Kaieteur News

Israeli strikes kill at least 42 in Gaza, enclave’s Govt. media office says

Pres. Ali dodges question on

Guyanese businesses question tax and duty-free concessions of Chinese supermarkets and hardware stores reporter if he applied for house lot

...says rapid expansion of businesses may be a strategy to undermine Guyanese plans to increase spending power of citizens, by asking

Civil society group calls on Govt. to adopt dignified approach to

Bandits rob Cornelia Ida family at gunpoint resolving future industrial disputes

Minibus driver robs miner after beating him with cutlass Fisherman drowns in Essequibo River

EPA waives impact assessment for pipeline cleaning and storage facility to service oil sector

Check Exxon’s inflated expenses!

President IrfaanAli

Pres. Ali dodges question on plans to increase spending power of citizens, by asking reporter if he applied for house lot

President Irfaan Ali on Thursdayreturnedaseriesof questions to a reporter from Kaieteur News after he was asked to simply share his government's plans to increase the spending power ofGuyanese,shouldhisparty be re-elected to govern the country in the next Regional andGeneralElections.

The Head of State was just about ready to conclude his press conference at State House,Georgetownwhenhe fieldedafinalquestionfroma malereporterattachedtothis newspaper The President was specifically asked to explain the government's plantoincreasethespending power of Guyanese should the People's Progressive Party (PPP) be elected to govern this country in the upcoming Elections, scheduledfor2025.

This question comes at a timewhencitizenshavebeen complaining about the high cost of living in the country andthedailystruggletomake ends meet, despite having an abundance of oil and gas resources.

Ali who seemed unprepared for the question tookthefamiliarpathofVice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, to not only dodge the issue but humiliate the journalist publicly

The President said, “The government's plan is to win thenextelectionsbyagreater majority.”

When he was pressed to say how the administration would increase the spending power of citizens if it is reelected,Ali stated, “We have beencontinuouslyincreasing the availability of resources, improving the livelihood of people and increasing the disposable income in the pockets of persons. I just gave you an example of the housingprogrammeandhow it's linked to increase your disposableincome.”

In his opening remarks, the Head of State alluded to the housing programme of the government and expounded on how property valuehasincreased.

As such, the President wentontoaskthereporterhis age, where he lives and whether he owned a house.

Heevenaskedtheyoungman if he had ever applied for a house lot but when the 28year old responded in the

negative, the Head of State instructed, “Well sit down. You are not participating on theenhancementofyourown life...at 28 years you should be making better life decisions.”

Since Ali's press conference on Thursday, a numberofcitizenssharedthe clip of the President's response to the question, calling him out for failing to addressthiscriticalissue.

Such tactics have been employedinthepastbyother members of the PPP, including Vice President

Jagdeo In fact, the government officials are known to be hostile in their response to non-state reporters who often pose unexpected and direct policy-relatedquestions.

GPA President calls for end to “unnecessary insults”

Meanwhile, President of t h e G u y a n a P r e s s Association (GPA), Nazima Raghubir in an invited commentcalledforanendto the unnecessary insults to mediaworkers.

Raghubir in her capacity asaseniorjournalistsaidthe GPA will be issuing an official statement later this week.

She explained however that the body has received complaints from editors and reporters to address a series of incidents, including the bullying of a female journalist from Kaieteur News on World Press FreedomDay

TheheadoftheGPAsaid, “The bullying started at the Vice President's press conferenceinthewayhewas dealingwithherquestionand respondingtoKaieteurNews erroneously publishing a picture depicting this businessman who is not the businessman that they thought and then it spilled over into the social media commentator, Mikhail Rodrigues, putting the woman's image up on social mediaandalsobullyingher.”

Raghubiraddedthatthere was another complaint from the Linden Manager of the National Communications Network(NCN)whoisalsoa reporter for the broadcasting channel.

Thereporterwasverbally attacked along with the cameramanataneventinthe Region, by a named Oppositionoperative.

In addition, the GPA President said complaints were also lodged concerning the President's attitude

towardsthepress.“Thereare two specific incidents, when Svetlana Abrams of News Source who is also an Executive Member of the Guyana Press Association has been treated very aggressivelybythePresident inthewayherespondstoher

a

interrogating questions and todemeanjournalistssimply doingtheirjobs.

According to her, “The whole set up of the press conference itself is very questionable. A Presidential presspassisbeingissuedand

questions and what is noticeable is that he would answer questions from another reporter right after her or before her and his response would be very different from the one he wouldgiveher.”

To this end, the GPA President said his behaviour was “very concerning”. She was keen to note that the events were all listed since the politicians seem to be acting from the same “play bookwheretheythinkorthey want to treat the media as an enemy and reporters as enemies” by targeting reporters in a very specific andaggressivemanner.

Furthermore, Raghubir

noted that the Press Association has received complaints that the Presidential press conferences are geared to keep the media away, intimidate journalists from

President IrfaanAli

only two members of the mediafromonemediahouse can go there is limiting probingonseriousissues.”

Raghubir was keen to note the employment of C o m m u n i c a t i o n s Consultant; Kit Nascimento by the Head of State is also questionable.Shepointedout that during his interaction with the media, Nascimento has demonstrated that he is “bent on intimidating and insulting”themedia.

She reasoned, “This one question, one follow up format is just really, really at this point ridiculous because I don't understand how you should have a functioning democracy and you can't even get proper questions asked; you can't get proper follow ups; you don't have Ministers available to talk to certain media houses; your commissionerofinformation isnotfunctioningthewayhe

shouldandyou'restillgetting bulliedattheVicePresident's press conferences and attackedfordoingyourjob.”

Raghubir said the press conferences hosted by President Ali smacks of the type of contempt he has for the media. She pointed out that most the journalists are senior members of the press and are respected with members of the public looking forward to their reporting.

Consequently, she noted, “To try to water down the press conference in a way that the President decided thathewasgoingtohavethe backandforthwithMarcelle ofStabroekNews,areporter from Guyana Times and the reporter Shervin Belgrave from Kaieteur News is very insultingtothepress.”

Raghubir said that while the Head of State demands respect, his actions and responses show little respect formediaworkers.

Shesaidthe“unnecessary insulting and attempts to belittle the media has to stop now Itcan'tbehowIrfaanAli wantstogointo2025.”

Raghubir was keen to notethathadthegovernment continuedtohostregularPost Cabinet press briefings, the public would be better informed and the Head of State would not be required to“stooptothelevel”hedid onThursday

“It's very crass, it's very disgusting and all I have to say is that the media have to continue working, they also have to continue digging, they also have to continue confronting all of these politicians as we head into a very important period in this country,”sheurged.

Kaieteur News

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

Publisher: DR. GLENN LALL - TEL: 624-6456

Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

Guyana’s President on Guyana’s oil

President IrfaanAli held a rare press engagement and promptlyevadedgivingfullandfrankanswerstoquestions related to Guyana’s national oil wealth. On the nation’s biggestmoneyearner,Guyana’smostseniorleaderseemed most determined to leave the smallest footprint. Bharrat Jagdeoishandlingtheoilsectorand,accordingtoPresident Ali,thereis“ahealthyrelationshipwiththeVicePresident onoilandgas.” Hefurthertoldthemediathat“youhaveall yourquestionsansweredatthepressconferences. Ithink youhaveahealthyongoingdiscourseonoilandgas.” We at this publication must respectfully differ with the presidentonthemisconceptionsthatheharbors.

Forstarters,theindependentmainstreammediawould scoffatthatclaimfromanybodyaboutanytypeof“healthy relationship” with Guyana’s chief oil spokesman Jagdeo. Most reasonable and attentive Guyanese, those who take prideinhonestyandrespectforothers,woulddescribewhat goesonbetweentheindependentmediaandVicePresident Jagdeoassickly Thisismostlyduetothechurlishnessand venomous spitefulness manifested by Jagdeo every Thursday,usuallyfromhisFreedomHousehideout. Jagdeoishostileandabusive,aboutwhichthepresident must have some awareness andanxieties. Jagdeo has reducedhismanagementoftheoilandgassectortooneof obfuscation and doing his best to run away and hide from straightoilandgasquestionsthatcallforstraightanswers. When those fail to make a dent in the zeal of independent mediaprofessionals,Jagdeothenwithdrawsbehindawall of pettiness, which is made worse by the tantrums that he throws around. These degrade from his president to his government to his country We doubt that anybody anywhere with a streak of decency and some standards in them would define the vice president’s weekly press conference as having anything “healthy” about them. Vulgarityfromhisverbalexplosions,andtheobscenefrom his tired mental acrobatics with the nation’s oil feature prominent. Most sensible, fair-minded citizens would interpret Jagdeo’s aggressiveness as someone who has manysecretstoconceal,ongoingfearsofexposure. When these are considered, and they are not the full story of Jagdeo’sgimmicks,PresidentAliiseithermisinformedor, worse;heispretendingatignoranceandappearstobepart ofamassivecoverupthathurtsGuyana’sinterests.

Frankly, PresidentAli should know that in the haste of Guyana’stopoilmanagertostandfullyforExxonMobiland its ravishing of Guyana’s patrimony, his presidency takes a hammering Further, he himself is coming under sharp scrutinyrelativetosuchburningquestionsastohowmuchhe knows,howmuchheprefersnottoknow,andhowmuchhe seeminglydoesn’tcareabouthowthisvitaloilandgassector ismanaged TheoutcriesagainstJagdeooilandmanagement havebeenconsistent,andnotonlyfromlocalsources There is the widespread belief that the vice president has transformedintoamasterdodgeronoil,andamasterbluffer whenallhisescaperouteshavebeencutoff. Theclaimof‘I have answered that before’ sounds lame and is a laugh. Jagdeo’s entire leadership history has been one noted for shiftiness and elements that do not add up. By now, it should have registered deeply with President Ali that Jagdeo is the wrong man in the wrong sector going about overseeinghisnationallysensitivedutiesinthewrongway Abusedoesnotdeterhonestinquirybutgainsstrengthin that the objects of Jagdeo’s diatribes become even more persuadedthathehasmuchtohide Thesenseisthathefears openinghismouthanddotsareconnected ManyGuyaneseare strugglingtogivetheirpresidentthebenefitofthedoubtwhen he said that “you have all your questions answered ” by Jagdeo Weareconfidentthatthiscountry’syoungandrobust leaderdoesnothaveahearingproblem Theonlyconclusion, therefore,isthatPresidentAliistryinghisonhandattheJagdeo gameofdenialanddriftingaroundoilandgasissues Itwas obviousthatPresidentAliloadeduphisownpressengagement withlessimportantstuffandsatisfiedhimselfwithcontinuing VicePresidentJagdeo’soilfarces.

Kaieteur

MyApproach as President of Guyana

DEAREDITOR, I have spent countless sleepless nights thinking aboutthis.EversinceIhave announced that I intend to runforPresidentofGuyana, people have been meeting me over the past four years and asking if I am still running.At times, I felt that the price would have been toohigh,andIwascounting the cost. However, it seems at this point that those of us whofeelthatwecanmakea difference in Guyana, have tostepup.

Leadership is important, whositsintheseatofpower and has the authority over ourcountryisimportant. Irememberinthemovie ‘Malcolm X,’ a policeman looked at Malcolm X and said,‘thatistoomuchpower for one person.’As I look at

this government, this is too much power for any government.

This government from 2020 to now, has effectively taken away power from every aspect of our country and the Guyanese society Theyhavetakenawaypower from the Opposition, business community, public sector, justice sector, civil society sector, law enforcement,securitysector, communities, individuals

and have effectively neutralized the international community Thishasputthe Guyanese people in a position where many of us have four choices; either to join the government and confirm to their approach to governance;staysilentwhile wearedyinginside;migrate; or do as Mahatma Ghandi

said, ‘be the change that we want to see’. I have chosen thelatter;Iwillbethechange I want to see. I am running forPresidentin2025.

Here are some of the thingsIwilldoasPresident: Withinthefirstsixmonths,I will confirm the Chancellor of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice. I do not need to be concerned about whether they will support my government because the government will operate within the rule of law If a government operates within the rule of law, it should not be concerned about confirming those in high officeinthejudiciary

Additionally, within the first six months, my government will set up the Petroleum Commission whichwillbeaccountableto

the National Assembly, Christopher Ram is one of the persons who will be on that commission. We will establish a ‘League of Elders.’Some of the people who will be on that body would be former Presidents David Granger and Donald Ramoutar; Hamilton Green; IndraChandrapal;Clement Rohee; Joe Singh;Volda Lawrence and two civil societyrepresentatives. Within the first six months, as president, my government will set up a ‘ R e c o n c i l i a t i o n Commission’,Iwillpushfor a ‘ R e c o n c i l i a t i o n Commission’ and not for a ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission’ because I believe that if we know the truthaboutourhistoryand (Continuedonpage06)

Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox

PresidentAli’s warning is timely for the UN Security Council

DEAREDITOR

, Donna Hightower sang,

“Theworldisinamess.”As the G7 Summit wrapped up its business in Italy after meeting for three days, the world is far from being in a ‘neat’ mess and nearer to being in a ‘cluttered’ mess.

Ravaged with war, starvation, displacement, poverty, disease, deaths, sickness, climatic effects, crime and corruption to say the least, the free-for-all frenzy created by politics, paves the way for furious fussiness in economics and flaps its wings to erode the basis for sociological welfare. The duel of double identity devours the dignity of sincerity and masks the camouflageofdistrust.

Even the G7 countries are challenged to shirk the “playboy”imageofthe‘rich and famous’ and forced to align themselves with the consciousness of reality, undermining the will to survive by the struggling suppressedcountries.

A hop around the globe captures a grim picture Think about Italy and what comes to the mind is art, opera, architecture, Sophia Loren and yes, the Mafia’s Don. It was not an act of civility when fistfights erupted in the Italian Parliament in the lower house last week over a government proposal that opponents say will further impoverishthepoorersouth.

An opposition law maker, Leonardo Donno, was sent to the hospital as a resultofinjuriesreceivedon his head and chest. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani e x p r e s s e d h i s disappointment, “I have no words We need to set another example, not punches to resolve political

problems It’s not braggadocio, it’s not shouting,it’sideasthatneed to be explained well to persuadevoters.”

Guyana’s Parliament is famous for many such escapades. December 2017 saw heavy scuffling when police attempted to evict Minister Juan Edghill (then an opposition member), during a parliamentary debate Other colleagues were also hurt in the scuffle when they tried to protect him,includingnowMinister Priya Manickchand December 2018, Mr Chandan Persaud (then a PNC Government MP) was cuffed and hassled by his own colleagues when he voted ‘yes’ with the PPP Opposition in the “No Confidence Vote” against the PNC Government. He hadtobewhiskedoutbyhis friends for his own safety December 2021, eight PNC MPs were involved in

another disorderly behavior and disrespectful manner when they grabbed the Parliamentary mace and it was broken. A staff of the Parliamentary office was also assaulted and injured. Those MPs had to be suspended.

India is at the cross road with her ally, Russia Sharing cooperation in defense, oil, nuclear energy andspaceexploration,India avoided voting against RussiaattheUnitedNations or criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin since the full-scale invasion ofUkraine.Atthesaidtime, India, along with Sri Lanka andNepalareaskingRussia to return their fellow countrymenwhotheyclaim, have been duped into working for the Russian army and lured under the pretext of giving them jobs andRussiancitizenship.

ManyoftheAsianswere (Continuedonpage57)

Duties and taxes on motor vehicles too high

DEAREDITOR,

WhileIstandbythegoal of improving transportation

accessibility for all Guyanese, I must express my growing concern regarding the current structure of duties and taxes leviedonmotorvehicles. The current tiered system, while attempting to offer some level of affordability, ultimately hinderstheveryaspirationit aims to promote. The high rates disproportionately burden average Guyanese citizens, forcing them to choosebetweennewer,safer vehicles and financial security This, in essence, creates a classed society where ownership translates to the ability to afford a potentiallyunsafe,oldercar

Furthermore, the system’s complexity in calculating these costs is a cause for frustration. The

lack of transparency and justification for these exorbitant rates only exacerbates the feeling of unfairness amongst the citizenry

It is particularly disheartening to witness expats and a significant portion of the political class benefittingfromexemptions on these very costs. This fuels the perception of a system rigged against the verypeopleitshouldserve.

Therefore, I propose a thoroughreassessmentofthe current duty and tax structureformotorvehicles. We must prioritize affordability and safety while ensuring a transparent and fair system for all Guyanese.

I am confident that by working together with relevant stakeholders, including industry experts andcitizens,wecancreate

(Continuedonpage06)

PNCR’s image, integrity and credibility are at risk

E d i t o r , i f t h e investigation concludes in favourofMr Norton,thenas incumbentleaderhemustbe allowed to contest for the leadership of the party The PNCR can ill afford to face the electorate at the 2025 general elections with its integrity intact if we do not a c t o n t h e s e recommendations to show weareatransparentpolitical entitythatrespectstheruleof lawandtherightsofwomen.

Sincerely

NormanBrowne Social and

Political Activist

DEAREDITOR, The image, integrity and credibility of the PNCR are atgreatrisk.Theimportance of maintaining the trust of ourmembers,supportersand the general public is paramountatthisjuncture. Itisagainstthebackdrop of those important considerations that it is incumbent on me to call on the Central Executive of the PNCRtopostponeCongress untiltheendofAugust2024 andtakethedecisiontomake theLeaderofthePNCRand the Opposition, Aubrey Compton Norton step down to facilitate a full and impartial investigation into the allegation of sexual misconduct levelled against him by longstanding PNCR memberandformerMember of Parliament, Vanessa Kissoon.

Duties and taxes on motor...

Frompage05 a system that promotes responsible vehicle ownership, improves road safety, and aligns with the vision of a nation whereprosperityisattainableforall.

I’mlookingforwardtodiscussingtheseconcernsfurther

Sincerely,

HemrajKissoon(Vishaul)

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

PRESIDENT ALIA JAGDEO CLONE

No way that PresidentAli could be a Jagdeo clone.

The VPmade the mold on leadership vindictiveness.

But PresAli in his own press conference competes to be abuser-in-chief.

VPJagdeo has the monopoly on maliciousness

So why is PresidentAli challenging Jagdeo’s vicious monopoly?

So, what do Guyanese have: PresAli, a Jagdeo-powered drone?

Or Pres.Ali, the perfect Jagdeo clone?

Pres.Ali must be about uplifting words, not those of stone.

EPA waives impact assessment for pipeline cleaning and storage facility to service oil sector

The Environmental Rapid Oilfield Guyana Inc. available on the EPA’s pipes, preparation of the Protection Agency (EPA) for the preparation and non- website, the facility will be items.Forkliftoperationsare has exempted a pipeline destructive testing of pipes used for the storage of pipes an integral part of the cleaning and storage facility and has concluded that the and industrial equipment; operations for the movement to service the oil sector from project will not significantly cleaning of tools, pipes and of pipes and equipment,” the an Environmental Impact affect the environment, and other equipment; non- developerexplained. Assessment(EIA). is therefore exempt from the destructive testing of K a i e t e u r N e w s

An EIA is intended to requirement to conduct an industrial tools, pipes and understands that the plot is assesstheenvironmentaland EIA. equipment; administrative situated 25 kilometers from social impacts of the project The facility will be activities and storage of Georgetown.Thefacilityhas and outline measures to operated at Lot 563 Garden tools, parts and chemicals. commenceddevelopmenton mitigatethese.

of Eden, East Bank “Rapid Oilfield’s core the24,281squaremeters(six

The EPA in a Notice on Demerara (EBD) obliquely operation is nondestructive acres) where 50% of the area its website dated June 18, opposite the Garden of Eden testing and the activities that has been cleared of 2024 explained that it Power Plant. According to support the activities such as vegetation and a warehouse screened the application for the Project Summary, also cleaning of the tools and erected.

The surrounding areas are predominantly home to locals who are cash crop, large scale poultry and cattle farmers, the developer said in its Project Summary According to the document, “90% of the space is an open emissions and will therefore environment. area. The present usage is to not pose any hazards to the Secondly, the agency store pipes and tools for the atmosphere, with the noted that the project is not oil industry There are plans exception of its forklift l o c a t e d w i t h i n a n and preparations to develop operations. environmentally sensitive thefacilitytoincludeaWash Additionally, the area, i.e., it is not located in BayArea, a storage area and developer assured that an area having special various work areas where domestic garbage will be environmentalattributesthat cleaning, preparation and collected and disposed of require special care or rare i n s p e c t i o n s c a n b e adequatelywhileasumpwill ecosystems or habitats with facilitated.” be constructed to collect species at risk. Finally, the Following completion of waste and filter the water, EPA pointed out that the the facility about 30 to 60 allowing for clean water to application and project personswillbeemployed. enter the main drainage summary submitted outlined It was noted that the Lubes used during the adequate mitigation operations will have operationsareexpectedtobe measures for air, noise, and minimal effects on the land collected and stored for land pollution from the and soil as any chemicals recycling. project. used will be in the wash bay Consequently, the EPA Anypersonswhomaybe area where a sump will gavethreereasonstosupport affected by the proposed collect the waste and its decision to waive an projecthave30daystolodge dischargecleanwater Environmental Impact an appeal against the Additionally, the Assessmentfortheproject.It Agency’s decision not to developer said there would explained that the potential require an EIA for the be no effects to the water or impacts of the project on the project. waterways due to the physical, biological, and Appeals should be processes of operations socioeconomic environment addressedtotheChairmanof where only clean water will will not be significant, given t h e E n v i r o n m e n t a l be used for the cleaning and that the preparation and non- Assessment Board E-mail: blasting. d e s t r u c t i v e t e s t i n g eabguyana21@gmail com

Meanwhile,thefacilityis inspection of pipes will be o r W e b s i t e : not expected to generate air done in a controlled www.epaguyana.org

Bandits rob Cornelia Ida family at gunpoint

Three bandits all armed with guns on gunpoint. The owner of the home screamed Friday invaded the home of a Cornelia Ida, for help but one of the bandits lashed him in West Coast Demerara (WCD) family and the head with his gun in a bid to keep him robbedthematgunpoint. quiet.

Police did not say what time of the day The gunmen then fired two shots before the bandits attacked but said that they leaving the house with the loot. They made assaulted one of the family members and good their escape in a car that was waiting fired off their weapons before escaping with outsideofthefamily’shome. $150,000andacellphoneworth$60,000. The owner of the home was taken to a

According to reports reaching Kaieteur private clinic where he was treated for an News the men entered the house through an injurytotheheadandsentaway open door and held all the occupants at Investigationsareongoing.

ThePNCRleadershipelectionsareaforegoneconclusion

This weekend, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), the main opposition party in Guyana, will hold its highly anticipated Congress. This event will see elections for theleadershipoftheparty

The PNCR will get the leader it deserves. None of thecontendersforleadership have publicly disassociated himself or herself from the controversial stance of the party during the first five months following the 2020 general and regional elections. This stance not only brought the party into international disrepute but created huge problems internallyforthethenleader

The 2020 General and Regional Elections cast a longshadowoverthePNCR. The party’s handling of the elections, led to a mutiny against David Granger, the former leader who had

successfully brought the party out of two decades in opposition Granger’s achievementandhisforging of an electoral partnership and later coalition governmenthaveneverbeen given the recognition they deserve. No other leader in the PNCR was ever able to achieve what Granger did. And yet, he was turned againstwithinhisparty Granger’s exit from the PNCR’s leadership and active politics did not quell the factionalism which he complainedabout.Instead,it fragmentedthepartyfurther At the last Congress, the outgoing leader cautioned against the rising tide of factionalism within the party His retirement has only seen this factionalism deepen, leading to an ugly andcontentiousbattleforthe present leadership The situation has become rife

Dem boys seh...

withdesperatemeasuresand a flurry of nasty and uncomradely accusations beinglevelled.

Despite this turmoil, the outcome of the elections is predictable. Aubrey Norton and his slate are poised to emerge victorious The challengers to Norton’s leadershipareexpectedtobe drubbed.

One distinguishing feature of the PNCR’s internal politics is its relatively democratic process of nominations for leadership. Party groups are allowed to nominate individuals for leadership positions before the Congress. This is far more democratic compared to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP The PPP follows a more communist-styled centralizedprocess,inwhich the Congress elects the CentralCommittee,whichin

A friend always in need is a friend only in deed

Demboyssehisa funny ting how some people can’t tell de difference between a friend and a leech. Yuh got to wonder sometimes if dey eyesight bad or if dey just too kindheartedfuhdeyowngood.

De other day, one man sehhegota“bloodbrother.” But when yuh look close, it look more like a one-way bloodtransfusion.Oneman givin’ and givin’, de other one takin’ and takin’. If de situation was a cow, one man would be de farmer milkin’,anddeotherwould be de calf drinkin’ all de milk and not givin’ back a singledrop.

Remember dat fella in Guyana? De one who latch ontoafriendlikeatickona dog? Dem boys seh he tek

more than a sponge in a flood. De man who was financin’him might as well havebeendeCentralBank. Everyweek,desameting–“Brother, leh me hold a small piece till next week.” Andnextweekcome,butde moneyneverdid. So dem boys seh one day, de giver finally wake up. He realize de so-called friend wasn’t no blood brother, he was a mosquito, suckin’ him dry He seh, “No more, my brother, no more.”Detakerlookshock, like he just find out Santa Claus ain’t real. He start beggin’, promisin’ to change But dem boys know, a leopard can’t change its spots, and a freeloader can’t suddenly becomeabenefactor So dem boys seh, next

time yuh hear somebody talkin’ ‘bout their “blood brother,” ask yuhself if it’s really a two-way street or a one-way highway Because nobody want to end up like dat man in Guyana, with a friend who turn out to be nothin’ but a professional bum.

And always remember, ifyuhkeepgivin’andgivin’ andgettin’nothin’inreturn, yuh ain’t got a friend. Yuh got a parasite. And de only tingtodowithparasitesisto get rid of dem before dey suckyuhdry

Demboysseh,it’sbetter tobealonethantobeinbad company

Because at least when yuhalone,yuhknowwhoto blame when yuh pockets empty

Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

turn selects an Executive Committee to act as the leadership body between Central Committee meetings.

This nomination process withinthePNCRmeansthat the number of nominations received by a candidate can beareliableindicatorofthat person’s support base Delegates from nominating groups are likely to vote for the individuals they nominated, making the prediction of Norton’s victory, based on nominations, a reasonable assumption.

Butthisisnottosuggest that the elections process is free from taint. The PNCR wouldnotbethePNCRifits elections were free of controversy Most of its previous congresses in recent times were subject to charges and counter charges aboutirregularities.

Already there are concerns about the short period of preparation for Congress, the transparency oftheprocessofdetermining the number of delegates to the Congress. Despite other concerns about the representationofsomeparty groups and other internal issues, including the membership database, N o r t o n ’s l e a d i n nominationssuggestsaclear pathtoleadership.

Externally, the party’s reputation has suffered. The allegations of election misconduct have tarnished the PNCR’s image on the international stage, leading

to a loss of credibility But this history is unlikely to influencethedynamicsatthe upcomingCongress.Itisnot likely that there will be any radical policy shifts or significant changes in direction of the party emerging out of this week’s Congress.

The larger questions to beansweredatthisCongress is whether the party will endorseAubreyNortonasits presidential candidate for the 2020 elections or whether it will identify a consensus candidate or establish a mechanism to choose either Another question is how the internal struggles will affect the party’s performance at next year’selections.Yet,another concern would be whether theexistingfactionalismcan be turned into a positive forcetoredefinetheparty

Factionalism and disunity could potentially weakentheparty’scohesion and effectiveness in mountingarobustcampaign against the PPP/C The ongoing divisions and the legacy of the 2020 elections could lead to some loss of voter confidence and support.

However, it is not anticipated that the PNCR willbeentirelydevastatedat thepollsnextyear.

While the party is expected to suffer some fallout, it retains a substantial base of support. But the party will have to accept that it will remain in the Opposition between

2025 and 2030 – a logical price for its role in attempting to subvert the democraticwillofthepeople inthe2020polls.

Factionalism within the PNCR can be harnessed to redefine the party But this f o r m o f p o s i t i v e factionalism has to be based on policy differences rather than jostling for leadership. By pivoting towards issuebased factions, the party become more inclusive and entertain a range of perspectives. Policy-driven factions can enhance internal democracy by giving members a platform to advocate for specific issues, leading to more representative policymaking and consensus decision-making that strengthens the party’s overall appeal and effectivenessgoingforward.

The Congress this weekend will set the stage for the PNCR’s future. For better or worse, the party will get exactly what it deserves It will either inheritthewindoradaptand change,ifitcan.

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

H@RD TRUTHS

THE PPP - A HIGH-LEVEL SKETCH

T

h e P e o p l e ’ s ProgressiveParty(PPP)isas old as Guyana Well, almost. Whatcanbesaidof it,whereitistoday,withthe utmost clarity, in complete frankness? The first virtue is that honesty must feature thoroughly in any sketch, and it cannot be much more thanthat,ofapoliticalgroup

that has had its inspirations. In more recent years, however, it has enjoyed electoral success, but has nonethelessfallenonbarren times. Ethical barrenness.

Leadership emptiness

Characterless (and classless) men and women.

Acoreandasoulcompeting for a claim to the greater

rottenness. Where to start? Who to begin with, put under the center of the radar? Thosearebuttwoof themanychallenges. Still,I must try, while honoring those who have given their loyalty and life to a party that now teems with the pungent, the putrid, and the profaning. Of necessity, a

start must be made with CheddiJagan.

Dr Cheddi Jagan was a mantruetohisbeliefs,tohis countrymen,towhatwashis foundation, for which he is known,andwhichcannotbe forgotten. His wife had her way, her say, her little stay, andsoonenoughwasshown herway. Inanutshell,there wenttheheartoftheoriginal PPPwithabowtoChaseand HubbardandJacobofearlier note, and the likes of Ramotar and Ramkarran andRohee,astimewenton. Theylivedandwoulddiefor the party They weren’t quite my kind of thinkers, but I doff my hat at their blind allegiance to a man, a myth, and still to what has now eased and then raced into the ranks of monstrousness. Itisthenew PPP Be it old PPP or new PPP, the core of supporters were part of the rocks and salt of Guyana. Simple citizens Hardworking people Trusting and faithful people People takenforgranted,thengiven akickorakiss. Ithasbeen theirtragicfatetobemadeto pay a bitter price for their s t i l l u n s w e r v i n g commitments to what is not just an assault on the national conscience, but a nationalcrimesyndicate. It is the PPP of this new millennium.

The new breed of the PPPis a low breed. It may bequarterofonething,half of something, and three quarters of another, but it is now almost 100% all darkness and what is destructive to people, nation, and interests Perhaps, a comparison may be timely, of unerring assistanceforthosewhoare stuckonthefence,withtheir minds hanging in the balance.

It is true that Cheddi Jagan could be rightly

pigeonholed as an ideologue. But who in Guyana,beheorsheof the PPP or PNC, could describe him as a demagogue? Listentowhat the supporters of the PPP and citizens of this country live with today, and is that not it today? Ademagogue of the meanest, nastiest, ugliest sort? Cheddi Jagan and Donald Ramotar could engage in what is best identified as a few lengthy monologues But has anybody ever heard those two shining PPP lights descend to, articulate, what can only be accurately said to be nothing but male vaginamonologues? When thereshouldbeawillingness toengageindialogueforthe benefitofthiscountry,there is diatribe after diatribe, often once a week, then on any given day that pleases. CheddiandJanetcouldbluff as the best that Guyana had to offer But no Guyanese, not even their sworn enemies,wouldstoopsolow astomistaketheirbluffsfor buffoonery I look at a PPP brain trust, and I behold a body, a conscience overtaken by chicanery, the upper levels of a national political party that is a walking, shouting crime wave.

Who is not a payroll snatcher is a body snatcher The ones that are not pathological liars are unblushing tricksters, ambushers, fraudsters Theytalkaboutrulesandthe rule of law with a loud public voice. But behind closed doors, the real PPP and its real leadership ambitions come out in technicolor: it is about the rogueries that include tying bundles with desperadoes, outlaws, and assorted schemers who plot how to drain the national treasury Rules with a straight face;

while, at the same time, the hands of a small army of donors and financiers are shaken, their dark money collected, their dirty deeds condoned I invite the partisantoexaminethestate of local institutions that should be of unalterable merit. When finished with that exercise, they should spare a moment, and consider how other institutions inside the US Government operate, what they deliver Guyana doesn’t need an American Ambassador as their new Governor General. This humblebutproudGuyanese doesn’t. TherestofGuyana may be impressed, even awed,butnotI. Butthereit was that Her Excellency spoke in solemn officious tones, and all the powerful PPP boys were off in a frenziedgalloptosweepthe local stables clean. I have said a few things endlessly: pick company carefully Wine and dine sparsely Accept money even more cautiously My Lord, my God! IsthisGuyanaofours, still a country, a proud sovereignty? Or is it a crowded penitentiary, subject to the commands of the wardens that grind the weak and foolish into the dust? Somuchforfreeand fair If this is what is free, then give me the chains and thestocks. AllIaskisforthe freedom to keep my conscience. And if it isn’t granted, I will seize it, and noonecantakeitaway. Not the dirty, sickly, PPP Not the imperiousYankee. The PPP is always running to America. America came and kicked out Jagan, then Burnham,laterHoyte. Now Americacomesagain. This time it is for them, those in thenewPPP

From page 43 originatedfromsocial mediacommentatorEgland Gomes,whorecounted whatVanessaKissoon sharedwithhimabout beingsexuallyharassedby theOppositionLeader

The allegation is that Nortonwasaskedbyanother party member Sharma Solomon to give Kissoon a ride to Linden after a PNCR campaign meeting It is alleged that Norton stopped his motor vehicle in the vicinity of the Ruimveldt Industrial area roadway and showed Kissoon his firearm before sexually harassing her Addressing the post, Norton labeled it as “malicious and false.” He underscored that at no time washeaskedbySolomonto give Kissoon a drop to Linden. “Secondly, at no time Vanessa Kissoon and I were in any vehicle alone heading to Linden. All of these claims are false and malicious, ” Norton continued.

The Opposition Leader also disclosed that he has sinceinstructedhislawyerto take legal action against the social media commentator Duringhisstatement,Norton called on Kissoon as well as Solomon to address the issue.Hesaid,“Failuretodo so will suggest that they are complicit in this false and malicious post ” While Nortonsaidthatheviewsthe allegationsaspartofawider political plot, coinciding with his party’s upcoming congress and elections later this month – Kissoon issued her own statement on Wednesday afternoon addressing the social media post, as well as the comments made by the OppositionLeader She stated, “There is a social media story that is taking on various proportions and shapes after a statement was released by one Egland Gomes whom I acknowledge to have had conversationsometimeback with a third party being present. I did not in said conversation approve of Mr Gomes taking my story public for any purpose whatsoever.”

Kissoonsaid,despiteher story being publicly shared by Gomes without her permission, she feels obligated to address the comments made by the Opposition Leader She said shedidtravelinNorton’scar, despite him denying that ever happened Kissoon disclosed, “Mr Norton stopped his car, locked it,

showed me his gun in his foot and asked me, if I put this to your head and rape you, what would you do? I responded by saying, I ain’t afraid of you or that s#u&t and you will have to $u&kingkillme.”

Moreover, the PNCR member noted that while Norton did not carry out his threatsordesires,forseveral years, she has carried the burden of the threat, disrespect and violation. “I did tell a few of my close confidantes. Mr Norton has neverbeenanythingmoreto me than just a political comrade.Sincemystoryhas gone public without me initiating it, as it was my right,Istatethatwaswrong, regardlessofmotive. Being forced to deal with this publicly as a result of the actionsofanotherhurts,”the womanadded.

Additionally, Kissoon urged other victims to avoid hermistakesandtakecontrol of their experiences before others do it for them. “Mr. Nortonmayhavemissedthe timesweareinandthevalue placed in protecting women and girls. No one should be subjected to such inappropriate sexual advances and threats. To those men and women who haveallowedpoliticsandnot what is right to influence your judgment of the situation, you have a lot to learnaboutabuseandsexual misconduct. I recall how vigorouslysomeofyouwent after other accused but how youletdownyourown. Our party,ournation,needsmore enlightenment and a nonpartisan approach to

actions of this nature,” she concluded.

Friday

PresidentAlisaysno needtoaddressGuyana’s toprevenueearner,oil …concernsaboutsector beinghandledweeklyby VPJagdeo

President Irfaan Ali on Thursday said he does not need to address matters relating to the oil and gas sector,astheseareventilated weekly by Vice President, BharratJagdeo.

TheHeadofStatewasat thetimeaddressingreporters duringamediaconferenceat State House in Georgetown when Kaieteur News asked him to comment on the governance of the burgeoning petroleum sector ThePresidenthadjust concluded his hour-long opening remarks, providing an update on the financial sector; the performance of brackish water shrimp and prawnsponds;riceandsugar production; border security andotherlocaleffortsgeared towards achieving food security The Head of State

even announced new measures to tackle gold smugglinginthecountryand the increase in cocaine seizuresoverthepastyear

Also part of the

President’s opening statementwascarboncredits and the country’s Low

Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), and an update on the growth in coconut production. To this end, Kaieteur News asked PresidentAliwhetherhehad

any concerns relative to the management of the sector since he has been quiet on thatindustry Notably,theoil and gas sector is the key driver of this country’s economy,responsibleforthe growth in Gross Domestic Product(GDP)–positioning Guyana as the World’s fastestgrowingeconomy

It would be apposite to notethattheHeadofStatein hisrecentIndependenceDay address to the nation also steered clear of the subject. Instead, he spoke about house lots, government’s investmentinhealthcareand infrastructure,tonameafew

According to the Presidenthowever,heneeds notaddressthesectorasitis amply covered by the VP He said, “The other thing I needtosayisyoudon’tneed to hear from the President everyday on this issue. I set the tone on the issue and I know you have a healthy relationship with the Vice Presidentonoilandgas.You have all your questions answered at the press conferences; I think you have a healthy ongoing discourseonoilandgas.”

The weekly press conferences hosted by Jagdeoareoftenconvenedat the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) officeFreedom House, Robb Street, Georgetown where the VP puts on his General Secretary cap, responding, and many times attacking critics of his government. Reporters too are often left with unanswered questions pertaining to the sector These are often directed to other government officials or agency representatives despite Jagdeo holds responsibilityfortheoiland gassector

Questionsraised overgovt’shandling ofUSsanctionsagainst Mohameds

President Irfaan Ali on Thursday faced members of the media where several questionswereposedtohim onthehandlingoftheUnited States’ sanctions on Guyanese billionaire Nazar Mohamed and his son AzruddinMohamed.

On June 11, the US

Department of the Treasury’sOfficeofForeign Assets Control (OFAC) announcedtheimpositionof sanctions on the Mohameds and their entities for alleged corruption, specifically gold smuggling and evading taxes.

The head-of-state was

askedonwhatlegalbasisthe government revoked the Mohameds’ cambio licence some 48 hours after the sanctions were announced, especially in light of the absenceofinformationfrom theUS.

“The Bank of Guyana is the regulatory agency in relation to the granting of cambio licence. They act based on their regulations and what is expected of them, ” Ali said He continued, “So the Bank of Guyana acted based on the sanctions and what their regulations say So that wouldbeaquestionproperly put to the governor of the bank.”

Tothisend,henotedthat agencies like the Guyana Gold Board (GGB) and Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) are navigating based onthesanctions.

According to the OFAC, the Mohameds allegedly evaded tax on gold exports anddefraudedtheGuyanese government of tax revenues byunder-declaringtheirgold exports to Guyanese authorities. “Between 2019 and 2023, Mohamed’s Enterprise omitted more than 10 thousand kilograms of gold from import and export declarations and avoided paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes to the Government of Guyana,” the US Treasury alleged.

During the press briefing, another journalist questioned government’s swift revocation of the cambiolicenceincontrastto the Mohameds’gold mining and gold export licence, notingthatgoldtransactions were a focal point in the OFACreport.

“…I don’t want to be premature. The agencies are engaging,asyouknowthere is a lot of intricacies…the agencies are independent and they will take the necessary decisions,” Ali responded.

“So it has not been revoked?” the journalist followed up. Ali responded, “I can’t say…whether it’s been revoked as yet. I know there is a process, there’s a process of engagement, the process with the banks, the gold board all of those processesareongoing.”

When pressed further, President Ali said that all transactions with the sanctioned company are suspended.

However,hestated,“We can’t operate without the information,” adding, “Everything is suspended,

let’smakethatveryclear All transactions with the gold board, everything is suspended.”

Ali reiterated that the government is still awaiting information from the US on theallegations.Hesaidthat, once the information is received, discrepancies between local declarations andthoseinthereportwillbe examined to build a case for tax evasion, enabling the GRA and other agencies to takenecessaryactions.

Moreover,Aliresponded to inquiries regarding the governmentbeing‘leftinthe dark’about the probe which has been ongoing for over two years. In his response, Ali emphasised the robust relationship between Guyana and the US, and stated,“No,Idon’tagreethat wewereleftinthedark,and I’m not surprised by anythinginmylife.Nothing surprisesmeinlife.

Saturday

Guyanaexploring exportationofelectricity tomonetiseresources–PresidentAlisays

The Government of Guyana has contracted a U.S. firm, Fulcrum LNG to help monetize the country’s gas resources. A number of options are presently on the table for consideration and are pending a full technical and financial analysis, including the export of electricity

This was revealed by President Irfaan Ali on Thursday during a press conference at State House, Georgetown.

He explained, “We recently concluded the expression of interest for a major gas project outside of the Wales development (Gas-to-Energyproject).We had a company identified, that company with the Government of Guyana and Exxon and its partners will now have to have discussionsandwewillhave to together arrive at a model andaplanastohowwewill advance this major gas development in our country.”

In January, the government invited proposals seeking private sectorpitchesforthedesign, financing, construction, and o p e r a t i o n o f g a s infrastructure to support current and future upstream developmentsinGuyana.

The Head of State was keentonotethatthe (Continuedonpage13)

President IrfaanAli addressing reporters during his press conference

From page 12 governmenthassince assembledatechnicalteam toparticipateinthe discussionsanddrafta modelfortheutilizationof thegasresources.President AlianticipatesaHeadsof Agreementinthisregard willbesignedbynextyear

PresidentAlisaid,“What we want is the monetization of the gas as fast as possible toaddanadditionalrevenue stream and it’s not only gas, it’s the condensate that comeswithit.

For a matter of fact that has tremendous opportunity and potential for us but we can’t know that, we can’t

know the degree of opportunity until the full analysis, technical (and) financial,iscompletedforus toknowwhatwehave.”

To this end, he revealed thatanumberofpossibilities

are being examined, including the export of energy through the development of an energy corridor to Brazil and Suriname.Inadditiontothat, hecitedthemarketingofbyproducts from the natural gas. Ali also hinted at the possibilityofasecondpower plant to position the country asanexporterofelectricity

“It also speaks about the developmentofashorebase facility, additional power plantsthatcouldbeusedfor export of not only the gas, but power directly, so there a r e a n u m b e r o f opportunities that we think can be generated from this gascomingtoshoreorbeing processed but those are all thingsthatwillbeexamined in the conversation and then a viable option, the most competitive, cost effective, profitable option will be presented,”theHeadofState explained.

Presently, the GoG is pursuing a US$2B Gas-toEnergy (GTE) project. This is the country’s first natural gas project. It is expected to generate 300 megawatts of power and an additional 3,400barrelsofby-products daily ProjectHead,Winston Brassington previously said the startup of this facility willprovidethecountrywith

some 4,100 barrels of byproducts daily – such as cooking gas and fuel for cigarettes–amongothers.

Guyana however utilises approximately 700 barrels per day of these products, which means the country willhavetoseekmarketsfor 3,400 barrels of byproducts each day or 1,241,000 barrelsonanannualbasis.

PNCR’sCommittee ofElderstoinvestigate sexualharassment allegationsagainstNorton

The People’s National Congress Reform’s (PNCR) CommitteeofElderswillbe conducting an investigation into the sexual harassment allegations levelled against Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton by party memberVanessaKissoon.

On Wednesday, Norton tooktosocialmediatodeny the allegations which first surfaced on Facebook

However, following his address, Kissoon issued a statement alleging that he didsexuallyharasshersome yearsago.

Thereafter, several calls were made by Opposition partymembersforNortonto step down and allow an impartial investigation into theallegations.

OnFridayafternoon,the PNCR held a press conference where it was disclosedthattheCommittee ofElderswillbeconducting theinvestigation.

Elder, Cheryl Sampson said, “We are aware that the allegations of impropriety leveled against the party leader by a female party comrade, the outlines of which are already in the public domain. We are well awareofthenegativeimpact that these allegations have on the party, particularly on the eve of its congress and leading up to the national and regional elections next year.”

“In that regard, we call upon all well intended comradestoceaseanddesist from falling into the trap of seemingly trumping a cause that has the potential to distractfromanddisruptthe business at hand, the party’s 32nd Biennial Congress,” Sampsonsaid.

Sampson disclosed that the request for the investigation was made by the National Congress of Women (NCW), the women’s arm of the party that has championed the courseoftheparty

The NCW called for the elders of the party to facilitate a full inquiry into the matter, to unearth the truth and make appropriate recommendations on the way forward to the satisfactionofallconcerned.

Moreover, PNCR elder, Hamilton Green, in his address made similar sentiment stating that the elders’ role is to seek the truthandgiveguidanceasto the way forward. “It is clear if I may continue in the

To this end, she expressed that the elders are equally concerned that any such matters though m a n i p u l a t e d a n d choreographed to harm the party under its current leadership should be addressed and the due processshouldprevail.

extent environment that we can be dealing with somethingthatisdangerous, something that is contrived, something that is not good, something that can destabilize,”headded.

Green noted that the elders will investigate the allegation and hold anyone guiltyofimproperbehaviour or any form of impropriety no matter their position in theirpartyaccountable.

“We were asked to perform this daunting and difficulttaskjustafewhours ago…”hesaid.

Green continued, “But from what I have heard, we really can be facing a story written by George Orwell and we may be going through the twists and turns ofanOrwelliandrama.

Attheendofitall,those ofuswhoareeldersandhave gone through the thick and thin of this party must seek the truth, and only the truth and that it why we accepted this task.” While there is no t i m e l i n e f o r t h e investigation, the party is moving ahead with its upcoming congress which willbeheldnextweekend.

Kaieteur News reported thattheallegationoriginated from social media commentator Egland Gomes,whorecountedwhat Kissoon shared being sexually harassed by the OppositionLeaderwithhim.

The allegation is that Nortonwasaskedbyanother party member, Sharma Solomon to give Kissoon a ridetoLindenafteraPNCR campaignmeeting.

It is alleged that Norton stoppedhismotorvehiclein thevicinityoftheRuimveldt Industrial area roadway and showed Kissoon his firearm before sexually harassing her Nortonhassincelabeled the allegation as “malicious and false.” For her part, Kissoon disclosed that despite her story was shared publicly by Gomes without her permission, she feels obligated to address the comments made by the OppositionLeader Kissoonsaidthatshedid travel in Norton’s car, despite him denying that ever happened She disclosed, “Mr Norton stopped his car, locked it, showed me his gun in his

foot and asked me, if I put this to your head and rape you,whatwouldyoudo.

I responded by saying, I ain’t afraid of you or that s#u&t and you will have to $u&kingkillme.”

Moreover, the PNCR member noted that while Norton did not carry out his threatsordesires,forseveral years, she has carried the burden of the threat, disrespectandviolation.

PNCR Elder, Hamilton Green

Govt. commences discussions with commercial airlines for possible carbon credit sale

The government from the Architecture for Convention on Climate commercial discussions and from2016to2020. fulfil national development has initiated REDD+ Transactions C h a n g e ( U N F C C C ) engagements with airlines Subsequently, the and climate resilience and c o m m e r c i a l (ART). requirements. for the sale of Guyana’s government entered into an adaptation outlined in the

discussions with This achievement made This process certifies the carbon credit for that agreement with Hess strategy players in the aviation Guyana the first country to credits as eligible for use by market,”PresidentAlisaid. Corporation that will see the Some 811 projects are industry for the sale of high- be issued carbon credits airlines towards their targets Guided by the Low company purchasing high- being implemented in qualitycarboncredits. eligible for use by airline in the 2024-2026 phase of Carbon Development quality carbon credits for Indigenous communities This was announced by operators in their efforts to the International Civil Strategy (LCDS) 2030, $750million. nationwide funded by President Dr Mohamed reducecarbonemissions. Aviation Organization’s Guyana has set out a vision In 2023, US$150 carbon credit resources Irfaan Ali during a press Simultaneously, the (ICAO) CORSIA (Carbon for monetising the climate million was received, They are expected to receive conferenceonThursday government announced the Offsetting and Reduction and ecosystem services representing the first afurther$2billionin2024as Earlier this year, Guyana w o r l d ’s f i r s t P a r i s Scheme for International provided by its standing tranche of payments made part of the second tranche of achievedahistoricmilestone Agreement corresponding Aviation). forest,whileacceleratingthe by Hess of which US$22 payments. by receiving 7.14 million adjustment, meeting the “Not only did we certify, c

y Guyana is committed to 2021 vintage carbon credits United Nations Framework w

development along a low- disbursed to 242 indigenous combatting climate change carbontrajector villagesnationwide and fostering sustainable OnDecember12022,the This represents 15 per growth through the LCDS Architecture for REDD+ cent of total revenues earned 2030 framework while Tr

n

actions (ART) through this mechanism in managing its resources announced the issuance of k e e p i n g w i t h t h e transparently for the benefit 33.47 million TREES credit LCDS2030. The remaining of present and future to Guyana for the five years 85 per cent are earmarked to generations.(DPI)

Man fined $20.8M, jailed for possession of marijuana

Aman was on T h u r s d a y sentenced to three years' imprisonment and fined $20,880,000 after hewasfoundguiltyofbeing in possession of 23 2 Kilograms (Kg) of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.

Odearie Phillips appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Vigilance Magistrates' Court.

In addition, Gavin Adamswasalsosentencedto

three years' in prison when he appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrates' Court before Magistrate Rushell Liverpool after he pleadedguiltyforpossession of narcotics for the purpose oftrafficking.

He was found in possession of 3.348KG of cocaine.

Likewise,MarkAnthony Thomasalsoappearedatthe Sparendaam Magistrates' Court before Magistrate AbigailGibbstoanswertoa narcotics charge and an

obstructionofaCustomAnti Narcotic Unit (CANU) officer during the execution ofhisduties.

Thomas was reportedly found with 4.5 grams of cannabis in his possession. He pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him and was placed on $60,000 bail for obstruction of a CANU officer during the execution of his duties. Bail was however, denied for the narcoticscharge.

Heisscheduledtoreturn tocourtonAugust2.

MarkAnthony Thomas GavinAdams

Odearie Phillips

Fire of unknown origin guts Weldaad house

Fire of unknown origin destroyed a twostoreywooden and concrete house at Weldaad,WestCoastBerbice (WCB) Saturday afternoon

leaving a family of eight homeless.

Thefirereportedlybegan at15:50h.

K a i e t e u r N e w s understandsthatnotallofthe

occupants were at home at the time of the fire A neighbour said she heard other neighbours shouting and rushed to see what caused the commotion was about.

“I run out and I see the whole top part in fire, it was almostcompletelyburnedby thetimeIreachover The neighbours were

trying to out it with some buckets, because the fire service didn't reach as yet,” theneighboursaid.

K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that an elderly woman was in the house at thetimethefirestarted.

The woman reportedly told neighbours that she is unsureofthecauseofthefire butnotedthatthefirestarted in a room at the back of the house and quickly spread to therestofthebuilding.

NeighbourstoldKaieteur News that the house was destroyed quickly and though the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) was summoned, when they arrived the building was completely destroyed Residents tried to save the buildingbyformingabucket brigadebuttheireffortswere futile.

There are no reports of injuries.TheGFSissaidtobe conductinginvestigations.

Scenes from the fire in Weldaad, West Coast Berbice.

Meet

thegorgeous NewYork-based Guyanesebeauty AriannaVee,acontestant intheMissUniverseGuyana 2024pageant.Ariannaisaself taughtdancer,singer,artistand socialmediainfluencerwhobelieves thattheworldisonebigfamily Thisweek’sbeautyadvocatesfor bringingpeace,loveandunity Oneofherfavoritequotesis“A journeyofathousandmilesbegins withonesinglestep”.Shehasindeed traveledathousandmilestotake thissinglestepinhopingtowin thetitleof“MissUniverse Guyana”tomakean impactintheworld.

Arianna Vee

CARIBBEAN INTEGRATION: HOW THE OECS OUTPACES CARICOM

BySirRonaldSanders

The 7-nation Organization of E a s t e r n Caribbean States (OECS), which marked its 43rd anniversary on June 18, 2024, is arguably one of the most successful integration projects in the world. It is secondonlytothe27-nation EuropeanUnion(EU).

The OECS represents a

deeper integration

movement than the Caribbean Community and C o m m o n M a r k e t (CARICOM), of which its member states are a part, along with eight other Caribbeancountries.

While the OECS was formedin1981,CARICOM was founded in its original form as the Caribbean Free

Trade Association (CARIFTA) in 1968 Despite CARICOM’s 14year head start, the OECS has proven to be a more successful and beneficial integrationproject.

On October 19, 1978, at the23rdMeetingoftheWest Indies (Associated States) Council of Ministers (WISA) – a loose consultative group of 7 Leeward and Windward Islands - Lester Bird, then Deputy Premier of Antigua and Barbuda, outlined a visionofanorganizationthat becametheOECS.Iworked closely with him on elaboratingthatvision.

At that time, of the 7 countries, only Grenada had attained independence from Britainin1967.

Dominica was on the cuspofindependence,which it attained in November 1978.

St.LuciaandSt.Vincent and the Grenadines were

also contemplating independence, eventually achieving it in February and October1979,respectively

Meanwhile, for Antigua and Barbuda and St. KittsNevis, independence was not yet imminent, although leaders in both countries aspired to be free from the dictates of the British authoritiesinLondon.

The 7th country, Montserrat, also hankered for greater local power over its affairs. However, it was cleartoanyinformedanalyst that while independence from a colonial power was imperative, the burden for countries with micro economies and small populations was not

sustainable Separate independenceforthesesmall and under-resourced countries, along with the dismantling of joint governance mechanisms, could leave them worse off thantheywere.

Grenadaservedasacase inpoint.

Although it had been nominally independent for eleven years by 1978, it continued to participate in several institutions establishedbyBritainforthe seven countries including a common currency and a currencyauthority

Grenadadidsobecauseit quickly realized it could not afford to establish its own currency, central bank, judiciary, and regulatory bodies. This was especially trueas,withindependence,it also had to assume the costs of its own defence and foreignaffairs.

Againstthisbackground, a course of “independence within interdependence” was proposed in the 1979 address.

This proposal included several key elements: solidifying, in a binding structure, the concept of WISA, which was rooted in the recognition of regional cooperation; building on the “special relationship” of the Leeward and Windward Islands,basedongeography, history, economic reality, and common bonds; and, while retaining individual sovereignty, pooling that sovereignty to be stronger together

Thevisiontookroot,and twoyearslater,in1981,after extensive consultation and discussion among the seven countries, the Treaty of Basseterre was signed, and the OECS was born. The treaty was drafted byAbbas Bundu, a Sierra Leonese constitutional lawyer from the Commonwealth Secretariat, whom I accompanied on his journey ofconsultation.

Theunderlyingthemeof those discussions was reflected in the words of the 1979 address: “We have integral ties of parenthood, history, and tradition; essentially, we are the same people ” Achieving the t r e a t y w a s a i d e d considerablybyfourfactors. First, the standing of then Prime Minister of St. Lucia, John Compton, and his dedication to the concept, presented in the Antigua 1978 presentation, of

independence “within a f r a m e w o r k o f interdependence ” Second, the support of Antigua’s influential leader, Vere Cornwall Bird, for the idea of common responsibilities andsharedcosts.

Third, the endorsement of Maurice Bishop, who led a bloodless revolution in Grenada in March 1979 to oust the tyrannical Eric Gairy, despite having an uneasy relationship with the leaders of the six other countries Fourth, the support of radical intellectualssuchasLeonard Tim Hector (Antigua), George Odlum (St. Lucia), and Ralph Gonsalves (St. V i n c e n t a n d t h e Grenadines).

On June 18, 1981, the OECS was born, retaining from their colonial administration, integration factors that took the EU decades to build and which CARICOM has yet to achieve CARICOM announced in 1989 its intention to advance to a Single Market Economy but failed to do so for 22 years before “pausing” it in 2011. Theintegrationmechanisms that the OECS retained included a common currency, which facilitated the free movement of goods and services; a common CurrencyAuthority(laterthe Eastern Caribbean Central Bank), which ensured effective and respected financial and monetary regulation; a common judiciary; a Regional Security System; and other regulatorybodiessuchasthe Eastern Caribbean Civil AviationAuthority

Between1986and1988, therewasafailedattemptto initiate a political union of the OECS countries by then Prime Minister of St. VincentandtheGrenadines, James Mitchell, with active support from St Lucia’s JohnCompton.Althoughthe initiative had considerable merit, it failed due to political rivalry that made little provision for meaningful involvement by opposition political parties in the formulation of the concept.

As Ralph Gonsalves put itatthetime,“thebalanceof the political forces as represented in the political parties, in and out of government, favour(ed) the slowing down or even haltingoftheunitytrain.” Nonetheless, twenty-

nineyearslater,in2010,the OECS governments revised the Treaty to formalize two furtheraspectsofaCommon Market.

T h e y m a d e t h e movement of people, including for work, easier across their countries and laid down the principles for achieving an Economic Union.

While the latter remains a work in progress, the OECS is nearly at the point of establishing a Customs Union.

There is still much work tobedonetoharmonizejoint positions on incentives for foreign investment and to

end competition in sectors like cruise tourism and the Citizenship by Investment schemes operatedbyfiveofthe memberstates. Rival politics for national gain have undermined the collective good Nonetheless, the OECS stands today as the most mature and successful integration project of sovereign states outside the EU.

It provides a model for the CARICOM group, highlightingthattheirfuture success, particularly in facing global challenges suchascompensationforthe damage of climate change, international bargaining, access to financing, and threatstopeaceandsecurity, dependsondeeperandmore effectiveintegration.

The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’sAmbassador to the US and the OAS. The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www.sirronaldsanders.com

Sir Ronald Sanders

Gallstones: Commonly asked questions

Dr. Zulfikar Bux Emergency Medicine Specialist

organ that makes hormones afterward, including watery treatmentoptions and juices involved in food bowel movements, gas, or Ask your doctor how breakdown) bloating. These symptoms each treatment might affect Is there a test usually get better People you. Then work with him or

The two most common for gallstones? who have their gallbladder her to find the treatment that stones that form in our body

Doctors can find out if removed do not need to makes the most sense for are usually in the form of youhavegallstonesbydoing worry about gallstones you. kidneystonesandgallstones. anultrasound.Anultrasound comingback. Can I do anything to keep They are both common is a painless test that uses · Treatment to get rid of from getting gallstones? occurrences with kidney sound waves to make an the stones but keep the Yes. You can try to keep stones being the more imageofyourgallbladder gallbladder – People who yourself at a healthy weight. common of the two. Patients Even if tests show that choose this approach can People who are overweight sometimes confuse the two you have gallstones that do take medicines to break up are more likely to get and they often mistake their not mean they are causing gallstones or be treated with gallstones. gallstone for kidney stones. symptoms Your doctor a device that breaks up Ifyouplantoloseweight Today, we will shed some might need to do other tests stones (or both) These quickly — even if you have though, gallstones clog the stomach” light on gallstones and tomakesureyourstonesand treatments can work, but never had gallstones — ask gallbladder and keep it from · Bloating or burping answer questions commonly yoursymptomsarerelated. they take time — months to your doctor or nurse what draining Other times, fromexcessgas askedbypatients. How are years. People with severe you can do to keep from gallstones just irritate the If you know that you What is the gallbladder? gallstones treated? symptoms might not want to getting gallstones. Losing gallbladder If the gallstones have gallstones but have no The gallbladder is a People with gallstones wait that long to feel better weight quickly for are pushed out of the symptoms, you probably small, pear-shaped organ generally have 3 treatment Plus, the stones can come example, through weight gallbladder, they can keep will not need treatment. But that is tucked under your options.Theycanhave: backafterthesetreatments. loss surgery — can lead to the liver or pancreas from if you start having liver. It stores bile, a fluid · No treatment – This How do I know which gallstones. But your doctor draining. symptoms, you should get that helps the body break optionisbestforpeoplewith treatment to have? can give you medicines to What are the treated. The symptoms can downfat. no symptoms. If they start The right treatment for keepthatfromhappening. symptoms of gallstones? come and go, but they often What are gallstones? having symptoms, they can youwilldependon: Eating a healthy low fat In most cases, gallstones getworseovertime.

Gallstones are small thinkabouttreatmentthen. · How large your stones diet is a good way to help do not cause any symptoms. Are gallstones serious? stones that form inside the · Surgery to remove the are decrease your chances of When they do cause Not usually. In rare cases gallbladder Theycanbetiny gallbladder and the stones · Whether you have getting gallstones As symptoms, gallstones can they can lead to serious specks or get as big as the – Gallbladder surgery is symptoms, and how bad the always,eathealthybutifyou cause: problems,including: whole gallbladder, which routine in Guyana given the symptomsare suspect that you may have ·Bellypain–oftenonthe · Jaundice, a condition can be up to 6 inches long. selection of competent · How you feel about the gallstones,visityourdoctor right side just under the rib that turns your skin and eyes Normally, the gallbladder surgeons we have in practice cage or in the middle top yellow fills with bile in between currently The surgery does portionofthebelly ·Infection meals. Then, when you eat not affect digestion very · Pain in the back or right · Gallbladder tears, fatty foods, the gallbladder much. But about half the shoulder whichcanleadtodeath empties the bile into the people who have surgery ·Nauseaandvomiting · Inflammation of the intestine Sometimes, have mild symptoms · Recurrent “burn pancreas (the pancreas is an

Aruba Ar

Aruba, island lying southwest of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea, some 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Curaçao and 18 miles (29 km) north of the Venezuelan peninsula of

are both relatively low, and the rate reopened in 1990 and resumed full higher education Health standards Paraguaná. of natural increase is less than production by 1993, but, after ontheislandarehigh

Aruba was formerly a part of average for the West Indies. Life operating at a loss for a number of Culture the NetherlandsAntilles. In 1986 it expectancy for both men and years,itclosedagainin2012. Aruba’s long stretches of white became a separate self-governing women is among the highest in the Government and society sand and clear waters attract part of the Kingdom of the region and is comparable to that in A governor, appointed to a six- numerous tourists. The Cultural Netherlands Tourists flock to developedcountries. yeartermbytheDutchcrown,isthe Center in Oranjestad offers Aruba, attracted by its white-sand Economy formal head of government and concerts, ballet, folkloric beaches in the south and west, Services form the basis of the representative of the reigning presentations, and art exhibits rugged coastline in the northeast, Aruban economy These activities monarch of the Netherlands throughout the year The city also and desert environment in the centre primarily on tourism, but Executive authority is vested in a includes historical, archaeological, interior The capital is Oranjestad, offshorebankingandotherservices Council of Ministers, headed by a and numismatic museums. The whichalsoisthemainport. are also important. Until the end of prime minister The council is NewYear’sDayfestivitiesandpreAruba is 20 miles (32 km) long the18thcentury,Arubawasusedby responsible to a 21-member Lenten Carnival in February are and 6 miles (10 km) across at its the colonial authorities for horse unicameral legislature, the Staten especially colourful and popular widest point. Generally low in breeding, and local and mainland (States), elected by universal adult celebrations. elevation, the island consists people of American Indian Indians served as herdsmen. Only suffrage The vast majority of the History ofAruba largelyofigneousrocksoverlainby ancestry, often in combination with from the early 19th century was population is literate Primary and The island’s earliest inhabitants limestone deposits and is fringed Dutch, Spanish, and African land sold to individual settlers. secondary education are free and, were Arawak Indians, who left with coral reefs. Its highest point is heritage. There are few people of Agriculture remained of little since 1999, compulsory from age 4 behind red cave drawings and clay Mount Jamanota, which rises to predominantly African descent, importance despite efforts to grow to 16 Dutch is the main language of potteryandstonetools.AfterAruba 620 feet (189 metres) above sea however, because unlike most aloe for pharmaceutical products. instruction, with Papiamentu being was claimed by Spain in 1499, it level. Among the isolated steep- other Caribbean islands—Aruba Goldminingbeganin1824butwas used in some primary classrooms became a centre of piracy and sided hills that characterize the had few slave-based plantations discontinued in the early 20th TheUniversityofAruba,ateacher’s smuggling. In 1636 it was taken by landscapeisthemountainknownas duringcolonialtimes. century Aruba’s economy college, and a community college the Dutch and occupied by the Hooiberg (“Haystack”), which Language improved when oil refining started provide postsecondary instruction, DutchWestIndiaCompany Aspart reaches 560 feet (171 metres). In The official languages are in the 1920s at the port of San though most Arubans go abroad for (Continued on page 25) some places immense monolithic Dutch and Papiamentu (also Nicolas (Sint Nicolaas); crude oil boulders of diorite are peculiarly spoken in Curaçao and Bonaire), a was imported mainly from piled on top of one another Aruba creole that evolved mainly from Venezuela. The refinery closed in has barren soil with little or no Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch. 1985, provoking a serious natural irrigation. Most drinking English and Spanish are also economic crisis Arubans water is obtained by desalinating widelyused.Aboutthree-fourthsof responded by aggressively seawater the people are Roman Catholic; promoting and expanding tourism, People there are small minorities of including building luxury hotels Most of Aruba’s population is Protestants and Jehovah’s and casinos, to exploit the idyllic ethnically mixed, including many Witnesses.Thebirthanddeathrates island setting The refinery

Flag of Aruba

Conchi Natural Pool

Cuisine of Aruba

Palm Island

Aruba’s Coat of Arms

Shenseea Performs On ‘The Tonight Show

Starring Jimmy Fallon’

Dancehall Mag its third week on the Billboard Reggae Jamaican artist Shenseea made her debut Albums chart, holding the No 10 spot The on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on albumpreviouslypeakedatNo 4 Tuesday night. Alongside three backup The album’s first single, Hit & Run with singers, she thrilled the audience at NBC’s Masicka,isthetop-performingtrackfromthe Studio6Bwith Keep A Place and Neva Neva, 14-track collection. Released in January two songs from her new album Never Gets 2024,ithasamassedover56millionviewson Late Here,whichwasreleasedlastmonth. YouTube and 14 million plays on Spotify “Shenseea did her thing so proud of her Therolloutcontinuedwiththesolotracks Die She slay vocals, background singers, and For You, released in March, and Neva Neva, performance was everything,” commented released in May The collaboration Flava oneviewer with Coi Leray was also released late last “She doesn’t need auto tune, or an auto month The project was executively tunedmic.Nordoessheneedthebackground produced by London On Da Track with track or vocals to over power or be louder additional contributions from producers C. thanhersinging,”addedanother ‘Tricky’Stewart,SupaMario,Dwayne‘Supa Thesingerpreviouslymadeherlate-night Dups’ Chin-Quee, Stephen ‘Di Genius’ debutonABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! backin McGregor, Chimney Records, Banx and 2022.Shenseea’s Never Gets Late Here is in Ranx,andRvssian.

Country Profile

Aruba

From page 23

and Europe contributed to a substantial increaseinpopulation.

Despite its new economic strength, Aruba remained politically subordinated to theAntilles’mainislandofCuraçao.

In 1986 Aruba obtained autonomous of the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba came status, the result of a popular movement led briefly under British rule during the by the People’s Electoral Movement Napoleonic Wars but was returned to the (Movimento Electoral di Pueblo) to break Netherlandsin1816. away from Curaçaoan—rather than from Theeconomyremainedweakuntilanoil Dutch—domination. refinerywasconstructedatSanNicolas(Sint In 1994 the Aruban government, in Nicolaas) in the 1920s, which raised the conjunction with the governments of the standardoflivingdramatically Netherlands and the Netherlands Antilles, Immigration from the rest of the decided to postpone indefinitely the Caribbean, the United States, Venezuela, transitiontofullindependence.

T

THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON — Episode 1990 — Pictured: Musical guest Shenseea performs on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 — (Photo by: Todd Owyoung/NBC)

‘I Am: Celine Dion’

A raw and gut-wrenching documentary reveals superstar through Her Most Challenging Physical Trauma

(Deadline.com) over the last 50 years from W h e n v e t e r a n Dion’s vault, Taylor had the documentary filmmaker goods to make a feel-good IreneTaylormetCelineDion documentarythatwouldbea via Zoom in winter 2021 loveletterfromthestartoher abouttheprospectofdoinga fans. documentary chronicling It would cover her Vegas Dion’s life and career, she residency at Caesars Palace, hadnoideawherethiswould her world tour, her life at ultimately take both the home with her kids, and her subjectandthedirector storied career as the Infact,Taylorconfessed, youngest of 14 kids growing she wasn’t really a fan, not up in Quebec who would familiar with Dion’s become a superstar beloved personal story, her aroundtheworld. celebrated career selling Allofthatisthere,butthe over 250 million albums, or scenario changed over the anythingelseabouther courseoftheyearTaylorand She only knew a few of her cinematographer Nick the hit songs But they Midvig would chronicle bonded anyway Taylor had Dion. done many Emmy-winning T h e i n c r e a s i n g and Oscar-nominated unexplained pain Dion had movies about everything beenexperiencingonandoff from Boy Scouts to trees to for years was now, finally, deafness to polio, but formally diagnosed as stiff nothing in this realm, and it person syndrome, a rare certainly has turned into a neurological disorder that film it did not start out to be, affects one in a million. and that neither expected, Difficulty breathing, but now will be shared with rigidity, gut-wrenching theworld. muscle spasms are just part Hollywood is full of the of the symptoms, with stress movies, many made in the oftenatrigger 1940s and ’50s, of major Taylor’s and Midvig’s musicalstarswhogothrough cameras capture all of this, personal trauma their fans from the diagnosis that few don’t see as they eventually others knew about to the emerge triumphantly decisionandvideorecording performing again on stage. in December 2022 when the Susan Hayward practically stardecidedtorevealittoher made a career of playing fans. them in films like I’ll Cry The residency, the world Tomorrow and With a Song tour, everything was in My Heart. So did Doris canceled as she battles this Dayin Love Me or Leave Me. incurable condition that has In a way, watching I Am: severely threatened her Celine Dion I thought of career; it directly affects her those films about great voice, something she vividly female stars who overcame demonstrates attempting to the odds and persevered to sing in the way her legion of return to glory in their fanshavealwaysheardher extraordinary musical Make no mistake, the careers — a story made for a vintage Dion is on display Hollywood ending The here with generous use of differencehereisinusingthe past concert footage. The documentary format, archival material is also allowing unfettered access, well-used throughout, and in showing life as it includinghermarriagetothe happens in unexpected love of her life and careermoments,Dion’sstoryisstill long manager Rene Angelil. b e i n g w r i t t e n , h e r Thereisfootageshownofhis “triumphant” Hollywood funeralaswell. comeback still a work in The sacrifices of her progressatbestassheinvites mother and father for their us into her struggles, her family of 13 children is hopes,heroptimism,andher documented too. Her home heartbreaks with no artifice life with her sons, and insight. beloved dog Bear, is all on Given the keys to 800 view In many ways this is a hours of previously unseen gift, something she can still archival video and photos givetoherfans.

CONSUMERCONCERNS

REFORM OF THE BANKING SYSTEM WILL RESULT IN ITS GREATER PROFITABILITY AND FURTHER ECONOMIC REVOLUTION

PATDIAL

WhenthePrivateSector Commission (PSC) held its Annual General Meeting in May, the President, Dr Irfaan Ali gave the feature address. One of the main themes of his address was that the reform of the Banking System was a necessity if the Economic Revolution the country is now undergoing were to achieve its fullest potential intheshortesttime.

We will consider Banking Reform from both the macro and micro standpoints and, instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, will mention Dr Ali’s valuable recommendations ontheoverallreformsbefore touching on the more minor day to day functionality of thebanks.

TheBankingSystemwill

havetoadoptthetechniques and culture of greater innovation and pro activity and adapt itself to the country’s new dynamic economic environment which has expanded itself beyondtheOilIndustry.

By so doing, the Banks will be involved in capital formation and broader economicdevelopment.

“Yet to this date”, said Dr Ali,“theBankingSector has not responded with the speed, efficiency, reliability and time to exploit the opportunitiesthatareherein Guyana”.Instead,theBanks as a whole, have confined themselves to their traditional role of receiving deposits and making lowriskloans.

This traditional way of banking is still able to produce healthy balance

sheets and good profits and banking shares are among themosttradedbutPresident Ali pointed out that this traditional role is very limited. “The role of the bank” said PresidentAli, “is also seeking the opportunity to understand where the Economy is going, to create an ecosystem to support wheretheEconomyisgoing and to build upon what is happening in the country

OurlocalPrivateSectorand local leaders are doing a tremendous job in trying to open up opportunities, especially in the non-Oil Sector, but the speed at which the bank has been operating and processing does not match the type of dynamism that is in the Economy”.

In this regard, we will mention a small example of

Among the many programs with which the State is involvedistherenewalofthe Albouystown ward which is known as “Georgetown’s slum area”. Independence

Boulevard which runs the length of Albouystown and in time could be made to reach Ogle Airport and at present reaches Saffon Street which leads to the Cheddi JaganAirport places Albouystown in the heart of the business development the country is experiencing. All the other streets of the Wardhavebeenrenewedand otherservicessuchas (Continuedonpage38)

US-based Miss Universe

Guyana hopeful launches career mentorship programme

By Shania Williams

US-based Guyanese Miss Universe Guyana hopeful, Misha Caleb is spearheading a career mentorship programme which she will provide young citizens with the information and tools they need to suitablyfindtheircareerpaths.

The 24-year-old who resides in Washington DC founded the nonprofit Advance Guyana just about threeyearsagowithasimilargoalof reaching the youths from her community.

She told The Waterfalls that Advance Guyana is dedicated to enhancing early childhood literacy acrossGuyana.

Caleb shared, “My nonprofit started as simple events. My mother and I would facilitate events which encourage reading among the children in our Onderneeming community (Pomeroon-Supenaam). Thisquicklygrewtobeafocusforus toemphasizetheimportanceofearly childhood literacy throughout Guyana.”

Since then, she noted that Advance Guyana has then hosted a series of literacy events for the children in the said community to engagein.

Caleb highlighted that a 'Little FreeLibrary'wasbuiltinfrontofher residenceanddonationofbookswere made to the Nabaclis Library that facilitated story-time events for the children.

Caleb said the goal behind the nonprofit was to nurture a love for reading amongst the younger generation.

Through her next project under Advance Guyana, 'Each One Teach One,'Calebhopestoseeyoungadults in her community have accessible toolsandresourcesneededtoexcelin theprofessionalclimate.

“I'm drawing from my own experiencesasaGuyaneseimmigrant with role models and programmes thathaveupliftedmetobetheleaderI amtoday.”

The young woman's passion for education and empowerment led her to first create the mentorship

programmeinNewYork.

The free, virtual initiative spans threemonthsandequipsyoungadults with workshops and tools while pairing them with seasoned professionals.

She told this publication, “While Guyana produces brilliant young mindsthroughourrigorousschooling and continues to provide academic excellencenationwide;thereisstilla lack of opportunities for young adults.Iseemyprogrammeaidingin buildinguptheprofessionalnetwork within Guyana, which will in turn provide more opportunities, especially for those coming from underservedcommunities

My goal with Each One Teach One is to continue fostering the next generationofGuyaneseleaders.”

Caleb hails from the villages of Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara and Richmond,EssequiboCoast.

Heracademicjourneyspansfrom her roots in Guyana attending the AnnaReginaMultilateralSchooland then to Howard University in the USA.

Speaking about her learning experiences, the 24-year-old noted that both schooling and academia haveprovidedherwithopportunities to grow as a leader and reach her career goals in the human resource field.

Besides her community work, CalebaimstorepresentGuyanaona globalstagethroughtheMissGuyana Universepageant.

She expressed, "I want to showcase the richness of Guyanese culture and use this platform to empower youth in career planning." As such her platform, 'Because You Can,' also aims to connect Guyanese businesses and organizations with young people, and encourages them to pursue their dreams without barriers.

As she prepares for the Miss Universecompetition,Calebremains steadfast in her mission to uplift her country and inspire its youth. Her journey reflects resilience, cultural pride, and a dedication to fostering a brighterfutureforGuyana.

Misha Caleb representing Guyana in the Miss Universe 2024

REFORMOFTHEBANKINGSYSTEMWILL...

Frompage29 drainage, fire prevention and policing have been upgraded and the Ward is again becoming a desirable location as it was in 1906when,asaneatsuburbanvillage,itwas absorbed into the City Today, with the developmentoftwooff-shoreoilcompanies on East Bank Demerara and the growth of numerousbusinessesandindustriesalongthe BankreachingtheCheddiJaganAirportand the various Oil installations at Vreed-enhoop, thousands who work with these ventureswouldprefertoliveinAlbouystown because of its unique strategic location and nearness to their place of work once they could be offered comfortable housing. The Guyana Consumers Association has proposed to the Banking system the offer of concessionary loans to proprietors who wouldconstructthreeorfourstoreyedblocks of3-bedroomedapartmentswithincometax

rebate etc. but to now, the Banking System has been silent on this opportunity At the Local Content Summit which was held earlierintheyear, theBankingSectorfailed totakefulladvantageofnetworkingtobring togethercapitalandhumanresourcessoasto fosterthegrowthoflargescalecompaniesto take full advantage of the Local Content offerings. PresidentAli sums up the milieu:

“This requires a big shift in the business mindset of the bankers and the client. It requires the Banking Sector to use more analyticaltools in defining the opportunities forthecountry Butimportantly,inmodeling those opportunities and then going out to their clients” The day to day running of the Banks has much room for improvement.

There is, for example, the issue of Bank charges: These charges differ greatly from BanktoBankandaresometimesgrotesquely high in some Banks. All Banks should

publishalistoftheirchargesfortheirvarious services so that customers could compare themandavoidbeingexploitedbuttheBanks would not do so except the Bank of Guyana and the Ministry of Finance require them to conform. The Banks are often unable to sell foreign currencies, especiallyAmerican and Canadian, because they do not have such currencies in hand. The Banks themselves give conflicting explanations as to why they are unable to provide such currencies to customers. Thisinabilitytoprovideforeign currencies inconveniences small businesses and individual customers and is an issue which the Ministry of Finance should address. Several Banks no longer send depositors monthly statements so customers do not have the opportunity of checking on theiraccountsandthiscouldleadtomistakes being undiscovered or even theft. And if a customer requests a statement of his/her

account, payment of a fee is requested. Simplebankingtransactionstakealongtime to complete because the staff, usually intelligent young people, is untrained or not fully trained and customers consistently complainaboutthetimetheyhavetospendin the banks to complete simple transactions. Sometimes the sloth of service is due to shortageofstaff.

These difficulties could easily be surmounted if more competitive salaries are offered and such improved salaries could be paid when the profitability of the Banks is taken into account. There are other Bank services and charges such as mortgages and collaterals required which need to be reviewed to make them fairer and more consumer-friendly

TheBankingSystemmustreformitselfto avoid being uncompetitive when proactive foreigncompaniesentertheGuyanamarket.

GNBS IN FOCUS

SAFETY FIRST - GNBS REINFORCES LABELLING STANDARD FOR HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS

The improper handling and labelling of hazardous chemicals have resulted in thousands of accidents and injuries,annually

In industries and even households alike, exposure to these substances without adequate safety measures can lead to severe health risks, including burns, poisoning,respiratoryissues and fatalities. Recognizing the critical importance of safe handling and proper labelling of chemicals, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) developed the National Standard: GYS 9-14:2003Specification forLabelling of commodities – Part 14: Labelling of hazardous industrial chemicals, a comprehensive standard for use by manufacturers and distributors of hazardous industrial chemicals sold in Guyana, whether locally madeorimported.

herbicides, fertilisers, fuels,

intermediates used in the manufacture of plastics These chemicals are quite harmful to humans The standard mandates that all labels shall be prominently

information shall be visible, clear and shall be legible in English. Additionally, no words, illustrations or symbols referring to the safety,nature,origin,quality or performance of the product,thatislikelytogive an erroneous impression shall be used. Further, the standardmakesprovisionfor precautionary labelling which should include aspects such as identity of product or hazardous component(s), signal words i n c l u d i n g “DANGER!”,”WARNIN G!” and “CAUTION!”, statement of hazard, precautionary measures,

These hazardous chemicals include chlorine, ammonia, phosgene, hydrogen cyanide, acids, s

instructions in case of fire, spill, or leak as well as instructions for container handling, shipment and storage. As it relates to fire, spill and/or leak actions, the standard requires that instructions be included on the label to provide persons who handle containers duringshipmentandstorage, withappropriateinstructions f

g

d extinguishing fires and for cleaningupspillsandleaks.

shipment and storage, containers with chemicals requiring special or unusual handling and storage procedures shall carry additional instructions such as “avoid rough handling or dropping” Finally, regarding symbols, the designs,sizesandcoloursof the standard symbols to be used on containers for indicating the classes of d

outlined in the standard for guidance. Adherence to this

standard should be a critical componentoftheoperations of local companies that engage in the business of handling and distributing

chemicals. By adhering to the standard, manufacturers, importers and distributors contribute to the safe handling,storage,anduseof hazardouschemicals.Proper labelling not only protects workers and consumers but also enhances overall public health and safety by reducing the likelihood of accidents and injuries.The GNBS ensures safe and

following the guidelines stipulatedinsafetystandards throughout its operations.

information,visitwwwgnbs

WEEK-IN-REVIEW

Sunday

DespitenewIEAreport ondeclineforoil… Oppositionstillwants toassesseachprojectto determinewhetherringfencingisfeasible

The Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton is unfazed by a new report issued by the International Energy Agency (IEA) that thedemandforoilinthenext few years will reduce significantly, resulting in a slump for the price of the commodity

Although Guyana’s oil sector, and economy by extension, can suffer tremendously from this ripple effect due to the decision by policymakers nottoenforcearing-fencing provision, Norton too is yet to be convinced that the country should secure earnings early on from the sectorbeforeoilpricedips.

Aring-fencing provision would mandate each oil projecttopayforitself.After the cost of the project has been repaid, Guyana would thenenjoyagreatershareof itsoilrevenue.

On Friday, Norton was asked by Kaieteur News whether the Opposition still believes it needs further assessmentonthebenefitsof ring-fencing, in light of the newIEAreport.

The IEA said in its new medium-term oil outlook thatoildemandgrowthisset to slow in the coming years andglobaldemandwillpeak in 2029, while rising production will lead to a majorglutthisdecade.

The clean energy transition and the “stellar growth” in global EV sales are expected to lead to slowing oil demand growth

w i t h w o r l d w i d e consumption set to peak in 2029 and begin falling the following year, according to theIEA’sreportOil2024,the agency’s annual mediumtermmarketreport.Worldoil demand is being tempered by the clean energy transition, says the IEA, which has been a vocal proponent of a faster energy transitioninrecentyears.

Norton however emphasized on Friday, “I’ve made our position clear on ring-fencing. In principle, weagreewithring-fencing.I however proceeded to say wehavetolookateverycase on its merit and assess it –thatstillholdsregardless.” He went on to explain,

“You cannot be in Opposition and just wildly say I’m going to ring-fence. Some projects are still to come,someexist,weneedto know the details so in principleweagreewithringfencing because it allows us to separate the various activities and therefore the costfromonenotmovingto the other – we are sold on that,butthatdoesn’tremove the fact that we have to assess every issue, everyone bythemselvesandit’snotthe caseofpussyfooting.”

AccordingtoNorton,the Opposition must be “responsible” and careful not to issue “wild

statements” as the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) did previously while in Opposition lest they be reminded of their failed promises.

Presently, ExxonMobil, the operator of the Stabroek Block is producing oil at threeprojects.Sixprojectsto date have been sanctioned without a ring-fencing provision.

The Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) stipulates that up to 75% of the monthly revenues generated

canbedeductedtowardsthe recoveryofcostsinvestedby the Stabroek Block partners –Exxon,HessandCNOOC. Costs not recovered in any givenmonthareaddedtothe nextmonth.

In the absence of a ringfencing provision, ExxonMobil uses the revenues from the three producing developments to pay for projects that are yet to come on stream. Kaieteur News recently reported that some US$19B in costs has been recovered to date by Exxon.Thismeansthatthree projects, which collectively carries a price tag of about US$18.5B,hasalreadybeen cleared. In this way, the country could have been receiving greater profits from the three projects this year

U.S.takesactionagainst Guyaneseforalleged taxevasionbutsilent onlootingofGuyana’s resourcesbyforeign companies–Dr.GlennLall

PublisheroftheKaieteur News and businessman Dr Glenn Lall on Friday questioned the move by the UnitedStatesDepartmentof Treasury to sanction two Guyanese businessmen for alleged tax evasion relative togoldsmugglinginGuyana but the said agency is silent on the looting of the country’s resources by foreign companies, including U.S. oil giant, and operator of the lucrative S t a b r o e k B l o c k ExxonMobil.

“Yuhdon’thearthesame conversations about the US billions,notUSmillions,but US billions that is being lootedoutofthiscountryby the foreigners, year go year come. NO,thatisoflittleor noconcerntoGuyaneseand theUSGovt.Theforeigners can drain the country’s economy, loot our wealth in theUSbillions,andtakeitall outofthecountry Yet,thisis notthehottesttopicintown, in fact, there is a wall of silence right across this country on that,” Dr Lall said during his tri-weekly programme aired on KaieteurRadio.

The Department of the Treasury’sOfficeofForeign Assets Control (OFAC) on Tuesday said that it is targeting what has been described as a corruption networkinGuyana.

According to statement issued via its website, the OFAC has sanctioned membersofoneofGuyana’s

wealthiest families, Nazar Mohamed and his son, Azruddin Mohamed, their companies, Mohamed’s Enterprise,andHadi’sWorld and Team Mohamed’s RacingTeam.

Additionally, OFAC sanctioned embattled Guyanese Permanent Secretary,(PS)MaeThomas whose US visa was evoked last year after she was intercepted, questioned and her phone seized while intransiting in the United States. SincetheofficialUS sanction, she was sent on leavewithimmediateeffect.

The Mohameds are accused of tax evasion

relative to gold declarations amountingtosomeUS$50M as well as bribery of state officials.

Dr Lall on his radio programme said that since the statement by the OFAC, the issue of gold smuggling, corruption and tax evasion bytheMohamedshasbeena c

n conversations across the country T

m

n pointed to the allegations against the Mohameds promptedthegovernmentto host a press conference whichwasdominatedbythe subject. This is quite unlike the attention given to

ExxonMobil and other foreign companies that are looting the country’s resources, thereby cheating the country and its citizens outofUSbillionsintaxes.

“Last year alone,

ExxonMobil legally cheated Guyana over US$1.5B in t a x e s t h a t i s US$1,500,000,000 not U S $ 5 0 M b u t US$1,500,000,000 in taxes. Where are your voices, the US Govt. statement, and where is Jagdeo’s voice or a Press Conference on that? Please uncle, I don’t want none of you to believe I am condoningcheatingand (Continuedonpage41)

Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton

Publisher of Kaieteur News, Dr. Glenn Lall

From page 40 corruption,ifamancheats, breaksthelaw,thelawmust takeitscourse,butwhena foreignercanbegranted permissiontocheata countrylegally,thenthatis acrimebeyondthe Guyanesecheatingtaxes,” Dr.Lallsaid.

The Kaieteur News publisher questioned the silence of the U.S. on the auditors being prevented from accessing the raw production data being recordedbyExxonMobil.

“Isn’t that a crime way beyond a mere US$50M evasion of taxes? A govt. sentintheirauditorstocheck the books, the records fuh [to]seehowmuchoilExxon pump and ExxonMobil telling the auditors get out from here, this is not your business,”heremarked.

Dr Lalllamentedthatthe aforementioned situation is clearlybeingignored.

“Thisisnotatopicinthe rum shops, not a discussion in the speed boats, in the churches, in our Parliament, or even in the Office of the President, or in the Oppositioncamp.Eheh,that is not even discussed on the Radio andTVstations or on SocialMediaplatforms. But Guyanese cheating taxes on gold shipments, is the crime ofthecenturyfuh[for]them.

Everyday ExxonMobil pumps oil, this country is hemorrhaging because none of us knows the exact amount being pumped and shippedout.Andguesswhat uncle, only Glenn Lall and the Kaieteur News talking about this. Why man? Wait is only we concerned about Guyanaanditsfuture,okay,I hearyou,”heremarked.

Monday

Guyana’soilprojects pumpingmorethanUS, Canada,Mexicoand Brazil–newIEAReport reveals

A new report by the InternationalEnergyAgency (IEA) has put Guyana’s oil projects at the top of the charts for the highest daily production capacity when compared with projects in Brazil, the United States, CanadaandMexico.

According to the report, Oil 2024 Analysis and Forecast to 2030, four of Guyana’s sanctioned oil projects will each be producing at a higher rate, comparedwith19projectsin Brazil alone The data compiled by the IEA shows that oil production in Brazil

will range from 50,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 225,000 bpd at other projects. In the meantime, productioninGuyanaranges from220,000bpdto250,000 bpd.

Notably, the three projects listed by the IEAPayara (220,000 bpd), Yellowtail, Uaru and Whiptail(250,000bpdeach) is also expected to outproduce sanctioned projects in the US, Canada and Mexico. According to the document,projectsintheUS are expected to produce between 60,000 bpd and 150,000bpd.Meanwhile,oil production in Canada varies between 30,000 bpd and 140,000 bpd Projects in Guyana will also be producing more oil than Mexico,whichisexpectedto produce between 80,000100,000bpd.

It must be noted that whileprojectsinGuyanaare producing more oil than those countries listed by the IEA, this country is yet to implement measures to verify the daily rate of productionbytheoperatorof the Stabroek Block. Since 2019, Guyana has relied on the operator of the Stabroek Block, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) to report the daily number of barrels being produced offshore, in the absence of its independentmeters.

The company has also pushed production well beyondtheinitialdesignrate of the three Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels, sparking concerns that the project life will be reduced significantly. This is particularly concerning since Guyana has not ringfencedanyoftheprojectsin the Stabroek Block but is anticipating greater profits from the sector in the latter days A ring-fencing provision would prevent ExxonMobil from using revenuesfromoneprojectto pay for expenses at another project In this manner, Guyana would receive a greatershareofitsoilprofits afterthecostofeachproject isrepaid.

The Stabroek Block partners- Exxon, Hess and CNOOC- invest in the development activities and areallowedtodeduct75%of the monthly revenue to recoup its costs The remaining 25% is shared withGuyanaasprofits.

It should also be noted thatalthoughExxonMobilis producingoilatahigherrate compared to other projects

globally,thisnationisstillto receive an unlimited parent company guarantee to protect it from the financial burdensofapotentialspill.

Presently, Guyana has a US$600Moilspillinsurance policy per event and a US$2B guarantee lodged by theStabroekBlockpartners.

ExxonMobil holds a 45%interestintheStabroek Block, while Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds 30% inte

nd CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited holds25%interest.

Presently, ExxonMobil is producing over 640,000 bpdintheStabroekBlockat the Liza One, Liza Two and P

government of Guyana has approved six developments to date for the operator to meet it

p

ected production capacity of 1.3 millionbpdby2027.

NortonopposedtoExxon deductingclean-upcost severalyearsinadvance —says“willnotcondone thattypeofactivity”

L

t h e Opposition, Aubrey Norton said he does not believe in t

employed by the incumbent r

ExxonMobil to deduct the country’s oil revenue for decommissioning activities, yearsbeforeitisrequired.

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited(EMGL)inits2023 Annual Report revealed that awhoppingUS$51.7million was set aside for d e c o m m i s s i o n i n g Decommissioning refers to clean up and restoration activities, following the life ofanoilproject.Theprocess involvesthesafepluggingof wells, removal of the Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading

(FPSO) vessel, purging and detachment of risers and removal of the subsea umbilicals, risers, and flowlines(SURF).

Notably,thisprocesswill be conducted at the end of each project’s life, which is estimated to be 20 years. Guyana’sfirstoilproject,the Liza One, commenced production activities in 2019. This means that the project is expected to be decommissioned in 2039 Two other projects, the Liza Tw o a n d P a y a r a , subsequently came on stream in 2022 and 2023, respectively As such, those p r o j e c t s w i l l b e decommissioned in 2042 and2043respectively

Be that as it may, ExxonMobil is already deducting the country’s oil revenues for the future activities Norton in an invited comment during his weekly press briefing on Friday told this newspaper, “Idonotbelievethatisright formofgovernanceinterms of the deduction you talked about.”

Infact,theLeaderofthe Oppositionadded,“Wehave always said we will govern theindustryinamuchbetter fashion and we will not condone that kind of activity.”

According to Exxon’s financialstatementfor2023, a t o t a l o f GYD$60,647,587,579 or US$288.8Mintotalhasbeen deducted to date by Exxon f o r t h e f u t u r e decommissioning activities. Presently, the funds are held by the company and will be made available to the countrywhenneeded.

C o n c e r n s w e r e previously raised by stakeholders regarding Exxon’s control of the decommissioning monies

The government of Guyana has however passed a new Petroleum Activities Law that seeks to, among other things, address fears of the company walking out and leaving Guyana to clean up theenvironment.

The Law which came into effect in 2023 sets out strict rules for companies to f o l l o w o n t h e decommissioning of oil projects The company would have to submit to the minister for approval, a proposed decommissioning planandbudgetnolaterthan two years before the expiration of a petroleum licence or no later than two years before the anticipated endofproduction.

Once that plan is

approved, the minister would instruct that a Decommissioning Fund is created.

The company would make contributions to that fundtoensurethatwhenthe time for “clean up” arrives, there would be adequate fundstocovertheassociated expenses.

Importantly, the law states that the minister will dictate the terms and conditions of the fund for deposits and disbursements. Government previously made it clear that ExxonMobilwillberequired to comply with the administrativeclausesinthe Petroleum Ac

legislation.

Tuesday

Guyanapayingback IDBaloneUS$18.3M onloansyearly …interestratemoved fromUS$8Mto US$15.2Min3years

Over the past 47 years, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved over US$2 billion inloanstosupportGuyana’s development.

The IDB’s ‘Partnering for Resilience’ report, said that Guyana is experiencing

IDB

a significant increase in its debt repayment and interest obligations The figures highlightasubstantialrisein both principal and interest payments over the past few years, reflecting the country’s evolving economic landscape and financialcommitments.

The IDB report reveals that Guyana’s principal repayments have surged from an average of US$8.3 million per year between 2010 and 2020 to US$18.3 million annually over the period from 2021 to 2023.

This increase underscores the growing financial demands on the nation’s budgetasitmanagesitsdebt obligations.

Similarly, interest payments have seen a notable rise From an averageofUS$8millionper year over the 2010–2020 decade, the figure has climbed to US$15.2 million per year on average during 2021–2023. This escalation ininterestcostsreflectsboth the increase in overall debt and potentially higher interest rates on new or refinanceddebt.

Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance, Dr AshniSinghisquotedin the report saying that throughout the years, the Bank has provided more than US$2 03 billion in sovereign loans. Of that sum, the minister stated that US$112 million in technical co-operations and US$145 million in investment grants to support development projects across Guyana Also, IDB Invest has approved over US$168 3 millioninloanstotheprivate sector with an exponential increase expected in the coming years based on the development trajectory of thecountry

Someofthekeyareasof interventions in recent years include support to energy, water and sanitation, infrastructure, housing, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Support in the energy sector contribut

electricity distribution network across the country, reduction of electricity losses,anddiversificationof the energy matrix with renewableenergysolutions. In the area of water and sanitation, this support has improvedefficiency,quality, and sustainability of potable waterservicesandsanitation infrastructure. Infrastructure support included improving drainage and irrigation

implements for farmers,

corridors, and building safe a

roadways along critical corridors such as the Sheriff Street-Mandela roadway In the housing sector, the Bank’s c

on supported infrastructure development of housing communities and making availableaffordablehousing solutions to our population. In justice reform, this collaboration has enhanced andmodernisethecriminal (Continuedonpage42)

Ilan Goldfajn, President of

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton

From page 41 justice system consistent with international best practices Moreover, Ilan Goldfajn, President of the IDB said that Guyana’s prospects are gaining internationalattentionasthe country continues to see recordgrowth,withitsGross Domestic Product (GDP) nearly quadrupling since 2019.Hesaid,“AttheInterAmerican Development Bank Group (IDB Group), we are looking forward to continuing to partner with Guyana to help seize this excellent momentum towards future sustainable andequitablegrowth.”

Excessiveborrowing

Backin2023theIDBina report had cautioned Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) countries against ‘excessive’ borrowing and urged governments to bring their debts down to more prudent levels. In the report titled, ‘Dealing with Debt –Less Risk for More Growth intheLatinAmericaandthe Caribbean’ the IDB disclosed that debt has risen andstandsatsomeUS$5.8T which is 117 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)intheregion.“Given the dangers of excessive debt, the current situation in Latin America and the Caribbean is worrisome,” theIDBreporthadsaid.The IDBsaidpublicdebtservesa critical role for countries to pursue public investment projects, implement countercyclicalpolicies,and provide support to economies in the face of negative shocks. However, theIDBwarnedthatifpublic debt becomes too large or is not managed with sufficient caution, interest costs may balloon, growth prospects maysuffer,andinthelimit,a costly debt crisis may be provoked.

It was stated that public debt had risen before the pandemic, with sudden debt spikes accounting for much oftheincrease.Accordingto the IDB, “that spikes occurred largely during times of stress, fueled by a combination of low growth, high fiscal deficits, ballooning interest payments, currency

depreciations, and significant off-budget and unfunded liabilities This pattern of debt increases in theregionpointstotheneed for stronger fiscal institutions to establish credible and sustainable medium-term objectives to limit debt spikes, and where they are necessary, to

promote periods of debt reduction…” the IDB said. According to the report, governmentscanbringdown their debt levels by improving spending efficiency,expandingthetax base, and seeking wider reforms to enhance fiscal balances and boost growth. The IDB said that there are many reasons why public debt levels should be lower than they currently are, highlighting that there are several ways to reduce that debt.

Guyana’soilspill responseplanstillunder review–CDCHead

Guyana’s National Oil Spill Response Plan (OSRP), completed some four years ago by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) is currently under revision.

Director General of the CDC, Colonel (Retired) Nazrul Hussain in an interview with Kaieteur News on Monday explained thattheprocessisongoingto update the response plan. Presently, three projects

offshore Guyana are producing approximately 645,000barrelsofoilperday (bp.d)intheStabroekBlock. When the document was launchedinAugust2020the country had merely one FloatingProduction,Storage and Offloading (FPSO)

vessel in operation, producing just over 100,000 bpd.

Inadditiontoproduction activities, ExxonMobil is also conducting exploration offshore.

The Government of Guyanaisalsointheprocess of awarding more oil blocks for exploration activities, following its successful maidenbidround.

Following the launch of the OSRP, Auditor General (AG) Deodat Sharma in a Performance Audit Report conducted in 2022 concluded that the plan was deficient in a number of areas Consequently, the CDC commenced efforts to address key aspects of the document. Hussain told this publication yesterday, “Whatwehavedone,wedid have a meeting some time ago with regards to sensitising and modernizing the Oil Spill Plan and now that we have this draft (Oil Spill) legislation, the next stepforwardistoensurethey areinsyncwitheachother.”

The CDC head told this newspaper that he could not share the areas that were being addressed at the time. Additionally, Hussain explained that there is no timeline set for the completion of the revision. According to him, “We are the end users so we really have to have some consultations; we are going to do consultations on the local level to ensure that it’s in sync with all the s t a k e h o l d e r s ’ responsibilities etcetera. So basically, it’s a work in progressbecauseitwasdone a few years ago and it needs tobeupdatedeveryyear.”

Former Executive

D i r e c t o r o f t h e Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Vincent Adams during an Oil Spill Forum in observance of World Environment Day described the OSRP as “inadequate”.

He told attendees at the Cara Lodge Hotel, Georgetown,“Youalsomust have a very good oil response plan because you have to prepare for the worse anything can happen because of the state ofthemindatthetimesoyou must be prepared for if somethinghappens.”

To this end, he argued thatthecurrentOilSpillPlan is “inadequate” and never received the stamp of approvalfromtheEPAwhile he headed the agency In a subsequent comment, Dr Adams explained that the document lacked a risk assessment and failed to outline the clear roles and responsibilities of stakeholders. “You could not do such a plan without understandingwhattherisks are and how you would respondandmitigateandthe roles and responsibilities of those stakeholders who participated in the plan was not clear,” the former EPA

Headsaid.

Notably, the OSRP was prepared by the CDC under the previous administration. On Monday, the Auditor General told Kaieteur News that a follow-up audit of the Plan was imminent He explained,“Whatwewilldo is a follow up audit to determine what is the status now That is the procedure. Aftertwoyears,wenormally go in back after giving them timetofixitandcheckit.”

In his performance audit report,theAGsaidplacesof refuge during oil spills are essential to protect human life and the environment. Elaborating further, Sharma said a ‘place of refuge’ is a pre-definedsitewhereaship in need of assistance can be taken to stabilize its condition and reduce the hazards to navigation, and protect human life and the environment. He said the developmentofcontingency plans should provide for specific,high-riskspillswith potential places of refuge identified and procedures put in place for their implementation Sharma said too that these plans should be tailored to protect sensitive areas from the impacts of possible spills to save time during the critical first few hours of a vessel response. Much to his dismay, Guyana’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan does not identify potential placesofrefuge.Assuch,the AuditorGeneralsaiditcould not be determined how decision-makers will respondtovesselsindistress and how sensitive areas will be protected during an oil spill.

The Civil Defence C

document in collaboration

s acknowledgedtheforegoing flaw Notwithstandingthis,it said it must be noted that at the time of any spill response, the tactics and strategies to be employed will determine how a vessel will be treated which includesposition.

It said, “The ultimate priority at the time of an incident would be to save lives, contain the spill and recoverortreatpollutants.

Removing the vessel may only be done, in Guyana’s context if the vessel is in the channel of any of the main rivers that are being traversed or at the time when full containment

and stabilisation are achieved.”

Wednesday

3monthsafterreceiving bidsGovt.yettoaward contracttoaudit3years ofExxonM’sexpenses

Three months after receivingbidsfortheauditof oil major, ExxonMobil’s expenses incurred over a three year period, the government of Guyana (GoG) is yet to award a contract.

Suchauditsarecriticalto ensuring that this country was not cheated by the oil companies through the procurement of goods and servicesfromthecompany’s contractors.

This process is particularly important since the oil contract with Exxon

provides for the operator to deduct 75% of the monthly revenues generated to clear its expenses. The remaining 25% is then shared with Guyanaasprofits.

Since March bids were submitted to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) by three firms from both local and international consultants to audit Exxon’s 2021, 2022 and2023bills.

VHE Consulting (Ramdihal & Haynes Inc; Eclisar Financial; and Vitality Accounting & Consultancy Inc ); Grant Thorton UK LLP and PKF Barcellos Narine & Company; and M. Sukhai & Company (local) in joint venture with Info Works Solutions Ltd had expressed interest in conducting the audit.

On Tuesday, Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharratonthesidelinesofan event told Kaieteur News that the contract for the review of the company’s

expenses is expected to be awardedsoon.

According to him, “We are in the final stage; we shouldawardthatverysoon. The evaluation team is looking at it so I don’t want to pre-empt them, I don’t wanttoinfluencetheprocess butitwillbesoon.”

The Terms of Reference (ToRs) said the successful consultant is required to conductapre-auditanalysis; deviseaneffectiveauditplan inclusive of an appropriate methodology; execute the audit in adherence to the provisions of the Stabroek BlockPetroleumAgreement and applicable local laws, regulations, and procedures; aswellasinternationalgood practicesandstandards.

The scope of works also includes conducting verificationsofthecrudeoil valuation pursuant to the provisions of the petroleum agreement for the audit period as well as verifying royalties remitted to the government for that period. Additionally, the selected company will also be required to validate the accuracy of the total government share of petroleum for the period under review, and assessing the impact of the audit on futureprofitoilrevenues.

Todate,twoauditsofthe company’s expenses have been completed. The first audit was done by a British firm, IHS Markit for the period 1999 to 2017. That audit examined expenses totallingUS$1.7B. Meanwhile, the second audit was conducted by a local group, Ramdihal & Haynes Inc , Eclisar Financial, and Vitality Accounting & Consultancy Inc. That audit examined expenses totalling US$7.3B covering the period 2018 to 2020.

Based on the agreement, Guyanacanconductanaudit within two years from the endofeachcalendaryear At the conclusion of the process,theContractormust be furnished with the report and its findings within 60 days to provide a response. The response from Exxon will detail its objection or acceptance of the audit claim, along with explanations thereof The contract also allows the subject Minister to conduct further investigations within 60 days of receiving the Contractor’sresponse.

It must be noted that the PSAmakesitclearatSection 1.5(b)that:“…Ifwithin (Continuedonpage43)

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat

From page 42 sixty(60)daysofthe Minister’sfurther investigation,thePartiesare unabletoagreetothe dispositionoftheMinister’s auditclaim,theclaimshall besubmittedtothesole expertinaccordancewith Article26ofthe Agreement.”Article26of thecontractsetsoutthe conditionsasitrelatesto arbitration.

ExxonM’scontractor inGuyanaresponsible foroilspillinSingapore

A Netherlands based

company hired by

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) has been found responsible the 400tonneoilspillinSingapore.

The Maritime and Port

Authority (MPA) of SingaporeinaJune16,2024 statement seen by this newspaperexplainedthatthe dredger, VOX MAXIMA, owned by Van Oord, reported a sudden loss in engine and steering control before its collision with a Singapore-flagged bunker vessel,MARINEHONOUR on14June2024.

TheDutchcompany,Van

Oord is a maritime contracting firm that specializesindredging,land

r e c l a m a t i o n a n d constructing man made islands.

Authorities in Singapore reported that the collision causedaruptureofoneofthe MARINE HONOUR’s oil cargo tanks, the release of low-sulphur fuel oil into the sea.MPA’soilspillresponse

contractor was also activated, mobilising an oil skimmer to reduce the impactofthespill.

Booms were also laid aroundthevesselsthereafter as added precaution in case of further leaks from the vessel.

Due to the tidal currents

however, the oil spill landed along the southern shorelin

including Sentosa, Labrador Nature Reserve, Southern Islands, Marina South Pier, and East CoastPark.

MPA in a subsequent updatepublishedonJune17, 2024 said the next phase of the clean-up operations

commenced with the additional deployment of various booms and oil recovery systems Some 1500 metres of booms have been deployed, and an additional 1600 metres will be deployed over the next few days in designated sites to support the containment of accumulated oil to facilitate the clean-up operationoffthebeachesand shorelines.

Meanwhile,Van Oord in astatementonJune14,2024 noted that the company is cooperating with the investigationsbyauthorities. It said, “Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA)haveinformedusthat both vessels are currently anchoredsafely,areinstable condition, with some damage above the waterline…clean-up operations for the oil spill resulting from the collision are ongoing We are cooperating with the investigations by the authorities.

Aslongasinvestigations are ongoing, we can’t provide any further substantive information in the interests of the investigations.”

VanOordwascontracted by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited in August 2022 to p r o v i d e p r o j e c t management, engineering, and installation of approximately 190 kilometres of natural gas pipeline,offshoreGuyana.

The pipeline runs from the Liza field in Guyana’s offshore Stabroek Oil and

Gas Block to an onshore naturalgasfiredpowerplant west of the Demerara River, alongthecoastofGuyana.

Van Oord reported that itsscopeconsistsoftheshore

approach, utilising

Horizontal Directional D r i l l i n g ( H D D ) m e t h o d o l o g y, a n d installation of 75 kilometres ofpipelinenearshore.

Van Oord’s shallow

water pipelay barge, Stingray has been deployed fortheoperations.

Furthermore, in April this year, Kaieteur News

r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the use of a fuel bunkering vesselthatwillbemooredin Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EZZ) to support a 20-fleet of vessels to be used for the offshore aspectsofthepipelinelaying component for the Gas-toEnergyProject.

In explaining its rationale for the need for a vessel to store fuel offshore to support its operation, it wasnotedthatthepartiesuse twotypesofvesselsforsuch operations—stationary—wh ich remain offshore, and sailingvessels.

Van Oord is expected to operate a fleet of up to 20 vesselsandbargesincluding: shallow water pipelay vessels;pipesupplyvessels; anchor handlers; crane barges; survey vessels; supply vessel (other than pipes); crew transport vessels; accommodation vessel and specialized vessels for lowering of the pipelinebelowtheseabed.

The company, in its project summary said, “offshore bunkering can pose a pollution risk to the marine environment in the unlikely event that a spill shouldoccur.”

Itwasadamanthowever, “based on thorough management and mitigation

measures, supported by the inductions and training of crew with close monitoring duringoperations,VanOord will strive to maintain preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of a spill occurring during bunkeringoffshore.”

Thursday

ExxontookUS$3.5B fromoilprofitsfor drillrigsin4years–FinancialStatements …whileGuyanaearned US$2billionin3years

Over a four-year period, some US$3.5 billion was expended by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) from oil profits to cover the cost of drill rigs used for its operations in the Stabroek Block.

Guyanese leaders, as wellasindustryexpertshave

cost before the remaining 25% is shared between the oil companies and Guyana; that includes the mere 2% royaltyandprofit.

As such, what Exxon spends on drill rigs, the company recovers that cost fromtheoilprofits. Exxon’s financial statements reveal that from 2019 to 2022 over $700billion(US$3.5billion) was expended on drill rigs, andothers.Itshouldbenoted that while the document states ‘others’, it did not specify what those costs were. In 2019, $17 billion was spent on drill rigs, in 2020, the sum increased to $127 billion, in 2021, it increasedto$203billionand in 2022, it further increased to$366billion.

In contrast, within three years, Guyana earned some US$2 billion (over $400 billion) from oil sales and royalty In 2020, Guyana received $41 billion, in 2021, Guyana got $85

Agreement (PSA) Guyana signed onto as lopsided benefitting Exxon and its partners: Hess and China’s CNOOC more than the country

Because of that deal, Exxon is allowed to recover 75% of the profits to cover

per day based on current market-rate.

He made that statement backinFebruaryatthe2024 Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo Exxon is utilising four vessels from American drilling company Noble Corporation and two from StenaDrilling.

Nortonaccusedofsexual harassmentbyparty member …callsonvictimtodeny allegations,butshe confirms “allegedlytellsvictim:“If Iputthis(gun)toyour headandrapeyou,what wouldyoudo?”

Longstanding People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) member Vanessa Kissoon, on Wednesday cameforwardandconfirmed thattheallegationsofsexual harassment against her by Leader of the Opposition

billion,andin2022,Guyana got $294 billion. Kaieteur News had reported, according to Liam Mallon, ExxonMobil Upstream President, the company is operatingsixdrillrigsinthe StabroekBlockdailycosting US$500,000 (GYD$100M)

true.

OnWednesdaymorning, Norton addressed the allegation in a video statement posted on Facebook.Theallegation (Continuedonpage12)

AubreyNorton,asdescribed in a social media post, are

Van Oord’s Stingray vessel has been deployed in Guyana

Leader of the Opposition,Aubrey Norton and PNCR Member, Vanessa Kissoon

TheVelveteen Rabbit

Once upon a time, in a cozy nursery, there was a little Velveteen Rabbit. He was a gift to a young boy who loved him dearly The boyplayedwiththerabbiteveryday,andthe twobecamethebestoffriends.

As time passed, the little boy's toy collection grew, and the Velveteen Rabbit oftenfeltforgottenamongthenewer,shinier toys. But deep down, the rabbit knew that beinglovedbytheboymadehimreal,evenif hewasnotasfancyastheothers.

Oneday,theboyfellillandhadtostayin bed. His mother took care of him, but she noticedhowmuchhemissedplayingwithhis toys. She decided to bring the Velveteen Rabbit to the boy's side, hoping to comfort him.

Therabbithoppedintotheboy'sbedand snuggledclosetohim.

Theboysmiledandheldtherabbittight, feeling the softness of his velveteen fur As theyspenttimetogether,theboy'sloveforthe rabbitgrewstrongerthanever

One night, when the stars were shining brightly,amagicalfairyappearedbeforethe Velveteen Rabbit. The fairy smiled warmly and said, "You have become real because of thelovetheboyhasforyou.

Yourheartisfilledwithjoyandkindness, andthatiswhatmakesyouspecial."

The Velveteen Rabbit was overjoyed to hearthesewords.Hehadalwayswantedtobe real, and now his wish had come true. The fairy gently touched his nose, and a soft, warmlightenvelopedtherabbit.

Thenextmorning,whentheboywokeup,

he saw that the Velveteen Rabbit had transformed.Hewasnolongerjustatoybuta real, living rabbit with velveteen fur and twinklingeyes.

Theboywasamazedanddelightedtosee hisbelovedfriendcometolife.

From that day on, the boy and the VelveteenRabbitwereinseparable.

They shared many adventures together, andtheboylovedhisfurryfriendevenmore.

The Velveteen Rabbit knew that he would alwaysbelovedandcherished,andthatwas themostmagicalthingofall.

And so, the Velveteen Rabbit's journey from a simple toy to a cherished, real friend taughtusthatloveisthemostpowerfulmagic ofall.

Questions: Why did the Velveteen Rabbit felt forgottenamongtheothertoys?

Whathappenedwhentheboyfellill?

How did the Velveteen Rabbit become real, and what did he learn from the experience?

Make full use of your holiday

byUncleRoy

IfindIhavealotoftime, Duringmyholiday, TodowhateverIwant, Toeitherworkorplay

SoIshallmaketheeffort Tousethistimefairly, JustasImakethetimeforgames, Ishouldspendsomeofitusefully

Helpingathomemakesmefeelsogood, Therearesomanythingstodo, Insideandoutsidethehouse, Itwouldmakemyfamilyhappytoo.

ThenImustcheckmyschool-work, Tonowandthenreadover, Sothatwhenit'sschoolagain, ThethingsIlearntIwillremember

FlappingButterflyCraft

Author:DebbieChapman

Equipment/ Materials: Markers, Scissors, Ruler, Pencil, White glue, Tape, Butterflytemplate,1PieceCardstock(colour ofchoice),2plasticstraws(2differentsizes)

Instructions

Step1:Decoratebutterfly

Print your butterfly templateon coloured cardstock.Weusedpurplecardstock,butyou can use any colour Decorate the butterfly however you'd like!We used a black marker tocolourpartsofthebutterfly Thenweuseda gold paint pen to colour in the dots. Cut out thebutterfly

Step2:Makebutterflybacking

Onthescrapcardstockdrawarectangle11/4incheshighand4-1/2incheslong.Cutout therectangle.Measure3/4inchfromeachof theshortendsandmarkwithapencil.Foldthe cardstock on these marks Then fold the cardstockinhalfintheotherdirectionsothe foldedtabsfaceoutwards.

Foldthebutterflyinhalf,andthenunfold itagain,settingthedecoratedsidefacedown.

Addgluetothetabsofthecardboard.

Attach the tabs to the centre of the butterfly,liningupthecreaseinthebutterfly withthetabsandfold.

Step3:Cutandconnectstraws

Cutoffabout2inchesfromthestrawwith thelargerdiameter(inourcase,wecutoffthe

entirebendypartofthestraw).

Cut a slit in the straw 2-1/2 inches long. Rotate the straw 180 degrees and make another slit the same length, directly across fromthefirstslit.

Cut a 2-inch slit in the smaller straw Again,turnit180degrees,andmakeanother 2-inch slit, directly across from the first slit. Open the two flaps in the smaller straw and slide it over the folded backing of the butterfly Center it and tape it in place on the cardstock. Slide the larger straw over the smallerstraw Again,separatethetwoflapsin thestrawandpushitupasfarasitwillgoon thebutterfly'swings.

Takea3-inchpieceoftapeandattachthe flap of the larger straw to the wing so there's about1-1/2inchesoftapeonthewingand11/2inchesoftapeonthestrawflap.Thentake another piece of tape and wrap it tightly aroundthefirstpieceoftapeonthestrawflap. Repeatthetapingonthesecondwing.

Unfold the butterfly and see how the strawscontrolthemovementofthebutterfly's wings.Holdthelonger(inside)strawwithone hand and use your other hand to move the shorter(outside)strawupanddown.

Yourflappingbutterflycraftiscomplete! Notes:Downloadandprintfreebutterfly templatesorbutterflycolouringpages!

Prepare

Now that the holidays at the end of the school year are approaching, it would be beneficial if you determine and plan to involve yourself in learning to create things that wouldbenefityouimmenselynow andhereafter

Someofthesearelearning andactuallyaccomplishingworks of art, writing poems and short stories, and learning about the things around you by moving around your neighbourhood and observing the natural objects that you have not had the time to do during yourschooldays.

Inthisissuewewillintroduceone of these subjects by starting to inform

you about learning to write poetry I will mention here thatwhenwehavecompleted passing on these tips, we will beaskingyoutogetinvolved in creating your own poems, forwhichwewillbeholdinga competition with some monetaryprizes.

1.Learnwhatapoemis

2. Develop a purpose for writing

3. Choose a subject to fulfilthis

4.Brainstormforideas 5.Chooseaformat

Startwith1line 7.Writetherest

8.Edityourpoem

We will be developing each of thesenextweektomakeitveryclearto youonhowtowriteyourbestpoem.

Ilovetohearthesoundsofnature, Comingfromeverylittlecreature, Iadorehowthebirdsjoyfullysing, Astheywelcomethenewgrowthofspring.

Itrembleatthewaythewindhowls, Andsometimeswhenafarawaydoggrowls, Thesoundofacricketleavesmeinawe, Astheroarofalionashespreadshispaw

Listenagaintotheswirlingbreeze, Asthroughthedoorthedifferentwindssqueeze, Seehowthetreestoitsrhythmsdance, Andthedryleavesdonothaveachance.

Ilovetofeelwhenitgrazesmyshin, Andmakesthewindmillsstarttospin; Italsoflashesacrossmyface, Andleavesmewithabeautifultaste.

Oh,ifonlywewereasgentleasnature, Thenwewouldallbesomuchgreater; Givingsomuchtomakeourworldmoreample, Itprovidesforusallsuchawonderfulexample.

UncleRoyisagainappealingto our readers to make a contribution to this column by either giving a feedback on what is published, asking for some help with some personal problem, offering some advice to fellow teenagers, or sharing the news of what is happening in his/her community. Please send your contribution to roypaul2002@yahoo.com

Galaxies

Connectthe dots to make edges so that each circle is surrounded by a symmetrical galaxy shape, and the puzzle is completely tiled with galaxies.

by Krazydad

Eachgalaxyshapemustberotationallysymmetric,havingan identicalappearancewhenrotated180degrees.

Spectacular Curls Using Straws!

By:Instructables

Website;https://www.instructables.com/Spectacular-CurlsUsing-Straws/

Make your own super tight curls using just straws! No perms, no heat, and no expensive curlers or irons. These spectacularcurlsaddtonsofbeautifulbodyandbouncetoyour hair Theyarereallyeasytodoandthestrawsarereusable!Grab somestrawsandgetcurling!

Youneed:

-Spraybottle(ifstartingwithdryhair)

-Hairbrush

-3Hairclips/claws

-Leave-in-conditioner

-STRAWS!!!

-Scarf/haircap

Step1:StrawPreparation

First you need to pick what type of straw you want to use. ThesuperdupertightcurlsthatIachievedwereusingeveryday drinking straws that you can find at any store.You can use the bending straws like I did, or use non bending ones. It really doesn'tmatter

Ifyouwantslightlylarger,andlesstightcurlsyoumaychose touseMilkshakeStraws.Iwasabletofindthemmultipleplaces on the internet. Note that you will still end up with pretty tight curlsevenifyouusetheslightlythickermilkshakestraws. Takeoneendofthestrawapressittoflattenthetip.Bendthe flattened tip in half to form a "V" shape and press to crease it.

doingthiswillallowyoutoslipthestrawinsidetheotherendto holdyourstrawcurlerstogetherinyourhair Repeatthiswiththe restofyourstraws.Youwillneedapproximately20strawstodo afullheadofcurls.

Step2:WetYourHair

Yourhairneedstobewettoproperlycureyourcurls.Youcan either wet your hair in the shower and towel dry it, or you can spayitliberallywithaspraybottle.Brushthewaterthroughout thehairtoensureit'sproperlymoistened.

Step3:SectiontheHair

Part the hair down the center and divide the hair into 3 sections: Right Front, Left Front, and Back.The front sections shouldbepartedjustbehindtheears.Twistandpinthetwofront sectionsupusingclips/claws.

Pinthebacksectionupleavingarowofabout1inchofhair remainingonthebottom.Dividethisbottomrowinto3sections.

Step4:RollingtheCurls

Takeadaboftheleaveinconditionerandrunitthrough one of the 3 sections of hair I was working with long hair, adjust the amount of conditioner based on the length your workingwith.Makesureyougetthetipsreallywell.Ifyou donotusetheconditioner,ordonotuseenoughonthetips, thefinalproductwillendupratherfrizzy

Startrollingbyplacingoneendofthestrawovertheends ofthehairandwrappingthehairupandoveronce.Ifyouare usingstrawswithbendingtips,startwiththebottomofthe straw While holding the ends of the hair to the straw with youfinger,rollthestrawupmakingsureyourolloverthetip to secure the end. Continue rolling the straw allowing the hairtoslowlyrolluptotheotherendofthestrawuntilyou reachthescalp.Bendtheendsofthestrawsupandinsertthe bent tip into the other end of the straw to close the curler

Repeat this with the remaining two sections in the bottom row

Let down another row of hair from the back, make 3 sections and continue with the rolling process. Keep

repeatingthisuntilyouhaverolledtheentirebacksection. Whenyougethigherontheheadyoumaynoticeyouonly need2strawsperrowinsteadof3.

Once you complete the back section, roll the side sections, one at a time the same way Apply more water to rollhairasnecessary

When the entire head has been rolled in straws, place a hair cap over the curls or gently tie a scarf over them. The cap/scarfwillhelppreventfrizzfromrollingaroundatnight. Allowthecurlstosetuntildry(Idoovernight).

Oncethecurlsaresetanddryyoucanremovethestraws. Startwiththebottomlayersandworkyourwayup.Simply pull the ends apart and slip the straw out pulling in a downwardmotion.Ifthestrawdoesnotsliderightout,you canunrollthecurlslightlytoloosenitup.Doingthisshould allowittoeasilypullout.

Once you remove all the straws your hair should look something like pictured above. Using your fingers, gently pickapartthecurlstoloosenandfluffthem.Youmaywant topulldownonthecurlsiftheyseemtootight.

Damping hair with water

SAKS Guyana re-launches PR Photo Shoot for beauty entrepreneurs in spectacular fashion

Local beauty

brand, SAKS

Guyana Inc. on Wednesday held its 5th PublicRelationsphotoshoot at Parc Rayne, with about thirty growing business in the cosmetology industry

in addition to several

others which were representedbytheirowners. Theeventhasreturnedforits fifth installment after three years hiatus owing to the g l o b a l C O V I D - 1 9 pandemic.

Theforcewhichbrought the event together was none other than Susan Ibrahim, ownerofSAKSGuyanaInc.

Thebrandinitiallystartedas a makeup/cosmetology company, but has since expanded its operations into themarketingsector

Ibrahim,assheisknown

in the industry, has leveraged her knowledge

and experience in marketing to elevate her own business, which has a notable social media presence and following However, rather than attempting to hoard that wealth of knowledge and skill, she has worked tirelessly over the last severalyearstoputittouse for the betterment of Guyana’s makeup artistry industry, focusing on growing businesses in the sector

These efforts started in 2016 with the first SAKS Guyana Inc PR Photo Shoot, which was the first initiative of its kind in Guyana, and set the tone for the future of the makeup industryinthecountry

The PR photo shoot has returned for its fifth installment after three years hiatus owing to the global COVID-19 pandemic

entrepreneurs and highlightingtheirhardwork anddedicationtotheircraft, while aligning them on a pathofcollectivesuccess

Sherecalled“Whenwe started in 2016, nobody

cared about makeup artists, hair stylists or even the career to begin with, but when we did our

Acoretenetofthephoto shoot is collaboration; the idea that multiple entrepreneurs in an industry thatdidn’talwayshavemuch attention placed on it could cometogetherandelevateall of their businesses, instead of competing with each other,isquiteimpressiveand has done wonders for the industry It is important to note that this is an industry that is, for the most part, female-dominated, and that initiatives like this also serve the function of uplifting Guyanese women

first photo shoot, we got such beautiful feedback, there was positive feedback and then the negative there was lots of criticisms around it ” She noted too that “What happened is when people saw that theywerelike,‘Oh, you’re putting people in spaces where they don’t like eachother’

Now I just want to be clear about this, this is a collaborative event where you’re putting people who are like-minded and t h i n k i n g o f t h e i r businesses, not about whether they’re getting along with a friend or two, this is about them wanting to grow their businesses, getting it out there in a positive way and also focusingontheirlegacies

Now the positive of it is

Susan Ibrahim, owner of SAKS Guyana Inc addressing the gathering of beauty entrepreneurs and other patrons at the PR shoot

that everybody that collaborated with us, they eitheropeneduptheirstudio [or developed otherwise] because they saw their potential and they believed in themselves and started

The re-launch of the PR Photo Shoot for beauty entrepreneurs was done in spectacular fashion

thinking bigger, because we never saw it as something that we were just doing for the fun of it,” Ibrahim said duringaninterviewwithThe Waterfalls.

The objective of the eventistopromotepositive, professional, and refined social media presences for growing business, considering that we are currentlyinthemidstofthe (Continuedonpage56)

$53.4B in trade between Guyana and Canada recorded in 2023

Bilateral trade between Guyana

and Canada raked in CAD$350M or G$43.4Blastyear,Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mark Berman announcedonFriday

The High Commissioner wasatthetimespeakingata

cocktail reception th commemorating the 157 Canada Day held at the Pegasus Corporate Suites, Kingston,Georgetown.

“These numbers, while showing an opportunity for further growth, have been driven by our shared commitment to economic

development and the complementary strengths of our economies Canada continues to be a reliable partner in many lines of business, including agriculture, energy, education and infrastructure tonameafew Canadian companies have been at the forefront, providing not only investment but also technology and expertise, ensuringawin-winapproach that is our way of doing business,”Bermansaid.

TheHighCommissioner, who delivered his final speech, said relations betweenGuyanaandCanada could only be strengthened.

He said too that Canada is committed to assisting in Guyana's development through mutually beneficial projects.

“ T h e s e a r e unprecedented times for Guyana The country's economic growth and t r a n s f o r m a t i o n i s unmatched. It is a privilege tobeabletowitnessandtake part in this historical moment.

Your government, Mr President,continuestowork w i t h e n e r g y a n d relentlessness and your pace isimpressive,”hesaid.

High Commissioner Berman continued: “We are doing our best to work sideby-side with Guyana because the relationship between Canada and Guyana is rooted in deep historical people-topeople links Canada has always been a close friend to Guyana, and we will continue to work with you to strengthen our relationship and achieve your economic and social developmentgoals.”

Meanwhile, Prime

Minister Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips elaborated on the closeness of the two countries.

He underscored the importance of the Guyanese

Diaspora, and the zeal of Canadian-Guyaneseasakey contributor to the strong bondthatthenationsshare.

“As we applaud the accomplishments of the people of Canada, we are also keen to acknowledge and recognize the valuable relationshipbetweenourtwo countries.Canadaishometo a significant number of Guyanese, and the strong f

al bon

e Guyanese Diaspora has played a significant role to strengthen the ties that bind our two nations together in friendship, mutual respect, and cooperation,” PM Phillipssaid.

M e a n w h i l e , t h e C a n a d i a n H i g h

Commissioner presented hockey jerseys to both President Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister Phillips Coincidentally, Canada –Edmonton Oilers- is playing in the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup finals and hopes to have the championship return to Canada for the first time in 30years.

High Commissioner BermanandPresidentIrfaan

Ali spoke about the Edmonton Oilers and the West Indies Cricket Team's prospectsattheongoingT20 WorldCup.

The Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips and Foreign Minister Hugh Todd toast with Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana and his wife on the occasion of Canada Day

PresidentAli receives a personalized hockey jersey from Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mark Berman.

Missing man found dead in swamp in Berbice

A 57-year-old Drainage and Irrigation Worker, Dharmindra Sarabjit who was reported missing by his daughter, was on Saturday

found dead in a swampy area with thick vegetation inVryheidVillage, WestCanje,Berbice,RegionSix. Thediscoverywasmadearound

12:15hrsandaccordingtopolicehis remainsweredecomposing.

SarabjitwentmissingonJune17 after he left his home to visit a

female friend. On June 19, his daughter filed a missing persons' reportafterhedidnotreturnhome. Investigationsareongoing.

Fisherman drowns in Essequibo River

P

fisherman whose body was on Saturday found floating in the Essequibo River might have drowned on his way home to WiniperuVillage,ReGionSeven. The dead man was identified as 43-year-old Courtney Benn. Investigators said that the man might have drowned some time after10:00hrsonThursday

Reports are that Benn left his home around 06:00hrs Thursday to check his seine in the EssequiboRiver Between07:30 and08:00hrs,hewasseenselling fish at Ovin Hubert's shop on Sherima Landing Benn then headed to another location at Sherima Landing where he was seen consuming high wine for approximately 45 Minutes. The last time he was seen alive was paddling his wooden boat towards Winiperu Village but he nevermadeithome.

Hisrelativeswentinsearchof him on Friday and at around 08:10 hrs they found his boat drifting near the village. His belongingswereintheboatbuthe wasnowheretobeseen.

OnSaturday,hisbodyfloated intheEssequiboRiver Policeareawaitingtheresults ofaPostMortemExaminationto determinehiscauseofdeath.

New $14.5M water ambulance commissioned

Gunmen escape after shooting at police vehicle in Sophia

Twogunmenonamotorcyclemanagedto attempted to stop the men but they did not elude police after shooting at their patrol comply The ranks chased the men who vehicle at Sophia, Greater Georgetown, started shooting at them, damaging their duringtheweehoursofSaturday vehicle.The ranks returned fire but could not Policesaidthattheyengagedthemenina apprehendthegunmenastheyabandonedthe shootout around 01:45 hrs. The ranks said motorcycle and disappeared in nearby that they were on patrol duties in Sophia bushes. Police were not injured during the when they saw two men on a motorcycle exchangeofgunfire. without light and number plate They Investigationsareongoing.

Minibus driver robs miner

after beating him with cutlass

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony (left) on Saturday handing over the new $14.5 million water ambulance to residents of Orealla/ Siparuta, Region Six.

The community of Orealla / Siparuta, capacitytotransportcriticalpatientsfromthe Region Six on Saturday received a new remote communities to the Skeldon Regional $14.5M water ambulance from the Ministry Hospitalforspecializedcareandtreatment. of Health The commissioning of the On March 11, it was reported that shortly ambulance follows the destruction of a after a patient was taken to the Skeldon previouswatercraftbyfireearlierthisyear Hospital, the water ambulance caught fire MinisterofHealthDr FrankAnthonytold while in the Corentyne River At the time, the attendeesthatthegovernmentusedadditional ambulance was transporting nine passengers funds to customize the ambulance to cater to and was en route to Orealla. Luckily, swift the needs of the residents of the two action from the occupants of a nearby boat communities. ensured that there was no loss of life. One The new ambulance is set to enhance the passengerwasreportedlyinjured.

A minibus driver on Friday reportedly Georgetown to his home in Friendship. broadsided a gold miner with a cutlass at When they arrived at Four Corner, Williams Four Corner, Friendship, East Bank and the bus driver got into an argument. The Demerara (EBD) before robbing him of driver reportedly stopped the bus and armed $150,000 and his cell phone valued at himself with a cutlass. He then pulled $60,000. Police identified the victim as Williams out of the bus and broadsided him Devon Williams of Friendship Squatting before taking his money and phone and Area,EBD. drivingaway

Investigators reported that Williams was A report was made to the police and the a passenger in the man’s bus heading from busdriverwassubsequentlyarrested.

Security beefed up to curb incidents of violence at GPHC’s A&E Department

Security is being beefed experiences over the years who had gone there for unfortunately,thevictimhad up at the Georgetown Public but my concern is that they treatment. to run outside to seek cover Hospital Corporation are happening more Additionally, the doctor outsideoftheinstitution,”he (GPHC) Accident and frequently now,” Dr Bux said there are other cases said.

E m e r g e n c y ( A & E ) said at a GPHC press within the past two months The doctor warned that department to curb the conferenceonWednesday that involved patients the A&E department is a incidents of violence that AccordingtoDr Bux,for seeking treatment with high-stress area which deals have raised concerns for the month of June, the weaponsintheirpossession. with patients in need of health workers attached to hospital has had six cases of Dr Bux noted that the i m m

theinstitution. interpersonal violence, patient was stabbed twice attention. HeadoftheAccidentand “…Whetheritsabuseofstaff came to the emergency M

Emergency Department at and abuse in terms of getting departm

the Executive Officer (CEO) of the Georgetown Public close with being physical assailants came into the t h e G P H C , R

Hospital, Dr Zulfikar Bux, withstaff.” department to continue the Rambarransaidthatthereare told reporters during a press Dr Bux said the health courseofactiontheystarted. persons who would come in conference hosted at GPHC workers are growing

“They came into the aspatientsandhaveweapons o n We d n e s d a y t h a t increasingly fearful for their department and they pulled on them and these would be interpersonal violence is safetyandwell-being. out a knife and actually lodged with security He happening more frequently He noted that just last attempted to stab him. It did noted that there are also atthehospital. week an assailant of a cause a small laceration, the i

Head of the Accident and Emergency Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital, Dr. Zulfikar Bux

“Interpersonal violence stabbing incident visited the entiredepartmenthadtotake accompanying patients with is now being brought into department, hoping to siege because it was quite a firearms and other weapons security healthcare workers are institutions we’ve had continueattackinghisvictim f e w a

r s a n d ontheirperson.

While indicating the receiving training to better However, speaking of CEO said that security will de-escalate situations and interventions to curb these be beefed up, he said that a imp

issues, he said that the lot more hand-held scanners relations abilities. Still, he hospital has been working andscannersattheentrances believes it is not acceptable along with a private security of the facility will be put in for healthcare workers to firm for some time while the place. face verbal and physical institution also has its own According to him, violence.

Guyanese businesses question tax and duty-free concessions of Chinese supermarkets and hardware stores

The Guyanese percentage of Guyanese that

B u s i n e s s e s are required to be hired by

O w n e r s these businesses, if such

...says rapid expansion of businesses may be a strategy to undermine Guyanese

A s s o c i a t i o n regulationsareinplace. (GBOA), comprising 65 Furthermore, the GBOA entities and individuals have requested clarity on the They argued, “Many of Chinese businesses receive Association was also institutionssuchasloansand requested a meeting with licenses granted to these these Chinese stores fail to preferential treatment or curious of the factors mortgages.” President Irfaan Ali to businesses in accordance provide tax invoices specialconcessions. driving the sudden surge of In light of the growing address concerns regarding w

’s

According to the group, Chinese businesses across number of Chinese owned the proliferation of non- framework, including p

n “The rapid expansion of G

g supermarkets and hardware naturalized Chinese owned adherence to building codes requested, such invoices are these Chinese stores, fueled questions on why the stores, the local businesses businesses, predominantly and permits, taxation and begrudgingly provided by their ability to invest and regulators allow multiple questioned whether they supermarkets and hardware VAT regulations, labor laws, Additionally, they neglect to develop at an accelerated similar Chinese stores to were being subjected to the s

u g h o u t National Insurance Scheme display TIN (Taxpayer pace compared to local operateonthesamestreetor sametaxesandimportduties communitiesinthecountry (NIS), and Pay As You Earn Identification Number) on businesses, coupled with withincloseproximity as local businesses, or In a letter to the Head of (PAYE)requirements. invoices, omit charging VAT their non-compliance with The businesses pointed whether they receive State and Vice President They were keen to note (Value Added Tax) on established norms and their out, “The rapid expansion of preferential treatment such Bharrat Jagdeo among other that some consumables sold applicableitems,andabstain capacity to offer products at Chinese businesses may not as duty-free concessions for high level government by these stores are not from listing product significantly lower prices, reflect normal market theirimports. off

, the group labeled in English or descriptionsoninvoices.” poses an existential threat to competition but rather a The group in their letter explained that these translated to English, as GBOA in its April 22, the Guyanese business strategy to undermine to President Ali also noted establishments often emerge mandated by the Food and 2024 missive also noted that community.”

Guyanese businesses by t h a t

e in close proximity to their Drugs Department, while there have been instances To this end, the Business diminishing their market b u s

r e a businesses, and sometimes some of these businesses w h e r e c o n s u m e r s Association requested the share, potentially impacting considerable number of multiple similar Chinese open beyond the lawful unknowingly purchased attention of the President to those with financial Chinese Questions were stores are established on the businesshours. expired food items from address their concerns. The obligations to lending therefore raised about the samestreet. these establishments, only to group was keen to note that The Guyanese business find no recourse for product the rapid proliferation of owners were keen to note support. Chinese businesses suggests thatwhiletheyrecognizeand These flagrant breaches,

a l t h y according to the Business

competitionforthebenefitof Association, raise questions questioned whether these consumers, their primary about accountability and businesses are complying concern pertains to the concerns about the oversight with Guyana’s Anti-Money perceived lack of adherence byrelevantauthorities. Laundering laws overseen by Chinese businesses to the To this end, the by the Bank of Guyana same laws and regulations businesses said they cannot regarding the influx of governing Guyanese help but speculate whether substantialfunds. enterprises. these non-naturalized T h e B u s i n e s s

GPLto spend $200 million to upgrade national grid - Jagdeo

Civil society groups call on the

Govt. to

The Guyana Power and would have ordinarily been Light Incorporated (GPL) imposed on consumers due i n t e n d s t o s p e n d to the increase in the price of approximately $200 million fuel. to upgrade the national grid,

“Sothepriceoffuelwent Vice President Bharrat up from $70 dollars that we Jagdeo announced last were budgeting; now, we are Thursday paying one $105 maybe

The Vice President was $110perbarrel...” at the time speaking at a M e a n w h i l e , t h e press conference held at the Department of Public Office of the President. He Information (DPI) reported was asked to provide an that with the power ship update on the additional supplying 36 megawatts of 30MW of power the electricity to the national government intends to grid and the Gas-to-Energy

acquire in a similar projectsettocomeonstream arrangement with the 30MW… so for example i n 2 0 2 5 , a d d i n g Turkish Powership – theyarenowworking,Ithink a p p r o x i m a t e l y 3 0 0 Karpowership- contracted Cummings would be megawatts of energy, the by the government to supply awarded a contract to do a government is keen on Guyana with some 36 $5M upgrade from Kingston ensuring that the national megawatts of electricity for to Sophia so if you bring the grid is fortified to manage twoyears. power there now… if you the surge of electricity that

“So the existing system bring additional power to will be utilised to meet the now we have to look at that Kingston you can’t take it to heighteneddemand. withallthatnewpowerinthe the sub-station at Sophia “We have to look at the place, (that) we have grid because that one line is not existing system [to ensure] stability to transmit and adequate to take the power that with all that new distribute the power So they there so it’s where you can power now, we have grid have come up and they have integrate the power to,” he stability to transmit and gone to tender for about added. distribute the power…If $200M of work to upgrade Kaieteur News recently we can integrate the 30 the grid, put in more reported that at Thursday’s megawatts…wecouldhave transformers, change out the press conference, the Vice brought in the bigger lines and stuff like that,” President also announced powership,whichisnearly Jagdeosaid. that the government will 80 megawatts of power,

The Vice President soon go to the National and connect it here at explained that the updating Assembly, before recess, to Kingston, but the lines of the national grid will seek an additional US$66M can’t transmit it, so we had ensure that the country has a tosubsidizetheGPL. to take it to Berbice and more stable distribution Jagdeo boasted that the hook it there, and then system. government has absorbed bring back the power to “If we can integrate the the price increases that Demerara.”

adopt a more dignified

approach

to resolving future industrial disputes

Several civil society processeswasprolonged. benefit from social media’s groups have called on the The groups noted that hollowing out of our Governmenttoadoptamore “Prioritizing dealing capacitytofocusonanissue dignified and legally directly with teachers rather foranylengthoftime. defensible approach to than their trade union does Further, they noted, the resolving future industrial not bode well for the future proposal to pay the fees of disputes. of constitutional protections students who enroll in

A joint statement signed for collective bargaining private sector education by the General Workers agreements.” insinuated an assault on Union (GWU), Guyana “This year marks 148 public education in general, Human Rights Association yearssincethesigningofthe a form of corrupted power ( G H R A ) , G u y a n a Compulsory Education Bill versus‘thepeople’. Organization of Indigenous which set the nation that “The fundamental People (GOIP), Guyana would become Guyana on a concern compelling our Teachers Union (GTU), path to almost universal statement is to constrain Guyana Trades Union literacy by the time of Government coldness to Congress (GTUC), Red Independence. Our concern human suffering when Thread, Policy Forum with the experience of the addressing political issues,” G u y a n a ( P F G ) a n d strike r

f

ected an thegroupadded.

Transparency International indifference to the long- and Inadditiontothecoststo GuyanaInc(TIGI)calledon short-term costs to teachers, the society, the groups the Government to make the students, families, the believe that the long strike necessarychanges. education system and the impacted what are known in

The statement comes 24 society as a whole,” the the profession as ‘nonhours after the Guyana groupsnoted. academicstandards’. Teacher’s Union (GTU) and Additionally, the civil These standards include Ministry of Education have society organizations said such things as class size, announced on Friday that Government’s refusal to s

s, they agreed to end the accept the High Court laboratories and sports ongoing teachers’strike and verdict on the legitimacy of facilities. teachers are to return to the the strike along with threats Along with dilapidated classroomonTuesday to appeal to the case at the structures compromises on The groups said that Caribbean Court of Justice these standards further although the strike is now (CCJ) were delaying tactics eroding morale of teachers. called off, they are still to drag things out that Moreover, the groups concerned with what they risked poisoning long-term believe that the strike described as the “callous relations between Ministry graphically highlighted the and discriminatory manner” andunions uneven impact on teachers in which the negotiating “Such delays, moreover, inruralandurbanarea.

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

WANTED VACANCY

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

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

Night Watchman needed. Call: 648-4108/ 614-7567.

Records to buy 33LPS and 45. English, Indian and Chutney. Call: 613-4536.

One experienced Domestic to work 3 days per week in Bel-Air Park. Salary $6000 per day. Call: 226-2322.

Handy boy to work 2 days per week. Good salary & conditions. Call: 226-2322.

One Machinist needed. Call: 679-7806.

One Bodywork Specialist needed. Call 679-7806.

K & M Janitorial Stevedore H/s, cleaners must be able to work shift. Office staff must be computer literate. Call: 664-8328/696-4567.

Experienced & qualified Welder and Mechanic required for mining operation. Call: 688-6575.

Male Cook (non smoker) required for mining operation. Call: 688-6575.

Wanted! Workers for packaging pasta and chowmein. $4100-$4900 per day. Workers paid weekly. Call: 6117839.

Chainsaw Operator, Cook and experienced jet + marack men to work in interior. Call: 677-2385.

One Truck Driver to drive around Georgetown. Call: 223-9677.

FOR SALE

2 SUV Lexus. For more information Call: 650-0402 / 652-0251.

Prime business spot 1/2 acres land located at parika E.B.E. Contact: 650-0402/ 652-0251.

Female German shepherd mix available. For more information Call: 502-6297/ 648-0111.

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

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

Security Officers and Housekeeper Supervisor/ staff needed at EMPAG INC. Call: 664-3716 / 226-4364.

Experienced Hair Colorist, Receptionist/ Massuese, Nail Techs, Barber and Domestic needed. Call/ WhatsApp: 649-5005/ 226-6705.

Excavator Operator, Truck and canter driver. Labourers (road construction). Call: 613-0855 8:00am-5:00 pm.

One Bodywork man needed. Call: 675-9988.

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

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

Male Cleaner for Eccles. Call: 615-9132 or 645-8443.

Female Cleaner for office in Eccles. Call: 645-8443

Live in Nanny for children, must have USA visa to travel with family. Call Melissa: 6392808.

Sand truck Driver needed, Sand pit to Eccles. $5,000 per trip, plus monthly incentives. Call: 621-5282.

One Pedicurists for home service in East Bank area. Call: 615-9132.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

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

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

Canter truck, great for mobile vending, 2019 December, RHD with 54,500 KM. Arrived in Guyana December 2023. Contact: 676-5051.

FOR RENT

Modern home under construction at Annadale, E.C.D. Call: 675-1510 / 613-7964.

2 bedroom apartment for rent 3 & 4 Durban street Lodge. Contact : 225-0431 or 625-4167.

Fully furnished 4 bedrooms apartment @ Campbellville Georgetown. Hot & cold water , AC, Remote gated. Call: 624-74736.

First AID/CPR/AED & Home nursing courses Starting soon at St. John Association. Call: 225-9082.

Aracari Hotel WBD (VreenEn-Hoop) crystal clear swimming pool. Adult/children sections. Music & food. Contact: 264-2946-9.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Aracari Hotel WBD (VreenEn-Hoop) A/C rooms from $75 usd/$40 usd day rate WIFI, secure parking & poolside. Contact: 264-29469 / www.aracariresort.com

TO LET

Eccles furnished, self contain apartment (Studio) waif optional. For more information Call: 233-3974/ 6003090.

LAND FOR SALE

40x100 ft(+10ft Reserve) in Cummings Lodge ideal for apartment building/bond etc. For more information Call: 624-8694.

From page 32 only long, straight hair was beautiful. It highlighted the damaging belief that we needed to conform to a specific beauty standard, even at the cost of our health through chemical treatments,” HenryFraser remarked.

In response to these challenges, celebrating natural beauty and encouraging selfacceptance. Like with any festival or event preparation is an important aspect to ensure that it is flawless and the Curl Fete team has had their work cut out for them. The team works year round to craft an immersive, unforgettable experience for festival attendees, whom they affectionately call ‘Curlfetters.’

Activities

Some activities for this year’s event include:

1. Vendors: Small businesses showcase and sell their products and services, offering a variety of unique items for attendees.

2. Sponsors: Engage with your favourite brands, score freebies, and enjoy numerous giveaways.

3. Big Chop: Witness a live makeover where a lucky

SAKS

Curl Fete 2024

winner begins her natural hair journey with a significant haircut and styling on stage.

4. Men Den: A special space for men to enjoy free haircuts and access great deals on men’s care products.

5. Kids Zone: As a familyfriendly event, we create a fun space for kids to play and receive free samples of ice cream and other treats.

6. Features: We partner with experts and industry leaders to present high-quality content through workshops, demos, and panel discussions. Topics range from DIY hair products and achieving glowing skin to important issues around women’s sexual and reproductive health.

7. Hair Show: Enjoy a dayto-night stage show featuring a competition among salons showcasing creative, otherworldly hair designs. The event also includes a fashion show with boutiques and designers highlighting the year’s hottest trends, and live performances from popular and emerging artists.

8. Food and Drinks: Come hungry and spend the day indulging in a variety of food

and drink options, including signature cocktails unique to Curl Fete.

9. Awards and Giveaways: There are countless competitions and opportunities to win at Curl Fete. Throughout the day, enjoy giveaways from sponsors and vendors, and in the evening, the Curl Fete team presents novelty awards for best afro, hair colour, beard, braids, outfit, and more!

As August 17th and 18th are less than two months away, the social media platforms of Curl Fete has been buzzing with activity.

There have been announcements to win tickets before the big day and updates for details and tips are frequent via Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @curlfete.

In addition, the Curl Fete team will be taking over the radio waves leading up to the festival; multiple tours on the most popular stations and talk shows to build anticipation and excitement for Curl Fete 2024. Curl Fete is also expectd to make a special appearance at this year’s Emancipation festival on August 1.

Guyana re-launches PR Photo Shoot...

From page 48 social media age, and the public perception of both individuals and businesses hinges heavily on their social media presence. As such, in an industry that is all about visuals and beauty, social media presence is even more important. By building a presence in this way, growing businesses can put themselves in a position where they can have increased visibility to potential customers and investors.

Speaking to the importance of a strong social media presence, Susan Ibrahim stated, “from my experience with my business, before I was even good at makeup, marketing on social media was the

one thing that actually helped me to get my clientele to build from that and I think in 2024 it has evolved, especially around the world so its super important to be out there and be representing your brand in a very tasteful, respectful, and professional manner because anything you put out there people will always find it, no matter how many years from now, so why not put out proper content for your business.”

Last Wednesday’s event saw a good turnout, with about thirty different growing businesses being represented by their owners, an impressive gathering of Guyanese beauty entrepreneurs, including makeup artists, hair/wig stylists, lash technicians, and nail technicians, along with entrepreneurs in some industries that SAKS Guyana had not partnered with before, like doctors/pharmacists, spa technicians, health food restaurateurs, and more.

We repair & install fridge, freezer, washer & dryer, AC units, stove, etc. Whatsapp/ Call Omar: 683-8734/ 6549711. Visa Application and consultation, advertisements publishing, graphics design, local & USA passport & i130 application forms. Call: 6267040.

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

Additionally, Kamini Persaud, an established entrepreneur and the wife of politician, Robert Persaud, was the guest speaker at the event. In her remarks, she emphasized the need for a focus on breaking down barriers and hindrances to the success of women in business.

I have the full confidence that through such initiatives you will continue to support each other by embracing your diversity even as you build your unique brands to make a meaningful contribution to the Guyana economy.

I would urge you to be part of finding solutions to national and global challenges,” Persaud said.

The photos from the event will be used in tandem with short bios about the entrepreneurs and their businesses as an initial step in building or expanding the kind of social media presence emphasized by SAKS Guyana, and there will also be a magazine that will be distributed to the entrepreneurs, which ensures that any supporter or customer of one of these entrepreneurs has the possibility of finding a new service to support in that network. Stay tuned to the SAKS Guyana Inc. Instagram and Facebook pages for the photos and bios from Wednesday’s event: @saksguyana (IG) | SAKS Guyana (FB)

“Even while I highlight these challenges and opportunities for improvement, I am humbled and inspired by what can be accomplished through collaborative efforts as is evidenced here today.

Trinidad: Venezuelan migrant children can attend local

schools from September …Registration starts Tuesday

Trinidad Express: Migrant children from Venezuela will be admitted into local schoolsfromSeptember This is in compliance with the Immigration (Amendment) (No 2) Regulations 2024 and applies to Venezuelan nationalsundertheageof18 whose parents registered with the Ministry of National Security (MNS) in 2019andcontinuetoregister annually under the Migrant Registration Framework (MRF), the Ministry of

Education said in a media releaseyesterday

Tuesday, it stated

Parents are required to

PresidentAli’s warning is timely...

Frompage05

killed. In the 60’s under Burnhamdictatorship,many Guyanese fled the country and went to the US and enlisted in the Army when the US was at war with Vietnam They did so primarily to gain US citizenship so that they can sponsor their families to escape the draconian PNC government.

The Commission of Enquiry from the UN Human Rights Council has concluded that both Israel and Hamas have committed war crimes, crimes against humanity and violations of international humanitarian and human rights law Over 37,000 Palestinians were killed and over 80,000 injured. Some 1,200 odd Israelis died and hundreds injured Figures for the Russian/ Ukraine war casualties remain fussy and unconfirmed because they aresecretlyguarded.Butthe NY Times reported that the totalamountofdeathscould be over half a million and over 300,000 wounded Closer home, Maduro is sounding the war drum. His army has over a hundred thousand soldiers as against Guyana’s 5,000 Should Maduro attack Guyana, Guyana will have to rely on allofheralliestodefendthis nation.

Earlier this year, the US conducted naval and air exerciseswithGuyanawhile Venezuela felt offended. A confluence of Russian, Canadian and US Naval ships displayed their pride and power in Cuba last week.

A Russian navy Frigate and a nuclear-powered submarine sailed into Havana’s harbour, followed by Canada’s patrol boat and a US first-attack submarine in the US naval base at GuantanamoBay.Havanais 100 miles away from Key West,Florida,hometoaUS Naval Air Station. Was this showheavieron‘symbolism than substance?’ The Pentagon,CanadaandCuba downplayedanyriskfactor

A wooden boat carrying some 270 people capsized with 80 of them drowned in DRCongothismonth.River travel is common and preferably to the few roadways.

A similar accident occurred last October with over 50 deaths from a boat overfilled with 300 people. Also, this month, a boat carrying 260 Somalians and Ethiopians refugees sank while travelling from the HornofAfricatoYemen.49 died and over 160 are missing. So far, some 1,860 peoplediedwhileplyingthis routetoescapeAfricanwar-

torncountries.

The lyrics of Bob Marley’s song, “War”, hold great pertinence with war escalating in all directions ontheglobe,beitofvariable nature, military, food, famine,povertyetc.Putinis threating the world with his nuclear weapons and his recent meeting with North Korea’s Leader, Kim Jong Un, is unsettling. China’s claimoverTaiwanisathreat to crush whoever try to split them. Israel’s show of force is devastating in the Hamas and Africans continue to be displaced by the millions through constant fights over rulership and power Nicaragua and Venezuela remain a constant threat in Latin America and Haiti is reeling from gangsterism. Will the world see the likes of a duplication of a Pearl Harbour type attack and the repercussions of a Hiroshima and Nagasaki victims?

The sober, somber and serious tone of Guyana’s PresidentAli,istimelywhen he warned this week that, “no one is above the law.”

The UN Security Council certainly has its hands full and should take note of this message.

Guyana occupies a nonpermanentseat.

Yoursrespectfully, JaiLall.

Tuesdays and Thursdays only) closest to their place of residence to complete and sign the

Admission of Migrants of the Bolivarian Republic of VenezuelaintoSchools”.

required to walk with the following documents (the originalandonecopy):

1 Minister’s Permit

Card (Children whose

Minister’s Permit under the MRF are ineligible to apply for entry into schools);

2.Certifiedtranslationof BirthCertificateofchild;

3. Immunisation Record ofchild;

4.Proofofaddress(letter

fromlandlordwithcopyofa recent utility bill as verification of address must bepresented);and

5. Passport-sized photo of child. The ministry noted t

applying for a Student Permit Exemption from the Ministry of National Security

Thisapplicationdoesnot guarantee placement and is dependent on availability of space at schools, the ministry said, adding that applications will not be processed unless all the listed documents are submitted. Contacted for comment yesterday on the move, La Romaine Migrant Support Group co-ordinator Angie Ramnarine said: “I amcautiouslyoptimistic.

Idon’tknowifthenotice can b

Venezuelanparents.

I already have parents

calling me about it. I am tryingtohavethedocuments roughlytranslated. They also need to put translation in place Translation is costly and the children have to have their birthcertificatestranslated.”

She added: “There will beteethingproblems. We need to make the communique clear to the targetpopulation.Itmightbe clear to us but it may not be cleartotheVenezuelans.We are putting out a notice hoping it would reach parents.”

Chief executive of the CatholicEducationBoardof Management Sharon Mangroosaid:“Wearevery happy It’s been a long time coming. Schools are prepared and ready. The teachers have been trained and we are just waiting for registration.

Israeli strikes kill at least 42 in Gaza, enclave’s government media office says

CAIRO, June 22

(Reuters) - At least 42 people were killed in Israeli attacks on districts of Gaza City in the north of the Palestinian enclave on Saturday, the director of the Hamas-run Government mediaofficesaid.

One Israeli strike on houses in Al-Shati, one of the Gaza Strip’s eight historic refugee camps, killed 24 people, Ismail AlThawabta told Reuters Another 18 Palestinians were killed in a strike on houses in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood.

Advertisement·Scrollto continue

The Israeli military released a brief statement saying: “A short while ago, IDF fighter jets struck two H a m a s m i l i t a r y infrastructure sites in the areaofGazaCity.”

It said more details wouldbereleasedsoon.

Hamas did not comment on the Israeli claim to have hititsmilitaryinfrastructure. It said in a statement the attacks targeted the civilian population and vowed in a statement “the occupation anditsNazileaderswillpay

the price for their violations againstourpeople.”

Footage obtained by Reuters showed dozens of Palestinians rushing out to search for victims amid the destroyed houses The footage showed wrecked homes, blasted walls, and

debris and dust filling the streetinShatirefugeecamp.

Israel’s ground and air campaign in Gaza was triggered when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people and seizing more than 250

Al Shati refugee camp, June 22, 2024. REUTERS/AymanAl Hassi

hostages, according to Israelitallies.

The offensive has left Gaza in ruins, killed more than 37,400 people, of whom101werekilledinthe past 24 hours, according to Palestinian health authorities, and left nearly

the entire population homelessanddestitute.

More than eight months intothewar,Israel’sadvance is now focused on the two lastareasitsforceshadyetto seize: Rafah on Gaza’s southern edge and the area surroundingDeiral-Balahin thecentre.

Residents said Israeli tanks deepened their incursion into western and northern Rafah areas in recentdays.

On Saturday Israeli forcesbombedseveralareas from air and the ground, forcingmanyfamiliesliving in areas described as humanitarian-designated zonestoleavenorthwards.

The Israeli military said forces continued “precise, intelligence-based” targeted operations in Rafah, killing many Palestinian gunmen and dismantling military infrastructure.

On Friday, the Gaza health ministry said at least 25 Palestinians were killed in Mawasi in western Rafah a n d 5 0 w o u n d e d Palestinianssaidatankshell hit a tent housing displaced families.

The Israeli military said that the incident was under review

“An initial inquiry conducted suggests that there is no indication that a strikewascarriedoutbythe IDF (Israel Defence Forces) in the HumanitarianArea in Al-Mawasi,”itsaid.

BLUNTNESSONINDECENCIES!

Incaseyouhaven’theard,pleasebeinformedthataspartofourcontinued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our Publisher, Dr Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about ongoing indecenciesinourlandthatshouldmatter,notonlytousatthispublication, buttheentirenation.

Sunday16-06-2024

“GOVT.GETOUR FATHERSLIVINGIN SHAME”

TodayisFather’sDay–a time to celebrate men who l i v e d u p t o t h e i r responsibilities of caring, guiding, providing and girding their families. But todaythestarkrealityisthat there are fathers in Guyana, far too many of them, who are in agony, live in shame, because they are unable to provideacomfortableliving for their families, especially their children. In the richest country per capita in the world, this is the reality of many Guyanese fathers on Father’s Day They work hard, they love constantly, yet their best is often not goodenough.

Monday17-06-2024

WHATKINDOF GOVERNMENTIS THIS?

We return to the missing sections of the US$7 3B ExxonMobil audit report What was being held out as the full report for the US$7 3B audit of ExxonMobil’s expenses for 2018-2020hassomeholesin it. These huge holes involve possiblyhugebillsthatwere reviewedbytheauditors,but which have now been yanked from the official onlineversion.Whatkindof government would do somethinglikethis?

Whatdoesthissayabout thequalityoftheleaderswho knowingly or unknowingly preside over something of thisnature?

What sort of senior officials manning official onlinechannelscouldreduce a crucial audit report to this awfulstate?

We cannot say with certainty what goes into the thinking of leading politicians in this country and the senior public servants who jump to do their bidding. But, at a minimum, something is

highly improper or, at the worst, the ugliest, dirtiest deeds are being dumped on the heads of trusting Guyanese.

Tuesday18-06-2024

PNCR‘CONG-MESS’

The People’s National Congress Reform like their twin sister – PPP will be holding their biennial congress later this month. With all the ‘cussing-out’, going on among the contestants, we predict that would be a ‘cong-mess’ insteadofacongress. What is true also is that none of the candidates not even the incumbent leader, Aubrey Norton has fully grasped the trouble this country is in with Bharrat Jagdeo at the helm and how desperate we all must be to havehimreplaced.

But freeing Guyana requires more than just getting rid of the corrupt PPP/C and replacing them withacrookedPNCR.

Guyana needs new, visionaryleaders.

Guyana needs to breathe andtheleadersbeingoffered by both these parties are not uptothetasktousherinthe independence so badly neededhere.

Wednesday19-06-2024

JAGDEOAND HISDOCTORATE

Vice President Bharrat

Jagdeo loves being addressedasDr Jagdeo. He should get himself a qualityeducationfirst. Put in the effort and the titlecouldfollow

Of course, he has no achievementstorecommend him,soheisstilllacking. Since he is so thrilled to be called doctor, he must stop being Exxon’s witch doctor Itisdegrading.

Quack doctors are a dollar a dozen, and Jagdeo canbuyhimselfacertificate from any Chinese University

He is fully deserving of

Saturday22-06-2024

NATIONALLEADER ORNATIONALBULLY?

oneofthatkind.

Thursday20-06-2024

PRES.ALISPEAKS

It is time; time that President Ali comports himselfasthemanincharge.

The President today is holding his own press conference to address critical issues raised by the USGOVERNMENT

Thatispresidential. It makes sense for the national leader to kick aside the usurper, Bharrat Jagdeo and manifest bold leadership.

It should not be lost on Guyanese that President Ali’spressengagementison thesamedayasJagdeo’s.

Getlost,‘Dr’.Jagdeo. Takethelead,Dr Ali. Face the nation and speaktothepeople.

Let Jagdeo find a corner tosulkandcurse!

Friday21-06-2024

CLASSLESS PRESIDENT

We have said in this columnbeforethatiftheyare two leaders Guyanese should steer clear are: President Ali and VP, Jagdeo.

They are both classless when dealing with the press and ordinary Guyanese, but suckuptoforeignersandthe oilboss.

Yesterday’s President Ali’s condescending interactions with one of our reporters when asked a question at his news conference speak volume of theGuyaneseleader

The President was dismissive, aggressive and attitudereekedwithhostility in his efforts to intimidate reporters with his powerful office.

We agree that President Alishoulddobetter,bemore presidential, carry the dignityofhishighofficeata statesmanlikelevel.

Butwealsoagreethathe mightjustnotbeabletohelp himself.

We feel let down by President Ali.The president holdsapressconferenceand isingoodform.

He mocks a young

reporter, insults a female professional….

Thiscan’tbethemanner ofanationalleader

This seems to be more the practice of a national bully. President Ali is dragging down his high office

Apresidentcannotafford tobeseenasapunk.

We suggest that President Ali cleans up his act.Heshoulddohomageto respectfulduty,rise PresidentAli: try to be a statesman, less to be a badman.

Crunch time for West Indies; all-win South Africa...

Frompage62 part of South Africa’s progress.

Theeconomyrateof590 includes bowling mostly in the powerplay and is South Africa’s second-lowest after Baartman(thoughJansenhas played one more game). Though he has gone wicketless in all but one

match, Jansen has been match-winninginotherways Against England, he was tasked with the game’s penultimate over and conceded just seven runs, leaving Nortje 13 to defend Crucially, he has adapted to conditions when some of his team-mateshavenot,andheis yet to be given a chance to

showwhathecandowiththe bat West Indies have choices tomakeShaiHope’sunbeaten 39-ball82openingthebatting againstUSAmaymeanWest Indiesdonothaveimmediate causetobringinKyleMayers, who has replaced the injured BrandonKingintheirsquad. It’s an interesting call to

make because Mayers has the advantage of knowing the South African players well, from his time at the SA20, and of being West Indies’ second-leading runscorerinthepre-WorldCup series played against South Africa last month. Their otherdecisionwillbeinthe make-upofthebowlingunit

Sunday June 23, 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 ta

ou to

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

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

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

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

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

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

-whethertoincludeanextra

Shepherd or stick to the offspinofRostonChase.

The last time South Africa played in Antigua, they opted for two spinners and left Baartman out, and

However, Tabraiz Shamsi

wasexpensiveagainstUSA, which could open the door for the other left-arm spinner in the squad: Bjorn Fortuin, who has not had a game thus far It’s more likelySouthAfricawillstick to what they like best, with an unchanged batting lineup and one of Shamsi or Baartman.

Crunch time for West Indies; all-win South Africa still looking for the perfect game

(Cricinfo) - It isn’t actually called a quarterfinal, but for West Indies, this game against South Africa could well be one. Win, and they will be through to the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-finals, irrespective of other results. Lose, and then net run-rate comes into play if England lose to USA; West Indies will be out if England beat USA.

South Africa’s equation is slightly more nuanced. A win will guarantee them a spotinthelastfourbutthey could still get there with a closedefeat,andbythetime the match is played, they will know exactly what the margins they are working withare.

What may be lurking in the back of South Africa’s mind is how close five of

set out to: re-establish West Indies as a powerhouse by competing strongly and (hopefully, for them) winning a third T20 World Cup. For now, it all hinges onhowtheydointhismatch and though they may take heart from sweeping South Africa 3-0 before the tournament, it’s worth rememberingthatthatwasa second-string South Africa side.Therealtestisnow

In the spotlight -Alzarri JosephandMarcoJansen

Alzarri Joseph has the samenumberoftournament wicketsasAnrichNortje-11 -ataslightlyhigheraverage (13.81 compared to 12.90) but a slightly better strike rate.

Joseph has taken a wicketonceevery11ballsat the tournament - and Nortje once every 13 balls - and is

their six games so far have been. They have snatched victoriesfromtheunlikeliest of scenarios and seem to be riding a wave of good fortunethattheyhavefailed tocatchintournamentspast.

They will be the first to admitthattheyareyettoput together the perfect game, but they boast a perfect record.

Sixoutofsixwinsmeans they are once again being spoken of as champion material. Could this be the year South Africa finally winaT20WorldCup?

West Indies might have somethingtosayaboutthat.

The co-hosts were unbeaten through the group stagetoo.

Though they lost to defending champions England in the Super Eight after that, they are still on tracktoachievingwhatthey

rightly seen as West Indies’ biggestthreatwiththeball. Joseph has only played two T20Is against South Africa, and in the last one took a series-winning 5 for 40 to seal a seven-run win Four of the five batters Joseph dismissed in that match - Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen - have been part of South Africa’s XI in every gameattheWorldCupthus far

On his home ground, Antigua, he will have even more motivation to attempt torepeatthefeat.

With Nortje, Kagiso Rabada and Ottneil Baartman all shining at different stages of the competition, Marco Jansen has flown under the radar despitebeinganimportant

(Continuedonpage61)

Nicholas Pooran is the tournament’s leading run scorer. (Getty Images)

Over 70 honoured by RHTYSC in Tribute to Heroes...

Frompage64

receivedanationalawardin 2016 and won the Guyana Cricket Club of the Year 2004, 2005 2009, 2010 and 2016.

Rampersaud a national juniorall-rounderstatedthat theclubwasverygratefulfor howtheawardeesinputinits development. among the 70

re USA

Dominique Ricky and Akshay Homraj along with

founding executive Moses Ramchardeen, Alton Hendrax and Errol Hendrax

Other awardees included former national cricketer Derek Kalicharan, Leslaine L a m b e r t , D r

AlscrickDendow, Dr Terrence Blackman, Sharma

Sukhdeo, Emmanuel

Seecharran, Sameer Sadloo, Rick Ragabir, Zahir Ali, RajendraSadeoKieranNero, Collist Cort, Radish Singh, Lucille Boman George, KS

Singh, Sarah Chinsammy, JoelPikeandFerozIslam

Each of the awardees

tribute to heroes trophy, a medal of excellence

age including club souvenirs like T-shirts anniversary pins, key rings and a c

Guyanese Girls rock group hailed the outstanding work of the RHTYSC and urged members to uphold its high

standardsinthefuture. S

he importance of working together to achieve the s

difference the program also included sterling recognition of the national anthems of Guyana and the United States along with an Indian dance by the New York Saraswati Dance Academy The RHTYSC expressed gratitude to the

following sponsors for their support which made the historic programme a success:T&R construction, Sterling Products Limited,

Construction, Bakewell, Old broom longe, Lalsa construction, cricket zone USA Sabrina Busgith,

Pancho,AnilBeharry,Rick Ragubir Tracy Khan, Christian Hall, Kevlon Anderson, Kevin Sinclair, T and R audits general store, Tropical Isles roti shop, Tota Bakery of Brooklyn and Lucille George The club would a

gratitude to the journalist Av

providing

organization

Over 70 honoured by RHTYSC in Tribute to Heroes programme

The Rose Hall Town Youth Sports Club on Saturdaylastcreatedhistory when it hosted its inaugural tribute to heroes for overseas-based former members and supporters of the club. It was perhaps the first time that a local Guyanese Cricket Club has hostedanawardceremonyin the United States of America. This spectacular ceremony was hosted at the Gateway Christian Hall locatedinLongIsland,New York, and was coordinated by the local club executives

and overseas-based Berbician Tracy Khan and Rick Rajesh Rugubir Over 60 awardees receive awards fromthetopCricketClubfor theirmembershipoftheclub for being founders and for the support of the club activities from its founding in1990tothepresent.

Club secretary Hilbert Foster organizing secretary

c r i c k e t m a n a g e r

Rabindranath Robby Kissoonlall, first division captain Clinton Pestano and assistant secretary Jonathan Rampersaud were present at the2hourceremony Foster provided a comprehensivereportonthe RHTYSC which was

founded in 1990 by three timesCommonwealthYouth Service awardee St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Youth Club The main objective was to offer alternative activities for youths away from drugs crime and alcohol The club’s first elected president wasKeithFosteranditsfirst fundraising activity was an oldies dance while on the

cricketfield.Theclubhosted its 17th match before defeating Fyrish for its first victory TheRHTYSC’sfirst cricket match at the Berbice cricketboardlevelwasatthe under-19 level versus AuchlyneanditsforceBCB titlewastheSydneySabsook second division in September1992.Thecricket team of the club since then has played over 3100

matches winning 2834. the club has also produced 122 players for Berbice, Guyana and the West Indies at all levels and won an u n b e l i e v a b l e 1 2 3 Tournament across all age groups and formats The RHTYSC has also hosted over 10,000 activities under a wide array of subheadings and has made a positive difference in the lives of

Awardees of the historic RHTYSC Tribute to Heroes programme.

thousandsofpersons.Foster statedthatthesuccessofthe clubhasbeenbasedonsheer hard work dedication and teamwork Among the players produced by the RHTYSC are Assad Fudadin, Kevin Sinclair, Royston Crandon, Kevlon Anderson, Junior Sinclair, Sylus Tindall, Eon Hooper, Clinton Pestano, Sharmaine Campbell, Erva Giddings

ShenetaGrimmond,Shabiki Gajnabi, Dominique Ricky andAkshayHomraj. Assistant secretary JonathanRampersaudstated that all of the awardees played major roles in the development of the RHTYSC from the humble beginning into Guyana’s most dynamic Youth and Sportsorganizationwhich (Continuedonpage63)

ExxonMobil Boys’ and Girls’ U14 Football Championship

Semifinalists decided in both divisions

TBoys’ and Girls’ Under-14

intensified yesterday with thrilling quarterfinal action at the Ministry of Education ground. Advancing to the semifinals were Leonora

(Boys), South Ruimveldt (Boys),Dolphin(Boys),and Chase’s Academic Foundation (Boys), along with Waramuri Top (Girls),

Bartica (Girls), President’s College (Girls), and Santa Rosa(Girls).

Leonora Secondary securedasemifinalspotwith a4-1victoryoverdefending champions Bartica Secondary

The match was tightly contested, with Bartica leading 2-1 at halftime However, Huan Culley’s equalizerinthe32ndminute, following a precise pass fromtheright-wing,tiedthe gameat2-2.

The match concluded with Leonora winning the penaltyshootout4-1.

South Ruimveldt triumphed over Bushlot Secondary with a solid 2-0 victory Devonte Gaime and Aaron Archer scored the decisive goals in the 25th and 23rd minutes, respectively

Despite Bushlot’s multiple attempts, they couldn’t breach South Ruimveldt’sdefense.

Dolphin Secondary

moved into the semis by defeating Westminster 3-0 with Christian Saw scoring twice (48th and 50th minutes) and Tyler Abrams netting an early goal in the 5thminute.

Chase’s Academic

Foundation clinched their spot by overpowering Wismar Christianburg 30, with goals from Mark Glasgow, Jashan Haynes, andAkeelYoung

The Girls division

Waramuri Top delivered an impressive 7-0 win againstCharity,ledbyErika Harris’s four-goal performance. Brenita Marks scored twice (4th and 18th minutes), and Shenessa Thomas added a goal in the 32ndminute.

Santa Rosa Girls secured their semifinal spot by defeating Tucville Secondary3-0,withMaria Atkinson scoring twice and leading her team to victory The tournament is s p o n s o r e d b y ExxonMobil, with support from Stena Drilling, DDL/Pepsi, and MVP Sports

The tournament is also coordinated by the Petra O r g a n i s a t i o n a n d approved by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, Youth,andSports.

p r o v i d e d l o t s o f entertainment; Bartica Girls dominated Marian Academy with a 7-1 victory,featuringhat-trick performances from Kelsy and Nerismar Williams, and an additional goal from Vilerky Simon President’s College crushed New Amsterdam (NA) Girls 8-0, with Nadine Xavier scoring three goals (26th, 30th, and 37th minutes), Kimora Edwards adding two (8th and 20th minutes), and Teshanna Abrams and Reyanna Gounga each contributing one

51st CAC Fitness and Bodybuilding Championshipofficially launched

Th e G u y a n a

Bodybuilding

and Fitness

Federation (GBBFF) officially launched the 51st Central America and Caribbean (CAC) Fitness

a n d

B o d y b u i l d i n g Championship on Friday at

the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) located

at Liliendaal. This prestigious event is set to take place in Guyana from October17-20.

The launch event, resembling a cocktail-like setting, was attended by notable figures such as the PresidentoftheCACFitness

a n d B o d y b u i l d i n g Federation, Tony Pina, Treasurer Ed Malone, President of the GBBFF Keavon Bess, Director of Sports(DoS)SteveNinvalle, Assistant DoS Franklin Wilson, President of the GOA Godfrey Munroe, and

In attendance were CAC Fitness and Bodybuilding Confederation Head, Tony Pina, Treasurer Ed Malone, President of the GBBFF Keavon Bess, DoS Steve Ninvalle, Assistant DoS Franklin Wilson and GOAHead Godfrey Munroe among others

GOAVicePresidentChristie Campbell,amongothers.

The championship is expected to attract over 100 athletesandofficials,withan estimated 300 participants from25nations.

The last time Guyana hosted this championship was in 2004 The CAC

Championship is highly esteemed, being the premier bodybuilding event in the region. It will offer local athletes the opportunity to secure IFBB Elite Pro card status.

Currently,Guyanaboasts three athletes with Pro Card status, a sign

achievement since the first Pro Card was secured in 1975. Over the past five years, Guyana has consistently won the most medals at international and regional championships, including numerous firstp

participation, highlighting the sport’s growth in the country

Notable athletes include Nicholas Albert, who excelled at the 2023 Roger Boyce Classic in Barbados, Emmerson Campbell, who had an outstanding year in 2022, finishing with a silver

Championship,andreigning Mr Guyana champion Darius Ramsammy, who securedabronzemedalatthe 2023CACChampionshipin hissecondappearance.

The event has already s e c u r e d P l a t i n u m sponsorship from Twins Drug Store and Camille’s Academy, with the Ministry ofCulture,Youth,andSports also confirming their support.

The 51st CAC Fitness a n d B o d y b

d i n g Championship will feature athletes such as Roger Callender, Donald Lindie, Joshua Alexander, Christian R

Campbell, Anisha Munroe, Rolando Candeer, Quacy Anderson, Nicolas Albert, Orlando Dublin, Andrew McLean, Brian Singh, and SabitaStephenson.

Semifinalists decided in both divisions

Amoah retains AP Invitational 100m title…

Archibald rules supreme in

Men’s Long Jump

West Indies have lost only once in the tournament this far. (Getty Images)

JosephAmoah of Ghana leads the pack on his way to win the Men’s 100m at the APInvitational (Rawle Toney photo)