Kaieteur News

UN adds Israel

to global list of offenders that harm children received US multi-billion

Child father confesses to beheading

woman

Mae Thomas quits PPP executive

after US sanctions

...Jagdeo sad, says she is a hard worker

Jagdeo maintains full audit report online

...despite auditors say some 40 pages missing

costs already recovered Guyana this year could have dollars in oil profits as three Govt.

...says move is part of safeguarding financial sector following US sanctions

Mae Thomas

Murder accused Silas France and Paulette Edwards in happier times

Guyana this year could have received US multi-billion dollars in oil profits as three project costs already recovered

Although ExxonMobil GuyanaLimited(EMGL)has recovered more than US$19B to date from Guyana's oil revenues generated in the Stabroek Block- enough to cover its investments in the three producing oil projects, the countrywillnotbenefitfrom ahighershareofitsresources thisyear

Liza One, pegged at US$3.5B, Liza Two which costsUS$6BandtheUS$9B Payara project could have each been paid off in 2023 had Guyana ring-fenced the oil projects in the Stabroek Block A ring-fencing provision would mandate each project to pay for itself. After the cost of the project has been repaid, Guyana is posed to receive 50% of the revenues generated at the project. This means that revenue flow to the Natural ResourceFund(NRF)would significantlyincrease.

Intheabsenceofthiskey

principle, ExxonMobil is freetousetherevenuesfrom these producing fields to fund projects that are yet to commence production or invest in its exploration activitiesacrosstheBlock.

On Thursday, the company confirmed that as of the end of 2023, US$19B incostswasrecouped.

The three projects currentlyinoperationcarrya collective price tag of US$18.5B. In this manner, the three project costs could have been cleared in December 2023, positioning Guyana to receive more profits this year from the oil andgassector

In 2023, the Stabroek B l o c k g e n e r a t e d approximately US$11.8 billion, of which US$8.4B was deducted by Exxon for cost recovery. Meanwhile, Guyana barely received US$1.6 billion in oil money thatyear

The 2016 Production

Sharing Agreement (PSA) stipulates that 75% of all revenues generated each month can be deducted towards cost recovery Costs not recovered in that particular month are carried overtothenextmonthwhile the remaining 25% is then shared equally between GuyanaandExxonasprofits.

Only yesterday Kaieteur News reported that the InternationalEnergyAgency (IEA) in a 2024 Oil report

highlighted that demand for oil will slow in the coming years.

It was explained the clean energy transition and the“stellargrowth”inglobal EVsalesareexpectedtolead to slowing oil demand growth with worldwide consumption set to peak in 2029 and begin falling the followingyear

World oil demand is being tempered by the clean energy transition, says the

IEA, which has been a vocal proponent of a faster energy transitioninrecentyears.

EV sales, which –according to the IEA –continue to surge, fuel efficiency improvements in ICE vehicles, structural economic shifts, and a decline in oil use for electricity generation in the MiddleEastareallsettostart offsetting this decade the higher oil demand from the petrochemicalssector

“As a result, the report forecasts that global oil demand, which including biofuels averaged just over 102millionbarrelsperdayin 2023, will level off near 106 million barrels per day towards the end of this decade,”theagencysaid.

According to the report, suchamassiveoilproduction buffercouldusherinalower oilpriceenvironment,posing t

producers in the US shale patch and the OPEC+ bloc.

Guyana, as a fairly new oil producer should be particularly mindful of the effects a slump in oil price can have on its economy, especially since the country has agreed to forego early profits from the industry by notring-fencingitsprojects.

Chiefpolicymakerforthe petroleum sector, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo previously explained, “We admitted that we are foregoing revenue now in exchange for massive future income because it's going into new projects that will increase production and so even with the same share of the 50/50 plus the two percentroyaltythatthefuture income, because of the bigger scale will be massive in Guyana's case and we are deliberatelyforegoingthatin this period for that purpose and then trying to grab this bonenowcouldcauseyouto lose all the bones, the bigger bonestoointhefuture.”

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

Renegotiation

Regardless of whether Guyanese politicians like it or denounce it, we have a duty to keep beating the renegotiation oil drum loudly Renegotiation of the deformed and monstrous 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (oil contract) is the patriotic duty of every Guyanesetokeepthefiresburningforrenegotiationofthis national barbarism. It wasVice President Bharrat Jagdeo whosaidattherecentPPPCongressthatthetimeforismsto gohascome.

He must make good on his stand and extend it to this barbarismthatisthe2016ExxonMobiloilcontractandbe rid of that too. In fact, every Guyanese of honesty and principleshouldnotwantthisoilcontracttoremaininforce as it is and push their leaders to renegotiate it RenegotiationismorethanaboutthePPP/CGovernmentor thePNCRandAFCOppositioncombined. Renegotiation is about what is good, what is best for all Guyanese. WheneverGuyaneseallowthemselvestobetrickedintothe trapofviewingExxonMobil’s2016oilcontractasaPPP/C orPNCRissuealone,thenalltheydoisengageinthemost shamefulformofcowardlyself-defeat.

TheExxonMobilself-enriching2016oilcontractmustbe renegotiated,regardlessofthesacrificesthatmustbemade ItiseitherthatGuyanesegeartheirmindstothatdemandthat iscalledforortheyresignthemselvestoanother40yearsof slavery Inthenarrowestviewthatisthisgenerationandthe next two (at least) forced to live like donkeys and horses under the saddle of companies like ExxonMobil and Chevron. If the latter succeeds in winning its Hess Corporation buyout battles, it will be the newest ruthless exploiterarrivingheretograbitsownpoundoffleshfrom ouroil.MenlikeMichaelWirthandAlistairRoutledgeand Darren Woods will ride Guyanese to their deaths. Economicstarvationcausedbythiscontractleadstodeath ofthespirit. Theywillthrowsomeoiloats(charitymoney on local projects) to keep naïve Guyanese quiet, even buyoutafewgreedyGuyanesetotheirsidetopeddletheir deceptions,putanicesheentotheircorporateravages.

OnlyrenegotiationoftheExxonMobiloilcontractcanbe whatisfairandrightfortheGuyanesepeople Nothingbut renegotiation of this company monstrosity could suffice to cureGuyanaofwhathasnowrisentothelevelofanational disease Renegotiation! Renegotiation! Renegotiation is what should be in the hearts and on the lips of every Guyanese who fully appreciate the wealth that they have, andwhatistheirrightfulduefromit Theremustbenomore pussyfooting around this issue, or seeing eye to eye with leaderswhoarefearfulofmentioningthewordrenegotiation Theyareforrenegotiationofthecontractwithmindandbody, ortheyarenotfittobeholdinganyofficeinthiscountry If PresidentAliandVicePresidentJagdeocannotmakeuptheir mindsaboutrenegotiation,thenGuyanesemusthelpthemto doso IfOppositionLeadersNortonandRamjattanaretoo timid or hesitant to back renegotiation, all Guyanese must leanonthemandpushtheminthatdirection

Thetradeunionshavetheirroletoplayinrenegotiation, and this has neither government backed, nor opposition backedunions. Allofthemhaveastakeinrenegotiation. If theygenuinelywantmorefortheirmembers,thenafulland fair renegotiation of the oil contract is a must, years past addressing The religious organisations have a responsibilitytotheirflocks,manyofwhomarestruggling to make ends meet, to lend their voices to the cry for renegotiation. Whatcouldbeamorerighteouscausethan renegotiation,sothatthepoorcanfeedthemselves,andthe sickcanlookaftertheirailments. Thoughothersegments inlocalcivilsocietyhavebeensilent,takingacarefulseat out of sight, they also have a part in the fight for renegotiation. This is a national fight that demands a nationalcommitmentfromallGuyanese. Guyanesedoso andtheystandachancetoupturnthevileExxonMobiloil contract. They shrink from doing so, and they condemn themselvestomultigenerationalslavery

LAND ISSUES in Guyana do not only affect Isseneru, but most Indigenous Villages in the country

DEAREDITOR

,

Thanksforprovidingme some space in your daily, to givemycontinuedsupportto our sisters and brothers of Isseneru Village, in their struggles to resolve the land issues that are affecting them.Iwanttocategorically state that LAND ISSUES in Guyana do not only affect Isseneru, but most Indigenous Villages in the country

StabroekNews,editorial ofthe7thJune2024,reflects some the shortcomings of the Government of the day, as was found by the Inter American Commission on Human Rights. The State does indeed have human rights obligations, including related to Indigenous peoples, and these are also entrenched in our Constitution. As a member of the Organisation of American States, it is answerable to the IACHR, which is responsible for investigating human rights violations brought before it, as was the case of Isseneru and Chinese Landing (the

list could be a lot longer if other communities are forced to follow in their footsteps).

In its report, the IACHR referred to ‘Isseneru and o t h e r I n d i g e n o u s Communities’which is very important for other Indigenous Villages and institutions to take note of, understand,andtomakefull use of opportunities that institutions such as the IACHR provide By bringing issues to the IACHR or other similar bodies,IsseneruandtheAPA (orothers)aredoingnothing more than using procedures thattheStatehasagreedthey can use It is hard to understand why the Government has a problem with this, all the more as it apparentlyfailedtoseriously engage with the process in the 11 years, it was at the IACHR. Isseneru and the APA successfully brought the plight of Indigenous peoples in Guyana to light, verifying what many of us –and various authoritative human rights bodies – have

been saying for decades. Well done! Now it is for the Government to honour the rule of law and its i n t e r n a t i o n a l a n d Constitutionalobligationsas they concern Indigenous peoples and to collaborate withIssenerutocomplywith theIACHR’sdecisions.

In the South Rupununi, there are similar situations taking place, especially in the Marudi mining area Complaintshavebeenmade, and I want to recall that the Committee on the

Elimination of Racial D i s c r i m i n a t i o n communicatedwiththeState more than once about this, andatthetimeofwritingthis letter,wehaveheardnothing from the State while the mininghasincreasedonand around our sacred mountains. There was an agreement signed between the Rupununi Miners Association and others, but we, the traditional owners and rights holders, the Indigenous peoples, were not involved or even mentionedintheagreement.

Today, we continue to see huge stone crushing and other heavy-duty machinery being ferried into Marudi, the ancestral and traditional lands of the Wapichan People and one of our most sacred mountains. We were made to understand that the mining activity in Marudi is deemed to be a small-scale activity

But which small-scale miningactuallyinvolvesthe use of such heavy-duty machines, mostly coming from Brazil? Now there is talk that the Mazoa Mountain will be blasted withdynamite.Small-scale? U n d e r w h i c h law/regulations are such activitiesallowedandhowis it permitted that our rights aresimplydisregarded?

The Government has chosen not to require an ESIA because all these activities are falsely called small-scalemining. Can we begin to understand the effects of such activities? Let’s not forgettheplightofoursisters

(Continuedonpage06)

What is clear is that the PNC/R is at a crossroads, its choices are stark and determinative of its very existence and future

DEAREDITOR

,

In the almost seventy years of its existence, the PNC/Rhaselectedonlyfive leaders (Burnham, Hoyte, Corbin, Granger and Norton), three of whom served as presidents of the republic. The four previous leaders either died in office ordidnotseekre-election. It is quite possible that theupcoming22ndBiennial Congress will be the most important in its history as it willdeterminethefirstmajor challenge to an incumbent leader not long in his position but also on the eve of national elections. The intense campaigning, manoeuvring and general interest surrounding this process suggest that the s e r i o u s n e s s a n d consequentiality is not lost on party leaders, members and supporters and this might have contributed to somerancour

Allpoliticalpartieshave suffered reversals from time to time, but widespread demands for changes in

leadership and direction in any organisation, not only political parties, are usually precipitated by catastrophic reversals, serious m a n a g e m e n t a n d organizational failures, and vision/mission lapses or betrayals. Just like natural organisms, social organizations exhibit symptoms of ill health and distress requiring diagnosis and treatment. If ignored, poorly diagnosed and untreated, or mistreated, the symptomsandconditioncan be expected to worsen possibly leading to its demise.Thiscongressoffers the opportunity, and responsibility, for addressingsuchconcerns.

Unfortunately,intheage of alternative facts and cultist devotion to personality and frivolous accomplishments, it is exceedingly difficult to entertain rational discussions and pragmatic assessments of political realityandprospects.Onthe one hand, supporters of the

What is clear is that the PNC/Risatacrossroads,its choices are stark and determinative of its very existence and future. It is a choice between stagnation and growth; exclusion and inclusion; division and unity; weakness and strength; ineptitude and competence; diktat and consensus; defeat and victory; and incumbent and challengers These are consequential, but not undulydifficult,choicesand must be freely litigated and not subjected to procedural irregularities and partisan manipulation as is already beenalleged.Itis

(Continuedonpage06)

incumbentleaderrationalize their devotion to him, and antagonismtoothers,onthe Führerprinzip or leader principle (Nazi Germany’s main contribution to political philosophy), which demands the subordination of all offices, policies and decisions to the personality and will of the leader. They view politics in terms of servingtheneedsofasingle individual, the maximum leader, and definitely not in terms of collective aspirations, organizational goals, or team, and alliance, building. This political vision envisages conflict and blame, not co-operation; separation, subtraction and division, not unity, i n c l u s i v e n e s s , empowerment and growth; isolation, not alliance building While it is probably too simplistic to suggest that this movement represents a deviation from partyorthodoxyinmuchthe same way as the MAGA movement is a deviation from conservative republicanism in the USA but it is just as popular and threatening to democratic values,goodgovernanceand aspirationsforagoodlifefor all On the other hand, challengerstotheincumbent leader advocate for greater inclusiveness, team work and unity, mobilization and collectivepurpose.

PNC & other parties should encourage

DEAREDITOR

,

The PNC will hold its Congress at the end of the monthtochoosealeaderand executives In travelling throughout Guyana conversing with the public, virtually no one expressed confidence in the process to

s e l e c t d e l e g a t e s , nominations, and voting Since the leader and executive will play a most importantroleinnextyear’s general elections, which opinion polls put the PPP ahead, it is critical that the entireprocessrelatingtothe

Congress be beyond reproach. A free and fair electoral process, one that wins the confidence of the public, will serve as a catalyst to bring forces

together Lacking democracy, PNC will remain in opposition for another five years and perhapslonger Since the emergence of political parties, they becameandremainessential institutions for the proper functioning of a democratic society Their absence in any country leads to one party dominance and authoritarian rule as witnessed in communist countries. Multiple parties are critical for democratic functioningofasociety But even when many parties exist, a country can still experience authoritarian rule (or autocracy – strong manpolitics)asexperienced

intra-party democracy

throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. There have existed, including in Guyana, top-down organisationalstructure(not bottom up where people are investedwiththepowerand hold leaders accountable) where power and decision makin

dominance Those who question or critique party leadership face sanctions (called all kinds of names) including expulsion from the party. Guyana is not

breeding patrimonialism (matrimonialism) and even fraud when choosing the executive of a party as experienced repeatedly in Guyana going back to the 1960s.

One person dominance in Guyana and around the region can be avoided if a

s democratically, meaning h

ty democracy(asexistinUSA, UK,amongothers)allowing similar practices that one expects nationally in a democratic society, permitting freedom to critique the leader and the executive, challenging officers for party positions, and participating in all aspects of the party Intrapartydemocracy(especially voting for leadership and executive) is a key element of participatory democracy

and is necessary for the development of a democratic culture in any society Democracy is institutionalizedinpartiesin developed countries like USA, UK, etc. If a party lacksintra-partydemocracy, such as lack of credible elections, the leader and executive will be rebuffed; theywillbecomethebuttof jokes. Andinalllikelihood, the leader or executive will not subscribe to democratic norms if successful in winning government as exemplified in several countriesinAsia,Africaand former communist nations ofEurope.

Democracy in a party shouldbethegoldstandard, the yardstick for national democracy If a party does not allow intra-party democracy and violates the principle of free and fair election, then it should not expect democracy (free and fair elections) nationally Democracy cannot be restricted to national participation and not in the ways parties tend to function Parties are not exemptedfromademocratic culture and practices (free andfairelectionsand (Continuedonpage22)

Bringing education to all Guyanese

DEAREDITOR

Educational reform regarding accessibility and affordability is the key to changing individual Guyanese lives using education as a development tool.

A recent, less than two years, programme launched by the Government of Guyana, the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), allows Guyanese, regardless of geographic region, race, gender, to receive scholarships to pursue certificates, diplomas, undergraduate, and postgraduate degrees through an expanding pool ofpartneringinstitutionsand universities.

As such, Guyana has tackled the major issues of a c c e s s i b i l i t y a n d affordability, bringing educationtoeveryGuyanese household Guyana has many communities in remote parts of the country where accessibility is difficult However, this GOAL programme tackles that issue head-on with technologyandinnovation.

There is an inherently transformative nature of education for many Guyanese participating in theGOALprogram.Indeed, the economic benefits

include higher salaries, better job opportunities, and for some to break the cycle of poverty It leads to enhanced civic engagement across all races of the Guyanese people. This is necessary as Guyana is reaching new heights economically and heading intoamoreinclusivesociety President Irfaan Ali, a strong advocate for educational reform and has been noted for saying that “Education is not merely a means to secure a job; it is the foundation upon which we build our future, foster critical thinking, and cultivatethespiritofinquiry

t drives

etal progress.” His government certainly has pressed forward to bring change to the educational system, impacting every Guyanese acrossthecountry

ForGuyanatosustainits record economic growth, 36 percentprojectedfor2024,it must continue to focus on Guyanese and the skills and knowledge needed for the new economy This means preparing everyone to increase their personal development, hence their literacy, critical thinking, and specialized knowledge inemergingfieldssuchasoil and gas, agriculture,

commerce,technology,etc.

The GOAL objective is to deliver on the personal a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l development of Guyanese by offering 20,000 scholarships by 2025 Recently, the Government announcedthatapprovalhas been granted for 7,782 Guyana OnlineAcademy of L e a r n i n g ( G O A L ) Scholarships and that the successfulapplicantswillbe informed.Thisrepresents39 percent of the goal by 2025. Thisisjustaremarkablefeat given the programme’s

bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

A major feature of the GOALprogrammeaswellis thediversityofprogrammes offeredthroughitsmorethan six partnering institutions, which offer more than 184 undergraduate degrees, 181 master’s degrees, and 109 vocational courses This diversity of academic programme offerings is not only necessary to offer unique educational opportunities to Guyanese butalsocanbedonewithout major investments at the UniversityofGuyana.

Minister Ashni Singh stated,“TheGOALinitiative (Continuedonpage06)

LAND ISSUES in Guyana do not...

Frompage04 and brothers of Chinese Landing I question the credibility of the Rupununi Miners Association. Is it really a Rupununi Miners Association or is it a B r a z i l i a n M i n e r s Association?

AfterreadingtheIACHR report on Isseneru and relating this to related

violations against Indigenous peoples in other parts of Guyana, my own included, especially on the titling of traditional lands, it would be interesting to see wha

c o n c l u s i o n s a n d recommendations on this would be about Marudi. For one thing, the IACHR emphatically stated that our rights to lands are inherent and do not depend on the State for their existence –they are not “State lands”, they are Indigenous lands –and, moreover, as with Isseneru, the State is obligated to respect and promptly regularize our rights whether title has been granted or not and this includes obtaining our consenttominingoperations in our lands, titled or not. I

once again want to publicly state my full support to the people of Isseneru, and to thank them for illuminating the situation here and our rightsforalltosee.

I also agreed with the editorial of Stabroek News that the State needs to rethink its approach to Indigenous peoples’ rights, including by honouring its international obligations, something that is long overdue.

Yourssincerely,

TonyJames,

Aishalton Village, Region9

What is clear is that the PNC/R...

Frompage04

unfathomable that anyone could support suchnegativeandfruitlessorientationsand, perhaps, this is the reason why the field for leaderissolarge.WhileIadmirethemall,it ismyopinionthatRoysdaleForde,withhis consistent and powerful message of reuniting, rebuilding and re-energizing the party, his considerable organizational, team and consensus-building, communication,

strategic and visionary abilities is the most suitable candidate for Party Leader at this time. Delegates, and nominees for office, have a duty to fearlessly represent the interests of the party as a whole. Vote courageously,intelligentlyandpatriotically; elect Roysdale Forde Leader of the PNC/R now

Sincerely OscarDolphin

Bringing education to all Guyanese...

Frompage05 is in keeping with the Government’s commitment to improving the country’s educational and skills trainingcapacitytomatchits aggressive economic diversification program and continued rapid economic growth.” Economists would argue that impressive economic growth cannot be sustained unless there is a skilled and knowledgeable labourpoolavailable.

Online learning, e s p e c i a l l y i n a n asynchronous modality, can be challenging for a student returning or attempting to beginadegree. This is why it is necessary to continue to support the GOAL administrative staff so they can support students Metrics to measure the outcomesofthisprogramme must include direct measures to assess student

learning and application of knowledge in their profession. For economists like me, the most important ingredient in economic development is human d e v e l o p m e n t , t h e entrepreneurial spirit, and theabilitytochangewiththe times.Guyana’seducational reform policy is doing just that!!

Respectfully, Dr. Tilokie Arnold Depoo,Economist

Ceasefire plan is not a haggling exercise

DearEditor

First Hamas submitted a ceasefire plan, butthatwasoutrightrejectedbyIsrael. Now its ally has submitted one, approved by UNSC(noveto)andwhichtoallextentand purposes seem amenable to one side, but Hamas wants changes. So the call is the hagglingmuststop.

A clearly frustrated Secretary, on yet another visit to the Region, seems intent on

securing the deal, at all costs, at least that is the perception, as Israel’s careful posturing suggestsitcouldworkwiththeWHproposal, amidthreatsfromitscoalitionpartners. Stillnodayafterplaninplace. Nodealwillbesigneduntilthehaggling hasoutcomesacceptabletobothsides.Sothe waitcontinuesasdoesthemassacre.

Regards

ShamshunMohamed

Where are the experienced grownups?

DEAREDITOR

, Thetempertantrumsand name calling that recently occurred during the most recent attempt to convene the meeting of the Foreign Relations Committee is testament to the lack of maturity during a time of crisis Where are the experienced grownups who canbetrustedtobringpeace through diplomacy here at homeandabroad?Theuseof inexperiencedindividualsin key roles has resulted in a lack of progress by the Foreign Relations Committee during this critical juncture in our region’s quest to remain a

zone of peace The government and the opposition cannot afford to discard efforts to resolve their differences in order to produce a peaceful resolution to the current crisisintheregion.Warships from Russia are currently in Cuba and will be on their waytoVenezuela.

An attack by Ukraine deep within Russia will easily spark armed conflict

inourregion.Thisappearsto be unimportant to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

a n d I n t e r n a t i o n a l Cooperation. Name calling and a show of selfimportancelostthemoment. This childish display of immaturitydoesnothelpour country have a positive impact in reducing tensions between our historical friends and allies. We must set an example within our country before we can be takenseriouslyontheworld stage. Knowing and doing aretwoverydifferentthings. It is time to place on the sidelines those who do not have the demonstrated capabilities needed in diplomacy We must place those that have the capacity to work well with others in these key roles. Time is of the essence! If we cannot pivot from the lack of progress in this very critical area, Guyana will find itself unprepared for war, or worse, the nation will be divided during it. Making it easierforourenemiestowin via a strategy of divide and

conquer

In addi

n, the committee’s role is unclear toitsmembers.Thiscanonly result in further fueling the discord between its members. According to the Minister,thePresidentisthe person who decides how to proceedandtheMinisterand hisMinistryareonlythereto execute the President’s instructions If the Committee is only for the purpose of relay

e opposition,asimpliedbythe Minister, then it is of little use during this critical period CRG once again callsfortheestablishmentof a National Security Council thatwillprovideguidanceon critical national security matters Discussion and added perspective are needed to inform the decision-making process Maybe at this higher level a maturediscussioncanbehad and national unity achieved prior to the beginning of a warinourregion.

Sincerely, Mr.JamilChanglee

Dr. Jagdeo

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo loves being addressed as Dr. Jagdeo.

He should get himself a quality education first. Put in the effort and the title could follow.

Of course, he has no achievements to recommend him, so he is still lacking.

Since he is so thrilled to be called doctor, he must stop being Exxon's witch doctor. It is degrading.

Quack doctors are a dollar a dozen, and Jagdeo can buy himself a certificate from any Chinese University.

He is fully deserving of one of that kind.

Govt. revokes Mohamed’s

US sanctions Cambio licence

...says move is part of safeguarding financial sector following

Inamovetosafeguardthe country's financial system, Vice President (VP) Bharrat

Jagdeo on Thursday disclosed that the Bank of Guyana (BoG) will be revoking the licence of Confidential Cambio, which isownedbyoneofGuyana's wealthiest families, the Mohameds.

On Tuesday, the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the imposition of sanctions on Nazar Mohamed,hisson,Azruddin Mohamed, and their entities for allege corruption. A section of the U S body statementnotes,“Inaddition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activitieswiththesanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcementaction.”

Shortly after the Vice President made the announcement during his pressconferenceattheOffice of the President, the Central Bank published a notice informing the public of the revocation of the licence of Confidential Cambio located at Lot 29 Lombard Street Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown. It was stated, “in accordance with the Dealers in Foreign Currency (Licensing) Act 1989.As a consequence, the entityisnolongerauthorised to conduct the business of buyingandsellingofforeign currency.”

Jagdeotoldreportersthat since Tuesday, the GovernmentofGuyanamade contactwiththeCentralBank andtheFinancialIntelligence Unit (FIU) and request a report on the implications of

thesanctionsonthecountry's financial system. “So they willpresentacomprehensive report on the implications of the sanctions for our financialsystems,wewantto safeguard our financial system,”hecontinued.

The Vice President explained that the exposure of local banks and other agencies with financial bearings to the Mohamed's could have implications on the local financial system. “We are obligated to do so, under their sanctions which are [to] safeguard the financial sector of Guyana,” he noted. Jagdeo continued, “The Central Bank of Guyana has already notified usthattheyhavenotifiedthe Mohamed's that they will be suspending their cambio licence.”

The Vice President underscored that Central Bank and FIU reports will look at the implications the sanctions will have on the broaderfinancialsystem.He noted that the government alsoaskedotheragenciesthat have engagements with the Mohameds to review all

transactions and also present a report to the government.

“Wedon'twanttoexposeour country to problems because of these sanctions and noncompliance with these sanctions. We don't want to expose government entities to potential sanctions,” the VicePresidentnoted.

Evadinggoldtax

During his press conference, Jagdeo addressed the allegations raised by the OFAC, that the Mohamed'sallegedlyevaded more than US$50 million on taxes on gold imports and exports He assured that those found guilty of breakingthelawwillbeheld accountable. Jagdeo said, “We indicated to the US government that we will be seeking information to aid local investigation and possibly prosecution or the collection of the evaded taxes.”

Jagdeo underscored the government'scommitmentto ensuring that the Mohameds are subject to due process, just like any other citizen.

“We intend to fully investigate this matter We

intend to prosecute those who break the law We will workinfullpartnershipwith theUSgovernment.”

According to the OFAC, the Mohamed's allegedly evaded tax on gold exports and defrauded the Guyanese government of tax revenues byunderdeclaringtheirgold exports to Guyanese authorities. “Between 2019 and 2023, Mohamed's Enterpriseomittedmorethan 10 thousand kilograms of gold from import and export declarations and avoided paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes to the GovernmentofGuyana,”the USTreasuryalleged.

It further alleged that: “Mohamed's Enterprise has bribed customs officials to falsify import and export documents, as well as to facilitate illicit gold shipments Mohamed's Enterprisehadpaidbribesto Guyanese government officials to ensure the undisrupted flow of inbound and outbound personnel that move currency and other items on behalf of Azruddin and Mohamed's Enterprise,” OFACalleged.

IllegalSellingofGold

Moreover, in response to a growing concern over illegal gold trading, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has issuedasternremindertoall stakeholders regarding the lawful sale of gold in the country. Under Sections 6 and 8 of the Guyana Gold Board Act, individuals engaged in gold production, including miners and tributors,aremandatedtosell all gold exclusively to the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) or authorized buyers. These authorized buyers consist of

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

six licensed Gold Dealers sanctioned by the GCB, as well as licensed traders authorized by the GGMC. GGMC emphasised that miners, operators, and tributors must comply with these regulations without exception.

GGB operates offices in key locations such as Georgetown, Port Kaituma, Bartica,andconductsmobile transactions in various mining districts to facilitate lawful gold transactions

Law enforcement agencies are actively pursuing stringent measures to ensure compliance with these regulations. Those found in violation of the law face

criminal prosecution

Furthermore,minerswhoare complicit in illegal gold trading risk severe penalties, including the revocation of their mining tenures and exclusion from the mining sector Miners are urged to abide and operate within the confines of the legal requirements for the sale of gold, and remain vigilant in ensuring that all gold transactions are conducted through official channels

For further guidance or clarification regarding the correctproceduresforselling gold, or to report any suspicious gold trading activities, persons are asked to contact the GGMC or the Ministry of Natural Resources.

F a v o u r a b l e treatment/contracts

OFAC also sanctioned Government official, Mae Thomas who is the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, who has since been sent on leave pending the investigation Thomas has been implicated in the Mohamed's web of corruption. In exchange for cash payments and highvalue gifts, it was stated that Thomas misused her

position, while as PS for the Ministry of Home Affairs to influence the award of official contract bids and the approval processes for weapons' permits and passports on behalf of Mohamed'sEnterprise.

While the department only named and sanctioned Thomas, it was stated that other government officials are complicit for accepting bribes and giving the Mohamed's favourable treatment.“Inreturn,corrupt officials receive cash and gifts for incidents that are overlooked Additionally, Mohamed's Enterprise has paid bribes to corrupt Guyanese government officials to facilitate the award of government contracts,” the OFAC alleged.

Inhisresponseyesterday, Jagdeo explained, “We also looked at the government contracts because that was another issue…it said that they (the Mohamed's) were bribing officials to get contracts.”

He noted that according to information from the National Procurement and TenderAdministrationBoard (NPTAB), the Mohamed's received two government contractssince2020:onefor the Guyana Fire Service Headquarters,andthesecond for one lot at the Lusignan Prison. “Both of them were publictenders,theywerenot selective tenders,” Jagdeo noted. Notably, he explained toothatwhiletheMohamed's was the lowest bidder for three of the lots for the construction of the Lusignan Prison, they were only allocated one lot That project was for some $370 million. Fortheconstruction oftheGFSHeadquarters,the Mohamed's was also the lowest bidder The contract was awarded to the tune of $614million.

Azruddin Mohamed

Nazar Mohamed

ThehypocrisyofU.S.sanctionsandextraterritoriallegislation

The United States ofAmericaUSA) pridesitselfasthe bastion of democracy and the land of the free However, it continues to behave in a manner reminiscent of an imperious imperialpower.

Thisbehaviourisevident in its foreign policies,

particularly in the imposition of sanctions and the use of extraterritorial legislation to pressure and coerce other countries. The

post-9/11

era saw a significantescalationinsuch actions, highlighting the U S ’s propensity to set

global rules, judge adherence, and impose its will on other sovereign nations.

Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the U.S. introduced stringent security protocols aimed at preventing future terrorist attacks These protocols were not confined to its borders but were imposed globally, affecting international airports and airlines Countries worldwide were compelled tocomplywithU.S.-dictated securitymeasuresorfacethe consequenceofbeingbarred fromoperatingflightstoand from the United States. The a v e r a g e t r a v e l l e r experiences the invasive nature of these protocols firsthand. The process often feels akin to being strippedsearched in a police station: belts and shoes must be

removed, pockets emptied, and all jewellery and watches taken off. These measures, ostensibly for security, reflect a deeper issueofU.S.dominanceand the expectation that other nations will conform to its standardswithoutquestion.

The U.S. has a long history of imposing economicsanctionsasatool of foreign policy, particularlyagainstnationsit deemsadversarial.Cubaand Venezuela are prime examples of this approach. The sanctions against these countries are severe, encompassing economic, financial, and travel restrictions aimed at crippling their economies andforcingpoliticalchange.

What exacerbates the s i t u a t i o n i s t h e extraterritorial application of these sanctions. The U.S. not only restricts its own citizensandcompaniesfrom doing business with Cuba and Venezuela but also dictates that foreign entities complywiththesesanctions. ThisoverreachextendsU.S. jurisdiction globally, infringing on the sovereigntyofothernations. Countries and companies that engage in business with Cuba or Venezuela risk facing punitive measures from the U S , a clear violationofinternationallaw andnorms.

The U S extends its heavy-handed tactics to individuals and companies

in other sovereign nations, such as Guyana By imposing sanctions without due process, the U S government bypasses the judicial systems of these countries, unilaterally condemning and penalizing entities through executive orders. This approach is hypocritical, as it starkly contrastswiththeU.S.’sown legal principles of due processandfairtrial.

Recently, individuals and companies have found themselves on the receiving end of U S sanctions, without any formal charges or court proceedings, either here or in the United States. This practice not only undermines the sovereignty of Guyana but also highlights the arbitrary natureofU.S.foreignpolicy

The notion that the U.S. can unilaterally impose its will onforeignnationalswithout anyformoflegalrecourseis a stark reminder of its imperialistictendencies.

Legislation with extraterritorialapplicationis a powerful weapon of imperialoverreach.TheU.S. has enacted numerous laws that extend its jurisdiction beyond its borders, compelling foreign entities to adhere to American laws andregulations.

The Magnitsky Act, for example, aims to hold accountable foreign individuals responsible for human rights abuses and significant corruption. The

DEM BOYS SEH

Catfish outta water!

Dem boys seh when Uncle S a m t a l k , governmentsdoesscramble like a catfish outta water? Well, that is exactly how some of these leaders does behave when dem hear “visa sanctions.” Is like magic—one minute they vex and puff up, and the next,demmeeklikelambs.

R e m e m b e r d e m elections de odder day? People was running round talking all kind of Nancy story But as soon as Uncle Sam open he mouth and mentionvisasanctions,you should ah see de transformation All man Jack get themselves in order.Demboysnearlyfall off dem chairs laughing. Is likesomebodyflipaswitch and all ah dem start behaving.

A n d y u h k n o w Guyanese don’t play when it come to visa. Tek a way dem house, tek a way dem car, but please, na touch dem visa. Dat visa stamp more valuable than gold. Somefolksdoesholdonto demvisatighterthanhowa drowningmandoesholdon toalifeboat. One time, dem boys hear how some people family in America did calling back home during the elections drama. “Doan even think about posting anything on Facebook dat look like you support rigging,” dem family warn. “You gon bring down the wrath of Uncle Sam on all ah we!” And yuh know some ah dem family living illegal up in de States, so dem more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room

Act authorizes the U S government to impose sanctions on foreign individuals and entities identified as being involved in human rights abuses or significant corruption. Sanctions can include visa bans and asset freezes, preventing these individuals from entering the United StatesandaccessingtheU.S. financialsystem.

The Magnitsky Act, however,hasbeencriticized as having the potential to be usedasapoliticaltoolbythe United States to target its adversaries. There are also concerns that individuals andentitiessanctionedunder the Magnitsky Act do not receive adequate due process. Critics claim that

theprocessofbeingaddedto the sanctions list lacks transparency and does not provide sufficient opportunity for the accused to defend themselves. The acquiescence of national leaders to U.S. demands exacerbates the issue. Many countries, particularly those dependentonU.S.economic and military support, often comply with these extraterritorial mandates without protest This compliance undermines their own sovereignty and the rule of law within their borders.In the context of Guyana, leaders who capitulate to U.S. pressures are betraying the principles o

sovereignty that figures like

ForbesBurnhamandCheddi Jagan fought for. These founding leaders of Guyana’s independence would undoubtedly be dismayed to see their nation bending to the will of a f o r e i g n p o w e r , compromising its autonomy andthedignityofitscitizens.

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

fullahrockingchairs. Visa sanctions is like a magic wand. Wave it, and all ah sudden, everybody startwalkingdestraightand narrow path. Yuh ever see suchathing?Demboysseh, if yuh want Guyanese to behave, just whisper the word“visa”andwatchhow quick dem does straighten up Maybe Uncle Sam should lend we dat trick moreoften.Justalilhintof visa troubles, and yuh gon seehowfastpeopledoesget demselfinorder

Dem boys seh, Uncle Sam really know how to keep we in line Visa sanctions is de ultimate behaviour corrector Right now,dehgatsomebigones cancelling dem summer holiday reservations. Dem backsidebiting! Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

H@RD TRUTHS

A dead stop, Guyana is a dead duck

I came to a dead stop: “ExxonMobil bills Guyana $55B for dry holes drilled in 2023” (KN June 07, 2024). Somebody just drilled a hole in my head, and it is not the PPP

I was afraid but had to lookatthatcaptionagain.

It wasn't there, that telltale US in front of the $ sign, thank God for small mercies and a big helping hand to this magical land. Seehow'InGodweTrust'has incomparablevalue? Fellow Guyanese, that $55 billion is a thing of beauty Here is how

Exxon went back to its oldplaybookscompiledover the years, dusted them off, andfoundthechapter

Itisathickonewithmany pages and is titled: “Billing for offshore underwater operations.” ItrequiresNavy SEALS to unlock its secrets, andGuyanadoesn'thaveany, unfortunately

Charge them for dry holes, stick it to them, and what will they know, what can they do? Guyanese are

given one guess as to the identityofthosedescribedas “they.” Evenmypenandmy mindrundry,Imustadmit. It is a nice, sweet racket, for how does one prove a negative?

Thatis,didExxonspend thatmuch,ordidn'tit?

Let me help my local sistersandbrotherswithhow this works. Guyanese have neither earthly idea nor any iota of intelligence about what Exxon is doing out there,anddryholesaregood asanytodropsomebigbills onGuyana.

Think of this: even the gushers (the seven new announcements of oil discoveries) have nothing about how much oil is there. According to Mr Routledge and others, there is an appraisal process in the works, and it could take years. AwholelotofGuyanese would be dead by then. I keep telling fellow citizens: these officers and gentlemen atExxonarethinkingpeople. They just have to take their

time,towhatisthebestway, andhowmuchtheycanshaft poor, innocent, Guyanese. By the time those appraisals are done, the once exciting discoveries may be reported tobedrierthanabaronGood Friday.$55Bgoneoverboard, and this is where that transplanted Southern belle, Ms. Katryn Mickells, the wizard (better make that princess) of profound numericalacumenprovesher worthamongthebigboysof Exxon. CFOMickellsisnot Princess Margaret; she is all business, and her idea of fun andfrivolityisanythingwith adollarsign.

Millions are for the bottom feeders and newcomers, billions are where the bacon is, the returns are. A billion here and a billion there, and one and one adds up to $55B. I justprovedallthosewhosaid that I can't count to be dead wrong Bottom-line: Guyana is a dead duck Switchtodeaddogforthose who are poultry friendly I give preemptive warning:

d o n ' t e x p e c t a n y bacchanalian excitements from any staged audit exercise with sno-cone stuff like Zuma exercises and Yoga classes. If anyone is wondering about the link between bacchanalia and yoga, I urge them to stop thinking about the orgiastic and focus on the spiritual. Come to think of it, the two arerelated.

$55Bfordryholesandall inasingleyear Folks,thatis abillionaweek. Somebody in Texas or Duke Street (not the US Embassy) just hosed downGuyana.

Itwouldbeclosertothe truth to attest that a rubber hose was introduced to the head of Guyanese No wonder that Guyana's oil strongman, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, walks around like a dog that was struck by a truck. Gobbledygook and gibberishare what comes out of his mystified mind, and thatishiscontributiontothe literature of better contract management.

$55Bbuyschemicalsby

the tons, hires ghostships with ghost crews (no work and all play)bythehandful.

This was a fearful 'Dutchmaan country' now it is a total wreck: a jumbie society overflowing with zombies. StartwiththePPP Exxonspends,Guyanasigns off.

Exxon bills by the billions,Guyanabuyspigsin bags and by the barge load. Didn't a battalion of people saythatJagdeoisawiseguy? Well,theywereright. The problem is that Alistair Routledge and Katryn (my name is money) Mickells are infinitely smarter It is called American exceptionalism

To his credit, Jagdeo has gotten with the Exxon programme. He should be Guyana'sgatekeeper Instead, he is fully committed to being Exxon's army ranger, enforcer Mr Routledge can't believe how lucky he is. He traveled all over America and the world pitchingExxon'sstar,thenhe

came to Guyana. And it is heaven, for there is Bharrat Jagdeo,andExxonhasnever had a better partner and plotter, collaborator and guerilla fighter, and public relations officer and companydeliverer

Everything that belongs to Guyana is on a platter What a fine fella, this guy Jagdeo is. The next time he goes to America (ha ha!), there is a medal waiting for him. Itisnottowraparound theneck. Itistobetightened across the wrists. And just forBharratJagdeo,itisgoldplated, paid for by Guyana's oil money That is part of what $55B for dry holes buys.

(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.)

Mae Thomas quits PPP executive after US sanctions

Disgraced former

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Mae Thomas has resigned as a member of the People's Progressive Party Central Committee after she was sanctioned by the United States Government of allegedly taking bribes to facilitate the award of government contracts, passportsandgunlicencesto theMohameds.

General Secretary of the PPP,BharratJagdeomadethe announcement on Thursday during his weekly news conferenceheldattheOffice of the President. Earlier this

week, the Guyana GovernmentsentThomason

leave after the US Government announced sanctionsagainsther Noting that Thomas was a hard worker in the party, Jagdeo toldthenewsconferencethat hewassadthatshehadtogo. He said Thomas maintained her innocence and promised to be available for any investigation.

The US Treasury Department noted in a

statement announcing the sanction against Thomas, said as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs from October 2020 through August 2023 she allegedlyusedherpositionto offer benefits to Mohamed's Enterprise and Azruddin Mohamed among others, in exchange for cash payments

“Thomas misused her position to influence the award of official contract bids and the approval processes for weapons' permits and passports on

b

M

Enterprise A corrupt

Permanent Secretary could manipulate procurement processes to suit their p

y providing inside information at the early stages of evaluation Access to a Permanent Secretary of any Ministry could afford contractors insight into upcoming projects and bid

v

Secretaries can act as the legal authority to sign contracts on behalf of their

ministry,” the US Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control

outlined. OFAC has designated Azruddin and Mohamed's Enterprise for being persons who have

, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, corruption, i

misappropriation of State assets, the expropriation of private assets for personal gain, corruption related to government contracts or the

resources, or bribery, that is conducted by a foreign

person.

As a result of OFAC's action, the statement noted thatallpropertyandinterests inpropertyofthedesignated personsdescribedabovethat are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S.personsareblockedand mustbereportedtoOFAC.

In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or morebyoneormoreblocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regu

ations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons

or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.

In addition, OFAC warned financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activitieswiththesanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action “The prohibitions include the making of any contribution orprovisionoffunds,goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services

from any such person,” the statementsaid.

In its statement, on

(Continuedonpage22)

Mae Thomas

Top US security official on visit to Guyana

U n i t e d S t a t e s Undersecretary for Arms Control & International Security, Ambassador BonnieJenkinsisinGuyana forfourdays.

Ambassador Jenkins' visit Guyana spans June 1215 for continued discussions with partners on issues of multilateral cooperation, includingregionalsecurity On Thursday, she met

with Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret'd), Mark Phillips, who is currently performing the functions of President Ambassador Jenkinswasaccompaniedby

the US Ambassador to Guyana, HE Nicole Theriot; Special Assistant, Mr Michael Cognato; Deputy Chief of Mission, Ms AdrienneGalanekandChief, US Military Liaison Office, Lieutenant Colonel John Oeffinger Prime Minister Phillips officially welcomed Ambassador Jenkins to the country, noting that the Government of Guyana welcomes all interactions with senior officials of the US Government. He also said that the Government looks forward to the continued engagement and

cooperationbetweenthetwo bilateral partners Foreign Secretary, Mr Robert Persaud and Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier OmarKhanalsoparticipated inthediscussions.

Ambassador Jenkins, PhD,hasservedastheUnder Secretary of State for Arms Control and International SecuritysinceJuly22,2021. As Under Secretary, she oversees three bureaus: the Arms Control, Deterrence and Stability Bureau; the International Security and Nonproliferation Bureau (Continuedonpage22)

Prime Minister, Mark Phillips accompanied by other senior government officials met with United States Undersecretary for Arms Control & International Security, Ambassador Bonnie Jenkins (second from right). Also in photo is US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot.

...SherodDuncan,Pattersonalsointherunning Nigel Hughes nominated to lead AFC

Former Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes is among several contenders for the leaderofthatpartyfollowing its Nomination Day exercise onWednesday Hughes a prominent attorney-at-law had walked away from the AFC back in 2016, but in recent times, he has been seen at outreaches held by the party AFC insiders said that although Sherod Duncan and David Patterson have also received nominations for the post for leader, Hughes is seen as the likely frontrunner Duncan led the nominations with 15 groups selecting him, while Hughes and Patterson receivedtwoeach.

Only recently, Hughes saidGuyanaisheadingdown aroadtochaos,givenitslack

of planning and capacity building-asituationthatwill not only lead to a permanent class of poor citizens, but alsoanincreaseinexpatriate labour along with its concomitant effect. Hughes pointed out that Guyana has “justfinishedfiveyearsofoil production,ifyoulookatthe amountofoilrevenueandthe demands on the system that will be made in the next five years as those next developments in the oil industry come on-stream, there is no way Guyana is goingtobeabletosatisfythat demand.”Hewasatthetime speaking at an online forum. He adumbrated further, “… wehavenotbeguntodemand of our government what is their plan as to how they are going to be dealing with this revenue throughout the

economy, we going to be in chaos;wearegoingtobelike a kid in a candy shop with moremoneyandwegoingto dieofdiabetes.”

This he said, since at present “…there is no plan whatsoeverastohowweare going to manage the economy across the board; we don't have the capacity; do you understand what it is like to pour money into a system with revenues from oil where you don't have the capacity ” According to Hughes, it means that the whole country will be faced withthefactthattherewillbe more foreign labour than local labour in Guyana over the next five years and as such, the country will then have to deal with the consequences of that; “because when the foreign

labour comes and makes children etcetera, etcetera, what you think is Guyana today will not be recognizable.”

Adamanthispositionwas not “anti-progress”, Hughes said, “I am saying, we are doingzeroplanning;noneof us and we can't handle what we dealing with now, we havenoplanfordevelopment astohowmuchofthismoney we are investing to protect ourselves, how much of this money we putting into infrastructure, how much of this money we putting into education and how it is that we are protecting our investment;that'slongbefore youcometoleveragingmore out of oil from the big producers, so we have some realmajorissuescomingup.”

According to Hughes, “the most important and most fundamental aspect that will determinewhatkindoffuture wehaveiseducation,soletus agree on the best education model that will deliver the bestqualityeducationacross the board which includes making sure that those people who are not economically fortunate are given the means so they can actuallylearn.”

Meanwhile, for the position of chairman, Duncan, Cathy Hughes, Patterson and Juretha Fernandes were nominated. For the position of Vice

Chairman, Cathy Hughes, Arnold Sukraj, Haimraj Rajkumar, Patterson, Dereck Basdeo, Mark Goring and Michael Carrington. For the position of General Secretary,RickyRamsaroop, Dereck Basdeo, Raphael Trotman and Cathy Hughes werenominated.

For his part in accepting the nomination for party leader,Duncansaid:“Iwould liketothanktheAllianceFor Change members from the bottom of my heart for the honour of being considered for the position to lead the Alliance For Change (AFC) whichremainsGuyana'sonly credible party of change.”

Duncan said before he accepts the nomination, “I must let you know that it is withadeepsenseofhumility, Iacceptthemagnitudeofthe momentandimportantlytoo, the responsibility that goes with it, and I seek your continued help and your continuedguidance.

My deepest appreciation goes to all the party groups fornominatingmeandIshall forever remain grateful for the recognition that I have received. I hereby give thankstoGodwithwhomall things are possible and express heartfelt thanks to family and friends who continuetogivemestrength.

Allow me to state categorically that although this nomination is pertinent

to me, it is and will always remain as a result of dedicated teamwork, involving hardworking members of theAlliance For Change with whom I have hadthepleasuretoservewith overtheyears.

Without their input, I wouldnotbestandingonthis greatmoment.”

Duncan said being born in Linden and growing up in the shadow of slums and ghettoesinthecity,ascrappy kid, “I could not have possiblyimaginedtooneday be standing with my comradesofagreatpartyfor consideration of this high office, let alone to be privilegedtobenominatedin such noble company Everyone has been nominated, deserves to be here and it is my distinct honour to be mentioned here withthem.”

Duncanadded:“Friends, as you know, it is never an easy task to contest political office. To do so effectively, you need all the support at your disposal. For this reason, I have taken your nomination to my highest decision-making forum, my family. Your special nominationhasproceededto that forum and what has emerged from there, is my decision I accept your nomination ” The conference is slated for June 29.

From L-R, Attorney-at-law, Nigel Hughes; Sherod Duncan and David Patterson

Temporary Pirara Bridge to be opened to light traffic on Saturday

– Min. Public Works

The temporary Pirara Bridge, located along the KurupkaritoLethemcorridor, RegionNineshouldbeopento light vehicular traffic on Saturday, the Ministry of PublicWorkshasannounced.

Inastatementissuedonits Facebook page on Thursday, the ministry said that motorists are to avoid using the bridge until further notice as construction of the temporarybridgeisongoing.

The ministry said that it has implemented temporary solutions, including the ongoing construction of a timber deck to facilitate light traffic, to alleviate the challenges posed by the destroyedbridge.

The bridge was inundated following recent floods in the Rupununi has caused significant traffic disruptions due to the flooded bridge and theinundatedbypassroad.

“We understand the inconveniencethishascaused to road users along this corridor and are diligently working to resolve the situation,” the Ministry said noting that “In response, the RDChasprovidedimmediate support with two boats to shuttle passengers between locations.”

The ministry said that efforts are underway to expedite the bridge's completion and restore normaltrafficflowassoonas possible.

“Waters have recently started to recede, allowing lighttraffictoresumecrossing along the ByPass Bridge. We urge drivers of light vehicles to exercise extreme caution when crossing,” the ministry said noting that under no circumstance should heavy vehicles attempt to cross the ByPassBridge.

GUYOIL's General Manager, Molly Hassan and Republic Bank Guyana Ltd.'s Marketing & Communications Manager, Jonelle Dummett

GUYOIL in partnership with Republic Bank Guyana introduces cashless transactions

for fuel purchase

TheGuyanaOilCompany (GUYOIL) on Thursday

l a u n c h e d c a s h l e s s transactions for petroleum products at several of its service stations across Georgetown The oil company'sintroductionofthis payment option represents a landmark moment in its ongoing modernization efforts. Customers will now be able to use their personal bankcardstopurchasefuel.

T

s a partnership with Republic Bank Guyana Ltd., whose point-of-sale (POS) service willfacilitatethetransactions;

however, its aim is to provide theoptionofcashlesspayment to all customers regardless of their chosen banking institution.Assuch,anycredit or debit Mastercard or VISA card is eligible for use at GUYOIL's Providence, Sheriff and Regent Street locations to purchase all fuel products, including gasoline, diesel,andkerosene. This development comes almost a year after GUYOIL introduced Mobile Money Guyana(MMG)asapayment option in 2023 at all of their service stations. Speaking at (Continuedonpage22)

The Pirara Bridge currently under construction (Ministry of Public Works)

Child father confesses to beheading woman

Investigators have informed Kaieteur News thatPauletteEdward'schildfatherSilas France will likely be charged with murder afterhereportedlyconfessedtobeheadingher at Port Kaituma, NorthWest District, Region One.

Some sources even said that the investigators have already obtained legal advice to charge him According to information reaching Kaieteur News, Edwards' child father on Wednesday reportedlytoldinvestigatorsthathekilledher because she caused the police to frequently lock him up and always walks around drunk withtheirdaughter

He reportedly said too that he tossed the weaponheusedtochopoffherheadinthePort KaitumaRiver

Kaieteur News learnt that detectives are presently trying to recover that weapon from

theriver

Edwards was last seen alive on June 4, 2024. Persons recalled that the child father was last seen withher

They claimed that he was beating her and then lefttheareawhereshewaslastseenalive.

Three days later on Friday June 7 her nude, headlessanddecomposingbodywasfoundamonga clumpofbushesinaswampedareainthevicinityof CatWalk,PortKaituma.

Police located the corpse's head the following dayandaftertheywereabletoconfirmheridentity, they identified the child father as a person of interest.

Reports are that he surrendered himself on Monday at the Baramita Police Station Investigators in Region One explained that the policeaswellastheGuyanaDefenceForceandthe CommunityPolicinggroupwereonthelookoutfor thesuspectandcheckedanumberofplaces.

Murder accused Silas France and Paulette Edwards in happier times

The prohibited phone and accessories that were retrieved at the Lusignan Prison

Man who attempted to smuggle phone and charger into Lusignan Prison fined $70k

A 56-year-old man of Riverview, Ruimveldt was fined $70,000 on Thursday when he appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Vigilance Magistrates' Court to answer a charge of supplying a prohibitedarticletoaprisoner

The accused, Linden Benjamin, was arrested on June 10 at the Lusignan Prison, East Coast Demerara (ECD), after attempting to deliver a phone, a corresponding charger,andapairofearphonestoan inmate.

Benjaminpleadedguilty Magistrate Azore ordered Benjamin to pay a $70,000 fine or be sentencedtotwomonthsinprison.

Linden Benjamin

Govt. to move for US$66M supplementary for GPL before recess

The Government of Guyana will be moving to parliament before the recess to have a supplementary of US$66M approved for the Guyana Power and Light (GPL)tobeabletosubsidize e

disclosed on Thursday by Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo at his weekly press conferenceheldattheOffice ofthePresident.TheVPsaid that on Wednesday, he was

informed that there is a need forUS$66MaswhattheGPL budgetedfordidnotcaterfor thefuelpriceincreases.“But we are not increasing the priceofelectricityinanother country, they would have

increased the price of electricity So that means before the end of the year, we'll go to Parliament for a supplementary of US$66M for just subsidizing electricity,”headded.

- Jagdeo

The VP boasted that the governmenthasabsorbedthe price increases that should have come from electricity since the price of fuel has goneup.“Sothepriceoffuel wentupfrom$70dollarsthat we were budgeting; now, we are paying one $105 maybe $110 per barrel. We have to go to the parliament for the recess because of just fuel prices.”

M e a n w h i l e , t h e Department of Public Information reported that with the powership supplying 36 megawatts of electricitytothenationalgrid and the Gas-to-Energy projectsettocomeonstream i n 2 0 2 5 , a d d

megawatts of energy, the government is keen on ensuring that the national gridisfortifiedtomanagethe surge of electricity that will be utilised to meet the heightened demand. The vice president said, “We have to look at the existing system[toensure]thatwith allthatnewpowernow,we have grid stability to transmit and distribute the power.” At a recent press confe

ence, Jagd

looking to acquire an additional 30 megawatts of

t generationefforts.

However, he explained thatwhilethisplanisstillon the cards, the government is placing focus on ensuring that the existing system is

s additional power To this effect,theGuyanaPowerand Light (GPL) has extended tenders for works totalling approximately $200 million to upgrade the grid. This is expected to promote a more stable distribution system. “Even if you have more power,if,inyourarea,they don't have adequate transformers, etc., you would have blackouts in these areas. So, they are doing that, and now we have to transmit large amounts of power to Berbice…and we are now looking at taking a new transmission main up to B e r b i c e , ” J a g d e o explained.

Hefurtheradded,“If (Continuedonpage22)

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony surrounded by representatives of his ministry and PAHO/WHO during the launched the new guidelines and strategy to eliminate Hepatitis C in Guyana.

Govt.launchesnewstrategyto eliminateHepatitisCinGuyana

With the goal of eliminating Hepatitis C in Guyana, the Ministry of Health, through the National AIDSProgrammeSecretariat (NAPS) on Wednesday launched the National Hepatitis Guidelines and LaboratoryStrategy Hepatitis C, according to t h e Wo r l d H e a l t h Organization (WHO) is an inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis C virus. The virus can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis, ranging in severity from a mild illness to a serious, lifelong illness including liver cirrhosis and cancer.

According to a release from the Ministry of Health, the new documents were developed in collaboration

with the Pan American Health Organisation and the World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) and will enableGuyana to implement comprehensive screening, prevention, and treatment protocols to effectively combatHepatitisC. As it relates to the Laboratory Strategy, this is geared towards creating a

laboratorysystem in Guyana that supports timely and quality healthcare services, ultimately leading to a healthier and more resilient nation.Theministryreported that the Hepatitis C Guidelines were developed throughcollaborationamong healthcare professionals and stakeholders to address

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in Guyana using the latest evidenceandbestpractices. These guidelines, the ministry said, ensures equal access to high-quality, patient-centred care for all Guyanese, while the Laboratory Strategy emphasises the role of medical laboratories in disease detection and management, advocating for investment in infrastructure, technology, and human resources It promotes innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity in ensuring comprehensivecareforevery individual, the Ministry mentioned.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony during his remarks at the launch said that with adequate

laboratories across the country, this new strategy will aid in capturing the standards needed at different levels.

“We have our National Public Health Reference Laboratory and we have laboratories at each of our regional hospitals. Further down the chain, we have differenttypesoflaboratories performingvarioustasks.We felt it was important to standardise our work at different levels. If we don't, different regions might expand their capabilities independently, complicating theprocess,”heexplained.

The minister further noted that the strategy will aid in building capacity so that labs will be able to perform various tasks in the f

The National Hepatitis Guidelines and Laboratory Strategy document which was launched on Wednesday through the Ministry of Health.

sequencing. “One area we believe will be v

y important is developing the

sequencing.

We've started this at the lab through collaboration with Harvard University.

We're now using what we've learnt from malaria research and applying it to other diseases, and there are additional areas we want to develop,”hestated.

SpeakingontheHepatitis Guidelines, Dr Anthony revealed that before treating patients for Hepatitis C, the

Ministry had only been diagnosing and educating thosewhotestedpositive.He added that with PAHO's funding, the Ministry is now able to treat patients. Additionally, he said over 150 patients have been enrolled for treatment, and many have been treated and cured.

Alsopresentattheevent w a s P A H O / W H O Representative to Guyana, Daniel Albrecht who reaffirmed PAHO/WHO's commitment to providing equal support throughout Guyana.

Unit of Allied Arts Hosts Music Content and Methodology Workshop

The Unit of Allied Arts (UAA) successfully hosted its Music Content and Methodology Workshop on Thursday at the National RacquetCentre.

The event served as a gathering point for music educators, enthusiasts, and professionals,fosteringaday of enriching discussions, interactive sessions, and collaborative learning, UAA saidinapressrelease.

Led by experts in the field, the workshop provided participants with invaluable insightsintovariousfacetsof music content and methodology, empowering themwithpracticalstrategies to elevate their teaching practices Topics covered includedeffectivecurriculum development, innovative

teaching techniques, assessment and evaluation

methodologies, integration of music across disciplines, andconsiderationsofcultural diversity

Nicholas Fraser, Head of the Unit of Allied Arts, highlighted the Unit's ongoing efforts to expand music programmes across Guyana, currently spanning 18schools. He also shared plans for the upcoming steel pan festival called 'Amity,' scheduled for late June, which aims to showcase students' skills acquired through the instrument

Additionally, Fraser m e n t i o n e d t h e implementation of a steelband programme and upcoming initiatives such as steel-band camps and collaborations with UNESCO through Kross KolorRecords.

Fraser also discussed ongoingdiscussionswiththe Peace Corps to supply Guyana with volunteers dedicated to teaching music, illustrating the Unit's commitment to enhancing music education nationwide.

Ms Saudia Kadir, S u p er in ten

ExaminationsattheMinistry ofEducation,emphasizedthe im

sic education and expressed hope that participation in music examinations, such as CSEC, would increase followingtheworkshop.She underscoredtheroleofmusic in fostering creativity and analyticalskills,highlighting the practical knowledge gained through the CSEC syllabus.

Also present was Music Coordinator at the Cyril Potter College of Education

Participants at the music workshop

CPC

commended the present t

commitment to bettering their delivery of musical education to their students. Attendees were immersed in hands-on activities, group discussions, and networking opportunities, fostering a

vibrant community of music educators committed to excellence.

Looking ahead, the Unit of Allied Arts is already planning future events and in

aime

advancing excellence in arts education across Guyana Thisisinaccordancewiththe Ministry'sthrusttomakesure

every child exits high school with exposure to sport, at leastonemusicalinstrument, one foreign language, one TVET subject, and a strong senseofvolunteerism.

The Unit of Allied Arts remains steadfast in its mission to promote expressive arts throughout Guyana.

FirstLadycallsforgreatersupport forpersonswithdisabilities

First Lady,AryaAli, has called for greater financial assistance for persons living with disabilities (PWDs) in developingcountries.

Shemadethepleaduring the 17th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, at the United Nations Headquarters in NewYork,USA,onTuesday.

TheFirstLadystatedthat in a truly inclusive and sustainable world, persons with disabilities must be empoweredtolivealifewith dignityandrespect.

She highlighted the initiatives and legislations the Guyana government has put in place for persons with disabilityinthecountry

“Guyana enacted disabilities legislation and adopted a multifaceted approach to ensure persons with disabilities enjoy equal treatments focusing on e d u c a t i o n a n d empowerment,” the First Lady noted. Persons living with disabilities, including children, are eligible for receiving multi-financial funds from the government throughout their lives

The First Lady had the profound honour of meeting Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ms. Amina Jane Mohammed on the sidelines of the 17th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, being held at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Mobility assistance is also providedfreeofcost

The government is p

supportforchildren,through the widespread training of teachers.

One such way is an initiative to establish a business centre that would a d

independence and economic empowerment for this vulnerable group. Emphasis

is also placed on enhancing digital connectivity and using technology to provide learning opportunities for personswithdisabilities.

The First Lady stressed the importance of financial resources being a major challenge for developing

technological capacities remain barriers in small economies.(DPI)

Govt.’s remains committed to eliminating Child Labour

The government is keen

developing national policies to eliminate child labour in a

Effortsarebeingmadeto train more officers from the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the MinistryofLabourtoengage more meaningfully with families and children in c o m m u n i t i e s

This is according to Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, as she addressedthegatheringatthe culmination of the Ministry of Labour's annual child labourawarenesswalk,atthe ministry's headquarters, Brickdam, Georgetown, on W e d n e s d a y “ W e b e g a n a conversationlookingatthe merits of having a conference focusing on childlabouramongthekey stakeholderssothatwecan

work towards further removal of this scourge,”

Minister Persaud stated

Childlabourisdefinedas work that denies children their childhood, potential, and dignity, and harmfully affects their physical and mental dev

nt

Dr Persaud stressed that child labour must not be confused with doing chores.

Shesaidalsothateverychild should understand the meaning of child labour and how it can rob them of their fullest potential and rights.

Meanwhile, Chief Labour Officer, Dhaneshwar Deonarine added that the national action plan for the eliminationofchildlabouris a clear indication of the ministry's commitment to end child labour He explainedthatGuyana'slaws and regulations concerning child labour are sufficient.

Guyana has also ratified key International Labour O

including the MinimumAge Convention, and the Worst Forms of Child Labour

Theministryissettohost a series of activities this month to raise awareness on this global problem which

Labour officers will be visiting a minimum of 40

countrywide to interact with students on the effects of child labour Additionally, awareness walks will be hosted in Regions One and Four, and an art competition for children between eight to16 years old will be held. Thisyear,WorldDayAgainst Child Labour is themed, '

commitments: End Child L

' ( D P I )

Jagdeo maintains full audit report online - despite auditors say some 40 pages missing

Vice President (VP) Bharrat

J a g d e o i s maintaining that the full report for the second audit conducted by local consortiumVHEConsulting was published online, despite auditors said that around 40 pages of the original document are missing.

On Thursday, at his weekly press conference held at Office of the President, theVPwas asked by this publication, “given the fact that the auditors in the local consortium have confirmed with the Kaieteur News that the audit report they handed over was 170 pages but the one published online is 135, are you still maintaining that the full reportwaspublished?”

Jagdeo in response asked, “which, auditor confirmed that? When you can confirm the auditor that confirmed… who told you this then I’ll answer that question.”

Thereporterthenasked, “Soyouarestickingwiththe notion that the full audit report is online?” The VP

then explained that, “The auditorssaidtome…Iasked the Ministry of Natural Resources, did you put up the whole report that you received from the auditors? They said to me, yes we uploadedthefullreport.”He then explained that he was informed that the

management report was a separate document and the auditors advised that it be kept out of Exxon’s eyes.

“They said the management report is separate, we got a letter from the auditors, we weretoldbytheauditorsand then we got a letter to confirm it Ensure that ExxonMobil does not see it. That’sit.Sotheytoldmeand I believed them more than the Kaieteur News so if you can’tidentifythepersonwho told you that I’m not responding to it. Let’s move on.”

This publication previously reported that the auditors that were integrally involvedinthereviewofthe US$7.3B expenses incurred by U S oil major, ExxonMobil, between the period 2018 and 2020 have denied that the full report

prepared by the team has beenpublishedonline.VHE Consulting, a partnership between Ramdihal & Haynes Inc; Eclisar Financial; and Vitality Accounting & Consultancy Inc. was recruited by the GovernmentofGuyanaback in May 2022 to conduct a

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

cost recovery audit of the company The local consortium was supported by International firmMartindale Consultants

Sources close to the process e x p l a i n e d t h a t approximately 40 pages of the audit report have not been included in the

document that was made public by the government.

The source told Kaieteur News, “The audit team submitted a detailed report ofapproximately170pages, includingamanager’sreport to the Ministry ” The document available online however consists of 135 pages.

Opposition Advisor and Economist, Elson

Lowe has raised concerns over the issue. Lowe also

c a l l e d o u t t h e government’s behaviour saying it is a red flag for the nation and that such actions should be considered a criminal offence.

He further questioned what were the expenses Guyana’s leaders did not want the public to see?

L o w e s a i d t h a t , “Government’s decision to hide dozens of pages of Guyana’s second oil audit is both shocking and extremelysuspicious

What are the expenses that they do not want the Guyanese people to see?

This is a continuation of the government’s policy of

extreme secrecy when it comes to Guyana’s oil industry.” Lowe reiterated that it should be a criminal offence to not audit the expenses of incurred offshore from the offshore oil operations which government seems reluctant to do but it should also be considered an offence to hide the results of audits fromtheGuyanesecitizens.

“There should be a set process and timeline for the completion and release of audits.

Given the huge sums involved, this issue must bear the highest degree of t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability,” he added. The economist highlighted that this was one of the numerousissueshighlighted bytheauditthatgovernment maybehiding.

Reiterating the call for local capacity building and for international experts to be hired as well, to ensure that Guyana receives the highest quality of audits in the future, Lowe said that, “we demand that the full second audit be released immediately.”

CDB launches pioneering fire service project in St Lucia

T h e C a r i b b e a n

Development Bank (CDB/the Bank) launched

the “Enhancing the Resilience of the Saint LuciaFireService”project, marking a significant milestone in bolstering community safety and

emergency response capabilities across Saint Lucia.

The innovative project aims to improve the efficiencyandeffectiveness of the Saint Lucia Fire

Service (SLFS) and enhance the wellbeing and safetyofcitizens.

At the official launch event,Mrs.ThereseTurnerJones, CDB’s Vice President,Operations(Ag.), deliveredakeynoteaddress emphasising the critical importanceofthisinitiative.

“This project is not only

about investing in

infrastructurebutalsoabout our commitment to protecting lives, property, the environment, and the overall wellbeing of citizens,” said TurnerJones.“Efficientemergency

response and crisis management are critical to resilience-building and nationaldevelopment.”

The project aligns with the Government of Saint L u c i a ’ s b r o a d e r development objectives to maintain a safe and secure

Saint Lucia, with aspirations to improve emergencyresponse,reduce roadaccidents,andenhance community welfare and disasterriskreduction.

The Honourable Jeremiah Norbert, Minister in the Office of the Prime

M i n i s t e r w i t h

Responsibility for Crime Prevention and Persons with Disabilities, and Dr

Elizabeth Bailey, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Crime Prevention and PersonswithDisabilities, were among the guests atthelaunch.

The project received high praise for its potential to transform emergency responseinSaintLucia.

The initiative will address critical capacity needswithintheSaintLucia Fire Service, including the provision of modern resources and equipment, supported by an Operations Manual to enhance the efficiency of firefighters’ responses to various emergencies. A 2023 Fire Service

Fleet Assessment highlighted the urgent need for upgrades to address issues such as ageing infrastructure, deficient equipment, and inadequate

trainingfacilities.

In addition to physical upgrades, the project will e n h a n c e t r a i n i n g p r o g r a m m e s T h e renovation and redesign of the Vieux Fort Training Facilitywillincreaseaccess to quality firefighting training and enable the provision of Caribbean Vocational Qualifications certified training for emergency and protective services personnel, both locallyandregionally

Mental health and psychosocial support for fire officers is another crucial component of the project “Only motivated officers who experience good psychological and mental health will work productively and yield positive results,” noted Turner-Jones.Tothisend,a mentalhealthand psychosocial support

programme will be introduced to address the impacts of responding to traumaticevents.

The Project also includes the development and implementation of a Gender Policy and Action Plan.

This will enhance the gender-responsiveness of h u m a n r e s o u r c e management within the Department of Home Affairs,asindicatedinSaint Lucia’s Draft National GenderPolicy,andimprove alignmentwith21stcentury good human resource developmentpractice.

Mr Ditney Downes, Chief Fire Off

The project also includesthedevelopmentof a Maintenance Plan, and a Sustainability Management Plan to modernise SLFS operations Improvements to the IT infrastructure will enable data-driven decision-making, further enhancingthesustainability ofsectoroutcomes.

As the project moves forward, CDB will provide additional platforms for hands-oncollaborationwith the Project Implementation T e a m a n d o t h e r stakeholders to ensure the seamlessimplementationof the project, reinforcing the Bank’s commitment to building resilient communities across the Caribbean.

cer, expressed his enthusiasm fortheproject,stating,“The enhancements made possible by this initiative will significantly improve our response capabilities and overall effectiveness. We are grateful to CDB for their support in making Saint Lucia safer and more resilient.”

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GUYOIL in partnership with Republic Bank...

Fom page 15 the launch on Thursday, GUYOIL’s General Manager Molly Hassan emphasized both the convenience the initiative provides for customers and the precedent it sets in the industry. “Today’s launch affords GUYOIL’s customers

to pay for fuel at the convenience of sitting in their vehicles by just swiping their VISA or Mastercard using the portable handheld system provided by our pump attendants. This advancement marks a significant step in modernizing payment sys-

tems in the fuel industry raising the bar on service standards,” Hassan said.

Additionally, Republic Bank Guyana Ltd.’s Marketing & Communications Manager Jonelle Dummett, affirmed the bank’s commitment to its customers and the partnership. “This strategic move aims to provide our customers with greater convenience and they can now purchase fuel using their Republic VISA OneCard or any other VISA card whether local or international with ease and security,” she said.

Govt. to move for US$66M supplementary for GPL before...

From page 18 we can integrate the 30 megawatts…we could have brought in the bigger powership, which is nearly 80 megawatts of power, and connect it here at Kingston, but the lines can’t transmit it, so we had to take it to Berbice and hook it there, and then bring back the power to Demerara.”

He added that a $5 million contract has been awarded for upgrades to transmission

lines from Kingston to Sophia. According to the Vice President, once these works are completed, the government will look to bring additional power to these substations. For Linden, the government is contemplating eventually placing a transmission main there to power the Soesdyke/Linden highway area. With reference to the gas-to-energy project, the vice president added, “We are exploring using some of the

gas to move turbines into Bartica, Essequibo Coast, Lethem and Linden.” The vice president emphasised that the government is still examining the technical feasibility of this move.

In April, the government, through GPL, signed a multimillion-dollar contract with Urbacon Concessions Investments, W.L.L (UCI), a subsidiary of UCC Holdings in Qatar, in collaboration with Karpowership International to rent the ship for two years. The floating power plant arrived in Georgetown in May and was docked at Everton, East Bank Berbice in Region Six, and eventually connected to the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).

The government procured the energy vessel to bring relief to citizens since there has been an increase in electricity demand, which led to shortfalls and constant power outages across the country.

PNC & other parties should encourage...

From page 05 participation in all processes, activities, organs and its overall functioning). All political parties must incorporate democratic ideals in their functioning.

Intra-party democracy is great for its effectiveness — increase participation, end stagnation, help the party to regain legitimacy especially given what happened in 2020, improve internal functioning, and enhance electability.

The PNC and indeed all

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parties should have an independent election commission charged with overseeing and administering democratic internal party Congress.

Questions and commentaries (supported by solid evidence) should not swirl as happened in Congresses post Desmond Hoyte. Fraud will undermine

the leader and the party. Worse, it will mash up the party, leading to permanent factionalism and even splits that result in formation of new parties. Disaffection will grow and the party will lose members and supporters.

Intra-party democratic election is a desirable ideal for PNC and by extension other

parties as it leads to party effectiveness, electoral success and strengthening of democratic culture.

If there is integrity in the process, voters will have faith in that party.

When the PNC concludes its elections on June 29, it must be beyond reproach.

Yours sincerely, Vishnu Bisram

Mae Thomas quits PPP executive after US...

From page 12 Wednesday, the Government of Guyana said that it has taken careful note of a press release issued by the United States Department of the Treasury, which informed of three Guyanese nationals and entities as being sanctioned by the Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Based on the information referenced in the press release, the Government said that

Ministry of Finance and relevant statutory agencies including the Guyana Revenue Authority will be requesting additional information on the matters highlighted, with a view to aiding local law enforcement agencies.

The Government of Guyana said it takes very seriously the claims contained in the press release and will continue to engage relevant United States entities on these mat-

ters. In the meantime, it said the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Ms. Mae Thomas has been sent on leave with immediate effect.

‘The Government of Guyana will continue to work with the United States government on all matters of mutual interest, including the respect for the rule of law and order,” the Government said in its statement.

Top US security official on visit to

Guyana...

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From page 13 (ISN); and the Political-Military Affairs Bureau. In addition, as of May 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken named Under Secretary Jenkins as the senior official to lead the Department’s efforts on AUKUS implementation.

Jenkins has the honor of being the first African American to serve as an Under Secretary of State. Jenkins previ-

ously served in the Obama Administration as Special Envoy and Coordinator for Threat Reduction Programs in the ISN bureau from July 2009 until January 2017. In that role, Ambassador Jenkins coordinated U.S. government efforts on threat reduction programs alongside international programs that prevent non-State actors with intent to do harm from acquiring chemical precur-

sors, biological pathogens, nuclear material, and radiological sources to develop Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). She was also the State Department’s lead for all four of the Nuclear Security Summits held from 2010 to 2016, as well as the U.S. Representative to the G7 Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction.

9 out 13 contractors bid below engineer’s estimate to construct Tabatinga Secondary

N i n e o f t h e 1 3

contractors who submitted bids for the construction of the secondary school for Tabatinga in Region Nine, havetenderedlowerthanthe government engineer’s estimateof$198million. The project is being undertaken by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development and was opened recently at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board(NPTBA)office.

Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids:

MinistryofLocalGovernment andRegionalDevelopment

ConstructionofTabatingaSecondarySchool, Tabatinga,CentralRupununi,RegionNine.

ConstructionofChrikindnauPrimarySchool, DeepSouthRupununi,RegionNine.

GuyanaSugarCorporation

Supplyanddeliveryofseamlessstraightboiler tubeforAlbion,RoseHallandBlairmountEstates.

According to the information released from the opening, the nine contractors bid between $175 million and $196 million, while the four highest bidders bid between $213 million and $238 million for the project. As reported previously, the TabatingaSecondarySchool isoneoffournewsecondary schools the government intendstobuildintheUpper Takatu-Upper Essequibo region this year It was also

Constructionofanewtwo-storied dormitoryatMaruranauVillage,RegionNine.

ExtensionofWayalayengPrimarySchool.

Supplyanddeliveryoftopbottom halfsiderollbronzebearing.

secondary schools will ease the overcrowding at St Ignatius, while closing the primary tops in the other communities to provide

opportunity to have better accesstolearning.

Inadditiontothatschool, the ministry intends to constructprimaryschoolsat Chrikindnau, Cracrana and Meriwauvillages,alllocated inRegionNine.

ConstructionofCracranaPrimarySchool, SouthPakaraimas,Rupununi,RegionNine.

ConstructionofMeriwauPrimary School,DeepSouthRupununi.

OfficeofthePrimeMinister

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Supplyanddeliveryofmaterialsrequiredto rebottomcanetransportpuntatAlbion.

OPEC Slams IEA for “Dangerous” Forecast of Peak Oil Demand by 2030

(OILPRICE.COM)

Peakoildemandisnotonthe horizon, OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais said on Thursday, blasting the International Energy Agency’s prediction that global oil demand will peak before2030.

Some net-zero scenarios suggestthatoilshouldnotbe part of a sustainable energy future, Al Ghais wrote in a column for EAForum “This narrative was repeated only yesterday when the IEA publisheditsOil2024reportin whichitonceagainstatedthat oildemandwouldpeakbefore 2030,”hesaid

“It is a dangerous commentary, especially for consumers,andwillonlylead to energy volatility on a potentially unprecedented scale ” In its report on Wednesday,theIEAsaidthat oil demand growth is set to slowinthecomingyearsand global demand will peak in 2029,whilerisingproduction will lead to a major glut this decade. World oil demand is being tempered by the clean energy transition, says the IEA,whichhasbeenavocal proponentofafasterenergy

transitioninrecentyears.

All previous peak demandscenarioshavebeen provenwrong,thetopOPEC official said in his column.

“The IEA suggested that gasolinedemandhadpeaked in 2019, but gasoline consumption hit record levels in 2023 and indeed continues to rise this year,” hewrote. “Ofcourse,weall wanttoloweremissions,but atthesametime,weallneed ample, relia

e, and affordable supplies of energy The two cannot be decoupled.”

Billions of people have yet to get access to energy, while oil demand continues to increase, Al Ghais said. The official slammed the IEA’s scenario of peak oil demandbefore2030,saying “This is an unrealistic scenario, one that would negatively impact economies across the world ” “It is simply a continuation of the IEA’s anti-oil narrative. Given the realtrendsweseetoday,we do not see peak oil demand by the end of the decade,”

OPEC’s secretary general said.

UN adds Israel to global list of offenders that harm children

CNN — United Nations

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has added Israel’s military to a global list of

spokesman confirmed on Friday

Israel had been told it is beingplacedonthelistinthe secretary-general’s annual report on children in armed conflict,tobesenttotheUN Security Council next Friday, Stephane Dujarric told a press briefing. Hamas andPalestinianIslamicJihad were also added to the list, according to a diplomatic source, along with the Israel DefenseForces(IDF).

Dujarric added that the Israeli UN mission was called by Guterres’ chief of staff on Friday, a courtesy affordedtocountriesthatare newly listed. “It is done to givethosecountriesaheadsupandavoidleaks,”hesaid. Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan recorded a video of himself making a phone call from his office, apparently to a UN official, andleakedpartofitonsocial media.

In the video, Erdan

Antonio Guterres, SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations

expressedoutrageattheUN decision, calling the IDF “the most moral army in the world.” “The only one who is blacklisted today is the secretary-general, whose decisions since the war started, and even before, are rewarding terrorists and incentivizing them to use children for terror acts… Shameonhim!”

Dujarric said it was “ s h o c k i n g a n d unacceptable” that Erdan hadapparentlypublishedthe private call, saying it was “something he had never seen in my 24 years serving this organization.” Israel’s inclusion on the list comes

after eight months of war in Gaza, in which more than 15,500 children have been killed, according to the Ministry of Health in the enclave The war was sparked by a Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7,whichkilled1,200people and saw some 250 others takenhostage.

Many are still in captivity and Hamas’ top leadership is still at large despitetheIsraelionslaught. Palestinian children wait to receivefooddistributedbya charity kitchen, in the southern city of Rafah, on March 5. Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has

consignedcivilianstodeadly starvation.

The UN’s so-called blacklist has previously included countries such as Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Riyad Mansour, the PalestinianenvoytotheUN, said the decision to add Israel to the list “will not bringbacktensofthousands of our children who were killedbyIsraeloverdecades and will not restore normal life for the children who were permanently disabled by its actions.” “But it is an important step in the right directiontowardsendingthe double standards and the culture of impunity Israel has enjoyed for far too long and that left our children v u l n e r a b l e t o i t s consequences.”

Theannualreportwillgo to the Security Council on June 14. The official report willbepublishedonJune18. It will be discussed at a debateinthecouncilonJune 2 6 A s k e d a b o u t ramifications, the UN spokesmansaiditwillbeup tothememberstodecideany action.

Starmer banks on economic growth to ‘rebuild Britain’

(BBC NEWS) Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled

Labour ’s election manifesto, focusing on economicgrowth.

The Labour leader said the document - titled “Change”- would “turn the pagedecisively”on14years o f C o n s e r v a t i v e government. The running theme is a bid to boost wealth creation through streamlining planning rules and increasing business investment.

It did not contain new policies beyond those already announced, and Sir Keirsoughttomakeavirtue of the lack of policy fireworks, saying he was running “to be prime minister, not a candidate to runthecircus”.TheLabour leaderusedthelaunchevent in Manchester to showcase already-announced policies hehopeswilltemptvotersto return his party to power These include setting up a new state-owned energy investment and generation company, hiring more

police officers and renationalising nearly all passenger rail Sir Keir sought to draw a contrast with Labour’s last election manifesto in 2019, which contained policies such as givingworkersa10%stake in all large companies and freefull-fibrebroadbandfor all.

After his speech was briefly interrupted by heckling from a climate protester,hesaid:“Wegave up on being a party of protest five years ago.”The defining purpose of my Labour leadership has been todragmypartyawayfrom the dead end of gesture politics,” he added. “We don’t have a magic wand. But what we do have, what thismanifestorepresents,is acrediblelong-termplan.”

Thepartysaysitwillpay for its policies through £8.5bn in annual tax rises, and £1.5bn in savings from cutting government “waste and other efficiencies”. Its proposed tax rises include introducing VAT on private

school fees, a 1% stamp duty surcharge on foreigners buying property, andhikingtaxesonbonuses formanagersathedgefunds andprivateequityfirms.

Italsosaysitwouldraise extra revenue by closing “loopholes” in the government’sexistingplans to tax non-domiciled taxpayers and oil and gas firms.

Itsaysextragovernment borrowingwouldbelimited to £3.5bn a year to fund its plan to invest in green energyprojects.Andinabid todefuseToryattacks,ithas ruled out raising rates of income tax, National

Insurance, or VAT, presented as a “tax lock” to voters.

‘Trivialincreases’

It has also ruled out increasing the main rate of corporation tax, which companies pay on their profits, in an attempt to burnish its pro-business credentials.

Ithasnotmadethesame commitment for capital

gainstax,chargedonprofits from selling assets, saying instead its manifesto plans donot“require”ahike.Paul Johnson, the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies thinktank,saiditwas“nota manifesto for those looking forbignumbers”.

“The public service spending increases promised in the ‘costings’ table are tiny, going on trivial,”hesaid.

He added that Labour’s decision to sign up to fiscal ruleslimitingdebtasashare of national income, and its scheduled borrowing for green projects, would leave “no room” for more spending than planned by thegovernmentcurrently

The document also contained new detail of its planstooverhaultheHouse of Lords, specifying that peersover80willbetoldto step down. Plans to replace the chamber completely will, however, now be subject to consultation. But itdidnotcontainnewdetails of its plans to overhaul the

planning regime, which it has put front-and-centre of its plans to boost the economy,aswellasatarget tobuild1.5mnewhomesin England over five years. Already-announcedplansin this area include streamlined rules for approving laboratories and digital infrastructure, and restoring housing need targets for councils scrappedbythegovernment inlate2022.

Workers’rightsplans

Labour’s manifesto was signedoffatapartymeeting last week but has failed to winthesupportofUnite,its biggest trade union backer, which argues the party’s scaled-back plans to improve workers’ rights do notgofarenough.

The package, first unveiled in 2021, would scrap qualifying times for parental leave and sick pay rightswhenemployeesstart anewjob,andboostflexible working rights where “reasonablyfeasible”.

But notably, a pledge to

introduce collective wage bargaining “across the economy” has been replacedwithaplanto“start by” introducing a fair pay agreementintheadultsocial care sector, before a potential roll-out in other areas.

The party has long argued that growth is the only responsible way to generate extra funding for public services and says it wants to make the UK the fastestgrowingeconomyin theG7groupofrichnations ifitwinspower

Arguing that it will inherit a difficult financial positionifitentersoffice,it has made only a handful of additional spending commitments since the election was called three weeksago.

Theseinclude£140mto convert 3,300 classrooms into nurseries, paid for by introducing VAT on private school fees, and £320m for repairingpotholes,financed by deferring a new bypass fromtheA27inSussex.

Firefightersbattle massivefireatnorthern Iraqoilrefinery

IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — A team of 32 firefighters in northern Iraq was battling to put out a massive fire Thursday,adayafteritbroke out at an oil refinery, local officialssaid.

The fire broke out late Wednesdayatalargerefinery in Irbil, in the semiautonomous Kurdish region ofnorthernIraq.

Shakhawan Saeed, a spokesperson for the Irbil Civil Defense Department, said 14 firefighters were injured--fourwithburnsand the other due to smoke inhalation -- while battling the blaze, which also destroyedfourfireengines.

Saeedsaidthecauseofthe fire was not yet clear but that the facility appeared to be lacking in safety measures, including alarms and fire extinguishers. The owner of the refinery could not immediately be reached for comment.

A regional government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media, told the Associated Pressthatthefireappearedto have been caused by an electricalfault.

Irbil's Gov Omed Khoshnaw said the financial damages caused by the refineryfirewereestimatedat

$8million.

The Khazir refinery, owned by local private businessmen, is one of the largest in Irbil, producing gasoline,kerosene,andwhite oil. It had been a major supplierforthecityofMosul.

Iraq's Kurdish region

produces hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil eachday Previously,muchof the production was exported by way of Turkey, but the exports have been halted for morethanayearasaresultof a ruling in an international arbitrationcase.

The central government considersitillegalforIrbilto export oil without going through the Iraqi national oil company and won the arbitration case against such trade.

In Iraq, summer fires are often fueled by scorching temperatures, unreliable electricity, and lax safety standardsinmanyfacilities.

InMay,afireeruptedina bazaar in Erbil, burning at least 200 shops and four storage units and injuring at least100people.

OnSunday,amassivefire engulfed commercial storage units in central Baghdad, coveringa3,000squaremeter area made of highly flammable materials, and killed four foreign Arab workers.

An oil refinery burns outside Irbil, Iraq (AP Photo/ Bilind Tahir/ Rudaw)

“This

is my dream”: Rutherford rates 68* against New Zealand as best knock of his career

SportsMax - West Indies batsman Sherfane

Rutherford rates his wellcompiled half century against New Zealand at the ICC T20 World Cup on Wednesday as his best knock.

The25-year-oldcameto the crease with the hosts teeteringat22-4inthesixth overafterbringputintobat attheBrianLaraStadiumin

Tarouba. On a pitch that he described as “tacky” and “spongy” in the post-match

press conference, Rutherford took his time in the early part of his innings before accelerating to a top scoreof68*tohelptheWest Indiespostamatch-winning 149-9 from their allotted 20 overs.

Rutherforddescribedthe innings as perhaps the best

ofhiscareer,sofar

“I will put it as my best knock It’saWorldCup Thisis mydream I’vealwayswanted toplayinaWorldCupandthis oneisgoingtostayclosetomy heart Hopefully,Icancontinue to take out good innings like this for my team and for myself,”hesaid.

Atthehalfwaypointofthe innings, the West Indies were 49-5andRutherfordsayshead

coach Daren Sammy’s advice wastobattimeandtakeitdeep

“Hewasjusttellingmeto takeitdeep

I was batting withAkeal (Hosein)soItoldhimtokeep going but my role was to basically take it to the 15th or 16th over but after we lost wicketsIjusttoldmyselftotry andtakeittothe20thoverand try and maximize those last twooverswhichtheyhadto makeupwithtwobowlers,” hesaid.

Friday June 14, 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

m

y h

y 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.

The Guyanese hard-hitter wasrecentlyapartoftheIndian Premier League with the Kolkata Knight Riders and, despitenotgettingagame,he sayshehasbeenusingthattime toprepareforsituationslikethe onehefacedonWednesday

“I pattern my game off thesesituations.Evenbefore the World Cup, I try to put myself in positions in the nets where I have to bat properly and then have to excelintheendsoIthinkit’s good to see that my plans and my work are coming to show,”hesaid.

Hefacedasimilarsituation when the West Indies found themselves79-5battingfirstin thethirdT20IagainstAustralia inPerthinFebruary

Rutherford and Andre Russellputon139forthesixth wicket with Rutherford finishing67*off40balls

Hesaysthemainthinghe tookfromthatinningswasthe importance of giving himself timeatthecrease

“The innings in Australia is one that I kept close to me and, even thoughitwasagoodinnings, Itrytopickafewthingsoutofit

Oneofthefewthingswasgive myself time It’s always a processandwhenyoulooktoo faraheadyoucanforgetabout the process so, for me, it was justballafterball,givemyself time,runsinglesandgetmyself readysothatinthebackendI canmakeup,”hesaid Finally, Rutherford made mention of the crowd at the Brian Lara Stadium “When batting I try not to worry about the crowd I just try to look at what’s in front of me and focus on the process but it’s good to have some support. It’s good to have the home crowdwithusandhopefully they can keep supporting us,”hesaid.

The West Indies will next take on Afghanistan at the Daren Sammy StadiumonJune17

West Indies batsman Sherfane Rutherford on the go.

CNOOC Guyana Limited, GTTA distribute Table Tennis equipment to Indigenous schools

BYRAWLETONEY

The Guyana Table TennisAssociation (GTTA), thanks to the generosity of ChinaNationalOffshoreOil Corporation (CNOOC) Guyana Limited, distributed 21 tables to several schools inRegions1,4,6,7,8,and9.

Godfrey Munroe, president of the GTTA, statedthatthedistributionis part of the Association’s mandate to expand the sport across Guyana, with a particular focus on the indigenouscommunity

The presentation took placeyesterdayatCNOOC’s High Street headquarters, where representatives from the various schools received the equipment, valued at

approximately$4million.

“This investment is symbolic,” Munroe told the gathering, which also included CNOOC Guyana Limited’s president, Liu Xiaoxiang, Deputy Chief Education Officer Marti De Souza, and other officials from the Ministry of Education Allied Arts Department.

“ItsaysthatTableTennis will be played across Guyana, in terms of having National Championships, with players coming from the various Regions,” Munroesaid.

The former national player turn GTTA president added,thatthecustodiansof thesportinGuyana“feltthat

Representatives from the GTTA, CNOOC Guyana Limited and the Ministry of Education, along with representatives from the various schools at Thursday’s presentation. (Rawle Toney photo)

these areas were at a disadvantage, that’s why

we’ve made this investment oftables,ballsandracquets,

while complimentary training will soon be in your villages Ithinkoneofthekey partsofthisistheinvestment in building capacity, and working in harmony with persons in those villages”

The Ministry of Education’s Deputy Chief Education Officer said the CNOOC G u y a n a L i m i t e d ’s contribution will ensure that the sport of Table Tennis remains vibrant in Guyana, “and after receiving the equipment, will definitely make a difference in the hinterlandschools.”

The schools in Region 1 that will benefit are Waramuri Primary, St Nicholas Primary, North West Secondary, Yarakita Primary, and Port Kaituma Primary In Region 6, one table will go to Orealla Primary, while Three Miles

Secondary in Region 7 will receivetwotables.

Kato Secondary and Mahdia Secondary in Region 8, along with Karasabai Primary, Katoka

Primary, Mururunau Primary,andNappiPrimary, are the beneficiaries in Region9.

In Region 4, the GTTA will present one table to RuimveldtChildren’sHome and Care Centre, as Munroe emphasized the importance ofinclusioninthesport.

FIFPRO launches legal claim against FIFA over fixture congestion, Club World Cup

SportsMax - FIFPRO, t h e g l o b a l u n i o n representing football players,haslaunchedalegal claim against FIFAover the match calendar and the scheduling of next year’s expandedClubWorldCup.

FIFA’sdecisiontostagea 32-team Club World Cup in the United States next year hasattractedfiercecriticism from pundits and players, with many believing it will exacerbate issues arising from fixture congestion. Earlier this week, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti suggested the European champions could

boycottthetournament,only for the club to quickly confirmtheirparticipationin a statement. Ahead of last year’s seven-team Club WorldCup,ManchesterCity midfielder Bernardo Silva said the expansion of the footballcalendarwouldlead to matches losing “energy andintensity”.

When FIFA’s Club World Cup plans were finalised last year, FIFPRO threatened legal action and said world football’s governing body had demonstrated “a lack of consideration for the mental and physical health of players, as well as a disregard for their personal andfamilylives.”

FIFPRO has now launched a claim against FIFAattheBrusselscourtof commerce. In a statement released on Thursday, the union said: “FIFPRO Europememberunionshave today submitted a legal claim against FIFA, challenging the legality of FIFA’s decisions to unilaterally set the internationalmatchcalendar and, in particular, the decision to create and schedule the FIFA Club WorldCup2025.

CNOOC Guyana Limited’s president, Liu Xiaoxiang (right) makes his company’s presentation to a student from North West Secondary

Indonesia‘closertodream’ofWorldCupafterbeatingPhilippines

AFP - Indonesian fans and leaders hailed their football team after they booked a place in the third roundoftheFIFAWorldCup qualifiers for the first time after beating the Philippines onTuesday

TheIndonesianteamhas only been represented once at a World Cup, in 1938, when it was still under colonial rule and known as theDutchEastIndies.

“Whan an incredible win! With this feat, we are gettingclosertoourdreamto play at the World Cup,” President Joko Widodo wrote on social media platform Instagram after the 2-0 win in capital Jakarta, wherehewasinattendance.

“Keep fighting Garuda NationalTeam!”

Indonesia joined Iraq in advancing out of Group F, with Thom Haye and Rizky Ridho the goal-scoring heroes in front of a raucous crowd of 64,000. It means

I

he only SoutheastAsian nation with a chance of World Cup qualification.

“It was a very important match. We knew what we had to do. I’m very happy I could contribute to that,”

Indonesia beat the Philippines to reach the third round of World Cup qualifying for the first time. (Bay ISMOYO)

said Haye, a 29-year-old midfielder who plays in the Dutch top flight for Heerenveen, after scoring hisfirstinternationalgoal.

“I think we deserved the win today It’s a really specialnight.”

Motie wins ICC Player of the Month award for May

SportsMax - West Indies’ spinner GudakeshMotiehasbecomejustthesecond playerfromhissidetosecureanICCMen’s PlayeroftheMonthaward.

2024 is turning out to be a fairly rewardingyearforWestIndiesplayers.

In January, young star Shamar Joseph won the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for his sensational performance that ledtotheunforgettablevictoryoverAustralia at the Gabba. Now, teammate Motie has secured the Player of the Month award for May2024.

Theleft-armspinnerbeatoutcompetition fromPakistan’sShaheenAfridiandIreland’s LorcanTuckertowintheaward.

Motie,whocontinuestoshineduringthe ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, hadahostofbrilliantoutingsduringMay

Heenjoyedplentyofsuccessinthethreematch home series against South Africa, pickingupeightwicketsacrossthreematches atanaverageof8.50.

Onthebackofhisperformance,thehosts sealedastatement3-0victoryinJamaica.

Motie picked up 3/25 in the opening contest to restrict the tourists’chase and he backed that performance up with another impressive spell of three for 22 to stifle the middle-orderinthesecondfixtureaswell.

Another two wickets in the final match turned the tide in favour of the hosts once more and allowed the 29-year-old to claim thePlayeroftheSeriesaccolade.

In the ongoing Men’s T20 World Cup, Motie has shown fine form and picked five wicketsatanaverageof11.

Motie was excited to accept the award and is hoping he can continue his excellent

West Indies’ spinner Gudakesh Motie.

recentformandhelptheWestIndiessucceed attheT20WorldCup.

“ItmeansalottomeandIamveryhappy to win this award. It’s very encouraging, I have put in a lot of work during this season andIamhappythatIamseeingtherewards now,”Motiesaid.

“Thestandoutperformanceformeduring the series against SouthAfrica was the first game, where I took three for 25. The third wicketthatnightwasmyfavourite.

“Playing in a World Cup means a lot to me,andplayingathomeinfrontofourfans and knowing the conditions is also special. We have started strongly, playing three games and getting three wins, and I see us going all the way and lifting that cup on 29 June.”

policy of using naturalised players — footballers with Indonesian heritage like Haye who was born in the Netherlands — to boost the team’ssuccess.

-‘Strugglenotover’Indonesian coach Shin Tae-yong has called on a

It has seen the Red and White’s FIFA ranking rise eight places to 134th in the world, the biggest jump in theglobalbody’slastupdate in April “Because of the players’ hard work on the field,wemanagedtocreatea new history and we finally got through to the third round of the World Cup qualification,” Shin told reporters.Fanstooktosocial media to celebrate the win butalsotoexpresshopefora berth in the tournament that will be held in the United States,CanadaandMexico.

The third round will see 18 teams — including top Asian seeds Japan, South KoreaandIran—vieforsix automatic World Cup spots across three groups, while twomorespotswillbeupfor grabsinthefourthround.

T h e w i n m e a n s Indonesia also booked its place in theAFCAsian Cup finals,tobehostedbySaudi Arabia in 2027. “I think it’s really important that we believewecanachievethese results,andeverythingstarts with the belief first. In the nextround,wewanttoshow whoweare,”saidHaye.

“ThankGod,wearestill carrying on with our dream of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, the struggle is not over, keep the spirit of Garuda!” wrote one X user, referring to Indonesia’s nationalsymbol.

“Itdoesn’tstophere.”

Safaraz and Johnson in UK for CGF GAPS for

Global Training Camp

National Para Table Tennis

C h a m p i o n

Gibran Safaraz and Coach LindenJohnsonhavearrived in Birmingham, United Kingdom, for the 2024 Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) GAPS

Global Training Camp, whichrunsfromJune8-18. Representing Guyana, Safaraz and Johnson are among participants from twenty-one countries across the Commonwealth attending the event The camp focuses on Para Table

Tennis and Powerlifting, bringingtogether80athletes and coaches as they make preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympic Paralympic Qualification, scheduled for June 22-28 in the Czech Republic.

GAPS, aims to provide emerging athletes and

c o a c h e s f r o m Commonwealth regions with additional skills, knowledge, and resources. The initiative is driven by a commitment to advancing educationandsupportingthe development of inclusive sport pathways that foster positive social change in sportsandcommunities.

During the camp,

participants will engage in a series of personalized workshops and sessions designed to explore the role ofsportandathletesinsocial change They will also receive training in essential s k i l l s t o b e c o m e compassionate, responsible, andeffectiveagentsofsocial change. The event is a sport-for-

development and peace programme that promotes inclusive sport pathways t h r o u g h o u t t h e Commonwealth. Created by the Commonwealth Games Federation in collaboration with Griffith University, GAPS has grown into a collaborative effort with various partners, enhancing itsimpactandreach.

Stimacrues‘injustice’afterIndia WorldCuphopesendincontroversy

AFP - India coach Igor Stimac condemned what he calledan“irregular”goalina 2-1defeatatQatarthatended his team’s World Cup 2026 qualifyinghopes,saying:“It shouldn’t happen.” The loss in Doha on Tuesday dashed India’s dreams of reaching the third round of Asian qualifyingfortheWorldCup for the first time India scored in the first half and were on course for a footballing landmark until YoussefAymanequalisedin the73rdminute.

The goal was hugely controversial, with some television replays appearing toshowthattheballhadgone outofplayjustbeforehand India’s players, some of whom had stopped in the belief the ball had gone out, vehemently protested But with VAR technology not in use,thegoalstood Asian champions Qatar, whohadalreadyqualifiedfor the next round, scored the winnerfiveminutesbeforethe endtosealIndia’sfate

“Qatarwereluckytonight, especially because they came back from 0-1 with an irregular goal,” the former

Croatiainternationaldefender Stimac told reporters “I can confirm that now because I have seen the replay The whole ball was over the line andthegoalwasgiven” He added: “It shouldn’t be happening in today’s football because that goal changed everything in this game. “As an organisation, FIFAhas enough power and resources, at least in the

crucialgamesandtheWorld Cupqualifiers,touseVAR.”

“It’s kind of an injustice to my boys tonight because we were very close to win thisgameandqualifyingfor the third round, but it didn’t happen,”hesaid.

India ended third in the group, with Kuwait joining Qatar in the next qualifying stage following a 1-0 home winoverAfghanistan.

National Para Table Tennis champion Gibran Safaraz in battle, during 2024 CGF GPS Traning Camp in UK.

Gibran Safaraz (left) and Linden Johnson at University of Birmingham.

USA hit by first ‘stop-clock’ penalty at T20 World Cup

AFP-The United States became the first team to be penalisedfiverunsunderthe newstop-clockrulesintheir T20WorldCuplosstoIndia on Wednesday but coach Stuart Law insisted it “did notaffecttheoutcomeofthe game”.

The sanction has been introduced by the International Cricket Council(ICC)inaneffortto speedupplay

A team is penalised if aftertwowarningstheystill take more than a minute

between overs On Wednesday, the US were penalised at the start of the 16th over and instead of needing 35 runs off 30 balls toreachtheir111-runtarget, India’s task became 30 off 30deliveriesinstead.

“Wehadafewwarnings in earlier games, and it’s something we do talk about togetthroughfasterbetween the overs,” said former Australian international Law.“We’reonlyafledgling team. There’s plenty to learn. There’s not just the cricketaspectofthegameof cricket, but there’s also the otherintricaciesthatneedto be embedded. It’s a rule that’sonlyjustcomein.

USA

“A lot of our players wouldn’thaveheardaboutit before we played in the Bangladesh series or the Canada series earlier this year.” Despite the penalty, Law said the five-run sanction would not have impactedtheoutcomeofthe GroupAclash.Indiawonby seven wickets with a comfortable10ballstospare to qualify for the second roundSuperEights.

“Five runs wasn’t going to affect the outcome of the game,”addedLaw

“The players know the rule, but it’s something that ifyouhaven’tplayedwithit for a long time, it’s very difficulttohaveitembedded inyourbrain.”

Lawsaidhehasnoissue

with the new regulation if it helps speed up passages of play “There needs to be a paceofplay Ithinkifyou’re dragging games out that should last three and a half hours,they’regoingforfour and a half hours, that’s a bit much.“Idon’tseeitasabad thing,Iseeitasagoodthing. The game continues to move. When momentum is with you, you want to keep that momentum running quicker and put the opposition under pressure thatway.”

Despite the defeat, the United States will still qualifyforthesecondround with a win or even a noresult in their final group game against Ireland on Friday.

Shakib guides Bangladesh to victory over Netherlands

BBCSport-Bangladesh took a big step towards qualification for the T20 World Cup Super 8s as they beat the Netherlands by 25 runsinStVincent.

Shakib Al Hasan struck anunbeaten64from46balls to guide his side to 159, rebuilding the innings after theylosttwoearlywicketsto thebowlingofAryanDutt.

In reply, the Dutch initially kept up with the required run-rate, with Vikram Singh hitting three sixes in a spirited 26 before being stumped by Litton Das.

Young leg-spinner Rishad Hossain then took the wickets of Sybrand Engelbrecht and Bas de Leede in the 15th over to stallthechaseat111-5,with the Netherlands making just 23 runs from the final five overs.

ThewinseesBangladesh move two points clear of their opponents in Group D, knowingawinagainstNepal onMonday(01:30BST)will definitely secure their place inthesecondround.

The Dutch must hope that Bangladesh lose that fixture,andthattheycanwin and achieve a big run-rate

swingagainstbottom-placed SriLanka.

Scores:Bangladesh1595 (20 overs): Shakib 64*; van Meekeren 2-15;

Netherlands 134-8 (20 overs): Engelbrecht 33; Rishad3-33.

Result: Bangladesh won by25runs.

AAG Senior Championships set for this weekend

ByRawleToney

The event will start at 10:00 am on both Saturday and Sunday At a press conference yesterday, AAG officials announced that the

two-day championships will feature several of the country’s top athletes competing against their counterparts from Trinidad

and Tobago in an effort to achieve their respective qualifying standards for the ParisOlympics.

Amanda Hermonstine, president of theAAG, stated thattheSeniorChampionship is theAssociation’s hallmark event

While optimistic about seeingadirectqualifierfrom the event for Paris, she mentioned that the June 22 AP Invitational will also provide an opportunity for local athletes to achieve their Olympic dreams in trackandfield

Although the list of competitorswasnotdisclosed, KaieteurNewsunderstandsthat some overseas-based athletes are expected to compete, including Olympians Jasmine Abramsandhersister,Aliyah

Both siblings hold nationalrecordsforGuyana, withAliyahinthe400mand Jasmineinthe100m.

Regarding prize pay-outs, the AAG will award $15,000 to the winner of each category, $10,000 for second place, and $5,000 for third place AAG officials noted that while they wish they could offer larger rewards; they are constrained by a lack of corporatesupport

The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the National Sports Commission (NSC), and the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), are the primarysponsors.

Aaliyah Moore and her University of Kansas teammate, Deshanna Skeete, are also slated to be at the startingblocks Alleyeswillbe on Guyana’s rising stars, Tianna Springer, Narissa McPherson, Athaleyha Hinckson, and Malachi Austin, as they compete alongsidetheseniorathletes. Arinze Chance and Austin will compete in the 400m, while Springer will face the country’s national recordholderover400meters

T

Association of Guyana (AAG) is gearing up for its

Senior Championships this weekend at the National Track and Field Centre in Edinburgh,WestDemerara.

Shakib Al Hasan scored an unbeaten 64. (ICC/Getty Images)

skipper Aaron Jones

Aaliyah Moore

Deshanna Skeete

David vs Goliath: Newly owned Spankhurst eyeing

Guyana Cup win

Unknowingly his entry into the realms of the Sport of Kings is now scripted as DavidvsGoliath.

This giant conqueror is Jermaine Sripal, a budding supermarket magnate from New Amsterdam. He has crossed the bridge, and bought 2023 Horse of the Year winner, Spankhurst from Jumbo Jet Racing Stable(JJRC).

Spankhurstistheleading money earner this season winning two of his four races. Based on that success he is now the pre-race favorite to cop this year’s Guyana Cup. It will be run off at Rising Sun Turf Club (RSTC), Rising Sun, West Berbice on Sunday August 11,2024.

Sripal is an unknown in theindustrybutfamedasJ’s Supermarket business. His family’s bloodline in the horse racing arena is not deeprooted.

Shripal declared, “My family-owned horses long ago, but I never had any inklingaboutowninghorses. About four years ago I went to the races. I heard people speakingabouthorseracing, and realised this is a very popularsport.”

Shripal revealed the seamless transition to his new trainer on Sunday after

buying the six-year-old Canadian-bred Spankhurst, “Theopportunitycameup.I saw Junior (Nasrudeen Mohamed) had a lot of horses. He mentioned while speaking to him, that he could sell me a horse. So, when the opportunity presented itself, I jumped at it I was reading about Spankhurst and following him exploits I enquired what is needed to own a horse. I realized you do not needtohaveyourowntrack butcanownahorsewithout theresponsibility.”

He shared, “Junior’s involvement with the transferofthehorsehasbeen a dream. I do not much people, who would have done,whatJuniordidforme. He got a trainer for me, a groom, and everything that thehorseneedstomoveinto the new stable. He made owning a horse more accessible If I wasn’t offered all these things, I would have remained a spectatorofthesport.That’s genuineconsideration.”

Junior representing Jumbo Jet Racing (JJR) reachedonthereasonforthe sale of Spankhurst related, “When Spankhurst was imported two years ago we offered Stuart Gonzalez to buyhimbeforeheraced.He

Jermaine Sripal and his champion horse Spankhurst.

didnotbuyhim.Spankhurst won the Sprint Classic and provedbettergoingalong.”

Juniorexplained,“Ihave been speaking to Jermaine about the sport, and being a young person like myself. I recognisedhewantstoowna good horse He likes Spankhurst, and I offered it to him. He was probably surprised and wondering why.”

Junior continued, “I am encouraging people to get involved in the sport to help develop it. They are the future. Jermaine appears to

be a person, who along with hisfamilywillbeinthesport for a very long time. He has bought the best horse in the country If Spankhurst wins this year’s Guyana Cup, It will sendaverypositivemessage for prospective owners Jermaine will have lots of fun with Spankhurst, I suggestedUncleFazalasthe trainerforSpankhurst.Heis one of the finest trainers in Guyana. He is a two-time Guyana Cup trainer He is highly respected, and very outspoken. I know we will

have to buy something exceptionally fast to beat u n c l e F a z a l w i t h Spankhurst.”

Junior pointed out, “Jermaine might be small in stature - five-foot six inches might but is now seen as towering ‘David’to triumph over towering figure in the winner’s enclosure when coming up against the sixfoot plus, Goliath (me) representingJumboJet.”

Sripal chipping in explained, “I bought the horsebecauseIfeltheisthe besthorseinGuyana,andfor the Guyana Cup. My trainer has already advised that we bought a bullet, but Jumbo Jetmightbuyarocket.Who knows we may shoot down therocket.

Uncle Fazal loves this sortofchallenge.”

Sharing what excited his appetitetobecomeanowner Sripal related, “I am a big cricket fan. In any spectator sport, cricket, football, or athletics, everybody want to be the best and follow the best. Horse racing is a spectator sport. You not involved riding or training. You are just as involved as the jockey or the trainer.As you are urging on the horse

towintherace,astheybattle down to the finish line. You can feel you are part of the actioninhorseracingseeing your horse win, could be an adrenaline rush that we all have.”

R e g a r d i n g h i s experience about horses Sripal admitted, “I do not know much about horses, but Junior, and my trainer Fazal are making me very comfortable. I have been told luck is one of the main ingredientsinthesport.Who knows?Imightgetlucky.”

Looking down the home stretchofownershipofother horses Sripal revealed, “I want to earn horses at the lower classes as well, by Decemberorearlynextyear In any sport passion is the driving force, sometimes things do not work out how youwantitto.

I am in the sport to have funandwillbeinitforavery long time. I am aware that you may need certain infrastructure with horse ownership.

I am on the learning curve for now. When I gain more experience. Then I could explore what the future holds for me in this sport.”

England keep T20 World Cup hopes alive with crushing win over Oman

SportsMax - England

got their much-needed win in stunning fashion as they raced to an eight-wicket victory over Oman inside fourovers.

After a washout stopped their first game against Scotland, England lost to Australia and knew that a defeat yesterday would see them knocked out of the WorldCup.

Omanjustcouldnotgeta foothold with only Shoaib Khan able to reach double figures with 11 as England put in a stellar bowling performance.

Adil Rashid was the standout with his 4-11, but Jofra Archer (3-12) and MarkWood(3-12)helpedto cap the performance as Oman were all out for 47 after13.2overs.

With a target of 48, Englandcameouttobatona mission, with Phil Salt hitting two sixes on the first two balls before being caught.

Intheend,itwouldonly takethem19ballstohittheir target, with captain Jos Buttlergettinganimpressive 24 off eight balls, though it wasJonnyBairstowwhogot the important four to take themto50-2.

Data Debrief: England came out on a mission, and smashedit Oman’stallyofjust47is the fourth-lowest total a team has managed in a T20 World Cup match, while it also proved to be England’s bestbowlingperformancein thecompetition.

W

chase, they set a new World Cup record Scores: England 50 for 2 (B

24*) beat Oman 47 (Rashid 4-11, Archer 3-12, Wood 3-12) by eight wickets with 101 balls to spare

Golf as a Growing Sport in CSEC PE

Golf has emerged as a surprising yet rapidly growingelectiveintherealm of Physical Education (PE) in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations over the past three years Introduced in 2022 with an initial cohort of just 116 students,thesporthasseena significant rise in interest andparticipation.

Thissurgeisparticularly notable in regions traditionally dominated by cricket and football, such as Berbice, Essequibo, and Linden.

The recently concluded CSEC exams saw over 300 students choosing golf as their practical PE elective, indicating a robust increase

in its popularity The sport’s growth is further bolstered by the Ministry of Education’s Unit of Allied

Arts Priority Programme, launched last September, whichhasintroducedgolfto thousands of students in

The students participate in the Golf programme.

Grades 7-9. This initiative, led by the Guyana Golf Association (GGA) and Nexgen Golf Academy

lose to 300 students opted for Golf as part of the CSEC PE subjects this year

president Aleem Hussain, has been pivotal in expandingthesport’sreach.

Aleem Hussain credits thesuccesstothededication and strategic efforts of the GGAexecutiveteam.

Their aggressive approach to promoting golf haspaidoff,creatingasolid foundation for the sport’s futureinGuyana.

The establishment of certified programs through partnerships with the LPGA/USGA Girls P r o g r a m m e a n d collaborations with golf associations in Texas, Barbados, and Trinidad, positions Guyana favorably f o r r e g i o n a l a n d internationalrecognition.

The future of golf in Guyana looks promising, with projections suggesting that more than 25% of the students currently introduced to golf will pursue it at the CSEC level. Bear in mind that 93% of students achieve Grade I whentakinggolfastheirPE elective and 62% of all playersarefemale.

To support this growing interest,theGGAisfocusing on developing adequate facilities to accommodate theincreasingdemand.

Withtheseefforts,golfis set to become a significant player among the traditional sports in Guyana, marking a new era for the sport in the country

AAG officials and some of the competing athletes at yesterday’s press conference ahead of this weekend’s Senior National Championships. (Rawle Toney photo)

England keep T20 World Cup hopes alive with crushing win over Oman

JofraArcher struck with his second legitimate delivery. (ICC via Getty Images)

West Indies’spinner Gudakesh Motie.