Govt-owned Marriott sells VP Jagdeo
charges for Brutus More expired soft drink
Pres. Ali signals tougher penalties
company for reckless drivers
Govt. shrugs off concerns over chequered past of
ExxonMobil Guyana Limited(EMGL)haspulled out of the first oil block auction initiated by the GovernmentofGovernment (GoG). This is according to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo He made that disclosure on Thursday at his press conference at FreedomHouse.
ExxonMobil, Hess New Ventures Exploration Limited, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited were approved for shallow water block –S8 Last month, the Ministry of Natural Resources in an update on the competitive bidding round for the petroleum exploration licences, disclosed that four companies have accepted the new Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) while ExxonMobil is still reviewingthePSA.
Jagdeo was asked for an update on the auction and during his response on why this process has been dragged out this long, Jagdeo disclosed, “ So then the others, remember Exxon pulled out and they wanted to use the area for carbon capture and storage andwedon'twanttodothat at this stage ”Guyana's maiden auction launched in December 2022 featured 14 blocks but only eight received bids. The fiscal regime of the new PSA requiresthepaymentofa10 percent royalty and a 10 percent corporate tax. The costrecoveryceilingwillbe capped at 65 percent in a givenyear,whileprofitswill be shared 50/50 between companiesandtheState ExxonMobil is the
operator of the Stabroek Block and it holds 45% interest in that block. Its partners Hess and CNOOC hold 30% and 25% respectively Guyana's oilrich Stabroek Block, operated by ExxonMobil, requires a meagre 2% royalty, no taxes, 75% cost recoveryceilingeachmonth which leaves 25% of profit to be shared with Guyana.
Stakeholders had warned that the terms of the Exxon deal could deter investment since the new PSA now requires greater fiscal benefitsforthecountry This led to calls for new projects in the Stabroek Block to be subjected to these terms; however, the government remains adamantthatseekinggreater benefitscouldslowthepace of development and chase investors.
Moreover, Block S4, a shallow water portion, has b e e n a w a r d e d t o TotalEnergies EP Guyana B.V. in consortium with Qatar Energy International
E&PLLCandPetronasE&P OverseasSDNBHD. Outof Nigeria,InternationalGroup Investment Inc. was found eligible for two shallow water concessions—S5 and S10 An American and G
Corporation and Cybele Energy Limited, was approved for the shallow water block—S7. Delcorp Incorporated, a Guyanese company, in collaboration with Watad Energy and Communications Ltd and Arabian Drilling Company w
deepwaterblocktitled—D1.
G
had disclosed that International Group Investment Inc accepted the PSA with processing ongoing; Cybele EnergyLimitedacceptedthe PSA and is in the final review stage; Delcorp acceptedthePSAandisnow in the final stages of review and the TotalEnergies-led consortium accepted the PSA and is currently in the finalreviewstages.
PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.
Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456
Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS
Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210
ThemainpoliticalleadersinGuyanabehaveasthough oil is the last thing on their mind. It is the last subject that theyseektoaddress,thisgreatnationalwealth.Onlywhen toughquestionsareplacedbeforethem,andnottoanswer, would leave them looking suspicious, do they say something
Conspicuously, what the leaders in the PPPC GovernmentandtheleadingPNCROppositionhavetooffer onoilrangesfromindifferencetouneasinesstosomething bordering on palpable fear When they do talk about the nation’s oil, the lasting impression that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo andLeaderoftheOppositionAubreyNorton leaveisofmenontherun,asifsomegreatdangerishanging over their heads Both of these national leaders prefer to make themselves small when the issue is about oil. The priorityofbothistobenowherearoundoil,asifitissome ticking timebomb about to explode. Guyanese have voted forthem,putthemwheretheyaretoday CitizensexpectMr JagdeoandMr Nortontostandupandfightforthem,notdig holesinwhichtoburythemselves Inacountrywithmanygifts, thisoilgifttoGuyaneseisamongthebiggestandrichestthathas ever been given to a people Governments and groups prove themselvesonhowtheyplantomanageit,inwhattheyactually dowhentheopportunityistheirs
Leaders and their advisers, standout when their visions cracklewithwhatextracts,wouldfightfor,thebestbenefits forthetrueownersoftheoilwealth,everyman,woman,and childofGuyaneseheritage. Yetnowthattheoilishere,with alldoubtslongextinguished,JagdeoandNortonprefertobe left alone, to be receptive to talk about anything and everythingelseotherthanoil.
Weatthispaperthinkthatthatismorethanindifferenceof the rankest sort. For Jagdeo and Norton, have condemned themselves into being thought of as being prone to gross negligence. TheyhaveneglectedtheirdutytoGuyanese,while notcaringhowpathetictheycomeacrosswhentheydoso The recordisthatwhenJagdeowasOpposition Leader, he was a manonfirewheneveroilenteredthediscussion.Itiseither thatExxonMobilhasfoundsomemethodtofreezehiminto amummy,asisevidentfromhisstiffinactiononoil.Orthat allhisbigtalkwhenhewaswearingtheOppositionLeader’s cap were flawed in origins and probably deceptive in objectives.PromisedGuyanesethemoonandstars,butthen plasterthemwithmudandfilth.Attimes,andbasedonhis body language and his utterances, it seems as though both havebecomesecondskins. Theproblemisthathisbruises show distinctively For his part, Norton is most comfortable whenheiscirclingaroundoilissues,sharinganswersthatare comicalinthemselves,andputtingasmuchdistanceaspossible betweenhimandoil Moreandmore,thesenseisthatJagdeo andNortonhavegottenthemselvesintosomecorporatebind, fromwhichtheycannotseparatethemselves
So, they hide behind words or put up a wall. Norton doesn’t want to hear or speak about renegotiation, while Jagdeo stands as a great example of what represents derelictionofoffice. WhereJagdeotriestobluffhisway(a feature of PresidentAli’s normal oil leadership), Norton is more at home splitting hairs and fencing himself into a corner Further, one of Jagdeo’s sickest tricks has been volleys of abuse at the independent media and citizenobjectors,whileNortonhedgesandbeatsaroundthebush. Indifferenceisnotthewordthatcapturesthesubstance ofJagdeoandNorton. Self-imposedimpotenceiscloserto their individual reality, now that the huge demands of courageous oil leadership is what Guyanese need most urgently Jagdeo and Norton now find themselves sandwichedinanunforgivingpincer ThereisExxonMobil on one side, then there are the rising expectations of Guyanese. ExxonMobil is sure to like where these two Guyanese leaders are stuck. The same, however, is the worstplaceforthemtobebeforeGuyanese. Indifferenceis out,cowardlinessisin,andintrumps.
DEAREDITOR
Christopher Ram’s survey indicating an overwhelming 94% of the p e o p l e w a n t i n g renegotiations of the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), and the daily commentaries that followed, have put the Government in a state of utterconfusionandmadness undermining arguably the most consequential issue facingournation.
By its deeds, this Government has brandished its inbred authoritarian instincts abrogating its solemndutytothepeopleto represent and respect the voices and will of the majority
They have failed us badlyandnotfittocontinue ruling a democracy; but what else could one expect fromthosewhohavereveled inalifelongreverencetothe Marxist/Leninistideologyas its guiding principle, and went so far as to expel KhemrajRamjattanfromthe party for his advocacy to remove such an ideology from their constitution. A tiger cannot change its stripes, so, we will not be fooled when we see for ourselves,themiseryofover 50% of our people living in dire poverty on less than $5 USD per day, while the Government breeds its oligarchy of friends,
familiesandcronies.
Fortunately, Ram’s survey has flared up what 2nd VP Jagdeo thought he had doused with his diversionary scheme pointing to the new oil blocks’ PSAs as satisfying his pre-2020 election avowals to renegotiate the Stabroek Block PSA, when he fully well knows that the two PSAs have no connection whatsoever; but gladly, no one takes him seriously anymore, for the whole nation and beyond know that this man’s character is rooted in lies, manipulation, deviousness and propagandizing This renewed pressure tied to the renegotiations/referendum mustbesustainedandnotlet Jagdeo and Attorney General Nandlall (AG) off the hook with their cunning aim to distract from the one and only question to which the people deserve an immediate answer – Per the PSA, why hasn’t the Government done its job representing the people by takingthefirststeprequiring them to write Exxon requestingrenegotiations?
The VP would wish we forget his foaming at the mouthwhiledonninghisred shirtbattlegear,barkingthat “they sold us out to the foreigners sold out our patrimony…our people should be sad every time
there is an oil find out there because nothing is coming ourwayandwearegoingto renegotiate that contract”. Though his raging is on videoforalltosee,thisman can’t help his bred-in-thebone narcissism as he so confidentlyliesthathenever saidsuchathing;andthatthe PPPC manifesto says that they will not renegotiate, when it plainly says the opposite that they will renegotiate. Fortunately, we haveeyestosee,earstohear, and brains to think, to know that his cowardly fat talk is all bark and no bite when it comes to his bossman Routledge who controls his everymove.
Upon taking office, he and cohort Nandlall s u d d e n l y b e c a m e inseminated with religion about “sanctity of contract” and “rule of law” to bamboozle and cover-up their protection of Exxon while leaving Guyana defenseless and to God’s m e r c y M a y b e a n investigationiswarrantedto find out what brought about such a monumental Judaslikechangeofheartafterthe elections Nevertheless, despite their deluded belief that Guyanese are fools, all are very much aware of the “sanctity” of Clause 32.1 of the PSA enshrining that changes cannot be made without“consent”ofExxon.
The learned AG and the Honorary Doctor should at least possess the faculty to grasp that in order to have “consent” from Exxon, Guyanahastofirstseekthat “consent”.Inotherwords,to educate the gentlemen, “consent” cannot be given by Exxon without a request for that “consent” from the Government. Therefore, to repeat, the question demanding an answer, is, why has this request for “consent” not made to Exxon after over four full years in office? Instead, the Government prefers to engage in deceptions, lies andbetrayalofourpeoplein habitually going to bat for Exxon against us. In stark contrast, all of the Opposition parties, APNU, AFCandWPAareonrecord giving their full-throated c o m m i t m e n t t o renegotiations.
Justlikeinthepastwhen hefiercelybattledincourton Exxon’sside,tooverturnthe Coalition’s requirement for anExxonguaranteetocover allcostsfromanoilspillthat could bankrupt Guyana and the Caribbean without the guarantee, Nandlall carries on as Exxon’s mouthpiece publicly voicing that “regardless of a referendum Exxon has to consent to changeoildeal”.IsNandlall sodaftthathecannotfathom (Continuedonpage06)
On the morning of Monday 26th July 1965, Constable 6815 Looknauth SinghwasdetailedatSuddie Police Station to escort the Ministry of Works Paymasterandhiscanisterof money to Anna Regina, to pay workers But by afternoon, Doctors at the Georgetown Hospital were fighting to save his life after he was flown to the city by armyhelicopter
As Singh was walking towards the Pay Officer at Anna Regina, behind a porter,whowascarryingthe canisteramaskedmancrept upfrombehindanddealthim with a severe blow earlier
that day The attacker whipped out a knife, and stabbed him several times, then severing his landyard, took possession of the constable’srevolver
The bleeding constable grappled with his assailant, and although the revolver was pointed at him, he instinctivelyranintothePay Office where he knew the canisterwouldbebutevenas he did this, the attacker corneredhimanddischarged around,whichhithiminthe thigh.
The constable lunged forward, and despite his injuries, managed to make his assailant drop the weapon. Both dived for the
revolveronthefloor
The assailant faked death. Singh believing that the man was badly injured staggered toward the Pay Master and the canister, when suddenly the man jumpedupandfled.ThePay Master took the revolver fromSinghandfiredashotat the fleeing man but missed hismark.
Laterthesameday,Nazir Mohamed called Feroze, was arrested by villagers in the backlands with his face still blackened, and bullet wounds on his body
Mohamed was charged with wounding with intent to commitmurder Hewastried and sentenced to six years
imprisonmentandorderedto receive eight strokes (lashes).
Constable Singh was awarded the George Medal by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll for Gallantry of anextremelyhighorder
In 1970 his Excellency Cde Arthur Chung, President of Guyana and Chancellor of the orders of Guyana, appointed him a member of the Order of Service of an exceptionally high quality beyond the normal call of duty, in the causeoftheadvancementof thewelfareofGuyanaandits people.
Yourstruly FrankDeAbreu
I am not saying that
is in better hands today, but it could not be
Iwasgoingtorespondto the letter from former CEO of GuySuCo Sasenarine Singh published in the Stabroek News on November 17th 2024, captioned “Incoming gov’t found that over G$60b in GuySuCo assets were lost between 2017 and 2020" which to my mind was riddled with much fiction anduntruths.
AndIhadevenstartedto do the research to repudiate most of what he had stated, when on the 19th there appeared a letter from one Raj Parmanand captioned “Monies spent to reopen RoseHallestatewouldhave been better spent to resuscitate and expand Albion’s” all who are interested in GuySuCo and its current travails should read the letter from Raj. I have to state that I don’t know him, but his very c o m p r e h e n s i v e understanding of the inner workings of GuySuCo is veryinsightful.
I especially want to emphasise that in less then one year after being appointed as CEO and assembling that group of expertshehasnamed,atthe sametimethatthismanwas spending billions to resurrect a dead white elephant at Rose Hall, Albion estate entered the 2021 wet season by not securing the back of the cultivation from the rising Canje Creek which was normal practice in the past. AndsinceAlbionisanestate whichiscompletelydrained by 11 huge 3 ft diameter pumps, 5 were not working, these lapses flooded and decimated most of the Albion cultivation The industry has not recovered eventoday
There was only one addition I would like to make, and it is about the GuySuCo strategy paper. In 2021 at a meeting at the office of the President we, BoardandStaffmembersof GuySuCo, were instructed by the president to remap GuySuCo’sstrategytoshow the corporation going down anewpathwhichcanleadit to viability.Whenit became clear that the CEO had already drafted a strategy without consulting his board, he was instructed to go back and with the full participation of his board, draftasetofstrategieswhich can guide GuySuCo going forward to profitability It has been the problem all along,thismanrefusestobe guidedbyhisboard,anyway as per instructions from the president, in a series of meetings, I as chairman of the Operations subcommittee at 8 or ten very comprehensive meetings, came up with the strategy Summarisedasfollows.
1 Less Bulk sugar production for that low incomepertonne,andmuch more aggressive packaging and bagging, since according to the Treaty of Chaguaramas once we were packaging and bagging our sugar other Caricom members were obligated to buy it. We also summarised what had to be done to
enhance the local bagging andpackagingcapabilities.
2. Diversification was a majoroption,andIproduced an analysis to show that if Uitvlught our worse producing cane quality estate, could produce ethanol directly from the sugar cane juice, it could earn double the amount it was earning from sugar I still hold this view, not only for Uitvlught but the other estatesaswellsinceourTons of Cane to make a Ton of Sugar, TC/TS, is nearly double compared to other countries. But the research told us that one ton of sugar always gives approximately 20 gallons of ethanol. Most people I speak to don’t realisethatyoudon’thaveto make molasses to make alcohol, you can make a lot more by just fermenting the canejuicedirectly,andsince our very high TC/TS makes us uncompetitive, taking almost double the cane to make one ton of sugar than our competitors, then making ethanol makes us a bettercompetitor
F o r e x a m p l e , internationally one ton of sugar cane at 7-9 TC/TS produces 120 kg of 96 % sucrosesugar,butonly38kg molasses with less than 5% sucrose sugar Our best diversification should include aquaculture, but Guyanese seem to have this
marriage with sugar and refusetogetadivorce,sowe leftitout.
3. We decided to recommend making white sugaratAlbionandpackage andbagitfortheCaribbean. IngoingthroughtheBudget item by item we saw some opportunities to do some extra trimming e.g. 4. Stop using the bell loader as inefficient, use long boom loaders to load the cane mechanically instead 5 Increase mechanization by putting in a more friendly field layout for our climate, the answers for Guyana doesn’tlieinCubaorIndiait lies in Louisianna, USA whichisproducing4million tons of sugar per annum from similar low lying, swampy, high rainfall conditionslikeoursina100 day per year cropping season. 6. Introduce drones to apply Agro chemicals including ripeners and stop the very expensive aircraft costs.
For ethanol I a nonexecutive Director, without pay, went to the Brazilian embassy and they gave me the names of 40-50 original manufacturers for sugar cane equipment in Brazil, I
went through the entire list of emails and researched what they produced, and selected 4 companies which produced distillery components, then I emailed them and invited them to inform us how much a distillery would cost, using the parameters which GuySuCo factory people had given me, steam pressure,amountofcaneetc. at the end of the process, which took several months, itbecameclearthatthevery comprehensive projected cost supplied from Bosch InternationalinBrazilforthe Uitvlught distillery, would be around 4.5 million US, I estimated that the cost recovery would be very feasible and recommended it.I’mnotsurewhatensued.
I am not aware that any
recommends reopening
W
d recommend no further action at Skeldon since it wouldcostfartoomuch.The recommendations for the East demerara estates included making a map of the abandoned cultivation, showing in different colors for agriculture, housing, industrialetc.toearnincome
recommendedtheentirearea beusedforhousing.ItswhyI wasted one and a half years doing an aquaculture feasibility study, for 1000 acres of aquaculture on the lower East Coast to employ 4000people.
Apparently, the strategy was not presented to the government,Inever
(Continuedonpage09)
DEAREDITOR, CRG offers condolences to those who recently suffered a loss due to the road tragedy experienced. It is sad to see that our roadways are not under control and that separate paths dedicated to heavy duty truck traffic have not beenestablished.
The African Guyanese community affected by this tragedy is currently going through the mourning processandtheimpactofthe
lossisbeingfeltbymany
CRG also congratulates the Indian Guyanese community on the arrival of India’sPrimeMinistertoour country and the signing of manyMoUsthatwillbenefit thecountry
The joyous occasion is also being celebrated by many
It is unintentional, but clear that Guyana is both mourning and celebrating at
extremes in sentiment are being experienced on opposite sides of the politicaldivide.
Taking a moment to address the tragedy during this joyous moment for others will go a long way in ensuring empathy for each other is not lost during this period. Once again, our condolences to those impacted by the recent tragedy
Sincerely, Mr.
JamilChanglee
Frompage04 he has to request consent before it could be given? Or ishejusttekkinhiseyespass people believing that we are sodumbnottofigureouthis submissiveness to Exxon againsthispeople?
Asforhis“ruleoflaw” contrivance, doesn’t the AG know that under his watch, for the 2023 Rule of Law Ranking by the World Justice Project, Guyana was ranked 76th out of 142 countries with a score of 50 out of 100?
Does this man bear no shame with an F- score of 50 out of 100! As if that’s not bad enough, the AG ignorantly mouths off his nonsense berating APNU/AFC for what he impresses to be the biggest sin ever in the APNU/AFC writing of the “Stability” Clause i n t h e 2 0 1 6 P S A requiring that Exxon be compensated for any n e g a t i v e i m p a c t s caused by new laws, regulations, etc
The fact is that e x c e p t f o r m o r e
wording in the 2016 PSA, the PPPC’s 1999 PSA enshrines the very same Clause with the verysamemeaning I have previously written about this learned Attorney’s demonstrated vacuousness and practice to deceive and kerfuffle the Guyanese people whom he thinks are fools and not paying attention, hence, engages in his crackpot verbiages, so much so, that Attorney Melinda Janki had to take him to school on the PSA o f w h i c h h e h a s embarrassingly proven over and over again to be unknowledgeable
Addedly, it can’t get any worse for Nandlall when Jagdeo of all people, as insincere as it was, had to publicly scold and cut him down to size telling the public that Nandlall’s thoughts are not sensible enough to be a reflectionoftheparty I daresay that any s e l f - a s s u r e d professional would have taken a hint and resign!
Not to be outdone with this idiocy, Jagdeo y a k k e d t h a t t h e referendum would be “too complex” to handle, insultingly judging the intelligence of GECOM and the Guyanese people byhislevelofintellect
Except for the Honorary Doctor, what could be so “complex” to any breathing human being about a question asking “Should the Government renegotiate the 2016 Stabroek Block PetroleumAgreement?”
As if that’s not enough disrespect for our intelligence, in vintage Jagdeo foxiness, he laughably promises to hold the referendum after the elections.
M o s t d i s t r e s s i n g l y, as e v i d e n c e d b y t h e innumerable chronicling from the myriad of highly credible professionals and organizations, nationally and internationally, this particular backstabbing of o u r p e o p l e v i a submissivenesstoExxonby these chaps, is not an aberration, but rather now appears to be an unwritten policy openly executed for the past four years; and we must not fall for Jagdeo’s latestfakerythatheisgetting tough on Exxon by giving the impression that there is doubt about approving Exxon’s7thproject.
If anyone even slightly believes that, I have the Demerara bridge tosellthem
To reiterate, I begthe media and others to not be trapped by the slick distractions; but rather, hold their feet to the fire on the one and only question needing an immediate answer - Per the PSA, why hasn’ttheGovernmenttaken the first step requiring writing Exxon requesting renegotiations?
Regards, Dr Vincent Adams
...says what is important is that ship is here, adding power to grid
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has shrugged off concerns raised over the chequered past of the company Karpowership, from whom government is renting two electricity producing vessels, saying thattheonlythingthatneeds tobeknownisthattheshipis here,andsupplyingpowerto the grid at a certain cost per kilowatthour(kwh).
The vice president's comments come against concerns raised by the Working People's Alliance regarding the company's track record and demanded the government release the dulediligencereportdoneon the company before the contract was awarded to it. However, in brushing aside the WPA's concerns, Jagdeo said:“wemadeitcleareven ifatonofinfodropsontheir (WPA) head they wouldn't beabletouseitsoletmebe clear what the cost per kilowatt hour is and what it
entails. We said that the capital cost on the operation and management for the powership in Berbice is 7.6 cents per kwh.The one here whichisnow80-90MWbut we are only buying 76 MW, so they have extra capacity, it's9.5centsperkwh.”
He stressed that all that needed to be known is that, “the ship is there and it's supplying x amount of power at a particular price per kwh. You let the WPA compare that with prices around the world or the cost of generation here for the sameunitbecauseweare…I explained this last week I don'tknowiftheylisten,that even now our cost for generating 1kwh of electricity is about 18 US cents and that is because we are operating with equipment that's fully amortised,fullyamortised.”
allows the price to be 18 cents per kwh.The fuel cost per kwh is 13 cents and this hastobeaddedtothecapital cost and operation and managementwhichwillgive the overall cost to produce 1kwh.
resulted in at least one contractbeingrescinded.
TheVPexplainedthatin thiscaseacapitalrepayment costneednotbeaddedwhich
Vice President (VP)
Bharrat Jagdeo has announced that Starlink, a satelliteinternetconstellation founded by Elon Musk, is seekingalicencetooperatein Guyana.Starlink is operated byStarlinkServices,LLC,an
i n t e r n a t i o n a l telecommunications provider that is a wholly
owned subsidiary of
American aerospace company SpaceX, providing coverage to over 100 countries and territories. It also aims to provide global mobile broadband. Starlink has been instrumental to SpaceX'sgrowth.
The VP told reporters during his weekly press conferenceonThursday,that Starlink'sinterestis“actively being considered” by the Government.
“So in Berbice case it's 7.6 cents plus the 13 cents perkwhfuelthattakesyouto 20.6 cents per kwh. In this nd case (the 2 ship) it's 9.5 cents per kwh from the new powership to come and 13 centsitwilltakeyoutoabout 22 cents, just over 22 cents perkwh.Wearesellingat22 cents per kwh of course you have to add in the subsidy that we are giving because when
Citing research on the powership company, the WPAquestionedwhetherthe governmentconductedadue diligence check on the company before signing the second agreement between theGuyanaPowerandLight Company (GPL) and UCC Holdings for the second powership.
A receipt she gave to the one of the tenants after collecting her money
d distribution loss it costs us more and that's where the government subsidies come in,”Jagdeoexplained.
st On November 21 this publication reported that T u r k i s h c o m p a n y Karpowership- that has secured two lucrative contracts from the PPP/C Governmentappearstohave had a troubled past littered with corruption allegations and court cases that have
At the party's weekly press conference held on Monday, Co-Leader Dr David Hinds said that “The project involves two separate contracts under whichUCCHoldingleasesa p o w e r s h i p f r o m Karpowership to provide energytoGuyanaPowerand Light Incorporated, supplying 27% of Guyana's total electricity demand Karpowership provides UCC Holding with leasing, operation, and maintenance withaninitialcapacityof36 MWfortwoyears.”
Dr Hinds said that the party'sresearchrevealedthat the company has been involved in several controversies in countries it was awarded contracts. The
Government would have prudently done a due diligence on Karpowership to safeguard the public interests The contrast between the firm's website viewofitselfandthetorrent of corrupt practices levelled againstitisstupendous.”
Adding to the discourse renowned economist and WPAexecutive member Dr Clive Thomas highlighted the stark contrast between the company's selfrepresentationonitswebsite and the numerous allegations of corrupt practices directed against it. He noted that while Karpowership promotes itselfasaleaderindelivering
energy solutions, the troublingaccusationspainta far less favourable picture. Professor Thomas said that the company's reputation is known and “every country knows that is the case and what people normally do is to get a due diligence done into the operation of the companies that you are goingtodealwith,payforit and there are many consultantsaroundtheworld who prepare these and sell the data to the government and on that basis the government can make a decision.” He said that it is highly unlikely that the Government of Guyana is unaware of the troubles Karpowershiphashad.
He noted that at present private individuals would import the Starlink equipment and provide internet services to sections ofthelocalpopulation.
“Right now, a lot of peoplearejustbringinginthe dish themselves, and they're installing these dishes, and then they don't have to pay any taxes. It's a bit unfair to the other companies that are providing the same service,” heexplained.
Jagdeo noted the broader scope of the digital transformation underway in Guyana and that was one of the dominant topics discussed between President IfraanAliandtechgiantElon Musk,founderofSpaceX,in July
He explained that if the licenceisapproved,itmeans thecompanywillhavetopay taxestotheGovernment.
T h r e e C h i n e s e companies who are no strangers to Guyana have signalled submitted bids to design and build the new West Demerara Hospital in RegionThree.
The bids for the project, which is being executed through the Ministry of Healthwasopenedthisweek atNationalProcurementand Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office
According to information provided by NPTAB, the three bidders are China CAMC Engineering CO Limited (CAMCE) and Sinopharmintl (China Sinopharm International Corporation), a consortium; Shandong High-Speed Dejian Group Inc ; and
Qingjian Group Co Limited.
Asreportedinthemedia, Sinopharmintl and CAMCE are currently the contractors undertakingtheconstruction of the six regional hospitals across the country, while QingjianGroupCo.Limited isexecutingtheconstruction of the new Brickdam Police Station.
As for Shandong HighSpeedDejianGroupInc.,the company previously rebuilt theSt.Rose'sHighSchoolin Georgetown.
Kaieteur News reported thattheplantobuildthenew hospital follows President IrfaanAli'sannouncementin September that a new West Demerara Hospital will be constructed. The President,
at that time noted that the current hospital has seen significant improvements overtheyears.
The Department of Public Information in an article quoted President Ali as saying, “In the first four monthsof2021,theydid16 surgeries. In the first four monthsof2024,theydid585 surgeries. It is easy to post one bad story or two bad stories on Facebook. But what about this? 585 surgeries that were completedcomparedto16in 2021.”Further, the hospital hasbeenundergoingseveral upgrades including the construction of a new mortuaryandtheacquisition o f e q u i p m e n t f o r laparoscopic surgeries
However, despite the improvements over the years,PresidentAlisaidthat the hospital can no longer meet the demands of the growingregionaleconomy
“Now with this growth, we know that the West Demerara Hospital has now outgrown its time. It has outgrown what it was built for It does not meet the modern, efficient, reliable needs of the citizens of RegionThree,”thePresident stated.
This publicat
construction of the new hospital is part of the government's plan to p
class healthcareserviceacrossthe country
Advocates for fingerprint verification in Guyana’s elections herald it as a revolutionary advancement, a cure for the supposed infirmities of photoidentification.Butlike so many reforms cloaked in the language of progress, this proposal warrants scrutiny not for its promises butforitsomissions,andfor the perils it obscures under theveilofinfallibility
Atitscore,theargument for fingerprint verification rests on the claim that photographs can be unreliable: people age, appearances change, and a snapshottakenyearsagocan bearlittleresemblancetothe voter who presents it at the pollingstation.
This observation, while superficially true, is disingenuous when framed asafatalflaw.Bythislogic, the entire edifice of societal validation through photo identification collapses Passports, driver’s licenses, a n d n a t i o n a l IDs—documents we rely on
d a i l y t o c o n f i r m identity must then be dismissed as relics of an antiquated system Yet, history offers no such verdict For decades,
Guyana has conducted elections using photo identification, a method not without challenges but one thathasproven,byandlarge, reliable. The imperfections ofphotoIDsaremitigatedby election-day protocols: scrutineers cross-check physical appearances, electorallistsarescrutinized etc These measures, collectively, have sustained electoralintegrityintheface of far graver threats than an outdatedphotograph.
Enter fingerprint verification, a system that promises precision but carriesthescentofPandora’s box. The advocates fail to mention the immense logistical and technical hurdles that accompany its implementation. To enroll voters in such a system requires an exhaustive process of fingerprint collection and storage, raising questions about data security and accessibility Finge
d specialized equipment for both registration and verification, a financial and infrastructural burden that few developing nations can bear without external assistance—and the strings thatoftencomeattached.
B
chal
e in comparison to the human factor Biometric systems are notoriously sensitive to errors. Fingerprints can be difficult to capture accurately for manual laborers with worn or scarred hands, the elderly whoseskinhasthinnedwith age, or individuals with medical conditions that affectdermalpatterns.False
negatives where a legitimate voter is denied their right due to a system failure—areasmuchathreat to democracy as the specter of voter fraud this system purports to eliminate. One can imagine the chaos of an election day where technology falters, and disenfranchised voters, armed with righteous indignation, take to the streets.
The timeline for implementingsuchasystem must be interrogated Elections are not merely logistical events; they are constitutional mandates Introducing a new verification mechanism demands rigorous testing, public education, and, most crucially, political consensus.Inanationwhere electoral timelines are
Frompage05
understood why it was delayed, but around this time I, having contracted Covid 19 and hospitalized at Liliendaal for 11 days, and was really sick afterwards for months being over 70. So further meetings were held but withoutanysignificantchangetotheoverall strategy
I am not saying that GuySuCo is in betterhandstoday,butitcouldnotbeworse. I see a lot of Is here, but as chairman of
the Operations field and factory subcommittee, I began to see, not a path to sunshine in that tunnel, but one to less darkness.
The GuySuCo Board needs quitea bit ofpruning,sincethereissubstantialconflict ofinterestonthatboard,andtherewereonly twomembersoftheboardwhoworkedinthe sugarIndustry,Mr JairamPetamandmyself.
Regards
Tony Vieira
Dsacrosanct one must question whether this proposalisagenuineattempt to enhance voter confidence or a cleverly disguised stratagem to delay the inevitable.
If history teaches us anything, it is that reforms introduced on the eve of electionsareoftenlessabout principle and more about power
One must also resist the allure of technological determinism the fallacy thatnewerisalwaysbetteror that technology can replace human judgment The fetishization of technology, particularly in governance, often obscures the simple truth that no system is infallible Indeed, fingerprint verification may resolve some issues, but it introduces others, often moreinsidiousbecausethey are hidden behind a veneer ofsophistication.
W h a t i s m o s t concerning, however, is the ease with which such proposals shift the
conversation away from substantive electoral reforms.Inademocracy,the focus must always be on expanding participation and ensuringfairness.
The insistence on biometric verification as the silver bullet for electoral fraud distracts from the deeper,systemicissuessuch as lack of campaign finance transparency, and unequal accesstomediaplatforms.
Attheheartofthisdebate lies a paradox. Those who champion fingerprint verification as a safeguard against disenfranchisement risk achieving the opposite. By complicating the voting process, they erect barriers for the very citizens they claimtoprotect.Theelderly, the rural poor, and the t e c h n o l o g i c a l l y marginalised—those whose voicesaremostvulnerableto being drowned out may find themselves excluded in thenameofprogress.
Intheend,onemustask: who benefits from this proposal? The proponents
paint a picture of a more secure electoral future, but the past whispers warnings of ulterior motives. Let us not forget that electoral integrity is not a function of technology alone; it is the p r o d u c t o f t r u s t , transparency, and a shared commitment to democratic principles Fingerprint verification, for all its promises, cannot substitute for these. Perhaps thatis the r e a l f l a w i n t h e argument its failure to recognise that democracy’s strength lies not in the sophistication of its mechanisms but in the simplicityofitsideals.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
De man seh he wife watchhestraightindeeye. Sheisareasonablewoman, yuhknow Shetellheplain plain,“Noproblem,honey You go find a hot 23-yearoldgal.Iain’tgonstopyuh. Butlemmetellyuhstraight, I gon mek sure you back livin’ in a cheap house, drivin’ a junk car, sleepin’ pun a sofa bed, and watchin’ yuh same lil 10inchblackandwhiteTV.”
Dem boys seh de man nahsehawordafterdat.He
em boys seh one old man been married tohewifefuh50years.De man sit down one day, scratchhehead,anddecide he gotta analyze this marriage thing. He tell he wife, “Fifty years ago, we hadalilcheaphouse,ajunk car,asofabed,andablack and white TV dat only show ten inches. But back den, every night, I deh wid ahot23-year-oldgal.Now, I got a $50 million mansion,a$4millioncar,a king-size bed, and a flatscreen TV big like de seawall. But guess what? I deh wid a 69-year-old woman every night. Yuh nah think you slackin’ on yuhendahdedeal?”
just sit down quiet like a mouseandstarttinkin’bout life. Is like he remember how de sofa bed used to squeak and how de lil TV did only pick up static half detime.
Moral ah de story? Whenyuhwifereasonable, she still dangerous. Dem boys seh some man quick fuhforgetwhohelpmekde $50 million house and de $4millioncarpossible.But dem reasonable woman? Dem remind yuh quick who own de key to de mansion—and who could changedelocks. Talkhalf.Leffhalf
Iagreeanddisagreewith Vice President Bhar-rat Jagdeo on Excellency Ali's presidential tornado of Tuesday, November 12, 2024. Takenoteofthatdate, fellow citizens, for it has extraordinarysignificance.
It will identify
Excellency Ali as a cardboard leader dressed up for the occasion, and propped up to look strong andformidable,asifhewere some real life El Cid riding strapped on horseback. Or as a president of substance, who could be trusted to deliveronhishardattitudes, sharp words, veiled threats, and ferocious postures Guyanese would welcome somegenuineaction.
Or, then again, if the nationalleaderisnothingbut an empty barrel running downhillatfullspeed,while creating a tidal wave of sound as it collides with obstacles slowing its way Theywerealmostallhuman: bowledoverwithahardjam, or brushed aside from sheer bulk, or given a glancing blowthatstillsenttumbling.
Dr Jagdeo had a nice parental touch to add to the young president's, ahem, fulminations. Translation:a feralblast. Maythedeparted rest. May living Guyanese get some peace from all this excitement It was an expressionof'toughlove'by the current president, according to the former president.
When Dr Jagdeo uses words like 'tough love' what does he mean? What's love gottodowithit,inshadesof the late, great Tina Turner?
Especially considering the president's gathering of some persons of special character, all Guyanese stars. When a man, leader, political operator, and swinger like Jagdeo makes statements involving things liketoughlove,Igoonhigh alert. Itiswhenthick,heavy suspiciousnesssurrounds. Somebody help please, when was it that Bhar-rat Jagdeowaseveraboutlove?
In any capacity, and manifesting anything that hadanythingtodowithlove. Does this human being, this
brother, know what love is?
I'm not trying to be Tina Turner Iamtryingtogetthe hang of Jagdeo regarding 'tough love.' This is a man that is like a stone quarry, a blacksmith's steel anvil, and he is talking about love. What is the world coming to? Specifically what strange, soothing, spirit has taken over brother Jagdeo that he now waxes smartly aboutlove?
Politically speaking, (PPP speak), he is onto something, though. There was presidential love for his cast of characters ordered to turn up in their pajamas and nightgowns before him Yeah, it was a rather bedraggled and disoriented gang that appeared in his early morning kangaroo chamber Everybodyshould have been hopping from the heat,exceptthattheywereso sleep frozen that only President Ali was verbally hoppingandskippingabout. Themanisashowman,I will say it again. He knows howtomilkthemomentand the mike for maximum
entertainment effect. How to set up the whole shebang also. Lots of state money, state hours, state workers, and other state hours would have been necessary to get that Star Chamber of his going. I agree with Mr Jagdeowiththe'love'partof his statement, since everyone walked out of the president's charade and masquerade in one piece. Some of the supposedly slapped around couldn't conceal their sly smiles, because they were in on the president's joke. Their prearranged roles were to pretend to be alarmed, fake some concerns, and show contrition,forcertainevents must take place so that there's a record The president called, the presidentcastigated,andthe president carried on Mission accomplished Politics has its delightful intervals.
Is there anything 'tough' inanyofthat,Dr Jagdeo? I speaktotheformerpresident without pulling punches Tough love leaves strong
men crying like children. Toughlove iswhenothershaveto scrape the victims from the floor with a spade, Jagdeo. Whowasthesenior public servant fired on the spot?
Which blacklisted or ineligible contractor was identified, sent packing, banned from receiving future public wor
projects? Which minister wasputouttopasturetoend
competence, credibility?
Guyanese have a saying: famlee cut-lish duz ben but henahbruk. For the benefit of Americans, cut-lish is the loca
n
erpart of machete. What Excellency Ali held was a PPP family affair, with some of blood notables present. As they say,whaisali'lcussin'upan blowin'up between faamlee? It was love alright, but with the tough sucked out and thrown overboard
More and more Guyanese have come to appreciate
a n d merrymaker Calling a meetingatthatungodlyhour was his idea of leadership fun and frolic. Ungodly, it was, indeed. Simply check theIDcardsofthegalaxyof heroes and heroines who were there. Next time, Mr. Jagdeo, try something more believable.
What President Ali engaged in was some ruff jokes Or some preThanksgiving turkey talk. He is learning from Master Communicator Alistair Routledge well. Alittle too well for my liking I continue to wait for results from this presidential shove down. Produce or perish. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo and leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton prefer to make themselves small when the issue is about oil.
The priority of both is to be nowhere around oil, as if it is some ticking timebomb about to explode. Guyanese have voted for them, put them where they are today. Citizens expect Mr. Jagdeo and Mr. Norton to stand up and fight for them, not dig holes in which to bury themselves. In a country with many gifts, this oil gift to Guyanese is among the biggest and richest that has ever been given to a people.
Governments and groups prove themselves on how they plan to manage it, in what they actually do when the opportunity is theirs.
Vice President (VP) Bharrat
J a g d e o o n Thursday described as unconscionable, dangerous, irresponsibleandintolerable the sale and re-stamping of expiredgoodsinGuyana.
The VP told reporters at his weekly press conference held at Freedom House, Robb Street, Georgetown that there is a growing incidence of expired goods onsaleinthecountry
“ I t i s intolerable unconscionabl e.Theyareputtingpeopleat risk.Itishappeninganditis like an industry here with some people. I think we shouldpaymoreattentionto it,”theVPsaid.
Jagdeo told reporters of his own experience at the MarriottHotelwherehewas served a bottle of soft drink that had expired six months beforeitwassold.
“I tasted it, and it was clear it was off,” he said.
“WhenIcheckedthebottom, it was supposed to expire a yearlater,butafterhavingit analyzed, we found it was already past its date. Worse, the expiration had been restamped,” Jagdeo told
reporters.
The VP said the restamping of the beverage wastracedtoafacilityonthe East Coast of Demerara (ECD), suggesting a deliberate effort to pass off expiredgoodsasfresh.
“It's not an isolated incident…So,Iaminfavour of severe punishment for peoplewhore-stampandsell goods,”Jagdeostatednoting thattheremaybecorruption involved.
“I think we should pay moreattentiontoit…notjust the public agencies The agenciesthatareresponsible for this should come under greater scrutiny whether they are Customs or the different Departments of government and the media should look at exposing this morebecauseit'sintolerable. It's totally intolerable, it's unconscionable actually They'reputtingpeopleatrisk andIthinkthosepeoplewho arecaughtshouldgetsevere penalty for doing this,” he said.
TheVPalso pointed to a Stabroek News article published on Thursday and titled 'Corruption more than monitoring weaknesses
responsible for tsunami of sub-standardimports,senior state official tells Stabroek Business'.
“Too many businessmen arerippingpeopleoffnotby bringing in not only substandardgoodsbutgoods that are near expiration date that they get for cheap… They are not selling the goodsforcheaphere. They just bring them in so that their profit margins can be bigger And this is happening across the country, and it's not just about expired goods. Some
businessmen are buying products cheap, re-stamping them, and selling them at inflated prices. But it's the people who are at risk, particularly our children,” theVicePresidentsaid.
TheVP'sremarksechoed the concerns raised by PresidentoftheGeorgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Kester Hutson who has been vocal abouttheproblem.
In a statement issued earlier this month, Hutson said that GCCI has grown increasingly concerned by
compliancetoGuyana'slaws and regulations by retailers
particularlyasitrelatestothe quality and standards of goods being provided to consumers and the flouting oflabourandtaxlaws.
He noted that there has beenanalarmingincreasein the presence of counterfeit, expired, and inappropriately labelledgoodsinthemarket, which are not only clear v
standards but also a health hazardtoconsumers.
According to the statement, the Chamber has since issued a call to the BureauofStandardsandthe Government Analyst Food and Drug Department to ensure that an investigation isconductedandanyproduct that is not within the guidelines be removed from shelves and prohibited for sale.
Furthermore, the GCCI urged the Customs, Excise and Trade Operations of the Guyana Revenue Authority toensurethatallgoodsbeing importedmeettheregulatory requirements.
Notably, too, the group pointed to the need for a closer examination of adherence to taxation laws by these businesses and to ensure the equal application of the rule of law for all enterprises operating in this industry
In the same vein, the Chamber called for labour laws to be respected. The GCCIrecommendedthatthe Ministry of Labour ensures that these businesses are in compliance with the Labour Act, Occupational Health & Safety Act and other pertinentLabour
Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi was on Wednesday night conferred with Guyana's highest national award- the Order of Excellence by President IrfaanAli.
Established in 1970 undertheConstitutionofthe Orders of Guyana, the national award is limited to 25livingcitizensofGuyana. Thehonoraryceremony,held atStateHouseonWednesday evening following a cultural display, demonstrated the Government of Guyana's recognition of PM Modi's exceptional leadership in advancing the interests of developing nations on the globalstage.
“The greatest test of any member of the human family,istogiveoftheirvery little when they are most in need. And Prime Minister Modi has fulfilled this test with distinction during the COVID-19 pandemic, when
they gifted this region 500,000 vaccines, when India itself was rallying to meet their own needs,” President Ali asserted, accordingtoaDepartment of Public Information (DPI).
India's kind gesture protected thousands of Guyanese against the
dreaded coronavirus, as Guyana received 80,000
technology, innovation, and digitisationmustnotbeused to widen the gap among countries, President Ali
commitmenttochampioning (Continuedonpage16)
Jaideep Mazumdar, India's Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs ( second from left) and other officials during the press briefing on Thursday
India has expressed strong interest in G u y a n a ' s hydrocarbon sector, ready to i
explorationandproductionif the Government of Guyana (GoG)wouldallow
This was revealed by Jaideep Mazumdar, India's Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, during a special briefing onThursday as part of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statevisittoGuyana.
“In the hydrocarbon sector you're right Guyana has proven as well as estimatedreserveswhichare very promising,” Mazumdar said.
He added, “We would be interested in participating in the exploration and productionphaseaswell,our oil companies are certainly lookingatthisandiftheydo get an opportunity they wouldbewillingtoinvestas we have invested in many other countries of the world afar from the shores of India.”
Mazumdar also noted India's discussions with Guyana about establishing long-term crude oil and naturalgascontracts.
He highlighted the mutual benefits of such agreements, explaining, “As faraslongtermcontractsare concerned yes this is something that we have
flaggedtotheGuyaneseside inthepastandtheyareaware ofit.”
T h e S e c r e t a r y underscored the potential of long-term agreements to enhanceeconomicefficiency and predictability for both nations.
“I would expect that as the volumes available to the Guyanese side in terms of crude and gas availability arisetheywillbeinaposition to enter into long term contracts because those are things that will help us off take volumes in a more predictable way and make our transportation of such large volumes also economically feasible,” he said.
President IrfaanAli
on Thursday
directed the
Guyana Police Force (GPF) to take immediate action to tackle various issues on the
roadways, including speeding trucks, reckless driving,anddrunkdriving.
His call comes in the wake of the tragic accident on Tuesday morning on SherriffStreet,Georgetown, where a pedestrian, Carlton Smartt, was killed in a collision involving two trucks. Smartt, a father of twoyoungchildren,wasthe latest victim of a string of fatalroadaccidents.
The President has since scheduledameetingwiththe Attorney General and the leadership of the GPF to discuss strategies to address the growing concerns about road safety “High on the agendaistherecentincrease in accidents on the roadways, especially as it relates to speeding trucks and driving under the influence of alcohol,” the OfficeofthePresidentstated inarelease.
During a live broadcast, President Ali, accompanied by Police Commissioner (ag) Clifton Hicken, Deputy
Police Commissioner Ravindradat Budhram, and Traffic Chief Mahendra Singh, outlined several measures to improve road safety Theseincludetheuse of body cameras for police officers to capture video evidence of traffic violations, enhanced CCTV surveillancetotrackreckless drivers,andstricterpenalties fortrafficinfractions.
The Head-of- State emphasised the importance of holding all drivers accountable, particularly truck drivers, and urged the Attorney General to review current laws for potential gaps.
“I have asked the AttorneyGeneraltoexamine the laws to see where there aregapssothattruckowners can also have the responsibility of ensuring their drivers work within guidelines,” the President stated. He further stressed that CCTV cameras would play a crucial role in identifying "errant drivers" who endanger the lives of others.
The President noted that existing laws already allow for the suspension of licences for specific traffic violations and promised full implementation."Driverson the whole, but especially
those truck drivers, public transportation drivers, I am asking you, not to do anything special—all I am asking you to do in the interest of saving lives, is to complywiththelaw,comply withtherules,"Aliurged.
The issue of driving under the influence of alcohol also took centre stage during the broadcast.
PresidentAlitaskedtheGPF with enforcing the law to its fullest extent, including holding bar owners accountable for serving alcoholtodrivers.
He called for bars to display clear signage about the law and warned that licenseswouldbesuspended forthosewhodonotcomply "I require that the GPF implement the law to the maximum," the President said, stressing the need for stricter enforcement to curb drunkdriving.
In response to speeding, thePresidentannouncedthat the GPF would start publishing the names of drivers who exceed the speed limit more than three times and would suspend their licenses for repeat offenses.
"They are now going to go through all the drivers because this public notice was there, and they will moveinaccordancewiththe law to have those licenses suspended," President Ali declared. He also revealed that,asofnow,893speeding tickets have been issued on the New Heroes Highway alone, and the GPF would continue to crack down on violators.
"We have to take these actionstosaveyou.Wehave to take these actions to save youfromyourselvesbecause youputyourlifeatriskand, in putting your life at risk, you are also putting the life ofothersatrisk,"Aliwarned.
Another key issue addressedwastheillegaluse of sirens and emergency lights on private vehicles. President Ali urged the public to remove such devicesimmediately
"If you have sirens and emergencylightsillegallyon yourvehicle,I'maskingyou t o
immediately," he said, stressing that those caught using them would face legal action.
He also instructed the Attorney General to amend the laws to allow for the suspension of licenses for drivers using illegal sirens andlights.
“ We a r e s e e i n g tremendous abuse. I've also asked the Commissioner of Policeandhisteamtomove immediately on all those shops and centres selling these illegal lights and sirens,”thePresidentadded.
In his plea for public cooperation, President Ali
called on commuters to take responsibility for ensuring theirsafety
“If you are in a public transportationthatisdriving dangerously, that is putting you and other passengers' lives at risk, you have a responsibility to please stop the bus, disembark, and report that bus,” he urged. “Thisisaworktogether,and I'm pleading with commuters to help us save your own lives and the lives ofothers.”
Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken in his address, assured the public that the GPF would be
stepping up efforts to address the issue. "We are goingtodoublebackandput allthemechanismsinplace. Drivers,youaregoingtosee us. We are going to be working with you," Hicken said He also announced plans
nt retrainingfortruckdriversto ensuresaferpracticesonthe roads.
“Truck drivers, we are goingtobecomingafteryou. We are going to be putting you in order, and we are goingtohaveretraining,”he stated.
Nandlall confirmed that amendmentstothelawhave
already been made to address drunken driving, i
penalties for those found guilty, particularly in cases involvingfatalities. He also mentioned new
reducing the risks posed by overloadedtrucks,including speed limits tied to weight, and stricter licensing for drivers of large vehicles.
"We cannot continue with the carnage in the manner that we are doing now," Nandlall stated, pledging thatthenewmeasureswould bestrictlyenforcedtoensure roadsafety
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The government, through the Su preme Court of Judicature, is preparing to construct new magistrates’ courts at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD) and has set aside $1.3 billion for the works.
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$489,856,592; Green State Oil & Gas Service Inc.$339,828,845; and S&K Construction Consultancy Services & General Supplies Inc. - $561,192,196.
The Supreme Court of Judicature sought bids for the construction of Magistrates’ Court and Living Quarter at La Parfaite Harmonie. Some $453,272,879 is estimated for this project.
Five companies submitted bids to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) for this contract.
They are Shandong Dejian International Economic & Technical Corporation Guyana Inc. - $703,840,756; D. Chowkai & Sons Construction - $501,812,204; Dundas Construction Inc. -
The agency had tendered also for the construction of a two-storey building to house two Magistrates’ Courts at Providence. This project is estimated to cost $862,917,424.
The companies vying for this contract are D. Chowkai & Sons Construction$495,493,321; Builders Hardware General Supplies & Construction - $849,023,485; Satar Mohamed & Son Construction & Hardware Supplies$832,085,910; CB General Contracting Service Inc$1,085,119,807; MEP Engineering Services Inc.$1,017,477,339; Shandong Dejian International Economic & Technical Corporation Guyana Inc.$963,440,414; Romano Build-
ers - $1,055,244,536; Builders Engineering & Architectural Consultancy - $845,951,139; and Green State Oil & Gas Service Inc. - $323,491,051.
In 2022, the Ministry of Legal Affairs announced plans to construct the magistrates’ court at La Parfaite Harmonie which will also provide services for the Westminister area.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC among other officials of the Judiciary at the time had visited a plot of land identified by the Government of Guyana for the construction of a modern Magistrates’ Court.
The plot of land is conveniently located adjacent to the Parfaite Harmonie Police Station, the ministry had reported.
In a comment, Attorney General Nandlall indicated that constructing the court is yet another example of con-
structive engagement and cooperation between the Executive and the Judiciary in their common pursuit to build a modern, competent and efficient justice system, accessible by and to every citizen.
“The other two Magistrates Courts in close vicinity located at Wales and Vreed-en-Hoop, have been overburdened by the appreciable swell in population on the West Bank of Demerara due to new housing schemes established by the Government.
This new Court House will significantly relieve the burden from the other two Courts,” he said at the time.
The Magistrates’ Courts for Providence will be the latest edition to the East Bank Area.
Last year, the minister and the judicial team turned the sod for the construction of a court building at Friendship which cost $388 million.
From page 14 these solutions for developing nations.
Additionally, over the years, Guyana has benefited from strong support, particularly in the areas of training, scholarships, military exchange programmes, concessional loans, and cultural exchanges with India. “In every sphere of national development, we can point to physical, institutional, and systemic support from the government and people of India.
And we salute you, Prime Minister Modi, and the people of India,” he stated, adding, “Continue to lead, continue to be bold, continue to demonstrate the type of spine that is required in this very complex global environment.”
President Ali said Prime Minister Modi is, and will always be a member of the CARICOM family.
After receiving the award, PM Modi expressed heartfelt gratitude to President Ali and his govern-
ment for the honourable recognition.
According to the PM, President Ali has personally contributed to elevating the two nations’ current partnership to greater heights.
“Under his leadership, we are continuously moving forward in every direction.
Even in today’s discussions, I felt his affection and respect for the people of India,” he said, noting the similarities between India and Guyana, which further deepen his-
torical and cultural relations.
The Indian prime minister reaffirmed his commitment to further advancing cooperation and partnership.
PM Modi was invited to a vibrant display where Guyana’s diverse and unique cultural fabric was showcased.
The prime minister is currently on a three-day state visit to Guyana, marking a significant milestone for both countries. (DPI)
Embattled Assistant Police Commissioner Calvin Brutus
Em b a t t l e d
Assistant Police Commissioner
CalvinBrutusissettoappear at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court today to face 21 additional financial charges.
These charges, which were filed by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), are reportedly related to allegations of moneylaunderingandfraud.
K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that Brutus was informedofthenewcharges bySOCUonTuesday
Thechargescomeaspart of SOCU’s ongoing investigation into the finances and financial dealings of the Assistant Commissioner
Police accuse Jair
Bolsonaro and several former officials of involvement in plot after 2022 election defeat.
Aljazeera - Brazil’s FederalPolicehaveformally accused former President JairBolsonaroandseveralof hisformerministersofbeing involved in an attempted coup after the far-right leader lost an election in 2022.
Policesaidinastatement on Thursday that Bolsonaro and 36 other people had planned the “violent overthrowofthedemocratic state”.
Several Bolsonaro administrationofficialswere accused of involvement, including former Defence Minister Walter Braga Netto, ex-National Security Adviser Augusto Heleno, former Justice Minister Anderson Torres and the head of Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party,ValdemarCostaNeto.
Thepolicefindingswere to be delivered to the Supreme Court to be referred to Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet, who will either agree with the charges and put the former president on trial or toss out theinvestigation.
“The final report has been sent to the Supreme Court with the request that 37 individuals be indicted for the crimes of the violent overthrowofthedemocratic state, coup d’etat and
criminal organization,” the policestatementsaid.
The case centres around an alleged conspiracy after Bolsonaro’snarrowdefeatto his left-wing rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the 2022presidentialelection.
Bolsonaro, a former Brazilian army captain who served as president from 2019to2022,hasdeniedany wrongdoing and said he is the victim of a political witchhunt.
In a statement shared on socialmediaonThursday,he vowed to mount a legal “fight” while accusing the Supreme Court judge in charge of the case of oversteppingthelaw.
Shortly after Lula took office in January 2023, thousands of Bolsonaro’s supporters angered over the election results stormed the presidential palace, Congress and the Supreme Courtinthecapital,Brasilia.
The attack drew comparisons to the insurrection in the United States two years earlier, on January 6, 2021, when a group of then-US President Donald Trump’s supporters stormedtheCapitolbuilding inWashington,DC.
S o m e B r a z i l i a n protesters at the time said they wanted to create the conditions for a military coup, and there have long been questions about whether Bolsonaro — an admirer of Trump — was involved in instigating the
Brutus previously faced 231 charges, including offences of money laundering, misconduct in public office, larceny as a publicofficer,andliabilityof officials.
He was released on bail in the sum of $16.5 million. Earlier this week, on Monday,Brutuswasslapped with 201 additional charges related to financial crimes, for which he was granted bail of $10 5 million Previously,Brutushadfaced 30 similar charges in an earlier court appearance and was placed on $6.2 million bail.
Thecourtmatterisbeing heard by Acting Chief MagistrateFaithMcGusty
In a separate legal move
on Tuesday, Brutus filed a lawsuitseeking$400million indamages.
He accuses several seniorofficersoftheGuyana Police Force and SOCU of misconduct and abuse of power during their time in office.
Brutus claims that between July 1 and October 24, 2024, these officers engaged in unlaw
behaviour that caused significant harm to his personal and business reputation.
The lawsuit names highranking officials, including the Head of SOCU, Fazil Ka
Commissioner Ravindradat Budhra
Commissioner Errol Watts;
Deputy Head of SOCU Mahadeo Singh; Finance Officer Bharat Persaud; Deputy Superintendent Frank Harvey; and several others.
Brutus and his wife, Adonika Aulder, along with abusinessman,werecharged after a lengthy investigation by SOCU into alleged financialcrimes. These charges span several months and involve money laundering and obtaining money by false pretences.
In October, it was revealed that eight bank accounts belonging to Brutus, his wife, and their child totallin
million, had been frozen as partoftheinvestigation.
riots.
Brazilian police have said some of the accused planned to assassinate Lula beforehetookoffice.
Speaking to the
Reuters news agency before Bolsonaro was formally accused of involvement in the coup attempt, one police source said the former president was aware of the alleged plot
Earlier this week, five people were arrested for suspected involvement in a plan to kill Lula and his vice president, Geraldo Alckmin
Police said on Tuesday thatmostofthemenunder investigation in the alleged plot are military personnel with special forces training or close aidestoBolsonaro
Separately, the former president has also been accused of being involved in smuggling diamond jewellery into Brazil w
n directing a subordinate to falsify his and others’ COVID-19 vaccination statuses accusations he hasdenied.
In June of last year, the Supreme Court also ruled that Bolsonaro had abused his power to cast doubt on Brazil’s electronic voting system in the lead-up to the 2022 election. It barred him from seeking public office until2030.
Court also issues warrants for former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Aljazeera - The InternationalCriminalCourt (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister and a Hamas military commander forallegedwarcrimes.
Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant were accused of “crimes against humanity and war crimes committed fromatleast8October2023 untilatleast20May2024”,a statementfromthecourtsaid onThursday
There are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Gallant and Netanyahu “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine andmedicalsupplies,aswell
as fuel and electricity”, it said.
Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that “Israel rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions leveled against it by ICC”, adding that Israel won’t “give in to pressure” in the defenceofitscitizens.
The court also decided “unanimously” to issue an arrest warrant for Hamas’s m
, known as Mohammed Deif, “for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes committed” in Israel and Palestine from October 7, 2023.
It accused him of crimes including murder, torture, rape and other forms of sexualviolence.
An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks that day, and more than200weretakencaptive.
Israel claims to have killed Deif in an air raid in southern Gaza in July But thecourtdecidedtoproceed
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant attend a ceremony for the 70th cohort of military combat officers, at an armybase near Mitzpe Ramon, Israel, October 31, 2024. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
with the warrant, saying it was “not in a position to determine whether [he] has been killed or remains alive”.
ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan had applied for arrest warrants against the Israeli officials and three Hamas leaders in May for alleged
Thursday that it had unanimously decided to rejectIsrael’sappealoverthe court’sjurisdiction.
Reporting fromAmman, Jordan,AlJazeera’sHamdah Salhut said, “Israel did its best to discredit the ICC. It tried to challenge its jurisdiction and Israeli politicians internally were doing everything they could tofight[thepotentialissueof arrestwarrants].”
world,” Hamas political bureau member Basem Naimsaidinastatement.
Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara praised the court’s move, saying “at last, the people of Gaza, after a year of unfolding genocide, might be able to see their perpetratorsfacejustice”.
crimescommittedduringthe Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attackonsouthernIsraeland Israel’s subsequent war on Gaza. ICC prosecutors said there were reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Gallant – as well as Hamas leaderYahya Sinwar, the group’s political chief Ismail Haniyeh and Deif – bear criminal responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes againsthumanity
H a n i y e h w a s assassinated in Iran in July Sinwarwaskilledincombat with the Israeli military in October
Netanyahu fired Gallant earlierthismonth,sayinghe had lost confidence in him over the management of Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
Israel calls ICC ruling ‘anti-Semitic’ Israelisnotamemberof the ICC and Netanyahu has previously called the prosecutor’s accusations against him a “disgrace”, an attack on the Israeli military andallofIsrael.
But the ICC said on
The Israeli prime minister’s office in a statement called the move “anti-Semitic”andlikenedit to a “modern-day Dreyfus trial”, a reference to an incidentinFrancearoundthe turn of the 20th century in whichaFrenchmilitaryman of Jewish descent was wrongfully convicted of treason.
“Israel vehemently rejects the absurd and false actions and accusations againstitbytheInternational CriminalCourt,abiasedand discriminatory political body,”thestatementsaid.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid also condemned the court’s decision, while former Defence Minister AvigdorLiebermanwrotein a post on X that Israel “will not apologise for protecting itscitizensandiscommitted to continuing to fight terrorism without compromise”.
People in Gaza ‘sceptical’ about ICC decision Hamas welcomed the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence minister as an “important step towardsjustice”.
“[It is] an important step towards justice and can lead to redress for the victims in general, but it remains limited and symbolic if it is not supported by all means by all countries around the
Reporting from Deir elBalah in central Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said that residents remained sceptical.
“It is taken with a little bitofscepticism…again,we know the unwavering American support [for Israel],”hesaid.
“So people are very suspiciousoftheoutcomeof this arrest warrant and say that it might be challenged by the US administration, whether it is the [current] one or the [incoming administration], which has alsovowedsupporttoIsraeli officials.”
At least 44,056 people have been killed and 104,286 others wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7, 2023, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Whatnext?
Neve Gordan, a professor of human rights law at Queen Mary University of London, told Al Jazeera that the decision toissuearrestwarrantscould impact weapons transfers to Israel.
“If the leaders of Israel are charged with carrying outcrimesagainsthumanity by the ICC,” he said, “it means that the weapons the European countries are sending to Israel are used to carry out crimes against humanity and they have to reassess all their trade of weapons with Israel from today and, I would say, stop sendingtheseweapons.”
Guyana has a big role to playinendingtheimbalance where countries in the Global South are forced to pay the price for climate change. In an address to the National Assembly on th Thursday during the 87 th Sittingofthe12 Parliament, India's Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi underscored his country's support for globaldevelopment.
He said, “India believes that the Global South in the past suffered way too much. In the past, we progressed while protecting nature as this was an integral part of our character and culture; however several countries achieved development by harmingtheenvironment.”
To this end, the Prime Ministernotedthatcountries intheGlobalSoutharebeing forced to pay the highest price for climate change. Modi called for this imbalancetoend,pointingto thekeyroleGuyanaplaysin thisequation.
“It is absolutely imperative to correct this imbalance in the world Friends, whether it is India, orGuyana,wealsohaveour aspirationsfordevelopment. We dream of better lives for ourpeopleandthatiswhyit is of utmost importance that the Global South speaks in one voice.This is a moment of awakening for the countries of the Global South This moment is
presenting us with an opportunitytoworktogether and to create a new world order and in this I see a big roleforGuyanaandforallof the people representatives here today,” India's Prime Ministerurged. During a ceremony on Wednesday evening at State House, President Irfaan Ali bestowed PM Modi with Guyana's highest national award, the Order of Excellence for championing various solutions for developingstates.
Speaking on the award conferred on him, the Prime Ministerexpressedgratitude forthehonour Hededicated the award to the people of India as he underscored the
deep relationship between thetwocountries.ThePrime Minister noted, “The relationship between India and Guyana runs deep. This relationshipisoneofsoil,of sweat and of hard work. It wasabout180yearsagothat anIndiansetfootforthefirst time on Guyanese soil and after that in good times and bad, whatever the circumstances, the relations between India and Guyana have been filled with deep affection.”
Some24yearsagowhen hefirstvisited,Modisaidhe was anxious to learn about the country's rich heritage and history The Prime Ministersaidhestillhasalot of memories of cricket and
subjugation.
Modi also addressed the importance of democracy in a country He said, “Every single effort by you to strengthen democracy in Guyana is contributing towards development in the world.As we make effort to strengthen democracy, we mustalsocontinuouslykeep aneyeonwhatishappening aroundtheworld.”
The Prime Minister reasoned that the world today is faced with different challenges,withsystemsand institutions created after the S
chutney Meanwhile, he recognized Guyana as a countrythatfeelsjustlikehis home. He pointed out that both India and Guyana experiencedthesametypeof colonialism and struggles, along with the restlessness for freedom from
COVID-19 Pandemic, he said,“Whenweshouldhave movedtowardsanewworld order, the world was caught upwithotherthings.Inthese circumstances, the best motto the world can follow today to move forward is 'Democracy first, Humanity first.” According to him, “Themantrademocracyfirst teachesusthatwemusttake
everyonealongandindoing so, become a partner in everyone's development The humanity first motto guides our decisions. When we make humanity first the basis of our decisions, the results we obtain are always in the interest of mankind. Friends, our democratic valuesaresostrongthatthey becomeourpillarofsupport, enabling us to face any ups and downs on our path to development. To build an inclusivesociety,thereisno better system than democracy.”
The Prime minister recognizedthechallengesof today, pointing to terrorism, drugs and cybercrime as examples.Heinsistedthatit is only through overcoming thosedifficultiesthatabetter future will be created for generationstocome.“Thisis possible only when we let democracy first, humanity first to take center stage,” Modi told the National Assembly
BYRAWLETONEY
Representing one’s countryontheglobalstageis the pinnacle of any athlete’s dream Yet for Delroy Tyrrell, that dream remains onholdduetoacontentious decision by the Guyana
Amateur Swimming Association(GASA).
Despite having the second-highest World Aquatics points in Guyana, Tyrrell has been overlooked for the December 10 – 15 World Championships in
Budapest, Hungary, triggering heated debates and allegations of bias within the local swimming community
GASA, the governing body for swimming in Guyana, traditionally selects athletes for international competitions based on their World Aquatics points, prioritizing the highestrankedswimmer
Guyana’s top-ranked swimmer, Raekwon Noel, declinedparticipation,making
Tyrrellthelogicalnextchoice with 719 points, well ahead ofLeonSeatonJr (598)and VladimirWoodroffe(543).
However, GASA’s Technical Comm
ee bypassed Tyrrell, instead naming Woodroffe as Guyana’srepresentative
This decision has drawn sharp criticism, particularly from Tyrrell’s club, Dorado Speed Swim Club, and p r o m i n e n t s p o r t s administrator Dr Karen Pilgrim According to
Dwayne Scott, GASA’s outgoing president, Tyrrell’s designation as an “international swimmer” meantheneededtoachievethe event’s qualifying time to be eligibleforselection
This explanation was met withscepticismandlabelledas discriminatory by his advocates. Dr Pilgrim, a seasoned figure in sports administration, strongly counteredGASA’sstance She pointedoutthatTyrrell,bornin Guyana and a member of DoradosinceDecember2022, has satisfied all eligibility requirements set by World Aquatics, including a formal change of sport nationality from Trinidad and Tobago to Guyana
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
You'll find that things are slipping nicely into place for you today, Aries Your persuasivemannerandgentle nudges are just enough to get peoplewhereyouwantthem.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
When faced with ten entrees onthemenu,itmightbehard for you to choose just one. Feelfreetoordertwoormore, Ta u r u s D o n ' t l e t indecisiveness slow you down.Atthesametime.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Your dreams won't come true unless you believe in and act onthem,Gemini.Nooneelse is going to do it for you. Unless you have a fairy godmother, you need to take mattersintoyourownhands.
CANCER(June21–July22)
If people hassle you or give you a hard time about your appearance today, pay them nomind,Cancer Youhavethe righttoliveyourlifeanyway youwantto.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Reachforthepotofgoldatthe end of the rainbow, Leo. It's closerthanyouthink.Indeed, your dreams are completely within your reach, and there are huge forces at work helping you achieve your goals.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Today is your day to dream and dream big, Virgo. Think aboutwhatitisthatyouwant most out of life. Aim your arrow to the stars and pull back your bow as far as possible. There's no limit to howfaryoucango.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Expand your mind to its furthest reaches today, Libra.
There's an incredible opportunity opening up for you in which you can make great strides in a creative realm.Followthemusic.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
Your mind may seem rather cloudy today, Scorpio, but don't let this hinder you. In fact, you'll find that you can use this feeling of fantasy to your advantage. Try to bring moremagicintoyourlife.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
Today is an excellent day for you,oneinwhichyou'llfinda great deal of strength in your emotions, Sagittarius Trust that your instincts are serving youwell.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Things might get a bit confusing for you today, Capricorn. Don't feel like you needtomakesenseofitall.In fact, this task may be impossible. Just be yourself. Let your creative nature shine through.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb.
18)Mixyourrealitywithabit of fantasy today, Aquarius. Allowyourfeettocomeoffthe ground for a little while. Give yourselfarest.Takesometime to meditate and clear your mindofyourdailyworries.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Let yourself go into high creative mode and drift into a whole other world, Pisces. Escape your present reality and explore your fantasies through any sort of artistic endeavor Dreamasbigasyour mindallows.
performance metrics and international rulings, GASA risks alienating talent and discouraging athletes from pursuing opportunities to elevatetheirskillsabroad.
For Tyrrell, GASA’s decision is a bitter pill to swallow Histransitionfrom representing Trinidad and TobagotodonningGuyana’s colours was meant to be a moment of pride and unity Instead, it has become a polarizing episode that underscores the challenges athletes face within flawed administrativesystems.
Frompage29
“Delroy has been second onlytoNoelinWorldAquatics points since joining Dorado,” Pilgrimargued
“There is no justification for differentiating between locally-based and overseasbasedGuyaneseathletes Such prejudice would discourage swimmers from pursuing scholarshipsorseekingbetter training opportunities abroad. It surely cannot be the intentionof the National Federation to stifle excellence.”
Dr Pilgrim further emphasized that refusing Tyrrell the opportunity to compete contradicts World Aquatics’directives
“World Aquatics has twiceconfirmedhiseligibility torepresentGuyana Ignoring this is a blatant refusal to honour the governing body’s decision,” she added The controversy surrounding Tyrrell’s eligibility reached its climax on October 20, whenWorldAquatics’Legal
Counsel, Jan Exner, definitively cleared him to represent Guyana. Despite this ruling, GASA stood firm, refusing to reverse its decision to side-line Tyrrell f o r t h e W o r l d Championships.
The move has left many intheswimmingcommunity questioning GASA’s motivesanditscommitment to fostering talent. Tyrrell’s case highlights deeper systemic issues, as Dr Pilgrim noted, including the outdated mind-set that prioritizes local training conditions over global competitiveness.
Tyrrell’s omission not only deprives Guyana of a strong competitor but also setsatroublingprecedentfor aspiring athletes By disregar
because our rigorous trainingregimenandfrequent exposure to high-level competition will be key advantages. So, competing strongly, avoiding upsets, and ultimately securing a top-two finishinthepooliscriticalfor advancement,andIbelieveour prospects will largely depend on maintaining consistency throughoutthepoolstageand bringingourbestperformance incrucialmatches,”sheadded
While Jamaica, having established itself as a powerhouse in senior netball, aims to carry that momentum into the youth competition, forTrinidadandTobagoand Barbados, this tournament representsanopportunityto showcase their developing talent and challenge more seasoned teams on the globalstage.
The initial pools further highlightedtheglobaldiversity ofthecompetition,withatleast threeteamsfromeachofWorld Netball’sfiveregions Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, andOceania represented Gameswillbeplayedatthe EuropaPointSportsComplex and Tercentenary Sports Hall inGibraltar
World Netball President Dame Liz Nicholl, DBE, emphasizedtheimportanceof the tournament for young athletes “Thiscompetitionis often the first time many players experience different styles of play from across the globe The NWYC is a platform for emerging elite talent,andweareexcitedtosee what new matchups and experiences await,” Nicholl said
This, as Tuesday’s draw pittedTrinidadandTobagoand Barbados in Pool D, where theyfaceanequallyformidable lineup They will go up against Fiji, South Africa, and Malawi—teams known for their athleticism and tacticalprowess. Meanwhile, Pool A will seehostGibraltarsquareoff against defending champions New Zealand, Malaysia,theCookIslands, and Zambia.Australia, S a m o a , S c o t l a n d , Singapore, and Northern IrelandwillcontestPoolB.
The Warriors triumphed inbothoftheirT20matches, but the Royals have ascended to the top of the leaderboard of the Windies Masters Extravaganza Crickettournament.
After inclement weather ledtothecancellationoftwo scheduled pool matches on Sunday and Monday, the organizers of the Windies MastersExtravaganzaopted to reschedule the games for Wednesday, adopting a T20 format and hosting four matchesonthesameday
AtPickwick:
Match 1- In perfect playing conditions, the Red Devils won the toss and chose to bat first against the winlessWarriors.
Theymanagedtoscorea modest 123/7 in their 20 overs.
Captain Mangalie, alongside Terrance Romain, established a brisk 57-run partnership in just 9 overs before Mangalie was dismissed for 25 runs off 28 balls.TheWarriorstightened their grip, claiming wickets consistently
Terrance Romain contributed a solid 41 runs off 41 balls, including 4 fours and 1 six.Vishan Lall, Damien Payne, and skipper Raj Sadeo each took 2 wickets.
TheWarriorsbegantheir chase with vigor, as Vishan Lall and Roy Singh put together a notable 65-run standbeforeRoywasoutfor 16. Unfortunately, light rain started to fall, halting the match and resulting in a 10run victory for the Warriors via the Duckworth-Lewis method, marking their first win.
Match2-Onceagain,the RedDevilswonthetossand optedtobat,scoring104/7in 18overs.
TerranceRomainwasthe backbone of their innings, scoring22off25balls,while extras accounted for a significant 26 runs, as the RedDevilsstruggledtofind theirrhythm.
With regular skipper Ryan Ramdass rested, Ryan Nurse stepped in and shone with the ball, taking 4 wickets for just 13 runs in 3 overs. The Royals started poorly, falling to 16 for 3
after 4 overs, but a partnership between skipper Ryan Nurse and Telston Johnson, who put together
50 runs, salvaged their innings Johnson finished with 27 runs, while Nurse added 26 to his all-round performance The Royals successfully chased down the target with 5 balls remaining, losing 5 wickets intheprocess.
AtBNOC:
Match 1- The Farnum Strikers decisively defeated the Royals, handing them their first loss of the tournamentby42runs.
The Strikers scored 137 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs, with Asif Chan leading the charge with 47 runs off 49 balls. Captain Lawrence Farnum chipped in with 33, and Reynaldo Hyland made a quickfire 22 offjust12balls,givingtheir totalsomecredibility
Ryan Nurse excelled with the ball for the Royals, capturing 4 wickets for 14 runs, while Chris Mittleholtzeradded2for30.
The Royals struggled throughout their innings, losingtheircaptainRamdass at a score of 42 and ultimately crumbling to 95 allout.
Romaine Roye was the standout bowler for the Strikers,taking4wicketsfor 14 runs, with Randy RamananandVicMahabeer taking2wicketseachfor17 and12runs,respectively
Match 2- The Farnum Strikers faced their first defeat at the hands of the previously bottom-ranked Warriors.
Batting first again, the Strikers managed a subpar total of 113/5 in 18 overs. Devi Maharaj top-scored with 31, supported by Reynaldo Hyland with 27 and Dary Balgobin, who remainednotouton16.Raja PooranandVishanLalleach picked up 2 wickets for 24 and16runs,respectively
The Warriors easily chased down the target, finishing at 116/3 in just 15 overs.
Vishan Lall continued his excellent form, scoring 34runs,whilefellowopener Randy Thomas contributed 24 runs to a solid opening partnership of 56. Randy Ramanan secured another 2 wicketsfor15runs.
The semifinals took placeyesterday: AtPickwick-RedDevils vs.Royals At BNOC- Warriors vs. Strikers
Cristiano Ronaldo
OneFootball - Cristiano Ronaldo may well be in SaudiArabiathesedays,but he remains well and truly in thepubliceye.
Now 39-years-old, he has taken up another hobby; Youtube.
His channel is only a month old but already has a m a m m o t h 6 7 4 m subscribers and is growing rapidly When Ronaldo said that he was going to ‘break the internet’ with his next guest, the comments went wild with speculation that it wouldmeanthathewouldbe joinedbyLionelMessi.
But those rumours
Frompage28 became Deyal’s third scalp, and Chase went to Shannon Gabriel, but the damage was alreadydoneasthePridewereat297-5atthat point. The lower order contributed the remainingrunstothedauntingtotal.
Deyal stood out for the Red Force with figures of 4-53, but his efforts were insufficienttostemthetide.
Facingamountainofruns,theRedForce falteredearlyandneverrecovered.Theonly brightspotintheirreplywasa68-runsecond wicket partnership between Tion Webster andAmir Jangoo (16).Webster’s aggressive 56 off 47 balls, which featured eight boundaries and a six, gave fleeting hope
before he became the fourth wicket to fall withthescoreat91.
AfterWebster’sdismissal,Deyal(34)and Isiah Rajah (28) added a brief 53-run stand for the seventh wicket, but the Red Force wereultimatelybowledoutforapaltry186in just36.3overs.
Dominic Drakes led the Pride’s bowling charge with 3-24, with Chase (2-40) and Kemar Smith (2-42) also doing some damage.
The Pride’s dominance sets up a highly anticipated final against the winner of the Jamaica Scorpions versus Leeward Islands Hurricanes semi-final, scheduled for yesterday
didn’t come to fruition and instead he spoke with Mr Beast, whose subscriber record he broke, onto his channel.
You can watch the
whole interview below.
Ronaldo has recently a
ut holding off retirement from football so he can
share a pitch with his 14year-oldson.
But could this latest venture mean he could be hanging up his boots sooner rather than later?
SportsMax - Barbados
Pride delivered a clinical performance to storm into theCGUnitedSuper50Cup final, as they hammered defending champions Trinidad and Tobago Red Forcebyamassive153runs in their semi-final clash at the Brian Lara Cricket
AcademyonWednesday. This victory propelled the Pride—who last tasted glory in the 2016-17 season andreachedtheirlastfinalin 2017-18 into contention fortheirseventhtitle.
Scores: Barbados Pride 339-7 (50 overs); Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 186
allout(36.3overs)
Afterbeingsentintobat, thePride’sopeners,Zachary McCaskie and Leniko Boucher,laidthefoundation with a scintillating 142-run partnership. McCaskie, the more aggressive of the pair, entertained with a blistering 94 off just 82 deliveries,
smashingsixboundariesand sixtoweringsixes.
However, his departure, courtesy of Mark Deyal, did little to disrupt the Pride’s momentum.
This, as Captain
Raymond Reifer joined the fray with a brisk 65 and addedanothercrucial50-run stand with Boucher, who contributed a steady 69 off
84 balls in a knock that had seven boundaries. Reifer’s 60-ball knock, which included six fours and a six, epitomized controlled aggression that applied further pressure to the Red Forcebowlers.
Even when Boucher fell to Deyal and Kevin Wickham (14) went to spinnerKharyPierre,Reifer,
and Roston Chase (43), on return from West Indies duties, added another 50 for thefourthwicket. Chase’s quick-fire 31ball knock, which had only two fours and a six, ensured the Pride capitalized on the foundation laid by the top order
Reifereventually (Continuedonpage27)
ByRawleToney
The Green Machine, Guyana’s national rugby team,issettomakeitsmark at this year’s Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens Championship, hosted at the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima, Trinidad andTobago.
Led by captain Godfrey Broomes, Guyana’s squad features vice-captain Lionel Holder, along with Vallon Adams, Matthew Talbot, GodfreyPollydore,Rickford Cummings, Shawn David, Renaldo Niles, Yannick Williams, Scott Garraway, Odida Douglas, Kelvin Grant, Owen Adonis, Tyreese Prescod, and Gavin McPherson.
Guyana, a former powerhouse in Rugby
Americas North with seven titlestoitsname,lastwonthe championshipin2016.
However, the team has facedchallengessincebackto-back losses to Jamaica in 2017 and 2018, leading to a declineinperformance.
Returning to the tournament after a ninthplace finish in 2022, the Green Machine is determined to reclaim its dominance under the leadership of head coach ClaudiusButts.
In their campaign opener, Guyana will face Canada, with further pool matches scheduled against Barbados on Saturday and BermudaonSunday
Thisyear’sRANSevens Championship features two tiers for the men’s
-Guyanatoface Canadatoday
competition Tier One includes the top eight teams intheregion,determinedby recent performances and rankings, while Tier Two features emerging teams strivingtobreakintothetop echelonofRANrugby
Thetournamentincludes senior men’s and women’s brackets, providing a highperformance platform for development and regional rivalry Additionally, the competition serves as a qualifier for the prestigious 2025 HSBC Sevens ChallengerSeries. With an illustrious history as the region’s most decorated sevens team, Guyana’s Green Machine aims to ignite its resurgence and leave an indelible mark onthisyear’schampionship.
Cricket Australia appoints former West Indian Captain Carl Hooper as a Multicultural Ambassador
CricketAustralia - CricketAustralia has announced the appointment of former West Indian Captain Carl Hooper as a Multicultural Ambassador for a two-year term. Hooper’s appointment is part of CricketAustralia’scommitmenttodiversity and inclusion, as outlined in their MulticulturalActionPlan.
A key action in Australian Cricket’s MulticulturalAction Plan, the Multicultural Ambassador Programme provides a platform for 58 influential leaders from diverse backgrounds and experiences, including past and current players, government officials, business leaders, media personalities, and community champions who will advocate for inclusion anddiversity
The objective is to create more opportunities for multicultural members of thecommunitytoengagewithcricket,andto
understand and break down barriers that existformulticulturalparticipantsincricket andthewidercommunity
The ambassadors will focus on five key areas:
-Participation
-HighPerformance
-PeopleandRepresentation
-CommunicationsandEngagement
-EventandExperience
Carl Hooper stated: “I’m honored to be part of this initiative. Cricket has always been a passion of mine, and I believe this programmewillhelppromotethegameand foster greater connectivity across the Australiancricketlandscape.
“I’m excited to contribute my expertise and experience to this important initiative,” said Hooper “Together, we can make a real differenceandpromotecricketasasportfor all.”
Following the void that was created due to the sudden
passing of Technical
DirectorTerrencePooleMS,
the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has
officially appointed International Technical Officer(ITO)EltonChaseto thatpositionwithimmediate effect.
Chase holds the
distinction of being Guyana’s first ITO and one ofthesmallcadrewithinthe E n g l i s h - s p e a k i n g Caribbean.
He is now tasked with administering the GBA’s developmental programmes and policies, which have been instrumental in maintaining the country’s dominance in the region, especiallyatthejuniorlevel.
The Technical Director void emanated after then i n c u m b e n t P o o l e unexpectedly passed away onOctober2nd.Hewas60.
According to reports, Poolecomplainedoffeeling unwell following the conclusion of his routine morningjog.
He was subsequently
rushed to the hospital following difficulty breathing and unfortunately passed away, throwing the fraternity into a state of mourning.
GBA President Steve N i n v a l l e s a i d , “Development is a continuous process, and we are very proud to announce the appointment of Elton Chase to the portfolio of Technical Director This decision was made following a period of consultation and assessment within the fraternity of the potentialcandidateswhowe believedhadthecapacityfor suchapost.
We are confident that he possesses the requisite knowledge and experience tobuildonthesuccessofthe
work that was implemented by the late Terrence Poole. This position, at times, is even more important than the executive portfolio, as you are directly responsible for the direction and developmentofthesportfor theimmediateandlong-term future.”
Ninvalle further stated, “The GBAbelieves that Mr Chase will bring a different but equally effective a p p r o a c h t o t h e implementation of new policiesandthecontinuation ofexistingprograms,which, most importantly, is for the common good and the interests of the boxing community,especiallyatour nursery strata, which has been the foundation for our continuedregionalsuccess.
SportsMax-Theroadto theNetballWorldYouthCup 2025hasofficiallybegun,as Caribbean representatives Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados now knowtheiropponentsforthe tournament, which will see 20 of the world’s top under21 netball teams vying for supremacy on the internationalstage.
With 10 months to go beforetheSeptember19–28 showpiece in Gibraltar, Jamaica’s young Sunshine Girls, as well as the young BarbadosGemsandCalypso Girls, will intensify
preparations as they have toughdrawstonavigate.
Jamaica’s young
Sunshine Girls have been drawn into a competitive P o o l C a l
n g s i d e powerhouse England, Tonga, Wales, and Sri Lanka. It’s a challenging group, but one that Netball Jamaica President Tricia Robinson believes they will bewell-preparedfor
“Weknowthequalityof our opponents, especially England, who are always strong at the youth level. However, we will be ensuring that the girls
thorough, as we have every intentionofpossiblymaking
tournament. So the focus of the preparation will be on fine-tuning strategies and sharpening the team’s physical and mental readiness in the build-up to the World Cup,” Robinson toldSportsMax.Tv
“While England is the primary threat in this pool, Jamaica has the ability to outplay Tonga, Wales, and Sri Lanka if they maintain theirfocusanddiscipline
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Cricket Australia appoints appoints former West Indian Indian
Captain Carl Hooper as a Multicultural Ambassador
