenzoneshavealready been completed, with the Bartica,EastCoastDemerara, andWestDemerarazonesset tofollowtheEssequiboleg

Hereissomeoftheaction billed for tonight, starting off with seven Round of 16 matches followed by four Quarterfinals

Thefirstmatchkicksoffat 19:00 with Police A Team facing Queenstown

The Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’Essequibo Championship will make its long awaited debut this evening at the Anna

Following that, Lakers will take on Gunners at 19:30, Suddie will face Team 007, andAll-Stars will challenge Richmond Young Guns

Lateron,PoliceBwilltackle Spartacusat21:30,andGDF will clash with Chelsea in thefinaltworoundmatches.

Golden Jaguars go down to Panama in open World Cup qualifier

Two quick goals from Cristian Martínez and José Luis Rodríguez secured a 20 victory for Panama over the Golden Jaguars in their opening match of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers.

Guyanawillnowheadto Barbados to host Belize on June11.

In the game against Panama, Coach Jamaal Shabazz started with Omari Glasgow up front, along with Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Stephens Duke-McKenna, Elliot Bonds, and Nathan Ferguson.

Defensively, Shabazz relied on Liam Gordon, Terrence Vancooten, Jalen Jones, Curtez Kellman, and LeoLovell.

The Golden Jaguars began the match with p u r p o s e

e overw

e

med by the Panamanians, who aim to replicate their performance fromthe2018WorldCup.

Panama had 17 shots in the match, and thanks to

Quillian Roberts, Guyana s

m

, managingtoholdtheCentral Americansidetoascoreless first half Shabazz made substitutions to signal

Panama’s Eric Davis takes control during their clash with the Golden Jaguars. (CONCACAF)

Guyana’s intention to play attacking football, bringing in Kadell Daniel, Kelsey Benjamin, and Deon Moore to replace Bonds, Ferguson, andVancooten.Martínez, (Continuedonpage29)

Regina Car Park Tarmac.

Golden Jaguars go down to Panama in open World Cup qualifier

CaribbeanPremierLeague2024...

Joseph, Hetmyer, Shepherd among 8 Guyanese retained by Amazon Warriors

USA outclass sloppy Pakistan in thrilling Super Over finish

Monank

made a match-winning 50 off 38 balls. (ICC/Getty Images)

Patel

ShaheenAfridi and MohammadAmir were unable to run Nitish Kumar out. (AFP/Getty Images)

Panama’s Eric Davis takes control during their clash with the Golden Jaguars. (CONCACAF)