Former PrimeMinister SamHinds: ‘Guyana
proceeds from
...“saysifcountryhastroublesabsorbingUS$4.4B whatmoretroublesitwouldhavewithUS$10billion”
...“saysifcountryhastroublesabsorbingUS$4.4BwhatmoretroublesitwouldhavewithUS$10billion”
FormerPresident,Prime Minister and now Guyana's Ambassador to the United States, Samuel Hinds said Guyana should rejoice with the money it has received thus far from its oil resources, saying that if the country has trouble absorbing the little it has now,whatwoulditbewitha biggershare.
In a letter which appearedintoday'sKaieteur News, Hinds commenting on an article in this newspaper on Tuesday said Guyana should rejoice for receivingtheUS$4.4Boutof the US$ 10B it should have receivedtodatefromitsoil.
This newspaper reported onTuesdaythattheMinistry ofNaturalResources(MNR) on Monday revealed figures which indicate that Guyana should have received U S $ 1 0 B f r o m t h e
production of oil in the Liza One and Liza Two fields to date. However, due to the government's failure to manage the sector prudently in the best interest of Guyanesethecountrygained ameagreUS$4.4Bsincethe startup of production activities in the Stabroek
Block, operated by ExxonMobil Guyana
Limited(EMGL
“I am sure that the amount of US$10 billion is arguable; whether so or not, perhaps we should rejoice that we received directly US$ 4 4 billion, when without oil we would have received nothing, zero,” Hinds said. “Let's feel good abouttheUS$4.4billion.If we have troubles absorbing theUS$4.4billionaccording to some reports, what more troubles we would have had in absorbing US$10 billion!
Sometimes there could be too much of a good thing,” theformerpresidentsaid.
The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) on Monday revealed figures which indicate that Guyana should have received U S $ 1 0 B f r o m t h e production of oil in the Liza One and Liza Two fields to d a t e D u e t o t h e government's failure to manage the sector prudently in the best interest of Guyanese however, the country gained a meagre US$4.4Bsincethestartupof production activities in the StabroekBlock,operatedby ExxonMobil Guyana Limited(EMGL).
The ministry was responding to an article carriedbyKaieteurNewson September 22, 2024 under the headline 'Guyana poised to receive less than US$9B
of 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 an average oil price of US$70 per barrel, the two projects are expected to generate about US$70B Using a breakeven cost of US$40 per barrel, it was outlinedthatUS$30Bwould remain from which other costs would be deducted, leaving Guyana with only US$9Boftherevenue.
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
Former Prime Minister and Guyana's Ambassador to the United States, Samuel Hinds
company's operations are secureataUS$40perbarrel break-even price the US$40perbarrelfigureisan average break-even price that applies to several developments offshore, not specifically to Liza 1 and Liza 2,” the MNR statement said.
To this end, the Ministry saidtheLizaOnebreakeven cost was US$35 per barrel, while the Liza Two breakeven cost is US$25. Notably, the break-even priceistheminimumpriceat which the crude needs to be sold,tocoverallthecostsof 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 accordingtotheinformation supplied by the Ministry Using an average of US$30 as the breakeven cost for Liza 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 while the oil company shouldreceiveanequalsum. 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 raises further questions aboutthemanagementofthe sector, since 40% of the reserves have already been depletedtodate.
Liza One, which commenced oil production in December 2019, has already produced close to 200 million barrels of oil (MBO) The Field Development Plan for that project however indicates that the project, operated by the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, has a reserve of 452 MBO. This means that 44% of the reservesarealreadydrained. Similarly, at the Liza Two project, the Ministry reported that almost 200 MBO have been produced by Exxon since the c o m m e n c e m e n t o f production activities in February2022.
That field, according to the FDP holds about 570 MBO.Consequently,35%of the reserves have already been produced by the company It could also be deduced that about 40% of thecollectivereservesatthe two projects have been depleted Due to the government's failure to implement a ring-fencing provision, ExxonMobil uses revenue that should come to Guyana to fund its investments across the StabroekBlock.
Aring-fencing provision would force the operator to usetherevenuegeneratedat one project to pay for its expenses.
Intheabsenceofthiskey mechanism, Exxon is allowedtotakerevenuefrom Liza One, Liza Two and Payara to develop its other projects. If those projects were ring-fenced, the country would have been receiving a greater share of profits today, since Exxon has already recovered over US$19B-thetotalcostofthe threeprojects.
A39-year-oldmemberof the Guyana Police Force (GPF)isunderclosearrestat the La Grange Police Station, after he allegedly assaulted his 17-year-old son,duetothechild'srefusal to do household chores on Mondaynight.
The policeman has been identified as Mark Forde. The incident occurred between 19:00h and 19:30h in the vicinity of Rect-doorZee, West Bank Demerara (WBD). Police reported that the 17-year-old boy was at home, when his father
accusedhimofrefusingtodo his chores. “An argument ensued,andasaresult,Mark Forde began to cuff his son, causing him to receive injuries about his face and body,”policestated.
Thereafter, the teen managed to escape and
Amotorcyclist has suffered a punctured lungandotherinjuriesaftercollidingwitha caronTuesday
The accident occurred in the vicinity of Daggle Beauty, located on Norton Street, Georgetown. The injured man has been identified as Lamar Mittelholzer, who resides at Lot 853 Timehri Road, East La Penitence,Georgetown.
PolicereportedthatMittelholzer,wasthe driverofablackunregisteredmotorcycle.It wasrelatedthathewasproceedingwestata fastrateofspeedonNortonStreet,whenthe driverofmotorcarPNN4801,IvanEdwards
negotiated a right turn and ended up in the path of the motorcycle, which resulted in a collision. Both vehicles were damaged and the motorcyclist fell in the surface of the road. The motorcyclist received injuries to hisbody,thepolicereportstated.
Thereafter, he was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he was admitted, suffering fromapuncturedlungandotherinjuries.Itis noted that his condition is serious. A breathalyzer test was done on the driver, which showed no trace of alcohol. The investigationcontinues.
found refuge at his uncle Joseph Grant, who is an Inspector of Police. Grant thenaccompaniedtheteento theParfaiteHarmoniePolice Station, where a formal report was made. The teen wasthensenttoseekmedical attention.Fordewasarrested andplacedunderclosearrest asinvestigationscontinue.
According to a short video shown to this publication,theteenagerwas seenonthegroundbracedto afence,infrontofthehouse, while his father repeatedly sentblowsabouthisbody
It was observed that the son was curled up, while trying to use his hands, and feet to block the hits being firedhisway
Pubic-spirited citizens were heard chastising the fatherforhisactions.
Duringaninterviewwith thispublication,the17-year-
old boy recalled the injuries he sustained, and also highlightedthathewasoften beaten when his father gets upset.
“I get cuff to my ribs, mostly he hoist (lift up) me up and lash me down majority of time my knee catchcramps.
My head just kept knocking and it bust up,” he said.Thesonadded,“Notthe firsttime,Idon'treallyknow, it reach to a point …cause mommy gone, he does be goodsometimesbutwhenhe vex, he does go on in a certainway.”
Turnedtosmoking
In light of this constant alleged abuse, the son highlightedthathe turnedto smoking as a way to heal himselffromthehardshiphe goesthroughwithhisfather.
OnTuesday,Grantstated that she, along with the 17year-old boy went to welfare, and was allegedly told that they (Welfare) cannot order him to be arrested,giventhatitischild abuse and the matter should be dealt with at the Police Station.
“So for the entire day (Tuesday), I have just been back forth, back forth,” Grantstressed.
Whilecitinghowfearful her sister is of Forde, Grant declared, “We feel this time isenough,mynephewcould havediedlastnightandwhat wouldhavehappened?...Not becauseheisapolicemeans heisabovethelaw.”
“…Idon'tevenwanttobein the house majority of the time,” the teenager said Kaieteur News also spoke with Earlester Grant, the aunt of the 17-year-old boy, who revealed that the abuse hasbeenoccurringforyears.
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OnthenightofOctober1,2024,theCaribbeanPremier League (CPL) eliminator match at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, took an unexpected and embarrassingturn.
With millions watching across the Caribbean and beyond, three of the six floodlights at the stadium failed suddenly,plungingthearenaintodarknessandhaltingthe highly anticipated match between the Trinbago Knight RidersandtheBarbadosRoyals.
At the time, the Knight Riders were 168-2 for 4, with NicholasPooranon91unbeateninthe20thoverofthefirst innings.Thepoweroutage,whichlastednearlytwohours, left spectators and players alike frustrated and tarnished Guyana’sreputationonaninternationalstage.Whatshould have been a smooth continuation of one of the region’s premier cricket tournaments instead became a symbol of infrastructuralfailure.
Notably,PresidentIrfaanAliwaspresentatthestadium, further intensifying the situation as the eyes of both local andinternationalaudiencesweredrawntothismishap. The incident has raised pressing questions about the government’s oversight and commitment to maintaining thecountry’sonlyinternationalcricketvenue.
Thiswasnotthefirsttimesuchafailurehadoccurredat theProvidenceStadium.Infact,earlierintheyear,similar power outages had been reported, specifically during the final of a T10 cricket tournament and during an Amazon Warriors practice session. On both occasions, floodlights went out, disrupting events but, perhaps more alarmingly, signalling deeper issues with the stadium’s electrical infrastructure.
These incidents were clear warning signs of an impendingdisaster Yet,thenecessaryactionstopreventa reoccurrence during a major international tournament like theCPLwereevidentlynottaken.Despitetheseredflags, the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, which has responsibilityforthemaintenanceofthestadium,evidently failed to take proactive measures to address the stadium’s faultyelectricalsystem.
The fact that these issues persisted, culminating in the October 1 blackout, highlights a glaring failure in both foresight and responsibility. In a country where cricket holdsnear-religiousimportance,suchnegligenceisnothing shortofunacceptable.Inajointstatementreleasedafterthe incident, the Ministry of Sport and the Guyana Power and LightInc.(GPL)clarifiedthatthestadiumispoweredbyits own independent generating sets and is not reliant on the nationalgrid. Accordingtothestatement,theblackoutwas causedbyatechnicalfaultinanundergroundcablefeeding power to the floodlights. While two of the three failed lights were eventually restored, the damage had already beendone.Fans,players,andviewerswereleftwaitingfor nearlytwohoursastechniciansscrambledtofixtheissue. TheMinistry’sresponsehasdonelittletoquelltheoutcry
Manyhavecriticisedthegovernmentforwhattheysee asalackofpreparednessandaninabilitytoensurethatsuch anessentialfacilityisadequatelymaintained. Thepublic’s frustrationiscompoundedbythefactthatsimilarincidents occurred earlier in the year but were not sufficiently addressed. This raises important questions about why preventative measures were not put in place before such a high-stakesinternationalevent.
Whilepoweroutagesatsportingeventsarenotunique to Guyana, the way they are handled often sets countries apart.
Forexample,atthe2013SuperBowlinNewOrleans,a power outage delayed the game for 34 minutes. The stadium operators and local authorities acted quickly, minimizing the impact and preventing a prolonged delay that would have disrupted the entire event. Similarly, in 1997,duringanFACupmatchbetweenArsenalandLeeds
DEAREDITOR, Overtime, we have
PPP
building new schools across the country, in ensuring our citizens have access to education. Iwishtoapplaud theGovernmentforitseffort but, I still question the neglect at existing schools with inadequate classrooms, deplorablewashrooms,etc.
I am no expert on education and classroom environment, but even the brainless can summarise that, classrooms need to provide an atmosphere conducive for learning and teachingtobeeffective.Asa parent, my observations at the Mon Repos Primary
:
ItwasKofiAnan,former UN Secretary-General who saidsometimeagothat“The only barrier to human development is ignorance, a n d t h i s i s n o t insurmountable” I was fortunate to have been invited by Oxford University to listen to a public statement by His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali at the Blavatnik School of Government on Friday,September27,2024, on the topic “Guyana in Transformation – The Theory of Change and Priorities”.
His Excellency also launched a book on Food Security Strategy captioned “Achieving Global Food Security – The Caribbean ExperienceandBeyond”. I listen to a conversation
United, floodlight failure led to the match being abandoned While inconvenient, these incidents were met with swift responses, and systemswereputinplaceto prevent future occurrences. In Guyana’s case, however, the prolonged two-hour delay during the CPL match,coupledwiththefact that earlier warning signs were ignored, points to a moresystemicproblem.
Oneofthemoststriking aspectsofthisdebacleisthe lack of accountability. Despite the significance of the October 1 incident and thefactthatPresidentIrfaan Ali was present, the Minister of Sport has yet to p u b l i c l y a c c e p t
School,ontheEastCoastof Demerara, where a single c
w accomodating two classes and because of the high n
ud
s crammed in
o one classroom, in my opinion, that’s unfavourable to learningandithasbecomea class of distraction and confusion to both children andteachers.
It is a concern that requires revisiting to eliminate the barriers to good learning environment, sinceitisnotsympatheticto the wellbeing of our children Personal and collectivewell-beingforour children is vital for successful individual growth, but I’m afraid this
currentsituatiionwillimpact negatively
Imagine having both teachers using one chalk board, just different sides and both may be teaching accordingtoatimetable,but with different approach and methods, a recipe for distractionandconfusion.
A positive classroom environment is essential for successful teaching and learning, and builds emotional and social connections between students and teachers, making them feel comfortable, respected and valued, but after witnessing this situation, I’m very concerned for my child’s educational well-being at this particular public
institution. This adverse situationourchildrenhaveto endure, can hamper their focus, but imagine how difficult it must be for our teachers who find themselvesinthesesituation withoutavoice.Iwouldlike to recommend to the Ministry of Education, to constructaseparateblockto house Grade 6 classes, leaving more room in the existing building to accomodate the high influx ofstudentatthisinstitution. Editor, I’m optimistic that this letter will reach those in authority and immediate action will be taken to remedy same soonest.
Regards, ConcernedParent
in a room full of more than 160 Oxford University Graduate Studies aspirants frommorethan60countries (including a Guyanese student who lives in the USA).
WhatIexperienced,was a very interactive session between the students, the former President of Colombia, Mr Ivan Duque (“distinguished fellow” at the influential US Based Woodrow Wilson Center), Professor Karthik Ramanna (formerly from Harvard University but now at the Oxford University within the Blavatnik School of Government)andfinallyour ownPresidentAli,whoneed nointroduction.
Iwitnessedsomeintense outpouringofthoughtsfrom, in my opinion, some extremely talented students.
responsibility for the failure This lack of acknowledgment not only undermines public confidence but also sends the wrong message about the importance of accountability in government. The blackout attheNationalStadiumwas more than just an inconvenience; it was a national and regional embarrassment Guyana’s international image, particularly in the realm of sports, has suffered as a result.WiththeCPLserving as one of the most-watched cricket tournaments in the Caribbean, the incident undoubtedly left a lasting impressiononfans,players, andofficialsalike.
The absence of accountability further deepens the issue, as the public is left wondering if such failures will continue t o o c c u r w i t h o u t consequence.TheOctober1 blackout at the Guyana National Stadium should serve as a wake-up call for theMinistryofSportandthe governmentasawhole. It is not enough to issue statements after the fact; there needs to be a comprehensive review of the stadium’s infrastructure andaclearplanofactionto preventsuchincidentsinthe future Moreover, the government must prioritize accountability and transparency to regain the public’strust.
It would therefore be remiss of me not to share some of what I heard at Oxford University and hopefully, the local press willpickuponthisrecording andaskHisExcellencysome more questions on this intellectual outpouring from him, since it can clarify for many, where we are doing strategicallyasanation.
Most of the piercing questions from the students were directed at the oil that was discovered in Guyana, thetermsofthecontract,the associated revenue, the climate change implication ofthisnewoildiscovery,the geopoliticalconcernsthat (Continuedonpage17)
The real discussion started when former President Duque drew the “Resource vs Capability Strategy Matrix”ontheboard. This information was usefulintriggeringthemore than 20 “bunker-busting” piercing questions from the students Any normal intellectual/politician would have struggled in that room, but His Excellency rose to the challenge quite competently and admirably I have not seen or heard anyone in current-day Guyana speak as fluently andonpointasDr Alionthe subject matter of Guyana a n d i t s h u m a n developmental trajectory, as I witnessed in that Oxford Universityclassroom. This debate should be shown to every secondary andtertiaryschoolstudentas essentialtraining,sinceitisa clear outline of the national developmental policy framework for the new Guyanaanditisexciting.
In an age where sports events are broadcast globally, every mishap reflects not just on the facility but on the country itself. ForGuyana,anation with aspirations of becoming a regional sporting hub, this incident underscorestheurgentneed forreform.
Without proper maintenance and oversight, even the most promising sporting facilities can quickly become symbols of neglect.
The people of Guyana deservebetter,anditisupto the government to ensure thattheNationalStadiumis a source of national pride, not an international embarrassment.
I write about various headlines about oil and where the earnings from oil go. For ease of reference, I refer to two headlines in (October 1st, 2024), KaieteurNews.
Let’s start on the cover“Guyana should have received U.S. $ 10 billion from oil to date but only received U.S. $ 4.4 billion.” Iamsurethattheamountof U.S.$10billionisarguable; whether so or not, perhaps we should rejoice that we received directly U.S. 4.4 billion,whenwithoutoilwe would have received nothing, zero. Let’s feel good about the U.S. $ 4.4 billion.
If we have troubles absorbing the US $4 4 billion according to some reports, what more troubles we would have had in absorbing U.S. $10 billion! Sometimes there could be toomuchofagoodthing. Thequestionaboutwhat isfairindifferentsituations, indifferentcountriesaround the world, is very often politicallyvexatious.
There is the second article reappearing in today’s KN entitled, “Big US Oil Companies reveal massivepaymentstoforeign governments.” I first saw that headline a day or two ago. I wondered whether it was another article on massive corruptions, but reading it today, it is something quite different. The article is essentially complaining that the US Companies are paying proportionately more to foreign governments for oil
recovered in foreign countries, than they pay to their own US Government for oil recovered in the US. Ifwewereintheplaceofthe US Government, we might have been getting less than theUS$4.4billion!
Reflect on the two paragraphs below from that article: (i)“thetruthishere in the US we get one of the worstdealsfortheextraction of our natural resources” said Michelle Harrison Deputy General Consul for EarthRightsInternationalan environmental advocacy group.
(ii) About 90% of Exxon’s nearly US $ 25 billion in global payments w e n t t o f o r e i g n governments in 2023, even though a quarter of Exxon’s global exploration and production earnings comes from the United States.
There seems to be media, civil society, and NGO groups in the US who are in essencearguingthatForeign Governments are getting m u c h a n d t h e U S Government should be gettingmore.
Itputsmeinmemoryof our negotiations with SaskPowerabout1997,fora
Partnering agreement with SaskPower for their in
electricity corporation Some members of the Saskatchewanmediaandthe Guyana media seemed to have developed close friendly relations during the months of negotiations, h o w e v e r I
s dumbfounded when the outline of the prospective, d
d agreement was released to what appeared to be a constructive, all-together mediagroup.
The Canadian media wrotearticleswhichseemto say, “look what our SaskPower people have allowed that third world country to extract from them;” and the Guyanese media wrote – “look what our government people are giving away to those exploitative first world people.”
I was dumb founded, andmoreso,whenfromtime totime,later,Iheardsomeof our media commenting, saying that the SaskPower Agreementwasprobablythe bestwecouldhavehad.One fact that tempered my
feelingsatthetime,wasthat few if any of us, our media, commentators and civil society had any nearly sufficient, holistic knowledge and experience in what is required for the provision of a good electricityservice.
It is natural that we would want to protect ourselves and our country –todosohoweverweneedto know what is prevailing, what is the best deal there can be. It seems that we havebeeninmuchthesame situationwithoil.
I would have preferred that instead of the many articles “bad mouthing” oil, wehadarticlesonthehistory oftheoilindustry:howitgot goinginPennsylvaniainthe USA in about the 1850’s with people beating pipes into the ground where oil wasoozingup.
This is what we should havebeenfocusingon, from that start to where we are now about 170 years later; whereExxonhashadtolook about a mile and a half through the water to the bottom of the sea, and a further mile and a half into the rocks to the oil-bearing strata; and had the
knowledge to now recover the oil from such a depth in suchalocation;andwasable to accumulate, and riskily venture that money, the capital,todoit.
I would prefer to have my people feeling challenged, learning and knowing how these things are accomplished – it is in becoming knowledgeable a n d c a p a b l e a n d accomplishing that we become empowered. Also, when we know, it is easier for us to reach agreement and have satisfactory partnershipswithothers,and with less than a million peopleweGuyaneseneedto become good at making partnerships with others in this world of eight billion souls.
Allowmetopointtoone other matter for us to keep underobservation.
IhavethankedProfessor Huntbeforeformanyofthe tables on the oil industry whichhehaspresented.
Thetroubleisthatwesee differentlessonsinthesame tables In one table, comparing costs of oil production in various oil fields around the world Professor Hunte shows that
in Saudi Arabia, and Iran, from where all the oil the world needs could be recovered, production costs areaboutUS$10perbarrel, while production off-shore GuyanaisputataboutUS30 perbarrel.
Iwonderedwhythecost offshoreGuyanaisnotmore like that of the North Sea, approaching US $40 per b a r r e l ( n o d o u b t compensation and services costsfiguretherein).
With the alarm about Climate Change, suggesting that the use of fossil fuels may be ended around 2050, one can imagine that there mightwellbeashake-outin oilpricesatsometime.
Energy prices may stay high, limited by the cost of alternatives,butpaymentsto the wellhead will fall as money has to be put to capture and store the CO2 released, and/or to pay for Carboncredits.
I can tell you that I have noticed some articles recently which hint at (i) a comingshake-outandfallin oil prices, (at the wellhead), and (ii) oil from offshore Guyana now contributing to dampeningoilprice
(Continuedonpage06)
DEAREDITOR
, Since my last letter, peoplehavebeenaskingthat I share more on what my national development planeconomic,social,etc.would entail for the ‘Building Our D r e a m G u y a n a ’ Campaign/Movement In this letter I will address two areas for our approach to rebuilding and expanding the middle class and reviving the manufacturing industry as a main driver of developing a sustainable economy.
Iwillalsoaddressafew other aspects for the social developmentplan.
My goal is to eliminate poverty in Guyana by 2035. As it relates to capacity, our nationalstrategyinthisarea
will focus on four components: local capacity – talent and expertise;
regional (Caribbean) capacity - talent and expertise; diaspora capacity – talent and expertise; and international capacity –talentandexpertise.
For local capacity, my government will harness all available local talent;
including academic, professional, technical,
youth, retired, etc
Regarding Caribbean regional capacity, our government will again draw
f r o m a c a d e m i a , professional, technical, and retired. From the diaspora, we will similarly draw from theGuyaneseandCaribbean Diaspora - academia,
professional, technical, and retired expertise In the context of international capacity our government will tap into talent from international organisations, institutional and individual expertise.
Capacity and capacity development will be link to the National Economic and Social Development Plan. So,Guyaneseinthediaspora bepreparedtocomehometo ‘Build Our Dream Guyana.’ Additionally,onthepointof capacity, our government will increase the retirement age for the public service from55to60years. As it relates to our approach to rebuilding and expanding the middle class, mucheffortwillbeplacedon r e s u s c i t a t i n g t h e manufacturing sector as a main driver of a sustainable economy
Our National Economic Social Development Plan willdistinguishwhatmiddle class in the context of the hinterland and the coastland means,insteadofaone-sizefit-allapproach.
For example, in the case of the hinterland, we intend to invest significantly in building the capacity of Amerindian communities to produce value added products from minerals and precious metals More specifically, we will build the capacity of Amerindian communities to produce jewelleryfromgold,etc.The government will also build
partnerships between these communities and the large l o c a l j e w e l l e r y establishments, so that they haveareadystructuredlocal market.
We will also explore foreign markets for the value-added products which will be produced by these communities
With relation to other natural resources such as sand, our government will conduct feasibility studies to determine other products which could be produced.
For example, would it be feasible to rec
, ceramics, etc ; should we rebuild the glass factory and a ceramics factory? As it relates to clay, our government will revive the clay brick industry. Forestry is another area
w extensively to expand on the value-added products, such as plywood. We will also explore reviving production of appliances, suchasfridges,freezers,and stoves We will explore p
h international manufacturers to produce and assemble theirproductsinGuyana.
I am aware that the
Guyana, but this brings me to the next point Our
power supply would be developed around a mixture of energy
sources; renewable energy (Hydro power, wind, solar, etc ), fossil fuel, gas, etc
It is my view that currently the cost for
g
vernment p
ojects such as roads, bridges, buildings, etc are inflated by 5075% As we seriously address the issue of corruption, we will expand the fiscal space for a more diversified approach to development
instead of what is obtained currently where the focus is mainly on construction of roads, etc Another area I would like to address in this letter is the City of G e o r g e t o w n M y government will work closely with the Mayor
and City Council (M&CC) to revive the city into the Garden City within three years
We will start by paying all of the government’s arrearstotheM&CCwithin three years. However, these paymentswillbelinkedtoa
results-based plan from the M&CC Our government will also work with the M&CC to develop a new cultureofpayingtaxesinthe business community and amongresidents.
After three years, my government will begin to pay the M&CC annually, t
C
more realistic planning and maintenance of the city.
My government will also promote as far as possible a culture of stable employment for citizens,whichwillfocuson pensions, an unemployment allowance scheme, medical insurance, among other benefits.
I am also keen on reviewingthe401(K)ofthe United States Internal Revenue Code to determine if this is another option that could be of benefit to the Guyanesepeople.
I
Chance’ to be the next President of Guyana ‘Give Audreyanna a Chance’to work with the Guyanese people to
‘Build Our Dream Guyana’ and achieve One People, One Nation, One Destiny; to provide strong leadership; to work with the Guyanese people to build strong families; to work with the Guyanese people to build strongcommunities;towork withtheGuyanesepeopleto build strong organisations and institutions; to work withtheGuyanesePeopleto develop strong citizenship; to work with the Guyanese people to build a strong economy; to work with the Guyanese people to build strong bonds; and to work with Guyanese to build a strongGuyana.
For the purpose of t h i s campaign/movement; our community, youth, and diaspora groups, will be called ‘Dream Teams ’ I would like to partner and team up with people who still believe in the ideal of our Motto: One People One Nation OneDestiny Yourssincerely, CitizenAudreyann Thomas Presidential Candidate
Let us not deprive ourselves of good...
Frompage05 increases. Apolicy of “pump baby pump,” “make hay whilst the sun shines,” may well be the correct policy for us Guyanese, and Guyana,atthistime.
MayweenjoythereceiptsfromExxon’s recoveryofoiloffourshores,whilstwemay, and hurry to transform our country and ourselves with our investments in
infrastructure, education and health; in our country and in ourselves, so that when our world parts with oil, we, Guyanese in Guyana, will be able to earn and provide ourselves a better life, and extend a helping handtoothers.
Sincerely
SamuelA.A.Hinds
FormerPresidentandPrimeMinister
The Supreme Court of Judicature in Guyana on Tuesday announced that it is nearingthecompletionofane-litigationweb portal for the Court ofAppeal and the High Court which will mark a major transformation in the country's judicial system.
Asoftlaunchofthee-litigationportalfor theCourtofAppealwasheldonJanuary30, 2024, with the High Court's portal set for a softlaunchonOctober4,2024.
This new digital system will replace the traditional paper-based filing system for all newcasesfiledafter3:00p.m.onOctober4, 2024. The e-litigation system enables the electronic filing and management of cases across the various registries of both courts, including the Family Court and the Land Court The software powering this elitigation platform was developed by Crimson Logic Inc., a Singapore-based company with extensive experience in creatingdigitalsolutionsforjudicialsystems around the globe. Crimson Logic Inc. is
known for implementing the world's first paperless judicial platform for the Supreme Court of Singapore and has worked with courts in countries such as Mauritius, Namibia,Qatar,andtheEasternCaribbean.
The e-litigation portal is designed to provideuserswith24/7accessonanydevice, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops.
The system includes features such as a dedicated portal for judicial officers, electronic filing, notifications, case and workflowmanagement,trialbundlecreation, and the generation of reports and analytics. Bothattorneys-at-lawandlitigantswillhave access to the platform, making case managementmoreefficientandtransparent.
Thisdigitaladvancementalignswiththe Judiciary'smissiontoupholdtheruleoflaw and ensure access to timely justice in a fair andtransparentmanner
The e-litigation system is expected to significantlyimproveaccesstojusticeforall, modernizingGuyana'sjudiciallandscape.
Complementing the new secondary school that will soon be built at Matthews Ridge, Region One is the construction of the students' dormitory which will be constructedfor$290million.
This is according to information provided by the National Procurement and Tender Administration
Board (NPTAB) who recently awarded the $290,460,000 contract to JK
Enterprise Inc The dormitory will cater for students who live in neighbouring villages such as Baramita and Arakaka
who will attend the secondary school when it is completed.
As reported previously, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is undertaking the project for the construction of the first ever secondaryschoolbuildingin Matthews Ridge NPTAB which awarded the contract earlier last month will see Prored Resources building the new school for $350 million.
K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that the secondary school for Matthews Ridge is among several the government is constructing in the hinterland this year Secondary school aged students would usually
utilize the primary top (secondarydepartmentinthe primary school) to receive their education and would havetotraveltonearbyPort Kaituma to sit their CXC examination.
In Region One, five new secondary schools will be constructed in various communities including North-West, Kwebanna, Matthews Ridge, Waramuri andHosororo.
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand at a previous press conference hadsaidthathergovernment would continue to build schools, so as to give children an opportunity to notonlyfinishschool,butto capitalize on tertiary education.
Matthews ridge
This year, the Education Ministrywasallocatedsome $74.4B, a portion of which will be used for the construction, rehabilitation, extension and maintenance ofeducationalfacilities.
With over 16 secondary schools scheduled to be constructed in the hinterlands regions, this newspaper reported that the Ministry of Education has embarked on an aggressive programmetoensurethatthe nation'schildrenhaveaccess to secondary education. The Government has set 2025 to achieve universal secondary education. To achieve this, theministryhassincemoved to have several secondary schools constructed across thecountry
The Bridgetown Initiative is now parading its thirditeration ”Bridgetow n3.0". Outofthisiteration, Barbados emerges as the champion, the initiative offering a potpourri of ideas that will usher in an era of climate justice, economic resilience, and equitable growth.Therearedebtpause clauses, climate resilience funds, and talk of taxing the super-rich.
One might think we’ve stumbled upon a modernday utopia where power is persuadedbycommonsense and morality However, the gilded promises of Bridgetown3.0,whilenoble in intent, remain precisely that promises, grand in theory but emaciated in practice.
Consider the triumph of the “Debt Pause Clauses,” a centerpiece of the initiative that offers developing countries the ability to halt debt repayments for two years following a natural disasterorpandemic.Aboon for the struggling, we are told. Yet, one wonders if a mere pause on debt is anything more than a temporary respite in a long and unrelenting cycle of financialstrangulation.It’sa curious victory, to be sure reminiscent of offering a drowning man a momentaryhandholdbefore pushing him back into the
deepend. Aftertwoyearsof recovery, the debt remains, perhaps even more daunting with the accruing interest, and the inevitable return to repayments is as certain as the next hurricane The tragedy of the developing world
t occasionally falters under catastrop
that catastrophe is its constant companion.Atwo-yeardebt pause is little more than a theatrical pause before the finalactofinsolvency
The new iteration of the Bridgetown Initiative also trumpets the creation of the IMF’s “Resilience and Sustainability Trust,” with Barbados claiming the distinction of being its first beneficiary But to celebrate the largesse of the International Monetary Fund is to ignore the institution’s long history of wrecking economies under the guise of benevolent stewardship. The IMF, like some avuncular financier offersthevelvetglovewhile hiding the iron fist. We are told this new trust will provide climate-resilience finance on “favourable terms,” but what constitutes resilience and who benefits from these so-called favourable terms? If history is any guide, we might expect climate resilience to t a k e t h e f o r m o f infrastructure projects designed more to attract
foreign investment than to protectlocalpopulations.
The Bridgetown Initiative’s proponents also toutthelaunchoftheUnited Nations’“Loss and Damage Fund” at COP28, a muchheralded milestone in the fightagainstclimatechange.
The fund’s initial commitment of $700 million, however, is so woefullyinadequateastobe insulting.Thefigureislessa down payment on climate justice and more a token gesture a miser’s gift thrown to the needy while therichturntheirattentionto more profitable ventures That$700millionshouldbe offered to developing nations, which require trillions to survive the comingclimateonslaught,is as absurd as offering a glass of water to a man dying of thirst in the Sahara. The Global North, with its insatiable appetite for fossil fuels and industrial excess, continues to evade any meaningful responsibility, leaving the rest of the world tobaskinthecrumbsoftheir profligacy.Andthenthereis the much-lauded rechannelingof$100billionof Special Drawing Rights (SDRs)fromtheIMFtofund mechanisms for developing countries One might imagine,asthecelebrantsof Bridgetown 3.0 do, that this represents a paradigm shift in the way global finance
Dem boys seh Glenn
Lall callin’ Guyanese to turn off dem lights for one hour during the month of October He say it’s a protest against how de government managing the country’snaturalresources. Simple protest. Private, he say Justhouseholdstakin’a personalstand.
But hold on! Lall never expect de CPL to take him seriously During de big eliminator match on Tuesday night, TKR was facing BR. De lights? Dem decide to take a vacation. Three towers went dark. Just like dat, protest switch fromprivatetopublic!
Lallmustbelaughin’all dewaytohedesk.Hestarta movement without even trying!Peoplehometurnin’ off lights, and next thing you know, de whole stadium joinin’ in Lall
coulda never predict how bright dis protest would shine!And de whole world watching!
Dem organizers scrambletofixdesituation. But de floodlights playin’ hide-and-seek TKR and BRondefield,andfansleft in de dark. Talk ‘bout a cricket match, but all de a c t i o n h a p p e n i n ’ backstage!
ButGuyaneseknowfuh mek fun of every situation. One man ask whether, “Is this a cricket match or a blackout party?” Not even deumpirecouldseedeball flyin’! Fans grumble, some startin’ to wonder if dey shoulda brought candles. Anotheroneseh,youwould never know you in Guyana unlessdelightsgoout.
“Whose idea was it to protestwithnolights?”one fan ask De organizers
operates—a boon for the beleaguered economies of theGlobalSouth.ButSDRs, by their very nature, are a financial mirage an abstraction, a promise of liquidity that can just as easilyevaporateinthedesert heat of bureaucracy and conditionality.SDRsarenot cash.Theyarenotresources thatcanbespentorinvested in roads, schools, or hospitals They are placeholders, contingent on thewhimsoftheIMF,which hasneverbeenknownforits generosity toward the world’s poorest nations. To believe that this mechanism will deliver salvation to those in need is to believe that the IMF has suddenly undergone a moral conversion, forsaking its legacy of austerity and exploitation. A fantasy, to putitkindly
B u t w h e r e t h e Bridgetown Initiative truly stretches the bounds of credulity is in its utopian vision of new sources of “progressivefinance.”There are calls for an international tax on the super-rich, windfall profit taxes on fossil fuel companies, and levies on emissions-heavy industries like aviation and
shipping One is left to wonder if the architects of this grand design have ever spent time in the halls of power where such taxes mightbeenacted.
The super-rich have spent the better part of the lastcenturyperfectingtheart of avoiding taxation, and fossil fuel companies are hardly in the habit of relinquishing their profits to thepublicpurse.Bridgetown 3.0’s call for such taxes is less a pragmatic policy proposal and more a moral appeal, destined to languish in the purgatory of international diplomacy wheregoodideasgotodie.
In the end, Bridgetown 3.0standsasasymbolofthe eternal tension between aspiration and reality Its a
ably noble few would argue against a fairer deal for developing countries or the urgent need for climate action. Yet, the mechanisms itproposesare,atbest,halfmeasures, and at worst, distractions from the real task at hand. The initiative offers rhetorical flourishes where it should provide concrete solutions. It points to token victories debt pauses, climate funds, and
IMF programmes as if these represent a sea change in global finance. But in truth, they are little more thanripplesonthesurfaceof a much deeper, more in
inequality.
What the w
ld’s developing nations need is not another round of international conferences or high-minded declarations but a funda
ntal restructuring of the global system a reordering of priorities that places human well-being above profit, climate justice above economic growth, and coope
above exploitation. Until such a transformation occurs, initiatives like Bridgetown 3.0 will remain just that: initiatives, rather than solutions.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
scramble to find answers.
“We’ll get it back on!” dey promise Meanwhile, de only thing shining bright is de embarrassment on dey faces.
Andguesswhat?While de CPL match in darkness, Lall’s protest gettin’ internationalattention. When de lights finally come back, de match reduce to a 5-over contest. Half the people done leff the stadium. Dem wah stay leff confused; not because ofdegame,butbecausedey just experienced de longest power outage in CPL history!
Lall smile from ear to ear He protest gone international now Leh we hope no more lights out at the stadium fuh de rest of theweek!OtherwisedeVee Peeganblowafuse! Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
Guyanesearegearingup and racing forward to 2025 and national decisionmakinghour
In this the last quarter of an eventful 2024, the equivalent one next year could reveal how this country lurches along to whateverdestinyawaits. Oil is the catalyst; it has neither precedent nor comparison. Oil is the determinant of whether this country will be about civility or chaos Though shunned because of its implications, wherever there is great wealth and there is great inequity in its stewardship (perceived or real), disruption has usually followed. Two words that
are normally twinned are suppressed. One begins witha'c',theotherwitha'w.'
In the smoothest of times, Guyana is a heaving, seething, antagonistic cauldron. During elections times, the worst that the citizens of this country are capable of take charge, command men and women to madness. What will Guyanese have post-2025? Governance or vengeance? Vengeance is what has been dominant in broad, deep swaths; the occasional sparks of governance are inundatedandsweptawayin the vortex of emotions and passionsthatneverletgo. In many respects, elections
represent a renewal of the quintennial cycle of psychic m a l i c e , v i s c e r a l vindictiveness. The roots of dissension andconflictcouldbesaidto start in the late 1950s, then took off with a bang in the 1960s. Thebangsofbombs and buildings crumbling, and citizens raging have never ceased, with the echoes reverberating to this day
Next year will stir the embers, intensify heated recollections. The departed have passed that on to those who followed. Few are inoculated from the mesmerizing flames In everyelectionineveryplace,
thereissomebloodlettingin the aftermath People pushed out the door, places rearranged In Guyana, what is considered political art in some places now incorporates the strength of science Governance facilitates the practices of vengeance. Withoutfail,all who were against are aimed at and degraded or demolished. What is not diminishedisminimizedtoa state of nonexistence. The media. The police. The public institutions The civic presences The characters.
Theenemies. Theywere against decades ago. Today they have been neutered. Atrocities are so many and so conspicuous that concealment is no longer possible All the ugly retaliatory actions that went on at known but at less discernible levels have now been laid flat on their backs as if on a public operating table. Everyonecansee. All can hear the rasp of scalpel onflesh. Allsmelltheblood. Thearrivalofoilopenedthe eyesofGuyanese. Itismore thanwhogetsandwhodoes not It is the sum of governance as channeled and expressed in naked vindictiveness and the vengeful acts that bind the two in unmatchable spitefulness.
Stepbackintimetosixty years ago, and there was the kickstart, what has much to do with everything. Five years ago, only rekindled and restored the flames of racial hatreds to where they were, which is at a more incendiary degree The learned, the defenders, the
partisan, the
p o r o u s o f conscience and purposely poor of memory may all find faultwithwhatwasjust stated unambiguously
There is no yielding. The environment does not allow such a luxury The oil does not uphold such selfdeception. The reach and revelations of social media bring the developments of the day, good and bad, and pin them into the eyeballs. Who cares about the good?
The bad is what perpetuates all the obscene stereotypes, the bad energies the historical and gives it new life.
In this roiling milieu, thereisendlesschatterabout democracy, fairness, equity, justice,truth. Tellthattothe womenwhowerepushedout of bread, who were ogled as flesh to be sampled at will.
Tell that to the men who should have won a contract but lost, never stood a chance. Or one victimized by a public institution. Or one reviled by that riotous happy hour gathering called social media in partnership with state media One leader, the epitome of viciousnessencouragedthat, is even believed to be the champion and sponsor of such crimes. Governors pretendthatGuyanaisabout democracy
Social and state media furnish partial but powerful evidence of what Guyana truly is. With such highoctane toxins, this country stumblesinto2025andthere is insistence that democracy
prevails, equity and inclusivity provide proof of
actions taken, of actions to come.Tellalielongenough and the teller falls in love with his lies and himself. Brutalize citizens for a prolonged interval and resentments build to explosiveproportions.
One man's portfolio is about law and justice, but cataracts impede His restraining hand is feeble, not capable of feeling after all the numbness One woman's area of purview includes domestic partnerships, which informs that relationships are unsustainable when there is always remembrance and repetition of who did wrong when. Thewomanincharge means well, but is weighed down by loyalty, pedigree andtimidity. Whenthepast is forever lovingly dredged up, then there is only one kind of present, and a future that is already in ashes. Anotherspacethathastodo with teaching is pleased to function as the conduit for what has dogged and devastated. Nothing new and embracing, only the old gainingrenewedvigor The timing is perfect: 2025 comes. If the arbiters of democracy have little interest in getting local government on an honest footing, then the die is cast about what to expect at the nationallevel.
Somehow, by some mysterious providence, it is felt that Mocha and Cotton Tree and Dartmouth would all be forgotten, that unexplained wealth will be ignored, and that lived experiences matter for nought There are limitations in fooling the people The biggest limitationsoccurwhenthere isfoolingofself. Nextyear draws remorselessly closer Whatwillitbe? Governance or vengeance? Th opportunities have been missedfortheformer The latterloomslarge. Tosome, anotherfiveyearsrepresent the inconceivable, the intolerable, the unlivable. The first bell has now been rung (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflecttheopinionsofthis newspaper.)
The lights have gone out so long from this country that even the embarrassment at the National Stadium on Tuesday night did not shock many citizens.
Most Guyanese were just embarrassed, but not shocked. Everything is now possible in this republic that despite being rich with oil, we cannot keep the lights on. Although the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) was not the main culprit that caused the global embarrassment Tuesday night, it is part of the problem citizens deal with on a daily basis.
There are some things that are crucial to development in today's world. One of them is a stable electricity supply. If one is to use this as a measure of Guyana's ability to compete in the real world then one can easily conclude that Guyana is at a disadvantage.
Electricity supply has been so unreliable over the years that some major enterprises here have opted for self-generation.
th Haitihasbecomethe12 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member state to accede the partnership agreement between and amongCARICOMcountries and African Export-Import Bank(Afreximbank).
During a ceremony on September 25 at the Haitian Investment Forum, held on
the sidelines of the th79 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Haiti, the Honourable Dr Garry Conille, and the President and Chairman of the Board
o f D i r e c t o r s o f Afreximbank, Professor BenedictOramah,signedthe documents formalising Haiti's accession to the partnership, a press release fromthebankstates.
Introduced by the Bank in 2022 following the African Union's 2008 resolution designating the Diaspora as the sixth region of Africa, the Partnership Agreement recognises that Africans on the continent and in the Diaspora share deephistorical,cultural,and political ties, as well as a senseofcommonidentity.It therefore seeks to promote the Global Africa agenda, which includes the expansion of two-way trade and investment between Africa and its Diaspora, to stimulate economic development.
WithHaiti'ssignature,12 of the 15 CARICOM
member states have now acceded to the Partnership Agreement, with nine of them concluding its ratification.Themovepaves the way for both public and private sector institutions in the country to access the US$1 5bn financing limit approved by Afreximbank's Board to support projects a n d t r a d e r e l a t e d transactions in the region. This limit is set to double once all the CARICOM member states join the partnershipagreement.
A t t h e e v e n t , Afreximbank announced plans to institute a US$ 250 millionfacilitytosupportthe rebuilding of the Haitian economy
In his comments, Haiti's Prime Minister Honourable Dr GarryConillesaid:“Itis with immense gratitude that w e r e c e i v e y o u r announcement today of a US$250 million facility for Haiti. This is a decisive and impactful gesture that holds the promise of revitalisation for our economy and renewalforourpeople.This facility will allow us to address some of the most pressingchallengesweface, from infrastructure and energy to agriculture and manufacturing. It will also serve as a catalyst for unlocking the potential that e x i s t s w i t h i n o u r nation—potential that has long been stifled but never extinguished.”
Headdedthatthefacility
was a concrete step towards regaining Haiti's rightful placeintheglobaleconomy, noting that it would create therightconditionsforHaiti to 'once again stand tall,' contributing not only to the region but to the wider world.
In his remarks, Prof Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board o f D i r e c t o r s o f Afreximbank,said: “I express deep and sincere gratitude to the PrimeMinisterofHaiti,The Honourable Dr Garry Conille, for his courage and demonstrated commitment to advancing trade and
investment relations between Africa and Haiti, and the Caribbean region in general.
Haiti's accession to this Partnership Agreement marksanotherhistoricmove towards enhanced AfriCaribbean cooperation therebyhelpingtopropelthe Global Africa agenda towards a more prosperous future.”
F o l l o w i n g t h e introduction of the Partnership Agreementwith Caribbean countries, Afreximbank has hosted three editions of its AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF)
intheregionandestablished its regional office in Barbados. In just under two years, the multilateral Bank has provided more than US$2.5 billion in funding across the CARICOM, targeting key areas such as infrastructure development, climate adaptation projects, SME financing, among others. In June, the Bank hosted its2024AnnualMeetingsin The Bahamas, a historic event that brought together morethan4,000peoplefrom across the globe. The event also doubled as the third ACTIF andservedas oneof the high-level events by
Afreximbanktodemonstrate the Global Africa movement.
The African ExportImport Bank (Afreximbank) isaPan-Africanmultilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extraAfrican trade. For 30 years, theBankhasbeendeploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions t h a t s u p p o r t t h e transformation of the structure of Africa's trade, a c c e l e r a t i n g industrialization and intraregional trade, thereby boosting economic expansioninAfrica.
Morethan550businesseshave registered for the inaugural International Business Conference (IBC) 2024, set to take place from October 15 to 17 at the Marriott Hotel.
This was announced during a press briefing on Tuesday at the GuyanaOfficeforInvestment.The conferenceisacollaborativeevent between Guyana and Suriname with the support of key business organisations providing critical investment. The event promises to provide networking opportunities, marketintelligenceandunmatched exposure to business prospects in Guyana.
Head of the Guyana Office for Investment, Dr Peter Ramsaroop, said that hosting the conference underscores Guyana's status as the premier destination for trade and investment in the region. “From a
Excellency's goal to make Guyana a conference destination, to [build c
opportunities within] all of the transformation projects that are happening within Guyana,” he said.
In his remarks, Dr Ramsaroop positioned Guyana as a hub for economicactivityinLatinAmerica and the Caribbean region, emphasisingthatthisisakeyfactor tomakeGuyanaahavenforquality investments. “We'd like to tell the world that it's not just about Guyana.Thefactthatwearesitting close to Northern Brazil which is landlocked,we'reactuallyapartof CARICOM so investments across the region is important,” he said.
Meanwhile, Surinamese Ambassador to Guyana, Her Excellency Liselle Blankendal, highlighted the strong relationship between the two countries, stating that the IBC 2024 will build upon this firm foundation. “The IBC playsacriticalroleasaplatformfor fos
al partnerships, attracting investment opportunities…[and] it serves as a
vital meeting point for diverse stakeholders – government officials, industry leaders, entrepreneurs and investors who come together to share insights, exploresynergyandcreateavenues for sustainable development,” the Ambassadorexplained.
The event's organisers also launched an app designed to share
information and knowledge and facilitate engagement for those interested in what the conference offers.TheIBCissupportedbythe Guyana-Suriname Chamber of Commerce and the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association. Earlier this year, the Government of Guyana supported t
Conference and Supply Chain Expo, which gathered hundreds of delegatesfromaroundtheworldin one place to discuss investment opportunities As the country continues to gr
w, these conferences are an integral part of thegovernment'sstrategyaimedat highlighting Guyana's investment potential.(DPI)
President Dr Mohamed IrfaanAli has praised China
f o
development and expansion of Guyana's economy over thedecades.
The head-of-state made theseremarksattheChinese
anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. The reception was held at the Marriott Hotel in GeorgetownonTuesday China's progressive modelhasbenefitedGuyana in several areas such as building out the country's
International designer and CEO of ColeFacts
Michelle Cole Wagner (left), American actress, model, and reality televisionpersonalityCynthiaBailey (centre),andCEOofGFSPhilbertGiddings(right)
American actress, model,andrealitytelevision personality Cynthia Denise Bailey is set to host the Guyana Fashion Showcase (GFS)thisFriday
The model arrived in Guyana on Tuesday from United States of America (USA), New York, marking her first visit to the country, to participate in the GFS during the cricket carnival season. The event will be held at the National Gallery of Art, Castellani House in Georgetown.
T h e o f f i c i a l announcement was made duringapressconferenceon Wednesday at Colabs Guyana Inc., located at 43 G a r n e t t S t r e e t , Campbellville,Georgetown. Present at the conference were Philbert Giddings, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)andFounderofGFS; Michelle Cole Wagner, international designer and head of the brand COLEFACTS; and Cynthia Baileyherself.
Bailey expressed her excitement of being here. “I
, investment in technology, health, education and a number of other areas Several Chinese companies are currently leading a number of innovative projects in Guyana. These include the extension of the second phase of the East Coast Demerara Road Project, the building of the newDemeraraRiverBridge, Joe Viera Park and the construction of six regional hospitals. T
de has cumulatively treated about 14,000 local patients and performed more than 2,300 surgeries.
Theteamalsoconducted 21 medical outreaches that delivered high-quality medical services to the peopleofGuyana.
“Today, we celebrate the peaceful existence of our relationship. We celebrate the peaceful existence of a culture that binds us together and decades of diplomatic relationships, ” the presidentsaid.
China and Guyana's human resource capabilities havemadesignificantglobal contributions.
to position our country as one of the most innovative and diverse economies, an economy that is built on knowledge, on technology and an economy that is carefully created and crafted to become competitive, resilient and sustainable in the future.
And that, requires partnership,” PresidentAli highlighted.
While Guyana continues to strengthen its existing relationship with China, the president said that his country recognises the need toworkevenhardertoforge new ties with other nations.
goes beyond diplomatic and economic ties to include military, defense, security and intellectual partnership.
The establishment of the People's Republic of China 75 years ago marked the b e g i n n i n g o f a n extraordinary journey of transformationandprogress.
China has achieved remarkable advancements and is now a leader among developingnations.
understandsGuyana'sdesire to seize opportunities to develop itself and always standsreadytobeasteadfast partner in Guyana's development,” Ambassador Haiyansaid.
Haiyan also emphasised that China will never forget that Guyana was the first English-speaking Caribbean country to establish diplomatictieswithChina.
am so honoured to be in Guyana for my first time to host this amazing fashion showcase I am here to helpandmakethisshowcase assuccessfulaspossible.”
Knownforherroleinthe Bravo series "Real Housewives of Atlanta," Baileyhasbuiltasuccessful career as a supermodel, entrepreneur, and actress. She began her journey by movingtoNewYork,where she signed a five-year contract with Wilhelmina Models, eventually landing a cover on Essence Magazine that launched her career
The showcase will featuremodelsrangingfrom as young as 15 years old. Bailey emphasized the importance of providing opportunities for emerging talent: “As a fashion and beauty brand, I love to use my platform to highlight new exposure for young designers. I think this is an excellent opportunity for anyoneinterestedinbeinga model… a lot of big leads
(Continuedonpage16)
The president noted that China plays a vital role in Guyana'songoingeconomic growth and said the relationshipbetweenthetwo nationshasalreadyachieved a great deal and that it continues to grow “We want this transformation
“We must expand our reach so that we can support this growth that is taking place…So that our global footprint can be in everycorner[oftheworld] …”hestressed.
The relationship between Guyana and China
Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan, listed several innovative projects currently underway in the country and the robust achievements that have takenplaceasadirectresult ofthebilateralcollaboration betweenthetwonations.
“The Government and the people of Guyana never ease up, they have been working around the clock to dedicate to national development China fully
Asthelargestdeveloping country in the world, China remains a key engine of globaleconomicgrowthand amajorpartnerforover140 countries and regions Present at the ceremony were Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips,MinisterofForeign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, other government ministers, and members of the diplomatic community and theprivatesector (DPI)
Firefighters battle a fire at DDL's power plant complex at Diamond (GFS)
The Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL)onWednesdayannouncedthatit hasresumedproductionatseveralofits facilities following a fire that erupted fromoneofthegeneratorsinthepower plantstationonFridayLast.
Thecompanyhighlightedinapress statement that the TOPCO plant, responsible for producing Topco fruit juices and Savannah milk products, is fullyoperational.TheWinesandSpirits
plant is currently in partial production mode, and the non-alcoholic beverage plantisexpectedtobefullyoperational bytheweekend.
The distillery will be restarted as soonaspossible.DDLnotedthatnojob has been affected by the fire, and the successful resumption of operations ensuredthecontinuedfullemployment ofallstaff. “Thespecificgenerator(the one that was erupted in flames) had
recently undergone scheduled maintenance by the equipment supplier,”DLLhighlighted.
Seven caterpillar generators and ninetransformersweredestroyedinthe fire,theGuyanaFireService(GFS)had saidinarelease.
TheFireServicesaidtoothatthere had been significant damage from the fire that originated in the generator enclosure.
Th e M i s s
A m e r i n d i a n
Heritage Pageant brought a spectacular close toHeritageMonth2024.Ten delegates took the stage at the National Cultural Centre onTuesday,September30.
With a blend of talent, intelligence and cultural pride, the contestants showcased their unique heritage before a packed audience and an online viewership exceeding 400,000. Miss Region Nine, Noreen Alfred, captivated the judges and walked away withthecovetedcrown.
TheMacushibeautyalso secured several notable titles, including Winner of the Indigenous Challenge, Best Traditional Wear, and BestTalent.
Joiningherinthetopfive were: First runner-up Miss Region One, Arinna Williams;SecondRunner-up Miss Region Eight, Sandra Edwards; Third Runner-up MissRegionSeven,Sylvany Robertson.
RobertsonalsowonMiss Congeniality and Best Evening Gown. The Fourth Runner-up,MissRegionTen wasAndrenaStoby
Over $1 million in monetary prizes were given to the delegates for their participation.
Special prizes, such as BestTalent, BestTraditional Wear, and Best Gown, were awarded based on a number of criteria. Miss Region Nine, Noreen Alfred, won Best Talent for her unique a n d c a p t i v a t i n g p
ch includeddramaticpoetryand
Councillor Carol Trim-Bagot from theNewAmsterdamTownCouncilwas suspended from her duties on Monday duetoallegedmisconductconcerns.
Thiswasconfirmedbyastatement released to the media by the council. According to the release, the decision to suspend Trim-Bagot was taken decisivelybythepassingofamotionto have her suspension effective immediately.“Thisdecisionwasmade in accordance with the standing order and rules of the Council, specifically Cap.28:01StandingOrder9(h),which
maintaining decorum and respect within our governing body,” the statementsaid.
The council said the motion which shouldnotbetakenlightlycomesafter the councillor has continuously exhibited behaviour which her colleagues deemed as unacceptable. “There have been a number of instances over the last few months
where she even displayed a lack of respect for the mayor and the other councillors as well,” the statement read The Mayor, Wainwright McIntosh in the statement said that such behaviour undermines the
essential collaborative spirit which is critical for good governance hence it threatens to bring the council's esteemedworkto“publicdisrepute.”
The council he said has a commitment to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrityandassuch,itisimportantfor allmemberstoengagein“constructive dialogue and work collaboratively towards the betterment of our township.”
Furthermore, “The actions of Counc
e consistently disrupted this process, leading to a
eakdown in communication and cooperation amongCouncilmembers.Thedecision to suspend Councilors Trim-Bagot is intended to serve as a reminder of the responsibilities that come with public office.Electedofficialsareexpectedto conduct themselves in a manner that reflects the values of our community
(Continuedonpage16)
a fire dance, depicting the ancestral use of Kundu drums. Her traditional wear, craftedfromdecoratedturtle shells, arrow points, and authentic leather from the Rupununi, earned her high praise for its artistry and culturalsignificance.
Miss Region Seven, Sylvany Robertson, won BestEveningGownwithher exquisitely designed attire, which displayed cultural symbolism and meticulous craftsmanship.
MissRegionOne,Arinna Williams, distinguished herselfwithhereloquentand fluent response during the finalquestion,propellingher to the first runner-up position.
The winner was determined by an overall s c o r e , i n c l u d i n g performancesbothonandoff stage,suchastheIndigenous Challenge.
As the newly crowned queen, Noreen Alfred will serve a two-year reign as a cultural ambassador for Amerindians across the country She and the other delegates will return to their communities and serve as ambassadors,promotingand preserving Indigenous culture.
The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, remains committed to advancing and promoting the Indigenous culture through various initiatives including this pageant. Amerindian Heritage Month 2024 was celebrated under the theme “Many Voices, OneSong.”(DPI)
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has introduced new sustainable and lucrative agro-business ventures for Guyanese youthtoimprovetheirliving standards.
During a meeting on Tuesdaywithover40young people from Region Five, the president outlined a comprehensive plan for ventures in a number of areas including poultry, aquaculture and cattle rearing A meeting to e x p l o r e p o t e n t i a l collaborations was held at the Park Square Fun City Recreation Centre, Mahaicony It brought together representatives from the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) and Demerara Bank, alongside heads of various agencies under the Ministry ofAgriculture.
President Ali explained that the government will developfiveacresoflandas part of the Agriculture and I n n o v a t i o n
E n t r e p r e n e u r s h i p Programme Additionally, hesaidthattheyouthwillbe given an option of being attached to the Onverwagt Prawns project or to any of the burgeoning agriculture projects in the region. “We are going to make it very compact The value that these lands will create, for example,ifyoulookatthree of the tunnel homes, that's $150million.Andthen,asI said,inthisregion,wewant agroupofyoutobeassigned to one of the ponds, the prawns production facility And some of you will want
tobeinatunnelhouse,”the presidentsaid.
He further noted that these ventures will involve strong public-private partnerships and promised that banks are ready to support with preferential interest rates for those who requiretotakeoutloans.The president also encouraged attendees to pool their resourcesandinvestinthese projects.“Let'ssayyouhave $500,000.
Ten of you collectively have $5 million. We have experiences now, where, in one of the programmes, we have young people who are working and have the opportunity, they're using that,”PresidentAlisaid.
Thisinitiativeformspart of the government's plan to create a favourable environmentthatwouldfuel a transformation of youth entrepreneurship in Guyana's agricultural and foodsector
In interviews with the Department of Public Information (DPI), several persons expressed their interest in expanding their trades and become more
involved in the growing agro-business industry
Chandan Rampersaud, who has been in the poultry businessfornearlysixyears, said that the meeting was extremelyinformativeandit grantedhimtheopportunity to learn tips to improve himselfasabusinessowner
“I think it is very nice thatsmallpeoplearegetting noticed, and getting the help,” he said Similar sentiments were expressed by 35-year-old Dason Langevine, who explained that one of the key challenges he encountered within the poultry sector was finding a sustainable market for his produce. To this end, President Ali underscoredthatinaddition to establishing storage facilities and agroprocessing facilities in all regions, the government is alsoworkingtosecureniche markets, particularly under the lucrative global market forhalalproducts.
Langevine said the government initiatives will unlock opportunities for young people to expand their business. “It is very
importantandIamgladthat he came and spoke with the youths because there are a lot of youths today just sitting down not doing anything and there are a lot of ways, we can make money We can be selfemployed with the same poultryfarming,andpoultry farming is a very important thing in our country right now so I am happy that he has been here, ” he expressed.
L i l y C h a n w a s especially pleased with the willingness of GBTI and Demerara Bank to provide thenecessarysupportforthe expansion of agrobusinesses. She said that access to financing is an issuethathashinderedmany start-ups. “I thought the outreach was really a great idea. It gives us a better understanding of what they want to offer to the youth, andhavingthebanksgiveus an idea of the interest rates andansweringourquestions about the banking,” Chan said.
Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Livestock Development Agency, Dr Dwight Walrond, and Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, MadanlallRamrajalsogave remarks and said that the region is poised for significant agricultural development.
This meeting comes on the heels of similar engagements with youth in Regions Three and Four (DPI)
When representatives of Guyana and Jamaica met earlier this year in the CARICOM headquarters locationforaconcordonthe country's emerging stock market, President Dr Irfaan
Ali summarised his ambitious vision for the sector
Come next October 8-9, an outline of the country's stock market modernisation plan is expected to be unveiled during the second 'Regional Investments and CapitalMarketsConference' at Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre, Kingston, Georgetown.
The Conference will be held under the theme, 'Financing For Success: Where Passion, Prosperity, andPeopleAlign',organisers said in a press release. The modernisation plan of the local stock market is predicated on the “great success” model of its counterpart, the 55-year-old Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE), PresidentAli told the visitingJamaicandelegation when he met them at his Vlissengen Road office in the capital city.Kingston's JSE “is the best in the Region, and Guyana doesn't have to reinvent the wheel,” the Guyanese President reiteratedtotheteamheaded byitsManagingDirector,Dr. Marlene Street Forrest. For her part, Dr. Street Forrest's decade-long dream was finally firmly within her reach.
“Wehavebeenknocking on Guyana's (stock market) doors for years,” she recalled.
There will be much to profit Guyana when the 54year-old Cooperative Republic implements the package the 55-year-old award-winning JSE offers,
assured Mr Michael
Johnson, its Deputy Business Development Manager,whenheaddressed arecentonlineforum.
Johnson said the JSE blueprintwillhelp:
* promote the orderly andtransparentdevelopment ofthestockmarket
* ensure that the stock market and its brokers operate at the highest standard
* develop, apply, and enforce rules designed to ensure public confidence in the stock market and its broker-members
* provide facilities for the transaction of stock market business (Nasdaq TradingPlatform)
With the JSE's vast experience in the field, Georgetown can lean on
Kingston to help it develop similar products for its current and future clientele whichincludes:
- Central Securities Depository
-eCampus
- Online Trading Platform
- Financial Focus Cable Station(CBX)
-Socialstockexchange
-CorporateServices
Deputy Business Development Manager
Johnson told participants, during the recent online forum, that his country's stock market also provides cash and non-cash benefits forlistingasapartner
Non-cash ben
include:
* Raising the company andbusinessprofile
* easier valuation when needed
*enhancing corporate disciplineandtransparency
* global marketing for thebrand
*amotivatedstaff
*enhancing its corporate social responsibility (CSR) partnership,and
*goodwill
Meanwhile,thefinancial benefitsoflistingontheJSE include:
- The ability to raise capitalfromthepublic
- increasing cash flow frompatientcapital
- encouraging public participationinthesuccesses ofthecompany
- access to more patient capital by listing other securities
- a stronger negotiation positionfordebit
-attractivealternativesto debtfinancing
- the ability to sell large volumes of shares via the secondary market without muchhassle.
In going forward, President Ali signalled that his administration would be “eyeing” the format of the highly successful Junior Marketbroughtintobeingin Kingston in 2009.When the two sides met earlier this year, it was unanimously agreed that Georgetown is the most favourable place in the region to launch the Commodities Exchange
which the Guyanese president emphasised would be “a real plus for Guyana andtheCaribbean.”
Commodity exchanges are organised, regulated markets which facilitate the purchase and sale of interchangeable contracts with features such as standardised quantities and qualities, and minimum prices with agreed delivery schedules Their contract
valuesarelinkedtotheprice ofcommoditiessuchasoilor corn Traders, producers, speculators, and industrial end-users such as food manufacturers, factories, clothing manufacturers, and construction companies are the principal participants in the commodities market where business is done
through Pit or Electronic trading President Ali is convinced that Guyana “can build on top” of a Commodities Exchange if establishedinthecountry
“We will work out the full plan of how to go forward and accelerate the development of the local stock exchange,” President
Ali had assured the JSE team.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has congratulated Brazil for having eliminated lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.
“Eliminating a disease is a momentous accomplishment that takes unwavering commitment,” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General said.
forts, the country achieved the end of disease transmission in 2017.
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“I congratulate Brazil for its efforts to free its people of the scourge of this painful, disfiguring, disabling and stigmatising disease. This is another example of the incredible progress we have made against neglected tropical diseases and gives hope to many other nations still fighting against lymphatic filariasis that they too can eliminate this disease,” a release from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) said.
Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a debilitating parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes. For centuries, this disease has afflicted millions worldwide, causing pain, chronic, severe swelling, serious disability, and social stigmatization.
Effective country-level investments Over the past few decades, Brazil has implemented integrated actions to eliminate lymphatic filariasis, including the development of a national plan to fight this disease in 1997, the mass distribution of antiparasitic drugs, vector control activities, and strong surveillance, particularly in the most affected areas. With these ef-
The elimination of lymphatic filariasis was also one of the goals of the Brasil Saudável program, a multisectoral initiative aimed at ending socially determined diseases with a whole-ofgovernment approach and civil society participation, including the involvement of affected people in the implementation of disease control efforts. The programme was launched in February 2024 by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a ceremony with the participation of Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General and Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and WHO Regional Director for the Americas. In the postelimination phase, Brazil, PAHO, and WHO will continue to closely monitor for possible resurgence of infections. “This milestone is the result of years of dedication, hard work, and collaboration among health workers, researchers, and authorities in Brazil”, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, said. “Brazil’s extensive and unified health system, coupled with solid specialized laboratory expertise and robust surveillance were essential to interrupt the chain of transmission, inspiring other countries to advance towards the elimination of lymphatic filariasis and other neglected tropical diseases”. Global progress Globally, Brazil joins
19 other countries and territories that have been validated by WHO for having eliminated lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem. These are Malawi and Togo in the African Region; Egypt and Yemen in the Eastern Mediterranean Region; Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand in the South-East Asian Region; and Cambodia, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Marshall Islands, Niue, Palau, Tonga, Vanuatu, Viet Nam and Wallis and Futuna in the Western Pacific Region. In the Americas, three endemic countries (Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Haiti) still require mass drug administration to stop transmission and are working to achieve the elimination target. In addition to being the 20th country to be validated for elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem, Brazil has also become the 53rd country to have eliminated at least one Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), globally.
Note to the editor Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease. Infection occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans through mosquitoes. Infection is usually acquired in childhood and causes hidden damage to the lymphatic system. The painful and profoundly disfiguring visible manifestations of the disease – lymphoedema, elephantiasis and scrotal
swelling – occur later in life and can lead to permanent disability. These patients are not only physically disabled, but suffer mental, social and financial losses contributing to stigma and poverty. Elimination of lymphatic filariasis is possible by stopping the spread of the infection through preventive chemotherapy. The WHO-recommended preventive chemotherapy strategy for lymphatic filariasis elimination is mass drug administration (MDA). MDA involves administering an annual dose of medicines to the entire at-risk population. The medicines used have a limited effect on adult parasites but effectively reduce the density of microfilariae in the bloodstream and prevent the spread of parasites to mosquitoes. In 2023, 657 million people in 39 countries and territories were living in areas that require preventive chemotherapy to stop the spread of infection. In the Americas, Costa Rica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago were removed from the WHO list of lymphatic filariasis endemic countries in 2011. The 2021–2030 neglected tropical disease road map targets the prevention, control elimination and eradication of 20 diseases and disease groups by 2030. Progress against Lymphatic filariasis and other neglected tropical diseases alleviates the human and economic burden that they impose on the world’s most disadvantaged communities.
From page 14 and the trust placed in them by the citizens of New Amsterdam,” McIntosh said.
The council is of the belief that the suspension will provide the opportunity for Trim-Bagot look back at and reassess the approach to her role within the council as the Mayor and Town Council remains dedicated to serving the residents of New Amsterdam with transparency and accountability.
The concern of the councillor who voted against the suspension was noted, however, the council put it on record that the action is not
unlawful neither was it taken from a place of ill will or malice. “It is a requirement for all members to act in a manner befitting of the organization as each one of them is seen as a role model for the future generations.”
Additionally, “The Council also notes the Councillor’s posture to use the Council’s Chambers to make vile, lewd, derogatory, slanderous and defamatory comments against other Councillors utilizing her immunity for things said within the hallowed walls of the Council Chambers to avoid her from being sued, for her comments made within
the Council’s Chambers, such abuse of the Council should never be tolerated, as it sets a bad and dangerous precedence.”
It is important to note that suspending a member is not new and the parliament has suspended members before for actions deemed as misconduct.
It should be noted that this decision was taken in this same context and all tenants of democracy were observed when the motion was moved. Robust debate was allowed by the chairman before it was out to the council to make the final decision to say that the
Councilor was consistently in misconduct. “We will continue to prioritize the interests of our community and work diligently to ensure that our Council operates in a manner that is respectful, productive, and focused on the needs of our constituents.
We appreciate the understanding and support of the public during this time.
The Council is committed to moving forward in a positive direction and will continue to keep the township and the wider community informed of any developments,” the statement concluded.
From page 13 will be there; you never know who may discover you.”
During the conference, Giddings also announced that there will be an After show soiree following the fashion show.
Both local and international designers will showcase their work, including Wagner, Randy Madray, Rick
Bailey, Pamela Fox, and 20year-old emerging designer Felicity Sudaram.
Tickets, which cost $10,000 and $15,000 for Very Important Person (VIP), are available at Julius Variety Store (135 Regent Street, Georgetown), ColABS Guyana Inc., Ramada Princess Hotel, Clarence, and HJ Box Office.
This year’s showcase will feature prominent figures, including Miss Guyana Culture Queen 2024 Shequana Holder and international actress and model Sharminah Leah.
The theme for this year’s event, “Style with Beauty in the Rainforest,” aims to reflect Guyana’s lush and vibrant natural landscapes.
The inaugural Guyana
Fashion Showcase, held on May 24, 2019, at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel, was a significant success, showcasing a diverse array of international, regional, and local designers.
This year’s event seeks to build on that legacy, providing even more opportunities for local talent to shine on an international stage.
During the recent opening of tenders at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office, it wasrevealedthatfouroutof the six companies have qualified to bid for the contract to design and supervisetheconstructionof theNewCareCentreforthe
Elderly, which will be located at Enmore, East CoastDemerara(ECD). The four firms that met the criteria of the NPTAB evaluators are: Engineering & Agricultural Consultants Inc. who bid $24.4 million for the project, Phoenix Industries who bid $9 8 million, Kalitech Inc. who bid $44 2 million, and
Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids: GuyanaEnergyAgency
Consultancyservicestoundertakeglint andglarestudyforproposedSolarPVPower PlantatCheddiJaganInternationalAirport(CJIA).
GECOM
Procurementofelectionbags.
MinistryofHumanServices&SocialSecurity ConsultancyservicesfortheDesign,supervisiono ftheNewCareCentreforElderlyatEnmore.
Origin Investments who bid $22.7million.
The construction of the elderly home is a project being undertaken by the MinistryofHumanServices andSocialSecurity
During the presentation ofthe2024NationalBudget by Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, it was
disclosed that the governmentisinvestingina number of services for the elderly
This year, he said that a number of specific interventions are targeted at improvingthequalityoflife of the elderly As a result, $172Mhasbeensetasideto build the New Care Centre homefortheelderly
MinistryofAgriculture
ProcurementofnewequipmentLots1&2.
Consultancyservicesforthedesign,preparation ofBillofquantitiesandsupervisionofelectrical upgradingofbuildingfortheGuyanaWomen LeadershipInstituteatCoveandJohn.
Frompage04 are associated with this oil, the need to economically diversify away from the oil industry,etc. His Excellency started his statement by highlighting that what was heard was information about the oil in Guyana and its implication butthatisnotGuyana.
He then started the discussiononGuyanaandits human development story thatincludestheoil.
That was the trigger that kicked off one of the best policystatementsIhaveever heard on Guyana, if not the best.
T h i s e x t r e m e l y excellent presentation started by defining Guyana globally for what it is – a biodiversity mecca, which is 1 of only 7 “carbon sink” countries that have already met the netzeroemissions
In Guyana’s case, it has 86% of its land mass under forest (similar to the size of England), contributing positively to theworld
includingHess. His Excellency highlighted that the world today has lost, over the last 50 years, more than 50% of itsbiodiversity
He clarified for the students, that while His Governmentiscommittedto keeping the Guyanese forest,generallyintact,with a harvest rate that complies with all the glob
ch a commitment comes at a heavy price to our national development if not monetized and paid for by thosewhodestroyed50%of thebiodiversitysystemover thelast50years.
As he stated, in this equation, what was earned from these forests for the Guyanesepeopletodatewas just US$1 billion, which is not enough to realize the economic ambition of the Guyanesepeople.
So, he asked the question – where do we find the resources to fulfill the dream and ambition of the Guyanese people if our carbon sink capabilities are not being monetized and rewarded by those who have destroyed the biodiversity system over the last 50 years?
The case was made; that Guyana must assess its national need, decide what is best for its people, and find the resources to fund the mitigation and adaptation programme to combat the climate changechallenge
HisExcellencymadeit clear; no one is coming with a multi-billion-dollar grant to say “thank you Guyana for keeping your forestintact”.
Everything that Guyana buys from the world, it has to pay for at market rates and those activities require hard cash.
CNN-USPresidentJoe BideniscounselingIsraelto takeaproportionalresponse to this week’s barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles, voicing opposition to a potential strike on Iran’s nuclear sites in the hopes of preventing the conflict that has erupted in the region fromwideningfurther American officials are not privately trying to persuade Israel to hold back on retaliating against Iran, two senior administration officialstoldCNN,anotable difference from April when Biden encouraged Israel to “takethewin”followingthe successful interception of a barrage of Iranian drones andmissiles.
can both uphold its right to strike back while avoiding action that could prompt further retaliation and tip the region into full-scale
war
“No one’s saying don’t respond,” one senior administration official said.
Instead, Biden hopes Israel will adopt a measured approach that
“No one’s saying, ‘Take the win.’”
How that message will be received by Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains to be seen, particularly as his political standing appears more assured following successfuleffortstodegrade HezbollahinLebanon.
The stakes of the momentcouldnotbehigher Biden has watched with mounting concern as tensions in the region have spiraled.
Thisresourcecanstore some 19 5 gigatons of carbon and sequester 153 million tons of carbon annually He then made a compelling case for our development profile which is being driven by t h e L o w C a r b o n Development Strategy (LCDS)whichheoutlined i n d e t a i l , q u i t e proficiently to the listeners;andnotskipping abeat He then spoke about Guyana’s ambition (which is important to the EU agenda) of developing the nation’s desire to start trading our carbon credits ontheglobalmarketwhile informing the audience of the two carbon credit projects that provided some US$1 billion to Guyana which is being used to uplift the lives of the people with a guaranteed to the Hinterland people of 15% of all earned carbon credit resources. I sat there and watched these brilliant minds, all very quiet and listening intently for two hours as he continuedonthequestionof why Guyana can and must continue to harvest the oil resources. But the idea that made the most sense to me, as explained by His Excellency, was why it is morally and economically sound to pump the oil and sellcarboncredittoanyone,
His Excellency stated that with the approved oil production operations functioning at its maximum rate, the oil and gas industry will be utilizing less than 20% of the carbon being stored in the forest, which still makes Guyana a carbon sinkpostfacto I rest my case; my work in the European Union has just become even more interesting.
Sincerely SasenarineSingh
Ambassador, Cooperative Republic of Guyana
CNN Israel has launchedagroundoperation across its northern border into Lebanon targeting the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, opening a new and dangerous phase in almostayearofwar
The incursion, which Israel’s National Security Cabinet has called the “next phase” of its war with Hezbollah, marks the fourth time that Israeli soldiers have publicly entered Lebanese soil in nearly 50 years, and the first since Israel’s 34-day war in the countryin2006.
Israeli troops laid the groundwork for what it called a “limited ground operation” in recent days, ramping up airstrikes that have killed hundreds of people, destroyed homes and displaced about 1 million people in Lebanon.
The latest escalation comes after Israel killed Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike on Friday and decimated the leadership of the most powerful paramilitary force intheMiddleEast.
Extent of incursion unclear Israeli officials have characterized the incursion into southern Lebanon as limited in scope, saying there will be “nolong-termoccupation.”
Officials have, however, declined to say how deep Israeli troops would venture into the country or how long the operation is expected to last OnTuesday,theIsraeli military called on residents in more than two dozen
villages in southern
Lebanon to evacuate approximately 30 miles into thecountry
An Israeli security
official told reporters on condition of anonymity Tuesday morning that the operation does not amount to an invasion or incursion, describing it instead as “localized raids” that are “very limited in scope and intheareaofoperation ”
The official said there were so far “no clashes” on the ground between the IDF and Hezbollah, but refused to comment on whether Israeli tanks have entered Lebanon and would not elaborate on how deep into Lebanese territory Israeli troops have advanced, sayingtheywerefocusedon theborderareas.
“The amount of forces and the type of forces are more appropriate to something of a limited raid, and not, for example, things we’ve seen in Gaza with very, very large forces,” the
officialadded. Hezbollah rejected the claim that Israeli forces had entered southern Lebanon, describing them as “lies,” according to a statement by spokesman Mohamed Afif onTuesday
A source from the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said the Israeli military has staged some “sporadic raids” across the Lebanon-Israel border but its troops have not remained on Lebanese soil.
The assessment that Israel has not yet launched a full-scale invasion was supported by two other high-level Lebanese security
sources The Israeli military earlier said it was focused on removing “immediate threats” from
Apensioner identifiedas70year-old Imran
Alli also called ‘Buddy’ of Novar Village, East Coast Demerara died on Tuesday after he was attacked by a swarm of bees around 11:00hrs while clearing a plot of land opposite where heresided.
Accordingtothepolice, Alli and Dalu Husher who was his employee, were clearing the foliage when theycameintocontactwith
a bee nest. The man’s wife, Zeana Alli told police that during the process of the men working, she heard Husher shouting for help. Rushingtotheveranda,she sawhimrunningawayfrom herhusbandwhowasatthe time lying on the ground coveredinbees. Analarmwasraisedand the residents in the area madeattemptstorescuethe man but their efforts were futile. Husher relayed that inthecourseofclearingthe
bushes, a swarm of bees flewtowardsthem,stinging them both in the process. Panicking, he ran to safety leaving Alli on the ground ashewasunabletohelphim atthetime.
Alli was subsequently rushed to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, where a doctor on duty pronounced himdead.Thebodyisatthe C e n t r a l I s l a m i c Organization of Guyana (CIOG) mortuary, pending apost-mortemexamination.
Lebanese villages along the border, including Hezbollah’s ability to infiltrate northern Israel Israeli soldiers, including p a r a t r o o p e r s a n d commandos, as well as armored corps troops have been “preparing for limited, localized, targeted operations in southern Lebanon,” the Israeli military said, adding that soldiers have been training for weeks and had gained skills and operational experience in Gaza over manymonths.
While the extent of Israel’s military plans inside Lebanon remain unclear, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has become increasingly
defiant of international calls for restraint and deescalation, as well as widespread outrage over g r o w i n g c i v i l i a n casualties in Lebanon and Gaza Previous military operations initially declared by Israel to be limited in their goals have proved to be anything but.
Examples include Israel’s years-long occupation of southernLebanonthatbegan in 1982 with the stated aim of a brief and limited mission to destroy the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in the country. More recently, Israel’s military declared a “limited” operation in Rafah, southern Gaza that hasleftthecityinruins.
Whathappenedaheadof theincursion?
Shortly before the incursion, Israel’s National Security Cabinet approved the “next phase” of its war w i t h H e z b o l l a h , according to Israeli media
In preparation, the Israeli military launched small raids and artillery fire across the Lebanon border, and sealed off several communities in northern Israel, limiting t h e m o v e m e n t o f civiliansthere
The Lebanese army had also
acuated observation posts at the southern bord
and moved to barracks in the b o r d e r v i l l a g e s , according to a Lebanese security source. The Army Command later denied reports it withdrew CNN is unable to independently verify the Lebanese army’s movements.
Meanwhile, Israel’s air force once again bombed the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut, predominantly Shia neighborhoods where Hezbollah has a stronghold. It follows Israeli airstrikes that hit inside Beirut’s city limits early Monday for the first time since the Palestinian militant group Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel
The Lebanese health ministry said on Monday that at least 95 people have been killed in Israeli strikes injust24hours,andanother 172othersinjured.
(AL JAZEERA) The armed wing of the Palestinian group Hamas has claimed responsibility forashootingattackinJaffa, near the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, that left seven people dead and many others wounded.
“The Ezzedine AlQassam Brigades takes responsibility for the heroic Jaffa operation carried out by the fighters from the [occupied West Bank] city of Hebron,” the group said in a statement on Wednesday The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades named theattackersasMohammed Misk and Ahmed alHaimoni, who managed to
“infiltrateintoouroccupied lands”. The attack came moments before Iran launched a barrage of rockets at Israel late on Tuesday, sending people into bomb shelters across the country Israeli media have identified three of the dead people as Israelis and oneasGeorgian.Theothers were Greek and Moldovan, theirgovernmentssaid.The identity of the seventh victim has not been released.
Police in Israel said the alleged assailants “began theirkillingspreewhenthey entered the carriage of the lightrailtrainthatstoppedat the station and fired at passengers” They were armed with an assault rifle and a knife, and continued on foot until police “neutralised” them, they said. One of the attackers was shot dead and the other was seriously wounded, policeadded.
The Israeli security agency and the army also arrested several suspects in Hebron and Jerusalem believed to have aided the suspects. Israel and Hamas have been at war in Gaza since October 7. At least 41,689 people have been killedand96,625havebeen injuredinIsrael’sassaulton Gaza, according to Palestinianauthorities.
Ganja and cocaine found in the apartment
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) seized approximately 1,255gramsofmarijuanaand 30 grams of cocaine at an apartment building in Konawaruk Junction, Region Eight(Potaro-Siparuni).
According to police
reports released on Wednesday, officers from Regional Division #8 acted oninformationandconducted a search at the apartment. Upon arrival, they found the doortooneoftheroomsopen. Inside,theofficersobserveda bed with a mattress and clothing, along with various otheritems.
Upon further inspection, police discovered a plastic bag containing leaves, seeds, and stems hidden under the mattress.
They also found a white paper-wrapped parcel that contained several small whitish rock-like substances, which are suspected to be cocaine.
The drugs were weighed, revealing 1,255 grams of cannabis and 30 grams of cocaine.Ranksarecontinuing their investigations, questioning individuals connected to the apartment andgatheringstatements.
Police on Monday during a cordon and search exercise arrested a 36-year-old labourer after ranks discovered 850 grams of marijuana in his Stanleytown, New AmsterdamBerbice(TanneryDam)home.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a report statedthatJimSchultzlivesinaone-storeywooden house,inawell-fencedyard.
During the search in the presence of Schultz, policefoundintheyardandhousetwoplasticbags inacupboardwithleaves,seedandstemssuspected tobecannabis.
As such, police informed him of the offence committed and he was cautioned to which he reportedlyresponded,“Officer,ismething,isalil thingyouboidoing."
Afurthersearchwasconductedinthebedroom, and a black plastic bag was found under a bed, whichwhenopenedcontainedaquantityofleaves, seedsandstemssuspectedtobecannabis.
“The findings were brought to Schultz's attention, where he was told of the offence committedandcautioned,”Policesaidinthereport. Additionally,Schultzreportedlytoldpolice,“Idid tellyouisalilthingyouboidoing".
Tothatend,afurthersearchledtothediscovery ofcellphones,whichwerecollectedbypolice.
Following that the narcotics was found and amounted to 850 grams, Schultz was placed into custodypendingfurtherinvestigations.
Jim Schultz, along with the 850 grams of cannabis and cell phones at the police station
The Guyana Karate Federation held its 2024 National Senior Karate Championshipatthe National Gymnasium on Sunday 29th September, 2024. Twenty - five (25) Karatekas participated, both maleandfemale.
The event started at 11.00hoursandwasdeemed a success. The competitors demonstrated excellent sportsmanship and camaraderie and competed fiercely as they were urged onbytheirsupporters.
The event started with kataevents,thenthekumite. The organizers kept events flowingfromkatatoKumite withactionnonstop.
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Some unexpected but very welcomevisitorscouldarrive today, Aries They might bring some people you don't knowbutshouldconnectwith rightaway Expectinteresting n e w s , f a s c i n a t i n g information,.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Taurus, who's that intriguing new person in your neighborhood? What is it about this new neighbor that makesitimpossibleforyouto stop wondering about them? Quitobsessing.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
An unexpected letter could arrive today, Gemini, with a check enclosed, perhaps a gift, bonus, or offer to make more money.This might be a welcomebreak.
CANCER(June21–July22)
If you're in the arts or sciences, Cancer, sudden inspirationcouldcauseyouto startorcontinueaprojectthat meansalottoyou.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Meditation, dreams, or visions could bring amazing insights your way, Leo. You mightfindthemtoobizarreto believe, at least at first, but follow-up research could reveal that what you've come upwithisquitecredible.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
You're an adventurous soul, Virgo.Areyouthinkingabout a little mischief today? Are yougoingtoproposethatyou and a friend or perhaps your partner skip town for a day andforgetaboutwork,
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
A n u n e x p e c t e d communication may come
one connected with your career, Libra.Thisisgoodnews,butit maybesooffthewallthatyou couldwalkaroundinadazefor awhiletryingtomakesenseof itall.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
Anunexpectedchancetoflyto a faraway place, perhaps at someoneelse'sexpense,could cometoyoutoday,Scorpio.A group might be involved, perhaps one connected with education.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
Some bizarre and rather silly dreams might come to you tonight,Sagittarius.Theymay bethesortthatissocrazythat youactuallywakeuplaughing. Don't dismiss them. Silly or not,thesedreamsaretryingto tellyousomething.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Ifyou'resingle,youcouldfeel a very powerful attraction to someone unusual and perhaps alittlewacky Ifyou'realready inarelationship.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Have you been looking for anewjob,Aquarius?Ifso,you might hear of an opportunity from an unexpected source, perhapsatasocialgathering,if possible.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
If you're single, Pisces, love may come to you completely out of the blue today The person could be standing behind you in line at the store or sitting nearby you in the park.
At the conclusion of the tournament, Guyana Karate Federation President, Shihan Amir Khouri 8th Dan,thankedtheDirectorof Sports and the National SportsCommissionfortheir contribution in assisting the GKF to have a successful championship.
Special thanks, was conveyed to the referees, judges, officials, parents, volunteers and supporters who contributed to making
The local boxing
c o m m u n i t y plunged into a state of mourning yesterday
a f t e r t h e l o s s o f distinguished Technical Director and Medal of Service (MS) recipient, Terrence Anthony Poole, who passed away at the age of 60. Poole died at a medical facility on Wednesday morning, after completing his usual morningrun,complainingof breathingdiscomfort,hewas then rushed to the hospital where he tragically passed
away
He was a brother, a friend, a mentor, and most importantly a coach, who served Guyana for many years. Poole leaves to mourn hiswife,andsevenchildren, as well as numerous accomplished and aspiring boxerswhoweretouchedby his remarkable service to bothGuyanaandtheboxing administration, and also the Caribbean.
Born on January 16, 1964, to parents Ivy Poole and James Walter Peters,
Terrence Poole spent much of his life at his Laing Avenue home, where he raisedhisfamily
D e s p i t e h i s commitments to boxing, he alwaysprioritizedhisroleas aprizedfather.
A key figure in the boxing world for over 40 years, Poole dedicated countless hours to the sport, serving as a coach, competition coordinator, and mentor to future generationsofboxers.
Hispassionforelevating the sport was evident in his various roles, including Technical Director of the GBA, National Coach, and coachattheGuyanaDefence ForceBoxingGym.
In a statement, GBA President Steve Ninvalle expressed the association’s deep sorrow: “This is of course,amassiveshocktous and the Guyana boxing fraternity, and the Caribbean Mr Terrence Poole, M.S., has been the backbonefor boxing here in the Caribbean and his passingwillsurelybefeltby
the many lives he has impactedoverhisillustrious career.”
According Ninvalle, up to the time of his death, they were in talks whereby he was expected toleadateamtotheworld youth championship in the coming months in Montenegro.
Reflecting on Poole’s legacy, Ninvalle added, “The GBA is devastated by the l
Pool
Director also pointed out that: “It (the association) will be very hard to replace him; Terrence Poole had a wealth of knowledge, as it relatestoboxingandwewill findit‘veryvery’difficultto replacehim.” Poole’s immeasurable contributions to boxing span over four decades as both an athlete and coach His absence will be deeplyfeltinboththelocal and re
communities.
The GBA expressed its gratitude for Poole’s unwavering commitment to the sport and extended heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and lovedones
“May his soul rest in perfect peace,” Ninvalle concluded.
Terrence Poole M S will be missed by athletes, coaches, coordinators, his family, and the entire nationofGuyana
It was a delightful batting exhibition from St. Lucia Kings who kept the GuyanaAmazonWarriorsat bay by 15-runs following last night’s war at Providence.
Batting first Kings racked up an imposing 1985, batting out their 20 overs after a belligerent opening stand of 124 between du Plessis who crunched 5 fours and three sixes in his inningsof57off36balls.
Charles however, was more hostile towards the Amazon Warriors bowlers, racing to 79 from 45 after muscling5maximumsand8 fours.
Roston Chase and Tim Seifert scored 18 runs apiece, with South African David Wiese ending on 13 notout.
Spinner Mooen Ali led theWarriorsbowlingefforts with 2-24 while pacer Dwaine Pretorious suffered for his 2 wickets as he went for 51 with Shamar Joseph (1-28) the other wickettaker.Itwasararemisfiring actfromtheChampsduring
their chase, which resulted inthemposting106-4.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (24)andhisnewestopening partner Keemo Paul (14) along with Shai Hope (27) were removed before causingfurtherdamage.
Shimron Hetmyer (37*)
was ultra-aggressive, nailing 4 sixes before the rainstoppedplayinthe13th overwithGuyanabehindon the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern method being the focal point.
Du Plessis and Charles rolled back the weeks to where they were among the top two opening pairs in the tournament, applying pressure during their boundary-filledpartnership.
The Kings team 100 came in the 9th over, as Charles got to his halfcentury off 28 deliveries while his Captain’s milestone required just 34 balls.
Following their dismissals,Kingsremaining batsmen did their best to helppushtheirscoreasclose aspossibletothe200-mark.
America Cricket
S o c i e t y (ACS)/Everest beat Lusignan Sports Club by a comprehensive, 65-run margin to begin their Fall tour of Guyana on Monday at Lusignan ground, East CoastDemerara.
ACS batted first after winning the toss in glorious sunshine.
They rattled up 205-7 fromtheallocated25-overs, while Lusignan Sports Club repliedwith140alloutinthe 23rdover
Rishi Bharrat cracked a blistering 26-ball 46 to give the chase impetus but no otherbatterwasabletomake animpressionaswicketsfell regularly on an animated pitch.
National youth player and quickie Jonathan Van Lange did most of the damagewith3-18fromfour overs, while off-spinner Keon Lake also accounted for three wickets but conceded 34 runs from his maximumfiveovers.
Earlier, Essequibian and First-Class left-arm
orthodox player Antony Adamsstruckatop-scorefor the visitors with 43 having slammed 6 sixes and a four, while former Jamaica FirstClass batsman Aldane Thomassupportedhimwith 40.
Left-arm wrist-spinner Nigel Deodat was the most outstanding bowler for Lusignan Sports Club by grabbing4-43offfiveovers.
Adams was named player-of-the-match for his batting performance while hetookonewicketaswell.
He received a trophy for the effort. Manager of ACS Terry Hastoo thanked Lusignan Sports Club for hosting them, while
PresidentoftheclubSydarth Anandjit also shared similar sentiments to ACS for accepting the invitation to play his team. They also congratulatedthesuccessful team.
Meanwhile, ACS will play Police Sports Club at Eve Leary, Georgetown on Thursday before they tackle hosts Bush Lot Sports Club inWestBerbiceonSaturday For more than 28 years ACS have been touring
Mustak XI of Wakenaam will take on Sunshine XI of Canada in a T20 softball fixture tonight at the Wakenaam CommunityCenterground,GoodSuccess.
MustakXIincludesthelikesofMahase Ramnarine,SeonVenture,ZameerZaman, NoktaMosesandImranKhan. Sunshine XI will have players such as Shaheed Gittens, Richard Latif, Anil Etwaroo, Altaf Ali, Anil Mahadeo and PatrickRooplall.
TGuyana during spring but this is their first tour during fall.Theteamforthisthreematch tour will centre around Akeem Dewar, A l d a n i e T h o m a s , AmarnauthPersaud,Antony
Adams, Raymond Perez, Yuvraj Dayal, Ronaldo Renee, Kevon Bodie, Keon lake, Chatram Balgobin and TerryHastoo(Manager).
All matches are being streamed live on Social MediaviaFLSport. Hastoo andAnandjitexpressedtheir gratitude to first-match commentators: Inderjeet
Ramsingh.
Teams;MustakXI- MustakMohamed, MaheshRamnarine,SeonVenture, Zameer Zaman,LeorayanRamlakhan,ImranKhan, Bernard Lewis, Kamal Khan, Devendra Hansraj, Toshall Surujpaul and Ejaz Mohamed. Sunshine XI- Anil Etwaroo , Khemraj Harinarine , Ryan dhoray , Altaf Ali , Anil Mahadeo , Patrick Rooplall , ShaheedGittens,RichardLatiff,ImranAli , Anil Ramotar and Brian Persaud. Action getsunderwayat18:00hrs.
he second
editionofthe Essequibo Drag race event at the Mainstay/Wyaka airstripisprimingupto be bigger than the first installmentwhenthings get going on October 20.
Following the first installment last year, the club had decided earlierthisyeartoadda second edition to their official calendar that due to overwhelming support from the communities and racing fans on the EssequiboCoast.
The 2024 edition is alsoexpectedtofeature even more competition from Georgetown and the East Bank of Demerara as several, ‘grudge matches’ have alreadybeenset. Followingapartially rainedoutdayofracing a t A u g u s t s ’ International Drag race m e e t , m a n y competitors will be setting their sights on thisevent.
Many drivers failed to put their best ‘feet’
According to the club, drag racers from all across Guyana have already begun signing upelectronicallyforthe eventwhichisexpected to feature a number of cars from as far as Berbice.
forward at that event and are now eager to showthattheyaremore than the initial showcase.
And the onus now t o o , i s o n t h e GMR&SCtoputonan even bigger show than the2023installment
Inthatvein,theclub has also announced a drift exhibition on the same day to introduce fans to the art of motorsport
The club will announce in the coming days who the exhibiting cars and drivers will be but big names are expected to invade the Essequibo region.
ByColinCroft START
I have been involved in Guyana and West Indies cricket, in some capacity, from firstly being “called to Guyana’s Under-19 Trials” in 1968, aged 15, to now in 2024; 56 years of the good, unbelievably bad and the very ugly. There will be much more of my cricket career, and other things too, with many surprises, I expect,inmynextarticle!
Yes. Ihaveexperienced so much in WI cricket, especially in 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, when three quarters (75%) of what transpiredinWIcricketwas vile, unadulterated crap and shambolic, vindictive, selfserving system and personnelmanagement. WI cricket, especially its offfieldmanagement,hadbeen so very poor for so very long!
As the late great Calypsonian Winston Bailey,(“TheShadow”),put it, in his magnificent tune ‘Jump Judges Jump’: “Deh bring people to judge meh, who have degrees in stupidity!”
I can confidently say that, from 1968 to 2024, there has been no “outsider/foreigner”, if one has to call him that, except for Australian Television (Channel9)Magnate,Kerry Packer, who had done more to enhance WI cricket’s façade, than Mr Jonathan Mark Grave, aka “Johnny” Grave, outgoing, in October 2024, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cricket WestIndies(CWI).
Kerry Packer, between 1976/7and1979/80,insisted on absolute WI excellence on the field of play in his WorldSeriesCricketSeries, which, even to this day, has neverbeensurpassedbyany cricket team in the world, including any subsequent WI cricket teams. Because of the discipline and great expectations inputted by Packer’s “World Series Cricket” tours, WI cricket teams had dominated world cricket from 1979-80 to 1995 Johnny Grave has been a revelation since joining CWI in 2017; an organizational marvel, an enterprising breath of bright fresh air, always trying his best to be inclusive to all, includinguspastWIplayers,
and anyone who are still quite concerned about WI cricket. Present and future Presidents and CEOs of WI cricketmusttakeheed!!
Thank you very much, Mr Johnny Grave, for your efforts, skills and steadfastness, in trying to save WI cricket from eating itself to death, as was being donefromthe1990s.
Despite asinine personal blockades, crab-in-a-barrel in-fighting, stupidity, ignoranceandarrogancethat have been so prevalent with the people who had run WI cricket from the 1990s, sometimes in cohorts with very senior Caribbean political figures, before his tenure started in 2017, JohnnyGravehaspulledWI cricket back into the real world of cricket; back from cricket’s dismal abyss, similartowhathadengulfed Zimbabweintherecentpast.
I had known Johnny Gravebefore2012,whenWI toured England, and London’s magnificent Olympics were held. From 2008 to 2017, he had been Commercial Director of U n i t e d K i n g d o m Professional Cricketers Association (UK-PCA) Indeed, he even showed astute judgment in selecting m e a s a “ C r i c k e t Ambassador” for 2012’sWI tour Thathascontinuedfor me since too, including the recentlyconcluded2024WI Tests Tour to the UK Thankfully, Johnny Grave had brought all of his commercial marketing and businessskillstoWIcricket, especially after Sandals Resorts International had stopped its sponsorship of WIcricket.
FYI, here is a quick reminderofallPresidentsof WICB/CWI(men’scricket) since its inception in 1928: Sir Harold Austin, Laurie Yearwood, Frederick Grant, Karl Nunes, (and since my
renowned sporting entities to try to negate my candidacy and involvement. One threatened me directly on my home telephone: “ColinCroft,youwillnever work in West Indies cricket onceIamPresident.” Ihave therecordings. He,asvileas ever, is long gone from WI cricket. I am still here and involved. GodisGreat!
birth year 1953), Sir Errol Dos Santos (1953 - 1960), John Dare (1960 – 1966), Thomas Peirce (1966 –1970),RobertMarley(1970 – 1974), Jeffrey Stollmeyer (1974 – 1981), Allan Rae (1981 – 1988), Sir Clyde Walcott(1988–1993),Peter Short (1993 – 1996), Pat Rousseau(1996–2001),Sir Wes Hall (2001 – 2003), Teddy Griffith (2003 –2005), Ken Gordon (2005 –2007), JulianHunte(2007 –2013), Whycliffe (Dave) Cameron (2013 – 2019), Richard (Ricky) Skerritt (2019 – 2023) and Dr Kishore Shallow (2023 –Present).
I have met all of those except for the first four on that list Most wasted everyone’s time, with absolutely no ideas or intentions as to how to enhanceWI cricket, but just taking the position for selfaggrandizement Very fortunately,thelasttwo,Mr Ricky Skerritt and Dr. Kishore Shallow, have tried desperately hard to bring positivitybacktoWIcricket forthefuture.
Two past Presidents
tremendous foresight, but were way before their right time for the people on their Boards, to be any success. Three of those named were so incredibly dishonest; absolute bare-faced liars; that whenever I shook their hands,Ialwayslookeddown to make sure that my right wrist was still intact Another was really unique; of impeccable pedigree and extremely apolitical; honest toafault. Ievenspentmuch timeatthepersonalhomeof anotherofthemtoo,beforeI hadplayedforWI.
Ihavedocumentedproof that three of those named above had tried desperately to curtail my cricketing life, by contacting world
One wonders as to how inhelldidJohnnyGraveget thatCEOpositioninthefirst place, given what had transpired in WI cricket in the 2000s. For him to have survived well, to have strived, and to have considerably pushed WI cricket, again, since its dominance from the 1970s to 1990s, to have become, again, more upwardly mobileduringhistenure,isa major miracle. West Indies cricket, normally so full of great ingratitude, owes very muchtoMr JohnnyGrave.
Continuing from 1994, I have been a well-travelled, (except Bangladesh), Cricket Coach, Sports Journalist, Analyst and Summarizer For the recent ICCWT202024WorldCup, played in the Caribbean and the USA, I was even allowed, and selected, as a “WILegend/Ambassador”, through the surprising, welcomed influences of Mr Johnny Grave, Dr Kishore Shallow and Mr Shom Shetty of ICC, to carry the ICC WT20 2024 Trophy to the field at Guyana’s National Stadium, for the semi-final featuring India and England. What an honor!
Anyway,ifyouthinkthat some of those CWI P r e s i d e n t s w e r e incompetent, just take a goodganderatthefollowing who had all been CEOs of WICB/CWI before Johnny Grave arrived. Some past CWI CEOs did not even exist to then WI teams’ players, so invisible they were.
StephenCamacho(1982 – 2000), Gregory Shillingford (2000 – 2002), Roger Brathwaite (2002 –2007; Bruce Aanensen (2007 – 2007); Donald Peters(2007–2009);Ernest Hilaire (2009 – 2012); Michael Muirhead (2012 –2016). Then came Johnny Grave to save WI cricket in 2017 While Stephen
Camacho actually worked out of the trunk of his car at thestartofhistenure,doyou even remember most of thoseCEOsatall? Someof those CEO’s were so lost that they themselves did not know where they were physicallyormentally From “TheShadow”again–“Real Jumbies!” How exactly, being as useless as they were, did some of them get that CEO position, is one of the Caribbean’s major mysteries.
M o s t o f t h e incompetence in WI cricket manifested itself during the 2000s,including hostingthe worst ever held, but not surprising, ICC 50-Overs CricketWorldCup,in2007. Just check as to whom were thePresidentandCEOofWI cricket during ICC CWC 2007. Mostoftheregion’s upper cricket authorities then knew nothing at all about cricket. They were just in those positions for their own sole indulgences and purposes, whatever thosewere.
Beingasarchaicassome past Presidents, at least one of those CEO’s had even contacted several major broadcast entities, and then President of WI Players Association (WIPA) too, with the comment: “We must get Colin Croft off of our radio and television broadcasts. He is much too honest for West Indies
cricket.” I still have their emails in my G-Mail Cloud storage now Where do we get such unbelievably disingenuous WI personnel fromanyway?
In truth, Johnny Grave, starting his tenure as Chief ExecutiveOfficeratCWIin January 2017, literally dragged West Indies cricket upfromtheparochial,small minded, cockroach mentalitythathadtranspired in the previous 20 or so years, into being a much more collective and inclusive entity, even if still needing more, for world cricket’sconsumption. He has easily outshone most Presidents, Prime Ministers and Ministers of Sports in the Caribbean, most of whom only appear f o r p h o t o g r a p h i c opportunities anyway, but know very little about what drives sports generally or whatisneededbyWIcricket specifically
Johnny Grave has been brilliant for Caribbean cricket. He will be badly missed, even though many of the useless WI cricket non-achievers would not admit that even to themselves!
Thankyousoverymuch Mr Johnny Grave. As God spares life, we will meet again soon. Good luck in your future endeavors God’s speed my friend Cheers!
There are some popular adages like - Giving brings a release; the more you give the more you get.
For Rafeek Kassim a Rotarian and engineer and businessman and one who wears many hats he is content to do as much as he could.
The Rotary Club of New Amsterdam(RCNA)whichis considered as one of the leading Rotary organizations inthecountryhasbeenwithout a home since its inauguration in1987.Ithasbeenmeetingat various locations whenever it hasmeetings.
With the changing times andthefrequencyofactivities theneedwasthereforahome fortheorganization Kassim,a past president of the Club, decided that he will take mattersintohisownhands.
Hebuiltabrandnewoffice andhandeditovertotheclub
The unveiling of the Plaque and commissioning of the ClubHousewasdonerecently at No2 Village East Canje Berbice The keys to the building were subsequently handed over to President Keine Reid. Speaking at the ceremony, Kassim a former
first division cricketer and avid sportsman, stated that he was more than happy to construct a home for the club. He said Rotary has donealotforhimandassuch heispleasedtogivebackand will continue to assist in whateverwaypossible.
President Keine Read saidthatheandthemembers of the club are extremely happytobeapartofhistory He stated that he is even more pleased to be the President when the feat was being accomplished. He thanked Mr Kassim for the wonderful and selfless gesture and promised that theywillmakethebestuseof the facility. A pledge of $100,000 was made by Republic Bank, New Amsterdam Branch to help purchase furniture for the office.
Meanwhile, during the activity, a new member was inductedintotheclub.Sheis MsDiyaiyyihDwarkacalled Diya. Her introduction was donebyAttorneyatLawand Past President of the Club
Charlyn Artiga who congratulatedher Ms Dwarka is the holder of a Master’s
Commissioning of new RCNAnew building - Members of the Rotary Club of New Amsterdam and their partners in service and guests pose for a picture in the newly commissioned office at No 2 village East Canje Berbice. Donor Raffick Kassim is at left. Inducted member
Degree in Business Administration (MBA) She once served as the Principal of the School of the Nations in New Amsterdam and is skilled invariousfields
Her current position is Regional Housing Officer Region 6. A congratulatory message was sent by AssistantGovernorElizabeth Cox who was unavoidably absent Hermessagewasread by read by Mr Kassim Ms Cox, welcome and congratulated her as she join
Popular business entity, Trophy Stall of Bourda Market and a branch in Markham, Ontario, Canada, has thrown its support behind the upcoming Prime Minister’s Softball Cup which will take place from October11-13.
These trophies are for all three men’s categories’ winners, runners-up sides and Most Valuable Players of the three-day extravaganza. Trophy Stall supported the ladies’15-overcategorybydonatingballsas well. At a simple presentation ceremony on Tuesday at Bourda Market in Georgetown, Managing Director of Trophy Stall Ramesh Sunichwasecstatictobeassociatedwiththe softball mega event which will have teams from New York, Canada and across Guyana participating. Over $3M are up for grabs alongwithmoreattractiveprizes.
Sunich stated that he was always willing tosupportthegameandthetournament.
Receiving the trophies was President of the Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL)Inc.IanJohnandduringhisremarks, expressed his profound appreciation to Sunich for coming on board again. He commented that Trophy Stall has been supportingthisyearlysoftballeventsinceits inauguration in 2016. Roger Sunich, the brother of Ramesh, who is a Canada-based
theRCNAandmostofallthe Rotary family She encouraged her to make full use of her skills and expertisetohelpenhancethe workandimageofRotary “Rotary offers numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth I encourage you to actively
participate in your club’s activities, projects, and meetings and to take full advantage of these opportunities
TheRCNAstandsoutasa ‘club of excellence’ in all areas Shewishedherwelland a long a fruitful stay in the organization Ms. Dwarka,
for her path, is looking forward to a long a fruitful association with the august bodyandtohelptherotaryin its quest to serve and make the community a better place.
The first women were inducted into the club in 2013. (SamuelWhyte)
Roger Sunich (right), brother of Managing Director Ramesh Sunich, hands over one of the trophies to Ian John.
Guyanese, was also in attendance at the presentation function. He made mention of his delight with the contribution of his sibling. Roger is operating the business in NorthAmerica. Meanwhile, the tournament is being organized by the GSCLInc. in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister and MinistryofCulture,YouthandSport.
All four finals to be played at the Police SportsClubground,EveLeary,Georgetown onSunday,October13th.
Drag racing action returns to Essequibo on October 20. (Sudhir Deokie Photo)
