...SoldiersadvanceinGazaCityneighbourhoodas UNsaysatleast60,000Palestinianresidentsdisplaced Guyana nowhere close Nigel Hughes elected new AFC leader Businessman dies to paying off Exxon as company applies for 3-mth-old dies at Kaneville day care
‘IcannotcommentonrenegotiationofExxondeal; companyisaclientofmylawfirm’–NigelHughes
Check Exxon’s inflated expenses! gas monetization project’ Jagdeo: plans to financially back ‘Too risky, Govt. has no
Attorney Nigel Hughes on Saturday secured a landslide victory to become leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) out performing Sherod Duncan. Hughes,whoisthefirstnonfounding member of the party to become leader, secured 149 votes, while Duncanreceived62.
He was elected at the party’s 8th National Conference held at the Revealed Word Christian Center,WilliamStreet,Kitty
The Chairman of the PartyisnowDavidPatterson whose 150 votes exceeded Juretha Fernandes’ 69. The remaining positions on the executive were filled by MichaelCarrington,thenew ViceChairandco-founderof the AFC, Raphael Trotman now holds the position of General Secretary. The conference also elected the twelve members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), which willmanagetheParty
Delivering the charge to the delegates and observers, Leader Nigel Hughes
immediately co-opted leading members of the opposing slate to be part of the Executive and they graciously accepted. Amid loud cheers and much excitement by delegates and supporters alike, Hughes deliveredaninspiringvision positioning theAFC as “the force”intheupcoming2025 election.
The Leader urged the Party to undertake a comprehensive review of its performance in office to examine the missteps which lead to its loss of office in 2020 so that it can take the lessons from the past in crafting a pathway to the future
In his address, Hughes referenced the goals of the partywhilecommittingtobe inclusive
“I am very humbled by this, seriously very, very humbled I believe that there comes a time when the ancestorssaytoyou,thisisit I think that’s what happened here Ithankeverybody;Ijust wanteverybodytoalsoknow that my competitors are no
longer our competitors I am invitingthemtojoinmyteam to make sure that they continue to promote the Alliance For Change,”
Hughes told reporters after the announcement of his victory
Further, Hughes called on President Irfaan Ali to immediately convene a m
he parliamentary political parties, major civil society stakeholder, economists both local and international toestablishacommitmentto a consensus based ten-tof
developmentplaninfivekey areas–Economy,Education, Foreign Relations, Health andPoverty
“It is necessary for business; it is necessary for the development of the country That is just one but we have many others,” Hughessaid.
Thisplan,hesaid,should becomeenshrinedinlaw
Additionally, Hughes charged the conference delegates to be prepared for national elections and the
agendaforchangeisGuyana asserting, ‘Better must Come’.
M e a n w h i l e , t h e conference also elected the twelve members of the Na
Committee (NEC) to managetheParty
Two hundred delegates representing the ten administrative regions, the Youth For Change and Women For Change groups participated in the much anticipatedelections.
Theelectionprocesswas managed by returning officers, Christopher Ram and Trevor Benn and team. Additionally, the contingent of delegates voting on line
were from Region 9 who were unable to attend given therecentinclementweather conditions which made travel to Georgetown difficultandmembersofthe AFC Diaspora chapters in theUSAandtheCaribbean.
The newly elected Chair David Patterson said he is honoured to be selected by the members of the party to serve as Chairman He nonetheless acknowledged withhiselectioncamewitha greatresponsibility
“Iacceptitwithhumility Thefirstthingwewanttodo istoreconnectwithourbase, this conference has been a goodstartasyoucouldseea lotofourmemberscameout.
Someofthemhavebeenabit dormant post 2020 but they arenowbackagain,”hesaid. He explained that there wasalreadyacommitmentby Hughes and himself to go to the regions and reconnect withtheirsupporters Starting with discussions where they can voice their opinions on howtheyseethepartyshould be led in preparations for electionsin2025
Meanwhile,thenewVice Chair, Michael Carrington pledged his commitment to the party noting that he has been a member since its beginning in 2006 He intends to continue working with youths to address their manyneeds.
24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.
Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456
Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams
Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
Thisnation’soilwealthhasprovidedaneducationonthe ways, attitudes, and results of the efforts of foreign exploiters. ExxonMobilissuchanexploiter,acorporateoil tsunamithatblastsanyobject,humanorother,thatstandsin its way When that damage is done, the people leading the company study their handiwork and then move to eradicate whatever is left that interferes with its all-consuming greed. Some bitter lessons are being taught to gullible and docile Guyanese, lessons about the lengths to which ExxonMobil would go to get its way There is a standard to the methods of the oil invaders, the despoilers who would disembowel every stirring of objection and resistance to the company’s animalistic plundering of Guyana’s rich natural resources. The pattern that was set in other oil-producing countries is beingrepeatedandtakentonewheightshere.
ExxonMobil came to Guyana at less than its usual strength. The company was struggling to cope with the consequences of falling oil prices, eager for the next great big oil discovery What has been a gift to ExxonMobil has been a blight of national proportions to hopeful locals. The order of business was to kerfuffle and handcuff the government and its leaders. This was what ExxonMobil succeeded in doing through an oil contract that the foulest nameintheEnglishLanguageistoogoodforit. Itwouldbe toocharitabletothosewhocallthemselvesinvestorsbutare worsethangraverobbers. Thedirtiestwordinanylanguage is not enough to capture the magnitude of that 2016 oil contract. It is a combination that houses a felony, a depravity, and corporate greed and horror in their greatest expressions. The leaders in the former APNU+AFC coalition government found themselves handcuffed and withelectronicanklebraceletstocompletethecircleoftheir self-inflicted captivity In came the PPP/C Government, whoseleaderspromisedtoupturnthecontract,onlyforthem to be tumbled head over heels by its paralyzing provisions. Andtheirwell-knownlustforpowerwhateverthepricethat hadtobepaid. Ifawholecountryhadtobesold,thenitwas a cheap one for the PPP/C to seal, so that it could return to power It was what the PPP/C did, continues to do. ExxonMobil was only too glad to do its part and grease the PPP/C’s way Now as the national government, the one whose leaders had promised so much is like a mummy: wrapped almost from head to toe in ExxonMobil’s clothing andcause. Cantherebebiggertraitorsofapeople?
In swift succession, ExxonMobil locked down and tied down most of civil society, the professional class, and the just as greedy private sector State institutions and state media entities and friendly media outlets (subtle sellouts) were all willing to jump on the American oil giant bandwagon.
They painted a rich picture about it, while condemning Guyanese to generations of slavery, the economic misery that follows. ExxonMobil was also able to get Guyanese to cut the throats of their own, with politicians prostituting themselvesintheirrushtograbthecompany’sattentionand its favours. Division and self-destruction have been Guyanese realities with ExxonMobil reaping Guyanese richesuninterruptedlyandjoyfully
Then ExxonMobil cast its eyes at what and who is left standing amid the wreckage of a rich oil country transformed into an oil tragedy, a national shame. Among the few left standing against the ExxonMobil juggernaut is this publication and Glenn Lall, its publisher An ExxonMobil partner called people like Lall noisemakers. Guyana’s PresidentAli called citizens like Lall fighting for better from their massive oil wealth, naysayers and detractors. Thenationaloilczar,VicePresidentJagdeo,has only had the derogatory and inflammatory to offer about patriots like Glenn Lall and others. ExxonMobil had done its work well, made great local political bargains, so it sat back and laughed at the comedy of Guyanese thrashing Guyanese, with top government leaders (and their media flunkeys) in the forefront. When those proved of limited utility in stopping Lall and his Kaieteur News, ExxonMobil’sGuyanaheadsteppedintothefrayandlashed
DEAREDITOR, raindrops’John C. Hulsman, considered to be ‘nefarious,’ as a consequence, the US
American novelist held that; ‘Venezuela was Venezuela would get off the reimposed sanctions on W.E.B. Griffin popularized allowedto‘walkbetweenthe hook because the Biden Venezuela. thephrase“walkbetweenthe raindrops’ after Biden lifted administration allowed We r e H u l s
raindrops” to mean that a sanctions Washington had Venezuela to ‘walk between interpretation of Griffin’s person (or country) is not earlier imposed thus theraindrops.’ ‘walking between the held acco
ble for allowing the Venezuelan Of course, subsequent raindrops’applied to Cheddi nefariousactions. administration of Nicholas developments proved to the
For some it became a Maduro to ‘walk between contrary assumption to office in favouritepoliticalriskquote. raindrops.’ T h e B i d e n October 1992 and knowing
Writing in ‘THE HILL’ Inotherwords,according administration reckoned that
(July 21, 2022)under the to Hulsman, were the Maduro proved himself background, the PPP/C h
t Maduro administration to incapable of ‘walking administrationwouldhave Venezuela‘walkbetweenthe commitactsthatWashington between the raindrops’ and (Continued on page 6)
outwithhisblow
ExxonMobil’s Alistair Routledge comes to Guyana and feels empowered to fire at a Guyanese (Lall): he is a political aspirant. Mr Routledge just made himself into a fire hydrant on which every patriotic Guyanese should shower their body fluids, as a mark of their respect. This character Routledge, withthecheeringoftraitorousGuyanese,thinksheisentitled to dip his toe into Guyana’s domestic waters and deliver verbalkicksatanyGuyanesehebelievesshouldbesokicked. This powerful American oilman, given such cojones by a patheticgovernment,opposition,andtheirminions,nowsees himself as an overseer on a plantation where he can whip and lash into submission Guyanese that raise their voices against his2016oilcontractandspituponit.
Political aspirant from Routledge is his way of urinating on the hopes of Guyanese. This white man’s ‘eyes pass’ GuyanaandtheaspirationsofallGuyanese. Andhecandare
to do so because he is guaranteed the freedom by a national government and political opposition that have rendered themselves into invalids. Alongside the government and opposition, parliament and private sector, civil society and houses of worship, this is what most Guyanese in those groups have done to themselves. It is how they pimp themselves and sold-out citizens for ExxonMobil’s favour andExxonMobil’sdollar
The oil tyrant Routledge rages about who is a political aspirant. Routledge is advised to stay out of Guyana’s politics. Do the right thing Routledge, be about genuine partnership and real prosperity for all Guyanese. Leave politicstolocals. Routledgeshouldrememberanotherthing: ExxonMobil has been generous to Guyana’s political class. Letthembeconcernedaboutpoliticalaspirants. Leavethem to fight those battles. Concentrate on an open and honest partnershipwithGuyana.
In a 50/50 profit share, Guyana receives US$1.4 billion, while the oil companies reported total profits of US$7.8 billion
If you and a partner invest in a boat and decide to split profits equally, you will feel cheated if her share is much greater than 50%. For instance, if from the day’s catch of 200 pounds of fish, you both decide that 100 pounds of fish should cover theexpensessuchasbaitand fuel, then there will be a profit of 100 pounds of fish toshare.Yourprofittakewill be50poundsandherswould alsobe50pounds.
2023 Stabroek Block Profits Reported in US$ Billions: is this 50/50 profit share?
Exxonanditspartnersin the Stabroek Block have a However, according to the 2023 financials of the oil
50/50 profit-sharing 2023 Natural Resource companies. agreement with Guyana for Fund, Guyana’s 2023 share Wecan’tpayourteachers extracting our oil. However, of profits was only US$1.4 a living wage, and 40% or when looking at the 2023 billion. more of our population can’t accounting profit numbers To put it another way, afford enough protein to eat. for the oil companies Guyana collected 17.9% of The government should compared to what was the total reported profits of explain, how in a 50/50 deposited in the Natural US$7.8 billion reported in profit share agreement, Resource Fund (NRF) for the 2023 oil companies’ Guyana only received Guyana, one would question financials (see chart above) US$1.4 billion while the oil how can this be a 50/50 Exxon has a billboard companies reported total profit-sharingagreement? claiming Guyana receives profits of US$7.8 billion.
In a Stabroek Article on 52% of all profits from the The government has refused Feb 10th, 2023 titled, Stabroek Block. The 17.9% to renegotiate the lopsided RenegotiatingPSAwouldbe ofprofitsGuyanareceivedin StabroekBlockcontract.Isit ‘very destructive’to investor 2023 appears to invalidate more worried about Exxon’s confidence – Routledge, the this claim. The perception investor confidence than the President of ExxonMobil among Guyanese that Exxon plightofGuyanese? Guyana, Alistair Routledge anditspartnersbenefitmuch
DEAREDITOR, corner with his shirt out of
Since Aubrey Norton hispants.”Hewasnotjoking overwhelming votes at the was the last candidate for and on reflection, I surmised D
P
C leader left standing, he will thattheincidentwassimplya Congresstomakehimleader be the Leader of the PNC to trope for what Hoyte over Joseph Harmon (David take the party in the 2025 concluded was Norton’s Granger’s protégé) and Van general elections. I would refusal to inculcate the West Charles (Burnham’s l i k e t o o f f e r m y “habitus” - the socialised son-in-law). congratulationstohim.Ithas norms or tendencies that The middle-class elite beenalongandwindingroad guide behaviour and who dominate the PNC him but finally he will have thinking - of the middle- upper ranked wanted the opportunity to vie for class, coloured elite that set someone who would leadership of the country, the tone for the PNC’s “manners” the PPP, which which then would give him leadership. Hoyte had told had stared down Granger in the power that he candidly mehisfatherwasajoinerbut the Mingo-Lowenfield accepts is the goal of all I concluded that in his rigging attempt and regained politicians. Without power, orientation, demeanour and office. This was the phrase at best, a political may have actions he had inculcated used by Sheila Holder, who influencethathecanexerton m i d d l e - c l a s s sat next to me for five years the power holders but that is “respectability”, while in the Opposition benches a far cry from having the Nortonstubbornlyrefusedto between 2001-2006, about authority to implement one’s doso. why Robert Corbin was visionforthecountry But it was precisely madeleaderofthePNCafter Norton graduated from Norton’s street reputation (Continued on page 6) the YSM – the youth arm of the PNC – to become one of the latter’s youngest General Secretary in 1997, at the age of forty, under Desmond Hoyte. He played a key role in the PNC protests following the General Electionsofthatyearbutwas removed from his position after only one year I once asked Mr Hoyte the reason and he replied that he “saw Norton drinking at a street
Darshanand Khusial in response to this question, more from our oil seems to On behalf of OGGN “There is a wide public view be accurate based on the (www.oggn.org/about) that Exxon and its partners are benefiting from the 11 billion barrels of oil more than Guyanese.” is said to have made this point, “ he [Routledge] was quick to point out that the view is unrealistic as the Guyanese people are benefiting more from the deal than the investors. He said it is very clear that under the Stabroek Block PSA, 50% of the profit goes to the country and 50% goes to investors. He noted that an additional 2% from the investors’ share goes towards the payment of royalty which results in Guyanese receiving a total of 52% of profit oil.”
The industrious Chris Ram has published a trio of articles on the 2023 financials of the oil companies, adding to his masterpiece of 132 columns o n O i l & G a s , seehttps://www oggn org/ca tegory/contributors/oggnnon-members/chris_ram/. If oneextractsthe2023pre-tax profit for the oil companies fromhisarticles,theyaddup to US$7.8 billion. Now, one would expect in a 50/50 profit share, Guyana in 2023 would receive US$3 9 billion (US$7 8 billion divided by 2) in profits.
Thirty years after, have the raindrops become heavier or gentler...
From page 4 cleartothosewhoknewhim, raindrops’ resulting in Leadersoftherulingpartyin end resulted was a failed the 1955 split and the found itself under greater that his call was to establish serious errors being Ethiopia failed to ‘walk unitygovernment,optingfor breakaway by opportunist scrutiny, if not pressure, by ideological balance within committed due to internal betweentheraindrops.’ a military rather than a elements in 1975, neither in the ‘hawks’ aka neo-cons in the PPP and for that balance infighting along ideological Disunity and factional political solution and the its governments of 1957Washington. to be reflected in his lines in the leadership of infighting within the outbreak of a civil war 1964; 1992-2015 nor its I n t h e l i g h t o f government’s domestic and ruling parties in those Palestine L
beration Another failure to ‘walk 2020 to present, has there Griffin/Hulsman versus foreignpolicies. countries. Organization (PLO) on how betweentheraindrops.’
Jagan’s meaning of ‘walking PresidentJaganknewthat A few examples would to combine armed resistance Here in our own region, factional and ideological between the raindrops,’ we lingeringdoubtsstillobtained suffice; In 1986, in the with political/diplomatic the Grenada revolution infighting resulting in the are left with two opposing in some circles Washington People’s Democratic struggle against the Israeli turned on itself because of w
perspectives. On the one about his ideological Republic of Yemen, the occupationists, and how to the emergence of a faction marginalizationoftheparty hand, because Venezuela convictions, thus the need to Yemeni Socialist Party led win the support of the wider that favoured a bookish For President Jagan, his under Maduro is viewed in be realistic and pragmatic in by ‘Arab Marxists’ engaged world resulted in bitter application of Marxism- ‘walking between raindrops’ Washington as a ‘threat to pursuit of his domestic and in destructive factional in- ideological, tactical and Leninism and another who represented lessons learnt regional and hemispheric foreign policies. In other fighting due to ideological, strategic differences within
security,’ it should not be words, in order to achieve his tribal and regional rivalries. the PLO as a consequence, a p
ideological contest that allowed‘towalkbetweenthe government’s goals the smart One faction wanted ‘a pure Hamas, the Progressive Caribbean and hemispheric existed globally at his time. raindrops.’ On the other, the thing to do was to tread M a r x i s t - L e n i n i s t ’ Front for the Liberation of peculiarities and realities; a His was a warning against PPP/C under Jagan, though c a r e f u l l y b e t w e e n orientation for Party and P a l e s t i n e ( P F L P ) , leadership crisis ensued his government being coming to power thirty years vicissitudes of socialism and government while the other communist, Democratic followed by resort to a brandedonewayortheother earlier, was allowed to ‘walk capitalism both of which he was favorably disposed to a Front for the Liberation of military solution by the so- unnecessarily At the same between the raindrops’ in w a s i n d i s p u t a b l y more pragmatic, ‘walking Palestine (DFLP) and the called ‘Marxists’resulting in time, he was perceptive view of the fact that the PPP knowledgeable between the raindrops’ socialist, Progressive Party the house-arrest then enough to point out that, wasavictimofUSColdWar H i s c o n v i c t i o n s approach. A blood bath of Palestine (PPP) emerged. assassination of Maurice within the meaning of his policies and rigged elections notwithstanding, he won ensued resulting in the Palestinian leaders failed to Bishop and ultimately the call, one can still safeguard foranumberofyears. support from the popular assassination of rival see the need to ‘walk US invasion. The slavish o n e ’ s i d e o l o g i c a l
The Griffin/Hulsman masses, religious believers leaders. betweentheraindrops.’ adherentsofMarxismhadno convictions by opening the consideration apart, Jagan’s and non-Marxists in the Between 1984 and 1986, In Afghanistan, festering interest to ‘walk between the metaphorical umbrella over lifelong experiences must leadership of the Party and the Workers’ Party of a n d i r r e c o n c i l a b l e raindrops.’ one’s head or by covering up have weighed heavily on his Civic component; from Ethiopialedbyhardlineself- Ideological differences Fortunately for the PPP, with the faithful raincoat, mind when he declared it Democrats and Republicans styled Marxist-Leninists between the Parcham and notwithstanding the both of which can serve as necessary to ‘walk between in the US House of soughttoestablishasocialist Khalq factions in the ruling ideological mix at its safeguards to ‘walk between theraindrops’. Representatives as well as state, by-passing feudalism. People’s Democratic Party leadershiplevelandattempts the raindrops’ be they Hiswasaclassicpolitical from the Bush/Clinton Mismanagement of the of Afghanistan on how to by external forces to create heavierorgentlerthesedays. risk quote framed in a administrations. economy,thelaunchofa‘red transition from a feudal to a ideological rifts within the Yours faithfully, G u y a n e s e c o n t e x t Because Jagan had terror’campaign resulting in socialist society resulted in partyaswasdemonstratedin Clement J. Rohee considering the knowledge travelled far and wide, he the physical decimation of sharp ideological infighting he had accumulated while in was knowledgeable of tragic p e r s o n s b r a n d e d within the ruling party government from 1957 to political developments in counterrevolutionaries, between the two factions. 1964 and as opposition c o u n t r i e s w h e r e famine, a faulty land TheKhalqfactionoptedfora leaderfrom1964to1992. governments led by self- distribution policy, wars ‘ p u r e r f o r m o f While his call was proclaimed Marxists had with Eritrea and Tigray Marxism–Leninism’ as situated in a political and come to power but who culminated in the demise of opposed to the more historical context, it was failed to ‘walk between the the ‘Ethiopian revolution’. moderate Parchamites. The
From page 5 the PNC leadership as had thepassingofHoytein2002. Robert Corbin, and their Corbin also had a street touting of more “suitable” image, which he just could alternatives. Corbin himself not shake even though he eventuallygaveintothisbias tried to inculcate the middle- and he voluntarily stepped class habitus by becoming a aside in favour of David lawyer in his fifties and Granger, who better fit the dressing in a “suit and tie”. “middleclass”bill. But he disappointed many of Norton, however, had the PNC Mandarins when he firmlyrefusedtodothesame refused to go into the streets and declared when prodded inhislateryears. by the extremist opposition
AstheOppositionleader, figure on whether he would I attended many Opposition step aside for a “consensus meetings where he insisted candidate”: “I don’t believe that only coalition politics that we should just take the was appropriate for Guyana hard work we do and give it and the PPP had to be a toanybodywhojustflyoffof member of such a coalition. atreetop,landontheground He was accused of being and say you must be the “bought”bythePPP presidential candidate.” It Aubrey Norton is also will be a test on whether the presently being accused for PNC has outgrown its “going soft” , as he historic West Indian fixation studiously refuses to be on the habitus Lloyd Best baited by some fringe called “doctor politics” by opposition extremists to stickingwithAubreyNorton, adopt street protests against who ironically is quite the PPP government He educated formally – but clearly understands that retains the street habitus that with Guyana now being a t y p i f i e s m o s t P N C nation of minorities, he supporters. cannot alienate Indian I have written before of Guyanese by holding street the scorn expressed at the protests, which invariably l a t t e r ’s “ l o w - c l a s s descend into violence behaviour”, according to against Indian Guyanese as s o m e m i d d l e - c l a s s occurred at Mon Repos opposition types, in my Marketin2022 hearing at Mr. Hoyte’s It is not surprising then funeral outside Parliament that we witness the same Buildings. middle-class rejection of Sincerely, Norton in his campaign for Ravi Dev
Anybody from anywhere now has licence in Guyana to dictate what should be in this country.
Anyone could climb out of any rathole, any cactus bush, and decide for Guyanese who has aspirations. What should be. Why that is a problem.
Coloured people were enslaved before.
Abraham Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation in wartime.
Still, there areAmericans who behave as though slavery is what should be.
What is that, if not ugly bigotry?
How can that be anything, other than white supremacy?
Despite the Government ofGuyana(GoG)vigorously pursuingthemonetizationof the country's untapped gas resources, Vice President BharratJagdeo,hasclarified that the government currently has no plan to providefinancialbackingfor theinitiative.
“This is a risky project because it's a multi-billiondollar project,” Jagdeo told reporters at his last press conference.
Vice President Jagdeo underscored global market uncertainties and potential shiftsinU.S.energypolicies as other reasons for the cautiousapproach.
Hesaid,“Wearenotsure about future demand for gas although many people believe that it will be replaced, it will still be needed long into the future since it will be a transitional fuel, and therefore the demandwillstillbehigh.”
Notwithstanding the uncertaintyJagdeosaid,“We wanttomonetizethis,sothat we [can] add to the revenue stream that comes from the production of oil, another
streamofrevenuethatcomes from the utilization of our gasreserves.”
While the government has repeatedly expressed plans to monetize the gas, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) the operator of the Stabroek Block had focused its intentionsondevelopingthe oil resources while reinjectingandflaringthegas.
According to Jagdeo, Exxon's initial position has since changed and gas monetization has now become a priority to the company
“Exxon has now come back and said to us, we are taking this seriously, we are doingallthestudieswewant toworkwiththegovernment in keeping with your national objective of monetizing the gas,” he added.With Exxon onboard, the government in January invited proposals seeking privatesectorpitchesforthe design, financing, construction, and operation of gas infrastructure to support current and future upstream developments in
Guyana.A U.S.-based firm, Fulcrum LNG proposal which includes partnerships with leading companies like McDermott and Baker Hughes, emerged as the preferred choice after a rigorous evaluation process. Recently, President Irfaan Ali disclosed that Fulcrum LNG was selected to
government in a tripartite agreement to monetize the gasresources.
“So now this company has to sit with ExxonMobil and the government of Guyana, first of all, to examinewhetherthisproject is feasible and then the configurationoftheproject,” Jagdeo said. Yet, the governmentremainshopeful thattheprojectwillactualize to gain another stream of revenues.Notably, the Vice President stated that at this stage, the government does not have any intention to participate financially He added, “Because that means putting aside large sums of money into the venture which we don't have and
secondly, it's a risky undertaking,”Moreover, when asked about potential financiers for the project, JagdeosaidthatFulcrumhas financing options from entitiessuchastheUSExim Bank and private equity firms were among those considered. Regarding the scenario where Fulcrum proceeds without Exxon's involvement, Jagdeo expressed a preference for collaboration with Exxon duetotheircapabilities.
Furthermore, Jagdeo acknowledged concerns of conflict of interests, given that the Head of Fulcrum, JesusBronchalo,isaformer executive of Exxon. He statedthatthereisnoconflict of interest on the part of the government. However, he notedthatifthereisanyasit relates to Exxon, “that is a differentmatter.”
Forhispart,PresidentAli had previously outlined the urgency of monetizing Guyana's gas resources to diversify revenue streams. Plans include the potential export of electricity and the marketing of by-products
fromnaturalgas,positioning Guyanaasaregionalenergy hub.
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.Project Head, Winston Brassington previously said thestartupofthisfacilitywill provide the country with 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 will have to seek markets for 3,400 barrels of by-products each day or 1,241,000 barrels on an annualbasis.
The Guyana Police Force(GPF)isinvestigating the death of a three-montholdbabyonFridayataDay Care and Play School in Kaneville, East Bank Demerara(EBD).
The infant was identified as Kyre Anthony Nelson of First Street, Kaneville, EBD. Reports are that Nelson was found motionlessaround12:00hrs withhisheadfacedownona pillow inside of a cradle by one of the two teachers on dutyatthedaycare.
The teacher was reportedly preparing the other children at the day care to go home when she noticed Nelson's lifeless body An alarm was raised and the other teacher on duty picked the infant up and noticed that he was bleedingfromhisnostrils.
The teachers reportedly washed the blood from the baby's face in the kitchen area and tried reviving him but to no avail. The child's mother was then informed and he was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Hospital where he was pronounceddeadonarrival.
Areportwasmadetothe police and an investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding thechild'sdeath.
The baby's mother told
police that she took him to the day care around 08:00hrs on Friday and passed him over to one of the teachers before leaving forwork.
That teacher confirmed thatshedidreceivethechild alive and fed him some porridge around 09:00hrs. At around 11:00hrs, she placedhimtoliedowninthe cradleandlefthimtoattend to another child. It was aboutanhourlaterwhenthe teacherdiscoveredthechild motionless.
Police said that the day careisreportedlyownedby a56-year-oldwomanwhois on vacation in the United StatesofAmerica(USA). Investigations are ongoing.
By the time this a r t i c l e i s published, the Congresses of the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the People’s National Congress Reform(PNCR)wouldhave been on their way to being concluded. Earlierthisyear in May, the People’s ProgressiveParty(PPP)also helditsCongress.
The results of these Congresses events, thus far, reveal significant trends in Guyana’s political landscape. They expose the contest for class dominance
of the leadership of Guyana’s main political parties.
The congress of the PPP saw the bourgeois class extend its influence within the party Last month’s Congress of the PPP led to the solidification of the bourgeoisclass’sgriponthe party’s leadership. The PPP isnowfirmlyinthehandsof thepropertiedclass.
ThisshiftfromtheJagan years has significant
implications for the governance of Guyana. The PPP,traditionallyaworkingclass party, has been transformedintoapartythat primarilyservestheinterests of the bourgeoisie. This change is reflected in both ideology and practice, with policies increasingly favouring the wealthy and the business community At the last Congress, the PPP went as far as dropping any reference to MarxismLeninism within the party’s
constitution.
In the AFC, the middle class has reasserted its dominance in yesterday’s elections The Congress results indicate a more commanding presence of middle-class leadership within the party This development suggests a consolidation of power by the middle class, further sidelining the working-class elementswithintheAFC.
ThePNCRisatacrucial juncture.AubreyNortonand his team face the challenge ofpreventingthemiddleand bourgeois classes from taking over the party’s leadership Norton’s potential victory would be a significant achievement for theworkingclass.However, itremainstobeseenwhether he can steer the PNCR towards genuinely representing working-class interests.
Historically, the PNCR under Forbes Burnham embraced a working-class ideology but practised state capitalism, aligning its leadershipwithmiddle-class elements. The challenge for Norton is to break with this praxisandmakethePNCRa trueworking-classparty.But todoso,Nortonwillhaveto beMachiavellianandsweep awayallthemiddleclassand bourgeois representatives from within the PNCR’s leadership.
Aubrey Norton’s recent speech at the PNCR Congress focused on human development, a theme that
resonates with workingclassinterests.Itwasasolid presentation.Itwastheright speech for the wrong occasion.
Before the PNCR can effectively campaign for elections,itneedstoaddress internalchallengesandunify itsleadership.
The Congresses of political parties have become less about addressing the needs of the working class and more about class contests for power
The current status quo with the country’s main political parties leaves the workingclassinaprecarious position. With the PPP and the AFC increasingly representing bourgeois and middle-class interests, the working class has few politicalallies.
The PNCR’s direction underNortonwillbecrucial in determining whether the working class can find a politicalhome.
If Norton can lead the PNCR towards a genuine working-class ideology, it could provide a muchneeded alternative for working-classvoters.
But Norton’s problems are more than simply the classorientationofhisparty. His party faces the obstacle of its own making – the attempt at distorting the democraticwillofthepeople in 2020, a party with a controversial past and a leadership that is not divorced from that past
Democracy is the PNCR’s AchillesHeel.
Despite the dominance of the bourgeois and middle classes within Guyana’s major political parties, contradictions within these classes could lead to new politicalformations.
These contradictions
often emerge from conflicting interests and ambitions, potentially paving the way for new political movements that could champion workingclassinterests.
Guyana’s working class is in desperate need of g e n u i n e p o l i t i c a l representation. The shift of
thePPPandtheAFCtowards bourgeois and middle-class interests has created a vacuum.
Agenuineworking-class party could address the needs and concerns of the working class, providing policies that improve living andworkingconditions.
This requires a significant shift in the current political dynamics, with leaders who are committed to working-class ideologiesandpractices.
Aubrey Norton’s leadership could be pivotal in this regard, but it will requiresignificanteffortand commitment to transform
the PNCR into a party that truly champions workingclassinterests.
The future of Guyana’s working class depends on the outcome of these class contestations and the emergence of political formations that genuinely representtheirneeds.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Corporate giants like Exxon act with speed, efficiency, and ruthlessness.
Guyana’s Lord High
Executioner, Alistair
Routledge In many
Exxon’s High Command recognizedthatRodHenson was not the man to lead the charge in Guyana, wage unconventional warfare, take no prisoners, and then assume total control. He had to be recalled; was in quick order Exxon needed an executioner. Enter
respects, as certified by the far from complete public record, Mr Routledge now functions as the Supreme Commander of Exxon Forces in Guyana. He is nothing but an American Shogun in Guyana, a
position further cemented by the ineptitude and impotence of the local Mikado,behePresidentAli or Guyana’s Oil President, Jagdeo.
Iputsquareintotheface of all Guyanese, this first warning: Commander Routledge is the kind of corporate samurai, who would put one arm around the shoulders, while the other is sawing off the head of the person warmly embraced. Can it be said thatExcellencyAlistillhasa head on his shoulders? I gently ask this: does Oil President Jagdeo still own whatcouldbecalledahead? However that is defined, wherever in the anatomy that is found? The antics and gimmicks of both nationalleadersconfirmthe thorough job that Mr Routledge has done on them. His company’s great gain is this country’s tragic loss from the chainsaw that heswipedacrossthem.
The second warning involves Routledge, the Master Menacer and Bluffer Therehewasathis snarling best: ‘Exxon will takeitsbusinesselsewhereif Guyana didn’t yield to the company’s flaring into the atmosphere.Whatmadethis bitterlyunpalatablewasthat itwasduringtheCOVID-19 pandemic,verytoughtimes.
W h a t S u p r e m e Commander Routledge has done to leading Guyanese people, he also has done to paper The same coldblooded efficiency can be detected in his management of paper One billion American dollars represent plenty of paper Yet the Grim Reaper Routledge has twitched his finger and almost seven billion dollars in paper invoices have been made to dieanuntimelydeath. They are as good as dead, since Guyanese cannot see what theyarepayingfor,thanksto theirleadersdoingtheirpart to bury such incriminating documents in unmarked graves There is the possibility that the incriminating may have
been cremated Burnt paper doesn’t give off any smell. They may leave ashes, but a good hard down draft from one of the ultra-expensive helicopters would have taken care of that exposure. To say this differently, the ruthless Routledge is a man that takes care of business, all considerations, all possible eventualities. He knows what the territory requires,whatisexpectedof him,andgetssuchdone. No questions asked. No paper trail to follow No inconvenientpostmortems.
Now that is a corporate barbarian and campaigner that I can admire, however grudgingly. But only when that is happening somewhere outside of Guyana, and is being inflicted upon somebody else, and not the Guyanese people.
Weigh this. Talk about international standards and best practices, and Exxon and its Guyana Country Chief are part of the righteous choir To be specific, Exxon and Mr Routledge are the choir; there is no other The problem is that reality often contradicts rhetoric. For where on this green earth is an oil partner given the freedom to block a team of auditorsfrompeekingatthe systems at the pumping and production sites either to obtainbackgrounddetail,or to reconcile whatever it is that they have in hand and what is going on at Exxon’s offshore pumping stations/sites? In which sovereign nation is such a development allowed unopposed by the national government? Who owns thisoil?
Who stands atop its honest husbandry, its principled disposition? Clearly, no Guyanese can saywithastraightfacethatit iseitherPresidentAliorOil President Jagdeo. And just asbrightly,everyoneknows and can say with conviction that it is Alistair Routledge who has the first, last, and
everysayinthestewardship ofGuyana’soilpatrimony
A new oil producing country would be sensitive to mitigating its risks exposures. Mr Routledgeis the sole decision maker on what kind of oil spill coverage there ought to be, and how much makes sense for Guyana. Somewhere in thehubristicswellinsidehis head,Mr AlistairRoutledge has convinced himself that his name alone is all the deterrent needed to hold a massive oil spill in check. Thefactthathehasrecruited most of Guyana’s parliamentary army to his flag of no parent company guaranteeisanindicationof two things. The first is Mr Routledge’s mesmerizingly charming nature, a fact boosted by all that green paper that he spreads in his hands like a pack of highvalue cards. The second is how most of Guyana’s governing parliamentarians were delighted to do a twostep dance at the bidding of Mr Routledge. The first step was to serve as pimps sellingthevirtuesofExxon; and the second was to prostitutethemselvesbefore whatever Exxon’s call of dutyrequiredofthem.
When an invading foreignarmycancontrolthe Guyana Government so completely, then what Guyanese live with is Alistair the Great and not Alexander WhenGuyana’s judiciary could be secondguessed and decisionshamed on oil coverage matters (and the chief lawman could be among those turning on their own and eating their own), then Alistair Routledge is due more medals than Idi Amin andPrincePhilipandAudie Murphy together had on their chests. He has been a winnerforExxon,awarrior forAmericancapital. Tomy immensedisgustandregret, like Attila was to Rome, Exxon’s Alistair Routledge is now to Guyana -the scourgeofgod.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)
PresidentAlidodges questiononplansto increasespendingpower ofcitizens,byasking reporterifheappliedfor houselot
President Irfaan Ali on Thursdayreturnedaseriesof questions to a reporter from Kaieteur News after he was asked to simply share his government’s plans to increasethespendingpower of Guyanese, should his partybere-electedtogovern the country in the next Regional and General Elections.
The Head of State was just about ready to conclude his press conferenceatState House,Georgetownwhenhe fieldedafinalquestionfrom a male reporter attached to this newspaper The President was specifically asked to explain the government’s plan to increasethespendingpower of Guyanese should the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) be elected to govern thiscountryintheupcoming Elections, scheduled for 2025.
This question comes at a timewhencitizenshavebeen complaining about the high cost of living in the country and the daily struggle to make ends meet, despite having an abundance of oil andgasresources.
Ali who seemed unprepared for the question tookthefamiliarpathofVice President,BharratJagdeo,to not only dodge the issue but humiliate the journalist publicly
The President said, “The government’s plan is to win the next elections by a greatermajority.”
When he was pressed to say how the administration wouldincreasethespending power of citizens if it is reelected,Alistated,“Wehave been continuously increasingtheavailabilityof resources, improving the livelihood of people and increasing the disposable income in the pockets of persons. I just gave you an example of the housing programme and how 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 went on to ask the reporter
his age, where he lives and whether he owned a house. He even asked the young man if he had ever applied for a house lot but when the 28-year-oldrespondedinthe negative, the Head of State instructed, “Well sit down. You are not participating on the enhancement of your own 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, callinghimoutforfailingto 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 endto“unnecessaryinsults”
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
The head of the GPA said,“Thebullyingstartedat the Vice President’s press conferenceinthewayhewas dealing with her question and responding to Kaieteur
depicting this businessman who is not the businessman that they thought and then it spilled over into the social m
, Mikhail Rodrigues, putting the woman’s image up on social media and also bullyingher.”
Raghubir added that there was another complaint fromtheLindenManagerof t
l Communications Network (NCN)whoisalsoareporter forthebroadcastingchannel. The reporter was verbally attacked along with the cameramanataneventinthe R
Oppositionoperative.
In addition, the GPA President said complaints werealsolodgedconcerning the President’s attitude towardsthepress.“Thereare twospecificincidents,when Svetlana Abrams of News Source who is also an Executive Member of the Guyana Press Association has been treated very aggressively by the President in the way he responds to her questions andwhatisnoticeableisthat he would answer questions from another reporter right afterherorbeforeherandhis 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 book where they think or they want to treat the media asanenemyandreportersas 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 asking in-depth and interrogating questions and todemeanjournalistssimply doingtheirjobs.
According to her, “The whole set up of the press conference itself is very questionable. A Presidential presspassisbeingissuedand 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. She pointed out that during his interaction with the media, N a s c i m e n t o h a s demonstratedthatheis“bent on intimidating and insulting”themedia.
She reasoned, “This one question, one follow up formatisjustreally,reallyat thispointridiculousbecause 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 Ministersavailabletotalkto certain media houses; your c o m m i s s i o n e r o f information is not functioning the way he should and you’re still getting bullied at the Vice P r e s i d e n t ’s p r e s s conferencesandattackedfor doingyourjob.”
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,shenoted, “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 responsesshowlittlerespect formediaworkers.
S h e s a i d t h e “unnecessary insulting and attemptstobelittlethemedia has to stop now It can’t be how Irfaan Ali wants to go into2025.”
Raghubir was keen to notethathadthegovernment continued to host regular PostCabinetpressbriefings, 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 sayisthatthemediahaveto continue working, they also have to continue digging, they also have to continue confronting all of these politicians as we head into a veryimportantperiodinthis country,”sheurged.
EPAwaivesimpact assessmentforpipeline cleaningandstorage facilitytoserviceoilsector
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has exempted a pipeline cleaning and storage facility toservicetheoilsectorfrom an Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA).
An EIA is intended to assesstheenvironmentaland social impacts of the project and outline measures to mitigatethese.
The EPA in a Notice on its website dated June 18, 2024 explained that it screened the application for Rapid Oilfield Guyana Inc. for the preparation and nondestructive testing of pipes and has concluded that the projectwillnotsignificantly affect the environment, and isthereforeexemptfromthe requirement to conduct an EIA.
The facility will be operated at Lot 563 Garden of Eden, East Bank Demerara (EBD) obliquely oppositetheGardenofEden Power Plant. According to the Project Summary, also available on the EPA’s website, the facility will be used for the storage of pipes and industrial equipment; cleaning of tools, pipes and other equipment; nondestructive testing of industrial tools, pipes and equipment; administrative activities and storage of tools, parts and chemicals. “Rapid Oilfield’s core
operation is nondestructive testingandtheactivitiesthat supporttheactivitiessuchas cleaning of the tools and pipes, preparation of the items.Forkliftoperationsare an integral part of the operationsforthemovement ofpipesandequipment,”the developerexplained.
K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that the plot is situated 25 kilometers from Georgetown.Thefacilityhas commenceddevelopmenton the24,281squaremeters(six acres)where50%ofthearea has been cleared of vegetation and a warehouse erected.
The surrounding areas are predominantly home to locals who are cash crop, largescalepoultryandcattle farmers, the developer said in its Project Summary According to the document, “90%ofthespaceisanopen area.The present usage is to store pipes and tools for the oil industry. There are plans and preparations to develop thefacilitytoincludeaWash BayArea,astorageareaand various work areas where cleaning, preparation and inspections can be facilitated.”
Followingcompletionof the facility about 30 to 60 personswillbeemployed.
It was noted that the operations will have minimal effects on the land and soil as any chemicals usedwillbeinthewashbay area where a sump will collect the waste and dischargecleanwater
Additionally, the developer said there would be no effects to the water or waterways due to the processes of operations where only clean water will be used for the cleaning and blasting.
Meanwhile,thefacilityis not expected to generate air emissions and will therefore not pose any hazards to the atmosphere, with the exception of its forklift operations.Additionally, the developer assured that domestic garbage will be collected and disposed of adequatelywhileasumpwill be constructed to collect waste and filter the water, allowing for clean water to enter the main drainage Lubes used during the operationsareexpectedtobe collected and stored for recycling.
Consequently, the EPA gavethreereasonstosupport its decision to waive an Environmental Impact Assessmentfortheproject.It explainedthatthepotential (Continuedonpage13)
Frompage12 impactsoftheprojectonthe physical, biological, and socioeconomic environment willnotbesignificant,given thatthepreparationandnondestructive testing inspection of pipes will be done in a controlled environment.
Secondly, the agency noted that the project is not
located within an environmentally sensitive area, i.e., it is not located in an area having special environmentalattributesthat require special care or rare ecosystems or habitats with species at risk. Finally, the EPA pointed out that the application and project summarysubmittedoutlined adequate mitigation measures for air, noise, and land pollution from the project.
Anypersonswhomaybe affected by the proposed projecthave30daystolodge an appeal against the Agency’s decision not to require an EIA for the project. Appeals should be addressedtotheChairmanof the Environmental Assessment Board E-mail: eabguyana21@gmail com o r W e b s i t e : www.epaguyana.org
Monday
Threefounddeadin busonMaburaTrail
Detectives in Regional Division#10areprobingthe circumstances surrounding the deaths of three persons who were found inside a minibus (BAC 7350) along theMaburaTrailat28Miles, Sundaymorning.
Thediscoverywasmade around 09:40hrs, policesaid in a press release. Those confirmed dead are: the driver of the minibus, Leon Achee along with occupant, Refa Bovell of Linden. The other deceased individual has not yet been identified. The scene was visited by Commander of Regional
D i v i s i o n # 1 0 ,
Superintendent Guy Nurse, alongwithapartyofpolice. Upon inspection, the minibusappearedtobestuck in a deep pot hole with the rear of the vehicle submerged The vehicle’s engine was on and all windows were locked. It is suspected that the victims hadsleptinthebustheentire night. The bodies of the deceasedwereexaminedfor marks of violence, but none was seen on the exposed partsoftheirbodies.Nofoul play has been suspected. Further investigations are ongoing.
ExxonMobil’sinterest rateoninvestments stillamystery
Fiveyearslater… –butPres.AlisaysGovt. managingoilsectorin transparentmanner
With Guyana soon approaching its fifth anniversary since the commencement of oil production activities, the countryisstillinthedarkon the interest rates being charged by the operator of the Stabroek Block, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited(EMGL).
ExxonMobil and its partners, Hess and CNOOC each make annual equity contributions to support the Stabroek Block operations.
Consequently, the companies each receive an interest on the financial investments. This rate of return, though previously justified by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo remains a mystery, although this country’s resources are being used to pay those companies.
Be that as it may, PresidentIrfaanAlibelieves
there is no lack of transparency in the management of the burgeoning petroleum sector During a press conference onThursday, the Head of State was asked to c o m m e n t o n h i s government’sperceivedlack
of transparency in the management of the sector. Aliinresponseexplained,“I can’t respond to perception, whatfactsareyoubringing? If you are saying, there is lackoftransparencywhereis the lack of transparency?” Notably, the Head of State didnotallowKaieteurNews tocitespecificexamplesbut he noted that he does not need to address matters relating to the sector since the VP answers questions weeklyinthatregard.
The President then went on to explain, “In terms of the management of the sector, we had made it very clear there are historical things that we would have liked to be better, we would have liked the negotiations then to give us a better agreement but we have an agreement that we have to workwith.”
After Ali pointed to the enactment of a new Petroleum Activities Act to govern the sector, the passageoftheLocalContent legislation, as well as the new Production Sharing Agreement(PSA)craftedby his government, Kaieteur News alerted the Head of State that the country is still in the dark on the interest rates being charged while therehasalsobeennoupdate to the Stabroek Block reserves in two years. The President however maintained, “I don’t know
that there’s a lack of transparency I can’t agree withyouandIcansaytoyou that all the revenue we have received is published accordingtolawandthereis remedy in the legislation if those revenues are not published.”
Meanwhile, the Head of State noted that work was ongoing to update the country’sreservesandwhen information in that regard becomesavailable,itwillbe shared publicly He said, “Now in terms of the finds andthecommercialviability, that is ongoing work and as the information becomes available, whatever information is there that becomes available will be sharedpublicly Youcanrest assurewehavenointerestin not revealing the reserves that we have because we want more persons to be attracted.”
While the President has committed to revealing the updated reserves, as this would be in the best interest of the country, the government has refused to provide the public with recent data in that regard althoughExxonhaspublicly revealed that appraisal activities are ongoing to determinetheviabilityofthe resources that have been discoveredtodate.
The last resource estimate in 2022 of the Stabroek Block determined that the country had approximately 11 billion barrels of recoverable oil reserves Since then, however, Exxon has announced an additional eight discoveries Stakeholdersbelievethatthe government is deliberately withholding the updated oil reserves from the public as this would lead to more public pressure for a renegotiationofthe2016oil dealwithExxon.
It must be noted that PresidentAlididnotaddress the unknown interest rates
b e i n g c h a rg e d b y ExxonMobil and partners in
theStabroekBlock. Previously, VP Jagdeo said Guyana was paying a rate to Exxon as this is a standardpracticeforareturn to be generated on a company’s equity “Regardless of whether you make the financing in the formofaloanorequity,you have to get a rate return. Thereisacostofcapitaland that is how it is,” Jagdeo asserted. Despite multiple attempts by this newspaper to clear the air on this issue however, the government has refused to tell the nation howmuchinterestwasbeing charged on the companies’ investments.
Govt.studyrevealsheavy metalconcentrationtobe dumpedintoDemerara River–USEXIMBank exposes
The water quality in the Demerara River is likely to be impacted by the Gas-toEnergy(GTE)project,being pursued by the Government ofGuyana(GoG). This is according to a Water Quality Monitoring and Modeling Report, prepared by a consultant hired by the GoG, Environmental Resources Management (ERM). The document, dated May 2024, was released by the United States Export Import (US
EXIM), pending the approval of a US$646 million loan to finance the 300 megawatt power plant and Natural Gas Liquid (NGL)facility
ExxonMobil Guyana
Limited (EMGL) is constructing a 12-inch pipeline to transport the gas to the Wales development site, West Bank Demerara fromtheLizaUnityandLiza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO)vessels.
According to the documentreleasedbytheUS EXIM Bank, groundwater will supply the integrated plant’s feed-water with a total demand of 265 cubic meter per hour (m3/hr) withdrawn from three wells at a rate of 88.33 m3/hr per well.
The report explains that the flow will be treated to provide an ultra-purified steam for the turbines Consequently, it was noted that the reject water’s mineral concentration will be increased, resulting in an estimated heavy metal and mineralconcentrationthatis 1.27 times higher than the
feed-water
ERMhowevernotedthat the processed wastewater from the cooling tower and other sources will be treated to International Finance Corporation (IFC) standards.
According to the study, “Iron, zinc, and total heavy metal concentration in the groundwater samples exceeded IFC guideline values. The most elevated parameter value relative to the IFC standard was iron withaconcentrationof42.67 mg/L, significantly higher thantheIFCguidelinevalue of1mg/L.”
S i m i l a r l y, z i n c concentration of 1.41 mg/L slightly exceeded the IFC guideline value of 1 mg/L while total heavy metal concentrationof44.69mg/L wassignificantlyhigherthan the IFC guideline value of 5 mg/L.
ERM said, “Although it is assumed that all water discharged to the stormwater pond will be at or below IFC Effluent Standards, in the event of treatment failure, zinc and iron are highlighted as the constituentsthatwouldbeof concern.”
The government’s consultant in conclusion explained, “For copper and lead, the concentration of metals in the Demerara River are predicted to increase by as much as 1.91 microgram per litre (µg/L) and0.37µg/Lrespectivelyat the location of effluent discharge (approximately 100 meters downstream of the temporary MOF). For iron, since the treated final effluent levels will be less than the concentration measured in the river, iron concentrationispredictedto bedilutedbyasmuchas0.37 µg/Lneartheout-fall.”
Notably, the water quality study was not made availabletoGuyanesebythe government but through the USEXIMBank.
Theshockingrevelations by the financial institution come after a Guyanese Geologist warned of the dangerous consequences to the country’s water quality bytheproject.
Simone Mangal-Joly previouslyexplainedthatthe location identified by the government for the GTE projectisunsuitableandwill likely pose great danger to the country’s main groundwateraquifer
An aquifer is an underground layer of waterbearing,permeablerock, (Continuedonpage45)
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.
SUNDAY–JUNE23,2024
PresidentAliaJagdeoclone
No way that President AlicouldbeaJagdeoclone The VP made the mold onleadershipvindictiveness
Or Pres. Ali, the perfect Jagdeoclone?
Pres. Ali must be about upliftingwords,notthoseof stone.
PresidentAliseeshimselfas asophisticate. Truthfully, he can’t even passforasurrogate. Atbest,thepresidentisa fakesophisticate
JUNE27,2024
TheIrfaanAlirestart
PresidentAlishouldgeta newblueprint
So why is President Ali challengingJagdeo’svicious monopoly?
So, what do Guyanese have: Pres Ali, a Jagdeopowereddrone?
But Pres Ali in his own press conference competes tobeabuser-in-chief VP Jagdeo has the monopolyonmaliciousness
MONDAY–JUNE24,2024
PNCRheadache
As the PNCR heads into congressthisweekend,there are number of questions swirling around One of these is whether the party will endorseAubrey Norton as its presidential candidate for the 2025 elections or whether it will identify a consensus candidate or establish a mechanism to choose either From all indication, Norton will be returnedasleader,butunder a cloud and also will be leading a very fractured party
Another question is how the internal struggles will affect the party’s performance at next year’s elections.
Yet, another concern would be whether the existing factionalism can be turnedintoapositiveforceto redefinetheparty
TUESDAY–JUNE25,2024
Presidential miscalculation
Somewhere in his head,
Adopt the simple manners of a leader, PresidentAli.
Noairs,nofalsebravado, nopointstoprove.
The president has damaged himself to be macho.
What’s the objective, PresidentAli?
Attacking journalists is disruptivetoOneGuyana
Beaboutthesobering,all Guyanesewillbelifted.
WEDNESDAY–JUNE26,2024
PresidentAlithe leader;wetheteacher
The president is the leader! Wewillbethesteady teacher!He swaggers and flares up… We stand our ground,staycalm!
Honest answers never hidebehindinsults!
Positive leadership instincts guide to respecting others!
The real enemies are over that one side of the border!
Guyanese are friends, don’timaginefiends.
THURSDAY–
Leadership for applause isuseful Leadershipforanational causesetpart
The President needs to mellow
Noteveryobjectioncalls forabellow
Manage self better, absorbtheblow
Regroup, regroup, PresidentAli
Stop taking self so seriously
Continueandhistorywill remembersavagely
FRIDAY–JUNE28,2024
TransparencyAli
President Ali boasts about transparency and accountability
He may not be, but Guyanese are embarrassed by how the US Government revealed the gaping holes in what the president has long claimed.
Talk about chronic corruption and the president goes into denial or damage controlmode.
Or he lashes out which makesmattersworse.
Whatnow,PresidentAli?
The transparency and accountability promised is nothingbutafantasy
The early repayment of expensestoallowthiscountry to benefit from a greater portion of oil revenue has been further delayed as ExxonMobilGuyanaLimited (EMGL), the operator of Guyana’s resource-rich Stabroek Block is seeking approval for a seventh project,Hammerhead.
Hammerhead was announced as Exxon’s ninth commercial discovery in
August 2018 The Hammerhead- 1 well was drilled in a new reservoir, encountering approximately 197feet(60meters)of highquality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoir. The well was safely drilled to 13,862 feet (4,225 meters) depth in 3,773 feet (1,150 meters)ofwater
Exxon’s Media Advisor, KwesiIslesconfirmedthatan
a p p l i c a t i o n f o r EnvironmentalAuthorization was filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday Isles explained that the project will target between 120-180 thousand barrels per day (kbd). Exxon is
aiming to commence production activities by 2029,followingtherequisite approvals.
Notably, the daily production capacity being targetedissignificantlylower compared to the last three projects sanctioned, which each target over 200 kbd Exxon’sMediaAdvisornoted that while previous projects tapped multiple discoveries, it was too early to say whether Hammerhead will be the lone well targeted underthisproject.Similarly, the cost of the project is yet tobedetermined.
Hammerhead-1islocated approximately 13 miles (21 kilometers) southwest of the Liza-1 well and follows previous discoveries on the Stabroek Block at Liza, Liza Deep,Payara,Snoek,Turbot, Ranger,PacoraandLongtail.
In April, Exxon received green-light from the EPA as well as blessings from the Government of Guyana (GoG)todevelopasixthdeep waterproject,Whiptail
The application made to theEPAfortheHammerhead developmentwillbescreened to determine whether an Environmental Impact
Assessment(EIA)isrequired for the project Should the regulator determine an EIA is required, Exxon will be
e an independent consultant to conduct the study on its
w i n g consultation with the Guyanese public. However, if theEPAdecidesan EIAis not required, citizens will have at least 30 days to ap
he Agency’s decision. These appeals will b
d b y t h e Environmental Assessment Board (EAB), chaired by Head of the Guyana Energy
MahendarSharma.
3 , ExxonMobil said some US$29B has been invested into the Stabroek Block, of which US$19B has been recovered, using Guyana’s oil. The 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) allowsthecompanytodeduct 75% of the monthly revenue towards cost recovery The remaining 25% is then split withGuyanaasprofits In the absence of a ringfencing provision, the company can use profits
generatedinproducingfields topayforprojectsthatareyet tocomeonstream Guyanato date could have been receiving a greater share of profits from the Liza One, Liza Two and Payara projects, which are producing over 640,000 barrels of oil per day, as the costs recovered by Exxon could have repaid the sum invested into the three projects.Thegovernmenthas however argued that the lack of a ring-fencing provision will not only allow Exxon to recoveritsinvestmentsearly, but will also position the country to benefit from massive profits as early as 2027.
Earlier this month, Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo during his weekly press conference explained the countryispositioningitselfto gain“muchmoreintheouter years” This has however been questioned by stakeholders considering oil prices are likely to decrease in the future, as demand for the commodity reduces with the globalshifttorenewables
The construction of the Kopinang and Monkey
Mountain Secondary SchoolsinRegionEightwill cost the government of Guyana$407,659,560.
Accordingtoinformation published by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) a $208,282,809 contract was awarded to K’s Trucking & Construction Service for the Monkey Mountain school project while a $199,376,751 contract was awarded to Sheriff Construction Inc for the construction of the KopinangSecondarySchool The contracts were awarded onJune28
SheriffConstructionInc. wasrecentlyawardeda$231 million contract to build a secondaryschoolinJawalla, RegionSeven.
Kaieteur News reported thatplanstobuildasecondary school in Kopinang Village were made last year when Minister of Education, Priya Manickchandvisitedthearea and told residents about the ministry’sintention.
At the time, she had
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and team visited Kopinang Village last year to identify a suitable location for the construction of the community’s first secondary school.
mentionedthatlandclearing at the identified site had started and that the school will accommodate around 500students.
Itwasreportedatthetime
that a teachers’ quarters will also be constructed since no qualified secondary school teacherisresidingthere
“It’sgoingtoallowusto closesixprimarytopsinthe
catchmentarea rightnow, the children from this catchmentaregoingtoKato or at the primary top. At Kato, they are on rotation becauseit’sjusttoomanyof t h e m , ” M i n i s t e r Manickhandhadexplained.
This publication understands that when completed,theschoolwillbe equipped with laboratories, an information technology (IT)lab,andalibraryamong otherimportantamenities
S i m i l a r l y , t h e construction of the Monkey Mountain Secondary school willallowforsecondaryaged children from that communityandneighbouring communities to have access tosecondaryeducation
The ministry has embarked on an aggressive programmetoensurethatthe nation’schildrenhaveaccess to secondary education.The Government has set 2025 to achieve universal secondary education. To achieve this, theministryhassincemoved to have several secondary schools constructed across thecountry.
TheMinistryofEducation wasallocatedsome$74.4B,a portionofwhichwillbeused for the construction, rehabilitation, extension and maintenance of educational facilitiesacrossthecountry
The Rotary Club of Georgetown has announced the installationofitsnewBoardofDirectorsforthe2024-2025 period. The installation ceremony was held on 23rd June, 2024andwasattendedbyclubmembers,communityleaders, and guests who gathered to celebrate this significant occasion.
Incoming President, Natasha M. Vieira expressed her enthusiasmfortheupcomingyear,stating,“Iamhonouredto leadtheRotaryClubofGeorgetownandworkalongsidesuch atalentedandcommittedteam.Together,wewillcontinueto upholdthevaluesofRotaryandmakeameaningfulimpactin ourcommunity.”
ImmediatePastPresident,DevindraKissoonreflectedon the accomplishments of the past year and expressed confidenceinthenewboard’sabilitytobuildonthatsuccess. “We have achieved remarkable milestones in 2023-2024, thankstothededicationofourmembers.Iamconfidentthat underNatasha’sleadership,theclubwillreachnewheights.”
TheRotaryClubofGeorgetownremainscommittedtoits mission of providing service to others, promoting integrity, and advancing world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and communityleaders.
BySirRonaldSanders
The seven-nation
Organization of Eastern 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 Caribbean countries. While the OECS was formed in 1981, CARICOM was founded in its original form as the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) in 1968. Despite CARICOM’s 14-yearheadstart,theOECS 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 Britain in 1967. Dominica was on the cusp of independence, which it attained in November 1978. St.LuciaandSt.Vincentand the Grenadines were also c o n t e m p l a t i n g independence, eventually achieving it in February and October 1979, respectively Meanwhile, forAntigua and BarbudaandSt.Kitts-Nevis, independence was not yet imminent, although leaders in both countries aspired to be free from the dictates of the British authorities in London. The 7th country, Montserrat, also hankered for greater local power over itsaffairs.
However, it was clear to any informed analyst that while independence from a colonial power was imperative, the burden for countries with micro economies and small populations was not
sustainable Sep
independenceforthesesmall
countries, along with the
governance mechanisms, could leave them worse off thantheywere.
Grenadaservedasacase in point. 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 conceptofWISA,whichwas rooted in the recognition of regional cooperation; building on the “special relationship”oftheLeeward 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 of consultation The underlying theme of those discussions was reflected in the words of the 1979 address: “We have integral ties of parenthood, history, andtradition;essentially,we arethesamepeople.”
Achievingthetreatywas aided considerably by four factors.First,thestandingof then Prime Minister of St. Lucia, John Compton, and hisdedicationtotheconcept, 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 and shared costs. 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,thesupportofradical intellectualssuchasLeonard Tim Hector (Antigua), George Odlum (St. Lucia), and Ralph Gonsalves (St. VincentandtheGrenadines).
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 Economybut failedto do so f
“pausing” it in 2011. The integration mechanisms that the OECS retained included a common currency, which facilit
d
he 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, there was a failed attemptto initiate a political union of the OECS countries by then Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 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 it at the time, “the balance of the political forces as represented in the politicalparties,inandoutof government, favour(ed) the slowing down or even haltingoftheunitytrain.”
Nonetheless, twentynineyearslater,in2010,the OECS governments revised the Treaty to formalize two furtheraspectsofaCommon Market They made the 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 CustomsUnion.
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 operated by five of the member states. Rival politics for national gain have undermined the collectivegood.
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, highlighting that their future success, particularly in facing global challenges such as compensation for the damage of climate change, international bargaining, access to financing, and threatstopeaceandsecurity, dependsondeeperandmore effectiveintegration.
The writer is Antigua and
to the US and the
The views expressed are entirely his own. Responses and previous commentaries: www.sirronaldsanders.com
By Dr. Karen tothefaceorthorax-chest. capacity, there are now Cummings MP However, Dengue higher biting rates, more
Former H e m o r r h a g i c f e v e r transmission, and more Minister of Health manifests itself with feeds. Otherdriversthatcan vomiting- hematemesis or as affect the vector competence
Understanding that the hematochezia (blood or willincludelandusechanges incidence of Dengue has blood in the stool), and agricultural practices in increased over the past four abdominal pain and urban settings, and a decades and that the highest difficulty in breathing. The breakdown of public health. number of cases has been Dengue Shock Syndrome These players provide noted in the Americas occurs when the circulatory conditionsforawiderspatial According to PAHO (2024), system fails, and is usually distribution, increase the Americas had recorded accompanied by tiredness, frequency, intensity, the largest proportion of the restlessness, irritableness, severity, and create the global burden in 2023, shock,organimpairmentand dynamics for increasing preventionandcontrolthatis · Make repellants and toprotectWildlife. registering more than 4.1 death. contactrates. intersectoral and involve the mosquito nets free to the T h
b e millionnewinfections. With 2,852 cases being It will be foolhardy to familyandthecommunity populace. sustainable vector control. T h e G u y a n e s e positive and 265 persons thinkthattherecentfloodsin · There must be a focus · There should be One There must be scheduled population notes the valiant needinghospitalization,with Linden in Region 10, and in on Public Education and HealthSurveillance. fogging. The environmental efforts being made by the two deaths recorded eight Region 5, will not create the Awareness of this Vector – · The country may also units of all Municipalities Ministry of Health to secure weeks ago, and with 60 opportunity for the vector- Borne Disease to include the needtorelookthelegislation should have access to vaccines to arrest the dengue percent of the regions bornedisease. reduction of breading sites on legal and illegal trade of chemicals and fogging transmission and the affected by the vector borne · There must be better andonpersonalprotection. wild- life and the legislation machines. engaging of technical disease are cause for partners and stakeholders concern With the recent such as the Pan American death of an eleven-year-old Health Organization to build child in Bartica, as reported the capacity of health care 72 hours ago, seventy professionals to manage percentofouradministrative clinically the Aedes aegypti regions have now been mosquito,theprimaryvector placedonthedenguealert. ofdengue. A collaborative effort
However, is the Health among the relevant Sector prepared to avert a stakeholdersmustbequickly major public health crisis, undertaken With the thisvectorbornedisease,ina advent of climate change, climatechangingworld? theremustbestrategic
The Dengue virus, an efforts to involve the arthropode-borne virus of meteorology department to the genus Flavivirus family i n f o r m u s o f t h e presents as four different meteorological factors such serotypes (DEN -1, DEN-2, as temperature fluctuations, DEN-3,andDEN-4). thepatternofrainfall,andthe Dengue is a common vector ecology The One t r o p i c a l i n f e c t i o n Health Concept, which transmitted to man by the recognizes the intrinsic link Aedes mosquito and occurs that connects human health from dawn to dusk. There is directly to the health of Dengue Fever and the a n i m a l s a n d t h e Dengue Hemorrhagic environment, must not only Syndrome which can beadoptedbutpracticed. progress to Dengue Shock It has been well Syndrome The general established that the Dengue symptoms of Dengue mosquitoes are susceptible include high fever, severe to temperature changes and headache, retro-orbital pain, rises- a range between 20 to myalgia and arthralgia 35 degrees Celsius. Hence (muscle and joint) and a rash owing to the vectorial
evaluating the financial health of companies at S&P Global, and handling significant investments at JP Morgan. I am a proud
Mandela Washington
Reciprocal Exchange Fellow, working with Mandela Washington Alumni to establish business
ventures in African countries. Now, I’m excited to share my expertise with you, right here at home, and help you navigate the unique landscape of Guyanese business.
&
By Rennie Parris Making
Sense, we will MBA embark on an ongoing FinancialAnalyst journey to explore the vast and dynamic field of Welcome to Talking business. Here’s what you Dollars & Making Sense, canlookforwardto: your new weekly column 1 B u s i n e s s that will take you on an Fundamentals: We’ll start enlightening journey with the basics of business, through the world of coveringeverythingfromthe b u s i n e s s a n d initial idea to the essential entrepreneurship right here steps required to set up a in Guyana. My name is business. This will include Rennie Parris, and I am practical insights on how to thrilled to be your guide as navigate the local business we explore the exciting, and environment and understand sometimes challenging, path thecriticalaspectsofstarting to building successful abusinessinGuyana. businesses. Whether you’re 2 S t r a t e g y a n d a seasoned entrepreneur, Planning:Learnhowtocraft someone who’s toying with a solid business plan and set theideaofstartingabusiness clear, achievable goals or a business professional, We’ll discuss strategic this column is designed to thinking and planning educate, motivate, and techniques that can help you inspireyoutotakeactionand map out the path to your makeyourdreamsareality businesssuccess.
About Me 3 Branding and
To give you a bit of my Marketing:Discoverhowto background, I grew up in build a brand that stands out BuxtonandinFestivalCity I in the market and resonates completed my early with customers. We’ll cover education at Sacred Heart marketing strategies tailored Primary and Queen’s to the Guyanese context, College. Life took me across helping you effectively the waters to the United promoteyourbusiness. States, where I earned a 4 Financial Bachelor’sdegreeinFinance Management: Understand andaMaster’sdegreeinReal the key principles of Estate from Baruch College. financial management, During this time, I was including budgeting, fortunate to obtain my forecasting, and managing Chartered Financial Analyst cash flow We’ll explore (CFA) designation, the funding options, financial world’s highest designation planning, and how to keep in the finance industry I your business financially didn’tstopthere;Iwentonto healthy achieveaMasterofBusiness 5 Operations and Administration in Strategic Growth: Dive into the nuts Management from The and bolts of running a Wharton School at the business efficiently and UniversityofPennsylvania. scaling it up over time.We’ll
With over 18 years in the discuss operational business sector, I’ve had the management, growth opportunity to work with strategies, and how to startups and established expand your business companies, guiding them sustainably through various stages of 6 N a v i g a t i n g growth.Mycareerhighlights C h a l l e n g e s : E v e r y include crafting strategies entrepreneur faces hurdles for managing multi-billion- along the way. We’ll talk dollar investments at APG aboutcommonchallengesin Asset Management, (Continued on page 25)
From page 23 responsibility and how your week,I’llshareinsights,tips, the Guyanese business business can make a positive andreal-worldadvicetohelp landscape and how to impact. you navigate the business
overcome them with 1 0 O n g o i n g journey And I want to hear practical solutions and Development: The business from you Share your resilience. worldisconstantlyevolving, questions, feedback, and 7 Innovation and and so will our discussions. stories by reaching out to me Trends: Stay updated on the We’ll continually explore a t latest trends and innovations new topics, revisit important talkingdollarsgy@gmail.c that can impact your concepts, and adapt to the om Together, we can build a business. We’ll explore how c h a n g i n g b u s i n e s s vibrant community of liketo leverage technology and environment to keep you minded individuals emerging opportunities to informed and ahead of the dedicated to making a keep your business curve. differencethroughbusiness. competitive. These topics are subject I look forward to our 8 Real-Life Success to change as we navigate shared adventure in Talking Stories: Learn from the through this journey and I Dollars & Making Sense, e
ther hearfromyou. wherewe’llexploretheartof entrepreneurs who have Join the Conversation business and the science of successfully navigated the Guyana is at a pivotal makingsenseofeverydollar business landscape in moment, with immense Let’sembarkonthisexciting Guyana. These stories will o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r journey together, with eyes provide valuable lessons and entrepreneurs and business set on the horizon of endless inspirationforyourjourney professionals to make a possibilities. Stay tuned for 9 C o m m u n i t y significant impact. Talking ournextsession,wherewe’ll Engagement: Building a Dollars & Making Sense dive into the essentials of successful business isn’t just aims to be more than just a turning a business idea into about profit; it’s also about column; it’s a platform for reality contributing to your you to engage, learn, and Until next time, keep community We’ll discuss grow as an entrepreneur and dreaming big and working the importance of social business professional. Each hard!
ByDarrenHinds
“Private Show”, a recentlyreleasedafro-fusion single from accomplished G u y a n e s e singer/songwriter, Diana Chapman, brings soca and afrobeat together in impressivefashion.
Chapman's homegrown, refined soca melody laces into the instrumental p e r f e c t l y f o r a n unsurprisingly satisfying blend of styles. Although, she initially released the
together and making it as spectacularasitis.
song in early April of this year, Chapman did not stop there,andwentontorelease anequallyimpressivemusic video to accompany the singleinlateMay,thatvideo has since racked up over 11,000viewsonYouTube. Themusicvideo,shotin Manhattan, New York, brings even more substance totheprojectandshowcases Chapman's versatility as a musicianandcreator,aswell asthatofotherLinden-based creators who played key roles in bringing the project
Apart from Chapman's stellar musical effort, the productionoftherecordand that of the music video played an integral role in making the project the success that it is, as well as affirming her commitment to being an ambassador for her hometown of Linden. The song was produced by Jamal Alexander at Code Red Records in Linden, while the video was edited by Linden videographer Dexter Copeland, known as DirectorDex.
These three creators from the mining town came togetherandchanneledtheir respectivetalentstoproduce a possible summer hit for Guyana, potentially expanding Chapman's lengthy resume of musical accomplishments.
For well over a decade,
she has been a staple in Guyana's music scene, breaking onto the scene in 2010's Junior Calypso Monarch, and placing second in her debut major competition. The following year, she took the junior crown home, and even became the first Junior Monarch to compete in the senior version of the competition, in which she narrowly missed the crown, placingsecond.
A d d e d t o t h i s , Chapman's versatility is certainly not limited to music; since, despite her obvioustalentandsuccessin that avenue, she is also a dancerandactress,goingall the way back to her time at theLindenConcertHalland S c h o o l ( L I C H A S ) Theatrical Arts Group as a youngster Chapmanevenwonthe Continuedonpage34
Ascreen shot of Diana Chapman video for her new track 'Private Show'
Shequana Holder, a 20-year-old dynamo,haswonthecovetedtitleofMiss GuyanaCultureQueen2024inadazzling displayoftalentandgrace.
The event, hosted at the Guyana Marriott Hotel on June 21, saw Holder triumphed over nine other exceptional contestants, securing her place as an ambassadorofGuyaneseculture.
Holder’svictorywasnotmerelyawin but a commanding performance, earning her 1,400 points and multiple accolades including Best National Dress, Best in Swimwear, Best inArchery, Best Talent,
and the prestigious FACE of Guyana FashionShowcaseaward.
Her success sets the stage for her upcomingrepresentationofGuyanaatthe Miss Caribbean Culture Queen pageant, scheduledforAugustinSt.Kitts.
Among the finalists were Miriam Alexander,thefirstrunner-up,andShanae Heber, who claimed the title of second runner-up.PreciousBarrow’soutstanding interview skills earned her the Best Interviewaward.
Holder’s journey to the crown is marked by her prior achievements in
pageantry, including titles such as Miss TeenScholar2021,MissAfricanHeritage Queen for Region Two 2019, and Miss Anna Regina Multilateral School 2018. Herprevioussuccessassecondrunner-up at the Miss Jamzone 2023 pageant underscores her consistency and dedicationtothepageantcircuit.
As Shequana Holder embarks on her new role, she brings not only beauty and poise but a deep-seated commitment to celebrating and promoting the rich cultural tapestry of Guyana on the regionalstage.
(Billboard) releasing him due to concerns over time. “I’ve been thinking about nothing about YouTube that says had been a pillar of the community, Duane “Keefe D” Davis, the the legitimacy of the funds posted going to get him with the thatwe’rebeingtruthfulaboutwhat his previous interviews with man charged in connection with by entertainment manager Cash stipulationsthatI’lldotheserieson we’resayingforentertainment.” VladTV suggested another Tupac Shakur‘s 1996 murder, has “Wack 100” Jones, according to it.”
Prosecutors responded with a motive,” some of the ruling reads, been denied release despite KTNV
But Jones admitted to the court recorded jailhouse phone call accordingtoKTNV coming up with the money to post “The court cannot say that Mr that he sometimes says things for between Jones and Davis, during Kierny concluded the bank bail, Las Vegas ABC affiliate Davis has shown the funds were entertainmentpurposesandtodrive which they seemed to be talking records that Jones provided were KTNVreports legally obtained,” the judge wrote engagement. about a contract of sorts. “You got “insufficient to make the requisite David has notified the County in her order, according to the local “That’s what I said to Vlad, but to remember, this s—t can set you showing that the $112,500 bail DistrictCourtinNevadaonJune20 ABC affiliate, which also provided Keefe D is already involved with up for the rest of your life,” Jones premium was paid by a legitimate that he would be able to post his videoofthehearing. somebody I have no contracts with says on the call played by source,” according to KOLO 8, a $750,000 bail and faced Clark Jones had appeared on VladTV him,” said Jones, according to prosecutors.“Iwillgetyouout,and localABCaffiliateinReno,Nev County Judge Carli Kierny on June in a video interview posted in early KTNV “Before you go on Vlad, then we’ll sit down and talk about Davis has been in jail since last 25 to hear the conditions for his June and said he would bail Davis you have a discussion about what allthat.” September, when he was taken into release to house arrest and to verify out if he allowed him to make aTV you’regoingtotalkaboutandwhat “While Mr Jones testified, he custodyforhisallegedinvolvement where the funds had come from. series about his life. “It’s only needs to be said to draw up views. wasbondingoutMr Davisbecause in the murder of hip-hop legend The next day, the magistratedenied $75,000,” he told DJ Vlad at the There’s nothing about Vlad and Mr. Davis was fighting cancer and Shakur.
The rhinoceros ratsnake i n h a b i t s u b t r o p i c a l maturecolorphase. alsoknowncommonlyasthe rainforests, particularly
Studies conducted by rhinoceros snake is a species valleys with streams. These Bangor University have of non-venomous rat-snake creatures hunt small mice suggested that the nasal in the family Colubridae. and other rodents, birds, and protrusion is used for mating The species is found from perhaps other vertebrate displays in which the males northern Vietnam to prey As they mature, may ‘fence’off rivals. Other southern China. It has a rhinoceros ratsnakes change studies have found little prominent, distinctive, color to steel grey at about correlation between the use scaledprotrusiononthefront 12–14 months, then to a of the nasal protrusion and of its snout, which has led to bluish green or green adult courtship displays, which its common naming after a hue at about 24 months. may suggest the true rhinoceros. However, a rare few functionisstillunknown
An adult rhinoceros individuals maintain their Source of information: ratsnake measures up to 63 steel grey subadult color and (https://en wikipedia org/wi inches long. It prefers to do not pass into ordinarily ki/Rhinoceros_ratsnake)
Guyana joins other CARICOM Member states to observe CARICOM Day as a national holiday on Monday, July 01 This grouping of fifteen Member States and five Associate membersplaysanimportant role in foreign policy coordination, human and social development, and
fostering economic integration & trade, through its various organisations
Onesuchorganisationisthe CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) establishedinFebruary2002 tofacilitatethedevelopment of regional standards, promote the harmonization of metrology systems and support the sustainable production and trade of goods and services in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Supported by the Regional Governments, CROSQ also promotes the development of National Standards Bodies (NSB) in the Member States and facilitatesaccesstotechnical assistance available in and outside of the Region. The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), the leading NSB within CROSQ, assists with the developmentandrevisionof Regional Standards The GNBS also provides technical assistance to other NSBs looking to implement and provide new services within their respective Memberstatesintheareasof verification, certification, calibration, testing, among others.
Currently, the GNBS is working with at least eight committeesonnewRegional Standards relating to the Specification for Compost, R e q u i r e m e n t s f o r NutritionalLabellingonprepackaged goods, Sampling
o f C o c o a B e a n s , S p e c i f i c a t i o n f o r Biodegradable Products, Specification for Rum, and Hazardous substance or related products among others.
The Bureau’s role on these committees includes organizing meetings and providingresearchmaterials toleadtheprocess,sourcing local experts on the various topics to contribute to the standards development
p r o c e s s . I t a l s o communicates with relevant agencies, enforcement
b o d i e s a n d o t h e r stakeholders to provide feedback on the standards, and much more. Regional Standardsareusedfortrade, regulatory purposes and as industryguidesforproducts, servicesandprocessquality These standards further a s s i s t w i t h t h e implementationof theWTO (World Trade Organisation) Agreement that deals with Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT),whichwassignedby most CARICOM Member States With Regional Standards, the aim is to reduce the incidence of standards and regulations being used as barriers to trade. Over the years, the GNBS has also adopted various Regional Standards to help local stakeholders meet regional requirements for numerous products and services. Some of those standards which were adopted include CRS 26: 2013–LabellingofTobacco products, CRS 39:2022 –Pesticides’ labelling –requirements and the CRS 76:2023 Hand sanitizers –Alcohol-based hand sanitizers – specifications. These standards are now affixed with Guyana Standardnumbers–GYS93: 2014, GYS 590:2024 and GYS 598:2024 respectively There are also several standards for fresh agricultural produce which were adopted by the GNBS and other Member States to facilitate trade in the agriculture sector across the region.
In addition, regional standards covering ‘Sustainable tourism’ such as the sewage treatment and management requirements,
integrated pest management systems requirements, energy management and efficiencyrequirements,and solid waste management –requirements of sweet potatoes were also adopted. Stakeholders can propose theadoptionordevelopment ofaregionalstandardviathe GNBS Aside from standards development, through regional projects, CROSQalsosupportsNSBs
to implement other c o m p o n e n t s o f internationally recognised quality infrastructure (QI) which include Conformity Assessment (Testing and Certification), Accreditation and Metrology, to meet requirements and satisfy domestic and global demands.
ThesecomponentsofQI, which are necessary for bilateral and multilateral trade, are particularly important for developing countries like those in the Caribbeanthatneedtobuild and grow their production sectors.
The GNBS has been at theforefrontindeliveringQI services to ensure the competitive advantage of localbusinessesandfirms.
Finally, as we prepare to celebrate CARICOM Day tomorrow, Monday July 01, letusallfocusonthepositive outcomes of CARICOM includingstridesmadeinthe a r e a o f R e g i o n a l Standardisation. We should a l l b e p r o u d #WeAreCARICOM F o r f u r t h e r information on this subject, contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0064 or 219-0065 or WhatsAppuson692-4627.
Dancehallmag. Spice casually mentioned t h e m a n d b e sourwithnastyTwitterfeuds Minister Marion Hall that Curran slept with Hall’s separate’…because what I where Spice labelled her hears her name ringing in exJohnJohn,leadingMacka saw, it sick man stomach – I “badmind” and malicious. these social media streets, to come forth with details mean mankind, not just man Hall, on the other hand, but she’s not answering the s u r r o u n d i n g H a l l ’s and woman…” Hall said. painted Spice as a conniving call Well, at least not relationship with the “Gross,andIwasgrosswhen opportunist who spread lies directly producer I sing ’bout sex – that’s all I about her in an attempt to The woman of God, In a Wednesday sermon, did – but my Jesus. That is sabotage her network and f o r m e r l y d a n c e h a l l the Mi Soon Alright artist why I told you years ago I image. trendsetter Lady Saw, is said she tries to screenshot separated myself because Following her baptism in being mentioned in drama controversial content from when I see it’s not an act, 2015, Hall penned an open between deejays Spice and h e r p h o n e , b u t people’s normal, natural, letter requesting forgiveness Macka Diamond, and media acknowledged that she’s everydaylifeislikethat.” from several people, personality Shelly-Ann awareofthe“mess”. Spice was her protege in including Spice. Spice later Curran. “Now I know why God theearlystagesofhercareer, revealed that she had long Itallstarted(again)when say, ‘Come out from among but their relationship grew forgiven her, though they’d
go at it again at the turn of conduct themselves. Of all 2021, thanks to spiritual parties involved in the latest advisor RT Boss’claims that fracas, Spice and RT Boss the two engaged in obeah to arebasedoverseas. stifle the other Reflecting “I’m disappointed in o n h e r l i f e b e f o r e some people…” she said. Christendom, Hall said she “Sickening, disgraceful I made a concerted effort to mean, I’m a proud distance herself from drama Jamaican but sometimes upon realising the true some of our Jamaicans, oh coloursofsomepeople. Jesus, we go abroad and the
“I go on that stage, close way how we carry on, it’s a my eyes or find a face that disgrace to our beautiful enjoying what I was doing at island and our beautiful the time. Do my thing, go on island people Some home with the person I’m people have class and some with (John John) I will people, my God, classless. I never get myself in that. don’t care if you waan vex Messy, nasty, disgusting – boutthat–that’struth.” that’sbeneathme.”
Hall is currently
Adding more adjectives promoting Step, a selflike tacky and tasteless, Hall produced dancehall gospel expressed shame in how track which, in part, takes some Jamaican migrants aimatfalseprophets.
From page 27
awardsforbothSocaandCalypsosongsoftheyearin2021at the Linden Music Awards, after already being awarded the ContemporaryArtistoftheYearawardatthepreviousyear’s awardceremony
With her artistic merit needing no proving, one would understand that “Private Show” is simply a natural, stylistic evolution for Lady Diana, and the afro-fusion sound is not onlyrefreshing,butitworksparticularlywellmusically The CodeRedRecordsproducedinstrumentalisbuiltonmanyof thedrumsandotherpercussioninstrumentsthatmakeuslove the afrobeat genre, as well as the dynamic rhythm that induces the swaying, grooving, and eventual dancing from thelistener
Chapman’s vocals complement the rhythm well, as her voice carries the romantic theme of the song along as the upbeat instrumental bounces along. Vocally, it is a soca tune throughandthrough,withlyricsthatembodythepassionand romance that Guyanese soca fans know and love, with just a little of the calypso flow that Chapman regularly delivers withgreatskill.
“Private Show” is available on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Prime Music, with both a visualizer and official music video available onYouTube. If you are looking for an upbeat, groovy addition to your playlists, Chapman’s latest single and its music video have a vibe that is perfect for this summer’swarmandeventfuldaysandnights.Moreover,the origins of the creative forces behind the project are sure to incite feelings of pride in more than a few Lindeners both at homeandabroad,aswellasinGuyaneselistenersasawhole.
For some years now, CARICOM countries have been expressing their commitment to the elimination of the US$6. Billion food imports but not much had been achieved untilGuyana,toavoidbeing affected by the Dutch Disease by being too dependent on Oil revenues, and at the same time by its commitment of eliminating the US$6. billion per annum food import bill, embarked
upon an Agricultural Revolution: New crops such as soya, maize, millet and tropical wheat were introduced; livestockpoultry, cows and sheepwere upgraded by import of foreign breeds; prawns and fish like tilapia were cultivated in ponds in addition to deep sea fishing; and Sugar and Rice cultivation began to be scientifically modernized withariseinproductionand productivity and upgrading of Honey production was also part of thisAgricultural push.Guyanaisconfidentof achievingthe25%reduction of the food import bill of US$6. Billion by the end of 2025.Expertise from Cuba were enlisted to help in developing the Honey IndustrywithNARI,whileat the same time the Ministry quietly gave some stimulus at the local level by giving
training in apiary management to interested villagers and even
sometimes donating hives. Recently,towardstheendof June, for instance, President Dr Irfaan Ali visited St Cuthbert Mission and donated 25 hives and arranged for training of the persons who will man them. The Honey Industry is fostered both as an import substitution and also to improve the nutrition and health standards of the population It may be appositetosayawordofthe history of Honey to remind ofitsancientprovenanceand so underscore its complete usefulnessandsafety
Thefirstextantrecordof Honey production was from a Stone Age painting in the Cuevas de Arana in Spain some8000yearsago. Itwas widely used in Egyptian Civilization as a food and medicament and to embalm themummiesanditispartof theAyurvedicpharmacopeia dating 4000 years ago. It is also used in religious ceremonies. Honey is antiinflammatory; antioxidant; antimicrobial; antiseptic; antibacterial and boosts the immune system When thesequalitiesarebroughtto bearonthevariousorgansof the body and on various diseases, the curative nature ofHoneybecomesevident. Below we mention some of ailments or conditions in which Honey has been helpful: Heals cuts and wounds; helps relieve coughs,coldsandbronchitis; aids digestion; treatment of
burns with good results; improves brain function and memory; reduces arthritis symptoms; aids in cancer prevention, inhibits cancer cellgrowth; helpstomanage diabetes, controls blood sugar; promoteshearthealth -lowersLDL.Therearetwo types one could get on the market-Rawhoneywhichis thehoneywhichexistsinthe hiveandisthesameas‘pure honey’ and pasteurized honey that is honey which has been subjected to heat. Most of the local honeys at
labelled as “pure Honey” have been diluted with syrups such as corn syrup andthebuyerisnotawareof this.Consumerscouldobtain purerawhoneydirectlyfrom any of the many amateur producers who have one or two hives. The one large producer is the Rajkimar family from Berbice who have been in business since the1940’sandtheirhoneyis regardedaspureandofgood quality and could be obtained from the better supermarkets. Consumers shouldalsobeonthealertfor FakeHoneywhichismostly imported and sold in the supermarkets. Fake Honey is formulated with syrups which simulate the taste of honey Genuine pure honey would become more readily availableandbeincreasingly usedasafoodanddrugasthe honey industry begins its rapidexpansion.
Delve into the heart of Scotty’s Smoke H o u s e , a n e w gastronomic sanctuary in Guyana andtryitsauthenticsmokedmeats andinvitingambiance.
Steering the establishment is a creative trio: Lennox Scotty, Abbigale Loncke-Watson, and DijonRoderick.
Lennox Scotty, 43 is the head chef and the mastermind behind Scotty’s Smoke House. He is a Guyanese native and a former student of the Carnegie School of HomeEconomics.HeisalsoatwotimeTasteoftheCaribbeanawardwinningchefwithover26yearsof experience.
Loncke-Watson, 38, also Guyanese, is a serial entrepreneur whose business acumen has been instrumental in bringing Lennox’s vision to life. Roderick, 57 rounds out the trio with his extensive entrepreneurial background, adding depth and expertise to the team.
During an interview with Loncke-Watson, she shared that Scotty’s Smoke House is the brainchild of Chef Lennox Scott andbroughttolifewiththesupport ofRoderickandherself.
“Scotty’s Smoke inspired by Lennox’ masteryofcooking,”shesaid.
Scotty’s dream was to bring authentic smoked flavours to Guyana, creating a space where customerscouldenjoyexceptional foodandcreatelastingmemories.
“Lennox has a personal love for the art of smoking meats, cooking, and delivering memorable experiences with flavour that ignited his dream of Scotty’s Smoke House This vision,pairedwiththeopportunity tosharemouthwateringdishesand create lasting memories for customers, drove the opening of Scotty’s Smoke House,” LonckeWatsonshared.
Explaining the concept of Scotty’s Smoke House, she stated thatitrevolvesaroundofferingan authentic, high-quality smoke house experience in a tropical themedenvironment.
One key element of the restaurant is traditional smoking techniques, using high-quality meatsandingredients. Theirmenu includesavarietyofsmokedmeats such as ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and chicken, accompanied by classic sides like coleslaw, chef
rice,andplantain.
The focus is on the craft of smoking meats, with attention to detail and a commitment to preserving barbecue traditions, including traditional smokers, slow-cooking methods, and Lennox’s special spice rubs and sauces.
Loncke-Watson added, “At Scotty’s Smoke House, we offer a unique blend of authentic grilled
cuisine infused with local Guyaneseflavours.
Themenuwillfeatureavariety of smoked meats, including our signature dishes such as Smoked Chicken, Smoked Prawns, and Smoked Lamb Leg. These will be complemented by traditional smoked sides and innovative fusion dishes that highlight local ingredients and culinary traditions.”
Therestaurantalsocollaborates withlocalfarmersandsuppliersto source fresh, seasonal ingredients, supportingthelocaleconomy
Their menu features unique local products, such as spices, fruits, and vegetables, adding a distinctive Guyanese touch to every dish. Signature spice rubs and marinades incorporate local spicesandherbs,creatingafusion
Continued on page 50
Na m a l c o
Construction Services (from Trinidad & Tobago) in joint venture with Guyamerica Construction Inc (from Guyana)havebeenawarded the contract to upgrade the Soesdyke-LindenHighway
On Thursday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said that Trinidadian and Guyanese companies were awarded the project but did notdisclosethenames.
However,onJune26,the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) published on its website that Namalco and Guyamerica were a w a r d e d t h e US$161,369,374contract.
The joint venture companieswereamongfour bidders vying for the contractwhenitwasopened in January 2024 at NPTAB. Theprojectwasestimatedto cost US$183,567,095 according to the Ministry of Public Works engineer’s figure.
It was reported that the repairs to the SoesdykeLinden Highway is being funded by a loan from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).
This publication had reported that in May 2023, the Government of Guyana a n d t h e I s l a m i c DevelopmentBank,signeda US$200M Framework
Agreement for the reconstruction of the highway The project will see the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 73 kilometres of the highway, with two lanes undivided, ninebridges,andsixculverts with improved design, qualityandstandards. Theprojectalsoincludes
ancillary works and road corridor improvements providing essential public administration support, improved connectivity with communities, roadside and other facilities The Soesdyke-Linden Highway isa73kilometres-long,twolane highway that runs between Soesdyke and Linden in Guyana.The East Bank Public Road connects SoesdykewithGeorgetown.
Last October, the NPTAB awarded a contract to Kuwaiti firm, Al-Habshi
Engineering Consultants in joint venture with Guyanese company – CB&Associates Inc. consultancy to provide supervision services for the project. The contract cost is US$1,775,000.
The Kuwaiti consultant wouldberesponsibleforthe design review, construction
supervision and general project management of the reconstruction of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway and contract administration throughout the project implementation process and thereafter, during the defects’liabilityperiod. Itwashighlightedbefore
thattheimportanceofrolling out this project was that the highway is in dire need of repairs While the Government has spent millions repairing the roadway due to exhaustive use, it has returned to a dilapidated state in most sections.
Two Guyanese film makingcompanies,Meridian Concepts and Dwayne Jordon Studios are the brain and creativity behind Jamaican Dancehall Artiste, Nigy Boy’s most recent musicvideocalled“Karma”.
By Shervin Belgrave
Not only did they create the story-line and filmed the video but the scenes were recorded in Georgetown, Guyana. It was released two weeks ago and already has
over 370,000 views on Youtubealone.
conversation with the men behind Meridian Concepts andDwayneJordonStudios. Meridian Concepts is owned by Dominic Weekes and Dwayne Jordon Studios is operated by Dwayne Jordon Speaking with Kaieteur News, Weekes said
thatthetwocompanieswork as a team on any production, beitlocalorinternational.
M
creates and directs while Dwayne Jordon Studios t
videography
Although Meridian Concepts create and direct p
n d commercialvideosforsome big names in Guyana such as, Steve’s Jewellery, Beepat, GTT and MMG, Karma is only the second music video Weekes has everscriptedanddirected.
Prior to Karma, he had scriptedanddirectedamusic video for Guyana’s Poonam Singh called Strong woman
Despite his limited experience in music videos, the quality ofWeekes’work with Meridian Concepts speaks for itself. So when Nigy Boy’s management
team pitched the idea that they wanted him (Nigy Boy) to do a music video in Guyana, a Guyanese music producer-well respected in the Caribbean-, Ridwaan Razack wasted no time in linking them up with MeridianConcepts.
Weekes recalled that Nigy Boy was at the time in Guyana to perform at the ENet’s Unforgettable Concert featuring the African Music Giant, Burna-Boy Nigy Boy’s team reportedly had a meeting with the Guyanese producer and it was during thatmeet-uphismanagement reportedly said, “it would’ve been crazy to shoot a video hereinGuyana.”
Weekes noted that RidwaanRazackhasworked with big dancehall stars like Teejay, Skillibeng, Jada Kingdom,etc.soitcameas
Continuedonpage50
Days before his electionasleader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughesdeclinedtocomment onthepotentialrenegotiation of the contentious 2016 oil deal signed between Guyana and ExxonMobil Guyana Limited(EMGL),sayingthat thecompanyisaclientofhis lawfirm.
Hughes, a prominent attorney and former AFC
Chairman who was successful elected leader of that party on Saturday, made these remarks during an appearance on Dr David Hinds' programme 'Politics 101'onJune27.
The renegotiation of the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signed in 2016isthesubjectofongoing debates. Calls from locals and industry experts have urged Guyana's leaders to reopen negotiations with ExxonMobilanditspartners, Hess Corporation and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), to ensure more equitable benefits from the lucrative StabroekBlock.
However,thosecallshave fallen on deaf ears as the leaders have all steered clear of calling for a renegotiation of the lopsided deal. As for government, they defended their stance by citing the principle of sanctity of
contract, asserting that they will uphold the terms of the existingagreement.
During the interview, Dr Hindsasked,“Nigelasleader of theAFC, are you going to urge the party to renegotiate the contract, if it gets into power by itself or with other parties?
The oil contract I'm talkingaboutwithExxon…”
“David I, I will say this and I think I said it the other night…Exxon is a client of ourfirm,I'mmakingitpublic nowsonobodycan'tsaythatI have never made it [known].
Several oil companies are clients of our firm. I cannot comment on that,” Hughes responded.
Former Minister of Natural Resources, Raphael Trotman, and now General SecretaryoftheAFC,during histenureundertheAPNU+ AFC Coalition government between2015and2020,was the one who signed the deal in2016withExxon.
The deal Trotman signed waives all taxes from the oil companies, gives Guyana a 2% royalty on its rich resources, and agrees to the oil companies recovering 75% of investments before theremaining25%isshared, with Guyana receiving 12.5%.
The arrangement, with thelackofring-fencing,sees Guyana paying for projects
Businessman dies in Enmorecrash
Police have arrested a female driver following an accident on Friday nightthatclaimedthelife of a businessman at Enmore, East Coast Demerara(ECD).
Dead is Inderpaul
Pramenauth, called 'Babai', age 43 of Lot 76 Block 12 Non Pareil, ECD The woman in custody claimed that Pramenauthwasspeeding and had crashed into her car, PAC 5742 around 21:45hrs.
that are yet to commence production activities. Each month bills from future producing developments are added to the list of expenses to be cost-recovered by Exxon.
A few months ago, Trotman in his book titled, 'From Destiny to Prosperity' offered support to the government to renegotiate the lopsided Stabroek Block deal the country has with an ExxonMobil-ledconsortium. However, Trotman's offer
w
s refu
y Vice PresidentBharratJagdeo. Notably, Hughes stated that while he is unable to comment on renegotiating the lopsided deal, he has otherplansifelected.
He stated, “What I have said is that I will set up committeesandifwegetinto government, commissions that are specifically dedicatedtodealingwithoil, generally.”
“Iwillinsistthattheyhire the best professional advice
internationally,bothinterms oflawintermsofeconomics, and in terms of the business ofoilbecausethebusinessof oil is the most sophisticated business on the planet because it runs the planet,” Hughescontinued
Furthermore, Hughes elaboratedthatimplementing changes in the country's direction requires careful consideration and planning. He stressed the need to fully understand international dynamics.
“For me, one of the fundamental things for this countrygoingforwardisyou havetohaveastateplanning secretariat, or a commission which is going to map the futureofthiscountryatleast into 15, 20 years cycles and we have to get the best researchpersonsandthebest educated persons into those commissions and that state planning so that they can assess exactly how it is that wearegoingtogoforward,” headded.
The first significant oil discovery offshore Guyana wasmadebyExxonMobilin 2015atwhatisnowtheLiza
projectintheStabroekBlock with oil production now at some645,000barrelsperday (bpd) up from 98,000 bpd from its first full year of production.
Since 2015, ExxonMobil and its partners have made more than 30 additional offshore oil and natural gas discoveries within the StabroekBlock.
Guyana's oil production comes from three floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessels: LizaDestiny,LizaUnity,and Prosperity
Thesevesselsproduceoil andnaturalgasfromtheLiza and Payara projects All associated natural gas is reinjectedintowellstosupport itsproductionandusedasonsitefuel.
Currently, the Block's partners plan for the combined production c a p a c i t y t o r e a c h approximately 1 3 million b/d by the end of 2027, with plans to develop three
: Yellowtail, Uaru, and Whiptail.
The woman said that as Pramenauth approached the Railway Embankment, he turned west on to the road and crashedintohercar
The impact reportedly caused the businessman to lose control of his vehicle and he then crashed into a utility pole before landing in a nearby trenchatthesideoftheroad.
Pramenauth reportedly sustained injuries to his head and body and was pulled from the vehicle in an unconscious state by police ranks on patrol duty The injured man was placedtheirpick-upandrushed him to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) wherehewaspronounceddead onarrival. Investigationsareongoing.
She told investigators that she was driving east alongthenorthernsideof the Enmore Railway Embankment Road while Pramenauth was heading south along Enmore Estate AccessRoad.
Four boxes of illegal ammunition were found inside of a car trunk on Friday during a police roadblock at Number 51 Village, Corentyne, Berbice,RegionSix.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) said that the discovery of the ammunition was due to an intel-led operation.
Ranks at the roadblock stopped a Red Toyota Fielder Wagon with hire car licence plate HD 3157 and conducted a search. The boxes in the trunk contained 490 twelve-gauge
cartridges.The boxes were reportedly markedBaschieriandPellagri.
At the time, the vehicle was being drivenbya23-year-oldhirecardriver from Smyth Field, New Amsterdam, Berbice and his passenger was identifiedasa31-year-oldfemalefrom Yakusari,BlackBushPolder,Berbice.
Both the driver and the passenger were questioned and told law enforcement officers that they were not licensed to transport the ammunition.Theduowasarrested. Investigationsareongoing.
By Shervin Belgrave
One of the newest entertainment companies on t h e b l o c k , M e l o Entertainment has taken the industry by storm The
company has been bringing new life to Region one with some unforgettable concerts and shows held there recently
Themostrecentonewas held on June 15 at Arakaka andKaieteurNewswasthere to witness at an event that reportedly brought back
some “life” to the Region One community after some twoyears.
Its main economy is mining and while it is rich gold, very rarely do the residentsgetanyexposureto concertsandshowsfeaturing popular artistes in Guyana. In order to enjoy some entertainment and recreation, they would have travel for hours and endure the harsh trails to more developed communities like Baramita, Port Kaituma and Mabaruma.
MeloEntertainmenttook ontheresponsibilitytoplana small budget concert for Arakaka called an “All BlackJaray”,featuringsome top Entertainers in Guyana. These include, DJ Magnum, Chutney Sensation, AW Lyrical, DJ Garwin One Guyana,GrannyIVandThe Bad Family Music's Issibaby
w
n individual called Keevin to host the event at Wendy PhillipsPlaceinArakaka.
At the time Melo Entertainment decided that hewouldbebringing“some life” to Arakaka after two years.
It was after some electrifying performers that Kaieteur News heard the patrons and residents conversing that “Arakaka has been under a rock for a verylongtime”.
Kaieteur News decided that maybe it should ask what they mean by that. Their response was that, “It hasbeenyearsnowsinceany one held a big show in Arakaka”.
Theyexplainedtoothatit is a small community that is sometimes forgotten by the rest of Region One and perhaps the rest of the country
The residents said that they were grateful for the event because it gained attractionfromothervillages and they did not have to travel a lengthy distance for someleisure.
In an invited comment from Melo Entertainment, a representative said, “ While the main goal of any company is to make profits, Melo Entertainment is also focused on assisting in the development of Guyana's hinterland region as tourism destinations, where the coast-landers and even foreignerscangetawayfrom thebusycitylife,torelaxand justhavefun”.
Below are some photos of the Arakaka, All Black Jaray,
Tcollaborating with The Bad Family Music's Issibaby on a new song that will be released soon.
did not reveal the name of the song
Frompage13
rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials
Groundwater from aquifers is extracted using a water well. The site at Wales sits above Guyana’s main groundwater aquifer that provides90percentofallthe domestic and commercial water
Inanexclusiveinterview withthispublicationin2022, the environmental advocate pointedoutthat:“Whenyou look at that EIA, it says the impacts on the groundwater will be negligible. Nowhere in the world can you put a power plant and an NGL plant and a pipeline over ground water and it never gets seriously impacted Basiccommonsensewilltell you that upset conditions of spills etc. over the 30-year lifeofsuchheavilypolluting industries put the groundwater at high risk.
And this is our most prized groundwater aqu
fer Guyana’s coastal water supply comes mainly from the A Sand Aquifer, which liesbelowtheWalesEstate.”
The geologist explained that when hydrocarbon pollutants get into your water supply, they remain there permanently, and are cancerous,makingthewater unsafeforconsumption.
Highercosttotreat waterinDemeraraRiver
Amid growing concerns of the impacts of oil operations on this country waterways, Chief Executive Officer(CEO)oftheGuyana Water Incorporated (GWI), Shaik Baksh disclosed that the Demerara River is becoming “more and more polluted” and is costing the company more money to treat drinking water for citizens.
PNCRGeneral Secretaryresigns -citeslackof transparencyand accountabilityin managementofparty
As if the allegations of sexual harassment and the deepeningriftinthepartyare not enough, Leader of the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR), Aubrey Norton was on Monday hit with another setback- this time the resignation of his General Secretary (GS) DawnHastings-Williams. Hastings-Williams is the second GS appointed by Nortontohaveresigned-the first being Geeta ChandanEdmond. Hastings-Williams aMemberofParliamentand former government minister
citedarangeofissuesforher resignation- chief among them being the party’s lack of preparedness for the upcoming congress and a lack of accountability and
resignationtakeseffectfrom June24th2024. In her resignation letter addressed to Norton, Hastings-Williams noted thatwithintheperiodofover one year she was unable to present any financial statement to the Central Ex
C
(CEC). “Reason simply beingthatIhavenoaccessto the weekly or monthly income and expenditure statement,” she noted. She addedthatshehadrequested of the accountant last December to prepare and produce a financial statement for the year 2023 soastopresentittotheCEC. “When I called for the statement to be handed in to me the accountant said that she had completed the statement as was instructed by me but was told not to handitovertomebuttoput in on hold,” Hastings Williamsexplained.
Another reason for her resignation,theformerparty executive said that her position on the readiness of the 22nd Biennial Delegates Congress was not taken into proper consideration. “With theentireadministrativetask that has to be undertaken by the secretariat, I believe that the one-month period for preparation for such a congress can lead to confusionratherthanhaving afairandtransparentprocess andoutcome.Iamquitesure thatyouandthemembersof the CEC will agree with me that when the Congress is over it must conclude in a positivelight,”shesaid.
Hastings-Williams also pointed to exemption of observersoftheprocess.She noted that Rule15 (3)
addresses Observers at Congress and permits her as the General Secretary to accredit persons to attend as observers whether they are members or not. Hence, she begged the question, “Why are we abandoning the privilege party members look forward to?” As the GeneralSecretary,HastingsWilliams said she believes she should be integrally involved in every aspect of the preparation for the Congress. “However, that has not been happening in many instances For example, invitations were sent out to persons without my knowledge and I don’t know under whose authorised signature other thantheGeneralSecretaryof theParty IfoundoutwhenI began to send out a few written invitations and only to be told that they are already in receipt of an invitation. This, I see as a gross disrespect to my office.”
Giving details of other instances where she felt disrespected, HastingsWilliams said that while she loves her party, she will not continue to sit as a rubber stamp in the Office of the General Secretary “If you canrecallCde.Leader,atour veryfirstmeeting,Itoldyou that I will accept the appointment under the condition that you allow me and gave me the scope to function as the General Secretary of the party w i t h o u t b e i n g micromanaged.” She stated intheresignationletter.
Membership
On the issue of membership, HastingsWilliams said ever since her assumption of Office as the General Secretary she had been attempting to correct the situation “after I was informed that the external drive with all the information on the General membership was removed and perhaps destroyed and that the software on the computerwascrashed.Ican confirm the computer was eventuallyfixedsometimein lateApril or early May And then you had the incident wheretheCPUwasremoved fromthedepartmentwithout the General Secretary’s permission. This occurrence caused a delay for almost two weeks. Consequently, I cannot personally vouch for theaccuracyoftherecordsin this section. Additionally, I have received complaints from several groups and party members some in writing, that the records of
the secretariat do not correspond with their previous submissions and that their membership registerdoesnotreflecttheir truemembership,”HastingsWilliams documented in her resignationletter She said too that many membersalsoclaimthatthey have been unable or will be unable to meet the short deadlines set for the submissi0n of the delegates and other information because of the short notice period for Congress
“Consequently, I cannot substantiate or dismiss the accuracy of these claims especially when it was only Friday21stJune,theupdated but not quite completed General Membership Registerwashandedoverto theAdministrator Hencethe need for corrections and changeswillhavetobedone betweenthecurrenttimeand thedateoftheCongress.”“I must mention an instance whereacomradefromoneof the groups in the USAcame tomyofficetoenquireabout the reason why membership cardswerenotbeingprinted and we both entered the Membership Department to examine the computer and the other equipment so as to determine what was the pending issue and to see whether he can assist in any way to get the membership matter addressed. Not even five minutes past when the Leadercalledhimtoaskwhy was he questioning a junior staffaboutmembership.The expression on the Comrades faceandthetoneofhisvoice told me that something was not right. I never felt so humiliated after that incident. I felt as if I was being watched and monitored. In fact, this was
actuallythesecondtimeIfelt humiliated after being locked out at the gate where cantersandcarswereusedto block my vehicle from enteringtopickmeuptotake mehomefromwork.”
Exxonoilcontracta legalizedformofhighway banditry–GlennLalltells FinancialTimes
…Routledgedismisses Publisheraspolitical aspirant
“The oil agreement we have is a legalized form of highwaybanditry.”Thisavid description of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement(PSA)wasmade by Publisher of Kaieteur News,Mr GlennLallduring an interview with one of the largest media outlets in the United States, the Financial Times.
In an article released on Tuesday, the Financial Times reported that Lall has criticized both the government and Opposition for mismanaging the relationship with the oil companies and argued that the Guyanese are getting “chickenfeed”.
Lall also noted that Exxon, the oil industry and the government are increasingly acting in concert to stymie criticism, including by hiring several KaieteurNewsjournalists.
Meanwhile, President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), Alistair RoutledgetoldtheFinancial Times that Lall’s activism was hinged on his political aspirations.Accordingtothe Financial Times, Routledge dismissed Lall as a constant critic with political
ambitions and “an axe to grind”, adding that “this is a competitive contract that is bringing investment into the country.”
The Publisher in response to the comments made by Routledge argued that as a citizen of Guyana, he is entitled to not only speak in defence of his country, but pursue any careerhedesires.
“I find Routledge’s statement about me very rude and disrespectful. As a citizen of this country, I am entitledtopursueanycareer or say and do anything I so choosetodo.WhetherIwant to enter politics or not, it’s my prerogative,” Lall asserted.
He believes that ExxonMobil is threatened thatthelopsidedoildealwill be subjected to a complete overhaul,whileotheractsof mismanagement will not be tolerated under his stewardship.
Lall added, “But let me say this, had he and his company given this country a fair deal, he would have been happy to talk to the FinancialTimesaboutwhat
(Continuedonpage46)
Frompage45 Guyana is receiving rather than push his mouth in the domestic affairs of who is aspiring to be political leaders. Mr Routledge and his company know that if there is any change in this country, that wholesale thievery going on will come toafullstopthenextday.”
Further, Lall questioned whether any decent and patriotic leader would sit quietly and allow the sector to be mismanaged. “Any patriotic leader would allow Exxon to pump oil without theirownmeters?
Any true leader would allow those projects to be approved without ringfencing? Would allow them toinvestwithoutcappingthe interest rates? Would continue giving them projects without demanding taxes?
Would any government allow a project to be approved without full protection from an oil spill? No decent leader of any nation on earth would sit down and allow the exploitation of its people in thismanner,”thenewspaper Publisherreasoned.
Notably, the Financial Times report also captured remarks from President I r f a a n A l i w h o acknowledged that the deal is “skewed in favour” of Exxon.Bethatasitmay,the President was adamant that renegotiation of the contract can have legal ramifications that can prove fatal to the
burgeoning petroleum industryinGuyana.
“The size of Exxon, in terms of the economy, tells you that you just couldn’t change the contract it w o u l d h a v e l e g a l implications and the entire sectorwouldhavebeenheld up,” Ali told the foreign newsentity
Additionally,Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton told the Financial Times, “We needtogetmoreoutofthese oil resources…within the first100days,wewillpursue and engage with Exxon to ensurethepeopleofGuyana benefit.”
ExxonMobil is the operatorofGuyana’soilrich Stabroek Block where over 11billionbarrelsofoilhave been discovered since 2015. Exxonanditspartners,Hess andCNOOCpaysnotaxesto Guyana and enjoys an early recovery of investments throughtheprovisionsofthe deal.
The contract allows for 75%ofmonthlyrevenuesto
be deducted for costs, while theremaining25%isshared withGuyanaasprofits.
The country receives an additional 2% royalty on all petroleum produced and sold.
Citizens have been protesting for a more favourable oil deal, especiallyinlightofthevast developments in the StabroekBlock.Itshouldbe notedthatwhenthedealwas signed, Exxon had discovered a mere 3 billion barrels of oil. The country’s reserves have however grown to more than 11 billionbarrels,whichexperts argue, justify changes to the arrangement.
Showustheproduction forecastforLizaOneand LizaTwo–CivilSociety Activist …asconcernsswellover feasibilityofGas-toEnergyproject
As concerns continue to balloon over the feasibility of government’s US$2B Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project, civil society activist Elizabeth Hughes is requesting information on theproductionforecastofthe twoprojectsthatwillsupply gastothepowerplant.
The GTE project comprises three elements, the pipeline to transport the gas – presently being constructed by ExxonMobil – a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility to treat the gas and a power plant to
generate some 300 megawatts of electricity is being pursued by the government.
Hughes in a letter addressed to the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and GTE Taskforce, last week requested the production forecast of the projects, as these are expectedtosupplythepower plant with gas over its 20yearlifetime.
Theactivist’slettertothe respective agencies comes amidst ramped up oil production at both projects byExxonMobil.
This has therefore sparked further questions about the feasibility of the project, since depleted oil wells will force the operator to turn to other projects for gas to supply the power plant.
Notably, the Liza One project which commenced productionactivitiesin2019 was designed to produce up to 120,000 barrels per day (bpd) while Liza Two was designedtoproduce220,000 bpd.
Both have an estimated lifeof20years.
Presently, the two projects are each producing 150,000 bpd and 250,000 bpd,respectively
This could force ExxonMobil to turn to its other oil producing developments to meet the gas demand for the power plant which would
inevitably drive up the cost oftheGTEproject.
Government in April 2023 applied to the US EXIM Bank for a loan to support the NGLand power plant aspects of the GTE project.
Since the government did not conduct a feasibility study,thebankconductedits own assessment of the projectandissaidtobeinthe process of reviewing its findings before a final decision is made regarding the US$646M loan
Mikhail Rodrigues popularly known as the
application.
Hughes in her letter requestedthattheproduction profile forecasts; reservoir performance evaluation and p r e d i c t i o n ; decommissioning plan and risk management be shared for the Liza One and Liza Twoprojects.
The activist further requested these details for the Payara,Yellowtail, Uaru and Whiptail projects, since gas from these fields could be used to meet the required capacity for the project of about 120 million standard cubicfeetperday(MMscfd). WiththeGTEprojectpoised forstartupnextyear,shealso requested that the gas sales agreement and other commercial documents for theprojectbemadepublic.
Hugheswaskeentonote, “This information is a necessity for submissions in the aforementioned EXIM Bank system before the closing date in or about 12 July2024.
This relevant data forms an integral part of the assessment of the Gas-toEnergy project’s viability over its proposed 25-year life.
Failure to provide the requested information beforethedeadlinedatemay be construed as a direct action by GoG to deny civil and/orcivicsociety’srightto information thereby stymieing their resistance to the implementation of the GTE project where to date, there has been no public disclosure of any feasibility
study.”
Thursday
‘GuyaneseCritic’gets anothermulti-milliondollarproject
Tepui Group Inc , a company closely linked to social media personality Mikhail Rodrigues, known as ‘Guyanese Critic,’ who previously failed to meet specific criteria yet received an$865millioncontractlast year, has now been awarded another multi-million-dollar governmentcontract.
Last month, it was revealed by the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) that Rodrigues had failed during the evaluation process for bids at the level oftheNationalProcurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), but was still handed a $865 million contract to build a pump station at Belle Vue, West BankDemerara(WBD).
Accordingtoreports,the PPCinitsreporthighlighted several procurement breaches committed by Tepui and overlooked by NPTAB in awarding the pumpstationcontract.
According to the document, NPTAB ignored several key details when it came to the company satisfying the evaluation criteria for the award of the $865milliondeal.
Tepuifailedto meetthefollowing:
Failed to meet $8M bid securityamount
Failed to demonstrate constructionexperience No experience with projectofsimilarnature
No record of Past Work Experience
Failed to demonstrate financialcapacity No audited financial statements
No evidence of ownershipandorpossession ofkeyequipment.
Meanwhile, a few months ago, Rodrigues during one of his morning lives had revealed that he received a multi-milliondollar contract from the MinistryofHousing. Similarly, the PPC in its report had revealed that during the evaluation period for the pump station contract, Tepui had listed a $313 million contract with Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) which falls under theHousingMinistry,forthe upgradeofroadsinBlock3, GreatDiamond.
Itwasstatedthatthe (Continuedonpage47)
Frompage46 contract is dated February 24th,2023.
Thedocumentalsostates that the company received other government contracts.
Tepui had submitted a documenttoshowthelistof projects it has done which includestherehabilitationof South Pakistan Street and rehabilitation of Tyre Shop Street,valuedat$25million and$24millionrespectively
Both contracts were purportedly awarded by the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. It should be noted, however, that the datesofthosecontractswere notstated.
Followingtherevelation, checks were made by this publication on the NPTAB website for other contracts awarded to Tepui Group but tonoavail.Assuch,Kaieteur NewsresortedtoaskingVice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo during one of his weekly press conferences whether it was true that the ‘Guyanese Critic’s’ company received another governmentcontract.
WhileJagdeowasunable to confirm if Tepui Group did receive the contract, he directed the publication to check online since all contractsaremadepublic.
Itshouldbenotedthatas of June 26, 2024, the only contractlistedasawardedto Tepui on NPTAB’s website istheBelleVuepumpstation contract.
In light of recent revelation that Tepui received another multimillioncontract,contactwas made with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CHPA, Mr. Sherwyn Greaves on Wednesday for details on the CHPA contracts that were awarded toTepui.
Inresponse,Mr Greaves noted that he will get the information and return the call. Up to press time Mr Greaves did not return the call.
Omaiamong47 contractorsbiddingto buildCraigtoLandof Canaanfour-laneroad –projectestimatedtocost $49B
Omai Gold Mines Limited, a Canadian mining company operating in Guyana is among 47 contractors who have submitted bids to construct the new four-lane road from Craig to Land of Canaan on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD).
At the recent opening of
bids at the National
Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office, it was revealed that the project is being executed in eight lots and is estimated to cost
$49,550,312,074. The four-lane road project is being executed by theMinistryofHousingand Water through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) and according to its engineer’s estimateLot1isestimatedto cost $7,758,191,995; Lot 2
$6,595,741,681; Lot 3
$7,724,548,738; Lot 4
$8,222,950,788; Lot 5
$644,692,261; Lot 6
$4,568,695,021; Lot 7
$5,687,188,423; and Lot 8
$8,348,303,167.
Last year, Omai’s
President and Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) Elaine Ellingham in an interview said that the US$190MLindentoMabura road upgrade contract benefitted their operations here since it is close proximity to Omai’s property
K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that funding for the new highway is part of the $100.5 billion that was approved for the ministry in thisyear’sbudget.
At the ministry’s yearendpressconferenceheldin January 2023, Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal said that the new East Bank highway that is under construction will extend from Buzz Bee Dam, Craig toLandofCanaan,andthen from Land of Canaan to Soesdyke.
Thefirstphaseofthenew East Bank highway started with the $2 6B Mandela Avenue to Eccles Road
project which was commissionedinApril2022.
The second phase of the road was extended from the Eccles Dumpsite Road all the way to Diamond. This project costs $13.3 billion andisdividedinto12lots.It includes the construction of more than 30 reinforced concrete bridges, 8 6 kilometres of reinforced concrete highway road, and tworoundabouts.
In September 2023,
President Irfaan Ali
commissioned the
Eccles/Haags Bosch roundabout which connects the already completed Eccles thoroughfare to the MandelaAvenueHighway AfterDiamond,theother phase of work continued to Buzz Bee Dam. The $11B contract was awarded late lastyear
Belowarethecompanies andtheirbids:
Central Housing and PlanningAuthority
Construction of fourlane highway from Craig to Land of Canaan, EBD, Lots 1to8.
Inafewyears,Guyana willbeabletomonitor Exxon’sproductionon itsown–Jagdeo
Vice President (VP) Jagdeo is confident that Guyana will be able to i
ExxonMobil’s production real time in a few years, whenthegovernmentmakes a l
improvements.
On Thursday, Jagdeo wasaskedbyKaieteurNews
whether, “With oil productionexpectedtoreach 1M barrels per day by the turn of the decade, are you concernedaboutthecapacity ofthegovernmenttomonitor this increased output, and, what plans does the governmenthavetoimprove real time monitoring of productionby2030?”
In response, Jagdeo said that it was not a million barrels but rather the government is hoping to meet 1.3M barrels by 2027 and the government is currently undertaking capacity building in several areas.
“Wenowusesomeother mechanisms that are useful in the absence of that robust kind of on-site presence in a comprehensive way but those need to be enhanced. SoIhavenodoubtthatover the next few years we will substantively increase our capacitytodothattomonitor production,”hesaid.
He continued: “So I explained in the beginning that we have to work at putting the framework in place to regulate this sector, which we have practically d o n e t h r o u g h t h e implementation of the Petroleum Activities Bill, reformoftheNRF,theLocal Content Law, the new regulations concerning environmental permits, etc., theflaring,thetaxonflaring, awholerangeofthoseissues wehaveworkedon,”Jagdeo said.
The VP highlighted that his government is now placing heavy focus on monitoring, even though Exxon will have a unit at its headquarters that will facilitate real time
monitoring of what is going on offshore. He said though the government will have a presence at Exxon’s unit, it will create its own monitoringdepartment.
“Wewillhaveapresence there (at Exxon), we would also have our own unit to track what’s going on offshore, we will have strengthened the Bureau of Standardspresencethereand theirsophisticationontherig themselves to measure quantitiesofoilandtheflow and the water capacity, that has been discharged, all of thesethings,”headded.
Furthermore, the government’s monitoring unitwillbeabletotellifthe discharged water from Exxon is meeting international standards of purification.
“All of that would be doneaswemoveforwardso wecanverifythatwhatthey are actually saying is true,” theVPexplained.
Last year, Jagdeo told reporters that the government is in talks with entities to utilize satellite technology to be able to monitoractivitiesoffshore.
CGX must show finances or lose Corentyne Block–Jagdeosays
CGX Energy Inc. and F r o n t e r a E n e r g y Corporation are facing a critical juncture regarding their Corentyne Block operationsoffshoreGuyana.
“This is crunch time now,”warnedVicePresident Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday during his weekly press conference, as he issued a stern warning to the joint venture.
In response to a lastminute Notice of Potential Commercial Interest filed fortheWei-1Welllocatedin the Corentyne Block, on June 26, just days ahead of the June 28 deadline for the Corentyne Block’s appraisal
programme, Jagdeo underscored that stringent conditions must be met to retaintheblock.
The submission of this noticeispivotalasitsecures CGXandFrontera’sstakein obtaining a Production Licence, providing an extension for appraisal
activities pending governmentapproval.
When questioned about the sudden move by the Corentyne Block partners, Jagdeo disclosed that Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat
notified him of the submission on Wednesday
Although he has not yet reviewed the notice personally, Jagdeo assured that the government would scrutinize it thoroughly before presenting it to Cabinet in the upcoming week.
To this end, Jagdeo said, “But let me make it clear, CGX will not play the governmentofGuyana.
Foraverylongtimethey have been jerking people stren
h maybe their investors but no longer are we going to be tolerant of any ambiguity ” He continued, “If they are declaring commerciality now, they have to show in specific terms how they intend to develop a project andwherethefinancesare.”
The Vice President accepted that he should not havebeensobluntaboutthe situation; he said that the government has allowed CGX and Frontera, as per lawtodotheirappraisal.He added, “But this is crunch timenow.”
“Iftheynowsaytheyare moving to a project, they have to show us what this project is and show us how theyaregoingtofinancethe project,”Jagdeoreiterated.
Failure to secure government approval for furtherappraisalwouldmark CGX’s third forfeiture of an oil block in Guyana and Frontera’ssecond,following the relinquishment of the Demerara and Berbice Blocksin2022.
In the notice, CGX and Frontera reminded that they havesuccessfullydrilledthe Wei-1 well, its second well ontheCorentyneblock.
“The well fulfilled the obligation under Phase Two of the Second Renewal Period of the original 10year Licence and served as an appraisal well for the K
Government of Guyana,” CGXandFronterasaidinits release.
Thecompaniesstatedtoo that with support from investment bank and capital markets experts Houlihan Lokey, they continue to actively pursue strategic options to unlock the potential of the Corentyne Block.
Saturday
Govt.toauditcompanies forLocalContentLaw compliance
The Local Content Secretariathasissuedastern reminder to Contractors,
provisions of the Local ContentAct No. 18 of 2021 to prioritize qualified Guyanese nationals for employment opportunities, inaccordancewithapproved Local Content Master Plans andAnnualPlans.
The warning was issued inastatementonFriday UndertheLocalContent Act,companiesareobligated to ensure that Guyanese nationals with the requisite qualifications are given priority in hiring decisions. In cases where a Guyanese national lacks the necessary e
individuals receive the trainingneededtobridgeany skill gaps. This initiative aimstoenhancethecapacity and expertise of the local w
y promoting sustainable d
Guyana.
In fact, the Act ringfences40categoriesofwork for Guyanese participation via the supply of goods and the provision of services which include: food supply, rental of office space, accommodation, insurance, accounting and legal services.
To enforce these requirements, the Local Content Secretariat announced it will conduct comprehensive audits of all relevantcompanies.
These audits will verify compliance with the Act’s stipulations, including evidence that Guyanese nationalsarebeinggivenfair opportunities to apply for newandvacantpositions. Additionally, the audits will assess whether there is parity in benefits between Guyanese and nonGuyanese employees, and whether mechanisms are in placetoprovidetrainingand mentorship to Guyanese nationals to overcome experiencegaps. Notably, it was stated, “Failure to comply with this andotherrequirementsofthe Act would render the Contractor, Sub-Contractor, or Licensee non-compliant and therefore hinder the receipt of the Local Content Certificate of Compliance andotherrelatedapprovals.”
The move underscores t h e g o v e r n m e n t ’s commitmenttoensuringthat local content requirements arefullyimplementedacross all sectors, fostering economic growth and maximizing benefits for Guyanesecitizens.
Liwastheyoungestinhisfamily. He had two older brothers, Tian and Han,whothoughttheywerestronger andmorebeautifulthanLi.Theyhad trouble relating to their little brother They were always competing in gamestoseewhowasstrongerbutLi wasnotallowedtojointhem.
Li also looked a little different than his siblings. His right ear was longer than his left and it often fell into his face when he was running, making it so that he couldn't see anything out of his right eye. Most pandas have small ears that stand upright on their heads. The others oftenmadefunofLi.Theycalledhim “floppyear”or“oneeye.”
This made Li sad. His parents tried to comfort him by telling him thathewasspecial.Theyalwayssaid they loved him as much as his brothers.Butasniceasitwastohear, it didn't comfort Li for long Somehow, he always felt that all the otherpandabearswerewatchinghim.
“Something is wrong with me,” thelittlepandathoughttohimself.He didn't want to be different from the others. There was a place where he likedtogowhenhewantedtobealone, which was the case this morning. Li walked to the beach where an old woodenboatlayinthesand.Ithadnot beenusedforalongtime.Intheboat,he could forget all his worries and let his fantasiesrunfree.
Over time, Li had brought some thingstotheboattomakeitspecial—an old blanket and a big bamboo pole for exercising Today he was looking forwardtothedeliciousbambooshoots hehadbroughtforlunch.Afterplaying and exercising in the sand, he crawled intotheboatandatethegoodieshehad brought He was exhausted and his bellywassofullthathefellasleep.This hadneverhappenedbefore.
Suddenly, a strong wind began to blow, but the little panda didn't wake up.Bigwavescarriedtheboatfromthe beachandintotheopenseawhichraged as Li floated within what now looked liketinywalnutshell.
Li woke up the next morning on a beach, drenched in sea and rain water Inordertosee,hethrewhisheadback, keeping his long ear from blocking his view Aroundhimlaythebamboopole and a few remaining broken boards from the boat. Everything looked so strange.
Li shook himself vigorously to check whether he was really awake or just dreaming, and to remove some of the water from his fur There was no doubtaboutit:hewasawake.
“Oh dear!” he cried in despair “HowdidIenduphere?”Therewasno onearoundtoanswerashestoodalone on the sandy shore of an unfamiliar island.
It was still raining heavily so Li sought shelter under a tree. When he was out of the rain, he realized that he wasveryhungry Athome,therewould havebeenadeliciousbreakfastwaiting for him right about now. Instead, he'd havetogoinsearchofsomethingedible inthisstrangeplace.Lifeltqueasy.
Suddenly something rustled in the nearby bushes.Acreature with a small head and long neck slowly began to emerge.
“Is that a snake?” Li thought, frightened.Herememberedhisparents'
warnings about how some snakes are poisonous.
Butno,thishadtobesomethingelse because after the creature's long neck emerged from the bushes, next came a large shell. The creature moved rather slowlyonfoursmallfeet.Fortunately,it did not look dangerous, and the little panda gathered up all his courage to speaktoit.
“Whoareyou?”heasked.
“My name is Patricia and I am the oldestturtleonthisisland.Whoareyou and where are you from? I have never met anyone like you before,” said the turtle.
Li told Patricia his whole story He told her about his home and his family andthatsometimeshefeltsadbecause he looked a little different from the other panda bears. Li told her that he had accidentally fallen asleep in the boat, and hadn't noticed the bad storm thatlefthimstrandedonthisisland.
“How am I going to find my way back? I miss my family already,” Li sobbedindespair
The old turtle listened to Li very carefully, then said, “I wouldn't have evennoticedthatyouhavealongerear ifyouhadn'ttoldme.Ialsohaveavery different pattern on my shell than my fellowturtlesdo.Weallhavethingsthat make us each unique! Don't worry, I'll help you figure out a way to get back home.”
Li calmed down a bit and nodded eagerly Suddenly there was a lot of noise because a family of curious monkeys had surrounded the newcomer They swung from one tree to another, screeching wildly and askingquestions.Thelittlepandadidn't know which of their questions he shouldanswerfirst.Themonkeyswere so loud that more and more animals gatheredaroundtomeetthenewvisitor
There was a tiger, two mighty elephants, a fox, a kangaroo, and a parrot with beautiful colorful feathers. Even the furry capybaras popped their heads out of the water, but quickly dived back under the surface again whentheyheardthecommotion.Allthe animals had lived on the island for a very long time and were very curious aboutLi.
Li was overwhelmed. He was so
exhausted from the journey and all the new impressions that his eyelids felt heavy, and he simply fell over When he opened his eyes again, he was lying in a softly padded nest of grass. In front of him were ripe bananas, freshleafybranches,berries,and manyotherdeliciousthings.
He was so hungry that he tasted a little of everything “Everyoneissokindtomehere,” he thought. “I could get used to this ” Unfortunately, the good feeling didn't last long. Li got a stomachache from all the treats. The animals had been very thoughtful, but they didn't know which foods panda bears should andshouldn'teat.
When Li told them that bamboo was a panda's main source of food, Patricia let out a d e e p s i g h S h e s a i d , “Unfortunately, there is no bamboo grass growing on this island.Iknowthatforsure.ButI willbringyousomeherbstohelp make your stomachache go away.”
Theparrotflewallovertheislandto doublecheck, but the turtle was right. “Nobambooinsight!”heconfirmed. Patriciawasanold,wiseturtle.She knewthatonecouldnotstaylonginone place without the right food. So, she wenttotheelephantsandaskedthemto getsomelogsfromtheforesttobuilda raftsothatLicouldgohome.Theother animalsweregiveninstructionsonhow to help build it. The capybaras, with their sharp and strong teeth, proved to bemastersatworkingwiththelogs.
The monkeys thought it was great that there was finally something happening on the island Instead of bickering and eavesdropping amongst eachother,theycouldnowobservethe excitinggoings-on.Everyonewasbusy assembling the raft as quickly as possible. Even the flamingo helped, although he usually did not like to get hisfeathersdirty
With everyone's help, and the raft was finished that same evening. The tiger checked the joint work, stood on theraftasatest,andsaidproudly,“You couldgoaroundthewholeworldinthis. Welldone,friends!”
Everyone cheered Then Patricia approachedtheraftwithaveryserious look.
“Iagree,”shesaid,“You'vealldone agreatjob.Butthemostdifficulttaskis still ahead of us. We now have to find outwhereLi'shomeisandfindahelper whocanswimverywelltopushtheraft intherightdirection.”
A silence spread over the group. Everyonewasthinkinghard.
“I have an idea,” said the parrot. “When I circle the island every day, I alwaysseeadolphininthewater Why don'tweaskhimifhecanhelpus?”
“Why didn't I think of that? I must be getting old,” Patricia muttered to herself.“Thedolphinisanoldfriendof mine. I'm sure he'll be happy to help us.”
So,theparrotflewofftotrackdown their helper After a short time, he returned to the shore with the dolphin andPatriciaexplainedLi'ssituation.
“Of course I'll help you! Someone justhastoshowmetheway,”hesaid.
Tobecontinued…
byUncleRoy
IfindIhavealotoftime, Duringmyholiday, TodowhateverIwant, Toeitherworkorplay
SoIshallmaketheeffort Tousethistimefairly, JustasImakethetimeforgames, Ishouldspendsomeofitusefully
Helpingathomemakesmefeelsogood, Therearesomanythingstodo, Insideandoutsidethehouse, Itwouldmakemyfamilyhappytoo.
ThenImustcheckmyschool-work, Tonowandthenreadover, Sothatwhenit'sschoolagain, ThethingsIlearntIwillremember
It is typically written in verses, and can include sentences that often have a rhythm.
you should use, how long it should be, what language you should use, and whom youexpecttoreadit.
1.Learnwh taPoemis. a Before you start writing, you first need to know what makes a poem. A poem is defined as any collection or arrangement of words that expressesafeelingorideain a more concentrated style thannormalspeechorprose.
2 Understand your Purpose. What is it that you want to express? This would dictate what form or style
UncleRoyisagainappealingtoourreaderstomakea contributiontothiscolumnbyeithergivingafeedback onwhatispublished,askingforsomehelpwithsome personal problem, offering some advice to fellow teenagers,orsharingthenewsofwhatishappeningin his/her community Please send your contribution to roypaul2002@yahoo.com
3.ChooseaSubject.
Thesubjectiswhatyour poem will focus on, or what it is about. Choosing a purpose before you start to write can help to focus your mindonthatspecifictopic.
Some common subjects arebasedon:
Our emotion, such as loveorfear;
A person, real or fictional;
Aplace,realormadeup; A f e e l i n g , l i k e acceptanceorrejection,love ornon-caring;
An object, things made uporofnature;
An animal, real or as in
fairytales; An event, that can affect whatwebelieve.
4. Start by writing down all the words that come to mind when you think about your subject. Poets often imagine what others see or feel about the things and eventsaroundthem.
Lookaroundandtryto experience every physical sense, touch, smell, sound, tasteandvision,conjuredup by the things and people around. To best express feelings, you will have to loosen up, try to have fun, and start writing whatever comestomind.
Look out in our next issuefordevelopmentofthe remaining tips we mentioned.
Keepthinkingpositiveandknowthat,inlife, Sweetandbitter,boththingsdosurvive; Sowhenwedonotlosehopeinthetest, ThenGodwillsurelygiveusthebest
Sodon'tletagrayorabluemoodprevail, Makebestuseoftime,andavail Theniceopportunitythatisgiventoyou Totakeeverytestandgetthrough.
Soinlife,ifeverinyourpace, Youseetroublesstandingfacetoface, Thendon'tlosehopeoreversigh, Justclingontoyourdreamsandevertry
Tosmileandthenstronglystand Infrontoftroubles,andunderstand Thatjoyandsorrowarethethings Thatbothcometousinlife'sring.
Soit'sbettertofaceallwithasmile, Youwillwalksteadilyformanyamile; Keepthinkingpositiveandknow,inlife, Sweetnessandbitternessbothneedtosurvive.
If you are sincere about producing a poem, you have a good chance of writing one that will be treasured by others.
by Krazydad
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.
Wanted! Workers for packaging pasta and chowmein. $4100-$4900 per day. Workers paid weekly. Call: 6117839.
Two Canter driver, Must have a valid driver's license and at least 2 years experience. Call: 644-7088 / 6247248.
Single male seeks a live in Domestic partner, ages 1838, light housework, salary: $60,000. Call: 603-9085.
Chainsaw operator ,cook, & experienced jet + marack men to work in interior. Call: 6772385.
40x100 ft(+10ft Reserve) in Cummings Lodge ideal for apartment building/bond etc. Call: 624-8694.
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
Aracari Hotel WBD (VreenEn-Hoop) crystal clear swimming pool. Adult/children sections. Music & food. Contact: 264-2946-9.
Indian
for serious relationship (Penpal). Call: 734-5204 / 704-5288.
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.
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
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.
Land dredge Workers, Jet men & cook. Contact: 6883844.
Male Janitorial Workers, Handymen, Housekeeper and Canter Driver with lorry license needed. Call/ WhatsApp: 609-2220. Email: square1solutions@outlook.com
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.
From page 42 no surprise to him that Nigy Boy’s team did not turn down the offer to work with Meridian Concepts.
However, it did not come without its challenges, according to Weekes, he had only 36 hours to come-up with a perfect script and idea for Karma.
vision before he is awakened by his therapist. Nigy Boy awoke quite shaken by the experience and the video ends on the note of accountability.
Just as how the video gripped the reporter’s attention, it gripped hundreds of thousands more.
all scenes directed by Meridian Concepts, Dwayne Jordan said that Karma is one of his most exciting projects.
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“That’s crazy to think about”, Weekes said before adding, “I had a couple listen to it (the song Karma), came up with the story, pitched it to Nigy and his team and they were sold”.
Karma basically means that a person will repaid for his or her deeds or actions in life, be it good or bad and Weekes captured the idea perfectly in the video he created.
The opening scene begins with Nigy Boy consulting his therapist on how to stay faithful because he just can stop cheating.
Nigy boy is then advised to consider accountability and was instructed to take some deep breaths.
He then falls asleep and gets a vision of being so deeply in love with a girl that is cheating on him. In the vision, he feels what it is like to be cheated on and endedup getting a nightmare.
It then ends with him confronting the woman in his
Asked what his reaction was when he learnt that the video, which he created went viral, Weekes said, “grateful, overjoyed and motivated. God is amazing. As an artiste, recognition and validation is so important. No one creates to keep it a secret to themselves”.
While Weekes is happy that his creation was well received and appreciated, nothing, according to him, beats the experience he had working with the trending Nigy Boy.
“It was incredible, such an honour. I was in awe the entire time, and couldn’t help but be inspired being around Nigy” he told Kaieteur News while adding, “Here’s this guy with what many may consider a disability, but he’s here on an all-day video shoot. He has the most vibrant spirit, always cracking jokes, always filling the room with laughter. His so-called disability isn’t a stain or burden”.
Meanwhile, the man behind the camera shooting
“Dominic (Weekes) and Ridwaan (Guyanese music producer) informed me that the popular and trending artiste Nigy Boy was in Guyana and wanted to film a music video before he left,” Jordan recalled as he recounted shifting into “creative overdrive” to film everything in less than 48 hours.
“While Dominic and Ridwaan worked on the script and logistics, I made notes on the shots I wanted to take and the gear I’d use”, he said.
While Jordan has filmed some 50 music videos in his career, he considered “KARMA” to be one of his biggest yet. “Working with Nigy and his team was smooth and enjoyable, with Nigy being very jovial and interactive throughout the sessions”.
He noted that as Guyana grows its own music industry, he is committed to creating innovative videos and advancing into the regional and possibly international markets. Click the link below to view, “Karma”. https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=hUVFNNqNTlI
From page 40
reform and pushed for a clean voters’ list with biometric verification at the place of poll to safeguard our democracy,” she said.
Hughes believes that together the party can forge a path of progress and prosperity to build a party that stands tall on the world stage.
Meanwhile, former Vice Chair of the party Deonarine
Ramsaroop shared similar sentiments noting that his role was defined by commitment to advancing the AFC’s agenda of progress reform and inclusivity.
He said, “The Alliance for Change was founded on principles was founded on principles of transparency, accountability and responsiveness to the needs of our constituents. Our coalition brings together
diverse voices from across political spectrums, united by a common vision for a more equitable and prosperous society.”
Deonarine assured party members that he remains committed to the ideals of the party while noting that he will work tirelessly to ensure inclusivity and an equitable and prosperous future for the AFC and by extension all of Guyana.
From page 39 of classic barbecue with traditional Guyanese cuisine.
Besides the food, the restaurant offers a relaxed, tropical environment with wooden furnishings, garden décor, and outdoor seating, creating a cozy, down-toearth atmosphere. Scotty’s is a gathering place for families, friends, and the local community, featuring daily live music, from steelpan to live bands.
Scotty’s Smoke House aims to make a significant impact on Guyana’s culinary scene by, introducing new culinary techniques, elevating local ingredients, and culinary innovation. Also, as a distinctive dining destination, Scotty’s Smoke House aims to attract both local and international tourists, thereby contributing to the growth of Guyana’s
tourism industry by offering a memorable and authentic dining experience.
Loncke-Watson stated too that Scotty’s Smoke House aims to establish a positive reputation, refine its menu, and expand its customer base in the shortterm.
In the long-term, the goal is to become Guyana’s premier dining and entertainment destination by enhancing its brand reputation and elevating the culinary experience for all patrons.
Scotty’s aims to provide a sophisticated dining experience featuring both indoor elegance and open-air dining under the moonlit sky with regular live local entertainment.
Another key element for the restaurant is ensuring excellent customer service.
Loncke-Watson said this is a cornerstone of Scotty’s, with trained and friendly staff ensuring each guest feels welcomed and appreciated.
To ensure high-quality service, this involves continuous staff training, customer engagement, consistent quality control, and creating a welcoming environment.
They collect customer feedback to understand preferences and areas for improvement, maintaining strict adherence to recipes and smoking techniques to ensure consistency.
Scotty’s Smoke House is located at Lot 8 Liliendaal, Georgetown. Connect with them on Facebook and Instagram. Visit their website at http://www.scottys.gy or call 620-9750 for more information.
Aljazeera - The Israeli military has said its troops are intensifying operations
i n t h e S h u j a y e a neighbourhood east of Gaza
City and “fighting simultaneously above and belowground”.
Inasituationalupdateon Saturday, it claimed troops had eliminated “a large number of terrorists” over the past day and located a weapons storage facility withinaschoolcompound.
It said the air force also struck “terror targets and armed terrorist cells, includingaterroristcellthat was on its way to fire at troops”.
The Israeli military earlier issued a statement requiring residents in
...Soldiers advance in Gaza City neighbourhood as UN says at least 60,000 Palestinian residents displaced
Shujayea and adjacent areas to move southwards along the arterial Salah al-Din Street, which crosses the lengthoftheenclave.
Reporting from Deir elBalah in central Gaza, Al Jazeera's Hind Khoudary said Israeli forces targeted a group of Palestinians in GazaCitytryingtofillwater containers at a distribution point.
“Four Palestinians from thesamefamily,theal-Ghazi family, were killed in this shelling.Amongthemwasa child,”shesaid.
“We saw a video online
showingthechildinthearms of his father, covered with blood, lying on the ground before the paramedics were able to go and transfer them tothehospital.”
A
displaced:UN
DujarricsaidthenewIsraeli offensive in Shujayea has forced the displacement of “atleast60,000”residents.
“Humanitarian partners
displacement … Yesterday, the Israeli military ordered
residential blocks in areas east of Gaza City to immediately evacuate at least 60,000 people were displaced from this area, which spans over seven square kilometres [2 7 square miles]”, Dujarric said.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army said its troops were continuing its intelligencebased operation in Rafah in southern Gaza and had “eliminated numerous terrorists in the area” over thepastday.
IncentralGaza,thearmy saidit“eliminatednumerous
terrorists”ontheground,and the air force had struck “several anti-tank missile posts”.Two projectiles were alsoidentifiedcrossingfrom Gaza into Israel's Sderot –the Aerial Defense Array intercepted one, and the otherfellintoanopenarea.
Dujarric also said that a militaryoperationinthearea of al-Mawasi in southern Gaza, designated a “safe zone” by Israel, resulted in many casualties and the displacement of at least 5,000people.
Atleasttwopeoplewere killed in an Israeli bombing
near al-Istiqama Mosque in theal-Jnainaneighbourhood eastofRafah,sourcestoldAl Jazeera.
Anumberofotherswere injured when Israeli forces openedfireinthevicinityof al-Alamroundabout,westof Rafah.On Saturday, Gaza's Ministry of Health said at least 37,834 people have been killed and 86,858 wounded in Israel's war on GazasinceOctober7.
The updated death toll included 40 Palestinians killed and 224 wounded in the past 24-hour reporting period,itsaid.
...Move comes as Israel's Gaza war has killed more than 15,500 Palestinian children and fuelled widespread malnutrition
Aljazeera – The United Nations is adding Israel to its socalled “blacklist” of countries that have committed abuses against children in armed conflict, an Israeli diplomat has confirmed, as thousands of Palestinian children have been killed in the Israeli military's continued assault on the GazaStrip.
InasocialmediapostonFriday, IsraeliAmbassadortotheUNGilad Erdan said he received official notification of UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres's decision.
“This is simply outrageous and wrong,” Erdan wrote, alongside a video of him speaking into a telephone and condemning the move.
“I responded to the shameful decision and said that our army is the most moral in the world. The only one being blacklisted is the Secretary-General who incentivizes and encourages terrorism and is motivated by hatredtowardsIsrael.”
Commenting on Erdan's remarkslaterintheday,Guterres's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said a UN official had called the Israeli envoy as “a courtesy affordedtocountriesthatarenewly listedontheannexe”oftheannual “Children in Armed Conflict” report.
“It is done to give those
countries a heads-up and avoid leaks,” Dujarric told reporters, adding that the report is set to be presented to the UN Security Council on June 14 and then officially published a few days later
“Ambassador Erdan's video recordingofthatphonecall,andthe partial release of that recording on Twitter, is shocking and unacceptable – and frankly somethingI'veneverseeninmy24 years serving this organisation,” Dujarricsaid.
Palestinian Authority welcomesdecision
Theannualreportonchildrenin armed conflict compiles “a list of parties engaging in violations againstchildren”,includingkilling and maiming, sexual violence and attacksonschoolsandhospitals.
Guterres faced criticism from Palestinian rights advocates for failing to place Israel on the socalledlistofshame,whichincluded Russia,theDemocraticRepublicof the Congo, Somalia, Syria and Haiti.
Theblacklistismeanttocallout parties engaged in abuses against children. But other countries can use it to restrict arms sales to the offenders.
SeniorPalestinianofficialRiad MalkiwelcomedtheUN'sdecision on Friday, saying that the move is overdue “Now, faced with the
catastrophe in Gaza that the world sees with its naked eyes with the genocide that specifically targets children and women, the UN secretary general no longer has excuses not to place Israel on the blacklist,” Malki said in a statement.
Rightsgroupshavecondemned the dire toll Israel's bombardment and siege of Gaza has had on Palestinian children across the enclave.
More than 36,700 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since early October, including 15,571 children, according to the Gazagovernmentmediaoffice.
UN experts have also said Israel'srestrictionsondeliveriesof food, water, medicine and other critical supplies have created a humanitarian crisis, with parts of the coastal territory facing the threatoffamine.
Earlier this week, the UN's child rights agency UNICEF said nine in 10 Palestinian children in Gaza were living in “severe child food poverty, surviving on diets comprising two or fewer food groupsperday–oneofthehighest percentageseverrecorded”.
By comparison, in 2020, only 13 percent of children in the Gaza Strip were living in severe child foodpoverty,UNICEFsaid.
'Iusedtoloveplayingfootball'
TheWorldHealthOrganization
APalestinian child waits for malnourishment treatment, atAl-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on May 30 [Bashar Taleb/AFP]
also said last week that more than four in five Palestinian children in Gaza“didnoteatforawholedayat least once in the three days” ahead ofafoodinsecuritysurvey
Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCIP) has also reported on the dire consequences Israel's continued military assault on Gaza is having on Palestinian children, including thousands that have been critically injuredsinceOctober
The collapse of Gaza's healthcare system has meant many patients, including children, are unable to get the care they require, thegroupsaid.
“Palestinian children who survive Israeli attacks face a lifetime of recovery to heal from the physical and psychological trauma,”AyedAbuEqtaish,DCIP's accountabilityprogrammedirector, saidinastatementonWednesday
In one testimonial gathered by DCIP, a 15-year-old Palestinian boy named Mohammad described his difficult journey to recovery after he was shot in the back by an
the lowerpartofhisbody
“I spend most of my time on a mattress,lyingonmyback.Also,I sufferfromulcersduetoprolonged sitting,andhavenothealedyet.The medicine for these wounds and painkillers are expensive and my fathercannotalwaysaffordthem,” MohammadtoldDCIP
“Iusedtoloveplayingfootball, asIalwaysstoodasagoalkeeper,” he said. “I also loved repairing watches and electrical appliances, butnowIcannotdothatduetomy disability.”
In January, Save the Children saidmorethan10childreninGaza loselimbsdaily.
But Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz slammed the UN's decision on Friday, calling it “shameful”.
“The [Israeli military] is the mostmoralarmyintheworld–and nofictitiousreportwillchangethat. This step will have consequences for Israel's relations with the UN,” Katzsaidinasocialmediapost.
President’s College and St. Ignatius played to a goalless draw with St. Ignatius winning 4-2 on penalties.
Itwasbusinessasusualat penalty shootout that went goal cemented Waramuri’s the Guyana Football St. Ignatius’ way 4-2, with position in the fourth and Federation (GFF) National PC missing two penalties in final quarterfinal matchup as Training Centre ground in theprocess. they controlled a 1-0 victory Providence as the GFF-Blue Santa Rosa then clinched over Tucville Secondary, Water Shipping National a narrow 1-0 victory over booking the last spot in Secondary Schools Girls’ Bush Lot Secondary to today’ssemifinals. Football Championship advance to the final four, The tournament is set to decideditssemifinalistswith thanks to the brilliance of conclude today (June 30) four gripping encounters Veronica Chatta, who netted with semi finals and final set yesterday the only goal of the match in tokickoffa2:00pm.
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Tension is likely to arise in many different areas of your life, Aries. It's possible that you'reeithertoodreamyortoo practical for the issue at hand. It's important for you to strike abalance.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Yesterday's trajectory might run into a couple of snags today, Taurus. You could find that your dreamy nature conflicts with the planned and steady
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Try to keep yourself in line with your emotions today It's possible that a powerful yet subtleforceisslowlytryingto pull you off track. If so, think abouttakingabreakanddoing some physical activity to get yourbloodpumping.
CANCER(June21–July22)
You could find that an emotional issue rubs you the wrong way today, Cancer Your tendency is to want to escape. Try to do so in a healthymanner
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Your artistic side may want to take to the airwaves in some way today, Leo. Perhaps you should consider building your own website or getting a spot on a local radio show Your dreams need a vehicle for distribution.
VIRGO(Aug 23–Sept 22)
You could find that what was so light and active yesterday runs into roadblocks today, Virgo. It might seem as if you're suddenly heading straight for a brick wall regarding some of your currentprojects.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
The pace of things is likely to slow down a bit compared to whatwashappeningyesterday, Libra. This is probably for the best. Take this time to do some planningandstabilizing.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
You might find that there's a quality of dreaminess to your emotions today that keeps you from focusing on the task at hand. People are likely to be stubborn and confused, and youcouldbeoneofthem.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
Little voices are whispering in your ear today, Sagittarius. They could be asking you to join them in the clouds. You might get the feeling that there's a lot of tension between what your heart has to say and whatyourmindhastosay
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Someone could be prodding you to take action today, Capricorn. It might be best if you beat them to it and motivate yourself. Stay a step or two ahead of the herd. Lead your own stampede and go whereveryouwanttogo.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb. 18)
You might experience a great deal of emotional confusion today There's a debate brewing insideyou You'rehavingahard timedecidingwhethertopursue thepracticalorthefanciful
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Keeping things in balance will be a challenge today, Pisces. You'relikelytofindthatthere's conflict brewing that doesn't seem to want resolution. It's OK. Don't press the issue. You may find that the best solution istoescape.
President’s College (PC) the second minute of the The tournament is and Queen’s College (QC) game. With a 1-0 lead, Santa sponsored by Blue Water were denied a chance to Rosa’s defense held firm, Shipping with support from advance further in the 2024 keeping a clean sheet against Guyana Beverage Inc., the championship with hard- Bush Lot and securing their Ministry of Education, and fought losses during the first semifinalspot. the Ministry of Culture, sessiononSaturday Allia Henry’s 6th-minute Youth,andSports.
QC Girls faced a strong Bartica side in the first of four quarterfinal matches billed for the day The game was deadlocked for the first 10 minutes until Norismar Williams broke through QC’s defence in the 14th minute, giving Bartica a 1-0 lead with plenty of time left inthematch.
After the first goal, B a r t i c a d o m i n a t e d possession, leaving QC with few opportunities to score. QC managed to intercept Bartica’s forwards a few times during the second half, but Bartica’s goalkeeper stood firm, closing the game at 1-0 and securing the first semifinalspot.
St. Ignatius and PC played to a goalless draw in the second quarterfinal, leading to an exciting
The Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Federation announced the names of
the athletes who have beensubmittedforthefirstroundof selection for the upcoming Pan American Games, set to take place inMonterrey,Mexico,fromAugust 31-September7,2024.
“As we prepare for this prestigious event, the Federation will register athletes based on their availability within the weight categories, following a first-come, first-serve strategy as per the selection process outlined by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF)” Read a statement fromthefederation
The following clubs have been involved in this selection process: Ying Yang, Spartan Fight Central, GPFMMA,JohnCampayneMMA, ACCMMA, and 360 Muay Thai MMA.
The federation further MartialArtsFederation.
congratulated all the athletes on
their selection and look forward to to go forward
theircontinueddedicationandhard processare:
work as they prepare for the Pan 1. Kevin Issacs
AmericanGames. Flyweight–JCMAA
For further information, please 2 C
contact the Guyana Mixed Martial Bantamweight–ACMA
ArtsFederation.
Dexter Atkinson
Charles Greaves Assistant Bantamweight–GPFMMAA
Technical Director Guyana Mixed
–HarpyEagle
The action-packed team clinched an 11-point win Georgetown Regional against The Bishops High, while U14 Boys Basketball PC Girls stunned Bishops High 27-
BHS bounced back for a 12-point deficit against Saints to win Boys’ U18 Basketball title.
Part of the action between BHS and PC Royals in the Girls U14 championship Final.
tournament delivered 12 on Friday at the National exactly what fans desired, Gymnasium. culminating in a triumphant In the first final of the evening, victories for Queen’s College (QC) the Boys U14 showdown between Boys and President’s College (PC) QC and BHS, Queen’s College Girls. QC Boys U14 Basketball Boys showcased exceptional skill and teamwork in their 43-32 Girls leg of the championship. the reigning champions. Carmelo triumph. Jared Boucher was the Junelly Paddy shone brightly, Mansonhingwasthehero,scoringa standout performer, leading his amassing 17 points and 15 staggering 49 points, 8 rebounds, team with an impressive 22-point rebounds, while MVP Akeelah and 10 steals, securing his MVP game, along with 6 rebounds and 6 Campbell supported with 4 points accolade Colwyn Stephens
and 8 rebounds. Rohacia Romain contributed 12 points and 12 contributions of 8 points and 8 scoredall12pointsforBishops,but rebounds, while Micah Williams rebounds were equally valuable. it wasn’t enough to challenge the added6pointsand8rebounds. Despite Quasie Newton’s valiant
p
mance of The Georgetown leg of the effort of 13 points and 15 rebounds President’sCollege. tournament concluded with these for The Bishops High, they fell The most nail-biting game of three exciting championship finals, short by 11 points, handing QC a the tournament was the Boys U18 leaving fans eagerly anticipating welldeservedchampionshiptitle. final, where The Bishops High the next encounter The talent and Over in the Girls side of things, edgedpastSaintStanislausCollege skills displayed by these young President’s College Girls team 83-79 after two thrilling extra athletes promise an exciting future stunned Bishops High, securing a periods. This victory avenged last and a great rivalry for years to dominant 27-12 victory to win the year’s narrow defeat and dethroned come.
Pandya ended David Miller’s stay. (ICC/Getty Images)
through a series of tight India were flying when option, instead provided the white-ball great’s crowning games and their semi-final Rohithitthefirsttwoballsof attackwith47,includingtwo glory win againstAfghanistan was the second over for four, but fine hits over long-on, in a In the end, it came on the their first victory in the last after the captain swept partnershipof72. other side of the world eight four of a World Cup in eight spinner Keshav Maharaj to Shivam Dube added months later, with Kohli attempts. square leg, the Proteas impetus with his 16-ball 27 confirming this was his final
They slipped to 12-2 foughtbacksuperbly asKohli’snextsupportact. T20WorldCupappearance.
BBC Sport – India World Cup final to Australia early on, Reeza Hendricks Rishabh Pant chipped up In the 18th over, Kohli ‘Aspecial feeling’–endedtheir13-yearwaitfora on home soil eight months sensationally bowled by a full toss for a duck and the cut loose, striking Rabada reaction world title by fighting back ago. This was their glorious Bumrah, but fought back to dangerous Suryakumar superbly over long-on, Player of the match, to beat South Africa in a redemptionintheCaribbean. setupagrandstandfinale. Yadav was caught at fine leg pulling the next ball for four India batter Virat Kohli: “I thrilling T20 World Cup The game looked done Quinton de Kock and but, from 34-3, Kohli was and in the 19th he whipped am so proud to get the runs final. during Klaasen’s onslaught Tristan Stubbs struck 39 and able to play the role he Jansen on to the roof of the for the team on the day it
The Proteas needed 26 but Hardik removed him by 31 respectively, taking down knowsbest. pavilion. mattered most We have from 24 balls in pursuit of finding a thin edge through India’s vaunted spinners Hedidnothitaboundary The 50-over World Cup, wanted to lift a trophy for a 177, but the wicket of to wicketkeeper Rishabh That assault was ramped up between the fourth and 18th where Kohli was the longtime. Heinrich Klaasen for 52 Pant. further by Klaasen, who overs. Axar Patel, promoted tournament’s leading scorer, “It’s an amazing day, I from 27 swung a dramatic EvenasKlaasenslumped struckfivesixes. to provide a left-handed was supposed to be the amsothankful.” gameinIndia’sfavour off, South Africa remained After Klaasen fell, South Africa captain
A r s h d e e p S i n g h favourites. number seven Marco Jansen Aiden Markram: “Gutted. conceded only four from the They have done so much struggledandwasbowledby We’ve had a great campaign penultimate over, leaving tobanishthecruelreputation Bumrahinthe18thover butthishurts. Hardik Pandya to defend 16 of choking that follows their India captain Rohit
“South African people fromthelast. cricketteamaround. Sharma gambled by using are competitive, but they are
David Miller was In the end, up against Bumrah’s final over when respectful We pride sensationally caught by some superb bowling from there were still two to ourselves on that. Hopefully Suryakumar Yadav at long- Jasprit Bumrah, who took 2- follow He will have been movingforwardwecanlearn off for 21 from the first ball 18 in a high-scoring game, grateful to 25-year-old left- fromthisanduseit. before India closed out a theyfalteredagainatthelast. armerArshdeep, whose mix
“This will always be a seven-runwin. In the final moments, of pace in the 19th was p r o u d d a y f o r u s ,
Itsparkedjubilantscenes Kagiso Rabada edged a four superb regardless.” among the India players and and Hardik bowled a wide, In the closing moments India captain Rohit fans in Barbados, including leaving eight needed from Indiawerejustmoreclinical, Sharma:“Iamsoproudofall superstar Virat Kohli, who the last two balls before no more so than Suryakumar of my boys and the dragged his side to 176-7 Radaba was caught at long- when he juggled the ball on management for giving us with76off59. off. the long-off boundary while the liberty and trusting in It is India’s second T20 India have so much in keeping his feet in play to eachoneofus.” title, having won the their favour – a team of dismissMiller
Playerofthetournament, inaugural tournament in superstars chosen from This will hurt South I
2007, and first World Cup population of 1.4 billion and Africa just as much, if not
Bumrah:“Iamsomeonewho winineitherformatsincethe the largest proportion of the more, than those previous tries to keep my emotions in 201150-overcompetition. revenue generated in the semi-finaldefeats. check but the emotions are ForSouthAfrica,itwasa game.
Kohli rises to occasion takingoverrightnow Thisis horrible defeat that brought As they celebrated, none India’s innings was built suchaspecialfeeling.” back all the pain of World of that mattered. It was an around Kohli, who had only
India 176 for 7 Cupspast. occasion of pure sporting made two double-figure
India’s wait is over dramaandrelief. scoresinthetournament.
In the end Hardik was in SouthAfrica come so close Here he notched his third
tears. The Proteas, like India, within five balls by driving
He was part of the India had progressed to this point and flicking Jansen for three
side that lost the 50-over unbeaten. They had come foursinthefirstover
Guyana Defence Force FC is determined to maintain their lead at the top of the table with a win over Monedderlust FC Thursday evening, while Slingerz FC are closely pursuing them after securing victory against Fruta Conquerors FC, solidifyingtheirsecond-placeposition.
Thedefendingchampionsassertedtheirdominancewitha commanding 5-0 win over Monedderlust on June 27. The ninth-placed Berbice team made a notable return to top-level footballinSeasonSixoftheKFCEliteLeague.
Meanwhile,SlingerzdefeatedFrutaConquerors3–0,also attheGFFNationalTrainingCentreinProvidence,EastBank Demerara. Ryan Hackett of the Guyana Defence Force broke the deadlock in the 8th minute, followed swiftly by Stephan McDonald netting two more goals in the 10th and 28th minutes.
Asurprise own goal from Ntini Bobb occurred in the 17th minute, with Runnel Gordon sealing the victory with the final goalinthe65thminute.
In the final fixture of the night, Slingerz took the lead with animpressivegoalfromSimeonMooreinthe36thminute.
AnowngoalbyOsafoJacksoninthe26thminuteaddedto their advantage, followed by Curtez Kellman’s goal in the 73rdminutetosecurethewin.
Justtwopointsseparatethetoptwoteamsintheleague.
The Guyana Defence Force is the team to beat, maintaining their lead at the top of the standings with thirtyfour points. They have achieved eleven wins and one draw, showcasinganimpressivegoaltallyoffifty-two.
Slingerz FC fromWest Demerara holds onto second place with thirty-two points, bolstered by ten wins, two draws and forty-sevengoalsscored.
Guyana Police Force FC follows closely in third position with twenty-eight points, having secured nine wins, one draw andtwolossesinelevenmatches.
Santos FC retains fourth place with twenty-four points, having garnered eight wins and five losses. Fruta Conquerors FC occupies fifth place with sixteen points, comprising five wins,onedrawandsevenlosses.
Western Tigers FC maintains sixth place with fifteen points from five wins and six losses, while Den Amstel FC holds onto seventh place with twelve points, including three wins,threedrawsandsevenlosses.
Ann’s Grove United FC sits in eighth place with eleven points, having won three matches, drawn two and lost seven. Monedderlust FC follows in ninth position with nine points fromtwowins,threedrawsandeightlosses.
At the bottom of the table, Buxton United FC remains in tenth place, securing one point from a draw and suffering elevenlosses.
Slingerz.
The GDF and Monedderlust had a good contest but the latter was no match for the men from the army.
