ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) has hired Environmental Resources Management (ERM) for a ninth time to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for its offshore oil and gas operationsinGuyana.
TheTermsandScopefor the EIA of the seventh project- Hammerheadp r e p a r e d b y t h e Environmental Protection Agency(EPA),indicatesthat ERM was approved by the regulator to undertake the studyforthedevelopment.
To date, ERM has been contracted to conduct environmentalstudiesforthe Liza One, LizaTwo, Payara, Yellowtail, Whiptail and Hammerhead projects in the Stabroek Block The Consultantwasalsohiredby Exxon to undertake environmental studies for a 36-well campaign in the Stabroek Block, the Gas-toEnergypipelineprojectanda 12-well campaign in the CanjeBlock.
C o n c e r n s w e r e previously raised regarding the selection process and utilization of this consultant for almost all of the oil company’s projects to date. Infact,itshouldbenotedthat Exxon outsourced another Consultant, Acorn Internationaltoconductonly one of its EIAs to date. The firm had completed environmentalstudiesforthe fifthoffshoreproject,Uaru.
ExxonwentbacktoERM to conduct an EIA for the sixth project and now the seventh.
A group of Caribbean organizationshadobjectedto the Yellowtail EIA done by ERM, insisting that the consultantgrouphadbeenin fact been copying and pasting sections of their previous EIAs into new
t considering whether or not thoseassessmentsweredone to honour the steps it had outlined regarding potential transboundaryvictims.
The group included the Caribbean Coastal Area Management (C-CAM) Foundation, The Jamaica Fish Sanctuary Network, Jamaica Environment Trust, Institute for Small Islands, FishermenandFriendsofthe S e a a n d F r e e d o m Imaginaries.
It was also reported that ERM hired experts to conduct those studies who have worked with the oil companyforyears.Thiswas highlighted in the EIA completed by ERM for Exxon’s Gas-to-Energy project to be constructed at Wales,WestBankDemerara.
According to the study, one of the experts at ERM, the Guyana Programme Lead,Partner-in-Charge,Mr. Todd Hall has over 25 years of broad experience in environmental consulting, focusing on environmental, social and health impact assessment, management p
n d
velopment, multimedia permitting, site planning and licensing, remediation, and risk assessment.
His biography included in the EIA states that “Todd h a s w o r k e d w i t h ExxonMobil for his entire career, from his first project involving a remedial investigation of a legacy ExxonMobilproperty,andhe has led ERM’s programmes for ExxonMobil at multiple downstream facilities, legacysites,LNG(Liquified natural gas) regasification facilities, and upstream explorationanddevelopment projectsworldwide.”
AnEIAisintendedto
Continuedonpage8
Map showing the location of the Hammerhead project offshore Guyana
Guyanese have a challenge before them that involves theirheadofstate. WhentheytakestockofPresidentAli,the issue is how much trust they should place in his words and postures. OnTuesday,thepresidentcalledanearlymorning meeting and lashed out at tardy contractors, permanent secretaries,engineers,andministers. Thebeatdownsession was livestreamed to an audience of 145,000. No one was spared the public whipping that came from the president. What to make of all this? Was it a performance for the cameras? Wasitthepresidentstarringinaproductionthathe knows would lead many Guyanese, those who desperately wanttobelievehim,thatheisserious,andthefirststephas beentakentomendmatters?
MorethanfouryearsintohisroleatthehelmofthePPP/C Government, PresidentAli has found his voice. We at this paperarestilltryingtodecipherwhetheritishistruevoice,or itisyetanotherinstanceofthegamesthathisgovernmenthas become very good at, and at which the president has grown from strength to strength. When this publication had reportedonthechronicfailuresofcontractors,seniorpublic servants with oversight responsibilities, and ministries, the wrath of the president's colleagues had been the response. PresidentAli himself has a record of flaring into defensive angerwhenquestionedinawaythathedoesn'tlike,onissues thatconcerntheGuyanesepublic.
We believe that, given the litany of late work, shoddy work,andthelackofpropersupervisioninvolvingbillionsof taxpayers'dollars,thepresidentisengaginginwhatcouldbe a farce, and at a rather late hour for his time in office. Guyanese, including many of his party's supporters, are totally fed up with poor work, late work, and costly work, from which they get little long-term benefit. So many billions spent, so many deficiencies, and so many years passed,andyetnobodyheldaccountable,noonemadetopay any penalty The entire procurement award system is an education in evasion and self-protection. Also, supervision ofthemanyhugepublicworksprojectsisquestionable,part ofacultureoflethargyandpullingafastoneonthosepaying for all the shabbiness, Guyanese taxpayers. When senior public servants, senior government ministers, senior engineers,andcontractorswhofilltheseniorbillbecauseof thebusinesstheyareawardedallhavetobesummonedoutof their beds, it is certainly dramatic. But what it reiterates is thatthewholepublicworkssystemisunderseverepressure and,toaconsiderableextent,leakslikeasieve.
PresidentAlihastoknowallthis,yethetookmorethan fouryearstosendastraightandstrongsignal. Howstraight and strong it is, those are the aspects of the president's presentation that concerns Guyanese. This takes on added significancewhenonecontractinggroupwasconspicuously missing from the audience during PresidentAli's version of readingtheriotact. Wedonotthinkthatitisunreasonableto assertthatforoverfouryearscontractingandministerialriots weretheorderoftheday Buttherewasthepresidentreading fromhisscriptaboutwhatwentwrongrelativetodelays,and pointing his finger left, right, and center The political stewardsofministries(minsters)andthechiefadministrative and accounting officers standing guard in ministries (permanent secretaries) were lambasted, laid out on the presidentialmat.
Hence, the questions come fast and furious. What was happening at Cabinet meetings? What were ministers reporting about works in their portfolios? Where were the permanent secretaries and supervising engineers over contracts awarded and work done? Why continue to give contracts to contractors who have failed relative to timely delivery, satisfactory work output? Was the president's gathering a mini-PPP Congress, considering who gets contractsandtopjobs? Thequestionthatissuretostirinthe mindsofmanyGuyaneseiswhyonlynow?
Nationalandregionalelectionsareamatterofafewshort monthsaway,withthefestiveChristmasSeasonintervening. PresidentAli could have been doing his regular dance, with lotsofsoundbutwiththeusualhollownessofsubstance.
GECOM overcame press-shyness to misinform
DearEditor,
I have noted that PressShy GECOM has summoned the courage to issue a Press Release, to wit an assertion as to the role of the CARICOM Observer Team in the recount of the 2020electionsresults;anda c l a i m t h a t m y pronouncement, on the Freddie KissoonTalk Show, with regard to why information was withheld, from the Observers, is misinformation and baseless.
My first observation is that the Press Release does notrefutemycontentionthat the information was not shared with the CARICOM Observers.Infact,itseeksto justify why the information wasnotshared. In its justification, it contended that the unshared informationwasirrelevantto the Observers` mandate, which "was only to scrutinise the recount process" This begs the question as to why in their
report the Observers stated that "Much was made of socalledmigrantvoters(outof jurisdiction) and "phantom voters" but no proof was offeredastotheineligibility of persons who voted. On one hand, they concerned themselveswithmattersthat GECOM contended were beyond their mandate; even as they too confirmed that the information received from the Chief Immigration Officer was not shared with them. In their words "no proof was offered", when in fact, the Chairperson of GECOM was already in possession of the "list of names certified by the Immigration Department of persons who were not in the jurisdictionatthetimeofthe election " as stated in GECOM`sPressRelease.
If GECOM`s contention about the mandate of the Observer Mission is that theywere"onlytoscrutinise therecountprocess"andasa consequence, GECOM withheld information which
could have been made available to the Observer Mission, it behoved GECOM to publicly clarify that matter, rather than have every Tom, Dick, Harry and the PPP, in particular, reference the CARICOM report as their truth that no suchevidenceexisted.Inthis regard, the Chairperson of GECOM has to take responsibility for the s i t u a t i o n , i n a n y circumstance, and not seek to deflect that responsibility for wrongly referencing the Order 60 and a High Court Judgement as the basis for not sharing the information with the Observer Mission, while remaining silent and allowing Tom, Dick, Harry and the PPP to use the dire consequenceofheromission as the basis for contending thatnosuchevidenceexists. It should also be noted that the Chairperson who requested the Chief Immigration Officer to verifytheallegations,which verification was received, subsequently refused to act on the information on the grounds that such information could only be usedinaPetition. Indeed,suchinformation may be used in a Petition. However,shealsorefusedto use the information in an evaluation exercise to interrogate GECOM`s systems with the intent of determining whether there are weaknesses and or loopholes that can be plugged in GECOM`spursuittodeliver free and fair elections Instead, the Chairpersons through GECOM`s Public Relations Officer overcame GECOM`s Press-Shyness to misinform the public about the realities of the withholding of information; or to clarify the uninformed conclusionthattheObserver Missioncametobecausethe available information was notdisclosedtothem.
Yourstruly VincentAlexander G E C O M Commissioner.
In response to Ralph Ramkarran, elections in Guyana can be made credible enough to be accepted by contesting parties
DearEditor,
Based on ample international evidence, I do notshareRalphRamkarran's bleakpessimisminhisrecent articleinConversationTree, titled “Biometrics are not permittedbytheconstitution or any other law”, where he lamentedthatelectionlosers in Guyana (in his narrative, thePNCRalone)willengage in “an unending political dance over the electoral system based on nothing more than political calculationsandposturing.”
Before explaining my optimism why elections in Guyana can be made credible enough to be accepted by all contesting parties,IwishtoremindMr Ramkarran that when the PPPlostthe2015election,it engaged in much of his political dancing. It filed an election petition in the High Court challenging the validity of the results and unleashedabitterbarrageof criticisms against GECOM and the election winner
Then PPP GECOM commissioner Robeson Benn, at a news conference at Freedom House, accused GECOMofbeingunable“to deliverfree,fair,transparent elections to the people of Guyana” and of consorting “withthoseeffortswhichput the May 2015 elections in
grave doubts and lend credence to major stakeholders claims of rigging and fraud at those polls.”
A few months later, in October2015,thePPPcalled for eight sweeping electoral reforms to be placed on the frontburnerincludinganew voters' list based on houseto-house enumeration, improved biometrics, electronic voting (in other words, an end to paper ballots), and for then Chairman of GECOM Steve Surujbally to go (sounds familiar?) All this political dancing, Mr Ramkarran, as ifthePNCRortheCoalition is not supposed to win an electioninGuyana!
Now to my optimism. Several countries in the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia have shown that disputed electionresultscanbecomea thingofthepastoncecertain conditions are met and maintained. The three most critical conditions seem to be: (i) the use of, and the willingness to use, state-ofthe-art registration and voting technology, (ii) an elections commission chair who is impartial, missionoriented, with good consensus-building skills, and (iii) an elections commission with strong administrative governance
and a confidence-building public communications strategy In these regards, Jamaica comes to mind as likely the most successful case. From 2002, just five years after its 1997 election, one of the most contentious and violence-ridden
electionseverinJamaica,the country has managed to conduct fairly peaceful elections, the results of which all political contenders have accepted. For more texture, let us add that, in 2003, Jamaica's (Continuedonpage6)
All hail One Guyana
DearEditor,
Every Guyanese looks forward to welcoming the Prime MinisterofIndia,NarendraModitoGuyana.
ButIherebymakeabetthatspeechesbythePresidentand otherTopBrasswillassiduouslyavoidanymentionoftheman who ensured the visit of the first Prime Minister of India to Guyana,HerExcellencyIndiraGandhi.
WhentheyvisittheMonumenttohonourMahatmaGandhi inthePromenadeGardens,unveiledbySir.DavidRose,they willnotmentionthepersonwhoensuredthattheCityCouncil identified the spot where the Gandhi Monument is now situated.andensureditsconstructionin1969.Andiftheygoto payhomagetotheEnmoreMartyrsMonumentatEnmore,they willconvenientlyforgetwhoseideaitwasandthatsomeofus toiledextrahourstoensureitscompletionontime.
And if they go to honour the first batch of Indentured workers,andthetwoships,theWhitbyandtheHesperus,that brought them to Guyana, situated at the Indian CommemorationMonumentGarden,atthewesternextremeof Merriman'sMall,whichMayorandPrimeMinisteraccededto therequestofDr YesuPersaudtomakethisareaavailable.
Who initiated the construction of the Non Aligned Monument which contains the busts of Presidents Gamal Adbel Nasser, Kwame Nkrumah, Jawaharlal NehruandJosipBrozTito,situatedattheCompanyPath Gardens and if they drive pass that Gardens, who will tell Modi about the persons who had the four leaders bust erectedthere?
Sincerely HamiltonGreen Elder
Financial mismanagement within City Hall has reached crisis levels
DearEditor,
T h e f i n a n c i a l mismanagement within Georgetown's City Council has reached crisis levels, which demands serious action and accountability
This is evidently more than justpoorgovernance—itisa flagrant disregard for the laws that guide the City's financialaffairs.SinceIwas elected a City Councillor, I have sounded the alarm
r
C
breaches of the Municipal and District Councils Act (Chapter 28:01) and the Fiscal Transfers Act (Chapter 73:07). The law is clear:Section155ofChapter 28:01 requires the City Council to submit budget estimates by November 15 of the previous year As I have previously written, the Council'sattempttopassoff this duty to the City
Administration is misleading It is the Council's responsibility to ensure compliance by directing the administration accordingly
The budget for 2024 wasn'tpresenteduntilJune,a full six months late. The November 15 deadline for the 2025 budget has also beenignored,continuingthis disturbing trend of neglect. Whenthisyear'sbudgetwas finally presented on June 4 202 days overdue it
became immediately apparent that the financial projections were based on fantasy rather than any realistic assessment. The Council forecasted GYD
3.297billioninrevenues,yet bySeptemberthisyear,only GYD1.686billionhadbeen collected. This was entirely predictable. By September 2023, for instance, the City hadcollectedjustGYD1.51 billion. It was delusional to expectmorethandoublethat amountfor2024.
Further, this year's budget was passed without consulting a single constituency Not one constituency meeting was held with the residents of Georgetown to understand their needs and priorities. The budget was nothing more than an administrative gesture—a mere formality devoid of any meaningful input from the people it is meant to serve. It is no wondertheCitycontinuesits downwardspiral.
Editor, I won't hold my breath expecting genuine consultations with the citizenryanytimesoon.This lackofengagementcontrasts sharply with President Ali and his Government, who havelaudablymadeitapoint toconsultwiththepopulace. Theyarecontinuouslyonthe ground, meeting with and listening to the people of Guyana a model of leadership that our City Council would do well to follow
The financial reports provided to the Council by the Treasurer's Department reveal an even more profound crisis As of September 2024, the City has amassed a GYD 80 million deficit nearly doublelastyear'sshortfallat
the same period. An absurd 70% of the City's revenue is consumed by an inefficient, bloatedpayroll,leavingonly 30%forcriticalserviceslike garbage collection and drainage.
As a councillor, I have consistentlyraisedthealarm about this unsustainable drain on the City's finances, advocating for optimising theCity'sHumanResources. Yet, the Council has so far refused to tackle the problem, opting instead to protect an inflated payroll that benefits a few while the entire City suffers This unwillingness to act has left uswithminimalresourcesto investinmeaningfulprojects that could truly improve our communitie
her accelerating the City's decline.
The impact of this is nowhere more evident than in the management of the City's solid waste. Despite the best efforts of the solid w
t department, Georgetown is disgustingly filthy, with rubbish piling up on street corners and drains clogged withdebris,creatingahealth hazard for residents. Time and time again, the City Council has pointed fingers at the contractors, shifting the blame for the poor state ofsanitation.Whileitistrue that the contractors bear some responsibility, the Council conveniently ignores its own obligations.
As I write this, the City is a staggering79daysbehindin payments to the solid waste companies contracted to
keep our streets clean. How canwepossiblyexpectthese companies to fulfil their duties and collect rubbish every day when the Council fails to honour its financial commitments?
P e r h a p s n o t s o shockingly, nothing (yes, nothing) has been spent on capital investments
Georgetown cannot maintain or improve public services such as waste management, drainage, and market facilities without capital investments Over time,thisleadstoadeclinein the quality of life for residents Regardless of political affiliation, any Georgetown resident will tell you they are living throughthisdecline.
Finance Committee
Chair Lelon Saul's promises of aggressive rate collection and a revamped Debt Recovery Unit (currently defunct) have proven to be empty rhetoric. During his budget presentation, he spokeofhiringnewstaffand increasing the issuance of demand notices, yet months later,wehaveseennoaction. TheCouncilhasdonelittleto pursue rate collection effectively—how can they, when the system used to managecollectionsisbarely functioning? For years, the software has been riddled with incorrect, missing, and corrupted data errors that have prevented countless residents from paying their dues. The Council has been aware of this issue for years yet has done nothing concrete to fix it. This
negligence has severely hindered effective rate collection.
A convenient excuse for this astounding financial mismanagement often used by the Council is that the Government withholds subventions for political reasons. However, the truth is that the Council has consistently breached the Fiscal Trans
(Chapter 73:07). The Act requires the submission of
November15oftheprevious yearandfinancialstatements by March 31. Neither has been done since I became a councillor
Finance Committee
Chair Lelon Saul is quick to highlight the sums owed to the City by the Central Government,butheremains convenientlysilentaboutthe billions the Council owes to
Authority (GRA), among others. Furthermore, there
are longstanding allegations of
ons owed by companies linked to the PNC. Take Maikwak, for examp
company allegedly owing billions in rates.To my knowledge, the Council has
er investigatedtheseclaimsnor taken any steps to recover anymoniesowed.
This selective silence raises serious questions ab
commitment to financial r
transparency
During his budget presentation, Councillor Saulpaidmuchlipserviceto monetising the City's assets. AsfarasIamaware,nothing much has been done. For instance, the Council has failedtocollectrevenueeven from basic sources like billboards on city reserves. Until recently, the Council had no idea how many such billboards existed or what (Continuedonpage6)
Financial mismanagement... Community of Practice in Special Education needs
Frompage5
they should charge. It is yet another example of the gross financialmismanagementplaguingourcapitalcity
Finally, the recent decision by the Council to slash rates andtaxesowedbypoliticalpartiesisanoutrageousbetrayalof Georgetown'sresidents.
AtatimewhentheCityisstrugglingtoprovideessential services, this policy speaks volumes of the Council's priorities.
In short, Georgetown's financial collapse is the result of failed leadership and blatant neglect. The PNC-majority Council has ignored our laws, squandered resources, and chosen political favouritism over the City's needs. With bloated payrolls, unpaid debts, and zero capital investments, theCouncilhaspushedGeorgetownfurtherintodeclinewhile residentssuffer
Their recent move to slash rates for the political parties theyrepresentonlyconfirmstheirmisplacedpriorities.
The PPP/C will continue to demand accountability and real reform because Georgetown's residents deserve leaders who will put the City's interests first and make the tough decisionsneededtoturnthingsaround.
Sincerely,
AlfonsoDeArmas PPP/CCouncillor
DearEditor,
I wish to share my perspective on the development of a Community of Practice (CoP) within the area of Special Education Needs in Guyana, and its impact on the education of learnerswithdisabilities.
With the recently graduated cohort of51teachersfromtheCPCEinclusive of four teachers with disabilities with their Associate Degree in Special EducationNeeds,Guyanaisonitsway tocreatingacommunityofexpertswho willworktotransformthelandscapeof SEN.
ACommunityofPracticeisformed whenpeoplewithcommoninterestsand shared passion collaborate on
knowledge sharing and expertise support. With this growing CoP, a structured network of teachers, advocates, bureaucrats and other expertscanservetofurtherenhancethe deliveryofSENthroughthesharingof resources,bestpracticesandcontinuous professionaldevelopment.
Inaddition,thisCoPcanalsobenefit from the four recently graduated teachers with disabilities who bring a unique perspective on working with learners with disabilities, through their lived experiences and knowledge on evidence-based teaching approaches and the use of Assistive Technologies. Thisnumberisalsosettoincreasewith thesevenstudentteacherswhoareblind
and visually impaired who are in the currentcohort.
This CoPalso fits into the Ministry of Education's current vision to transform the SEN sector by applying an inclusive and multi-pronged approach to SEN by investing in training, technology, resources and infrastructure to enhance the education oflearnerswithdisabilities.
Our learners with disabilities have never been in a better position to become independent and productive citizens of Guyana, and this can be fosteredbythegrowingCommunityof Practice.
Yourssincerely
RosemarieRamitt
In response to Ralph Ramkarran...
Frompage4
Director of Elections Danville Walker receivedtheprestigiousGleanerManof the Year Award for presiding over elections deemed “the cleanest in the Country'shistory.”
Jamaica from 2007 started to use automated fingerprint biometric verification and other information technologies. TheintegrityandcredibilityofJamaica elections have evolved to the point where not only do parties accept the declared results, but public confidence
in the elections is high, and there has been a marked drop in interest within the international electoral observation community in monitoring elections in Jamaica.
The Jamaican and experience elsewherehaveshownthatapointcould be reached in the management of elections where a losing political party hasnomorerational,politicalandmoral space to engage in “unending political dance” over declared election results. Indeed, much of the management of elections in developing societies is
mostlydrivenbythebeliefthatthisgoal could be achieved. However, as Ghana hasshown,withitslowpublictrustinits elections commission, massive investments in digital biometrics systemsalonearenotenough.
IfGECOMcandohalfaswellasthe election commission of Jamaica, disputed elections in Guyana can become history With proper reforms (and a serious and visionary GECOM Chair),itcan.
Sincerely
SherwoodLowe
‘Guyana not shackled to Exxon oil deal forever’ – Professor Clive
Thomas
…ALL CONTRACTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
The Petroleum Sharing Agreement (PSA) signed between Guyana and ExxonMobil in 2016 does notbindthecountryforever, Executive Member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Professor Dr Clive Thomas told reporters on Monday
Speaking at the party’s weeklypressconference,Dr Thomas said that globally, all contracts are recognized to be subject to the possibility of change. He saidtheWPAdoesnotagree with the government’s posture as it relates to the renegotiation of the contract and what it terms antidemocraticbehaviour
The party believes “that the government is trying to normalize anti-democratic behaviour in the way in which it governs the country.”
“There can be no forever binding for our contracts… th
historically has been through the indentured system and more recently and for more prominence the slavery system of bondage,”saidDr.Thomas who noted that “You can’t tie through a contract, parties to be forever boundedtothetermsofthe contract… (in fact) every contract that is recognized in every country of the world is universally subjecttothepossibilityof change.”
Dr Thomas told reporters tha
government’spositiononthe holding of a referendum on
he renegotiation of the oil
contract is an insult to Guyanese“becausewhatwe aretryingtodoistoexercise the democratic aspect of every single contract that it cannot bind people forever into eternity it has to be subject to change as long as thepartiesagree.”
Further, the WPA executive member said the government’s stance as articulatedbyVicePresident BharratJagdeois“hiswayto try to make a defense for Exxonandwewillthinkthat the government has other intereststoprotect…”
Kaieteur News reported on November 18 that the WPA believes a referendum on the 2016 oil contract is crucial to any future n e g o t i a t i o n s t h e Government of Guyana is likely to have with U.S. oil giant,ExxonMobil.
TheregularearlydistributionofOldAge Pension books has been delayed due to an ongoing investigation into the suspected replication of Old Age Pension books. In a statement on Tuesday, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security made theannouncement.
The ministry advised, “The 2025 books arecurrentlybeingprintedwithnewsecurity features to prevent tampering and falsification. The 2025 Old Age Pension Bookswillbeavailablefordistributionfrom December 2024. The Ministry is working assiduouslytotieinthedistributionofthese bookswiththeencashmentoftheDecember 2025 vouchers in many areas. A detailed distribution schedule of the dates and times fordistributionwillbepostedinallmedia.”
Co-leader Dr David Hinds told reporters on Monday that it would not hurt to have Guyanese engagedinpublicdiscussion aboutthe2016oildeal.
Dr Hinds referenced statementsmadebyAttorney GeneralAnilNandlallwhich saidthatareferendumonthe lopsided oil contract would beawasteoftime.However, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo disagreed with Nandlall saying that the Attorney General spoke in hispersonalcapacityandnot asagovernmentofficial.
Jagdeo said while there might well be issues regarding bringing ExxonMobil to the table even with a successful referendum,hewouldprefer to deal with the matter after next year’s general and regionalelections.
A referendum is a
electorate on a single political question that has been referred to them for a directdecision.
“Whilethatcontentionis true, an affirmative referendum vote would be a potent bi-partisan, national tool in the hands of government as it engages Exxon To cite Exxon’s potential inflexibility in the face of a formal national demand as a reason for rejecting the referendum is akintothrowinginthetowel before the game starts,” Dr Hindssaid.
The WPA reiterated its support for the referendum as part of a package that includes“theissuesoflegal, structured Cash Transfers and Power Sharing/Shared Governance.”
The WPA co-leader explained that the party did not p
h commentary on the oil contractbecause,“itwasnot part of the decision-making in 2016 and partly because wefeelthattherenegotiation ofthecontractshouldnotbe discussed in isolation from the distribution of the proceedsthatcomefromit.”
Thepartyholdstheview that “substantive democracy should mean that all those whoareaffectedbynational decisions should participate inthedecision-making.”
ExxonMhiressameconsultanttodo...
Frompage3
highlightthepotentialimpactsfromaproject, outlinemeasuresthatwillbetakentomitigate these harmful impacts as well as inform the public what actions will be taken to respond intheeventofanaccident.
The ministry said they are awaiting the findingsoftheinvestigationlaunchedbythe Guyana Police Force (GPF) into the fake pensionbooks.Pensionerswereencouraged to use the banking system, which does not requireanybook,asthepensionisdeposited inthefirstfivedaysofeverymonthintobank accounts.
It was stated, “The ministry sincerely regrets any inconvenience to pensioners for the delays but it is critical to improve the integrity and accountability of the Pension delivery system in the best interest of the pensioners.”
Notably,some3,000more2024OldAge Pension books, with new security features havealsobeenprintedtocaterforpensioners who have not yet received their books and will be available from November 25 onwards.Accordingtotheministry,therehas beenanincreaseinthenumberofpensioners to70,000,overthelast3years.
CONTROVERSY
In December 2021, a group of Environmentalists wrote to the EPA requesting that it discloses the list of other qualified consultants, from which ERM was selectedtoconductEIAs.
Inthedocumentseenbythispublication, the experts Simone Mangal-Joly, Alfred Buhlai, Vanda Radzik, Janette Bulkan, DenutaRadzik,JerryJailall,AlissaTrotzand Maya Trotz questioned the independence of Exxon’s Consultant, ERM, since records at that time showed that the ExxonMobil subsidiary has only ever selected the ERM from a list of consultants, to conduct all its Environmental Impact Assessments and managementplans.
Kaieteur News reported that one advocate, Simone Mangal-Joly, even questionedtheindependenceofERM.
Shesaid,“Thereseemstobealong-term
relationshipbetweenthisfirm,Esso[Exxon’s partner] and the Environmental Protection Agency in Guyana as it keeps selecting the samefirmtodothestudyforEsso.”
According to Mangal, “the EPA Act requires that the firm is independent. You cannotclaimindependencewhenyouhavea long-termrelationshipdoingallofthestudies for the applicant [Esso] because you have a financialrelationshipnow Thisisafirmthat establisheditselfinGuyanaandisdoingallof Exxon’s work effectively It is not independentandGuyaneseneedtolookatthe EPAfor failing to do its duty,” Emphasizing the law, Mangal noted that the relationship between the three entities leaves many questions.
“TheEPAActisveryclear,theremustbe independence and that independence has to bejudgedonseriouscriteria…Doyoureally think a firm is independent when they keep doingthestudiesoneaftertheother?Arethey theonlyqualifiedfirmtodothejoboverand overagain?AndwhyisGuyana’sEPAfailing the nation by not looking into this practical patternthatitisresponsiblefor?”questioned theenvironmentalist.
Professor Dr. Clive Thomas
The danger of sprinting through a marathon
ThereisanoldGuyanese adage, “One, one dutty does build dam.” It speaks to the wisdom of steady, deliberate progress, of laying each block carefully so the structure can stand firm againsttimeandtide.
But in the lexicon of our country's economic leadership, this proverb has seemingly been cast aside. The finance minister likens our economic trajectory to running a marathon at sprint pace—a metaphor that may sound exhilarating but is fraught with peril The President echoes this sentiment, as if to suggest that the breakneck pace of development is both inevitable and desirable. Yet history, economics, and commonsensetelladifferent story:thisisadangerousand ill-conceived strategy, one that courts the very failures wehopetoleavebehind.
The first and most immediate danger of sprintingthroughamarathon is the risk of overheating. Economically, overheating refers to a situation where demand outpaces supply, leading to inflation, labour shortages, and overburdened infrastructure. Already, the signs are apparent Construction materials have skyrocketed in price, skilled labourisinshortsupply,and wages in certain sectors are
rising faster than productivity
Thisisakintoamarathon runnerburningoutbeforethe halfway mark, muscles cramping, breath short, unable to maintain the pace.
Whenaneconomyoverheats, it sets the stage for a hard landing—a rapid slowdown that brings growth to a screechinghalt.Foracountry like Guyana, which is pinning its hopes on longterm prosperity, this is a risk wecannotaffordtotake.
The second flaw in this sprintmentalityisthelackof room for adjustment
Economic development is rarely a straight path; it requires course corrections, the careful identification of mistakes, and the space to remedy them. But when the pace of development becomes a runaway train, there is no time to step back and reassess. Decisions are made hastily, projects are rushed, and inefficiencies andcorruption.
Guyana's economy, though buoyed by oil, remains vulnerable to external shocks. Global oil prices fluctuate wildly, supply chains can be disrupted by geopolitical crises, and environmental disasters loom large over a low-lying nation like ours. Moving at a reckless pace magnifiestheimpactofthese shock
g headlongdownapathonlyto stumble over an unforeseen obstacle—thefallisfarmore catastrophic than if they had beenjoggingsteadily
A measured pace allows for the building of economic buffers foreign reserves, diversified income streams,
infrastructure that can cushion the blow of external
disruptions. By prioritizing speed, we are undermining over sustainability and placing ourselves at the mercy of forces beyond our control.
Rapid development also risks deepening social inequality While the economy expands at breakneck speed, not all Guyanese are benefiting equally The distribution of wealthinoursociety,already skewedinfavouroftherich, will become more distorted
development. This can have the effect of kindling for future instability True prosperity requires inclusive growth that lifts all citizens, not just those who can keep pacewiththesprint.
Institutions are the bedrock of sustainable d e v e l o p m e n t B u t institutions cannot grow overnight.They require time to mature, to adapt to new challenges, and to develop the capacity to manage complexsystems.Oneofthe reasons why there are problems with delays in the public sector investment programme, has to do with thefactthatwhilethesizeof that programme has expanded, the capacitybuilding to manage and monitor such an expanded programme has not kept apace This is what the Presidentdidnotseeandwhy he had to call his earlymorning meeting with
Secretaries, engineers and contractors Pushing an
DEM BOYS SEH
From fingerprints to toe-prints and big heads
Dem boys seh de Opposition want fingerprint verification before people vote. Dem seh is to mek sure nobody vote two times or to avoid voter impersonation. But dem boys seh not everybody in Guyana got fingerprints.
Wuhdemgondoaboutdehard-working cane-cutta who done wear out dem fingers from chopping cane or dem masons who mixing cement all day… or de lil old lady who been wash clothes so long her fingers smooth like glass? Dem people nah gan be allowedtovote?
Demboysseh,timefuhinnovation!Ifno fingerprint deh, tek de big toe. Everybody gotone,andbigtoeprinthardtofake.Andif de big toe missing, tek de lil toe. But wait, wah happen to de people who lose all dem toe?Demboysseh,simple!Measuredesize ofdepersonhead.Ifdeheadbig,deyvote;if itsmall,deyvotetoo,butwidextrascrutiny Dis biometrics ting getting outta hand. Dem boys hear somebody seh if de fingerprint,toe-print,andheadmeasurement fail,demshouldintroducevoicerecognition.
economy forward at sprint pace overwhelms existing systems institutions, leading to mismanagement, inefficiency, and the erosion of public trust. The very foundation upon which economic progress rests becomesunstable.
Guyana's oil production strategy is unmistakably set on an ill-advised course: pump as much as we can, as fast as we can, with little regard for a coherent, datadriven depletion policy Without a written depletion policy, we risk draining our reservesatabreakneckpace, leaving future generations with diminished wealth Rapidextractionexacerbates environmental risk By sprinting toward maximum production, we are squanderingafiniteresource.
History is littered with cautionary tales of nations that prioritized rapid growth at the expense of sustainability The Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s exposed the vulnerabilities of economies that expanded too quickly without adequate regulatory oversight. Closer to home, Venezuela's reliance on oil wealth without diversifying its economy has left it in economic and social ruin.
Thelesson is clear:sprinting throughamarathonleadsnot tovictorybuttocollapse.
The Guyanese saying, “One, one dutty does build dam,” reminds us that small, steady, and purposeful steps are the surest path to prosperity This is not an argumentagainstambitionor progress—it is a plea for prudence. Let us prioritize quality and equality over speed, ensuring that every project, every policy, is designed to stand the test of time. Amarathonisnotwonin the first few miles; it is won by those who pace themselves, who conserve their energy, and who finish strong. For the sake of our future, let us embrace the wisdom of steady progress. (Theviewsexpressedinthis 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.)
But dem boys know how Guyanese accent confuse machines. Wah if de system reject somebody because it think dey seh "vote" whendeyreallyseh"goat"?
Anudda suggestion come in: DNA testing. But dem boys seh dem don't trust that. Imagine standing in a line waiting fuh results,anddemlabmixupdesamples.Next ting yuh hear, you related to somebody yuh didn't even know was yuh cousin. Chaos in depollingplace!
Dem boys seh voting in Guyana always gotdrama,andnowdeOppositionaddingto it. Dem seh all these checks to make sure nobody thief election, but dem boys seh Guyanese already got de best system: who win, win, and who lose does she, "election rig."
Dem boys seh forget de fingerprint and de toe print. Just mek sure people know wherethepollingstationdeh,dempartygat dem scrutineers on hand and let de system work. Otherwise, we gon need a whole forensiclabateverypollingstation! Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
Personalcapacity,Jagdeo’sdemocracy
ThePeople’sProgressiveParty (PPP)andthePPPGovernmentdo more than wax profusely about democracy,bothsaytheyliveit. To personalize this, Excellencies Ali and Jagdeo speak democracy lavishly, then assert that they practice it smartly Concerning a referendumonrenegotiationofthe Exxon deal, Attorney General Nandlallisspeakinginhispersonal capacity, and not for the PPP Government.
How stupid does Dr Jagdeo think that Guyanese are? Relative tothesamenationaloilpatrimony, the same Jagdeo reassured Guyanesethatformerpresidentand now Ambassador Samuel Hinds, was expressing independent thinking. NowDr Jagdeocouldbe excused for concluding that some Guyanesearesodumbastofallfor thatsnakehedroppedintheirlaps. He, however, cannot be pardoned for thinking that all Guyanese are so dotish that they swallow his lines about the personal capacity of Excellency Nandlall and the freedom to think given to Ambassador Hinds Thinking what they did in private may be poisonous to the party’s atmospherics,expressinginpublic, on the other hand, would be
perilous to the Hon Vice President’ssubterfuges.
Nonetheless, I tip my fedora to mybrother,heoutdoeshimselfand exceedsthatoldGuyaneseproverb ofgettingtwosweetnessoutofone bone. Jagdeo got three, maybe evenfour,whenIpushit.
The newly “poor Sam Hinds” and Mr “Personal Capacity” Nandlall are fully familiar with where the PPP as party and government stand on a whole host of issues pertaining to the Exxon contract. Both are totally au fait withtheclausesthatcausesomuch controversy locally, and where their treasured PPP stands. Topdown information sharing (not to be confused with internal discussionanddebate)ensuresthat every member of the PPP’s inner circleisawareofwhattheposition is.
Ring-fencing, renegotiating, propagandizing, and stonewalling (or steamrolling) on this oil is second nature to them by now Theydon’tspeakoutofturn;nordo theyhavetheluxuryofthinkingfor themselves
So, Excellency Jagdeo can take that one about “personal capacity” and “independent thinking” and shove it to where even the crows fear to
peek. Someinsiderswerestripped naked last Tuesday morning, and treated to a verbal cat o’nine tails whipping.
Did anyone object, stand up, pushback? Guyaneseshouldknow thatlastTuesday’sshowwasavery milder, tamer, softer version of the trashing and battering that ministers and others are subject to behindcloseddoors. Itispolitical domestic violence taken to crisis levels. Again, which one of them, Drs. Hinds and Nandlall included, is going to run off at the mouth in public? They are parroting the party line, which is Jagdeo’s line. ThefirstsweetnessforBJ-freedom tospeak.
Second,ExcellencyHindsgoes out as the sacrificial lamb on oil onlytoendupaguineapig. “Isnah de guvment posishun?” Guinea pigs get roasted over a slow fire. Sorry, Mr Sam, with similar condolences extended to Mr Anil. Jagdeo clears the air: the two luminaries are speaking for themselves only, on their own initiative. This is part of Jagdeo’s patented setup. He corrects, he looks good, he shows who is the boss. Sweetnessnumbertwo:they arehisfallguys,whippingposts. Next, Jagdeo lives in dread of
his supporters seeing his failures with their oil wealth. Hence, he rages at any independent thought, anystingingcriticism. Thosewho exposehimforhowheisandwhat he has become, thanks to his surrender to Exxon, and Exxon’s holdinghimatgunpoint.
He gets Nandlall and Hinds to take public positions about why some oil developments are unconstructive. Then, he can ride to their rescue, expound on free thinking,prizedpartyindividuality, and his government’s position on some oil issue. Conspicuously, he avoids going into specifics about thelatter
Thinkingofthis,IseeJagdeoas more than an oil phantom, he is a crudeoilfarce. Heslips,heslides, he circles, he sneaks about, and he slinks away He maneuvers situations so that he can take the other side of contentions that everybody in the PPPknow is one biggame,aslicklysetfixedgame. Jagdeo is arranger and composer He arranges the masquerades, he composesthestorylines,theclimax and the conclusion. The third sweetnesstasted.
Last,thereisthismake-believe about party democracy (freethinking). Thistragedyabout
oil democracy (duty, equity, country). This vulgarity about political democracy (free speech). Former head-of-state Jagdeo gets to pretend that he and his PPP Government are about all these things,whichisthefirstdeception. Whether first or twenty-first, Jagdeoislikeanegligee:hecanbe seen through in how much he insulates Exxon, defends Exxon, doestricksforExxon.
If it means that Sam Hinds and Anil Nandlall must be stepped on, thenthatisdone. Heusesthemto sendthefirstmessage:don’ttouch theoilinanyway Thenhecomes along and gets his second bite. It’s not that way, without taking new positionsornewconditions. What a manipulator! What a savvy, whole propagandizer Jagdeo sucks the fourth sweetness from Guyana’soilbone.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Modi’svisitGuyana,former Indian High Commissioner to Guyana Venkatachalam Mahalingam urged Indian businessestotakeadvantage
o f t h e u n t a p p e d opportunities in the South Americancountry
Inanarticlepublishedby The Print, Mahalingam
highlighted Guyana’s abundant resources, saying, “Guyana is still a primary economy and is dominated
by the so-ca
d six sisters–rice, cane sugar, gold, bauxite, fish and timber.”
Mahalingam was the Indian High Commissioner to Guyana from 2014 to 2019 In his article, he underscored that Guyana, the only English-speaking nation in South America, is uniquely positioned as a bridge to North American marketsandhometoalarge Indiandiaspora.
M a h a l i n g a m emphasized that Indian
companies could engage in value-added industries such as gold refining, jewellery
,
nd advanced timber processing tomaximizereturns.
Notably, he also pointed out th
tial in agriculture, suggesting contractfarmingforoilseeds and pulses on Guyana’s fertile lands, and aquaculture, which could cater to the growing global demandforseafood.
Mahalingam said, “Indiancompaniesalsohave the opportunity to employ large-scale contract farming for producing much-needed oil seeds, pulses, etc., as millions of acres of virgin lands are available in the interiorsavannahregionsfor cultivation Guyana, knownasthe“LandofMany Waters”, is criss-crossed by innumerabledrainagecanals and rivers These water bodies offer opportunities
forIndiancompaniesinboth freshwater and saltwater aquaculture of desired species, which have immenseexportpotential.”
With infrastructure improvements,includingthe Gas-to-Energy project, Guyana is well-poised to attract significant foreign investment.
He said, “Annually, an
averageof15,500kgofgold
Dore bars are produced in Guyana and the entire production finds its way out ofthecountry.”Mahalingam said that with the GTE project set to come onstream, “ easing the energy situation, Indian companies have the opportunity to not only set up gold refineries but also
enhance the value manifold by setting up jewellery manufacturing units, for which there is a market in NorthAmerica.”
HesuggestedthatIndian companies can also look for opportunities in Guyana’s timbersectortoo,“Timberis another area which has vast potential for cooperation Guyana exports a large quantity of logs without any value addition. Some Indian companies are already importing wood in this form…”
Moreover, Mahalingam further noted that Guyana’s r i s i n g c r u d e o i l production expected to reach1.3millionbarrelsper day by 2027—opens doors for Indian businesses in downstream industries like mini-refineriesandotheroilbasedventures.
Notably, it was stated that Mahalingam views are personal.
Former Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Venkatachalam Mahalingam
Brutus sues senior cops for misfeasance in public office, seeks $400M in damages
Embattled Assistant Police
Commissioner (ag) Calvin Brutus on TuesdayfiledalawsuitagainstseveralhighrankingmembersoftheGuyanaPoliceForce and the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU), accusing them of misconduct and abuseofpowerduringtheirtimeinoffice.
Brutus is seeking $400M in damages for alleged wrongful actions committed by the seniorofficersbetweenJuly1andOctober24, 2024 Inastatementreleasedbyhisattorneys, Brutus emphasized that the amount being sought in damages does not fully reflect the extentoftheallegedmisconduct
“Quite simply, GYD$400,000,000 00 (four hundred million dollars) is not even close to enough for the scale and gravity of the alleged misconduct in public office visiteduponBrutus,”thestatementread.
The lawsuit, published on Brutus’ Facebook page, names several high-ranking officials, including Head of SOCU, Fazil Karimbaksh; Deputy Commissioner, R
Commissioner, Errol Watts; Deputy Head of SOCU, Mahadeo Singh; Finance Officer, Bharat Persaud; Deputy Superintendent of Police and Special Constable, Frank Harvey; Police Investigators Troy Scott, Krishnadat Singh, and Narind
a Balliram; Quartermaster, Lingard Walcott; Finance Inspector of SOCU, Mark George; and the AttorneyGeneralofGuyana,AnilNandlall. Brutus claims these officers engaged in misconduct,unlawfulbehaviour,andabuseof power while performing their official duties,
Brutus is seeking general damages exceeding $300 million dollars for misfeasance in public office, including misconduct, abuse of power, and other unlawful actions. He is also seeking special damagesinexcessof100milliondollarsfor losses related to income, reputation, emotionaldistress,andeconomichardship.
In his press release, Brutus through his attorneys underscored the gravity of his claims,statingthattheharmdonetohimfar exceedsthedamagesheisrequesting.Healso argued that the accusations are serious enough to trigger both a civil lawsuit and a criminalinvestigation.
“The public must note that in any
functionaldemocracy,theconductallegedby Brutus, in his civil claims, is enough to facilitateaninvestigationandthosefoundto have acted improperly should be placed beforethecourts,”thestatementsaid.
Brutus is also calling for an independent criminalinvestigationtobelaunchedintothe allegations he is making against the senior officers as well as a “fair and impartial tribunal, perhaps a PresidentialCommission of Inquiry international experts or agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)orScotlandYard,shouldbeinvolvedto ensurefairnessandtransparency
“Brutus calls upon the authorities in Guyana to disburden the Commissioner of Policeoftheuniqueconundrumofthepolice investigatingthepoliceinanyGuyanese-led ‘independent’inquiry Atthisstage,theonly appropriate recourse is to summon international, impartial, professional help,” thestatementemphasized.
Additionally,Brutushasofferedtotakea polygraph test to prove the veracity of his allegations and has invited the accused officers to do the same. He is also open to cooperating with independent investigators, including international law enforcement agencies,touncoverthematter
The Assistant Police Commissioner’s attorneys noted clearly that their client has “documentedhisclaimsandcooperatedwith independentarbiters,includinginternational law enforcement agencies, whose sole concernistopursuethetruth.”
“In ensuring the gauntlet contacts the ground, Mr Brutus is prepared to cooperate withindependentinvestigatorsinthepursuit of the truth in the issues at the heart of the claimshemakesagainsttheDefendants,”the statementadded.
Since the public disclosure of his involvement in financial crimes, Brutus has facedsignificantchallenges.Earlierthisyear, SOCU launched an investigation into his activities,leadingto231chargesagainsthim, withbailsetat$16.25million.
InOctober,itwasrevealedthateightbank accounts,totaling$500million,belongingto Brutus, his wife Adonika Aulder, and their toddler, had been frozen as part of the ongoing investigation Additionally, the couple was barred from traveling to the United States for a pregnancy-related trip after their application for travel clearance wasdeniedbytheHighCourt.
Embattled
MP,
Th e P u b l i c
A c c o u n t s
Committee’s (PAC) work has been hamstrung but the constant cancellationofmeetingsdue to absent government members, Opposition MemberofParliament(MP) and People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) representative Ganesh Mahipaulsaid.
However, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and PAC member, Gail Teixeira said that the PAC has been functioning optimally in the circumstances. This is not the first time
PACworkhamstrungbyabsent Govt.members–Mahipaul
…Teixeira
says not compulsory to meet every week
Mahipaulhascomplainedof absenteeism by the government side of the Committee.
In a public missive, MahipaulnotedthatthePAC of the 12th Parliament of Guyana continues to face deliberateobstructionbythe absenteeism of government representatives.
“This critical oversight body, designed to ensure accountability and transparency in public expenditure, has been rendered virtually ineffective due to the government’s calculated tactics,”Mahipaulsaid.
According to Mahipaul, the imposition of the controversial and arbitrary motion requiring two government members to form a quorum is nothing shortofadeliberateeffortto hamstringthePAC’swork.
He explained that the requirement has created a situationwheremeetingsare dictated solely by the availability of government members, resulting in a troubling pattern of convening only once a month.
“Such a slow pace undermines the PAC’s mandate and raises serious concerns about the government’s commitment to democratic oversight,” Mahipaul said adding that the deliberate delays appear to be a strategy to avoid scrutiny of the Auditor General’s reports for 2020, 2 0 2 1 , 2 0 2 2 , a n d 2023 reports that have revealed alarming levels of c o r r u p t i o n a n d incompetence under the PPP/Cadministration.
At this rate, he believes the PAC risks never
examining the expenditures of this 2020-2025 government, further eroding trust in the parliamentary oversightprocess.
Mahipaul suggested that “A government that loudly proclaims its superiority to t h e A P N U + A F C administration should welcome regular and robust PAC meetings as a demonstration of its t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability Instead, its actions suggest a deliberate avoidance of scrutiny, raising the specter of a regime intent on concealing its mismanagement and corruption.”
Mahipaul said that by stalling its operations, the government is not only undermining these principlesbutalsoexhibiting autocratic tendencies that threaten the foundations of
goodgovernanceinGuyana. “ T h e PA C i s a cornerstone of democratic governance and a critical t o o l f o r e n s u r i n g accountability…We call on the government to cease these obstructive tactics immediately and facilitate the PAC’s unhindered operation.Transparencyand accountability are not optional they are nonnegotiable obligations in a functioning democracy The people of Guyana deserve nothingless,”hesaid.
InresponsetoMahipaul, Minister Teixeira explained that “It is not compulsory that the PAC meets every week. However, we have metmorein12thparliament more than
ast parliament. We have been putting in the work to cover thereportsthatarecurrently beforethePACbutwhathas
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and PAC Member, Gail Teixeira
beenhamperingusisthelack o
information published in thosereports.”
The minister noted that many times agencies appear before the Committee without “the relevant document and then sometimes, they fail to present themselves before thecommitteesothereisthis back and forth between us that is causing some of the delay.”
“Wewanttodothework but we have to do it comprehensively,” she assured.
Opposition
Ganesh Mahipaul
India’s Prime Minister for inaugural meeting with 14 Caribbean Heads today in Georgetown
India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will today meet with 14 Heads of Governmentfor14Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countriesinahistoricsummit that will for the first time convene the two sides in a CARICOMmemberstate
The November 20 engagementinGeorgetownis gearedtowardsstrengthening bilateralrelationsintheareas of economic cooperation, agricultureandfoodsecurity, health and pharmaceuticals, andscienceandinnovations
In a statement on Tuesday, the CARICOM Secretariat noted that the opening ceremony will feature remarks by the Chair of CARICOM and Prime MinisterofGrenada,Dickon Mitchell; President of Guyana,Dr MohamedIrfaan Ali; Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi; and CARICOM SecretaryGeneral,Dr CarlaBarnett.
CARICOM Heads of Government and India’s Prime Minister last met in 2019 in the margins of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) where they discussed cooperation modalities in renewable energy and climate change through a US$150 million creditlinefromIndia.
Assistant SecretaryGeneral for Foreign and
Community Relations at the CARICOM Secretariat, Elizabeth Solomon said that India is an important global actor “Our Member States are keen to meet Prime Minister Modi and develop d e e p e r t e c h n i c a l relationships, deepen the relationship in terms of advocacy for small states in the international arena, and strengthen people to people ties,” she said ahead of today’sSummit.
CARICOM Member Stateshavehadlongstanding friendships with India; however, the process of formalising
ons between the two sides began in 1985 when anAgreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperationwassigned In 2003, a CARICOM delegation led by the Hon KD Knight,formerMinister ofForeignAffairsandForeign Trade of Jamaica and then Chairman of the Community Council visited India, and signed an Agreement to establish a Standing Joint CommissiononConsultation, C o o p e r a t
d Coordination between CARICOMandIndia
At the first meeting of CARICOM-India, Foreign Ministers in 2005 in the margins of the 16th InterSessional Meeting of CARICOM H
GovernmentConference,the
rationalised possible areas of cooperation
The First Meeting of the CARICOM-India Joint Commission which was convened in June 2015
i
cooperation as agribusiness development, food security, health, small business
development, fisheries and disastermanagement
CARICOM and India havemaintainedtiesthrough the Joint Commission, political interactions at the HeadsandMinisteriallevels, aswellasmultilaterallyinthe contextoftheUnitedNations, the Commonwealth, the Group of 77, and the NonAlignedMovement
A 42-year-old contractor was crushed to death on Tuesday morning after two trucks collided at an intersection along Sheriff Street, Georgetown. The victim was identified asCarltonSmartt.
Security cameras on nearby buildings recorded the tragedy which caused chaos and congestion on Sheriff Street.Parkedvehiclesweresmashed,a resident’s fence and part of their home were destroyed.AGuyana Power Light (GPL)utilitypolewasbrokeninhalfand a Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) watermainwasdamagedcausingpower outageanddisruptionofwatersupplyin someareas.
The video showed that the trucks collided at the intersection Sheriff and DennisStreets.
OnetruckwasspeedingNorthalong Sheriff Street while the other was crossing over Sheriff Street from the westernendofDennisStreet.
ThetruckcomingfromDennisStreet was almost across Sheriff Street when the other truck collided with its tray spinning it around onto the eastern side of Dennis Street. As the truck spun, it reportedly knocked Smartt who was doing some exercising at side of the road The truck’s cabin ended up hanging over a trench damaging the GWI water main and Smartt was left pinnedunderitsrearwheelontheroad.
Meanwhile, the collision caused the other truck to crash into some parked cars, a GPL pole and a resident’s home ontheeasternsideofSheriffStreet.
AnambulancewascalledandSmartt was confirmed dead at the scene. News of his tragic death shocked his family, colleaguesandfriends.Manyexpressed theirshockonsocialmedia.Oneperson saidthatSmarttwasreportedlyheading toBeaconRotiShoponSheriffStreetto dosomeelectricalwork.
The individual, in a Facebook Post wrote: “He worked with Bassoo and Sons but hustled before and after work. He was the epitome of a working-class father wanting the best for his children andfamily HewasonhiswaytoBeacon Rotitoaddressanissuewehad.Hewas going to Beacon Cafe afterwards. So, I guesshediedonthewaytowork-doing whatheloved.
AsItypethis,I’msoheartbrokenfor
Continued on page 22
Dead: Carlton Smartt
The truck that crushed Smartt to death
The aftermath of the deadly two-truck collision
GPHC launches “Operation Brain Tumour” to clear backlog
- to conduct brain surgeries every Friday until the end of Dec.
In an effort to reduce the national backlog ofpatientsdiagnosed with brain tumours, the GeorgetownPublicHospital Corporation (GHPC) has launched “Operation Brain Tumour.”
In a statement on Tuesday, the hospital disclosed that the initiative aims to clear the backlog of patients with brain tumours
attending GPHC’s Neurosurgery Clinic by the endof2024.Toachievethis ambitiousgoal,surgeriesare scheduled to begin next Fridayandwillbeconducted every Friday until the close oftheyear
Additionally, daily surgeries will be performed from December 2 to December 9, significantly boosting the hospital’s surgicalcapacity.
GPHCsaidthatcentralto this initiative is the acquisition of the CUSA Clarity by Integra This equipmentwillmakeGPHC the first institution in the Caribbean to utilize this state-of-the-art surgical technology
The Cusa Clarity is a revolutionary tool in neurosurgery, designed to improve the precision and efficiency of tumour
removal.Traditionally,brain surgeries could take an average of 8-10 hours, d e p e n d i n g o n t h e complexity of the case and thepatient’scondition.With the integration of this advanced equipment,
Operation Brain Tumour team
Guyana This technology allows us to perform surgeries with greater precision,reducedtime,and improved outcomes for our patients. We are committed to addressing the urgent needs for our Guyanese and ensuringthatnopatientsleft behind.”
surgical time is expected to bereducedbyhalf,enabling t h e N e u r o s u rg e r y Departmenttoperformmore procedures with enhanced safetyandefficacy
OperationBrainTumour is being led by Chief Neurosurgeon, Dr Amarnauth Dukhi Dr Dukhi emphasized the importanceofthisinitiative, stating, “The acquisition of the CUSA Clarity marks a pivotal moment in neurosurgery for GPHC and
Moreover, as of October 31, 2024, the Neurosurgery Department has already completed 143 procedures with a total of 175 surgeries performin2023.
With the launch of “Operation Brain Tumour,” GPHC anticipates a significant increase in its
surgical output, setting new benchmarks for healthcare deliveryintheCaribbean.
The hospital said it remains steadfast in its mission to provide highquality, accessible healthcaretoallGuyanese.It wasalsohighlightedthatthe launch of this initiative underscores the GPHC’s commitment to innovation and excellence in patient care. For more information about “Operation Brain Tumour,” patients are encouraged to contact the NeurosurgeryDepartmentat GPHC.
Blossom Inc at a hearing on Friday told the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) that Gender-based and sexual violence againstVenezuelan women living in Guyana has significantly increased in the last fiveyears.
Speaking on behalf of the NonGovernmental Organisation, Blossom Inc’s founder, Ayodele Dalgety-Dean,toldthehumanrights body,“BlossomInc’sdatarevealsa sharp increase in the number of sexual and gender-based violence amongst Venezuelan migrants over thepastfiveyears”
She said that from 2020 to day, her organisation has reported some 307 cases and most of them occurring in Guyana’s hinterland regions “Theescalationofviolence isparticularlypronouncedinRegion Seven, where 174 cases were reported”,sheadded
Dalgety-DeannotedthatRegion Seven is considered a hotspot for exploitationandtraffickingbecause of transient population and limited law enforcement presence. She explained that the violence being suffered by these women are not only impacting their lives but the lives of their migrant children She
- NGO tells UN Human Rights body
even shared some stories of survivors,quotingthemdirectly.
“Beneficiary AA shared, ‘I left Venezuela thinking I would find safety here in Guyana but what I found was worse I was promised workintheminingcampsbutIwas forcedintoprostitution Iwasbeaten whenItrytoresist,andwhenItried togototheauthorities,theytreated me like I didn’t belong here”, Dalgety-Dean reported to the HumanRightsBody
Aftersharingthatvictim’sstory, she went on to explain to the commissioners at the IACHR hearing that it illustrates the exploitation being faced by the
migrant women being trafficked in Guyana’shinterlandregions.“Italso highlights the compounded difficulties of sexual and genderbased violence and xenophobic treatment where victims are met with hostility from local authorities andcommunities
Dalgety-Dean also highlighted those undocumented migrants are moreatriskbecausetheyfearbeing deported “Beneficiary AB describedherexperience,‘the fear of reporting the violence was toomuch IhadnopapersandIwas scared that I would be sent back to Venezuela The abuse I suffer was toomuchtobearbutIhadnooneto
turn to”, Dalgety-Dean said as she reportedanothervictimsstory.
Responding for the state, Minister of Governance and ParliamentaryAffairs,GailTeixeira said that law enforcement authorities do treat the victims of gender based and sexual violence withhostility “Wedorecognisethat therehasbeenprejudicesintheway in which the police have handled someofthecasesreferredtobythe CSOs”, the minister said before adding, “However, a number of thosecaseshavebeendated ”
While acknowledging the shortcomings,theministersaidthat the constitutionally established
Women and Gender Equality Commission has not received any complaintsrelatingtogender-based violence involving migrants or sex workersortransgenderwomen “In lightofthis,thestatepartyreaffirms theprincipleofexhaustingdomestic remediespriortosubmittingalleged violations to international or regional bodies such as the IACHR”
Minister Teixeira also disputed Blossom Inc’s account that the United Nations (UN) agencies in Guyana has reported violence againstmigrantsinGuyana “There has been no reported incident of sexual violence against the migrant populationbytheUNbodiesthatare operating within the migrant communities” In response to the claims made by the minister, BlossomInc’sfoundersaidthatall sources of violence are reported to the police and are within the agency’ssystems Sheadded,“What I was wondering about is that obviously there is a breakdown in communication and maybe how thingsarerecordedinthesystemand we are happy to be part of that solutiontoensurethatthereportsare recordedinawaythatistransparent forallagencies”
Perth-based Resolute Mining says it willpaythemoneyintwotranchestoMali’s government after the company’s CEO and two other executives were detained in the nation’scapital.
The miner says the payment is part of
Terence Holohan, CEO of Resolute Resources
(X: Resolute Resources)
an agreement that also requires all outstandingclaimsagainstthecompanyin Malitobesettled.
WHAT’SNEXT:
Resolute says it is working with the Maligovernmentontheremainingstepsto securethereleaseofitsexecutives.
ABC News - The
Australian mining company whose executives have been detained inAfrica over a tax dispute have agreed to pay $US160 million ($242 million)inabidtofreethem.
Perth-based Resolute Mining have said they will pay the sum to Mali’s government, which is holding three of its executives captive in the nation’s capital, including CEOTerryHolohan.
InastatementtotheASX
on Monday morning, Resolute said the payment was part of an agreement regarding the miner’s operationsinMali.
Theminersaidlastweek three of its executives had
been “unexpectedly detained” following discussions with mining and tax authorities regarding Resolute’s “in-country businesspractices.”
WA’s premier last week said the trio had not been harmed and was “being lookedafter.”
Resoluteworking tosecurerelease
Resolute said Monday’s m e m o r a n d u m o f
understanding, or protocol, providedthatalloutstanding claims against the company with Mali’s government, including those related to
management of offshore accounts, are settled.A man in military fatigues standing inagroupofotherpeople Resolute has made an initial payment of $US80 millionwithafurther$US80 million pending in future months “from existing liquiditysources.”
Resolute said it was w o r k i n g w i t h
remainingstepstosecurethe release of Mr Holohan and thetwootherexecutives.
“They remain safe and well and continue to receive support on the ground from the UK and International Embassies and Consulates,” Resolutesaid.
Executivesin Malifortalks
The executives had travelled to Mali’s capital Bamako to hold discussions
Resolute’s “in-country business practices, and to progress open claims made against Resolute, which the company maintains are unsubstantiated”.
Resolute has an 80 per centstakeintheSyamaGold Mine.
It’s understood Mr Holohan is a British citizen andwhiletheDepartmentof Foreign Affairs and Trade doesnothaveaconsularrole in the matter, it was in close contactwithotherembassies intheregion.
ResoluteMining’sstocks have plunged in the days after the company publicly confirmedthenews.
TheGuyanaPowerandLightInc.(GPL) ispursuingfinancialcompensationfromthree companies responsible for damaging GPL’s network and disrupting power supply to customers,resultinginatotallossof$35,890, 820.
InapressstatementissuedonTuesday,the company said that between November 6 and November 9, 2024 major accidents occurred which damaged GPL’s network infrastructure,causingthecompanytosuffer greatlosses.
On November 6, 2024, an excavator operated by China Railway First Group Limited struck the 69kV L17 Transmission Line, resulting in damage valued at $16,351,790 and a shutdown of the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).
Further, on November 7, a hauler truck
owned and operated by Demerara Shipping Company damaged the L16 Transmission LineatIndustry,EastCoastDemerara(ECD). The incident resulted in damage totaling $17,232,049andashutdownoftheDBIS.
To that end, on November 9, equipment from Paragon Transportation and Lifting Services caused $2,306,981 in damage to GPL’s network infrastructure. The incident rendered several feeders’ inoperable, disrupting service to parts of East Bank Demerara(ECD).
Assuch,GPLhasissuedformallettersto each company for full payments of the damages incurred. The stated costs include revenuelostduringeachpowerdisruption.
“We continue to urge the public to exercisecautionwhenoperatingortraversing near critical infrastructure to avoid similar incidentsinthefuture,”GPLsaid.
Security guard charged with trafficking Venezuelan women for sexual services
A37-year-old security guard appeared at theGeorgetownMagistrates’Courttoanswer twocountsoftraffickinginpersonscharges. The accused, Herman Nicholas, of Lot
113 Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was charged with assisting another person to traffic two Venezuelan women, aged 19 and 21, for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
The women were allegedly coerced into providingsexualservicestoclientsattheRed Dragon Night Club on Robb Street, Georgetown between August 19 and 22, 2024.
Nicholas is also accused of collecting money from the clients for the women’s services.
When Nicholas appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty, he pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecution objected to bail, emphasizing the severity of theoffenceandtheyoungagesofthevictims.
However, the court was notified that no evidence had been presented in court to support the charges against Nicholas. As a result,themagistrategrantedtheaccusedbail in the sum of $500,000—$250,000 for each charge.Nicholaswasalsoorderedtoreportto theCriminalInvestigationDepartment(CID) everyfirstandthirdFridayofthemonth.Heis scheduled to return to court on December 4, 2024,forfurtherproceedings.
Wanted murder suspect shot during police capture
Police on Monday shot and arrested Cortland Jones, who was wanted for murder and a number of other offences,duringaraidalong the Lethem – Kurupukari trail,RegionNine. Jones’ friend, Rickford King ofAranaputa Valley in the North Rupununi, was alsoshotonMonday Police in a press release said that officers from the Lethem Police Station received information suggesting that Jones was heading towards Lethem.At about 12:30h, while in the vicinity of Pirara Village, Central Rupununi, police observed Jones and King ridingamotorcycle.
The police team commanded the men to stop buttheyfailedtocomply As aresult,thepolicecontinued to pursue the men who lost controlofthemotorcycleand fell.
“Upon regaining their footing, both suspects advanced towards the police while wielding two choppers During the confrontation, one of the police ranks (an inspector) sustained an injury to his rightarm,”policesaid.
In response, the police dischargedtworoundsinthe suspects’ direction, striking Kinginhislowerlefthipand Jones in his left thigh. Both suspects were then arrested and taken
Lethem
Cortland Jones
Herman Nicholas
ByStephenLetts
Poverty, violence and inequality continue to hinder children's development
Poverty, violence and inequalitycontinuetohinder children from reaching their full potential, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Representative, Nicolas Pron disclosed on Monday Pron, while speaking at th the 35 anniversary of the ConventionontheRightsof t h e C h i l d ( C R C ) acknowledged that significantprogresshasbeen made but much more needs tobedonetobreaksystemic barriersthatcontinuetolimit opportunities available to children.
“Challenges remain and many children still face barriersthathindertheirfull potential, including poverty andviolenceandinequalities continue to exit, leaving some children at risk of being left behind,” he said notingthat“Collectively,we canovercomethechallenges that still stand in the way of realizing every child's right to survive, thrive and reach theirfullpotential.”
Onehundredandninetysix countries have ratified t h e C R C
UNICEF Representative to Guyana, Nicolas Pron
President Irfaan Ali
widespread commitment to protectingchildren'srights. He emphasized that this m
s a collective commitment to ensuring that children grow u p i n s u p p o r t i v e environments. In Guyana, where the CRC was ratified in1991,significantprogress hasbeenmadeinimproving access to education, healthcare, and legal protections for children, laying a strong foundation fortheirfuturewell-being. As such, he related that theanniversaryeventserved not just for celebration on
Education Ministry unveils study notes for NGSA pupils
To better prepare
students for their National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), theMinistryofEducationon Tuesdayintroducedtwonew learning materials for Grades Four, Five and Six pupils called ‘Concise Notes’.
Unveiling these new learning resources was MinisterofEducation,Priya Manickchandwhosharedin a Facebook post, “We brought out this beautiful new resource that I want to introducetoyou,thereisthe Concise notes for NGSA SocialStudiesandthenthere isConcisenotesforScience andwhatthisdoesitputsall that heavy, heavy notes that your children usually get exercisebookuponexercise bookintoaconciseform.”
The materials which are available in Social Studies and Science are concise, easy to read and simple to comprehend, covering a widerangeoftopics.
The notes which are organized by grade level, aim to help learners build a
strong foundation of knowledge and skills in the subjectareas.
According to the minister,thebookletswhich are in the printing process, can also be accessed via the Ministry of Education’s website.
Usingthenoteswillhelp pupils better understand concepts that will be assessedintheexamination.
“I am encouraging you all to use it and I tell you if use these and you use them effectively, your children will be ready for the Social studies and Science exams, for the NGSA, please use themItookgreatpleasurein making sure these were d o n e , ” M i n i s t e r Manickchandsaid.
This publication understands that the concise notes are now part of several learning resources whic
n Ministry has developed in preparing pupils for their
materials include the Guyana Learning Channel andWhizKids.
ow far the country has come, but also a call for action for the w o r k t h a
l i e s ahead.Meanwhile, President Irfaan Ali reflected on the significant progress Guyana has made in improving children'srights,particularly when compared to the past, where many children lacked access to basic necessities like education, healthcare, andproperhousing.
At the event held at the KingstonSeawalls,theHead of State highlighted the positive changes in the
country, such as the rise in homeownership and the creation of safer, familyoriented spaces that contribute to the holistic developmentofchildren.
Ali said, “I want you to understandthatthesesimple things that we take for granted are part of creating thatenablingenvironmentto protect the rights of our children.”
The President said that the CRC serves as a critical legal framework for protecting children's rights and has been embedded in
Guyana's national laws, influencing policies related to child protection, education, healthcare, and juvenilejustice.
However, he stressed that, despite these achievements, there are still ongoing challenges, particularly in addressing emerging global issues affecting children's rights, suchastherighttoidentity
“We need to have very mature conversations globally and the churches, religious leaders, societal leaders, legislators all must be involved,” the president saidaddingthat“Thereisno single play in this equation who must believe, he or she orthatjurisdictionhasaright to define for the rest of the worldthisissue,thismustbe acollectiveglobalissuethat is championed collectively by all stakeholders around theglobe.”
The Head of State warned that without addressing existing global gaps in child protection,
new,misguidedbenchmarks could emerge, hindering meaningful progress He stressedtheneedforaglobal commitment to fulfilling children's rights, as support systems are collapsing and many children are facing environments of indignity, mentalhealthissues,andlost hope.
Using Haiti as an example, he highlighted the lack of a coordinated international response to protect vulnerable children. He called for dedicated mechanisms to safeguard children's rights, tailored to their specific needs and circumstances.
“The realities for childrenaroundtheglobeare a reminder of the work that lies ahead of us, it's a reminder that for the attributes of peace dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality andsolidaritytobeachieved the system has to change becauseafterall,wearepart of the global community,” PresidentAlisaid.
Prime Minister Shri Narenda Modi is in Guyana for a three-day State visit. Prime Minsiter Modi was greeted at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport by President Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister Mark Philips as well as other government officials. (DPI Photo)
Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi as he arrived in Guyana for three-day State Visit on Tuesday (DPI photo)
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Electrician killed after trucks collide on Sheriff Street
From page 18 this young family. Guyana is poorer for this guy was 10 electricians in one - I could leave him anywhere on the premises without a worry. He had my back as they say”.
An investigation has been launched and both truck drivers were questioned.
Kaieteur News understands that one of the trucks was used for transporting sand. Meanwhile, the tragedy also saw a number of statements being issued by private sector bodies, the government and the opposition.
The Georgetown Chambers and Commerce Industry (GCCI) said that there is need for stronger enforcement of laws and stricter penalties to curb growing road fatalities.
“The country continues to be plagued with daily reports of road fatalities, and thus far in the year, there has been 117 deaths as a result of these road accidents,” GCCI said while adding that the loss of life cannot be allowed to continue unabated while Guyana loses its valued citizens.
“It is therefore crucial that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) implements a robust education and awareness, and monitoring campaign to ensure that road users operate within the ambit of the law,” the GCCI said.
The private sector organization also called on the state to pay full attention to the situation noting that it “must not turn a blind eye to this issue which has become an epidemic.”
According to the private sector body, timely and measured action is needed with great urgency particularly as it relates to legislating stricter penalties against errant road users.
“…The GCCI is (also) calling on members of the public to utilize the roadways in a safe and responsible manner. Speeding and disregard for traffic laws must not be tolerated, and failure to admonish these behaviours when we witness them may be regarded as complicity in lawlessness,” GCCI stated.
The Ministry of Public Works in a statement said that the “devastating incident
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serves as a stark and painful reminder of the fragility of life on our roads and the catastrophic consequences that can result from reckless driving.”The ministry noted that the Sheriff-Mandela Road and Lamaha-Dennis Street Road upgrades, where the accident took place, are part of government’s commitment to enhance the nation’s infrastructure.
“These projects integrate critical safety features, including traffic lights, clearly marked lanes, pedestrian crossings, and traffic signs, all aimed at promoting orderly and safe travel”, the ministry said before adding “Despite these advancements, today’s (Tuesday’s) tragedy high-
lights the ongoing challenge of ensuring compliance with traffic laws.”
Preliminary investigations, according to the ministry, indicate that multiple violations contributed to the fatal accident.Some of the violations listed by the Public Works Ministry included, excessive speeding, disregard for traffic signs, overloaded vehicle, improper lane usage and failure to yield to pedestrians.
“We urge every driver, particularly operators of heavy vehicles such as trucks carrying building materials, to strictly adhere to traffic laws,” further stated the ministry.
The ministry assured too
that it is actively collaborating with the GPF and other stakeholders to intensify traffic monitoring, enforcing stricter penalties for violations and implementing additional safety initiatives to protect all road users.
Weighing in on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) said that the government is “still lost in responding to the continuing road carnage.”
“As another Guyanese family mourns the death of a loved one through yet another traffic accident, we are yet to see any significant efforts on the part of government to address the crisis,” the opposition stated.
Bedroom Apartment for Working Couple or Single person
Bids opened to repair Police Finance Office
Two contractors have submitted bids to repair the Police Finance Office, the National Procurement and Tender AdministrationBoard(NPTAB)announcedrecently
MinistryofHomeAffairs
RepairsoffenceatSophiaBranch.
Bidder AmountTendered
J&ALumber Yard&Contracting Services
KawalRamdeenGeneralConstruction &OfficeFurnishing
JDInvestmentsInc.
$14,330,400
$11,258,520
The rehabilitative works are estimated to cost $12.2 million.The Ministry is also preparing to repair the fence at SophiaBranchwhichis estimatedtocost$14.9 million,and
MinistryofPublicService
RepairsoftheTrainingDivisionBuilding.
Bidder
R.PersidConstruction
StatixConstruction&GeneralSupplies
RWElectricalCompany&BuildingContractors
AmountTendered
$17,908,228
$36,290,901
$19,510,700
repair the Female Barracks at the Mounted Branch which is estimatedtocost$8.6million.
Haitian authorities say 28 alleged gang members killed by police, residents
Aljazeera - Armed gangs attacked a wealthy suburb of the capital, police say, as part of an effort to bring down the government.
The Haitian National Police have reported that 28 alleged gang members were killed by state securityforcesandarmedresidents in the latest clashes in the capital cityofPort-au-Prince.
ATuesday attack targeting the upscale suburb of Petion-Ville overlooking the capital had been announced over social media by Jimmy Cherizier, a former elite police officer turned leader of the powerful gang coalition calling itself Viv Ansanm (Haitian Creole for“LivingTogether”).
Reportsfromthegrounddepict a gruesome scene, with vigilantes decapitating the bodies of alleged gang members, cutting off limbs, and setting piles of bodies on fire withrubbertyres.
Harsh reprisals by vigilantes havebecomeadisturbingfeatureof thefightagainstthepowerfulgangs thatviolentlycontrollargeswathes of the Haitian capital. Last year, dozens of alleged gang members werestonedandburnedaliveinthe capital Criminal groups, which became more powerful amid the politicalturmoilfollowingMoise's assassination, have fuelled widespread violence, instability, and the mass displacement of residents.
Journalists take cover from the exchange of gunfire between gangs and police in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Monday, November 11 [Odelyn Joseph/AP]
announced on Monday that it would resume aid flights to the country following a weeklong pause that began after three commercial planes were struck by gunfire.
OnSunday,theUnitedNations International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced that 20,000peopleweredisplacedover the weekend in the capital, where gangs have continued to expand theircontrol.
“The isolation of Port-auPrinceisamplifyinganalreadydire
humanitariansituation,”IOMHaiti chief Gregoire Goodstein said in a statement, adding that only 20 percent of the capital was accessible to humanitarian workers.
TheIOMestimatesthatbyearly September, more than 700,000 people had been internally displacedinthecountry
“Our ability to deliver aid is stretched to its limits. Without immediate international support, the suffering will worsen exponentially,”saidGoodstein.
A 400-strong UN-backed international policing mission, staffed mostly by officers from KenyawhoarrivedinlateJune,has madelittleprogressintheirfightto roll back the influence of the criminal groups.The UN is due to meet on Wednesday to discuss a request by Haiti's government to upgrade the police mission to a fully-fledgedpeacekeepingforce.
G20 leaders call for ‘comprehensive’ ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon
Aljazeera - Leaders of the Group of 20 major economies have called for “comprehensive” ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon, while also stressing the need for cooperation on climate change, poverty reduction, andtaxingtheultrarich.
Theeconomicforummet inRiodeJaneiroonMonday asleaderssoughttoshoreup multilateral consensus on issues of concern amid heightened global tensions andUnitedStatesPresidentelect Donald Trump's return to the White House in January
Ukraine dominated the agenda on day one of the two-day summit after Washington gave Kyiv the green light to strike Russian territory with long-range missilessuppliedbytheUS.
Intheirfinaldeclaration, G20 leaders eked out a narrow consensus on Ukraine, welcoming “all relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just, and durable peace”, while again condemning the “threat or
useofforcetoseekterritorial acquisition” It, however, madenomentionofRussian aggression.
With an International Criminal Court arrest warrant obliging member states to arrest him, Russian President Vladimir Putin was not in attendance.
Instead, Russia was represented by Foreign MinisterSergeyLavrov.
The G20 leaders also
c a l l e d f o r a “comprehensive” ceasefire in Gaza, in line with a USproposed United Nations resolution urging a permanenthalttofightingin return for the release of all captivesheldbyHamas.
Their statement expressed “deep concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation” in thePalestinianenclave. Italsoexpressedconcern over the “escalation in Lebanon” and called for a ceasefire enabling “citizens to return safely to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line”, a demarcation line dividing Lebanon from
Israel and the occupied GolanHeights.
Left-wing Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has made extreme poverty and hunger a focus of the summit, with the group's final statement endorsing cooperation on effectively taxing “ultrahigh-net-worthindividuals”.
Lula, who grew up in poverty, earlier opened the summitbyunveilingaglobal initiative aimed at tackling poverty and hunger,
emphasising that such challengesare“nottheresult of scarcity or natural phenomena” but the “product of political decisions”.
Eighty-one countries signed the Global Alliance AgainstHungerandPoverty – which is also backed by multilateralbanksandmajor philanthropies – including 18of19G20nations.
Argentina, led by rightwing President Javier Milei, was the only G20 country
nottosupportit.
Argentina also partially dissented from several points in the G20's final declaration, including content related to the UN's previous 2030 sustainable development agenda, which Milei has referred to as “a supranational programme of asocialistnature”.
Lula's opening speech also highlighted the widespread impact of climatechange.
There was no climate
breakthrough in the final declaration, however, as leaders merely recognised the need for “substantially scaling up climate finance from billions to trillions fromallsources”. They did not stipulate who would provide the funds,butagreedontheneed to set a goal for how much money rich nations should give poorer ones by the end of the UN's COP29 climate change summit in Azerbaijan.
Brazil arrests five suspects in alleged Lula assassination plot
...Four G20 security guards reportedly among those arrested after murder bid mentioned for first time as part of coup probe
Aljazeera - Five people have been arrested in Brazil
for their suspected involvement in an alleged attempt to assassinate then President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his vice presidentinDecember2022, accordingtopolice.
The police said in a statement on Tuesday that mostofthoseinvestigatedin the alleged coup attempt are military personnel with specialforcestraining.
“A detailed operational plan called 'Green and Yellow Dagger' was
identified, which would be executed on December 15, 2022,aimedatthemurderof the elected candidates for president and vice president,” the statement said,inanapparentreference to the colours of the Brazilianflag.
Thiswasthefirsttimein the alleged coup attempt investigation that federal policehavementionedaplot to kill Lula and Vice PresidentGeraldoAlckmin.
Federal police officers carried out five arrest warrants on Tuesday, the
providinganynames.
The four “were arrested in Rio [de Janeiro], where theywereparticipatinginthe security operation for the G20 leaders meeting” on Monday, a federal police source told the AFP news agency, adding that a police officer was also taken into custody Lulawonthepresidential election in October 2022, defeating the far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, and took office in January lastyear
Thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in Brasilia on January 8 last year Several investigations havebeenopenedintothose events as well as other allegedplotstopreventLula
Those arrested are accused of taking part in a plot to prevent Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking office at the beginning of last year [File: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP]
investigations told the Reuters news agency in October The probe is expected to finish its work thismonth.
The Brazilian army monitored the federal operation against the coup plotters, which was carried out in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Goias, Amazonas andtheFederalDistrict.
The police said the suspects under investigation
Management Office” to be
fromtakingoffice. A
investigation will conclude that Bolsonaro conspired to engineer the attempted coup after he lost the election,
problems arising from the coup.
They also planned to seize and kill a Supreme Court justice if they succeeded, police said withoutnamingthejudge.
G20 leaders attend an event launching the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on November 18, 2024 [Eric Lee/Pool via Reuters]
Over $7M in cash trophies and other incentives now available
BySamuelWhyte
Acquisitioning to a number of requests of eager horse owners who want to be a part of the traditional Boxing Day Horse race meet, connections of the famous Kennard Memorial Turf Club (KMTC) have made a number of changes to the eagerlyanticipatedevent.
The KMTC, which is situated at Bush Lot Farm, Corentyne Berbice, is oneofthepremierehorseracingvenues in Guyana. It is famous for staging among others the much talked about Boxing Day horse race meet on th December26 atthesaidvenue.
Already perpetrations have gone a far way and a number of owners and sponsorsareeagertobeapartoftheday activities.
A number of changes have been made to the day's programme in an efforttomaketheeventmoreinclusive
so as to allow more horses to participate.
Withoversevenmillionandincash trophies and other incentives up for grabs and a reorganizing of the day programme, horse owners are eager to get on board and run away with the sumptuousprizesavailable.
The revised list shows the feature event the feature event is for animals classifiedC1andloweroveramilefora winner'stakeof$1.2Mandtrophy
There is now an event for G1 and lower animals as they do battle over 7 furlongs for a first prize of $600,000 andtrophy
Another top race will be for Three years old open Guyana bred horses. They will be competing for a winner's money of $500,000 and trophy over 7 furlongs.The J and lower animals will beracingforthefirstprizeof$300,000 andtrophyover6furlongs.
Wednesday November 20, 2024
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The K non-winners and L open horses will match strides for $250,000 andtrophyalsoover6furlongs.
The Guyana Bred 2-year old maiden animals will be racing over 5 furlongs for a take home reward of $250,000andtrophy.
TheLclasshorsesthathavenotwon a race will have a chance to compete over6furlongsfora$200,000winner's takeandtrophy
The outstanding jockeys, trainers and stable will all receive trophies and other accolades compliments of Businessman Ramesh Sunich of the TrophyStallGuyanafame.
Interestedpersonscanmakecontact with Isaac Dalloo 689-0629, Fazal Habibulla 657-7010, T Jagdeo 6187278, Ropnauth Sewsankar 678-6722 oranyotherexecutiveoftheKMTCfor furtherdetails.
SportsMax - Curacao securedpromotiontoLeague Aanddirectqualificationfor next year's Concacaf Gold Cup after they topped Group B of League B in the Concacaf Nations League actiononMonday
The Dutch-speaking Caribbean Island bettered St Lucia4-1intheirtop-of-thetableclashattheErgilioHato Stadium in Willemstad, Curaçao.
Gervane Kastaneer opened the scoring in the 27thwithatidyfinishonthe volley as he connected well
from Jearl Margaritha's weightedcross.
St Lucia pulled level in the 29th courtesy of Ryan Charles,whowonpossession at the top of the penalty area andfinishedatcloserange.
However, Kastaneer grabbed his brace to put Curacao back on top as he produced another decent close range finish to make it 2-1atthebreak.
Any hopes St Lucia had of a comeback were dashed in the 73rd when Juninho Bacuna displayed nippy footwork to dismiss markers andslothome.
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Bacuna then completed his brace and Curacao's rout when he fired home in the 79th to secure their promotion to League A and, by extension, a berth in the GoldCup.
They topped the group with 13 points, four more than St Lucia (nine points), whileGrenada,whowere3-0 winnersoverStMartininthe othergroupcontest,endedon sevenpoints.
RahimDennis(39th)and Keelan Lebon (87th and 90+3) sealed Grenada's win against St Martin to ensure they stay up in League B for anotheredition.
By virtue of that loss, St Martin, who finished last on the four-team standings on six points, have been relegatedtoLeagueCforthe next edition of the Nations League.
CWI names
Indies...
Frompage32 2024, Warner Park, St Kitts &Nevis.
ThirdCGUNITEDODIWest Indies vs Bangladesh: 12 December 2024, Warner Park,StKitts&Nevis.
1st T20 International: West Indies vs Bangladesh: 15 December 2024, Arnos Vale, St Vincent & The Grenadines.
2nd T20 International: West Indies vs Bangladesh: 17 December 2024, Arnos Vale, St Vincent & The Grenadines.
3rd T20 International: West Indies vs Bangladesh: 19 December 2024, Arnos Vale, St Vincent & The Grenadines.
CWI names West Indies Test Squad for home series against Bangladesh
ST JOHN'S, AntiguaCricket West Indies (CWI) has unveiled the West Indies Test squad for the highly anticipated two-match series against Bangladesh This home series, scheduled from 22Novemberto4December 2024, in Antigua and Jamaica, marks a crucial chapter as the team looks to capitalize on home conditions and finish the WorldTestChampionshipon ahighnote.
L e d b y K r a i g g Brathwaite, the squad features an exciting mix of seasoned, in-form players and fresh talent.The in-form JustinGreavesisinthesquad followingasensationalrunin theCGUnitedSuper50Cup, where he smashed three centuries His recent performances have been a highlight of the domestic season and underscores how pivotal domestic platforms
areforthenextgenerationof talent.
Kevin Sinclair also returns to the squad as a valuable spin bowling option, while Jason Holder will miss the series as he continuesrehabilitationfora shoulderinjury
West Indies fans throughout the region can catch the action on ESPN
Caribbean, while in Bangladesh, the Toffee digital platform will feature thematches.
At Pickwick: The Red Devils opted to bowl first against Strikers in a 34-over match, allowing the Strikers to post a formidabletotalof200/6.AsifChan,sonofrenownedcricket journalist and commentator Naim Chan, excelled alongside Dary Balgobin in a remarkable third-wicket partnership. Balgobin narrowly missed a half-century, finishing with 48 runs(1sixand4fours)from47deliveries,providingcrucial stability to the Strikers' innings despite overcast conditions. OpeningbatsmanAntonelAtwellcontributedasolid30runs. AsifChanultimatelyscored66runs(3sixesand5fours)off just 51 balls. The Strikers faced a setback when Chan and Balgobinweredismissedinquicksuccession,whichhindered theirscoringmomentumafterapromisingstartthathintedata totalnearing250.CaptainFarnumchippedinwithaquick-fire 24.FortheRedDevils,RajMangaliewasthestandoutbowler withfiguresof3for15in4overs,whileIanDrakesclaimed2 for40inhis7overs.
TheRedDevilsbegantheirinningscautiously,struggling torotatethestrikeandconvertsinglesintodoubles.Although they managed a few powerful hits towards the end, they ultimately fell short by 43 runs. Captain Rajendra Mangalie was the top scorer for the team with 45 runs (2 fours and 2 sixes) off 62 balls. Ken Mayers contributed 28 runs from 45 balls, while opener Terrance Romaine scored 22 runs off 42 balls.AtBNOC:CaptainRyanRamdasselectrifiedthecrowd withadazzling80runs(4foursand5sixes)off59balls.Julian Boyce provided solid support with a well-crafted 34 runs (4 sixes)offjust26balls,andopenerAnthonySahadeoadded23 runsfrom31ballswith4boundaries,leadingtheRoyalstoa totalof198for7.RajaPooranstoodoutwiththeballforthe opposition,taking3wicketsfor36runs.
Inresponse,theWarriorscrumbledtoamere69runs,with KrishnaSinghwreakinghavocwithfiguresof4for8,while Andy Layne took 2 for 11. OnlyVishan Lall and Roy Singh managedtoreachdoublefigures,scoring18and11runs.
Alphonso, Fung-a-Fat, Munroe among top performers as Stena
Drilling Junior Skill Level Tournament concludes
The courts at the Georgetown Squash Club on Camp Street buzzed with energy as the Guyana Squash Association (GSA) wrapped up its Stena Drilling Junior's Skill Level Tournament, showcasing the country's emergingsquashstars.Aftera week of intense competition, Michael Alphonso and Emily Fung-a-Fat emerged as the biggest winners, clinching the Stena Drilling Rough Necks and Marine Queens titles, respectively
T h e t o u r n a m e n t , sponsored by Guyana's offshore oil giant Stena
Drilling, featured six categories creatively named afterjobtitlesfromStena'soil rigs, and delivered top-tier performances from young talentsmatchedbyskilllevel.
Alphonso and Fung-a-Fat Reign Supreme in their respectivedivisions,Category A– dubbed the Rough Necks division, where only players with Caribbean championship experience competed, saw MichaelAlphonso,seeded#2, pulling off a thrilling upset against top-seeded Nicholas Verwey Alphonso triumphed 3-1 in the final, leaving Verwey to settle for second place while Louis Da Silva rounded out the podium in third.
Over in Category B –Marine Queens, Emily Funga-Fatt put on a commanding performance against Kayee Lowe, clinching the title in straightgames(11-6,11-4,115) Lowe claimed second place, while Egan Bulkan finishedthird. Meanwhile stars were in
other few categories, in Category B – Safety Gurus: Justin Ten Pow emerged as champion with an impressive 3-0 victory over Safirah Sumner Blake Edwards and Ethan Bulkan finished second andthird,respectively
In Category D – Grease Monkeys: Nijad Bacchus claimed sibling bragging rights, defeating Nidal Bacchus 3-0 to win the division Paige Mendonca securedthirdplace.
Kristian Vaipree outlasted Maxwell Vaipree in a fivegame thriller to take the Category E – Mud Rats title, while Zoey McDonald finishedthird.
The Electronic Wizards Category saw Namishraj Singh delivering a stellar performance against Jude Gobin;winning3-0inthefinal to clinch coveted first place spot while Gobin and Azaria Profittooksecondandthird.
Thetournamentwasn'tjust about the titles Tehani Munroe was honoured with the Heart of a Champion award for her unmatched determination and grit shown t
e Most Improved Player accolades went to Ethan Bulkan (boys) andEmilyFung-a-Fat(girls).
As the dust settled, the Stena Drilling Junior Tournament stands as a testament to the depth of Guyana'sJuniorsquashtalent. With the unwavering support ofStenaDrillingandtheGSA, these young athletes are primedforabrightfuture,both locallyandontheinternational stage.
It was a horrible bowling outing for the Select XI as Roscoe Anderson (1-17) and Jasani Craig (1-39) were two of four bowlerstograbawicketeach.
Ali then snared amazing figures of 4-5, while Brandon Henry 3-9 and Reyaz Latif (2-10) triggered a collapse as the SelectXIwereroutedfor80runsin35.4overs;leavingShazid Ramzan(25)andNathanPuran(12)asthetopscorersfortheir team.
OverattheLBIground,EastCoasthandedEastBanka152 run defeat, after posting 257. Akeem Persaud (52), Junior Dindyal(41),SatindraShiwdarsan(29),NathanielSukhnandan (28)ledthebatting.
East Bank's bowling was led by Jagdesh Kalpoo who grabbed4-46andVineshKalpoo3-74.Buttheirteamfoldedfor 105 despite Kalpoo returning to score 53. Somesh Boyer grabbed4-24asthestarbowlerforEastCoast.
Action continues today with another-double header with GeorgetownbattlingEastBankatFarmgroundwhiletheSelect XI tackle West Demerara at the Queen's College ground from 09:00heach.
Windies captain Powell takes mixed bag from England series as Bangladesh assignment approaches
SportsMax - West Indies captainRovmanPowellwascandid in his assessment of his team's shortcomings following their 3-1 series loss to England in the recentlyconcludedfive-matchT20 Internationalseries.
Powell acknowledged the challenges the team faced in adapting to conditions early in the series but remained optimistic about their upcoming clashes with Bangladesh. This, as he believes, the Caribbean side once again showed glimpses of its potential throughout the series but were unable to consistently produce a completeperformance.
In fact, England's decision to bowl first in the opening three
matches two at Kensington Oval in Barbados and one at the Darren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia—exposed the West Indies' struggles to navigate challenging conditions.
Theylostkeywicketsinquick succession during the powerplay in all three games, where they posted scores of 182-9, 158-8, and 145-8 and lost by eight wickets,sevenwickets,andthree wicketsinthatorder
As such, Powell admitted the team's inability to adapt cost them dearly
West Indies captain
Rovman
Powell
“Ithinkwealways,asabatting group, have a template that we try to work with; unfortunately, the templatedidn'tworkinourfirstfew games.Ittookusabouttwoorthree games to really wonder what's really happening to us as a batting group,andwealsoneedtosharpen up on a few areas as a bowling group,” Powell said after the rainaffected final game at the Daren
SammyCricketGround.
While he views their victory in the fourth T20I whentheypulledoffahistoric chase of England's 218-5, scoring221-5tosecureafivewicketwinaslightattheendof theproverbialtunnel,thatwin was merely to salvage some pride.
It is with that in mind that Powell highlighted the importance of quicker assessmentandadaptabilityas keytakeawaysfromtheseries.
“Asateam,weneedtoassessa littlebitfaster Wedidn'tplaygood cricket for long enough periods, and that made it a tough series. I thinkalotofcredithastobegiven
to Jos [Buttler] and his team; they really came in our conditions and dominated,”theJamaicanstated.
Despite the loss, Powell, who was among the standout performers, finishing as the series' second-highestrunscorerwith153 runs, is determined to build on the positivesfromtheEnglandseriesas they shift focus to the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladeshnextmonth.
“The way we played the last (fourth game) showed that we can play really good cricket. If we had just assessed the conditions a little bit earlier in the series, it possibly would have been a different outcome. These are lessons to be learned,”Powellnoted.
Cuba overturn deficit in 5-2 aggregate Play-In win over St Kitts and Nevis to book Gold Cup prelims spot
SportsMax - Cuba booked their spotintheConcacafGoldCupprelims aftertheyturnedthetablesonStKitts and Nevis in their Concacaf Nations LeaguePlay-IntieonMonday.
Needingtooverturnadeficitfrom their 1-2 first-leg loss, Cuba did just that in commanding fashion as they blanked St Kitts and Nevis 4-0 in a lopsided return-leg encounter at EstadioAntonioMaceoinSantiagode Cuba.
After bossing possession for most ofthefirsthalf,Cubainevitablybroke the deadlock when Onel Hernandez producedadecentsolorunonhisway todrivinghomearight-footerfromthe
But the hosts were far from done and doubledtheleadonthestrokeofthebreakas Yosel Piedra also converted from close rangeinthe45+3tomakeit2-0atthebreak and3-2onaggregate.
With St Kitts and Nevis offering very little resistance on the resumption, Cuba extended their lead in the 50th courtesy of LuisParadela'sclose-rangefinish.
Maykel Reyes then converted an 87thminute penalty to cap the win as Cuba continued their march towards making the cut for next year's Concacaf Gold Cup. A win in the preliminary rounds would see themachievingthatfeat.
o f m u s c l e , aesthetics, and electrifying performances as the Guyana Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (GBBFF), in collaborationwiththeMinistry of Culture, Youth, and Sport, hosts its flagship event—the Mr. Guyana National Seniors Bodybuilding and Fitness
C h a m p i o n s h i p The highly anticipated showdown will unfold on December 1, 2024, at the renownedOlympicHouse.
The competition is a premier event on the local body
ng calendar, promising to showcase the very best athletes in Guyana,
including the country's recent stars from the 51st Central America and Caribbean Fitness and Bodybuilding Championship(CAC2024).
The event has already gained substantial financial support from the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport, alongside Fitness Express. With more businesses and individualsexpectedtojoinas sponsors, the event is shaping up to be a well-backed spectacle.
Athlete registration is underway, and some of Guyana's most accomplished names in bodybuilding and fitness have confirmed their participation.
(Reigning Mr Guyana Men's Physique Champion, CAC gold medalist, and pro-card winner),HannahRampersaud, current Ms. Guyana Bikini Wellness Champion, CAC gold medalist, and pro-card winner, NicholasAlbert, CAC gold medalist and pro-card holderandJulioSinclair,CAC goldmedalist.
Christina Ramsammy, CAC silver medalist with a track record of stellar performances, Anthony McLean, Another CAC silver medalist ready to bring hisAgame,alongwithSeonBudhan andMelithaAnderson.
An official list of all competing athletes will be
released soon, but the confirmed roster already promisesintensebattlesacross thecategories.
The championship night will feature over 30 elite athletes competing in five d i s t i n c t s e g m e n t s ; Bodybuilding, which will be celebratingsize,symmetryand definition, Men's Physique, with a focused on proportion, aesthetics and stage presence, along with Bikini, Wellness and Fitness, combining physical conditioning and artisticpresentation.
Withlessthantwoweeksto go, anticipation is building for what promises to be a night of unrivaled athleticism and inspiringperformances.
Emmerson Campbell
Reigning Mr. Guyana Men's PhysiqueChampion, CAC gold medalist, and pro-card winner
DCB U15 Inter-Association tournament..
Georgetown romp
to
292-run win over Select XI - East Coast secure 152-run win
GeorgetownandEastCoast wrappedupcommandingwins when the 2024 Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) InterAssociation Under-15 tournament bowled off recently.
It was a daunting 372-6 which was racked up by
GeorgetownthatputtheSelect XI under pressure. Nathan Bishop cracked 140 which set uphisteam'smassivetotal.
A number of contributions came from Khush Seegobin (42), Makai Dowlin (36), Joshua Bollers(28)WasimAli (Continuedonpage33)
Demerara U15 batsman Nathan Bishop signaled his intentions early with a majestic 140.
The Stena Drilling Junior's Skill Level tournament brought the curtain down on Saturday at the GTC squash courts. Pictured are the winners from all six categories, along with sponsor representatives and GSAofficials, at the closing ceremony of the 2024 tournament
TestSquadforhome seriesagainstBangladesh
CAC Gold medalist, Julio Sinclair among the strongmen set to ignite the stage next month.
Reigning Ms Guyana Bikini Wellness, W Hannah Rampersaud
