received US$4.4 billion received US$10 billion Guyana should have after killing Hezbollah leader
Govt. spending
US$16M to
One house destroyed, three others damaged
...as fire sweeps through sections of Hadfield Street
Two suspects in Main Street abduction of man surrender Chevron on Govt. relations in Guyana
Hess CEO to advise
...as US Trade Commission clears takeover deal
The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) on Monday revealed figures which indicate that Guyana should have received US$10Bfromtheproduction ofoilintheLizaOneandLiza Twofieldstodate.
Due to the government's failure to manage the sector prudently in the best interest of Guyanese however, the country gained a meagre US$4.4B since the startup of production activities in the Stabroek Block, operated by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited(EMGL).
The ministry was responding to an article carried by Kaieteur News on September 22, 2024 under the headline 'Guyana poised toreceivelessthanUS$9Bof US$70B from Liza 1 and Liza 2' In the article, Kaieteur News showed that the two projects, which are currentlyinoperation,havea combined reserve of about one billion barrels of oil. At anaverageoilpriceofUS$70 per barrel, the two projects are expected to generate about US$70B Using a breakevencostofUS$40per barrel, it was outlined that US$30B would remain from which other costs would be deducted, leaving Guyana with only US$9B of the revenue.
The Ministry however clarified that the breakeven
cost substituted by the newspaper was incorrect as this was an average figure which applies to several developments offshore. “In July, ExxonMobil Guyana's Vice President, Phillip Rietema, stated that the company's operations are secure at a US$40 per barrel break-even price the US$40perbarrelfigureisan averagebreak-evenpricethat applies to several developments offshore, not specifically to Liza 1 and Liza 2,” the MNR statement said. To this end, the Ministry said the Liza One breakeven cost was US$35 per barrel, while the Liza Two breakeven cost is US$25. Notably,thebreak-evenprice is the minimum price at which the crude needs to be
sold, to cover all the costs of producing it, the MNR said. This includes capital, operating, and other necessaryexpenses.
While Kaieteur News arrivedatanearlierfigureof US$9B to be received in revenue from the two projects, the country should receive about US$20B according to the information supplied by the Ministry Using an average of US$30 asthebreakevencostforLiza One and Liza Two, the projects are estimated to generate some US$40B in revenue at an average cost perbarrelofUS$70.
TheUS$40Bwouldhave to be split between ExxonMobil and Guyana, meaning that the country should receive US$20B whiletheoilcompanyshould receive an equal sum According to information displayed by the Bank of Guyana on the Natural Resource Fund (NRF), the country only received the sumofUS$4.4Basattheend of June 2024 This is particularly alarming and raisesfurtherquestionsabout the management of the sector, since 40% of the reserves have already been depletedtodate.
Liza One, which commencedoilproductionin December 2019, has already producedcloseto200million
barrels of oil (MBO). The Field Development Plan for that project however indicates that the project, operatedbytheLizaDestiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, has a reserve of 452 MBO. This means that 44% of the reserves are already drained.
Similarly,attheLizaTwo project,theMinistryreported that almost 200 MBO have been produced by Exxon since the commencement of production activities in
billion
February 2022. That field, according to the FDP holds a b o u t 5 7 0 M B O Consequently, 35% of the reserves have already been producedbythecompany It could also be deduced that about 40% of the collectivereservesatthetwo projects have been depleted. Due to the government's failure to implement a ringfencing provision,
ExxonMobil uses revenue that should come to Guyana tofunditsinvestmentsacross theStabroekBlock.
A ring-fencing provision would force the operator to use the revenue generated at one project to pay for its expenses. In the absence of this key mechanism, Exxon is allowed to take revenue fromLizaOne,LizaTwoand Payara to develop its other projects. If those projects werering-fenced,thecountry would have been receiving a greatershareofprofitstoday, since Exxon has already recovered over US$19B- the total cost of the three projects.
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Last week, we reported on Guyana’s debt and the amountofmoneybeingspentinservicingit.Itisanareaof concernformostGuyanese,butonewhichourleadershave ignored.
AccordingtotheBankofGuyanafigures,thiscountry’s debt service reached US$85.2M in the first six months of 2024, with a whopping US$34M alone paid in interest. Althoughthecountry’stotaldebtclimbedfromUS$4.5Bat the end of December 2023 to US$5B at the end of June 2024, the Bank of Guyana (BoG) in its 2024 Half Year ReportrevealedthatGuyana’stotaldebtservice,duringthe period under review, decreased by 7.7 percent to US$85.2 million.
Notably, Central Bank explained that domestic debt service payments decreased by G$2,925.8 million to G$5,872.7 million (US$29.4M), while the external debt service payments rose by 13.8 percent to US$57 million. Thisincreasewas“onaccountofhigherinterestpayments to multilateral creditors,” the report states. The BoG explained that external debt payments accounted for 3.5% of Central Government’s current revenue and 0.8% of exports of goods and non-factor services. Principal and interest payments amounted to US$35 million and US$22 million, respectively During the period, payments to multilateral creditors increased to US$36 million, which was62.8%oftotalexternaldebtservice.
Meanwhile, payments to bilateral creditors increased by 116% to US$20 million, and accounted for 356% of total externaldebtservice Thegrowthresultedfromincreaseddebt servicepaymentstotheExportImport(EXIM)BankofChina, accordingtotheBoG Withregardtodomesticdebtservice,the Bank’sHalfYearReportindicatesthatpaymentsdecreasedto G$5,873millionduringthereviewperiod,duetothefinaldebt service repayments on the Tranches 1 and 2 of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Bond Itmustbenotedthata2023studybytheInter-American Development Bank titled “Dealing with Debt: Less Risk for MoreGrowthinLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean,”theBank statesthatcountriesinLatinAmericaandtheCaribbeanshould prioritise bringing down debt to prudent levels to boost economicgrowth,allowforproductiveinvestmentandreduce theriskofadebtcrisis Thestudyfoundthattotaldebtin2023 roseinLatinAmericaandtheCaribbeantosomeUS$58trillion or117%ofGDP,fromunderUS$3trillionin2008 Publicdebt in the region grew from 58% in 2019 to 72% in 2020 due to COVID-related fiscal packages, lower revenues, and a recession,accordingto“DealingwithDebt:LessRiskforMore GrowthinLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean,”partoftheIDB’s DevelopmentintheAmericasseries
The Bank did warn that high debt levels can hinder developmentbecauseitpromptsinvestorstodemandhigher yields, crowding out private investments and forcing governments to divert scarce resources to pay interest insteadofinvestingininfrastructureandpublicservices.It saidtoothathighdebtlevelsalsoreduceacountry’sability to respond to future economic shocks to support families and firms and increases the risk of a crisis.The pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, high inflation, rising interest rates and low world growth, combined with high debt, increase the region’s vulnerability Let us assure the publicofthisfact:debthasitsuses,andhelpstomakemany thingspossible.But,aswithmostthings,toomuchofit,can causemorethanconstipation,itcanresultinahernia. Too muchdebttakentooquicklycanleadtochoking,especially if the underlying revenues needed for debt service encountertrouble,andstarttoslowdown. InGuyana’scase, aworldofdependencyisplacedonoilpricesstayingatthe levelwhereitiscurrently,orabove.Thereisoptimismtothe point of blind religious faith in the camp of the PPP/C Government that it is, and will be, a most helpful oil price
DEAR
, Mr Shridath Ramphal, I deliberatelydroppedthetitle theBritishofferedhiminhis e a r l y l i f e , w a s a distinguishedsonofthesoil. I want to relate artifacts and memories that will give the younger generation some indicationfromhispoint-ofview of the personality and aspirations of Mr Shridath Ramphal. His father Mr JI Ramphal was a prominent citizen who became
Commissioner of Labour, probably the first Guyana born person to head a government department
While in the Labour Department, he came to our BuxtondiscussionCircleon Friday nights to conduct a course in trade unionism based on a set of booklets printed by the British Trade UnionCongress.JIRamphal was also the founder of Modern High school in Georgetown.
I first encountered Shridath Ramphal in 1959 whenMr CLRJamesandhis wife invited me to Trinidad and Tobago to spend a week with them as their guest Mr James had just returned from Guyana, where he had been covering cricket and giving lectures ImetMr Ramphalin his office, where he was serving as the assistant attorneygeneral;ofthenewly formed West Indies Federation Eventhen,hewas arisingstar Ourconversation onthatoccasionwasbrief,but memorable
Mr Ramphal then became Attorney General
horizon Wiser political leaders and better run national governments have made the same mistake and paid bitter prices for long stretchesoftime. Itismore accurate to assert that the citizens who have to repay the suddenly overwhelming debtloadsaretheonesliving withthebitterness.
Oil is a commodity that seesaws violently on world markets,anditdoesnottake muchtotriggeritrisingand falling wildly Leading members of the PPP/C Governmentarefullyaware of this, but some of them takecomfortinthelowdebt toGDPratioofthiscountry, considering that same ratio of other countries in the
region GDP (Gross Domestic Product), or the totaloutputoftheeconomy, can turn on a dime and deliver into nosebleed
and took on other functions in the Guyana coalition government led by Mr Burnham after the dread of violence after the 1964 hostilities AllthiswaswhenI publicly supported the coalition government led by M Burnham after the long, hard season of violence in Guyana So, I saw Mr Ramphalfromtimetotimeat the Prime Minister’s office I was a schoolteacher at a high school in Buxton, which I founded and was quite satisfiedwiththatstatus Ihad gone to Africa to explain the politicalsituationinGuyanaas Mr Burnham’s envoy, and I had nothing but a letter from him I had been facilitated passage through the United States because of Ramphal’s newstatus Ihadnotbeenable to transit through the United States before because of the Anglo-US policies in 1953 I was in NewYork a few days beforetheChristmasholidays, andDr NeddyPetersofNew Amsterdamarrangedformeto address representatives of the African Nations in a room at the United Nations I gave them my interpretation of the political situation in Guyana, the need to introduce Proportional Representation (PR), a change to which they hadbeenopposed
So,Ihadsomeideaofthe diplomatic content of several African countries and shared these freely with people who had reason to enquire. The next thing I want to mention is that, for his reasons, Mr Burnham, the Prime Minister, invited
territory,shouldgeopolitical conditions change in some distant part of the world, or there is a steep drop in demand for the precious energycommodity.
All the rosy forecasts, and all the expressions of political confidence to service the national debt, then undergo a sharp reversal, with much tightening (stringencies) following, and being the only way to cope with new realities. The people who felt pain during the time of plenty are now faced with newer, more unbearable pain For when the economic going was on the bright side, those same masses of citizens came in for the paltry here, and a pittance there, and not a penny more. We at this paper have been against binge borrowing from the
metotheGuyanadelegation to the non-aligned conferenceinLusaka.Itwas not something I expected or looked forward to I complied,hopingIwouldbe helpful as a loyal citizen of Guyana.
Atthatseason,everybody knew him and called him SonnyRamphal:thatwashis name, and of course, it pleased the strata of people with whom he interacted because they were very c o m f o r t a b l e w i t h Anglophone names When we got together on the delegation,itwasanexciting timeaswemovedfromplace to place across the African continent after the nonaligned conference The Prime Minister had decided to visit several African countries, so a few small planeswerehiredtotransport usbetweenlocations Itwasa close-knit experience as we sat together on those flights, sharing the journey and the conversationsalongtheway AndIrememberoneday, someone called me by my old name, and I reminded them that I had taken the trouble to change my name, and then I suggested to Mr Ramphalthatheshouldstop people from calling him Sonny after his parents had given him an honourable name. He took the point, made a statement about it, and asked them to call him Shridath That is one incidentIwillmention.Itdid him well because it was more appropriate for the non-European climate in
beginning. Ourpositionhas been clear: borrow more slowly,andborrowless. We donothavetobeinthismad rush to initiate every public w o r k s p r o j e c t (infrastructure)thatisfound appealing, and run ahead with getting them done, regardlessofhowmuchthey add to the overall debt overhang Debt mania normally fuels squandermania. Meanwhile,wehave too many hopeful citizens stuck at the bottom of Guyana’s economic ladder, whocountthemselveslucky if they get a taste of a few crumbs from their patrimonythatisthedelight oftheworld. Theirsorrylot justshouldnotbe,notinthis country, of all places, and notatthistimeinourhistory Our accompanying position has been even clearer: get ExxonMobil to the table of
which he was active, although several African statesmenhadEuropeanfirst names.
Before we left Guyana to be active on the international front,hiscareer,whichwasso well described by others, including the current opposition leader of Guyana, Mr Ramphal, was interviewed by Hugh Cholmondeley,astarreporter for the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation radio It was a fascinating interview I listened to it at home and rememberMr Cholmondeley questioning him. He was frank I will not attempt to recall the contents of the interview, but I say Mr Ramphal was a man who knewwherehewasgoing He moved along a career path carefully chosen by him. Evidence was that the background music for this exciting interview with Mr Hugh Cholmondeley was a popularsongwiththerefrain, “I did it my way.” I got the impression that Mr Ramphal was telling us that hedidwhathewantedtodo inawayhewantedto.Asfar as I observed, he always maintained his freedom of action, which is his story I feelthattheNCN,regardless of the politics of today, can do the present population service and serve public education well by making this interview freely and publicly available by means available to it. I regret my delayinwritingthisletter
Yourssincerely, EusiKwayana
renegotiation,andgetintoa battle royal there for more for Guyana. More for Guyana means more for Guyanese. More in the national treasury means that less has to be borrowed, or should be, given prudent managementofoureconomy This facilitates a better balance between borrowing andspendingonprojects,and respondingtotheplightsofso many people hungry and needyinthiscountry Tensof billions of Guyana dollars have to be set aside for debt service due to runaway borrowing, while dependent Guyanese are yoked to the repayment of loans taken in theirname. This debt picture is too skewed; it also reeks of m
selfishness.
Ramharack and his comrades in NewYork on campaign to besmirch image, belittle the struggles of the Jagans
DEAREDITOR, InitsSeptember22,2024 editionS/Npublishedaletter written by Baytoram Ramharack; ‘Janet Jagan showed little interest in Indianhistoryandculture.’
Whatever his motive, Ramharack and his comradesinNewYorkseem bent on waging a letterwriting campaign to besmirch the image and belittle the struggles of the Jagansofthiscountry
This is not the first time such letters were published. Basedonwhathewrotefrom time to time, it is clear that Ramharak and Co’s obsession is to denigrate the Jagan legacy, shape it in an anti-Indian framework and replace it with le’ grande epiphanyofadeceased,nonresident Indo-Guyanese criticofCheddiJagan.
This time, Ramharack chose to pick a bone with Janet Jagan, a founder member of the PPP and formerPresidentofGuyana. Buthardashetries,lifeitself has proven his campaign unattractive,norisitgaining traction within the wider Guyanesesociety
Observers are keen to know what exactly was Ramharackreferringtowith his reference to ‘Indian culture;’ Is it the Hindutvatype Indian culture or is he referringtowhatweknowas G u y a n e s e m u l t iculturalism?Washethinking of today’s new writing, thinking,musicandart?Did h e h a v e i n m i n d contemporary culture; a thriving and innovative Guyanese/Caribbean scene, replete with original forms and vibrant content? Or did he envisage something simple and copy-cat-like, replete with patterns of the past? These are serious questions any pretentious academicneedstoanswer
Further, it seems to me that Ramharack’s reference to ‘Indian history’should be viewed in a Guyanese context and should mean Indo-Guyanese/Caribbean history
Worse yet, any attempt by his comrade at home to show that Indo-Guyanese owe a debt of gratitude to Afro-Guyanese historically and contemporarily contradicts President Ali’s modernistic pursuit of ‘One Guyana’ as well as his commitment to the ‘Pact for the Future’ principle and goal of ‘Leaving No One Behind.’ Long before Ramharack
opened his eyes in his infancy, many others who opposed Cheddi and Janet Jagan tried to bring them down on ideological and political grounds however, thoseeffortsfellflatontheir faces.Uptotoday,longafter theJagansshuttheireyesand were cremated, the revisionists of Janet Jagan’s role in the making of Guyana’s contemporary history,wenttoworkfroma Hindu supremacist perspective to chip away at herlegacy
Ramharack used the recently published book; ‘JanetJaganFreedomFighter For Guyana’ by Patricia Mohammed, as the occasion to write disparagingly about oneofthefoundersofthePPP andthefirstwomanPresident of Guyana But his bellyaching notwithstanding, the fact of the matter is that her legacy is enduring knowingthatthePPPsheleft behindcontinuestoenjoythe support of the Guyanese electorate who have not lost faithinthePPPandcontinue toelectthepartytoofficetime andagain
Come October 5th, the 37th anniversary of what was celebrated then as ‘The Dawn of a New Era’will be observed. Janet Jagan was thefirstrepresentativeofthe PPP on the Elections Commission chaired at that time by Sir Donald Jackson. Duringtheperiodsheserved on the commission from 1964 to 1967, she was the first to expose the internal machinations of the PNC controlledcommissiontorig the 1968 election using fraudulent voter registration cards; abuse proxy and postal voting and to pad the overseas voters’ list with phantom voters in the UK, America and the Caribbean. Itwasherexpose’thatledthe then UK based Granada Television to produce a programme exposing the 1964electionrigging.
Four years later, following the 1968 election Granada TV produced ‘The TrailoftheVanishingVoter’
and‘TheMakingofaPrime Minister.’(See S/N October 22,2009 edition; ‘The 1968 General Elections and the 1969 National Assembly of the Second Parliament of Guyana.’)Andfollowingthe seizureoftheballotboxesby the GDF at 1973 election Granda TV produced the documentary,‘Mr Burnham DoesItAgain’.
Mrs. Jagan documented the army intervention in the 1973 election in her booklet ‘Army Intervention In The 1973 Elections in Guyana,’ showing how, as a result of electoral rigging, the PNC increased its vote from 40 percent(1964)percentto71 percent(1973).
Ramharack chose to ignore these significant contributionsbyJanetJagan in the fight against the Burnham dictatorship and helped energize the struggle forfreeandfairelectionsand therestorationofdemocracy in Guyana. That struggle resulted eventually in the elections victory by the PPP/ConOctober5th,1992. InsteadofsituatingJanet Jagan at the center of the Guyanese people’s struggle forfreeandfairelectionsand therestorationofdemocracy in which Indo-Guyanese led by the PPP played the leading role, Ramharack chose, for the sake of his narrow-mindedandclannish academic pursuits to jump on incendiary ethnicallylaced rhetoric and esoteric issues camouflaged as legitimate historical and culturalphenomena.
G r a d u a t
Ramharack who claims to havestudiedatanAmerican college are prone to accept We
d narrativesaboutideological, s
developmentsincountriesof the Global South As a consequence, because of theirdisdainfortheideology and politics of the Jagan’s what they set out to accomplish is to influence theIndo-Guyanesepopulace ideologically into accepting
a Hindu supremacist ideology and anti-Jagan narrative.
Such writings and
pronouncements must be exposed as unhelpful and mischievous, they do not contribute to the unity and cohesion of the nation as a whole.
Yoursfaithfully, ClementJ.Rohee
Pres.Ali says one thing overseas and does something differently at home
DEAREDITOR, The United Nations (UN) is hosting its 79th AnnualGeneralAssemblyin New York. One could not help but notice President Irfaan Ali’s pontification on the UN’s platform, attemptingtofixtheworld’s problemswhenGuyana’sare huge,andhedoesnothingto solve them. This nation is being torn asunder by pervasive socio-economic inequities, discrimination anddisregardforsustainable development.
On the global stage, the president seeks to give the impression he understands w h a t s u s t a i n a b l e development constitutes but at home has no interest in it beyondtheeconomicreturns the Government of Guyana cangainfromcarboncredits.
The Indigenous peoples, who live in the hinterland and source of economic substance comes from the rainforest, are not being denied their fair portion of thecarboncreditmoney On the coastland the money is not being used to create sustainable infrastructural development that enhances the wellbeing of the people and the environment. We continue to bear witness to massive graft, corruption and discrimination in every sphere of the economy the government has a say or could influence Race, political and social
worsened.
I n G u y a n a , t h e
Jagdeo/Ali regime has no regard for sustainable development which places b
environment at its core. For thesetwomen,development i
infrastructure and the enrichment of self and cohorts.
Issues pertinent to sustainable development are food security, building of new communities inclusive o
consistent with modern hygienic standards, health policies that dedicate resources to preventive and curative care, litter free environment and absence of prolonged flooding This economic model is built around people centeredness, developed and guided by laws, conventions and charters, which protects the rights of every citizen and helpcommunitiesinmaking decisions as to the form of development best suited to theirneeds.
For sustainable development to work, it requires making resources available to strengthen institutions such as in the judiciary, research policing laws and improving the pillars upon which the societyhasbeenbuilt.Italso requires helping the justice system to recalibrate its role
inmakingdecisionsthatgive society the comfort that justice is universal and will be served regardless of. The executive also has a role to play in demonstrating zero tolerance for corruption, graftandnepotism.
The nation must be reminded that the UN GeneralAssemblyadopteda resolution on 25th September 2015 which identified the 2030 Agenda f o r S u s t a i n a b l e Development. This must be our guide, with compliance to the 17 Goals and 169 Targets which focus on five areas, namely: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, Partnership.
The17Goalsare:1)End poverty in all its forms everywhere; 2) End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture; 3) Ensure healthy lives and promote well-beingforallatallages; 4) Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all; 5) Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls; 6) Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitationforall; 7) Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energyforall;8)Promote
(Continuedonpage06)
It’s
ashameUN,globalcommunityunable tobringendtowarsinUkraine,Gaza
If there is one thing the warsinbothUkraineandthe Middle East have demonstrated,itistheabject failureofdiplomacytosolve problemsregardingwarand peace.
The main obstacle is in the governance structure of the United Nations, especiallyasitrelatestothe
composition of the Security Council. It is time for the Permanent members of Security Council be expanded to include other developed nations such as India and Brazil and representatives from the developingworld. More importantly, the veto power should be scrapped and decisions at
the Security Council be made by consensus or by a majorityvote.
Itisashamethatdespite thethousandsofliveslostin the wars in Ukraine and Palestine, the United Nationsandbyextensionthe global community appears helpless to bring about a diplomaticsolution.
HydarAlly
Frompage05
sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all; 9) Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation; 10) Reduce inequality within and among countries; 11) Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilientandsustainable;12)
Ensure sustainable
c o n s u m p t i o n a n d productionpatterns;
13)Takeurgentactionto combat climate change and its impacts; 14) Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development; 15) Protect, restore and promote
sustainableuseofterrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss; 16) Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutionsatalllevels;and 17)Strengthenthemeansof implementation and revitalise the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
Readers are invited to review these goals and see howmuch,ifany,theregime respects or is putting systems in place to meaningfullyachieve.
We are six years away from 2030 and Guyana is
still to commence the programme in an organised andsustainedmanner
We will not be able to achieve any
ng, particularly when more than half the society is being shut out for any meaningful participation in the management and decision-making processes of the state as mandated in Article 13 of the Guyana Constitution, which speaks t o “ i n c l u s i o n a r y democracy.”
The ‘one Guyana’ sloganee
n
s not “ i n c l u s i o n a r y democracy,” nor can it rep
conceptualization was
ing nurturedonexclusion Regards LincolnLewis
Guyanese will be agreeing to give Exxon an estimatedUS$28 billion to US$49 billion under either a PPP or PNC-led Government in 2025
The release of updated information last month on Guyana’s oil reserves put this figure at 11.6 billion barrels (OILNOW GY), withthepotentialtoincrease further, based on a report by D a v i d M e s s l e r a t www.OilPrice.com
This amounts to a staggering, unimaginable amount of wealth for Guyana.
The DNC has however produced some numbers in the adjacent table which show that with either a PPP or PNC-led government after2025,bytheirindignant unwillingness to renegotiate the existing GoG/Exxon contract, will be giving
Exxon between US$28 billion and US$49 billion, (subject to correction by more informed sources) of thismoney Thisisbasedon oil prices ranging from US$40-70/bbl.
However, setting up the DNCsothatitwinsthe2025 elections saves Guyanese these very amounts, plus generate much more which will accrue via our policy framework.
The Democratic National Congress is therefore worth between US$28 billion and US$49 billion at a minimum to Guyanese. The PPP and PNC can change their story and tell you they will renegotiate, but you will
h a v e t o b e a r t h e consequences of believing them.
We cannot anymore continueinthepettypolitics andideasofthePPPorPNC, both of whom are almost certainlyundertheinfluence ofExxon.
The 2025 elections will see us signing away huge amounts of our wealth if we don’t start organizing today Itistimewestoppedfinding fault with each, make our country, ourselves and our children our priority, and sit down and start trashing out who we want as leaders in our new government in 2025.
Sincerely
CraigSylvester
GuyanaWillBeGivingExxonBetweenUS$28.4Billionand US$49.7BillionunderaPPPorPNC-ledGovernment.
Guyana's Oil Reserves Estimated at 11.6 billion barrels (OILNOW.gy August 2024)
Billions
Reuters - The U S Federal Trade Commission allowed Chevron's $53 billion purchase of Hess Corporation on Monday, in anorderthatbarredtheChief Executive Officer (CEO) John Hess from Chevron's board.
The FTC's order leaves Exxon Mobil's challenge to thedeal,whichisexpectedto stretchdeepintonextyear,as itsfinalhurdle.
The proposed merger included a Chevron board seat for Hess when it was firstannouncedlastOctober, and the FTC sent a second information request to Chevrontwomonthslater Chevron Chairman and CEO Mike Wirth welcomed the completion of the FTC's review on Monday, but called it unfortunate that
John Hess would not be allowedtojointheboard.
"I have the utmost respect for John, the company he has built, and the contributions he has made to our industry," he said.
The FTC alleged that Hess--thesonofHessCorp founder Leon Hess -- had communicated publicly and privately with members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) group of oil producers, and encouraged high-level representatives of the group "in their stated mission to stabilizeglobaloilmarkets."
Allowing him to join Chevron's board "would amplify Mr Hess's supportive messaging to OPEC and others, thereby
, Sept 30 - French oilmajor TotalEnergies(TTEF.PA)
will sign a final investment decision (FID) onTuesday for a more than US$10 billion offshore oil and gas development in Suriname, the South American country's first, said four sources with knowledgeoftheproject.
Located in Block 58 about 140 km offshore, the Gran Morgu field has estimated recoverable resourcesamountingto700 million barrels of oil equivalent, adjacent to ExxonMobil's massive 11 billionbarrel find in neighbouring
oil hotspot Guyana TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne will fly to Paramaribo for a FID announcement alongside Surinamese President Chan Santokhi before travelling to New York for the company's investor day on Wednesday, added the sources,whodeclinedtobe identified because the details had not been made public.
Annand Jagesar, the CEO of Suriname's stateownedenergycompanyand market regulator Staatsolie, said last week that it was "highly likely" Staatsolie
wouldsucceedinraisingthe fundsneededtoexerciseits optiontobuya20%stakein the project, which is currently split 50-50 b e t w e e n o p e r a t o r TotalEnergies and the Texas-basedAPAStaatsolie andAPAdeclinedcomment.
Staatsolie has estimated Suriname's oil and gas resources could bring in between$16billionand$26 billion dwarfing the country's$4.34billionGDP
First oil on Gran Morgu is targeted for early 2028 using a floating production, storage and offloading vesselcapableofprocessing 200,000 barrels of oil per day For TotalEnergies, the Suriname project is part of itsstrategytofocusonlowcost, low-emissions upstream oil projects throwing one of its main industries into uncertainty The oil will be able to be produced for under $20 per barrel, Pouyanne has said, while respecting the company'semissionscapof 18 kg of CO2-equivalent per barrel of oil equivalent onnewprojects.Earlierthis year TotalEnergies took FIDs on offshore fields in Angola and Brazil, and is pursuing development of major discoveries in Namibia.
meaningfully increasing the likelihood that Chevron would align its production with OPEC's output decisions to maintain higher prices,"theFTCsaid.
Hess' board believes the claims are meritless, the companysaidinastatement.
"Mr Hess' public and private communications with OPEC officials were consistent with his communications with U S government officials, the
Agency and global business leaders on what will be needed to ensure an affordable and orderly energy transition," the company said The allegationsaresimilartothe FTC's claims against former Pioneer Natural Resources CEO Scott Sheffield, who was barred from joining Exxon Mobil's board when the FTC reviewed its $60 billion acquisition of
Pioneer.Sheffieldhassought to have the claims withdrawn.
The two cases are "an important step towards ensuring that U S oil producers are serving as a competitive check on OPEC+
ng their independent decisionmaking to the goals set by a cartel," FTC Chair Lina Khan and the Commission's two other Democratic memberssaidonMonday
T h e F T C ' s t w o Republican commissioners voted against the ChevronHess action, calling it politically motivated and lackingbasisinantitrustlaw
"ThepropositionthatMr Hess's comments could move global oil markets is l a u g h a b l e , " s a i d Commissioner Andrew Ferguson.The deal will still need to clear a challenge by Exxon Mobil and CNOOC Ltd, Hess's partners in a Guyana joint venture, who claim a right of first refusal
toanysaleofHess'sGuyana assets, the prize in the proposedmerger
Athree-judge arbitration panel is due to consider the casenextMay.Chevronand Hess say a decision is expected by August, while Exxon Mobil expects it by September2025.
John Hess will be allowed to advise Chevron on discussions with Guyanese government officials, according to the FTC order In a statement, Hesssaid,“Iamproudofthe roleourcompanyhasplayed to meet the world's energy needssafelyandresponsibly I look forward to successfully completing our company's merger with Chevron and delivering v a l u e f o r o u r shareholders ” The proposed all-stock acquisition is one of the largest in a consolidating U S o i l a n d g a s industry where several multibillion-dollar deals havebeendisclosed.
(Reuters) - The three largest U.S. energy exploration companies paid more than US$42 billion to foreign governmentslastyear,abouteighttimes more than what they paid in the United States,accordingtoregulatoryfilings.
ThedisclosuresfromExxonMobil, Chevron Corp, and ConocoPhillips wererequiredthisyearforthefirsttime ever under a new Securities and ExchangeCommissionrequirement.
Transparency advocates had been pushing for the rule for more than a decade to shine a light on Big Oil's foreign financial transactions in its globalquestforoil,andprovideasense of whether U.S. taxpayers are getting a fair share of the value of soaring U.S. production.
The United States has become the world's largest oil and gas producer in recentyears,thanksmainlytoaboomin themassivePermianBasininTexasand NewMexico.
"Thetruthis,hereintheU.S.,weget oneoftheworstdealsfortheextraction ofournaturalresources,"saidMichelle Harrison, deputy general counsel for EarthRights International, an environmentaladvocacygroup.
About 90% of Exxon's nearly US$25billioninglobalpaymentswent to foreign governments in 2023, even though close to a quarter of Exxon's global exploration and production earningscomefromtheUnitedStates.
'Here we have the boiler and from hereitgoestoadevicethattakesitinto
the heater, The Texas-based oil giant paid out US$22.5 billion in taxes, royaltiesandotheritemsoverseas,with theUnitedArabEmirates($7.4billion), Indonesia ($4.6 billion) and Malaysia ($3.2billion)toppingthelist,according tothedisclosures.
By contrast, Exxon made about US$2.3 billion in U.S.-based payments in2023,includingjust$1.2billiontothe U S Internal Revenue Service, accordingtoExxon'sreport.
Exxon's U S -based upstream earnings totaled US$4 2 billion, compared to US$17.1 billion in nonU.S. markets, according to Exxon's 2023annualreport.
In the preamble of Exxon's SEC report, the company complained that comparisonsbetweenU.S.andoverseas payments were not fair and said U.S. government payments totaled $6 6 billionlastyearwhenyouincludemore than $4 billion in state and local taxes omittedbytheregulations.
Exxondeclinedtocommentfurther Chevron, meanwhile, paid US$14.6 billiontoforeigngovernmentsin2023, including US$4 billion to Australia alone,accordingtothefilings.
Thecompanypaidjust$2billionin theU.S.,accordingtothefilings.
A Chevron spokesperson said the company's overhead in the U.S. can be much lower than in overseas oil fields. Chevron's holdings in the Permian Basin, for example, total about 2.2 million acres with about 75% of that
land connected to either low or no royalty payments. Chevron executives seethatasahugeadvantageandonethat creates shareholder value, according to presentationsbythecompany Last year, most of Chevron's upstream profits were from international markets - at US$17.4 billion compared to US$4.1 billion in the United States - according to Chevron's2023annualreport.Chevron did not criticize the disclosure parametersinitsfiling,andtoldReuters itwouldcontinuetoworkwithrelevant agencies toward transparency and accountability between governments and the industry. For ConocoPhillips, just US$1.3 billion of a total US$6.5 billionintotalglobalpaymentslastyear went to the U.S., according to the disclosures.
Thecompanydeclinedtocomment. Section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank Act openedthedoorforthenewdisclosures around overseas activities by energy exploration and production companies. AdividedSECadoptedtherulesin2020 in a 3-2 vote, as the burgeoning ESG movement, which focuses on environmental, social and governance matters, demanded more transparency on behalf of millions of U.S. investors. Theadoptionoftherule,however,came after a pitched years-long battle: A federalcourtin2013vacatedtheSEC's first attempt at imposing the mandate, andCongressblockedasecondattempt in2017.
There was a time when journalism was not just a profession—itwasacalling. Investigative journalists movedaroundwithpensand notepads poised to uncover secrets that no one dared whisper Now, it seems, those pens have dried up, and the notepads have gone out of extinction, replaced by the mobile phone or laptop.
In Guyana, the media once thrived on the essence of investigative reporting. Journalists were out in the streets, chasing stories, knockingondoors,sittingin bars prying out scoops from those whose tongues were loosened by one too many drinks,callingupcontactsto see what secrets can be unearthed. Today, the most vigorous activity one might witness in a newsroom is a heateddebateoverwhowill goandbuytheChinesefood orpastries.It’snotthatthere aren’t stories to be uncovered—it’s just that no one seems to want to leave the comfort of their swivel chairstouncoverthem.
Take, for instance, the tragic helicopter crash that occurred almost a year ago. It was a national tragedy Five servicemen, all senior officers of the Guyana Defence Force, were killed, andtwosurvived.Thiswasa disaster that shook the country, and naturally, the public wants to know what causedit.Wasitmechanical failure? Pilot error? The wrath of some long-
forgotten sky deity? We don’tknow,andneitherdoes the media, because they’re waiting for the investigative report to drop into their laps likemannafromheaven.
Now, if this had been 20 years ago, we’d already knowwhathappenedonthat fateful day in December Journalists would have foundawaytointerviewthe survivors, even if it was in secret. Or they would have sweet-talked some insider with “knowledge of the investigation” to spill the beans Instead, the survivors’ stories remain untouched by the curious minds of today’s so-called journalists.Canyouimagine Woodward and Bernstein sitting on their laurels, waiting for a government reporttotellthemwhatwent down at Watergate? They’d berollingintheirgraves—if they were dead. (Which, thank goodness, they aren’t. Someone needs to keep journalismalive.)
But let’s move on from this aviation tragedy to a m o r e g r o u n d e d nuisance—literally Over at Leonora, a group of residents is up in arms over noise pollution. They say they are victims of blasting music loud enough to rattle theraftersoftheirhomesand probablysendtheirdogsinto therapy The police, however, after an unannounced visit to one such bar have declared the place soundproof Soundproof! Nothing to
see—orhear—here,folks.
Buthasanyonefromthe media gone to Leonora to check? You know, to do a little independent verification? Perhaps visit the bar at 11 p.m., mingle with the patrons, listen for the telltale thump of bass reverberating through the walls? No Instead, they report the police findings verbatim, as if the law enforcement officers are the last word on sound physics. You’d think the press might becuriousaboutwhetherthe police operation was an anomaly or if the residents are just hallucinating the noise. But no, better to stay at the office and wait for a pressrelease.
In the old days, journalists were like bloodhounds on a scent Now, they seem to be more like those decorative porcelain dogs your grandmother use
have just sitting there, collecting dust, looking vaguely interested but making no real effort to do anything.
Andthisbringsmetothe pièce de résistance: the alleged racial altercation outside an art school Apparently,someoneparked their car in the wrong spot, racial slurs were allegedly thrown around, and the matterendeduptriggeringa controversy
Butinsteadofdivinginto t h e m e a t o f t h e matter Who said what? Why? — the media decided
Dem boys seh de governmentgatawholeset ah ideas. They claim dem deh on top of things. Got nuff plan in de pipeline fuh use dat $7 billion set aside fuh cost-of-living relief But all dem ideas gotta be well stuck in de pipe, becausedemcan’tseemfuh reachdepeople.
People punishing long time now Dem prices ain’t justclimbing;demsprinting uplikeUsainBolt.Andnot just food everything raising.Man,evensaltprice goinup!Butdegovernment tekkin dem sweet time Dem deh collecting ideas like how de City Council does collect garbage: slowly, and sometimes not atall.
Is almost a year now since dis cost-of-living pressurehitdepeoplelikea
sledgehammer But de government still sittin down, scribbling ideas pon paper like dem writing some big exam. Dem got nuff time, yuh see De people?Notsomuch. Poormancyanevenbuy lil sugar fuh put in he tea. But while de poor starving, de government deh in one bigdebate:‘Shouldwehelp dem today, or tomorrow?’
Dem boys seh when government tek nine monthsfuhhelpyuh,islike yuh waiting nine months fuhababy,butinstead,yuh getaslapinyuhface. Iscruel,man!Heartless! How yuh can watch people suffer, and all yuh got tons of “ideas”? Ideas nah put foodpondetable.Ideasnah pay rent. Dem boys seh de only idea de people need right now is fuh dis
to focus on the dust-up between a government minister and the school’s administrator that followed the incident. I can picture it now: the seasoned investigativejournalistfrom years past would have already tracked down the driver, found the passenger whosupposedlymadeacall, and gotten the full scoop. They would have had them photographed, their quotes bolded and ready for the front page Today’s journalists? They’re probablystilltryingtofigure out where the art school is located.
It’snotthatstoriesaren’t out there, ripe for the picking. It’s just that no one wantstopickthem.There’sa
new ethos among the new generation of journalists: Why bother going out into the world to dig for facts when you can just copy and paste what the police, government, politicians, or PR firms hand you? Why investigate when you can summarize?
Itseemswe’vearrivedat a point where investigative journalism is no longer a priority Maybe it’s been slowly slipping away for years,butitsabsenceismore glaring now than ever before.It’sbeenreplacedby c o n v e n i e n c e journalism—the kind that doesn’trequiredirtyshoesor knocking on doors or making phone calls So,
investigative journalism? It’s not dead—at least not officially It’s more like a coma patient whose loved ones are waiting for them to wake up. But at this rate, someoneshouldjustpullthe plug.Notthatanyonewould notice.Afterall,themedia’s too busy snoozing at the wheel.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
government fuh stop procrastinate and start doingsomething!
Having tons of ideas is no plan. It sound more like brainwaves - somebody giving dem brain exercise andcomingupwithanidea. Butnostrategy,noplan,just brainwaves!
But that’s what we dealing with. Government that busy talkin’ but nah doin’. Dem promise, dem announce, dem give big speech. But when yuh go supermarket, yuh still walking out wid half de basket empty Ideas? Dem boys seh de only thing empty right now is people pocket.
Government, get yuh ideas out de pipeline, and bring de relief! It lang overdue!
Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
In days of old, when Guyanese had little money, they had plenty of dignity They were never far from empty, but they were happy This was in that quaint time long when there was no oil, no Exxon and Chevron, no Ali, no Jagdeo, no Norton andnoHughes.
All those beauties came, andGuyanesearenowworse forwear Allthemoneyper head in the world, all the world looking enviously at country and citizen, and thereisthispalpablypiteous state: the richest hungry bellypeopleontheplanet. Not to be left out of the excitement, American
entertainer Alistair Routledge took up permanent residence here; hegavehimselfagreencard that was stamped with US$ signs all over He spoke in grand tones about the
greatest revenue stream flowing from Exxon to the poorGuyanesepeople. That was the beginning, the first stream of balderdash, hogwash and trash. It has neverstopped.
Some of the best academics in the world took one look at Guyana and it was enough. Guyana is the best of the best, head and shoulder on top of the rest.
One of Charles Darwin's greatestevolutionaryproofs, w o r l d - c l a s s P P P statisticians, calculate that Guyanese have it so good that when they can't get enough stew fish, the PPP Government could always be depended on to deliver stewedfarces. Theycallthoseindexes. If such were a measurement of the government's intelligence quotient, there would be one consistent
result. Dumber than a dog without a bark and totally lackinginasenseofsmellto complete an altogether wretchedpicture.
The irony is that there is more than enough to go around, but not everyone gets anything close to their fair share. It is that kind of mathematics and civis that d o m i n a t e i n t h i s environment When the people had nothing, they somehowfoundthespiritual conviction to believe that they had everything that mattered. Belief is relief. Nowthattheyhearthatthey have everything, they are looking and looking for any glimpse that they can get of what looks like something. They end with an earful. President Ali is pleased to give his best imitation of a jack-in-thebox.
A man and leader who
operates on a coiled spring (ask at own risk, persist and bepreparedtolosehead). If ever there was a leader who is a walking guillotine, it is Mohamed Irfaan Ali. Vice President Jagdeo thinks it best to function in a hideand-seek fashion (tomorrow will come and it will be somethingtotalkabout).
He tried that one before and Guyanese are still talking about the peculiar skills that have come to define him: his fire doesn't exist and the chestnuts he promises to pullout and deliveralwaysseemtobeof the poisonous variety On the opposition side of the new Guyana equation, there is Mr Norton, whose claim to fame is catch me if you can. Guyanese can and did, onlyforthemtocometothis most uncomfortable of positions: They don't like
whattheycaught. Theycasttheireyes to the hills and then to heaven in the hope of some revelation, and theygotone. Hisname is C.A. Nigel Hughes, Esq. His pedigree is both exhaustiveandilluminating. Guyanese by extraction and Texanbyonehellofasturdy legalcontraption.
Whereas Ali and Jagdeo boast many heads, which means that they have many mouthsfromwhichtospeak, Mr Hughesisabreathofair straight out of the Texas prairie Whoever can separate Nigel from Alistair just won the runoff for president of Guyana. It is nottheGordianknot;itisthe Guyaneseconundrum. Who is who, and who is for whom?
In this the glittering oil age of Guyana, citizens are groaning Everything is going up and they are going down Over in Persia, Alladin had his genie; over here in Guyana, Ali has his ' O p e n S e s a m e ' hallucinations. Lookatwho iswelcomedwithopenarms.
There is Jet Blue, Jesus Bronchalo, and Joe Biden's agents(somesecret),among an ever-expanding pantheon inwhatisnowafull-fledged foreigninvasion.
For sure, it is not the BritishInvasionpoweredby those four boys from the Merseyside, the Beatles. It isthedayofthelocusts,and theyarelikeleechesdraining the lifeblood out of Guyana. While all this fun and frolic is going on, Guyanese are
stillstarving.
For the truth about where they really are. For the real story about where theirleadersaretakingthem, intend to do about them. Aboutthem,notforthem.
The gods gave the GreeksHelenandlookwhat became of Troy The same Gods gave Africans a continent, and remember whoseeyeslitupinfaraway places. It is an ugly story thatgoesontothisday Itis saidthatAfricaistheheartof darkness. But whose heart turned out to be the darkest. Guyaneseshouldtakenote.
The Guyanese tribalists with traces from close to Chinapretendtoforgetwhat was meted out to their own peoplebytheBayofBengal forcenturies.
Theyrubshoulderswith certainnewpeople,andthey believe that they are whiter than white. Just as tricky, sneaky,andslipperyalso.
Likeallthoseplacesthat Godwantedtoseewhatthey were made of, how they would manage, he gave Guyanaoil.
Samestory Pointmade. Case closed. Farces and foolishness are alike, no matterthetime,place. (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.)
The Government of Guyana has been heavily subsidising the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and it claims that the efforts are topreventaraiseinthelight bills of citizens. Guyana's booming oil industry has attracted a range of foreign companies coming into the country and setting up shop andatthesametimedriving up electricity demand Despite this, Vice President BharratJagdeotoldreporters last Thursday that they cannotbeexcludedfromthe benefits being derived from the government subsidies to GPL.
At his weekly news conference last week, this news asked the Vice President why foreign companies operating here are not made to pay the
unsubsidised electricity charges as they are in most cases the biggest consumers of electricity Jagdeo responded saying: “We can have people come and say we will charge two electricityrates,nowonefor Guyanese and one for foreignersandtheforeigners must come and bring a document every week and show whether they are foreigners or not or every Guyanese will have to then provethattheyareGuyanese and prove that they are Guyanesetobenefitfromthe electricitysubsidy.”
Labeling the separation of rates an administrative nightmare, he said the foreignerswillverywellput the meters in the names of Guyanesecitizenstobeable toenjoytherates,addingthat
A36-year-oldwomanwas committedtostandtrialatthe High Court for attempted murder when she appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates' CourtonMonday
The defendant, Sabrina Bethune, a resident of Evans
Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, is accused of wounding her boyfriend, 29year-old Linden Davidson, with intent to kill on September12,2022.
According to police reports, Davidson suffered significant injuries as a result of the attack, including the loss of hearing in his left ear and damage to his vocal cords.
During the hearing, Magistrate Faith McGusty noted that police had experienced difficulties locatingBethune,andthatshe had attempted to escape from custody upon her arrest, which raised concerns about herbeingaflightrisk.
Consequently, she was committedtostandtrialatthe Supreme Court of Judicature (HighCourt).
At her initial hearing on September16,2022,Bethune appeared before then Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan, whereshewasnotrequiredto enter a plea and was released on$150,000bail.
However, her bail was later revoked, and an arrest warrant was issued for her She was subsequently apprehendedin2024.
targeted subsidies are a nightmare. Jagdeo to let his point hit home took the reporter on a history trip back to the time when old age pension was awarded based on a “means test”. Back then, the less you earned the better your chances were of getting the pension and the monthly earnings in the 90's was about $16.” “We abolished themeantestsoifyoureach 65, you get the old age pension. Some of the rich peoplewillgetittoobutitis administrativelyeasiertodo that and you don't have the corruption,”Jagdeostated.
President, Bharrat Jagdeo
Sabrina Bethune
Upon hearing the news of hertrial,Bethunebrokedown in tears in the courtroom, refusingtoreturntoherprison cell. She is a mother of three children.Accordingtoreports published in the Kaieteur News, the incident occurred during an argument over a phone call Bethune received fromanotherman.
The altercation began around 22:00hrs at Davidson's home after he questioned her about the call. Thisledtoaheatedargument.
The situation escalated when Bethune went into the kitchen,retrievedaknife,and attacked Davidson, stabbing himtotheneck.
In a desperate attempt to escape, Davidson fled from Bethune, managed to find his bicycle, and rode to the Ruimveldt Police Station, wherehesoughthelpfromthe authorities.
th On May 27 2024, this publication reported that for thepastfiveyears,thecostof fuel has increased significantly with some $49.151 billion to be spent by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) to purchase fuelforitsoperations.This information was taken from GPL Performance Statistics. The document statedthatsome1,354,700 barrels of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) and Light Fuel Oil (LFO) were purchased by the state entity to the tune of$16.171billion.
With increases recorded annually since then, it was statedthatthisyear,GPLwill purchase 2,191,585 of barrels of HFO and LFO, at the cost of $49.151 billion (US$228.34 million). The weighted average fuel price perbarrelisUS$104.19–the documentstates.
In 2022, GPL had announced that the steady rise in fuel prices is negatively affecting its operations. In fact, it was stated that if the trend continues, generating costs are expected to trump revenueearnings.
In June of this year, the VPhadtoldreportersthathe was informed that there is a need for US$66M as what theGPLbudgetedfordidnot cater for the fuel price increases. “But we are not increasing the price of electricity in another country, they would have increased the price of electricity So that means before the end of the year, we'll go to Parliament for a supplementary of US$66M for just subsidizing electricity,”headded.
The VP boasted that the government has absorbed
the price increases that should have come from electricity since the price of fuel has gone up. “So the price of fuel went up from $70 dollars that we were budgeting; now, we are paying one $105 maybe $110 per barrel. We have to go to the parliament for the recess because of just fuel prices.”
InApril,thegovernment, throughGPL,signedamultimillion-dollar contract with Urbacon Concessions Investments,W.L.L(UCI),a subsidiaryofUCCHoldings in Qatar, in collaboration with Karpowership Internationalto renttheship for two years. The floating power plant arrived in GeorgetowninMayandwas docked at Everton, East BankBerbiceinRegionSix, and eventually connected to the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS) The government procured the services of the energy vessel to bring relief to citizens since there has been an increase in electricity demand, which ledtoshortfallsandconstant power outages across the country
The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) on Wednesday last presented bursary awards totalling $1.4 million to 32 children who excelled in this year's National Grade Six Assessment(NGSA).
Several top performers also received additional prizes during the ceremony The recipients are the children of the company's employees.
The award ceremony, heldattheGWI'sheadoffice on Vlissengen Road and
Church Street, saw the largest group of pupils receiving awards since the initiative was launched five yearsago.
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, encouraged the pupils to remain dedicated to their studiesinordertoexceland contribute to Guyana's development in the future.
“It doesn't matter which school you go to, but it is h o w y o u a p p l y yourself…We want more of you to get into fields
relating to technology, science and mathematics It is okay to ask questions because that is how the mind will develop,” he added.
M i n i s t e r C o r a l commended GWI for recognising the hard work and achievements of the studentsovertheyears.“Itis much more than coming here to collect a bursary award.
It is to show an appreciation,servingasan encouragement to let you
know that the world is abound with unlimited opportunities for you…You must not limit yourself,” Minister Croal toldthestudents. Theevent was also attended by GWI's Executive Director of Commercial Services and CustomerRelations,Marlon Daniels, as well as the Executive Director of H
Development, Elvis Jordon, along with other staff members.(DPI)
Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George-Wiltshire SC, on Monday dismissed the legal proceedings broughtbyOppositionMemberof Parliament, Catherine Hughes, against the State over the establishment and failure to operationalise the Human Rights Commission,whichshesaidwasa breachofherconstitutionalright.
The respondents listed in the case were the Attorney General (AG) and the Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton Hughes approached the court seeking a number of declarations which stemmed from comments made by the Vice President (VP) BharratJagdeoreferringtoherasa “low-life.”
The Opposition MP was represented by attorneys: Nigel HughesandKiswanaJefford.
The lawyers argued that the VP's comments were in breach of Mrs Hughes entitlement to equality before the law (Article 149D) and 149F of the Constitution(equalityforwomen).
Accordingtoastatementfrom the AG Chambers, in her submissions Mrs. Hughes argued that the statements made by the Vice President at one of his press conferences amounted to discrimination against her as a female African member of the
National Assembly She further c
establishment of the Human Rights Commission violated her constitutional rights under Article 154A of the Constitution and
expectation that the Commission wouldbeestablished.
In dismissing the case, the CJ ruled that Mrs. Hughes had not sufficiently established a case of discrimination un
e provisions of the Constitution, or at all, and that her claim of discrimination on the basis of sex and race, in this context, cannot succeed.The court ruled that the utterance made by the Vice President referring to the MPas a
“low-life”couldneitheramountto a breach of any of Mrs. Hughes' fundamental rights, nor could the non-establishment of the Human Rights Commission, by that fact itself, amount to a breach of the Constitution.
It should be noted, that the CJ also ruled that Mrs Hughes presentednoevidencetoprovethat Jagdeo's comment was an official statementoftheGovernment.
The court also questioned that no evidence to show why Mrs. Hughes did not approach the Women and Gender Equality Commission, which is an operational constitutional body whose functions, include, initiating investigations into
alleged violations of women's rights and monitoring compliance withinternationalinstruments.
The Chief Justice ruled that Mrs. Hughes' claim was wholly misconceivedandwithoutmerit. She said too that it is “more than passing strange” that Mrs. Hughes sued her Parliamentary oppositioncolleague,Norton.
Moreover, in his arguments, the AG contended that Mrs Hughes failed to make out a case for discrimination under Articles 149, 149D and 149F of the Constitution,andthatinanyevent, Article 154A of the Constitution which provides access to certain international treaties enshrined in the Constitution, could not be
invoked In support of this submission, the Attorney General relied on Article 154A (2) of the Constitution which states, “154A (2). The rights referred to in paragraph (1) do not include any fundamental right under the Constitution.”
Nandlall argued that once a right is protected under the fundamentalrightsregime,suchas the rights Mrs. Hughes claims in discriminationunderArticles149, 149Dand149F–sheisnotentitled toseekadditionalrefugeinArticle 154A of the Constitution in relationtothesamerights.
He also said that there is no evidence of discrimination in the Vice President's utterance, as he wasspeakingonlyofMrs.Hughes, and that where discrimination is alleged, on the prescribed ground of race or gender, an inference of discrimination cannot be drawn, unless there is a true comparator, that is, where the circumstances areequalandtheonlydifferenceis thatofraceorgender
In this case, he said there was no comparator The State was represented by the Attorney General, and Shoshanna V LallDeputy Solicitor General, Mrs. Saabira Ali-Hydarali, Ms. Laurel Dundas and Mr Pierre SquiresStateCounsel.
The Environmental ProtectionAgency(EPA)has announced that Canadian mining company Omai Gold MinesCorp.hassubmittedan application for approval to conductgoldmining.
Omai through its wholly owned subsidiary Avalon Gold Exploration Inc., holds a 100% interest in the Omai
Prospecting License, coveringsome4,590acresor 18 575 square kilometres including the past producing Omaigoldmine.Omai'sgold project encompasses two gold deposits: the shearhostedWenotDepositandthe adjacent intrusive-hosted GiltCreekDeposit.
Earlier this year, Omai unveiled an enhanced Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE)foritsgoldproject.
Avalon submitted an a p p l i c a t i o n f o r environmental authorization to conduct gold mining and processing operations in Region Seven, at the confluence of the Essequibo and Seballi Rivers, Omai, PotaroMiningDistrict2.The project aims to sustainably extractandprocessgoldfrom thearea. As part of the legal requirements outlined in the Environmental Protection Act, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is necessaryduetothepotential significant environmental effects of the proposed miningactivity TheEPAsaid it will only decide on the approval or rejection of the project after the EIA is completed As such, the public is invited to participate in the process by submitting questions and
concerns they would like to see addressed in the EIA. These submissions must be made in writing to the EPA within 28 days of the notice issued on September 17, 2024.
Kaieteur News had reportedthattheresultsfrom its first Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for the Wenot Project revealed that the project is slated to yield over 142,000
ouncesofgoldannuallyover a 13-year mine life. At its peak, production is anticipatedtosoarto184,000 ouncesinasingleyear,witha totalestimatedproductionof 1,840,000 ounces of payable gold. R e c e n t l y, O m a i announced that it is advancing its expansion plans for its gold project in Guyana,withnewlyreleased drill results showing
potential to increase gold production and extend the lifeoftheWenotminingpit.
Omai's planned drill programme for 2024-25 will test several areas, including extensions to Wenot to the eastandwest.
Additionaltargetsonthe Omai property will also be drilled as some are near surface and high grade that could bolster the grade profileintheearlyyearsofa productionscenario.
Moreover, the company disclosed that relative to the otherdepositsinGuyana,the Wenot MRE of 834,000 indicated ounces of gold grading 1.48 g/t Au and 1,614,000inferredouncesof gold grading 1.99 g/t Au is quite shallow, with 81% of the1.9millionounceswithin the PEA pit lying above a 330mdepth.Fortheadjacent GiltCreekdeposit,theNI43101 MRE is 1,151,000 indicated ounces of gold grading 3.22 g/t Au and 665,000 inferred ounces of goldgrading3.35g/tAu.
This licence gives Omai the exclusive rights to apply foraMiningLicenceandthe company has commenced meetings with government officials that have provided guidanceontheprocess.
Moreover,Projectdetails are available on the EPA's website or can be obtained from the EPA's office at a nominal photocopying cost. Public comments and concernsshouldbesenttothe Environmental Assessment Board via email at eabguyana21@gmail.com
Notably, drilling at Omai'sprojectisexpectedto continue until early December at which time the company expects to commence work towards an updatedMRE. In2020,Omaire-entered Guyana's mining industry The company had said that their work completed thus far, has put them on track to become the next large-scale goldminetoopeninGuyana. Notably, the Guyana G e o l o g y & M i n e s Commission (GGMC) had announcedthatithasgranted Omai, a new Prospecting Licence providing the exclusiverightofoccupation and exploration for gold, base metals, precious metals andpreciousstones.Notably, the licence has an initial three-year term until April 29,2027thatcanbeextended to2029.
A house was destroyed completely and three others damaged after a pile of garbage was maliciously set and left unattended at SS H a d f i e l d S t r e e t , Wortmanville, Georgetown onFriday
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) on Monday reported that the fire quickly spread from the rubbish heap to a nearby single-storey wooden house owned by 60-year-old Nigel Berkshire, who lived there with 68-year-old
Te
structure was destroyed completely,leavingbothmen homeless “The fire was maliciously set in a pile of rubbish that was left unattended and quickly spread to the building, causing the structure to ignite,” GFS said Three adjacent houses were damaged.One of the houses owned by Elliot and Tenisha B
significantdamage,whilethe second house owned by
Maurice (surname not provided) suffered minor damage The third house owned by Robert Ross and o
Mustapha, experienced minordamagewithanumber of louvre window panes being damaged as a result of the intense heat. Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames before the houses weredestroyed.
TheFireServicesaidthat afteritreceivedadistresscall at 16:08 hrs, multiple water
A completely destroyed Hadfield Street house.
tenders and firefighters were dispatched to the scene WaterTenders#95and#118, along with seven firefighters led by Section Leader Sparman and Leading Fireman Henry, arrived at 16:10hrs.
Thefireunitscontaineda totalof19,274litersofwater, which was utilized in the initial firefighting efforts until an open water source was found Firefighters initially deployed two jets from light pump #A7 and Water Tender #118 to fully extinguishthefire.
TheGovernmentof G u y a n a o n Monday signed a US$16 million contract with Bell Textron Inc. for the supply of two advanced rotarywingaircraft.
Thismilestoneagreement not only enhances the capabilities of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) but also serves as a testament to the strong bilateral relationshipbetweenGuyana and the United States of America(USA),theMinistry of Finance said in a press release.
Overseeing the signing onbehalfoftheGovernment of Guyana was Senior Minister in the Office of the PresidentwithResponsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh. Also witnessing the signing, were US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole D. Theriot; ChiefofDefenceStaffofthe GDF, Brigadier Omar Khan and other officials of the Ministry of Finance, the GDF,andtheUSAEmbassy Minister Singh said that the signing represents yet another installment in the government's very significantinvestmentsinthe capitalization and recapitalisation of the GDF
Hedetailedthatbytheendof this year, the Government would have spent almost $ 3 2 b i l l i o n o n investments in capital assets for the GDF
These investments are
t a r g e t e d t o w a r d s improving all aspects in the Force's operations
(Air Corps, Marine, Infantry, etc ) as well as supporting surveillance of
Guyana's Exclusive Economic Zone and joint serviceoperations.
Further, on behalf of President Irfaan Ali and the Government and People of Guyana, Minister Singh registeredthehighestlevelof importance the Government places on the very special
relationship shared with the USAandemphasisedthatthe signing is yet anotherstep in further strengthening and deepening relations between thetwocountries.
He noted that during the three years from 2021 to 2023, Guyana received US$15.4 billion in foreign direct investment from the USA, representing approximately 96 percent of total FDI over that period. Over the same period, the USA accounted for 13 percent of all exports from Guyanaand17percentofall importsintoGuyana,making the USA Guyana's largest tradingpartner
Dr Singh also used the opportunitytothanktheBell Textron's team for the support they have given to Guyana thus far and reiterated that the Government looks forward to seeing more USA companies investing in Guyana and doing business in Guyana and with Guyanesecompanies.
According to the press release for her part, Ambassado
th
s partnership represents more than just a commercial transaction.
“It speaks directly to the corevaluesandprioritiesthat define the relationship between the United States and Guyana, and it underscores our mutual commitment to safety and security
These Bell helicopters
e n h a n c e G u y a n a ' s capabilities in disaster response, search and rescue, and overall public safety - it isaninvestmentinprotecting the lives of the Guyanese people. Coupled with training and maintenance, these aircraft will bolster Guyana's ability to respond to emergencies swiftly and effectively,” the US ambassadorsaid. Further, Ambassador
Theriot said that “Today's ceremonymarksasignificant advancement in our bilateral relationship.
The United States remainscommittedtobeinga reliable, trusted partner to Guyana, and today we strengthen the foundation of thatcollaboration.”
Brigadier Omar Khan, MSS expressed that “this agreement is not merely us pursuing our defence objective to enhance our rotor-wing capability In the main, it represents Government's consistent approachtorecapitalisingthe Force through strategic acquisitionandinfrastructure development. Notably, for this particular product, the GDF has been operating the Bell brand since the 1980s with the initial purchase of five (5) aircraft during that period.
A further two similar brands were purchased in 2007, and an additional two were acquired in 2021 and 2023.
WhiletheForceonlyhas one (1) Bell product in service to-date, the acquisition of two (2) more comparable products will better position the Force to enhance the conduct of missions in remote areas of ourcountry.”
The new rotary wing aircraft will empower the GDFtoeffectivelyconducta range of missions, including search and rescue, disaster relief, and border security operations, the chief-of-staff said.Equippedwiththemost recentofmoderntechnology, t h e s e h e l i c o p t e r s demonstrate the proactive steps the Government of Guyana is taking to strengthen its defence capabilities and ensure that Guyana remains prepared to addressemergingchallenges.
“The signing of this contract goes beyond the delivery of rotary-winged aircraft; it also encompasses
comprehensive training and maintenance support for these aircraft from Bell TextronInc,ensuringthatthe GDF can maximize the benefits of this investment foryearstocome.
In addition to company support for the two helicopters under contract, the U S Embassy, in coordination with U S Southern Command, approved funding for a U.S. Air Force team to provide operations, logistics and
maintenance training to the GDFAirCorpstostrengthen their ability to sustain the air fleet,”BrigadierKhansaid.
The Region Sales
ManagerofBellTextronInc., Mr Michael Aguilar expressed gratitude to the Government of Guyana and theGDFfortheirdecisionin relation to the acquisition of the two new aircraft and underscored the company's interest in future supporting Guyana to strengthen its defencecapabilities.
The Government of Guyanaremainsdedicatedto buildingasecure,stable,and prosperousnation. By forging strategic partnershipsandinvestingin a d v a n c e d d e f e n c e capabilities, Guyana aims to safeguard its people while actively contributing to regional peace and stability Thiscommitmentreflectsthe nation's vision for a collaborative and secure future for all its citizens and neighbours.
The World Trade C e n t e r s ' Association (WTCA) Latin America Regional meeting wrapped up in Dominican Republic over the weekend with consensus that greater emphasisonhumanresource development and capacity
building remain key
requirements for the expansion of effective business development and increased trade within Latin AmericaandtheCaribbean.
The meeting also agreed on the importance of the effective utilisation of Artificial Intelligence as a tool for improving the
e f f i c i e n c y a n d competitivenessofsmalland medium sized enterprises, noting that AI is integral to data accessibility but required verification and editing.According to a press release from WTC Georgetown, there is to be follow-up discussion on the challenges and opportunities which AI present at the
WTCA Members Forum in NewYorkinlateOctober WTC Georg
wn Executive Chairman Komal Samaroosaysthemeetingin
addition to addressing key issues of importance to the work of the Guyana WTC, also provided for bilateral conversationswith,interalia, Edmundo Gil-Tavarez-Vice President of the Dominican Republic/Guyana Chamber of Commerce; Ivan BerriosPresidentofWTCMiami,Dr Carlos Ronderos-former ColombiaTradeMinisterand current Regional Director of theWTCA;andLuisEmillio Velutini-Owner/President of World Trade Center Santo D o m i n g o w h i c h encompasses a Marriott Hotel, multi-level shopping mall, offices and apartments andcondominiums.
Arising out of these discussions, plans are being put in place for a trade and investment mission from the WTCMiamitoGuyananext
yearandatrademissionfrom GuyanatoPanama.AnMOU has been drafted for future collaboration between the WTC Santo Domingo and Georgetown and is currently being reviewed. In his presentation to the meeting, WTCG Executive Director WesleyKirtonsaid,“Wealso heard of the importance of nearshoring and free zones. Guyana's strategic location asagatewaytoandfromthe CaribbeanandLatinAmerica positions WTC Georgetown to be that crucial link to enhance trade and investment, particularly at this time as Guyana is experiencing unprecedented growth and development drivenbyitsongoingoiland gasdiscoveriesandreserves. There are trade and partial scope agreements in place
between Guyana and some Latin American nations which our WTC's must utilize to explore feasible business opportunities and increasetwo-waytrade.”
Kirton told the meeting that “WTC Georgetown is open to other areas of collaboration with our sister WTC'sinLatinAmericasuch as navigating complex laws; trade counselling; market research; hosting trade forums, trade missions and trade shows; advocating for policies that provide for easier market access, exchangeofinformationand education about market trends;logisticssupport;and training on export readiness, complianceandinternational marketing.”
He added that while the WTCG building was still
completion delayed by supply chain issues, skilled labour unavailability and extended rainy seasons, the Center has embarked on a vigorous work programme that has resulted in the signing of several MOU's, hosting and/or participating inseveraleventsathomeand overseas and commissioning a study on updating trademarks and intellectual property rights laws in Guyana.
Earlier this month Guyana, for the first time exhibited at the Food and Beverage Show and Conference of the Americas in Miami, Florida resulting from an MOU signed earlier this year between WTC M i a m i a n d W T C Georgetown.
Guyana'stourismsectorissetto receive yet another boost with the addition of exclusive tourism operator Abercrombie & Kent to thelocalmarket.
This was announced by President, Dr Mohamed IrfaanAli on his Facebook page The presidentmetwiththefounderand Chairman Emeritus of Abercrombie & Kent, Geoffrey KentonSaturday Kent was joined by local Wilderness Explorer Toney Thorne, while President Ali was accompanied by Minister of Tourism, Industry, and Commerce Oneidge Walrond, Guyana's High Commissioner to London, Rajendra Singh, and Director of Presidential Affairs Marcia NadirSharma.
Abercrombie and Kent is a renowned luxury travel company that specialises in crafting unique and enjoyable travel experiences. Theyofferawiderangeofhigh-end travel options, emphasising a commitment to sustainable
tourism.
The introduction of this renowned operator into Guyana's market highlights the country's growing tourism appeal and underscores the confidence that internationalbusinesseshaveinthe stabilityandgrowthpotentialofthe economy PresidentAli has been a consistent advocate for the advancement of Guyana's tourism sector, urging large-scale tourism investorsandoperatorstoseizethe opportunitiesitpresents.
The government has also been investinginboostingGuyana'secotourism industry, combining modern amenities with natural beauty These investments help to build the country's already impressiverepertoireofdistinctive sightsandtourismexperiences.
The president has emphasised that increased private sector investment will further propel this growth.
A premium opportunity for expanded partnerships presents itselfintheupcomingInternational
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali met with Geoffrey Kent, the founder and Chairman Emeritus of the exclusive tourism operator Abercrombie & Kent
BusinessConference(IBC),which isfocusedonstreamliningtheease of doing business and facilitating investments between international
companiesandGuyana. The conference will be held fromOctober15to17,andwillbe co-hosted by the Suriname-
$3.2B in contracts awarded to build five new water treatment plants
The five new water treatment plants the government intends to build in Regions Two, Three, Five and Six with funding from a loan willcost$3,214,805,220.
This is according to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). Asreportedpreviously,theprojects arebeingexecutedbytheMinistry of Housing and Water through the GuyanaWaterInc.(GWI)andhave been divided into three lots and entail the “Procurement of Plant Design, Supply and Installation of WaterTreatmentFacilities.”
The agency in its tender stated that Lot 1 consists of a treatment plantforMaria'sDelightsinRegion Two, Lot 2 is for water treatment plants for Leguan, and at WakenaaminRegionThree,andat Lot 3 facilities are for Bath in Region Five and at Adventure in RegionSix.
According to information released by NPTAB recently, Lot One was awarded to AC
Limited for $757,673,302; Lot Two was awarded to Sigma Engineers Limited & H e b e i Wa n s h e n g f
Three will be executed by ACE, Phoenix Projects Private Limitedfor$2,130,097,816.
The water treatment plants are being funded by a loan from the CaribbeanDevelopmentBank.
In its advertisement, the Ministry of Housing and Water stated that the Government of Guyana had applied for financing from the Caribbean Development
Bank in an amount equivalent to US$76,249,000towardsthecostof WaterSupplyImprovementProject (WSIP) and intends to apply a portion of the proceeds of this financingfortheprojects. Being responsible for the overall implementation of the project, the ministry in its
document revealed that the works included but may not be limited to the following “the construction of five water treatment plants along the coast (average plant size of 7.3millionlitresperday).”
In a release in July last year, CDB said it had approved the US$76.2 million loan to Guyana for the Guyana Water Supply Improvement Project under which the water supply systems serving five coastal communities will undergomajorupgrades.
The Bank related that the infrastructure development initiative involves the construction of five water treatment plants,
complete with storage tanks, and the installation of transmission mains and water meters to vastly improve the quality and reliability of the water supply to the communities.
Nearly 15,000 households in these communities will benefit fromtheinterventions,CDBnoted.
Despite all the lofty claims of progress in this oil-rich country, our leaders have been borrowing to fund almost every developmental project they have undertaken.
As a country, we have found ourselves trapped in a cycle of borrowing to eat and get by, while using a chunk of the borrowed money to put in infrastructure here and there, fooling the world that Guyana is progressing and developing.
We borrowed to build the Demerara Harbour Bridge, then we borrowed to build what is now a white elephant, the Skeldon Plant. We borrowing again to build the New Demerara Harbour Bridge, we borrowing to fix GPL and the list can go on and on. Trapped in a cycle of borrowing, the country's total debt climbed from US$4.5B at the end of December 2023 to now US$5B at the end of June 2024.
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The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), in collaboration with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) and other key partners, announced the launch of the Safer Building Programme under the theme “Build Safe: Constructing Homes for Tomorrow” as part of its ongoing commitment to bolster holistic resilience strategies throughout the region. According to a CDB press release, this initiative, supported by CDB, the Government of Norway, USAID, and others, underscores the region’s commitment to improving infrastructure, enhancing safety, and preparing for more frequent and severe weather events. The project’s core objective is to enhance the resilience of homes and communities in the Caribbean to hurricanes and other
extreme weather phenomena.
The September 24 launch was a culmination of five years of collaboration with CDB, which commenced with an initial investment of over USD 270,000 from the Bank’s Special Development Fund. At the heart of the project is the Code of Practice (COP) for the Construction of Houses, first developed in 2005 by CDEMA in collaboration with CROSQ. The Code has since been updated, with support from CDB, to ensure homes in the Caribbean can withstand hurricanes of up to Category 5. Regional Trainthe-Trainer Workshops, conducted earlier in the project, equipped professionals in 16 countries with the skills to implement the updated code, ensuring the principles are applied throughout the construction industry.
Speaking at the launch event, Michel Thomas, Senior Operations Officer at CDB, highlighted the initiative’s importance, stating “CDB is pleased to mark another sig-
nificant milestone in our collective journey to build a more resilient Caribbean. The updated Code of Practice, alongside capacity-building initiatives and materials, and awareness campaigns financed by the Bank’s Caribbean Technological Consultancy Services (CTCS), will ensure that our homes are not only disasterresistant but that an ecosystem exists to safeguard our vulnerable Caribbean societies in the face of a changing climate.” CDEMA’s Executive Director, Elizabeth Riley, also addressed the event, emphasizing the severe impacts of disasters on housing in the region. “We’ve been very pleased to partner with critical regional and development partners towards achieving the goal of resilience, particularly as it relates to the housing sector. The economic cost of disasters to the region has been substantial, exceeding USD 28 billion over the last seven decades. There is no doubt that climate change has
triggered phenomenal changes in our weather patterns, leading to severe and catastrophic impacts within our region.” A significant achievement of the initiative is the creation of a Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) programme, which certifies artisans and contractors in the updated COP standards. This provides formal recognition of skills for those in the informal construction sector, many of whom are essential to regional disaster risk reduction efforts. Additionally, Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) studies were conducted in eight countries to guide training programmes and awareness campaigns, encouraging the adoption of safe building practices across the region. As the Caribbean faces growing threats from extreme weather, CDB and its partners remain committed to promoting resilience through strengthened infrastructure and enhanced disaster preparedness.
At Monday’s opening of the 61st Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director, reflected on continued efforts towards restoring services following the COVID-19 pandemic, and committed to strengthening emergency and pandemic preparedness in the region.
In a press release, PAHO
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said the director underscored that this November marks the 100th anniversary of the Pan American Sanitary Code, which set out to prevent the spread of communicable diseases, encourage information sharing among countries, and standardize health approaches to prevent disease transmission across borders. And with World Health Organization (WHO) Member States now finalizing the negotiations of a new Pandemic Accord, “one-hundred years later, these themes still resonate,” Dr. Barbosa said. “The COVID-19 pandemic revealed Latin America and the Caribbean’s structural dependence on imported vaccines and other health technologies, geographic concentration in innovation and production capacities, and vulnerable global supply chains,” the Director added.
To ensure the health interests of the region are taken into account in the Pandemic Accord, PAHO has convened four face-to-face regional meetings to enable Member States of the Americas to better understand the national and regional implications and to agree on key issues. The PAHO Director also underscored the Organization’s Innovation and Regional Production Platform of Medicines and Health technologies, “which will work in hand with our Regional Revolving Funds to promote the genera-
tion of regional ecosystems and initiatives to strengthen capacities for innovation, development, and production of health technologies.”
As part of this, PAHO is currently in negotiations with Pfizer to localise and provide early access to one of the most advanced vaccines in Pfizer’s pipeline. This initiative “would be a concrete example of PAHO’s efforts to leverage the Revolving Fund to strengthen the regional production of vaccines and build capacity to foster and develop pandemic preparedness in the Region,” Dr. Barbosa said.
When it comes to pandemic recovery, the PAHO Director highlighted several areas of progress in the Region, including a halt in the decline of routine vaccination coverage, the relaunch of the Elimination Initiative – an effort to eliminate more than thirty communicable diseases and related conditions in the Americas by 2030 - and collaborations with the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) on digital health, among others. To further this recovery, the Director highlighted several policies that will be discussed at the Directing Council over the next week, including the Strategy and Plan of Action to Decrease the Burden of Sepsis; the Policy for Strengthening Equity-Oriented Health Sector Action on Climate Change and
Health; the Plan of Action for Strengthening Information Systems for Health; the Strategy and Plan of Action to Strengthen Tobacco Control in the Region of the Americas; and the Strategy on Epidemic Intelligence for Strengthening Early Warning of Health Emergencies. At the core of these initiatives is primary care: the backbone of every health system, Dr. Barbosa said. “Primary care is an instrument for equity, our first line of defense against outbreaks, our best investment in improving health indicators.” During his remarks, Dr. Barbosa also expressed his solidarity with the people of the countries affected by Hurricane Beryl in July and underscored that the organisation “will continue to stand with you to restore services, build resilient health systems, and protect the health of your communities.” Concluding his speech, the PAHO Director said that “we have the opportunity to change the lives of millions of people. I pledge to use the full strength of our Organization to achieve the goals and commitments we have made today.” “This strength comes from every Member State, from every professional on our team, from every partner. Together we share a great ambition that drives us forward: the ambition to improve the health of all people in the Americas.”
Osafo Peters, also k n o w n a s ‘Saddest’ and AlphaPoole,twoofthefive men who are wanted by police for questioning in relation to the abduction of JoshuaDavidcalled‘Bricks’ turned themselves into police on Monday, a senior police officer told Kaieteur News.
Peters and Poole along with Aaron Alleyne also known as ‘Cats’, Wayne Barker and Dwayne Griffith are accused of abducting David on September 27, 2024 at Main Street, Georgetown.Policereported
that Alleyne’s last known address is West Ruimveldt, Barker at Lot ‘G’ Norton Street,Lodge,andGriffithat Lot68WilliamStreet,Kitty A video posted by Big
An accident on the Rockstone Trail on Sunday resulted in the death of 38year-old Julie Higgins, a resident of One Koker Squatting Area, Wismar, Linden The incident occurredaround15:35hours, approximately ten minutes fromtheRockstoneJunction. The vehicle involved was a
Toyota 212 bearing registration number PJJ 9024, driven by Kenrick Johnson of CentralAmelia’s Ward,Linden. Higginswasa passenger in the car
According to police reports, the car was travelling west alongthesouthernsideofthe trail at high speed when Johnson lost control after negotiating a left bend. The vehicle overturned multiple times before coming to a stop.Higginswasreportedly thrown from the car and foundlyingmotionlesssome distanceaway
Both Johnson and Higgins were assisted by bystandersandtransportedto the Linden Hospital
C o m p l e x . U p o n examination, Higgins was pronounced dead on arrival, while Johnson sustained injuries to his left shoulder
andbodypain. Her body has been transferred to Jestso Funeral Mortuary pending a postmortem examination A breathalyzer test conducted on Johnson showed no trace of alcohol. He remains in policecustody,assistingwith theongoinginvestigation.
Following the incident, a video circulating on social media prompted an outpouring of shock and sympathy from friends and family One family member commented on Facebook, “This my son’s auntie, what isthis?RIP,Julie.”
Another person said, “JulieHiggins,myGod...my childhood friend... gone too soon... RIP this broke my heart.”
Smith News Watch on Facebook, shows David surrounded by five persons, while in a scuffle. It was observed that during the scuffle, one of the men
kickedDavidinabidtohave himcooperate.Thereafter,he was seen being pushed. It is unclearwherehewastaken.
Meanwhile, Kaieteur News understands that the
wantedmenareconnectedto the recent drive-by shooting that killed 39-year-old Lawrence Wayne, known as ‘Boy Boy,’ and 40-year-old Anthony Havercome on
D ’ U r b a n S t
Georgetown, on August 24, 2024 To read more; https://wwwkaieteurnewso nline com/2024/09/29/fivemen-wanted-for-abduction/
appointed creeks and waterways task force aimed at evaluating potential
y conducteda“comprehensive risk assessment” at creeks along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway
In a statement posted on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Facebook page, it was said that the purpose of the visit was to carry out “a thorough risk assessment of local creeks and waterways as part of ongoing efforts to enhance public safety and environmentalprotection”.
The risk assessment followsthedeathof10-yearold Akira La Rose and 11year-old Joylyn Jack on September 8, 2024 at the Enchanter Creek located on theHighway
Theministrysaidthetask f o r c e i n c l u d e d representatives from the Ministries of Home Affairs, Culture, Youth and Sports andLabourand,theGuyana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Environmental ProtectionAgency(EPA)). During the visits, creek operators were provided with life rings to strengthen their emergency response capabilities.
The Ministry of Home Affairs assured that, “The data collected during this assessment will be used to develop targeted strategies for risk mitigation and inform future policy decisions.”
Aljazeera - Israel has largely been fractured over the past year, divided over what went wrong during the Hamas-led attack on
October 7, what the priorities of its war on Gaza should be, and whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the right man toleadthecountry
But the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last
Friday has provided Netanyahuwithamajorwin, say analysts, and has united manyofIsrael’spoliticians–and its public. That ballast for Netanyahu is likely to encourage Israel to push forward with a ground war on Hezbollah and Lebanon, accordingtosomeexperts.
Opposition leaders have lined up to salute the killing ofNasrallah,carriedoutbya barrage of bunker-buster bombs that levelled several largeresidentialbuildings.
Yair Lapid, a former prime minister and the current leader of the opposition, congratulated the Israeli military and said that Israel’s enemies
should “know that whoever attacks Israel is a sonofdeath”
And Benny Gantz, a rival of Netanyahu’s who stepped down as a war cabinet minister in June, calledthekilling“amatter of justice” that was an opportunity to “advance the war’sobjectives”.
Israel has defined its objectives for the war as the release of captives held in Gaza, the defeat of Hamas and the return of Israelis to their homes in the north of the country from where about 60,000
Israelis have been displacedsincethestartof theGazawarandtheonset of the crossfire between IsraelandHezbollah.
Nasrallah’s killing has bolstered the view within Israelthatthetimeisrightto targetHezbollahstillfurther, and seek a decisive victory against the armed group. That’s despite Israel’s growing international isolation over the death of morethan41,600civiliansin Gaza, and the rising death tollinLebanon,wheremore than 700 people have been killedinrecentdays.
“On Friday we killed an archenemy, one who has killed many Israelis, Americans and others,” Israeli pollster and former aide to a number of senior politicians, Mitchell Barak,
said of Nasrallah’s death.
“It’swhatwe’vebeensaying foryears:wewillpunishand killanyonewhotriestoharm us.”
Barak said a new confidence had taken hold across many parts of Israeli society, as enthusiasm for a land invasion grows along with the desire for the final destruction of what manywithinIsraelsawasan enduringfoe.
“We know this is the time to continue into Lebanon and not allow [Hezbollah] to regroup,”
Baraksaid
“Killing Nasrallah and the attacks upon their beepers and walkietalkies of last week…has left them weak, but they’re still armed and they’re still dangerous. We need to push them back, at least to the Litani River [in southern Lebanon],maybefurther.”
Imminentinvasion?
In 2000, Israel ended an 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon, though it has since engaged in numerous attacks on its northern neighbour and in turn faced missiles from Hezbollah. In 2006, Israel andHezbollahfoughtawar
Now, some in Israel are arguing that an Israeli presence on the Lebanese side of the border is necessary to allow for the
return of civilians who have had to leave northern Israel as a result ofrocketfirefromLebanon.
“They want to see a buffer zone that they know Hezbollah can’t enter,” said Mairav Zonszein, Crisis Group’s senior analyst in Israel “That could be where things are going right now ”
In the last few weeks, Israel’sNorthernCommand, which borders the frontier with Lebanon, has been bolstered.OnSeptember18, the 98th Paratroop Division was deployed to the border, with two reserve divisions subsequently mobilised to augmenttheforcesthere.
Any decision on a groundinvasionofLebanon will likely be determined by how far Israel judges Hezbollah’s capabilities have been degraded as a result of the killing of much of the movement’s leadership, air attacks on its positions and weapons caches,andtheundermining ofitsmobilecommunication systems,sayanalysts.
Within Israel, some cautioned against assuming a large-scale land invasion was already a given Political scientist Ori Goldbergpointedtowhathe described as the dichotomy that continues to define Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon. “We behave like a
bullinachinashop,thenwe pride ourselves on our precision,” he said from Tel Aviv
“It’sthesamewithaland invasion. Right now we’re on a high and we want to pushintoLebanon.
At the same time, we’re terrified of becoming bogged down and fighting onasecondfront.
“We’re basically, Schrodinger’s Israel,” he said, referring to the philosophical quandary of determining whether a c a t l o c k e d i n a soundproof box was alive or dead, first proposed by p h y s i c i s t E r w i n Schrodingerin1935.
“We’re preparing to invade and we’re also not, ” Goldberg said “There’s no vision, no strategy,noendgame ” H e i g h t e n e d confidence
What there is in plenty at the moment in many parts of Israeli society is raw confidence, after a string of successes against Hezbollah, including the explosion of thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies largely used by the Lebanese movement.
The explosions in mid-September killed dozens and injured thousands of Lebanese, both Hezbollah members and civilians, and
underscored the depth of Israeli infiltration into H e z b o l l a h ’ s communicationnetwork.
Y e t Z o n s z e i n cautionedthatwhilethere was a general feeling of satisfaction among the Israeli public after the attacks on Hezbollah, there was still wariness of potential reprisals –p a r t i c u l a r l y from Hezbollah’s main backer, Iran.
“There’s still a bit of waiting period to see how Iran will react, or to see if Hezbollah still has the capacity [to respond] and will use it,” Zonszein said
In anticipation of potential reprisals in the wake of Nasrallah’s killing, public gatherings have been capped at 1,000 people across much of Israel, with those numbers restricted even furtherinthenorth.
Many Israelis seem to be prepared to accept further war restrictions in return for a further military push against Hezbollah, particularly as the feared barrage of missiles deep into Israel has not yet materialised, saidexperts.
For supporters of the war, it’s a question of ending the threat from Hezbollah once and for all, taking advantage of
an opportunity to knock outaweakenedenemy
“No one was calling for a ceasefire from O c t o b e r 8 w h e n [Hezbollah] started firing the first of their 8,000 rockets into the north,” Barak said “Only when Israel began to eradicate the threat of the rockets in the past few weeks did the international community wake up to prevent us from defendingourselves.”
Captives’return
Still, the widening of the war to Lebanon – and the recent string of what many within Israel regard as unalloyed successes against Hezbollah – don’t mean that Israel has forgotten about the captives in Gaza who were taken there by Hamas and other Palestinian fighters on October7,Goldbergsaid.
“They’re not off the radar,” Goldberg said of the captives and their families, who have staged r e g u l a r p r o t e s t s throughout the war on Gaza. “Right now, Israel regards itself as potent andmighty.”
“It’s an unspoken understanding across Israel thatthewarinGazaispretty much over,” he said. “We just don’t want to say we’re done. There’s nothing else that can be achieved there. Many think the time’s right foradeal.”
BBCSport-Indiablitzed a number of batting records onthefourthdayoftherainhit second Test against BangladeshinKanpur
The hosts, who lead the two-match series 1-0, smashed the record for the fastest team to 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 in Tests as they racked up 285-9 declared off 34.4
overs in reply to Bangladesh’s233allout.
There was still time left for India’s spin
bowlers to reduce the tourists to 26-2 in their second innings - still 26 runs behind heading into thefinalday
I t w a s I n d i a ’s aggression with the bat which took the headlines - their first 50 came off just three overs, and beat their record in both onedayandT20cricket.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal set the tempo with the fastest 50 by an India opener, eventually fallingfor72off51
His fellow opener and captain Rohit Sharma hit
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Difficult predicaments could arise today if you try to exert your will over others without having the most honorable intentions, Aries. It could be that you're using someone else's fear of you to control himorher
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
The fire within you is raging today,Taurus,andyoushould becarefulhowyouwieldthis power Be proud and triumphant. Walk with your shouldersbackandheadhigh. Freedomisimportant.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
There may be a great deal of fuss over something that seems quite insignificant to you, Gemini. Try to see the beauty and importance of everythingaroundyou.
CANCER(June21–July22)
Thingsarecomingtoacritical point for you today, Cancer, and you may find that other people openly object to your actions. It's OK to be a bit selfish if the situation is appropriate.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Feelfreetospeakmoreloudly today, Leo. You'll find that things fall into place more easily if you speak your thoughts outwardly and directly in the presence of others. Bring your internal powerunderyourcontrol.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Youshouldbaskinaglorious splendortoday,Virgo.There's a great deal of power at your disposal.You'll find your ego ishealthy,charged,andready forthebattlefield.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Add more sunshine to your day, Libra. It may be time to stir up your inner passion and let it speak with greater confidencethanyouhavebeen lately Make sure you heal yourself by letting the people aroundyouhearyourtruth.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
You'llfindthatyoursparkcan easily turn potential energy into kinetic energy, Scorpio. Don'tunderestimatethepower of your words. Realize the profound impact they have on othersandtakeresponsibility
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
Don't dwell on your fluctuating moods today, Sagittarius. Look at the larger trends and how positive elements are coming together inyourfavor
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Thisisyourdaytoshineinall your glory, Capricorn. There's noneedtoholdanythingback. You'll find that you have a great deal of love to share. Your heart is likely to go to extremes today in order to proveitslove.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Trynottolosesightofyour own projects or desires, Aquarius. There's a great deal of power and manipulative energy in the air today that could throw you off course if youaren'tcareful.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Recharge today by getting outside and stretching your arms to the sky, Pisces. Be proud and courageous. You have the power to turn an unhealthy situation into a positiveone,
his first two balls for six in his swashbuckling 23 off11
Virat Kohli (47 off 35) and KL Rahul (68 off 43) also shone as Bangladesh struggled to stem the flow ofruns
India’s run-rate of 8 22 was comfortably the highest of any team which has scored more than 200 runs - beating Australia’s241-2declared against Pakistan in 2017 intosecondplace. I
overs faced for an India
Frompage34 and plan to obtain more in thefuture.
Dozensofcricketballswere also shipped in the United States of America with sponsorship from overseas based Guyanese Renrick Batson a former RHTYSC first division captain, Feroze Islam and Ravi Etwaroo who is the owner of the popular cricket zone cricket store in the United States
The balls would be used for coaching session, junior elite training session and practice matches among the youths.
The club has also invest
g machine, catching cribs, exercise equipment among others in an effort to produce all round players. Additionally, Foster stated that the club invests h e a v i l y i n t o i t s membership by assisting with personal cricket g e a r s , u n i f o r m , educational materials, bicycle electronic tablet amongothers Membership totheclubisfree.
The club has also invested heavily into the up keep of the Area H groundfortherestartofthe 2024 season by repainting the two sight screens, constructing over 300 feet of boundary boards and planting grass at selected spotintheground
The RHTYSC has also sought and received assistance from the region 6 RDC to undergo urgent repairs to the main pavilion
A $800,000 mobile grass cutter was also recently purchased with the assistance of Dr Frank Dembow and Panthera
n i n g s declaration - the 34 4 overs easily beating the 89 4 overs they faced
opponents in Kolkata in 2019. It is India’s first Test series since the appointment of former o p
G a u t a m Gambhir as head coach
Scores: Bangladesh 233 (Mominul 107*) & 26-2 (Ashwin 2-14); I
(Jaiswal 72, Rahul 68) Bangladesh trail India
8 wickets remaining
The Area H ground is
The final four Captains of the remaining teams said each respective camp is upbeat and ready for their most important battle yet, with the road to the 2024 finals looking more intense thanever
During yesterday’s Captain’s session Trinbago Knight Riders Kieron Pollard, Barbados Royals Rovman Powell, St. Lucia Kings Faf du Plessis and defendingChamps,Amazon Warriors’ Imran Tahir, acknowledged the crucial phaseaheadforeachteamas theylooktocharteracourse to finals. Pollard said his team is in good spirits,
addingthatqualificationisa stepintherightdirectionfor TKRastheplaytheKingsin a crucial eliminator tonight atProvidence.
Thehard-hittingbatsman said despite injuries, he’s looking forward to what is considered the most important part which is the t o u r n a m e n t ; t h e qualifiers/eliminators.
Regardingthesuccessof theKings,skipperduPlessis saidmakingthesemi’s,then finishing among the top two teamsisahugeachievement.
TheSouthAfricanadded that he was proud of the team’s success and form, especially in the last six
games, adding that a shift to nightactionisgood,making for a cooler mood following afewintensedaymatches.
M e a n w h i
, t h e Warriors, who lost just one game at home are still the favorites to win, especially withtheremaininglegbeing playedintheirbackyard.
SpeakingontheChamps recent run
ir momentum, the ageless Tahirsaidthehomecrowdin Guyana is arguably one of the most important factors behind the teams successful showing on the road and especiallyathome.
“We had a good start from Antigua now Guyana
Guyana Amazon Warriors Captain Imran Tahir lauded The Guyanese fans for their support and aura, which plays a pivotal role in the Team’s success as they look to successfully defend their title.
andwearegratefulforcrowd support”Tahirsaid.Thelegspinner pointed out that the Warriors have ticked a few boxes of things they needed to get done, with playing brand cricket during crunch time, while showing character were among the
Dyna’s
goals. WithGuyanaplayingthe Kings in Wednesday’s qualifier, Tahir said he was looking forward to a good battle as the Warriors have done well to gel as a team, part of the catalyst which pushed them to win the title
lastyear
He believes that the Warriors can replicate similaractionstothatoflast year, as he promised the Guyanese fanbase to defend their title and make them proudforyetanotherseason.
(C.R)
Dyna’s Embroidery & Screen Prints Company is partnering with the GeorgetownSoftballCricket League (GSCL) Inc. for the upcoming Prime Minister’s Softball Cup three-day tournament.
Recently, at the business location in Campbellville, Georgetown, they donated a quantity of jerseys for the umpiresandofficials.
Assistant Manager Eon Vieira stated that he was excited to support the tournament which is billed forOctober11-13.
Dyan’s has been supporting the softball extravaganza for the past several years and Vieira mentioned he will continue withhisdonation.
President of the GSCL Ian John was also at the simplepresentationfunction and was high in praise of Vieira for his continued support. Meanwhile, teams are expected from New York, Canada and across Guyana to participate in the men’s three categories: Legends (Over-50), Masters (Over-40) and Open (AllStars)andtheLadies.
Cup
ItwillbeT20fortheboys while the girls will be competing in a 15-over competition. Over Guyana $3Mareupforgrabswiththe each category among the men winning $600,000, while the ladies’ victorious sidewillcashin$200,000.
The mega softball event was inaugurated in 2016. In
2023, Guyana-based Regal teams won the Legends and Masters,whileAriel,another local side emerged as winners. 4R Lioness were crowned champion for the ladies.
Onthisoccasion,allfour finals are to be played at Police Sports Club ground, EveLeary,Georgetown.
BEIJING(AP)—Carlos Alcaraz cruised past Tallon Griekspoor 6-1, 6-2 at the China Open for his 200th tour-levelvictoryonSunday
The victory sentAlcaraz to the quarterfinals, and made him the third player born in this century to achieve the 200-win feat alongwithJannikSinnerand FelixAuger-Aliassime.
“I’m really happy about it, 200 wins is a great number,” the 21-year-old Alcarazsaid.
“But I am already looking for the third hundred. I just want to keep going, to keep rolling. I am looking forward to playing matches and to keep doing thethingsthatIamdoing.”
Pegulakeepsmomentum
In the women’s tournament, third-ranked
Jessica Pegula responded to losingamarathonfirstsetto rally for a 6-7 (9), 6-1, 6-2 win over Veronika Kudermetova in the third round.
The No. 6-ranked Coco GauffbeatKatieBoulter7-5, 6-2.Four-timemajorwinner Naomi Osaka will now play Katie Volynets on Monday after heavy rain in the afternoon.
Pegulahaswon17ofher last 19 matches, including defendinghertitleinToronto and making finals at Cincinnati and the U S Open,whereheronlydefeats have come to Aryna Sabalenka, the top-seeded playerinBeijing.
The American made three service breaks in the firstset,butalsolostthreeof her own, with Kudermetova
prevailing in a lung-busting 20 point tiebreaker to take the lead. The loss of the tiebreaker seemed to spur Pegula to life as she found her groundstroke range to break her Russian opponent’s serve twice in eachsettotakethematchin
AFP - Naomi Osaka is braced for a “battle” after setting up a clash Monday with Coco Gauff in the ChinaOpenlast16whiletop seed Aryna Sabalenka also marchedon.
Osaka defeated 60thranked American Katie Volynets 6-3, 6-2 and next faces Gauff in a showdown
of former US Open championsinBeijing.
World number two Sabalenka swatted aside Ashlyn Krueger 6-2, 6-2 for her14thvictoryinarowand plays another American in 24th-rankedMadisonKeys.
Looking ahead to the Gauff meeting, four-time Grand Slam champion
Osaka said: “She’s very athletic obviously For me, mystrongesttraitsarebeing aggressive and also my serve “So it’s definitely going to be a battle — who wants to take control of the point first? And I think it’s going to be me.” Former numberoneOsakaisplaying her first tournament under Patrick Mouratoglou, the Frenchman best known for being the long-time former coachofSerenaWilliams.
The 26-year-old Japanese won four majors from2018to2021—theUS Open and Australian Open, both twice. She is also a formerwinnerinBeijingand hassaidshefeelsathomeon
the hard courts of the Chinese capital. Osaka has struggled for consistency since returning to tennis in Januaryafterthebirthofher daughter Shai and is ranked 73rdintheworld.
Her best results after becomingaparenthavebeen t w o q u a r t e r- f i n a l appearances.The2023New York champion Gauff booked her place in the last 16 with a 7-5, 6-2 victory overBritain’sKatieBoulter The 20-year-old American Gauffisseededfourth.
She and Osaka have played four times previously, each winning twice. Their last meeting was in 2022 at San Jose whenGauffprevailed6-4,64 Current US Open champion Sabalenka was error-prone in winning her opening match in Beijing against Thai qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew
in straight sets But the Belarusian was on top form from the start against 68thranked Krueger The 26year-oldfeelssheisnotquite playingthebesttennisofher career, but said, “Control overmyemotions,that’sthe key”. “Before it felt like if I’m not going to win this match, something bad is going to happen. I’m going todie,”sheexplained.
“Nowadays I’m just working hard, I’m trying to improve myself every day EverytimeI’monthecourt, I’mtryingtogivemybest.If you give your best but you didn’t win the match, it’s okay.” Sabalenka will take some stopping. Fourteen of her 16 titles have come on hard courts and only Iga Swiatek has won more matchesontourthisseason.
Top-ranked Swiatek is not in Beijing because of “personalmatters”.
just over 2 1/2 hours. It was Pegula’sfirstwinagainstthe 39th-rankedKudermetovain three attempts. Pegula will play the 15th-seeded Paula Badosa in the fourth round after the Spaniard beat RebeccaSramkova7-5,7-5. Poland’s Magdalena Frech, seeded 23rd, overcame a disastrous start to rally to a three-set win over 12th-seeded Diana Shnaider 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 and
next faces the 595th-ranked wildcard Zhang Shuai, who beat Greet Minnen of Belgium6-2,6-3. In the men’s draw, local favorite Bu Yunchaokete upsetParisOlympicsbronze medalistLorenzoMusetti62, 6-4 for the 22-year-old’s firstvictoryagainstatop20player The 96th-ranked Bu will next play either fifthseeded Andrey Rublev or Alejando Davidovich Fokina Seventh-seeded Karen Khachanov made 15 fewer winners and four more unforced errors than Argen
ne Francisco Cerundolo, but foundaway towinthebigpointsina7-6 (4), 7-6 (9) victory to take him through to the quarterfinals and a matchup againstAlcaraz.
Alcaraz needs to make at least the semifinals this w
ve Alexander Zverev to No 2 in the rankings Zverev is not playing in Beijing as he
recoversfromanillness. JapanOpen Sixth-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark beat homefavoriteKeiNishikori 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the quarterfinals of the Japan Open, and Arthur Fils of France beat defending champion Ben Shelton 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2) Tomas Machac was the first man through to the semifinals in Tokyo with a 7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over American qualifier Alex Michelsen. Machac had eight aces and broke Michelsen’s serve twice as he advanced in 95 minutes. Machac will play U
walkover against Jack DraperofBritain Humbert was leading Draper 7-5, 2-1 when the U S Open semifinalist retired from the match because he was unable to continue
Th e C A C
Bodybuilding & F i t n e s s Championships slated to be staged here in Guyana later this month presents another glorious opportunity for the Government of Guyana (GoG)andthePrivateSector to unequivocally underline their commitment towards thesupportforsports.
Cominghotofftheheels of a commitment made by HisExcellencyDr IrfaanAli to the Golden Jaguars to instigate motivation in their quest for World Cup qualification, the GoG through its related agencies the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport (MCY&S) and the National Sports Commission (NSC) have made similar signals to the Guyana Body Building & Fitness Federation (GBBFF).
Thesupportofthesetwo government agencies is crucial to the successful staging of such a high-
eventwhichisanticipatedto showcase over 250 athletes fromover20countries.
PresidentAlithroughhis governmenthascontinuedto ex
the developmentofsportsacross Guyana and budgetary allocation of $4.6 billion to the sector must serve as irrefutable evidence of such support.
BBCSport-NBAHallof Famer Dikembe Mutombo hasdiedfrombraincancerat theageof58.
Theeight-timeNBAAllStar, who retired in 2009, spent18yearsplayinginthe league for the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.
Mutombo began treatmentfor a brain tumour inOctober2022.
“DikembeMutombowas simplylargerthanlife,”said NBA commissioner Adam Silver
“Onthecourthewasone of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor,hepouredhisheartand soulintohelpingothers.”
Standing 7ft 2in (2.18m) tall, DR Congo-born centre Mutombo was discovered while studying at Georgetown University and was selectedby theNuggets with the fourth overall pick inthe1991NBADraft.
His warm personality and trademark fingerwagging celebration made himafanfavourite.
He twice reached the NBA Finals, first for the 76ers in 2001 and then the Nets (now Brooklyn Nets) twoyearslater
Known for his defensive game, he led the NBA in blocked shots for five consecutive seasons and blockspergameforarecord threeconsecutiveseasons.
F o l l o w i n g h i s retirement both the Hawks and Nuggets retired his number55shirt,andin2015 he was inducted into the NBAHallofFame.
Mutombo was a global ambassador for the NBA
a n d c a r r i e d o u t humanitarian work in his homecountry
“He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the
Congo and across the continent of Africa,” Silver added “He was always accessible at NBA events over the years - with his infectious smile, deep boomingvoiceandsignature fingerwagthatendearedhim to basketball fans of every generation.”
‘An amazing human being’
Among those to pay tribute were the Houston Rockets, where Mutombo spentthelastfiveyearsofhis playingcareer
“Today we mourn the lossofatrueambassadorof ourgame,”theysaid
“His fun-loving personality and trademark finger-wagging endeared
The hosting of the CAC Bodybuilding c/ships has alreadyreceivedthebacking oftheMinistryandtheNSC accordingtoPresidentofthe GBBFF Keavon Bess, who additionallyrevealedthatthe entities involvement has beenholistic.
“They’vebeenpartofthe discussions both in terms of finance and logistics and their input is most welcomed.”
He,however,recognised theimportanceofthePrivate Sector (PS) as well, informing that while Government’s is always crucial, so too is the assistanceofthePS.
“They too have similar capabilities in terms of logistical acumen to resolve anydifficultythatmayarise,
while at the same time offering financial support as well,”Besssaid. He admitted that the undertaking is a huge one and the backing of all the various sectors are most welcomed
G
hosting the c/ships after a 20-year hiatus and will no doubt be aiming to grasp the opportunity to leave a positive legacy as host. Over thirty athletes have been shortlisted by
confident of doing well in front of home fans
The c/ships will be staged at the National Cultural Centre from October17-20.
Briton finishes ahead of Jamual...
himtofansaroundtheworld, but Dikembe’s true impact was his passion for helping others. Our condolences go out to his loving family and friends.”
Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta added: “Dikembe was beloved by the entire NBA community and his tireless humanitarian effortsleftanindeliblemark on our league. Our thoughts andprayersarewithhiswife, Rose,andtheirchildren.”
And Daryl Morey, the Philadelphia 76ers basketball operations president, speaking at the 76ers pre-season media day, also remembered Mutombo.
“ I k n e w h i m personally,” said Morey “We were together for many seasons, and he’s obviously important to theSixersfranchiseaswell.
“There aren’t many guys like him Just a great human being When I was a rookie GM [General Manager] in this league, my first chance in Houston, hewassomeoneIwenttoall thetime.
“ O b v i o u s l y h i s accomplishments on the court but an amazing human being - what he did off the court, for Africa Rest in peace, Dikembe.”
Alexander Leung
Frompage35 Persaud, Quami Ridley, and SegunHubbardroundedout the top six. The Masters’ category saw standout performances as well, with MarkSpencertakingthetop spot in the Over-50 race, while Robin Persaud claimedfirstintheUnder-50
AlexanderLeungonceagain showcased his brilliance, claiming another first-place
finishtosolidifyhisstatusas the most consistent Junior cyclistinthecountry Daniel Jaing and Alex Newton finished second and third, respectively Dinesh Sookai took the top honours in the Juvenilecategory Sprint prizes were awarded to Briton John, Jamual John, and Robin Persaudfortheirexceptional performances in the 2024 edition of the Macedo MemorialCycleRoadRace.
SportsMax - Cricket WestIndies(CWI)yesterday announced the appointment of Lynford Inverary as its newChiefOperatingOfficer (COO) and Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This decision was made by the Board of Directors duringameetingheldinPort of Spain on September 28, 2024.
With over a decade of experienceatCWIinvarious roles, Inverary, anAntiguan national, born in Guyana, has played a pivotal role in driving the organization’s strategic and operational initiatives.
Most recently, he spearheaded the formation of CWI’s 2024-27 Strategic Plan,titled‘TheLongRun’, w h i c h o u t l i n e s a comprehensive roadmap focused on improving governance, enhancing
cricket development, optimizing operational efficiency, and ensuring long-term growth and sustainability for the organization.
A graduate of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Inverary holds a First-Class Honors Bachelor of Science inManagementwithamajor inInternationalBusiness. He also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University ofSouthWales.
Dr Kishore Shallow, President of CWI, remarked on the appointment noting, “Lynford brings a wealth of institutional knowledge and a deep understanding of CWI’sstrategicgoals,paired withanoperationalcapacity to execute with precision.
Overhisdecade-longtenure, he has consistently
demonstrated exceptional leadership, guiding critical projects to successful completion while steering key initiatives with purpose andvision.
His unyielding commitment and expertise leave us confident in his ability to lead CWI through this pivotal phase of growth andtransformation.”
Reflecting on his appointment, Lynford Inverary stated, “I am honored and grateful to the CWI Board of Directors for their vote of confidence in myabilitytolead.Iembrace this new challenge as a pla
contributing to the developmentofthesportthat meanssomuchtomeandthe people of the West Indies. I look forward to working w i t h t h e B o a r d , management, and staff to
implement our four-year strategic plan, improve operational efficiency, and shape a strong future for WestIndiescricket.”
During his career at CWI, Lynford Inverary has led multiple highi m p a c t p r o j e c t s , including contributions to the Wehby Report on Governance Reform, the 2018 -2023 Strategic
Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) Business Plan and MasterPlan
As Business Planning Manager, he has overseen
ategic p
nning process since 2018 and has contributed to critical business decisions, establishing himself as a leader withi
organization. Inverary, has
also previously served as ActingCorporateSecretary Lynford Inverary’s appointmentasCOOwillbe effective from October 1,
following the departure of JohnnyGrave.
SportsMax - Olympic champions Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia and Jamaica’s Roje Stona are among the nominees for Caribbean Sports Personality of the Year at the inaugural CANOC Sports Awards, which will be held on October 19, 2024, in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. This event
will celebrate the Caribbean’s top athletes, teams, and sports leaders, andwillalsofeaturetheIOC Sustainability Awards, highlighting the region’s commitment to sustainable sports.
The CANOC Sports Awards, the first of its kind, have been organized by the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) to honour athletes who have representedtheregionatthe h i g h e s t l e v e l s o f competition. The event also recognizes teams, sports administrators, and media professionals for their contributions to the advancement of Caribbean sports.
GodfreyBeen,President of the Turks and Caicos Commonwealth Games
Association, expressed his pride in hosting such a significant event. “It is an honour for the Turks and Caicos Islands to host the inaugural CANOC Sports Awards,” Been said. “This eventnotonlycelebratesthe remarkable achievements of our region’s athletes and sports leaders, but also strengthensthebondofunity that sports fosters across the
Caribbean. We are proud to play a pivotal role in recognizing the excellence that transcends our sporting communitiesandshowcases the Caribbean on the global sportingstage.”
Alfred, who made history as Saint Lucia’s first Olympic gold medalist in 2024,hasbeennominatedin the Female Sports Personality of the Year
category She will compete against other global track stars such as Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino, Saint VincentandtheGrenadines’ Shafiqua Maloney, and Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts.
In the Male Sports Personality of the Year category, Jamaican discus
thrower Stona, who also claimed Olympic gold in Paris, joins an elite field of nominees, including British VirginIslands’400mhurdles star Kyron McMaster, Grenada’sdecathleteLindon Victor, Cuban wrestling legendMijainLopezNunez, TrinidadandTobago’s200m standout Jereem Richards, and Puerto Rican wrestler SebastianRivera.
Inadditiontoindividual honours,theCANOCSports Awards will also recognize the best male and female teams from across the region. Notable nominees include the Dominican Republic Volleyball Team, the Barbados Triathlon Team, and the Curaçao BaseballTeam.
Julien Alfred has also been nominated for the Caribbean Breakthrough Award, further cementing h e r r e m a r k a b l e achievementsin2024.
Other categories, including the Caribbean SportsMediaAwardandthe Caribbean Distinguished Service Award, will recognize those who have played significant roles behind the scenes, ensuring that Caribbean athletes continue to excel on the internationalstage. Astheeventapproaches, the inaugural CANOC Sports Awards promises to be a historic celebration of Caribbean sporting excellence Athletes like Alfred and Stona are at the forefrontofanewgeneration of Caribbean talent that continues to shine on the globalstage.
Founded in September 1990 by the award-winning St Francis Committee Developers the Rose Hall TownYouthandSportsclub hasovertheyearsdeveloped intooneofGuyana’sleading CricketClub.
Theclubhaswonatotal of125crickettournamentat all levels and has also produced 124 players for BerbiceandGuyana,whilea total of 16 has gone on to play for either the West IndiesortheUnitedStatesof America.Theclubhasstated that its success over the last 34yearshasbeenbasedona formula of sheer hard work, dedication, visionary leadership and proper forwardplanning.
As the RHTYSC enters its 35th year management hastakenadecisiontoinvest heavily in the development of the new cricketing talent at the junior level between theagesof11to15. Thecricketdevelopment management committee led by veteran administrator Robby Kissoonlal and including Keith Hicks and Tyrone Pottaya are responsible for the special projectwiththeassistanceof coachRyanKissoonlal.
The committee intends to attract at least 60 new cricketing talents into the RHTYSC membership, to a r r a n g e s e v e r a l development programmes and to obtain the necessary
equipment/gears needed for thecoachingstaff.
The club on Wednesday last received a six feet by 4 feet batting mat that would be used by the youth cricketersinthebattingcage on the concrete pitch RHTYSC secretary Hilbert Foster stated that the expensivebattingmatwould allowtheyouthcricketersto practice all year round despite the weather conditions and allow the coaches to conduct one-onone sessions. The batting mat would also reduce the damage to the balls on the bareconcretepitch.Theclub also received a 120 feet practice net compliments of former RHTYSE under19
Sharma Sukhdeo. Sukhdeowhonowresidesin theUnitedStatesofAmerica is a strong supporter of the club and readily agreed to donate the practice net whichwouldbeusedaround the batting cage The RHTYSCnowhasatotalof four practice Nets at its disposal.
The club now have four additional kiddies practice setsfortheunder13players. The plastic kits are mainly used by players who are playingthegameforthefirst time and are being taught how to play the game properly by coaches. Foster disclosed that the RHTYSC nowhaveatotalof20sets
(Continuedonpage29)
TheLusignanGolf
Club (LGC) recently held its inaugural Enet Golf Tournament, attracting a competitive field of 35 golfers under pristine conditions.
The event, seen as a vital warm-up for the upcoming Guyana Open, unfolded amid excitement despite coinciding with a majorcricketmatch
LGC President, Anasha Ally, expressed her gratitude to both participants and sponsors, emphasizing the critical role of sponsorships in sustainingtheclub
“Every sponsorship and every participant helpsusinvestintheclub, and we greatly value that,”Allysaid
She also highlighted the importance of
building momentum ahead of the Guyana Open, which is just a month away, calling for f u r t h e r s p o n s o r engagement to ensure high participation and ample practice time before the prestigious tournament.
Enet’s Head of
Business, Devon London, praised the partnership, affirming the company’s c o m m i t m e n t t o supporting future events “ W e v a l u e t h i s association and look forward to offering continued support,” he said
Meanwhile, on the competitive front, in the 0-14 Handicap Flight, Mike Mangal claimed victory with a gross score of 77, handicap 8, and net 69, while Lakeram Ramsundar and Patrick Prashad finished second andthird,respectively
While in the 15-28 Handicap Flight, Troy Codogan took the top spot, followed by Clifford Reis and BholaramDeo
In addition to the day’s excitement, several s i d e a t t r a c t i o n s , including a chipping competition won by Avinash Persaud, who earned tickets to the TKR vs GAW cricket match, b r o u g h t f u r t h e r entertainment to the event.
ByRawleToney
OnOctober11,Guyana’s Golden Jaguars will make
history as they host Guatemala in a crucial CONCACAF Nations League showdown at the National Track and Field Centre in Edinburg, West Demerara.
The highly anticipated match by fans and football
pundits alike, marks Guatemala’s first-ever visit to Guyana, adding another intriguing chapter to the football stories of both nations.
The last time these two teamsmet,itwasaone-sided affair During the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup
qualifier in Miami, Guatemala dominated, cruisingtoa4-0victoryover theGoldenJaguars.
Both teams have taken different paths leading up to this match Guatemala, currentlysittingcomfortably in second place in their Nations League group, has shown early promise with a win and a draw from their openingtwogames.
Their most recent 1-1 draw against Suriname demonstrated the team’s resilienceandabilitytohold theirowndefensively
With four points already in the bag, Guatemala are in a strong position to push for the next round, and a win in Guyana would be a crucial step towards solidifying their spot at the top of the group.
as a substitute in the last meeting against Guatemala, willbedeterminedtomakea greater impact this time around In addition to Glasgow, Middlesbrough FC Isaiah Jones, who netted both goals against Martinique, will provide an added layer to Coach Shabazz’attack.
Midfielder Stephen Duke-McKenna and defenderTerenceVancooten will be pivotal for Guyana. Duke-McKenna’s ability to link defence to attack and Vancooten’s experience in managing the backline will be crucial in keeping Guatemalaatbay
The Coach Jamaal Shabazz Golden Jaguars’ side, on the other hand, has facedatougherjourney
Currently in fifth place, the Golden Jaguars have yet toclaimtheirfirstwininthe competition.
Their recent 2-2 draw against Martinique showed promise in attack but also exposed defensive vulnerabilities, having conceded five goals across theirfirsttwomatches.
AwinagainstGuatemala couldbethesparktheyneed to ignite their Nations League campaign and give
them a chance to climb up thetable.
ForGuyana,alleyeswill beonOmariGlasgow
The 20-year-old forward, who plays for Chicago Fire, has been a revelation for the national teamsincehisdebutin2021.
With 17 goals in just 25 appearances,Glasgowisone goal away from tying Nigel ‘Powers’ Codrington’s alltime scoring record for the GoldenJaguars.
His pace, creativity, and finishing ability make him a constant threat in the final third.Glasgow,whocameon
Briton John continued his
dominance on local cycling scene,securingadecisivevictory atthe22ndAnnualMacedoMemorialCycle RoadRace,heldonSunday
The event, sponsored by Macedo TransportationService,sawcyclistsnavigate the challenging route from Peter Rose Street in Queenstown to Mahaica (Old Road) and backtoLilliendaalforthethrillingfinish.
In the Senior race, John delivered a masterful performance, crossing the finish line in 2 hours, 30 minutes, and 18 seconds (2:30:18s), beating long-time rival Jamual Johnby44seconds.
Jamual, who clocked in at 2:31:02s, had to settle for second place position after witnessing Briton’s commanding display on the heated asphalt.Aaron Newton secured a well-earnedthird-placefinish,whileRobin (Continuedonpage32)
Briton John
Rubin, in particular, is known for his sharp movement and clinical finishing Defensively, Grardo Gordillo will anchor Guatemala’s backline, using his physical presence and leadership to keep Guyana’s attackersincheck.
The match carries significant weight for both teams.
A win for Guatemala would consolidate their position in the group and bringthemclosertosecuring qualification for the next round.
Ontheflipside,awinfor Guyana would provide a much-needed boost to their morale and keep their qualificationhopesalive.
Moreover, the fact that thisisGuatemala’sfirst-ever trip to Guyana adds even moredramatotheoccasion.
For Guatemala, the midfieldwillbeorchestrated by their captain, José Contreras, who plays a key roleincontrollingthetempo of the game. Up front, Luis Martínez and Rubio Rubin, who plies his trade in Major League Soccer (MLS), will bethedangermen.
The four respective captains pose yesterday as they prepare for the final lap to the 2024 CPLfinals.
- Tahir lauds Guyanese fans, promises to keep title home
ENet Inaugural Golf Tourney winners share photo-op with a few stakeholders and members of LGC.
