Norton confident in PNCR’s ability to change terms of ExxonMobil oil deal
Leader of the Opposition President and Country respect except by written and the People’s National Manager, Alistair Routledge agreemententeredintobyall Congress Reform (PNCR), who said on Wednesday that the Parties which shall state Aubrey Norton is confident the company has no interest the date upon which the
...says terms already modified
S t a b r o e k B l o c k , renegotiation.
ExxonMobil Guyana Norton however sought reasoned, “Clearly this
required a feasibility study in his party’s ability to in invoking the provision in amendment or modification for the utilization of gas, engage the operator of the the PSA which allows for shallbecomeeffective.” however this was never
To this end, Norton conducted.
Threeweeksago,Norton Limited (EMGL), upon to read out the provision in article opens the door for us unveiled the PNCR’s 20- taking office in 2025, to the contract to make the to engage the contractor. point plan to manage the effect changes to the 2016 point that irrespective of When we arrive at that stage sector if elected in 2025 to P
n Sharing what Exxon says, changes where we engage the govern the country Key Agreement(PSA). can be made to the contractor, we have people among his plans was a top-
On Friday during his agreement. that are skilled in to-bottom review of Exxon’s weeklypressconference,the Article31.2oftheExxon negotiations.” oildeal,signedbytheformer Leader was asked to contract states, “This He also pointed to the A Partnership for National comment on the recent Agreement shall not be importance in timing, Unity/ Alliance For Change statementsmadebyEMGL’s amended or modified in any stressing that advantage ( A P N U / A F C ) must be taken at a time when administration. talks are more likely to bear EMGL’s President fruit. Furthermore, Norton during a media conference said,“Webelieveatthetime, this week in an invited regardless of what is said comment told reporters that now, there will be scope to he was open to discussions engage the contractor and
Leader of the Opposition and
Norton company’s behalf.
Our task is to represent the addendum was made to the with the party on the makechanges.” people of Guyana. We will contract to assert that contract. He however made
“There is evidence that dothatandwhenwecometo
y it clear that the party had no changes were made already that bridge, we will cross it
intentions of invoking the sothereisprecedent.Iaccept and we believe we will cross government of Guyana will contractual provisions to that Mr Routledge has to successfully,” the leader
changethedeal. take a position in keeping added.
Additionally,VicePresident, Routledge said, “We withhiscompany’smandate. It was reported that an Bharrat Jagdeo had made it a l w a y s w e l c o m e clear that while the contract engagements to look at the allows for audits to be agreementstounderstandthe conducted within two years, agreements, to understand Exxon must allow access to ouroperations.”Hehowever the auditors beyond this noted, “We have no interest timeframe. In fact, he even toinvokethatarticle.AsIsay threatened that “brick would we have made US$55B rain on Exxon’s head” if the worth of commitment to the companydidnotagreetothis country To go back and to change. undermine the basis of that M o
o v e r , t h e basis of that investment Opposition previously would seriously challenge argued that the Gas-toanyfutureinvestments.” Energy (GTE) project
PNCR, Aubrey
‘Appointment
of Hicken as Police Commissioner would
studies for Gas-to-Energy project
AFC in meeting with US State Department
The Alliance For Change (AFC) recently raised
- AFC leader
be legally flawed’
LeaderoftheAlliancefor leader noted should Hicken Change(AFC)NigelHughes be appointed then the on Friday said that the c i t i z e n r y w i l l l o s e government’s intention to confidence in the Police appoint acting Police Force.
Commissioner Clifton “So,youwillendupwith Hicken to the substantive police officers going into postwouldbelegallyflawed. difficult situations where the Hughes when asked to law ought to be enforced,” speak to the issue by this Hughes, who is also an publication said that a attorneysaid. commissioner can only be Hicken’s tenure as the appointed if that person was acting head of the Force was substantively in the post extended by President Ali before they retired from the althoughheisovertheageof Force. 55–theageofretirement.
“I don’t believe you can The very sentiment was appoint a commissioner who expressed by Retired was granted an extension or A s s i s t a n t P o l i c e who is on contract and then Commission (ACP), Clinton deem them commissioner I Conway In a recent letter to certainly believe that’s the editor, Conway said to legally flawed and believe appoint Hicken as the Police that this ought to be Commission after he would challenged in court,” he told have passed the age of KaieteurNews. retirement would be
Further, the AFC leader unconstitutional. said that it is not in the Conway noted that the interestofthesocietytohave a p p o i n t m e n t o f a the concerns expressed by Commissioner of Police and the Opposition Leader Deputy Commissioner of disregarded particularly Police is enshrined in the when that person has an Constitution of the integral role to play in the Cooperative Republic of selection and appointment Guyana. Article 211 (1) of process. the Constitution states,” The “This is not a question of Commissioner of Police and politics. Thisisaquestionof every Deputy Commissioner upholdingthelawintheland of Police shall be appointed anditisaquestionoflawand by the President acting after order, and, if you have such meaningful consultation strong objections coming with the Leader of the from the leader of the Opposition and Chairperson opposition Mr Norton, of the Police Service particularly his lack of Commission after the confidence in that particular Chairperson has consulted candidate, I believe it’s with other members of the dangerous waters to persist Commission.” with that candidate, because Conwaysaiditispellucid w h a t h a p p e n e d i s that there is no need for any unfortunate for Mr Hicken agreement with the parties (but it) is going to be for the appointment in perceived as the political question. “The vex question candidate of the government is whether or not the oftheday,”Hughesstated. President can confirm Hughes believes that it Clifton Hicken who has will be perceived that the passed the age of retirement government is not interested as Commissioner of Police,” in appointing a person who Conwayreasoned. would have cross political The retiredASP said the support as the head of law Constitutionspeaksabout enforcement The party (Continued on page 17)
concerns over the lack of feasibility and environmentalstudiesforthe government of Guyana’s (GoG’s) US$2B Gas-toEnergy (GTE) project, in a meeting with the United StatesDepartmentofState.
Leaderoftheparty,Nigel Hughes during a press conference on Friday said the AFC addressed the project, highlighting the lack of adequate studies, citing that this approach has been applied to other major projects.
“In relation to the gas to energy project we did say that we were concerned that this was an approach that the government had adopted across several projects but particularly with the gas to energy project we were concerned that there was no feasibility (study), we were concernedthattheywouldbe is being constructed by In addition to the GTE made it clear that there was a approaching a financial
project, Hughes said he also real risk that this continued institution like (US) EXIM ExxonMobil. The pipeline is raised the need for a new attitude by the government Bank without any feasibility
electoral list; the use of could lead to jeopardizing work being done,” Hughes approximatelyUS$1B. biometrics; government’s Guyana through excessive explained. Hughes noted that the approach to the financial borrowing and lack of
The government had party indicated to the US management of the country, feasibilitystudies. applied to the US-EXIM State Department that earlier especially in pursuing Meanwhile, Chairman of Bank in April 2023 for a studies conducted by the projects which were not the Party, David Patterson US$646millionloantoaidin previous government backedbyfeasibilitystudies. added that concerns were the construction of the identified several optimal Hesaiditwasalsobroughtto raised about the ongoing Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) locations for the project; the attention of the US State registration activities by the facility and the 300- however, the Wales site, on Department that none of G u y a n a E l e c t i o n s megawatt power plant the West Bank of Demerara those major projects were Commission (GECOM), Another key component of was selected, though not discussed in the National particularly with regard to the project- a 250 kilometers highlighted as an option by Assembly reports of Venezuelan pipeline- to transport the gas theConsultant,atthetime. Hughes said the AFC migrantsbeingregistered.
Leader of the Alliance for Change, Nigel Hughes
KaieteurNews
PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.
Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456
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EDITORIAL
Leadership acrobatics
OnethingthatcouldbesaidaboutGuyana’schief
policymaker,BharratJagdeo,isthatheisaman who slickly adapts to the demands of new developments.
He can be a bellower when grasping at straws to camouflage the weaknesses and the related stress under whichhelabors. Othertimes,heislikeaballetdancerwho triestodeliverunderthepressureofthemoment,onlytorip histightsandexposehimself. Athisbest,thevicepresident glides like someone who has polished the bottom of his shoes, thinking that he performs smoothly What he has refused to admit is that many times he finds himself on a downward slanting carpet of banana peels, which upends himratherunceremoniously Hismanagementofthisvital oil and gas sector has left him shopworn, which shows in the raggedness of his responses, the tightness around his eyes and mouth. Often, he is locked in a hostile grimace thatfailstoconcealthepatheticnatureofhisleadership.
Guyana’s offshore oil partner, ExxonMobil, has been uppinganduppingitsdailyproductionratedizzyingly The LizaOneandLizaTwoprojectsarescheduledtorundryin as low as seven years, and not the initial 20-year field life estimated for both. When questioned about this, Jagdeo exhibitedhisfirstdancestep:“doyouthinkthatwhat’sina wellisthefinalfigure?” ItisnowastandardofGuyana’s leading oil authority to answer a question with one of his own. Itishowhegiveshimselfroomtothink,presentshim withtheopportunitytocirclearoundtheissue,andcomeup with an answer that could travel from the strange to the disturbing.
The hole that he digs for himself, that he chooses to pretend doesn’t exist, is what gives away his hand. He knowsthatweknowthatanestimateisjustwhatitsaysthat itis,anestimate,whichmeansthatitissubjecttorevision. An estimate may be close to the original number announced, or with more space. But to take that estimate andmultiplyitandextenditasthechiefpolicymakerdidis stretchingthingspastthelimit. “Webelievethatthelifeof these projects will be around the original timeframe, and some may even extend further out.” As answers go, that latest one from Jagdeo is as slick and hazy as he can conjure.
Considering the current accelerated rate of ExxonMobil’s daily production, and Jagdeo’s pinning his answer(andprojections)rightbacktothe20-yearlifecycle of the fields, if not beyond, the Liza One and Liza Two projects could turn out to house more oil than originally estimated. Five years of production at increasing daily rates has led to 44% and 35% of the Liza 1 & 2 being extracted respectively, but Jagdeo insists that new discoverieswillmaintainthelifeofprojectsto20yearsand, ifthingsworkoutwell,possiblylonger
This indicates that the Liza 1 & 2 potential could be staggeringlymorethanExxonMobilhasinformedGuyana. GivenwhereGuyana’stopoilmanis,thequestioncouldbe raised about how ExxonMobil is carrying out its exploration: by the centimeter or the kilometer? ConsideringJagdeo’sfreshpositionofthe20-yearduration still holding, both Liza One and LizaTwo could probably hold twice as much as oil as the 452M and 570M barrels respectivelythatwastheoriginalestimate,bythetimethat this supposed present day exploration by ExxonMobil is completed.
How could a company so expertly informed in oil scienceandoilmathbesofaroff? WhatdoesExxonMobil reallyknowaboutLiza1&2estimates,andhowmuchof that has been accurately shared with Guyana? We have seen the games that ExxonMobil has played with the last eight new discoveries and how much oil has been found. GivenJagdeo’sansweraboutestimatesandstickingtothe original20-yearlifespanforLiza1&2,Guyanesearenow living with more wool over their eyes. The more Jagdeo shifts like this, unveils his tricks, the more he shows his weakness,unfitnessfortheoilroleheholds.
Concerning Oil: May no one of us become like the steward who had received only one talent
DEAREDITOR,
I have a sense of great reward in my letter of last week on, “not depriving ourselves of joy in Exxon’s discovery of oil off our shore.” It generated strong reactions and a necessary, s
f national discussion. True, manyofthepublicresponses sought to ridicule, dismiss andrejectanythoughtabout being joyful about oil – no joy about the direct cash flows adding to our national
contribution to our overall growthanddevelopment?
Thecommentariesbymy younger friend, Mr GHK Lall, in Kaieteur News and Stabroek News, display his unmatched mastery of satire and sarcasm; but we have a people and nation to build: creation not derision should be our game. I appreciated andcommendthecolumnof Freddie Kissoon, “That Samuel Hinds letter” in the Sunday Chronicle of 6th October Peeping Tom in “What
display of defeatism”
(Kaieteur News in October 7th,presentsafairsummary of my arguments in his first three paragraphs, then in his six following paragraphs displays a number of the contradictionswhichabound inus,aswegrapplewithour r e c e n t h i s t o r y o f enslavement, indentureship and ongoing exploitation; whilst we struggle to live in theworldoftodayinwhicha number of us and our children have earned places of which we are rightfully proud, amongst the descendants of our “ e x p l o i t e r s ”
Contradictions were revealed which bedevil us, whichweneedtoresolveand reconcile.
Aw a r e o f t h e s e contradictions,Iwanttoflag thedangerthatisindicatedin the parable of the stewards who were given five, two andonetalent. Thesteward whoreceivedonlyonetalent found no joy in that “small” blessing;seemedtohavefelt discriminated against, given “scraps,”recognizedthathis
lordwasanexploiter:andso, disconsolate, he buried his one talent. Many of us at Sunday school would have learnt that in the end even that one talent was taken awayfromhim. Maynoone of us be like him. I want to flag the danger that all the talk that we should be receiving so many times more, whether true or not, mightinducetoomanyofus to similarly “bury” what we have All that talk understandably has much righteousindignationbehind it, but questionable substance.
Concerning the US$10 billion which those persons sayweshouldhavereceived by now, you should be sure that if there were no real counter arguments, we would have received the US $10 billion just as we received the US$4.4 billion. Letmerecallherethesaying that a bird in the hand is worth two (or more) in the bush. From my experience and readings of our newspapers, I am guessing that much of the additional
money claimed is related to two things (i) taxes waived, (ii)thelackofring-fencing. Firstly, when it is said that our government has to p a y E x x o n ’s ( t h e Consortium’s) taxes, our governmentdoesnothaveto take money from elsewhere to pay the taxes waived Thereisusuallyaparagraph insuchAgreementsthatsays that royalties and other paymentstotheGovernment would be received in the place of taxes. To keep the GRA Commissioner happy, thereisabooktransaction.A goodquestionwouldthenbe whetherwearegettingmore from our royalty and profit share than we would have gottenfromregulartaxes. It depends on the prices in the market at the time –and you should expect periods of boom (high prices)andbust(lowprices). Over about 2010 to 2014, I have seen spot prices for crude oil range over U S $ 1 4 0 / b a r r e l t o US$35/barrel. When prices arehigh,theroyaltyand (Continuedonpage06)
The one-off cash grant of $200,000 will not benefit every Guyanese
DEAREDITOR, I noted in the Kaieteur newspaper on Friday, October 11, 2024 that President Dr Irfaan Ali announced that every household across Guyana will receive a one-off $200,000 cash grant this year
The Head of State said this as he made a special address to the 12th ParliamentofGuyana,atthe Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Georgetown.
Distribution of the grant is expected to commence instantly,hesaid.
The cash grant, the President said, is part of the People’s Progressive Party Civic(PPP/C)government’s aimatreducingdisparitiesin the country, guaranteeing that people have more disposableincome.
Altogether, about $60 billion will be infused into the economy through this cashgrant.
The honorable Vice PresidentDr BharratJagdeo explained that the government’s intention is to
ensure that every eligible household gets the cash grant and to ensure that the processisnotabused.
He underscored that determining eligibility and ensuring fairness in distributionwouldinvolvea verification process using existing systems like utility billing and community records.
I believe the distributing system or criteria for this grant will not be fairly distributed to every Guyanesesinceitwillcreate forconfusionandalsotaking into consideration the following:
1.How do you define a household?
2. Will persons renting beeligible?
3.Willahouseholdwith three or more families benefit?
4. What about houses with two separate families livingupanddownstairs
5. Will the tenants be ineligible since the utilities billsnotintheirnames?
Without the above not being addressed properly then the one-off cash grant
of$200,000willenduplike the 25,000 cash grant last year where two or more families living in a house andonlyonememberofthe household was qualified for themoney,othersgotapink slip and still waiting to get theirs or the landlord ended up with cash grant since the house and utility bill comes inhisorhername.
Secondly, the one-off cash grant of $200,000 will also allow cost of living to go up again and the rich get richer and the poor get poorer all because Guyana doesn’t have stock control onitems.
Wecandobetter
Guyana is on track to produce 1.5 million barrels ofoilperdayby2030andif the Government seriously wanttoaddressthehighcost oflivingandpoorqualityof life experienced daily by most citizens then it should CONSIDER providing a house lot to everyone above theageof18yearsold,raise the minimum wages to $300,000 per month, reintroduction of free education from nursery to university and provide a better health care to everyone.
This way every Guyanese will able to live, work and enjoy a comfortable life and benefit from the national wealth funds collectively despite which political party is or outofGovernment.
I trust that the Government will consider my proposals which will giveeveryGuyaneseabetter LIFE.
Yes! We have seen that every time the Government give cash grant that Cost of living goes up as I can recall when Minister of E d u c a t i o n P r i y a Manickchand announced that distribution of the “Because We Care” cash granttochildrenfrompublic and private schools in June 2024 we have seen the increased of uniforms and basic food items on the market so basically the cash grant is like putting money inonehandandtakingitout fromtheotherhand.
Yoursfaithfully, RayvonneP.Bourne
Israel’s violent confrontation could precipitate a Third World War consuming us with the use of weapons of mass destruction
DEAREDITOR
, Every day on television whether it is on the BBC, CNN, or one of the American networks, NBC, CBS,ABCorFox,ifwehave anyinterestatallasGuyanese intheworldinwhichwelive, we see and hear about the horroroftheviolenceandloss of life precipitated by the country of Israel’s violent confrontation with the Palestinian population which surroundsit
S o , w h y i s t h i s happening? Why should we care,asGuyanese,whetheror not the Jewish people of Israel are at war with the Muslim Arab states surrounding Israel? We should care because this conflict, embraced on one sideortheotherbytheUSA, the United Kingdom and Russiaand,toalesserextent China, could precipitate a Third World War consuming usallwiththeuseofweapons ofmassdestruction.
Israelwasproclaimedan independent Jewish Republicon14thMay,1948, when the British terminated their “Mandate” over Palestine. It is bordered by Egypt on the South, Syria andtheHashemiteKingdom oftheJordanontheEastand Lebanon on the North and the Mediterranean Sea on theWest.
ItisthepolicyofIsraelto “welcome home every Jew who seeks entry” and, in its first four years as a new nation recognized by the United Nations, Israel accepted 700,000 Jewish
immigrants Most coming from Eastern and Central Europe, as well asAsia and North Africa The great majorityvictimsoftheNazi Germany“holocaust”.Inthe course of the Second World War, the Nazis murdered nearly six million European Jews.Thisgenocideiscalled theHolocaust.
T h e A r a b s t a t e s surrounding Israel have consistently refused to acceptIsraelasapermanent independent country and sovereign state. Israel as a country, in fact, is an aberration seen by the Palestinian people as imposed and originally financed and militarily supported on their land by the British and American governments.
Israel continues to exist as a sovereign country recognized by the United Nations General Assembly, maintained largely by the force of arms provided by theUnitedStatesofAmerica and the United Kingdom Israel is governed as a democracywithfreeandfair elections governed by the
ruleoflawbutwithoutafull writtenConstitution.
The Gaza Strip is where the horror of the Israeli invasion continues in retaliationoftheinvasionof Israel by militants of the Arab military Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas,whichhascontrolled the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip since 2007. It is the apparent determination of the Israeli government to destroy every building and murder every Gazan in the name of defending Israel
TheUSandtoalesserextent the British governments are caughtbetweenarockanda hard place, claiming that Israel has a right to defend itself while condemning the massdestructionandmurder ofthepeopleofGazabythe Israeliarmy
Other radical militant Arab Islamic Resistance Movements, including Hezbollah, opposed to the existence of Israel as a sovereign state, are now, in support of Hamas, rocket bombingIsraelintheNorth. The 1985 manifesto of Hezbollah reportedly states
“our struggle will end only when this entity Israel is obliterated.Werecognizeno treaty with it, no ceasefire, and no peace agreements.”
Israel is now invading LebanonwhereHezbollahis headquartered with the apparent intention of eliminating Hezbollah regardlessofthedestruction and loss of life involved, similarlytoitsprogrammein theGaza.
Both Hamas and Hezbollah are financed, armed and directed by the militant Muslim leadership ofIranwhodonotrecognize the right of Israel to exist. But Iran is on the verge of developing a nuclear capability which Israel wouldliketodestroy Again,
the USA and Britain are caughtbetweenarockanda hard place. They side with Israel in the destruction of Hamas and Hezbollah and all other militant Arab groups fostered by Iran, but know that a war between Israel and Iran would result in an international confrontation probably leading to a Third World War Guyana, from the very i n c e p t i o n o f t h e manifestation of Israel as a Jewishsovereignstateinthe midst of Muslim Palestine, sided with the Palestinian cause and has outrightly, correctly and courageously, condemned the murder and destruction being ruthlessly pursuedintheGazaandnow Lebanon, by Israel
Courageously, because of the fact that the US and the UK are inextricably and politicallytiedtoIsrael.
So, while this war appearssofarawayfromus, it is very close and very relevant to the implications it has for Guyana in the d
sovereignty against the
importance of maintaining
partnership with the USA, UK and a
e other democratic countries in our region who may not necessarily agree with Guyana’s position on the IsraeliArabconflicts.
Yourssincerely, KitNascimento
ConcerningOil:Maynooneofusbecomelikethesteward...
Frompage04 profit share easily give us more than regular taxes: when prices are low taxes would have given more, but theoperationmightsoonnot beabletocoveritscostsand stay sustainable
An operation facing greater fixed costs of regular taxes, andhigherfixedroyaltywill morequicklyfallintothered and the operations paused, workers sent home. When thingsturnoutreallybadthe operations may be abandoned as it seems to be the case with the Troy Resourcesgoldoperationsat 14 miles, Kaburi When there is not an operation therearenotaxes.
In some circumstances taking account of the direct jobs and other indirect
benefits,countriesmayeven find it better to take money from elsewhere and pay some operations to keep going. Intheearlierdaysof tourism in the Caribbean, some countries judged at sometimes,thatitwasbetter for them to pay certain airlines to fly certain routes atcertainpricestoencourage profitable flows of tourists; judging that the subsidies
provided would be recovered many times over from the increased level of economictourismactivity
Secondly, to ringfencing – starting with a likely counter argument –the Agreement on the StabroekBlockisonelease, aleaseentire–onelease:no partitioning, nor ring fencing, no subletting either
Indeed, back in the late 1990’s, we were looking to and cultivating two other prospectiveexplorersbut,in the end, they declined to proceed for any number of reasons.
One should also note that the lack of ring fencing (if ring fencing was unilaterally enforceable) facilitates further rapid
foregonepaymentswouldin time be received by us. True, there is the issue of “delayed” payments and the time value of money
C e r t a i n l y , t h e s e considerations quickly become complex and complicated – where lawyers and accountants make their money; but after allofthat,ajudgementhasto bemadeonwhatwouldturn outbetterforus.
only a greater readiness to come to terms with realties. In 1992, our total GDP allowing for inflation since then,wasprobablylessthan US $ 2 billion even in today’smonies. And pray for patience, these flows from oil are steadily growing much larger
development of the field. Yes, it may be argued that it is like us financing further and faster exploration and developmentoftheStabroek block. That benefits Exxon and benefits us too.As long as there is a certain level of continuing discovery and d
velopment, today’s
I am hoping that the overwhelming majority of my fellow citizens, within and outside Guyana, would not long linger, captives under the calculated spell of ridicule and disaffection intended, in the emotional interpretation of my words, such as “Sam Hinds displaying astonishing defeatism, calling for us to rejoice over scraps, a paltry sum, a pittance,” US $4.4 billion is not scraps, not a paltry sum, not a pittance; and there is no defeatism,
The last six paragraphs of Peeping Tom merit thorough, explicit, national debate as they express the righteous indignation of us, whose ancestors were the enslaved, indentured and exploited,asweengagewith those whose ancestors were the enslavers, indenturers and exploiters; the legacy stillkeepsthemgenerally,in a stronger position comparedtous. Oh,howwe wish that, that history could bechanged,butitcannotbe. Whatarewetodo? AsIwas writing this with one ear on our President’s speech to Parliament yesterday, some
wordsstruckmewhichseem toalignwithmyinclination. No one is enslaver or enslaved, indenturer or indenturedtoday–intoday’s world let us work at making good partners, good friends andinfluencingthem–andif as our late Foreign Minister Mr Rudy Insanally urges, we could let them have our way, doing what benefits us andthem,wemaybedoinga little exploitation of our own.
I can think of arguments that we, (Mr Newell Dennison and I, on our own and on your behalf) were exploiting Exxon a little as we welcomed them and worked at keeping them interested when they came towardstheendofthe1990s talking about taking a long shot in the very deep, and veryfaroffourshores.
SamuelA.A.Hinds F
President/Ambassador
U.S. Clears
to Recover Venezuela Assets
OilPrice - ConocoPhillips has received new U.S. licenses thatcouldhelpthecompanyrecoverupto$10billionowedby Venezuela, an anonymous source has told Bloomberg. The debtstemsfromtheVenezuelangovernment’snationalization of ConocoPhillips’ assets over a decade ago. The licenses allow the company to pursue its claims against Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA), the state-owned oil giant, without violating U S sanctions Although the licenses don’t permit ConocoPhillips to resume operations inVenezuela, they enable the company to pursue legal action in countries where PDVSA holds financial assets By securing these licenses, ConocoPhillipscanmovetothefrontofthelineamongentities looking to recover funds from Venezuela, ensuring it has a strongpositiononcePDVSA’sfrozenaccountsarereleased. Last month, a court in Trinidad and Tobago awarded ConocoPhillips $1.33 billion as part of this ongoing effort to reclaim lost assets. The September 27 ruling approved Conoco’s request to seize payments that PDVSAwould have received for its role in the Dragon Gas offshore product. Conoco remains committed to using every legal channel to recover the full amount it is owed, emphasizing its duty to shareholders.
Venezuela, once a leading global oil producer, has seen its outputfallbyover70%duetoyearsofunderinvestmentinthe sector, partly a result of socialist policies and nationalization efforts.ForConocoPhillips,theseU.S.licensesmarkacrucial step in addressing the financial fallout from Venezuela’s actions, though the company’s operations in the country remain halted. As Venezuela’s oil industry continues to decline, any hope of recovery depends on securing foreign investment and technical expertise, much of which has been drivenawaybythecountry’spastactions.
Le Ressouvenir pensioner killed in accident
Eighty-five-year-old Stephen Correia lost his life in an accident along the Le Ressouvenir public road, East Coast Demerara(ECD)onFridaymorning.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) in a statement revealed that Correia of Le Ressouvenir was riding on the public road when he ended up in the path of motor car PAG 7093, which was being driven by 58-year-old Garfield Hoppie, a carpenter of La Bonne Intention (LBI). According to police reports, the vehicle was traveling west along the southern carriagewayoftheLeRessouvenirpublicroad,reportedlyat a fast speed when Correia attempted to cross from south to north.Thepensionerwasstruckbythemotorcar Correia sustained injuries to his left hand, left ankle, and other parts of his body Public-spirited citizens assisted in pickinghimup inasemi-consciousstate,afterwhichhewas transportedtotheGeorgetownPublicHospital,wherehewas pronounced dead on arrival. Moreover, police said that the driver of the car was arrested and is currently in police custody as investigations continue. Correia’s body is at the hospital’smortuary,awaitingapost-mortemexamination.
This Is Wildness!
T h e P e o p l e ’ s Progressive Party/Civic (PPPC) is many things. But as time has shown, it is also adeptatgettingitspriorities in exactly the wrong order Its most recent foray into economic largesse is proof enough: the announcement of a $200,000 cash grant to every household, without first clarifying what, precisely, constitutes a “household.”
I n a t w i s t o f characteristic irony, this declaration came not from some hushed backroom discussion or a prudent policyanalysis,butfromthe floor of the National Assembly itself. The scene was reminiscent of a magician revealing a rabbit before pulling it out of the hat—only to realize that the hatisstillinanotherroom.
As always, the devil
r e s i d e s i n t h e details—details the PPPC hashabituallyoverlooked.It is one thing to announce a grandplan;itisquiteanother to ensure the practical mechanics are in place. We arenowleftwonderinghow exactly the PPPC plans to distributethesegrants.Does a household mean a family under one roof? Does it extend to those with the same last name, or perhaps those sharing a post office box or light bill and water bill? These elementary questions appear to have eluded the drafters of the plan. But this government’s propensity forclumsiness
makes even these lapses seemlikesmallfries.
This is the same government, after all, that had allocated, in this year’s Budget,aprincelysumof$7 billion for cost-of-living relief nearly nine months ago, only to leave it languishing on the shelf whilecitizensborethebrunt of spiraling prices One would think that a government with any semblance of foresight would move swiftly to distributethereliefwhenitis most needed, not when the stormispassing.
Instead,thePPPCwaited until the fire had nearly burned itself out before announcingthatithadwater in reserve. And now, as if trying to make up for its previous inaction, it has tripled down, allocating an additional $60 billion to be unleashed upon an already strained economy within mereweeks.
One can only assume that the PPPC, in its haste, has forgotten that money is not immune to the laws of economics.Asudden influx of cash into a relatively small economy can lead to distortions that reverberate well beyond the intended beneficiaries. As any basic economist will tell you, the dangers of inflation grow in direct proportion to the speed at which money is injected into a market without corresponding pr oduction The PPPC’s a pproach, however,
seems to be founded less on the lessons of economics and more on the principle that if a little is good, a lot mustbebetter
The timing of these payouts is itself cause for concern. The $60 billion must be distributed quickly—far too quickly to ensure that the funds do not become fodder for corruption or cronyism Worse yet, the government is likely to throw in another $8 billion for back-pay and salary increases for public servants, summing up to nearly $70 billion that must find its way into the economy within a matter of weeks. The fact that no serious thought appears to have been given to whether the economy can digest this sum without choking is, to put it kindly, troubling. The likelihood of a surge in demand with no immediate increase in supply is high. Andwhendemandoutstrips supply, the result is plain: prices rise, and the cost of living, the very thing this plan purports to ease, could growmoreburdensome.
Yet, this possibility seems lost on the PPPC. Perhaps it has come to believe that its mere presence can bend the laws of supply and demand. Its confidence in its own rhetoric is commendable, even if it remains divorced from the realities that most Guyanese face But the public deserves better than economic wizardry
DEM BOYS SEH
Throwing money at a problem
Demboyssehwhenyou got a problem, just throw some money at it. Is like a magic trick money fly, and everybody clap. But dem boys know better Money might hush up de noiseforalilbit,butitdon’t solve nutten. All it do is plaster over de cracks, and when de plaster fall off, de crackbiggeranduglierthan before.
L o o k h o w d e governmentlovethisgame. Got congestion? Throw money at it and build a big road never mind dem vendors gun tek over de placeagain.Gotcrime?Set upapoliceoutpost—money again! Never mind dem police does end up taking bribes same way De solution to every problem got de same answer: spend, spend,spend!Butdemboys seh, is like putting perfume
on a stink foot. It might smellsweetfuhawhile,but eventually de truth does showup.
And it ain’t just de government alone De people love de same trick! As long as money flowing, everybody happy You got potholes?Don’tworry,dem gunthrowsomedollarsand patchdemup.Butdemboys seh nobody checking if de patchingevenmeksenseor last long. Everybody just gladfuhdequickfix. But hear de joke—after all de billions spend, de problems does come back like an unwanted relative.
Bigger, badder, and bringing more trouble.And when you look, is de same cycle all over again. Spend some more, pretend is progress, then watch it all crumble. Money does talk, and
performed with a blindfold on.
There are many reasons why people are asking whether this grand economic gesture might be more sleight-of-hand than genuinerelief.Itisonething toblameexternalfactorslike global commodity prices, a favoredexcuseofthePPPC. But to ignore the role of domestic policy in exacerbating economic hardship is the height of irresponsibility. In the absence of proper planning, the PPPC’s supposed relief efforts might become little more than the cause of greater hardship. As with any trick that dazzles, there is a moment of revelation whentheillusionfaltersand the audience sees what lies behind the smoke and mirrors. The question that arises is whether the PPPC hasthecapacity,oreventhe willingness,toundertakethe level of monitoring necessary to prevent these cashinjectionsfromcausing further harm Monitoring inflationary pressures requires a willingness to adjust policies on the fly, to throttle back if the signs of overheating appear But such flexibility has never beenthePPPC’sstrongsuit. Itsrecordspeaksinsteadofa rigid adherence to its own
grandiose schemes, however ill-considered they mightprovetobe.
Perhapsthemostglaring failure here is one of empathy—an inability, or perhapsanunwillingness,to understand what life is like for ordinary citizens who haveenduredninemonthsof surgingpriceswithoutahint of government relief. The PPPC’s delayed and now oversized response seems more geared towards political optics than to any genuine consideration of how best to help those struggling with the costs of basic necessities One cannot help but wonder w h e t h e r t h e s e disbursements would have been announced at all had it notbeenfortheever-present drumbeatofelections.
Buttimingisnottheonly failure The PPPC’s unbridled faith in cash grants as the solution to complex economic woes
reveals a shallow understanding of what ails the country Throwing moneyataproblemdoesnot fixsystemicissues;itmerely coversthemupuntilthenext roundofpricehikesexposes theriftanew Realeconomic resilience requires investment in production, infrastructure, and longterm stability none of
which can be achieved by cash grants alone, no matter how substantial. Yet, this government, like many before it, prefers to deliver sugar-coatedpromises,even when the candy is likely to melt before it reaches the hands of those who need it most.
In the end, the PPPC’s latest ‘brainwave’is less an act of governance and more a performance—a display meant to conjure applause, notresults.Butgoverningis not a stage play, and sooner or later, the curtain will come down. When it does, one can only hope that the audience namely, the people of Guyana will recognize the act for what it is: a spectacle that dazzles foramoment,butultimately leaves them with little more thananemptierwalletanda d e e p e r s e n s e o f disillusionment.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s affiliates.)
everything else walk. But dem boys seh, money does talk too much sometimes and it does drown out common sense. Dem boys seh we better start using sense instead of dollars before de whole place fall apart. You can’t just fling money at everything and expect miracles Is like feeding a stray dog and thinking it gun leave yuh alone after Nah, it gun come back with it whole crew
Sodemboysseh,timeto stop throwing money and start throwing some real solutions before we end up broke and still full of problems But knowing how things does go, dem boys seh money gun keep talking, and de rest of we justgottalisten. Talkhalf.Leffhalf!
H@RD TRUTHS
What sense third parties, then?
By this hour next year, madcap political operator p l e a s e s , d i e h a r d s , course.
damn-it-this will-not-beGuyana should be abuzz would enter the local fundamentalists, tribalists, To be clear, I am not taken-one-second more in with the presence of several electoral jungle with bright fanatics, and here is the first a
new political parties expectations No issues truth: dem ain goin no way Guyanese of Indian or represent, project, when all stragglers, the PNC will not contesting in the national there for me, except that but weh deh always been. Africandescent[trustingthat the hollering is done. Yeah, benefit from the PPP’s loss. elections. Enthusiastic they there are a few large holes The cup or the palm tree. I have that right]) will vote butwhoistheretograballof Some new man of the would all be about their hovering, ever ready to Pardon for succumbing to with the back of their heads. them in one shot, along with moment could. But where chances of electoral success. remind arriviste aspirants of the wiles of mischief by What is being insisted is that anystrayvotes? are the rest of the votes, How many, if any, would theirfolly Thatis,thinkbig, summoning scripture: the the old political loyalties, At the extreme, 20,000 where is the spoiler, announce itself when the and truly believe that they cup of these faithful regular political culture, crossover or swing votes d i
, numbers are counted could do well in any overflows under their fig standard political-racial- mean nothing but three seats troublemaker, interferer, and Hopefully, there is only one Guyanese national elections. tree. It may be a distorted electoral voting patterns Once the old, familiar even kingmaker role all official count this time Better be ready for a long, message, but it is real, isn’t would seize the upcoming commitments hold, and they rolled into one. This will coming. Notwithstanding hard fall Striking the it? That is, mainly Indians contest by the scruff of the will,razorthinbecomesrazor come to light, depending on their vociferous energy, ground is where the trouble, for the Indian party (PPP), neck and shake most of the wire Somebody is going to the incentives offered by the oaths to country and people, the abrupt reminders are the same with African promise of difference out of get slashed, and it is not I A standing local political what are their odds of encountered. Where are the Guyanese for African party it. Whateverisleftisnotjust call must be made It hinges mastermind and moneyman, newcomers making a mark, votes? Where is the broad (PNC). The elections just out of breath and spirit. It is on two words starting with Jagdeo. Dishoutsomecash, any kind? For emphasis: interest? Where is the endedthereandthen,andthe out of reach for new parties. capital c and o. Corruption and swooning could follow. whatchancenewparties? movement? For clean observers could pack their Therealistinmedeliversthis and oil. Corruption has Guyanese need something,
As fleshed out elsewhere governance, genuine oil bags, and book their return word: foregone. The savaged the spirits of those someone,totrustinthistheir recently, the chances of management, banishment of tickets for 2030. That is, optimisthangsontoanother: who care about such, ahm, Golden Age of Oil. When a electoral success for new cult leadership and the unless they choose to stay when cometh the spoiler, ideals. Corruption has leader leads from the front, political pups are slim to bandwagon of vagabonds here, and wait for a stake in three-seat kingmaker? The besmirched the consciences multitudes follow. Who marginal to almost that plunder Guyana’s theresourcebonanzaopento analyst(thereisadirtyword) ofthosewhoheldontotheirs. knocks? nonexistent Electoral riches? Try these reality all. And with the right digs this up: what about a Oil is less focused on those Those 15,000 or 20,000 success, what is that one- checks,first. recognition from the right difference maker Last, the who teef in their last votes waiting to parachute legged beast? Only a Call them whatever people in the ruling seat, of pessimist broadcasts the reincarnation, and more on into a new and trusted camp outlier: how to detect the thosewhoteefyesterday,will could be entangled by stealth/shadow parties that teef more today, and will be indecision, the richness of turned out to be PPP plants, hijacking and bust the bank toomuchchoice. Noise,too. thanks to bhai Bharat-ji? post-2025 Reality: The new political groups Taken individually or corruption and oil, and all in could collide with one compounded, next year capshavePPPwrittenallover another, cripple the (yeah, Trump’s shadow them Time will tell how prospects of each other haunts), all electoral roads much Guyanese truly care, if There is only one winner and results in Guyana lead to they care anything about then: the PPP Whether the this terminal: shut up, select thesetwoplanks imagined swing voting bloc a box, sit down, and take a With the indigenous and stays home or steps out is snooze. Here is a hard Ve n e z u e l a n v o t e s where2025stands. Me,too. numberonthelocalelectoral conveniently held in (The views expressed in GPS and odometer: 15,000 abeyance in my own ballot this article are those of the or20,000atastretch. Thisis box, the PPP should be the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t all that the clamoring crowd biggest loser in any election. necessarily reflect the of educated, thinking, Corruption and oil are opinions and beliefs of this principled, concerned, contributors. One thing is n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s angry, disillusioned, and certain, other than for some affiliates.)
BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT
Part2: Cash handout
The government suddenly found $200,000 for each household
Ali couldn’t find money for teachers
But $60B is around because elections are around the corner
This could be the first round of cash handouts
More billions will be set aside in 2025 for citizens
Oil money sharing to Guyanese
Election fears making the PPP Govt. gallop
Because of elections Guyanese get Christmas
Then they get New Year’s, all at the same time
‘Guyanese Critic’ fails to advance construction 8 months after receiving $160 million advance for Belle Vue Pump Station - AG Report
...Agri. Ministry says project still in contractual timeline
The Belle Vue pump station project site during a visit by the Auditor’s General Office in August this year.
commencement date for the NDIA stated that the construction of the facility contractor is still on site and was February 6, 2024 and that the Ministry of noted that the project is still AgricultureanditsTechnical within its contractual Officers have been meeting period with contractor and
“In accordance with the consultant to ensure that the
The recently released $870.563 million against the higher than the sum stated in Contract start date from 6 c o n t r a c t a n d u p o n projectsarecompletedasper Auditor’s General 2023 engineer’s estimate of the contractor’s bid, and October 2023 to 29 January submission of a mobilisation contract. Report revealed that eight $779.199million. which was the price of the 2024 respectively,” the advance bond, an advance of “It must be made clear m o n t h s a f t e r i t s It was reported that as at NDIA’s Procurement Reportrevealed.
$129,831,525 was paid that the NDIA values commencementdate,TEPUI August 2024, the sum of Department priced Bills of In its findings, the S
Group Inc. – the company $160 894 million was Quantities seen in the Auditor General stated that comm
h the accountability in all its closely linked to Mikhail alreadypaidtothecontractor contract. thecontractorwasmobilized construction of cofferdam operations We are Rodrigues also known as who was scheduled to In its findings, the AG on site; however, no works and the removal of an old committed to providing ‘Guyanese Critic’ had no commence the project in detailed that an examination were in progress at the time deteriorated sluice which updates on project progress worksinprogressonits$870 January2024. of the contractor’s bid ofitsvisitinAugust2024. was within the footprint of and addressing public million Belle Vue pump According to the AG submissions revealed that It was also disclosed that the work area for which concerns as they arise,” the stationproject. Report, an examination of the contractor failed to at the site, only the interim valuation number statementsaid. AccordingtotheAG,this the contractor’s bid satisfy nine out of the construction of two earthen one, totaling $31,062,903 M e a n w h i l e , t h i s was observed during a visit document and physical eighteen requirements set coffer dams, excavation was certified by the publication had reported to the pump station project verification detailed that the outintheevaluationcriteria. works, and demolition of the engineering supervisory that the $870 million on August 14, 2024. It was award of the project was “Thecontractwassigned old existing sluice structure consultant following which contract was awarded to reported that the project is first made on August 14, on 22 September 2023, with were completed, along with payment was effected by the TEPUIearlylastyearwhich being executed by the 2023 for the sum $865 544 duration of eighteen months theinstallationofatestpile. NDIA, ” the agency saw works slated to be National Drainage and m i l l i o n w h i c h h a d forcompletion.Accordingto Additionally, two provided. started then But the project Irrigation Authority (NDIA) corresponded with the documents seen, Addendum excavatorswereseenonsite, TheAuthority noted also did not begin then due to anagencyundertheMinistry amount stated in the (¹ 1) to increase the along with two site that as the works progresses, delays and only started in ofAgriculture. Contractor’s Bid Form and percentage for advance office/containers, a water along with the supply of Januarythisyear The Report stated that an pricedbillsofquantities payment from 15% to 30% pump and a quantity of some of the steel sheet piles It was reported too that awardfortheconstructionof Itwasnotedhoweverthat was made on 21 September timber piles and steel sheet on site, greenheart piles and the contract was the subject the Belle Vue Pump Station thisawardwasrescindedand 2023, one day before the piles at the time, the report the installation of test of an investigation by located in Region Three was a second award was made on Contract Agreement was noted. bearing piles, interim Public Procurement made by the National September 15, 2023 to the signed. Addendums ¹.2 and Following reports from payment number two, Commission (PPC) after Procurement and Tender same contractor for an ¹ 3 were for paying the the AG’s findings on the valuing $21,615,810 was complaints were raised Administration Board increased sum of $870.564 Contractor for materials on pump station project, the also certified by the about the contractor’s (NPTAB) in the sum of million which is $5 million site and changing the NDIAin a release on Friday engineering supervisory failure to meet the technical clarified that the effective consultant. requirementsoftheproject
693 cancer cases recorded in...
From page 12 havebeenworkingwithMountSinaion.We News reported that Minister of Health, Dr. have already bought the equipment to do FrankAnthonysaidthathisministryisdoing telepathology, we have started the everything possible to fight and win the renovation of a section of the Georgetown battleagainstcancerinGuyanastartingwith Hospital to accommodate this new lab and amyriadofstrategiestoassisttheprocess. once that is completed, we will install the He announced that there has also been equipment, we have already trained the staff significant improvement in turnaround time of the hospital to be able to do telepathology frombiopsytodiagnosis. and they would be directly linked to the Previously, the results of a biopsy took MountSinailab,”Dr Anthonystated. approximately three months. This time has High-resolution images will be taken of been reduced to less than seven days at the biopsy samples which will then be Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation forwarded to a pathologist at Mount Sinai (GPHC). “We are going to introduce in the Hospital,andadiagnosismade,thiswillalso first quarter of next year (2024) help improve the waiting time for results. telepathology, this is another project that we (Adapted from DPI)
Over $3B in expired drugs disposed of
between Jan.2023 and June 2024
Over $3B in drugs were expired and disposed of by the Ministry of Health, the Auditor General’s (AG) 2023Reportrevealed.
According to the report, the drugs valued $3 228 billion expired between January2023andJune2024, but according to a release from the Ministry of Health on Friday, the drugs expired before 2022 The report noted that a quantity of the drugs valued $2.332 billion was still on hand to be disposedofasofJuly2024.
– AGReport
- Health Ministry clarifies drugs date back to before 2022
The AG’s Office stated that a register of expired drugs was not presented for a u d i t e x a m i n a t i o n . However, the ministry provided lists containing and Medical Supplies in Partnership for National dollars’ worth of expired expired drugs disposed and order to reduce losses Unity +Alliance for Change drugsthatweredisposedof. those on hand to be disposed through expiration or (APNU+AFC) government Meanwhile, the Ministry of at its Diamond and improperstorage.” weredestroyedanddisposed of Health on Friday clarified Ruimveldt Materials Further, the office of. thattheexpiredmedications, Management Unit (MMU) recommended that the Minister of Health Dr. medical supplies, and locations. ministryensuresthedisposal Frank Anthony assured at laboratory supplies in
In response to the AG’s of all expired drugs is that time that moving question date back to before observation, the Health executed in accordance with forward efforts would have 2022 and, in some instances, Ministry acknowledged the the Food and Drug been made to ensure that the werefrom2019andbeyond. findings. Regulations. procurement process is These, however, are now The Audit Office Itisimportanttonotethat better managed He said being responsibly disposed recommended that the w h e n t h e P e o p l e s once properly managed, the of by national and ministry“undertakeasurvey Progressive Party Civic ministry would be in a better internati
n
s
fety to determine the realistic (PPP/C) administration position to minimize protocols. needs of pharmaceuticals assumed office in 2020, wastage.
“For the medications andothermedicalsuppliesat $742 million worth of The Auditor General’s boughtin2023,$12,546,000 these Institutions and ensure expired drugs that were Office has over the years expired or 0.1%; similarly, the proper storage of Drugs procured under the A been flagging the millions of for 2024, $13,471,899 expired or 0 06%,” The Ministrystated.
Drugs Disposed of from January to December 2023
Drugs Disposed of from January to June 2024
Clarifying what was reported, the Ministry said the drugs referenced were procured and stocked primarily before 2019 and during the COVID-19 pandemic and noted that they have since expired due to various factors, including changes in medical needs, such as the COVID-19 pandemicandnewtreatment protocols.
“The Ministry has been engaged in an ongoing process of identifying and safely disposing of these outdated medications to ensure that only viable, effective drugs are available for use. Regular audits are conducted to monitor pharmaceutical stocks, and efforts are underway to strengthen the supply chain management system,” the agencyexpressed.
Where is the $60B for one-off cash coming from? grants to households
– Patterson questions
Twenty-four hours after President Irfaan Ali announced a one-off cash grant of $200,000 for every household in Guyana, ChairmanoftheAllianceFor Change (AFC), David Patterson, raised questions about the funding’s approval during a press conference on Friday
Chairman of the Alliance For Change, David Patterson
He expressed concerns regarding whether the National Assembly had sanctioned the extra budgetaryexpenditure. and we are concerned about
The 2024 National themethodofdistribution.” Budget stands at $1 146 I n r e s p o n s e t o trillion. As such Patterson government comments on questioned how the one-off the grant’s distribution,AFC cashgrantdistributionwould leader Nigel Hughes noted, be managed if it was not “We observed that the Vice allocated in the yearly President mentioned entities budget. “If you recall, the like GPL and GWI, which Office of the Prime Minister serve a large number of has a sum of $5 billion people However, no allocated for cost-of-living framework has been laid out measures This additional for this distribution, which $66 billion would obviously will face significant needtocometoParliament,” difficulties, especially he stated. He emphasized concerning squatters, night thatthisexpendituredoesnot shelters, miners in the qualify as an emergency or interior and single c o n t i n g e n c y f u n d , individuals living with s u g g e s t i n g t h a t a others ” Meanwhile, the parliamentary sitting would People’s National Congress benecessaryforapproval. Reform (PNCR) issued a President Irfaan Ali statement also highlighting announced the cash grant thatthe2024budgetdoesnot during the 12th Parliament include provisions for the Special Sitting on Thursday, cashdistributions. stating that the initiative T h e P N C R a l s o aimstoinject$60billioninto emphasized that the the economy and will begin $200,000 distribution will immediately with a focus on not effectively address the fair and transparent high cost of living.The party distribution. advocated for a more
However, Patterson comprehensiveapproach. expressed scepticism about “As the cost of living the Bank of Guyana’s continues to spiral upward capacity to handle such a and Guyanese families l a r g e d i s t r i b u t i o n struggle to make ends meet,
“Currently, from the Bank of we call on the government to Guyana’s half-year report, ensure our people benefit there are $200 billion in more from the windfall oil notesincirculation.This$66 revenues, which now billion is a significant amount to over US$300 amount—does the Bank of million,” the PNCR stated. Guyana even have that They suggested that this additional liquidity?” He revenue could be fairly and added, “I am wary that they justly distributed, translating might repeat the previous toapproximatelyG$300,000 cash grant distribution, per household. The longwhere individuals walked suffering Guyanese people around with $66 billion in deserve much more than cash in envelopes. You can what was offered by the justimaginethenightmare.” Government yesterday He also criticized the However, they must see the government for not cash transfers as their providingacleardistribution entitlementandnotasmoney process, stating, “They have that belongs to the PPP not even explained how they These transfers and much are going to carry it out.Yes, more could have been they need parliamentary allocated to the people of approval, so this will come Guyanayearsago,”theparty intoasupplementarybudget, saidinitsstatement.
File: Expired drugs being disposed of in 2020. (DPI photo)
Tables showing the expired drugs disposed and those on hand to be disposed of by the Ministry of Health.
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2023-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-1513
IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MAT RIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION Petition No. FD-1513
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Between:- (ADONIS) GLENDON ROYSTON Petitioner/Applicant (ADONIS) WONNETT nee BOVELL Respondent TO WONNETT ADONIS nee BOVELL Formely of Farm, East Bank Demerara, Georgetown. TAKE NOTICE that on the 13th day of October, 2023 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by GLENDON ROYSTON ADONIS the Petitioner/Applicant in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara. FURTHER TAKE NOTICE as part of an Order made on the 15th day of August, 2024 the Petitioner Applicant was directed to effect service of his Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consec utive Saturday issues of a daily newspaper, printed, published and circulated in the Republic of Guyana and on the Worldwide web.AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear of attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents.AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 35 (thirtyfive) days from the date of the final publication of this Notice.TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is Adjourned for Directions Hearing on Tuesday the 12 day of November, 2024 at 10:15 am before the Honourable Mr Justice Gino Persaud via Zoom Meeting ID: 733 558 9086 and Password Court 3 IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service Notice of Intention to Defend, Answer and or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate,
The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Cours Georgetown, Demerara). The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed. Dated the 18th day of September,2024.
LEGAL NOTICE
2024-HC-DEM-CIV-FD-259 IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MAT RIMONIAL JURISDICTION
FAMILY DIVISION
DEVENA MORRISON
Petitioner No. FD-259
Applicant 1. DAVID THOMAS 2. TON 1 SMITH Respondent TO: EON J. SMITH Address Unknown TAKE NOTICE that in the 19th day of February, 2024 Application relating to child was filed against you by DEVENA MORRISON. the Applicant in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara. AND FURTHER TAKE
NOTICE that as part of an Onder made on the 21 day of February, 2024, the Applicant was directed to effect service of her Application on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur News, a daily newspaper printed, published of general and circulation its and around the Republic of Guyana. AND FURTHER TAKE
NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents AND FURTHER TAKE N
‘Appointment of Hicken as Police
Commissioner would be legally... the Police Service Commission tendered after the Prime Minister has concurred on the recommendation, may permit a Commissioner of Police who has attained the age of 55 years to continue in office until he has attained such later age, not exceeding sixty years, as may (before the Commissioner of Police has attained the age of 55 years) have been agreed with the Commissioner of Police.”
From page 3 appointment, exercising disciplinary control and removal from office of the Commissioner of Police. It does not mention anything about extending the service of the Commissioner of Police after he has passed the age of retirement, 55 years. However, he said the Constitution (Prescribed matters) 27:02 dated 20/09/1967 under the caption,” Age of vacating of office by the holder of certain offices,” gives the President the authority to permit the Commissioner who has attained the age of 55 years to continue in office until he has attained such later age, not exceeding sixty years. Section (b) states: “the President acting on the recommendation of
NOTICE that if you desire to defend this Application relating to child then upon receipt of the o certified copy of the Application, you must file a Reply to Application relating to child (Forms are available at the Registry), in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara within 35 (thirtyfive) days from the date of the final publication of the Notice.
TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Wednesday the 15th day of May, 2024 at 10:30 am before the Honourable Madam Justice Damone Younge via Zoom Meeting ID: 845 1426 6584; Password: 786 445.
IN DEFAULT of your filing a Reply to Application relating to child the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce. The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara).
The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 13:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.
Dated the 29th day of February, 2024.
No precedent Conway said it is apposite to note that former Commissioners: Balram Raguber, Laurie Lewis, Floyd McDonald, Henry Greene and Leroy Brummel services were extended, but before they reached the age of retirement. He said according to the legal document alluded to above, a Commissioner of Police cannot be extended or confirmed after he has passed the age of retirement, 55 years. “The extension or confirmation must be done before the Commissioner reaches the age of retirement, 55 years. Clifton Hicken has passed the age of retirement; hence he cannot be legally confirmed as Commissioner of Police. To confirm him will be unconstitutional, ultra vires, null and void and of no legal effect. I rest my case.”
On Thursday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said that the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall has been instructed to check out the legal ramifications of appointing Hicken. Speaking at his weekly press conference held at Freedom House Jagdeo said, “I have listened to the Attorney General and I spoke with him in Parliament and I told him that he needs to get more information out about the legality of the process. So first of all, I saw in the comments he made, he dealt with the powers vested in the President, and there is a view that because Hicken has an extension now, he might not be eligible to be confirmed. So that issue needs to be dealt with by the Attorney General…” Jagdeo said.
Jagdeo said the President is required to have meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition but noted that does not mean the opposition leader has to agree with the President.
President Irfaan Ali through Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs Gail Teixeira dispatched letters to the Opposition Leader. Notwithstanding, Jagdeo said that the AG will assess the law and determine whether the appointment would be lawful. He said he is not of the opinion that it would be an unlawful appointment but in the interest of quieting the “big noise” all checks and balances will be made. “He [the AG] assured me that we have complied with the process to get the extension done and also the process to have the confirmation also done,” Jagdeo said.
PEN
Indian male seeking
Seven accused of kidnapping ‘Bricks’ on $500k bail
The seven men who appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’Court after they were granted bail.
The seven men
w h o w e r e charged with the abduction of Joshua David, alsoknownas‘Bricks’were granted$500,000eachwhen they appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ CourtonFriday
The defendants: 24year-old Aaron Alleyne known as ‘Cats’ of lot 9
West La Penitence, Georgetown; 34-year-old Wayne Barker from lot 58
Laing Avenue, West Rumvieldt,Georgetown;32year-old Damion Barlow fromlot261BFieldSophia, Georgetown; 27-year-old Dwayne Griffith, known as ‘Sheep’ of William Street, Georgetown; and 21-yearoldDaventaiMarsofMiddle
Road, La Penitence, Georgetown made their first appearance before Principal MagistrateFaithMcGusty
Alpha Poole and Osafo Peters, who were remanded during their first court appearance on last week Friday, also
ap
attorneys Everton Lammy-Singh and Glenn Hanoman requested that their clients, Poole and Peters, be tried separately due to another matter currently in the High C o u r t H o w e v e r , Prosecutor
Jones objected statingthat they were charged for the
Magistrate agreed with the prosecution, affirming that the court is competent to handlethematterstogether As a result, all seven defendants were jointly charged According to the charge the men are accused of abducting J o s h u a D a v i d o n September 26, 2024 on Main Street, Georgetown, with the intent to secretly and wrongfully confine him
The defendants were not required to enter a plea
During the court
proceedings Damien DaSilva represented Barker and Mars, while attorney
Siand Dhurjon appeared on behalf of Alleyne, Griffith, and Barlow. The defence argued that there was no substantial reason to deny bail, emphasizing that the offense is bailable and carries a penalty of no more t h a n f i v e y e a r s ’ imprisonment.
The lawyers noted that all defendants had voluntarily surrendered to police and had no prior criminalrecords
C o n v e r s e l y , Prosecutor Jones raised objections, citing the seriousnessofthecase
He informed the court that the investigation is ongoing and, while David remains missing, the men may face additional chargesinthefuture
The prosecutor noted thatthepolicehaveCCTV footage that captured the accused during the crime, along with eyewitnesses
However, when the Magistrate requested to view the video, it encountered technical difficulties and failed to
playincourt
Due to insufficient evidence presented and recognizing the ongoing investigations, the
Magistrate granted bail with the condition that the defendants report to the Brickdam Police Station every Friday. The case has been adjourned until November15,2024.
Upon hearing the Magistrates ruling,
relatives of David left the courtroom swiftly, seeming distressed by the outcome Whilst exiting, one relative was heard muttering, “Can’t get justiceinthisplace.”
David was abducted outside a restaurant on Main Street, Georgetown,
while purchasing food on the evening of September 26 Actingoninformation, police began searching for David in the backlands of Buxton and Annandale days after his abduction However, after three days ofsearching,noevidential v a l u e w a s f o u n d , investigations are ongoing.
Thousands trapped in Jabalia as Israel steps up attacks in northern Gaza
MSF says ‘no body allowed to get in or out’ in Jabalia as Israeli strikes across enclave kill dozens of Palestinians.
Aljazeera - The Israeli militaryhaslauncheddeadly attacksacrosstheGazaStrip, including Deir el-Balah, Maghazi and Nuseirat refugee camps, Gaza City and Jabalia refugee camp, where MSF said thousands ofpeoplearetrapped.
The Israeli attacks killed at least 41 people across Gaza on Friday, Palestinian medicssaid,withnearlyhalf of the fatalities occurring in
northern Gaza’s Jabalia, where Israeli forces are pressing ahead with a brutal groundoffensive.
Sixpeoplewerekilledin astrikeonaresidentialhome that belonged to the al-
Dayah family on Friday evening, southwest of Gaza
City, civil defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basalsaid.AlJazeera’sHani Mahmoud, reporting from centralGaza’sDeirel-Balah, said the continuing attacks have “all fed into one conclusion: mass killing going on for the sake of killing without a clear objective”. “When we look at the deaths arriving at the hospitalinDeirel-Balah,itis the same pattern with womenandchildrenmaking up the majority of them,” Mahmoud said The internationalcharityDoctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, said on Friday that thousands of people were trapped in the Jabalia refugee camp amid theIsraeliassault.
“Nobody is allowed to get in or out; anyone who tries is getting shot,” MSF project coordinator Sarah VuylstekesaidonX.
Five MSF staff were trappedinJabalia,shesaid.
“Idon’tknowwhattodo; atanymomentwecoulddie. People are starving. I am afraid to stay, and I am also afraid to leave,” she quoted Haydar, an MSF driver, as saying. At least 15 of the deathsinJabaliasincedawn were due to Israeli strikes
targeting various areas, includingaschoolsheltering displaced individuals, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa said, citing medicalsources.
Gaza’scivildefencesaid dozens were wounded by Israeli quadcopter fire at the same school. Civil defence teams were able to transport 15 people to the Kamal Adwan hospital as efforts to evacuate the wounded are continuing,Basalsaid.
‘Catastrophic’situation
InadditiontoJabalia,the Israeli military has also sent troopsintothenearbytowns of Beit Hanoon and Beit Lahiya. Palestinian health officials have said at least 130 people have been killed in the renewed assault in northern Gaza, while the military has ordered residents to evacuate areas where the UN estimates more than 400,000 people are trapped. Northern Gaza haspreviouslyseenmultiple ground and aerial attacks that left the area’s main hospital, Kamal Adwan Hospital, barely functional. It has previously been besieged, raided, and shelled.
Earlier this week, Israeli forcesorderedthehospitalto evacuate, along with two othermedicalfacilitiesinthe
north. In a statement on Friday, Gaza’s Government MediaOfficewarnedthatthe situationatKamalAdwanis “catastrophic”, saying the cominghourswillbecrucial forthelivesofmanychildren currently in the intensive careunit.
Overcrowding and the lack of much-needed fuel have added to the many challenges, the statement said. Israel has continued to seal vital border crossings, and have prevented fuel fromreachingthenorth.
The office called on the international community to intervene “to save what can besaved”.TheUnitedStates meanwhile said it has “real concern” about Israel preventing humanitarian aid fromgettingintothenorthof Gaza. The US has spent at least$17.9bnonmilitaryaid to Israel since the war in Gaza began last October, according to a report for BrownUniversity’sCostsof War project released on Monday United Nations officials havealsoexpressedconcern that the ongoing Israeli offensive and evacuation orders in northern Gaza could disrupt the second phaseofitspoliovaccination campaign set to begin next week.
No distribution of $200,000 cash grant before Christmas – Jagdeo
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
announced on Friday that the $200,000 one-off cash grant will notbedistributedbeforeChristmas.
In an interview published on his social media page, theVice President said, “In five months’time,wewillbereadytodistribute.”
During a Facebook Live session, Jagdeo elaborated on the process for accessing the cashgrant,emphasizingtheneedforfairness andtransparencyinthedistribution.
Henotedthatthistaskischallengingand that the government requires time to ensure properexecution.
“Wewanttogetthesystemsinplace,soI would anticipate that within the next five
months we would complete the process,” he said Jagdeo indicated that there are approximately 300,000 households in the country and mentioned that the bulk of the payments will be issued via cheques, althoughthegovernmentisalsoexploringthe optionofdirectpaymentsintobankaccounts. Jagdeo’s statement follows President IrfaanAli’sannouncementonThursdayatthe Special Sitting of the 12th Parliament that each legitimate Guyanese household on Thursday at the 12th Parliament Special Sitting, will receive a one-off cash grant of $200,000. Verificationforeligibilitywillbe conducted using utility bills and other methods.
Palestinian residents of northern Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp flee to other areas with the belongings they could carry, as Israel continues a ground assault in the area [Mahmoud Ýssa/Anadolu]
Deniese Hariman (left) and Shellyann Sankar, neighbors who disappeared 25 years ago, are still remembered by the community.
Deniese Hariman’s mother, oldersister, brother, and nephews gather in front of her photos during a candlelight vigil in Queens to honor her memory.
Candlelight Vigil Held for Missing Guyanese & Trinidadian Girls in Queens,
By Tracey Khan eye.
Bob urged the community to stayinvolved,notingthatcontinued
Q U E E N S , N . Y . A awarenesscouldhelpbringjustice. candlelight vigil was held Sunday Denise Hariman’s mother, evening on Liberty Avenue, Seeta Beran, emotionally recalled Queens, New York to honor the the day her daughter left for school memory of two girls who but never arrived. “It’s hard, but I disappeared from Queens 25 years have to be strong, and I’m trying. ago: 13-year-old Deniese Hariman, My daughter had dreams of going and her neighbor, Shellyann to college and doing great things. Sankar,whovanishedalmostayear She didn’t deserve what later. The gathering drew happened,” Beran said, her voice community members who stood in shaking. Harriman, born in solidarity with the grieving Albouystown,Guyana,immigrated families,callingforrenewedefforts totheU.S.atagefiveandlivedwith tosolvethecoldcases. her family in Richmond Hill, The vigil, organized partly by Queens She was last seen social media influencer Rhonda interacting with Sankar, her Bob,emphasizedtheimportanceof neighbor,whohelpedtheHarriman keepingthecasesaliveinthepublic family search for Denise when she firstwentmissing.
25 Years Later
A neighbor embraces Seeta Beran, offering comfort to the mother
Nearly a year after Deniese’s disappearance, Shellyann Sankar alsovanished.
Seeta Beran, still seeking closure 25 years after her daughter Deniese’s disappearance on her way to school, shares her pain with the community.
Sankar, originally from Trinidad, had moved to New York for a better life and had become Denise would have been 39 today continued search for answers. “I closetoHariman’sfamily Sankar’s This pain stays with you,” she said. madeitmybusinesstodayjusttobe then-boyfriend, Rudolph Balgobin, Beran also made a direct plea to here, and we are still searching for was later implicated in her Balgobin. “Rudy, it’s been a long my cousin and would like closure, disappearance and is currently time. I think you should be able to especially for her elderly mother serving a 25-to-life sentence for say something now I may forgive and the entire family in Trinidad,” murder in Florida. Despite his you if I find the truth, but I need he said, appreciating the incarceration, the families have not closure,”shesaid. community’ssupport. received closure. Beran revealed Hariman’seldestsister,Natasha As the vigil concluded, that Balgobin had written to her, Beran, spoke about the lasting attendees echoed calls for the suggesting he would share emotional impact of the community to remain vigilant and information about the cases in disappearance on their family ensure the memories of Deniese exchange for money “He said if I “When Denise went missing, we Hariman and Shellyann Sankar are sent him $200, he would tell me didn’t even realize how much it not forgotten. Their families still what he did to my daughter,” she changed us I became very seek closure and ask anyone with recounted. protective of my children and informationtocomeforward.
Denisewouldhaveturned39on always feared for their safety,” she The families can be reached at the day of the vigil. As years have said. 347-280-8375 or 917-306-9965 if passed, Beran’s need for answers Sankar’s cousin, Navin Sankar, anyone has information that can has grown. “I’m 70 now, and expressed the Trinidadian family’s helpthemwithanswers.
The Beran family, vigil organizer, and social media influencer Rhonda Bob come together to remember Deniese Hariman and keep her case alive.
of missing teen Deniese Hariman.
2024 CAC Body Building & Fitness c/ships...
Guyanese athletes aiming to improve medals haul
G
s scheduled to appear at the 2024 Central American & Caribbean (CAC) Body
Building & Finess Championships slated to be staged right here at the National Cultural Centre have all been expressing confidence of making this countryproud.
Thec/shipstobeheldon October 19-20 will attract
over 250 participants from 20 countries as they battle each other for supremacy and the overwhelming feedback from the local contingent is that they are taking no prisoners in their questtosecuretophonours.
Three such athletes are Christina Ramsammy, Julio SinclairandYusufKhan,who have all signalled their intent on upstaging their regional
rivals Ramsammy, who will be competing in the Bikini category,saidthateventhough she was sidelined from training for almost two and a half months due to a back injury,shehasreturnedtothe gymandfeelsgreattobeback “I had a rough start after injuring my back, but despite thatIwasabletogetbackon track and working hard in trying to surpass my last
showing,” Ramsammy divulged She revealed that she is ahead of schedule and the little time she has left is being used ti fine tune her workofart(Physique)
Ramsammy has so far competed twice at the CAC before finishing second in 2022andseventhlastyearso shewillbeeagertoimprove onherlastperformance.
Working under the tutelage of her husband and coach (3-times Mr Guyana Darious Ramsammy), she opinedthatthiswasthebest shape she’s in and cannot waittotakethestageinfront ofthehomefans.
Saturday October 12, 2024
ARIES(Mar 21–Apr 19)
A challenging day is in store foryou,Aries.Ifyou'repartof a group or team or simply among friends, you may feel somewhatillatease.Couldit be that you instill jealousy in others? There's only one way tofindout.
TAURUS(Apr 20–May20)
Sometimes dreams seem like just that - dreams. Travel, a project, or a new home could be a few of the things you've beentryingto accomplishfor sometimenow
GEMINI(May21–June20)
You'll go one of two ways today, Gemini. Either you'll turn inward and meditate in a corner or you'll find a good friend and confide your dissatisfaction.
CANCER(June21–July22)
Today is going to be an excellent day for meeting interesting people, Cancer And there will be nothing superficial about these encounters. On the contrary, the people you are going to meet will touch you profoundly
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
You can expect today to be kind of intense, Leo. Even if you've made a conscious decision not to let anything get you down, you may still harbor some negative emotions from the last few days.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
The little fighter that you are makesitverydifficultforyou to join us in the great communal river that we're all tryingtonavigate,Virgo.You prefertotravelsolo.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Be disciplined about all areas ofyourbody,Libra.Takeextra care to eat healthful, balanced meals. Make sure you get enough sleep And even thoughyougripeabouthaving no time, get out there and exercise.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
If you've been feeling deep anger,todayisn'tthedaytolet it out but rather the day to consider its source. Any large gatheringsoffamilyorfriends shouldbeavoidedatallcosts.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
If by chance you still harbor some resentment toward someone, Sagittarius, it will probably come out today.You might be uncompromising or evenvengeful.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
You don't suffer fools gladly, and superficial fools even less so. You have a mind to teach those around you a lesson. You'reuncompromisingtoday, and you can't understand why others don't have your same highstandards.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Hereisadayofchallenges, Aquarius You're a pro at questioning yourself, as you'll prove today when you take a
o u r accomplishments What have youcreatedofapersonalnature inthelasttenyears.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Ifyougivetheimpressionthat you're in a reserved and introspective mood (even if you aren't), you'll succeed in avoiding confrontation Today there is no such thing as a simpleexchangewithsomeone
Bjorn Williams captures deadlift...
Frompage26 congratulationstoyouall.”
expressing gratitude to the Ministry of Sport, National Sports Commission, the
Express, and E Master Corporation for supporting the team to South Africa
expressing thanks to Team
“Icannotwaittohearmy fellow Guyanese screaming downtheirsupportforusand I believe that we will get the kindofsupportofallGuyana beyond our wildest dreams,” Ramsammyfelt.
Shesaidthegrowthofthe sport is undeniable, according to her more and more athletes are gravitating to the sport so the future seems bright Meanwhile, bothSinclairandKhanexuded similar confidence of doing well at the c/ships Sinclair, a two-timemedallistintheBody Buildingcategory,havingwon goldin2022andsilverin2023 willnodoubtbeeyeinggoldin frontofthehomecrowd
He too disclosed that training has been going well and competing in from of homefanshavegivenhiman addedimpetustotrainhardto exceedlastyear’sresult
Khan was similarly complementary about his trainingandconfidenceahead ofthebigevent
Hesaidthemerefactthat hecouldrepresenthiscountry at the most prestigious body building competitions in the Regionisaddedincentivefor himtoproduceanoutstanding performance “I have a few more days to get dialled in, my preparations have been goodandgoingaccordingto plan, and I must commend my fellow teammates who’ve all been very supportive in their guidance and advice throughout the journey,”Khansaid.
He expressed thanks to the Ministry of Culture, Youth&Sport,theNational Sports Commission, the G u y a n a O l y m p i c Associationandalltheother corporate entities that have contributed tomaking the championshipsareality
Engineering, and LWC Investments for their support. Williams’ silver medal increased Guyana’s tally to five (5), having already won three (3) gold and two (2) bronze medals at the Commonwealth championships In the World Masters where Nadina Taharally and Roger Rogers competed
competitions running simultaneously, Guyana captured one (1) silver and four(4)bronzemedals. FinalMedalTally
CommonwealthPowerliftingChampionships... Bjorn Williams captures deadlift silver as Guyana end campaign on a high Bjorn
BjornWilliams recorded the best performance of his careertodatewhenheclosed off his campaign in the 105kg Open classat the Commonwealth Men’s Classic Powerlifting Championships in Sun City, SouthAfrica.
With a huge pull of
307.5kg, the best in his career to date, Williams endedwiththesilvermedal, justrewardforhishardwork and discipline. While not
medaling in either the squat nor benchpress, competing against nine (9) other athletes, Williams was still able to record his best squat
(245.0kg)andhisbestbench was162.5kg. These lifts allowed him to also record his best total (715 0kg), to mark a memorable sojourn, shining brightinSunCity Williams’ previous best squatwas235.0kgwhichhe achievedinUruguayin2019 whilst his best deadlift was 305 0kg accomplished in NewZealand,twoyearsago.
Williams commented on his stellar achievement: “Today’s performance was my best of all times. Perfect way to transition into the realm of a Master lifter All praise and thanks be to God andallthosethatbelievedin myabilities.”
Williams’ teammate, Demetri Chan who won the 7 4 k g b e n c h p r e s s competition gold medal on Friday last was primed to add to that medal in theCommonwealth Men’s Classic Powerlifting ChampionshipsonTuesday
However, he was hard
done by some questionable refereeing calls during his second and third benchpress attemptswhenthecommand took too long to be given. Chan’s bar was also misloaded twice for his deadlifts, these challenges addeduptothrowtheathlete offcourse. Nonetheless, Chan is resolved to continue his comeback to this level of competition and will come evenstrongerinthefuture.
Federation President Franklin Wilson offered congratulations to Williams for a fantastic overall performance and his silver medal.
”Your dedication and determination to ensure that you competed have paid the kindofdividendsthatwould onlymakeyoubetterinyour career
Youliketheotherlifters, have made yourself and Guyana proud and for this, wearegrateful, (Continuedonpage25)
Bjorn Williams (right) and Demetri Chan.
Bjorn Williams (left) is all smiles on the podium.
GGA crosses borders to further strengthen golf competition
The game of golf, which under the auspices of the Guyana Golf Association (GGA) and Nexgen Golf Academyhasgrowninleaps and bounds in Guyana over the past few years, is now being reinvigorated in Suriname thanks to the efforts of the GGA’s executive team and volunteers.
According to Aleem Hussain President Guyana GolfAssociation, “We must ensure that there is strong Competitiontochallengethe thousands of new Guyanese golfers being developed, so
this partnership with the Surinamese schools and police department will, in ouropinionopenmorecross border sports tourism and tournaments.”
Though the primary focus of traveling to Surinamewastotakepartin the annual DSB Invitational Golf Championship hosted
i
m
, Hussain, Monnaf Arjune, Roy and Sabi Dhori and Philip Haynestooktimeawayfrom the tournament to engage
H N Polanenschool #1 and #2 along with dozens of Police
Cuba comes from
Officers from all districts in Paramaribo.
“The response from students, PE teachers, and HeadTeachersandthepolice officers was absolutely amazing and the intensity shown in the mini putting competition video well for future competition,” said MonnafArjune.
HeadTeachersMs.Krak and Ms. Wongso expressed their gratitude for the donation of equipment and balls, “from the excitement demonstrated by the children, we will definitely beincludinggolfasapartof theirPEactivitiesandweare
behind twice to draw 2-2 with Trinidad and Tobago
SportsMax - Cuba came from behind twice to secure a2-2drawwithTrinidadand Tobago in Group B
CONCACAF Nations League action on Thursday atEstadioAntonioMaceoin SantiagodeCuba,Cuba. Sheldon Bateau opened the scoring in the 8’to give Trinidad and Tobago the lead with a header at the far post Triston Hodge delivered the cross from the leftsideofthepitch.
DaironReyescameclose toequalizingforCubainthe 12’ with an attempt from outside the box that hit the woodwork.
A long-range rightfooted drive from Maykel Reyestiedthematchforthe hostsinthe64’.
The Soca Warriors reclaimedtheleadinthe70’ through a powerful leftfooted strike to the far post
Cuba had to come from behind twice to secure a 2-2 draw with Trinidad and Tobago. (Concacaf)
from Joevin Jones from the edgeofthebox. WiththegoalJonestook his tally to four and is Trinidad and Tobago’s alltimetopscorerintheCNL. Aniel Casanova equalized from close range insidethepenaltyboxinthe
75’ to secure the point for Cuba. CubaandT&Tarefourth and fifth in the group with three and two points, respectively, and will meet again on Monday, this time attheDwightYorkeStadium inTrinidad&Tobago.
schools in the g
grateful to Mr Hussain and histeamwhotraveledallthe way here to include our
programme.”
Guyana.
GGA Team Donates Equipment and Balls to HM Krak J.H N Polanenschool.
Guatemala tame Golden Jaguars 3-1 in CONCACAF Nations League clash
Inaspiritedencounter attheNationalTrack and Field Centre in Edinburgh, Guyana’s senior men’s national team, the GoldenJaguars,felltoa3-1 defeat at the hands of a dominantGuatemalaside.
The match, held last evening, marked Guyana’s secondlossinthe2023-2024
CONCACAF Nations League A campaign, while Guatemala maintained their unbeaten streak, asserting theircontrolinthegroup.
The Guatemalan squad, riding high on confidence from previous results, opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Oscar Santis capitalized on a defensive lapse by the GoldenJaguars.
Santis, known for his quick footwork and sharp finishing, found the back of the net with a well-placed shot, silencing the home crowdearlyinthefirsthalf.
Despite the early setback, Guyana was determined not to let the gameslipaway TheGolden Jaguars,drivenbytheenergy
of their supporters, clawed their way back into the match.
In the 31st minute, midfielder Stephen DukeMcKenna,apivotalfigurein Guyana’ssquad,showedhis composure and skill by scoringacrucialequalizer
Duke-McKenna’s strike electrified the stadium, giving the home side renewedhopeastheyheaded into halftime with the score lockedat1-1.
However,thesecondhalf belongedtoGuatemala. They came out with renewed vigor and pressed theGoldenJaguarsdeepinto their own half. In the 61st minute, Guatemala took the lead once again, this time courtesy of Oscar
Castellanos Castellanos’s well-timed run and precise finish past Guyana’s goalkeeper,QuillanRoberts, put the visitors ahead 2-1, shifting the momentum firmlyintheirfavour
Guyana struggled to regain their composure as Guatemala continued to pile onthepressure.
The defensive unit of Leo Lovell, Jalen Jones, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, and Ryan Hackett worked tirelessly to keep the Guatemalan attack at bay, but they were eventually undone again. In the 68th minute, Oscar Santis completedhisbrace,scoring Guatemala’s third goal and effectivelysealingthewin.
N i c h o l a s H a g e n commanding the goal and a defensivebacklinefeaturing José Ardon, Samayoa, and Pinto Their midfield, orchestrated by Rubio Méndez and Nathaniel Galindo, provided the linkup play that allowed Santis andCastellanostoflourishin attack.
On the Guyanese side, Quillan Roberts was called into action multiple times but couldn’t keep out the Guatemalan onslaught
history for the Golden
Guatemala
Over the years, Guyana has struggled to find success against the CentralAmericanside
Omari Glasgow and the
Gordon, the Golden Jaguars couldn’t find a waybackintothematch.
Guatemala’s defence, marshaled by captain José Pinto and the steadfast Nicholas Samayoa, held firm, denying Guyana any real chances to mount a comeback.
Guatemala fielded a balanced lineup with
Despite flashes of individual brilliance, p a r t i c u l a r l y f r o m Guyana’s rising star
The Golden Jaguars started with a relatively young squad, including promising talents like Isaiah Jones and Colin Nelson, alongside key players such as DukeMcKenna and MoriahWelsh, who tried to assert controlinmidfield.
This latest defeat continues a challenging
With this 3-1 loss, Guatemala extends their dominance in the head-tohead record between the two nations, leaving Guyana still searching for their first win in this matchup Despite the disappointment, the Golden Jaguars must now turntheirattentiontotheir next challenge, a crucial away fixture against SurinameonOctober14.
This match will be another tough test for Guyana as they seek to bounce back and regain momentum in their N a t i o n s L e a g u e campaign
Sports infrastructure booms in Guyana...
Frompage29
their frustrations with delayed timelines, indicating that athletes often struggle to access propertraininggrounds.
Oneareathathasdrawn particular attention is the government’s backing of the Global Super League T20 cricket tournament, an initiative touted as a major step forward for the country’s sports tourism reputation.
W h i l e t h e administration has proudly supported the project, President Ali’s address to Parliamentnotablyfailedto mentionanythingaboutthe tournament’s funding. This omission has raised eyebrows, especially given the substantial financial backingrequiredforsucha high-profileevent.
Transparencyadvocates have called on the government to provide a clearer breakdown of the funds allocated to the Global Super League and how these investments align with the broader nationalsportsstrategy
They argue that while the tournament will likely
bringinternationalattention toGuyana,it’sessentialthat the funds be properly accounted for and not diverted away from grassroots sports development.
ABALANCINGACT
President Ali’s sports dev
opment agenda presents both tremendous promise and significant challenges.
On the one hand, the sheer scale of the investments and the longtermvisionoftransforming Guyana into a hub for athletic excellence are commendable. Guyana is slowly but surely establishing itself as a nation that values its athletes, providing them w
y infrastructuretothriveboth locallyandinternationally
On the other hand, the slothful pace of certain projects and the lack of transparency in how funds are being managed cast a
s achievements.
The ball, as they say, is now in the government’s court.
Stephen Duke-McKenna
Pee Wee U11 Football C/ship commences
Round of 16 action - Race for top spots begin today
The exciting PetraCourts Optical Pee Wee Football Tournament, recognised as one of the most important Under-11 S c h o o l s F o o t b a l l Championships,hasreached its most exciting phase: the Round of 16 The tournament’s top 16 teams will compete today for a chance to secure semifinals promotion.
Thetournamenthasbeen grueling three weeks, but from here on out, every match is crucial.Among the teamsleadingthechargeare Enterprise Primary, St. John the Baptist Primary, Rosignol Primary, and
defending champions St PiusPrimary;allvyingfora spot in the semis and the chance to claim the championshipglory In this intense and competitive format, the 16 qualified teams will battle for rankings between first and eighth place. The top fourwillprogresstothesemi final stage, but every match remainsvital,evenforthose not in the running for the championship. Teams that fall short of the semifinals willcontinuetocompetefor positionsfromfifthtoeighth place, ensuring that the tournament remains engagingforallparticipants.
Marian Academy and School of the Nation provided great entertainment during the Round 3 matchups last Saturday, Marian eventually won 3-0.
Looking in from the outside, Enterprise Primary has emerged as a formidable contender, boasting an undefeated streak They startedthetournamentwitha 10-0 win against FE Pollard Primaryandfollowedupwith two draws against Stella Maris Primary and Rosignol Primary, before dominating Smith Memorial Primary 60 Enterprise’s rock-solid defencehasyettoconcedea goal, making them the favouritesastheyfaceStella MarisPrimarytoday Onthe other side, Rosignol Primary has dazzled with their attacking prowess They crushed Smith Memorial
West Ruimveldt’s Jaseen Parris (with ball) creating chances during third round match against Golden Grove at MoE.
Primary7-0andtrouncedFE Pollard Primary 12-0, maintaining a clean sheet throughout Star striker JeremiahMcDonaldhasbeen in top form, netting seven goals in just three matches, making him a key player to watch
DefendingchampionsSt Pius Primary are determined toholdontotheirtitle Aftera commanding 12-1 victory over St Mary’s Primary in their opening match, with Jovaine Wright scoring four goals, they breezed through thepreliminaries,addinga41winagainstWinferGarden Primary and a 4-0 victory overTucvillePrimarytotheir
record Theywillmatchskills with School of the Nation today in their quest to advance further At the same time, Wright will look to increase his goal tally today also; his seven goals, make himanothertopcontenderfor thetournament’sMostGoals award St John the Baptist Primary has also made waves, often regarded as the tournament’s “dark horses” They topped their preliminarygroupwitha10-0 win over Genesis Primary, followed by a 4-1 victory over St Gabriel’s Primary, and an 8-0 thrashing of Timehri Primary With their unpredictable play style, St
John’sisadangerousteamin thisround StJohn’swillrely heavilyontheirtopperformer Kareme Welcome, who also isexpectedtoaddtohisseven goalssofar
The matches will take placetodayattheMinistryof Education(MoE)groundon CarifestaAvenuefrom12:00 noon. The tournament is proudly sponsored by Unicomer Guyana Inc through its Courts Optical brand, with additional supportfromtheMinistryof Education, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, MVP Sports, Sterling ProductsLimited,andStena Drilling.
Sports infrastructure booms in Guyana
BYRAWLETONEY
Under President Irfaan Ali’s administration, sports in Guyana have seen an unprecedented surge in i n v e s t m e n t a n d infrastructuredevelopment. From 2020 to 2024, the government has allocated a staggering $13.61 billion to sports development, marking a historic increase
i n t h e c o u n t r y ’s commitment to nurturing athletic talent, promoting wellness, and positioning Guyana as a competitive player on the international stage During his recent address to Parliament, PresidentAlidoubleddown on this commitment, asserting that sports are a central pillar of national
development
“We are building an ecosystem to support cultural, youth, and sports development,” Ali stated,pointingtothetensof billions of dollars earmarked for creating world-class facilities across thecountry
According to the President,theseinvestments not only serve athletes but contribute to improving the overall quality of life for Guyanesecitizens.
President Ali’s tenure has been marked by substantial budgetary increasesforsports. In2020,thegovernment allocated $805.3 million to theMinistryofSport,which surged to $1.5 billion in 2021. By 2022, the budget
had increased to $2 4 billion, followed by $4.3 billion in 2023 and $4.6 billionin2024. Thesefunds have been directed toward constructing new stadiums, athletic and recreational facilities, wellness centres, and rehabilitating communitygroundsinboth urbanandruralareas.
“We are investing in building out a sporting infrastructurethatissecond to none,” President Ali remarked during his address, emphasizing that new facilities were being developed in every region, cateringtosportsasdiverse as badminton, squash, cricket, football, volleyball, motor racing, and horse racing.Acornerstoneofthis
sports infrastructure is the government’s collaboration with international institutions, including the UniversityofFlorida,which offers partnerships to elevate the standards of coachingandtraining.
PresidentAlihighlighted that the government’s investments are aimed at giving local athletes exposure not just on the national level, but also r e g i o n a l l y a n d internationally “We believe that sports have that imaginative capacity and capability in building positive citizens and c r e a
n g p o s i
e outcomes,” the President said, underlining the broadersocialimpactsofhis
administration’s focus on sports.
CONCERNSABOUT PACEAND TRANSPARENCY
While the government’s efforts to elevate sports infrastructure and opportunities have been lauded, concerns about the pace of development and lack of transparency have surfaced. Critics point out that although the numbers reflect record-breaking investments, many of the promised projects have been slow to materialize. Some regions, particularly in rural areas, have seen delays in the completion of community grounds and facilities, raising questions about the efficiency of the
disbursementoffunds.
Further compounding theseconcernsistheissueof accountability. Transparency aroundtheuseoftheallocated billions has been minimal, with few public reports or auditsdetailinghowfundsare being spent and what percentage has gone toward actual construction versus administrativeoverheads.
Whilethegovernmenthas begunbuildingnewstadiums and wellness centres, critics argue that more attention needstobeplacedonensuring that these projects are completedontimeandwithin budget, especially given the massivescaleofthefunding
Some local sports associationshavevoiced
(Continuedonpage)
Sports infrastructure booms in Guyana under President Ali
...but transparency questions linger
athletes aiming to improve medals haul
President IrfaanAli during his recent address to Parliament
Christina Ramsammy
Part of the action between Guyana and Guatemala. (PHOTO: Jeremy Jagroop)