Kaieteur News

ExxonM not opposed to Guyana installing own meters at pumps

...SAYS WILL ADHERE TO ANY REGULATIONS GOVT. PUTS IN PLACE

ExxonMobil Guyana

standards and are approved during the audit of Exxon’s refused to provide the raw

Limited (EMGL) on by the Government of 2018 and 2020 expenses, the production data to the audit Thursday said it is not Guyana. Further, it said the company refused to provide team. opposed to Guyana transfer meter operations are a map of the metering points To this end, the

installing its own meters on witnessed by government on the Liza Destiny, the businessman reasoned, the Floating Production representatives, in keeping country’s first Floating “Government is getting data Storage and Offloading withindustrybestpractices. Production Storage and that Exxon presents to them (FPSO) vessels currently

As an additional layer of Offloading(FPSO)vessel. as raw data, hence they producingoiloffshore. verification, Exxon said The auditors said the refused to give the auditors

In a statement to the representative samples are schematic would provide a access to check the raw data media, in response to shared with the government visual representation of the on the production data at the comments made by the andlifters.Tothisend,theoil physical flow of production pumps. To eliminate this Publisher of Kaieteur News, company said, “EMGL is as it is produced onto the issue is simple, put our own Glenn Lall, EMGL, the unaware of any regulatory FPSO, through the various metersoneachoftheFPSOs, subsidiary of Exxon Mobil regime that requires local

n this way auditors would not Corporation noted that regulators to install separate equipment, and into the have to beg Exxon to see the

, storagetanks. rawdata,wewouldhavethis government are present to however we have no ExxonMobil also bluntly atourfingertips.” witness every offshore oil objection to the government lift. pursuing an independent

Lall, in an article monitoring system and will published on Wednesday adhere to any regulations the reasoned that the operator of governmentputsinplace.” Guyana’s oil rich Stabroek

For his part, Lall raised Block has been given a free concerns over the lack of pass to take as much of the independent meters to verify country’s oil as it needs for the company’s daily rate of its offshore operations, a production in light of Exxon move that could pave the refusing to allow auditors a government witness said: “the Government’s oil way for boatloads of access to its raw production present.” It also noted that lifts also aren’t a mystery –undocumented crude oil to data. It was reported that government has outlined theyareavailableforanyone be shipped away He pointed howitexercisesitsrightsand to read on the Ministry of out that the oil giant, as per duties to closely monitor its Natural Resources’ website. the terms of the 2016 operations. The Ministry of Furth

Production Sharing Natural Resources however repeated claims to the

Agreement (PSA), is in a statement on Thursday contrary, our offshore allowed to use a reasonable said that: “The ‘production’ production vessels have amount of oil for its daily for use in offshore meters, and those meters operations; however, there is operations, as referenced in meet or exceed international no record of how much of the Agreement, is not crude industry standards.That data this production is being used oil but natural gas. Most of is also monitored by the by the company Exxon did the natural gas extracted Government,” the company not address the use of offshore is reinjected, while stated. Guyana’s oil for its a portion is processed, Exxon argued that the operations but pointed out removing impurities, so that FPSOs have transfer meters “none of the consortium itisusefulasfuel.” that meet or exceed members can lift oil without ExxonMobil Guyana international industry

Copsparticipateinhuman trafficking,childlabourseminar

Members of the Guyana Police Force Security, the Ministry of Labour, the GPF, recently attended a seminar coordinated by the Office of the Director of Public the Ministry of Home Affairs on human Prosecutions, and the International trafficking, migrant smuggling, and child OrganizationforMigration(IOM). labour Accordingtothestatement,theseexperts

The event took place from August 29 to provided valuable insights on identifying 30,2024,andwasorganisedincollaboration and addressing these crimes, and supporting with the Ministerial Taskforce on victims effectively, stating “These sessions TraffickinginPersons. were designed to provide officers with the

According to a press release, 44 necessary tools to recognize the signs of Constables and Lance Corporals from human trafficking and migrant smuggling, various divisions of the GPF attended the understand the complexities involved, and seminar take appropriate action to protect and

The training covered critical topics supportvictims.” including; an understanding of the crimes of Ministry of HomeAffairs stated that the human trafficking and migrant smuggling, ministry is dedicated to fighting human local legislation on trafficking in persons trafficking and plans to continue offering (TIP), victim support and care, immigration training and capacity-building initiatives. policyandregulation,Guyana’slabourlaws, Theministryurgedthepublictostayvigilant andtheissueofchildlabour and report any suspected trafficking cases.

The training featured lectures from Reports can be made through our 24-hour representatives of several agencies hotlinesinEnglish(227-4083/623-5030)or including the Ministry of HomeAffairs, the Spanish (624-0079), or at the nearest police Ministry of Human Services and Social station.

ExxonMobil Corp.'s headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana. REUTERS/Sabrina Valle/File Photo

KaieteurNews

PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS

Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210

EDITORIAL

Infrastructure as post oil backup

Guyana’s chief policymaker, Bharrat Jagdeo, operates withhisownlogic. Hislatestisthatinfrastructuregorging representsthebestinforwardthinkingandpreparingfora post-oilworldinGuyana. Jagdeofallbackbeingpushedis that when the oil is depleted, infrastructure will prove its usefulness in many ways, with the manufacturing sector benefitinghandsomely Itiswishfulthinkingatwork,but withaconspicuousdeficitwhichhesidestepsbecausethere are negatives embedded, which darkens his fairytales. In Jagdeo’s head, it is highlighting the pluses, ignoring the drawbacks,andtherestwillsolveitselfsomehow

The justification for hundreds of billions in several nationalbudgetsisthattherewillbeablueprintalreadyin place, when the oil is finished. Surprisingly, Jagdeo acknowledges that ExxonMobil is pushing the daily production meter, which means that the initial 20-year lifespan for some projects/wells has been considerably reduced. Like massive GDP numbers, increased oil productionhasresultedinminimaldifferencesinthelives ofordinarycitizens. Guyaneseobservethestaggeringrush ofactivity,readofthebillionsbeingspent,learnofhowwell the country is doing, but lament about why they are left behind,fallingfartherbehind.Itismostlybecauseoftheoil wealthbut,torepeat,thebenefitsatthecitizenlevelarenot coming to them. According to chief policymaker Jagdeo, Guyanese must sacrifice today, so they will be better poisoned to capitalize in a few years when oil production peaks. Meanwhile, those on the lower ends of the local wage ladder (in a rampaging economy) must find ways to get by The richest citizens in the world per capita are forcedtoaskthemselvesthat,ifthisiswhatitmeanstobe that rich, since it has translated to nothing for them. For poortheyaretoday,becausetheyarefightingalosingbattle with cost-of-living and living in a dignified manner In other words, they can’t manage, survival is a daily trial of brutalproportions.

So, they are waiting, and now Jagdeo is all brightness aboutthesignificanceofinfrastructurewhentheoilisgone. Ordinary Guyanese have serious difficulty coping today, whentheyarethetalkoftheworld. Thechallengeishow aretheygoingtomanagefromnowinthistimeofpenniless individual barrenness to the time when Jagdeo’s infrastructure magic proves its worth? He says that the manufacturingsectorwillbenefit,notwithstandingthefact thatthesamesectorisstrugglingwithasevereshortageof workerswiththerequiredskills. ItisobviousthatJagdeo prefers dealing with fantasy than reality When the new roadsandbridgesconnectfarmtomarkets,whataboutthe money that should have been in the pockets of the poor Guyanesemassestohelpthembuynotwhatevertheywant, butwhattheyneed? ItistheusualJagdeostandard,where his economic formulas have one element only which appealstootherobjectivesthatheisslickenoughtoleave unstated. It is a truism that for corruption to take wings, there must be spending. The more spending there is on infrastructure, the more the opportunities for the skullduggeriesthatGuyaneselivewith,payfor,andwhich torturethempresently

Aside from roads, Jagdeo spoke of the Wales gas-toenergyprojectandhowhispromisedlowerelectricityrates willbeaboonforthemanufacturingsector GiveGuyanese thebasisforthatpromise,thatoptimism,andtherecouldbe some support for it. Having been promised before, and burntbadlybefore,byJagdeowithdifferentcostlyprojects, more Guyanese have had their fill of him and his clever concoctions always wrapped in secrecy Two billion American dollars do not represent pocket money for Guyanese. Theywantsubstancenow,theywantmoneyin handnow,theywanttotasteandsavorthebenefitsoftheir oilwealthnow Postoilisyearsfromnow,andGuyanese

Guyana should look to Switzerland to learn how to improve democracy by radical constitutional reforms

DEAREDITOR

, Reference is made to Keith Bernard’s letter of September 5, 2024, publishedinStabroekNews, where he calls for a reconsideration of how Guyana is governed. This topicisindeedtimelybutthe author lacks an in-depth understanding of other governance models For example, he mentions the Swiss system of direct democracy but then dismisses it as difficult to adopt. As a Guyanese born and largely raised in Switzerland, I have ample experience with Swiss democracy and how the Swiss Federal State is organized.

And strongly believe that it can serve as an excellent case study for Guyana! Keith Bernard writes that scaling up the Swiss model is tricky, but thisisnottheissuehere.The population of Switzerland has reached 9 million people, which is more than ten times larger than that of Guyana.

Switzerland is a nation comprised of 26 cantons (equivalent to the states in the US), which enjoy farreaching autonomy including the right to raise communal and cantonal taxes.

TheFederalGovernment is organized largely along the principles defined in the Constitution of the United States, which was the only example available to the Swiss in 1848, when they crafted the Constitution of the Swiss Federal State. Importantly, the Swiss adapted the US constitution toaccommodatethespecific requirements of the Swiss people, who were not accustomed to a strong central state led by a monarch.

This explains why the Swiss president is comparatively weak and does not have the same executive powers that a US (or Guyanese) president enjoys The power is concentrated with the legislature, which is a twochamber parliament The

Swiss Federal Parliament is composed of a National Council elected on the basis o f p r o p o r t i o n a l representation, and the CouncilofStates(equivalent to the US Senate), which representsthecantons.

Both chambers of the Federal Parliament enjoy equal power and laws have to be passed by both chamberswithamajority.In addition, each law approved by parliament can be challengedbythepublicina referendum.

To do so, 50’000 signatures have to be collected, which then will triggeranationalvoteonthe new law Hence, the Swiss peoplehavetheultimatesay onanynewlegislation.

This may sound cumbersome and risky, but this mechanism of direct democracy has moderating effects on the Federal Parliament. It will aim at crafting legislation that reflects the majority opinions of the Swiss population.Ifitfailstodoso, itrunstheriskofhavingnew

legislation rejected at the b a l l o t b o x A s a consequence, Switzerland has become a very stable democracy as it is grounded in consensus building and compromisefinding.

Being fully aware of the deep divisions that run throughGuyanesepolitics,I amofthestrongbelievethat adopting elements of Swiss directdemocracycouldoffer a unique opportunity to overcome these divisions. For example, the tool of a referendum on laws passed by parliament would force thedominantpoliticalforces in Guyana to workout solutions to the pressing problems of the nation that serve not only the base and constituents of the party in power but the broad population independent of political preference and e t h n i c l o y a l t i e s F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e introduction of a twochamber parliament would have advantages as it would a l l o w f o r d i r e c t representationoftheregions (Continuedonpage06)

Political parties are NOT social welfare organisations

D

EAR

EDITOR

, I write in response to Mayor Mentore’s latest attempt at obfuscating the facts around this most reprehensible policy aimed at exempting the PNC/AFC from paying their fair share ofratesandtaxes.

In his latest risible contortion,themayorfinally admits that he was not truthful when he wrote that the policy “...establishes a 25% institutional rate for n o n - g o v e r n m e n t a l organisations (NGOs) AND political parties.” He now claims that “...a well-crafted policy to provide a framework to apply the institutional rate of 25% to o n e c a t e g o r y o f organisations – political parties – was discussed and approved. The policy does n o t m e n t i o n n o ngovernmental organisations because it was not

necessary ” Thank you, Mayor Mentore Though revealed in bits and pieces, the truth has finally come to light Furthermore, the meeting minutes will reveal that the policy presented to thecouncilwassovagueand poorly written that it had to undergo several revisions before being passed, with approvalcomingsolelyfrom PNCcouncillors.

Contorting himself further, Mayor Mentore attempts to deliver a misguided lecture on the distinction between a policy andadecision.However,his attempt at obfuscation does not change the facts of the matter: on August 26, the PNC councillors voted to exemptpoliticalpartiesfrom their tax obligations. This is particularly outrageous given the mayor’s own admission of the city’s ongoing budget struggles,

mustlivewithdignitynow Futureprobableinfrastructure benefits do nothing for struggling citizens now The oil is flowingnow,andGuyaneseshouldexperienceitspositives today Lessininfrastructureandmoreforpeopleisthewiser and better way Of course, less infrastructure spending meanslessavailabletosteal.

whichhaveledtodiminished services such as solid waste management, drainage, publichealth,andsecurity Editor, I wish to make clearthatpoliticalpartiesare NOT social welfare organisations A social welfare organisation exists to improve societal wellbeing through services like charity, advocacy, and community development, remaining largely apolitical andnon-partisan.Itsfocusis on addressing social issues without seeking political power A political party, however, is explicitly designed to gain political control, shape government policies, and compete in elections While social welfare organisations assist communities, political parties aim to govern them, making their pursuit of influence and authority centraltotheirmission.

Finally,ifthepolicyisas well-crafted as His Worship claims,thenheoughttohave no problems answering the followingquestions:

1) What is the potential impact of the proposed rate reduction on the City coffers?

(2) What is the potential impact of the proposed rate reduction on current real estateassetsheldbypolitical parties and the classification ofsuchassetsinthefuture?

(3) Who sent the letter requestingratereductions?

(4) What is the AFC’s roleinthismatter?

(5) What is the value of the benefits the AFC would receivefromthisrelief?

In conclusion, Mayor Mentore must be held accountable for his continued obfuscations and misleading statements. The fact remains that on August 26, the PNC councillors voted to exempt political partiesfrompayingtheirfair shareoftaxes,adecisionthat directlycontradictsthecity’s urgent need for revenue. No amount of evasive language or shifting narratives can change this truth. It is time for Mayor Mentore to stop dodgingthefactsandanswer for his role in pushing through this indefensible policy

Sincerely,

AlfonsoDeArmas

PPP/CCouncillor

TheGovt.musturgentlyconsider rebuilding/rehabilitating/ maintainingpostofficebuildings

DEAREDITOR

, Iameternallygratefulto have been given the opportunity to commence my working life at the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC), on completionofmySecondary Education, several years ago At that time, the Corporation had at its helm Post Master General, Mr EdwardNoble,supportedby Personnel Manager, Mr Stanton Halley and several other great men and women who served the Corporation withdistinction.

TheGuyanaPostOffice

Corporation is an autonomous body, managed by the Post Master General, withoversightbyaBoardof Directors. Unfortunately, no Board of Directors has been appointed since the PPP/C returnedtoofficein2020.

GPOC provides service tothetenregionsofGuyana, from no less than sixty buildings, and generates revenue from the services they offer and the rental of office space, to both i n d i v i d u a l s a n d organisations, public and private. The Corporation doesnotenjoyasubvention/

budgetary allocation like Guysuco.

Editor, the service provided to many communities by GPOC is hampered by the poor state of some of the buildings. I will focus mainly on the EssequiboCoastandBourda PostOfficetoday

The Danielstown post officewasdemolishedand i s c a u s i n g g r e a t inconveniencetotheolder residents Has the rebuilding of this post office been budgeted for in2024?

The Aurora post office is in a dilapidated state and is in urgent need of repairs, while Suddie, Queenstown, Anna Regina and Charity are in faircondition

Hopefully when these buildings are being rebuilt the Corporation would maintain the 2-storey design and not resort to one flat buildings as has beendoneelsewhere

The Bourda Post Office, in the heart of the c i t y , w h i c h w a s rehabilitated between 2003-2004, appears to have been excluded from

the Corporation’s maintenance budget One would have thought that with the PPP/C’s huge budget allocation for building projects, agencies such as the GPOC would have been included so as to facilitate the delivery of critical servicestoourcommunities.

I am therefore making a public appeal to the government for urgent consideration to be given t o rebuilding/rehabilitating/ maintaining, where necessary, post office buildingsacrossGuyana

I am also requesting that the Office of the Prime Minister facilitate the appointment of a Board of Directors to support the growth and development of the Post Office Corporation, ending the four-year hiatus The urgent release of the audited reports for the GPOC for 2020 to 2023 will also provide clarity on the financial performance of this critical agency.

Regards,

AnnetteFerguson,MP

The regional system is broken, continues to fail us in education and in timely maintenance of schools

DEAREDITOR, A news item about toilets not functioning in a West Coast Demerara school is symptomatic of a regional system that never fails to disappoint us over and over, and has been designed to fail The

regional system was supposedtoservepeoplein their regions to get all Government services efficiently, not regionalize corruption, create unresponsive bureaucracies, and send people on a merry go-round

The current inefficient and ineffective design of the Regional Ministry being charged with carrying out worksforthemaintenanceof schools and other government sectors in the regions including being responsible for the “Education Department” schools and dorms in the regions outside of Georgetown, need to be dismantledimmediately

It’sapoorwayofrunning Government when an entire Ministry, lacking in the skill sets and technical expertise in managing education, is allowed to hold schools to ransom. If schools need a light bulb or need to fix

broken windows or broken faucets and toilet fixtures, they have to wait on the regional system to get these thingsdone.Thesetasksfall in the laps of regional officials such as the

Regional Executive

Officers and Regional Chairmen

Schools are at the mercy of these folks with their own agendas, “bureaupathic” ways of operating, and potential skullduggeries that does

G u y a n a n o g o o d

Nothing moves quickly!

Schools deal with thousands of children on a daily basis and emergency needs occur all the time

Our systems need to be super-responsive to calls f r o m s c h o o l s f o r immediate and urgent assistance Schools cannot wait

They always have to respond to student needs speedily But when things are in the hands of the regional system and their folks, nothing is going anywhere fast When faucets don’t work, toilets don’t flush, and buildings are not painted, it’s not always the Ministry of Education that is to be

blamed Most often it is Regional Officials operating on “Guyana Time”whentheyshouldbe operating on “US Visa Application Appointment Time ” Sloth and lack of response, as is the norm, bedevils the Regional Ministry, and the new, inexperienced Ministers there, cannot fix that “humptydumpty”

So, when things don’t work,it’snotthatit’salways the case that there is weak school leadership or lapses on the part of education officials, most of the time youaskforhelpuntilyouare blue, and if you are lucky someone will respond to you.“Rapidresponse”isnot something the Regional Ministryunderstands.

S o , I u r g e t h e Government and parliament to reform a largely useless regional system, or exempt educationfromsucharotten arrangement whereby schools can be directly run by the Ministry of Education, instead of being underthemanagementofan ineffective and inefficient regionalsystem.

Whentheregionsaward multiplecontractstothe (Continuedonpage16)

Madame (retired) Justice Claudette Singh, GECOM, Manzoor Nadir and theAsha Kissoon Saga

DEAREDITOR, Today September 4th, 2024 marks exactly 56 days (8 weeks) since GECOM under the stewardship of Chairperson Retired Justice Claudette Singh, issued a statement on the wellpublicized Asha Kissoon saga. The statement issued by the PRO Miss. Yolanda Warde mentioned -”In light ofthemostrecentnewspaper publication, it must be categorically stated that GECOM has absolutely no authoritytoremoveDr Asha Kissoon from the National Assembly Article156ofthe Constitution of Guyana stipulates the conditions under which a Member of Parliament can be removed fromtheNationalAssembly and there is clearly no role forGECOMinthisregard.”

It was further stated that “itisnecessaryforGECOM to inform the public that the matter is actively being discussed at the level of the Commission and the outcome will be publicized upon conclusion of the discussions.”

The entire “Asha Kissoon saga” started when Dr Asha Kissoon, Deputy Speaker of the National A s s e m b l y a n d representativeoftheJoinder List of parties (LJP, ANUG&TNM) refused to give up the seat as was agreed upon via a m e m o r a n d u m o f understanding (gentleman’s agreement) signed by the threepartiespriortoGeneral Elections 2020 Dr Kissoon, a practicing medical doctor in the public system who upon taking the

HippocraticOath(anoathto uphold certain ethics and standards as a medical professional) has since reneged on the agreement and has taken a vow of silenceonthematter When contacted by various news agencies, she promised to speak on the matter at the right time, a timing that still remainsdistant.

GECOM’s stance that the matter is actively being discussed clearly runs in stark contrast to the public view since it has been two months since that press releaseandthematterseems no closer to being resolved. This matter must be one of the most complicated issues atGECOMforittotakethis longwithnofinalization. To make matters worse, the saga has many other interesting plots and subplots which all seem to pointtoaconcertedeffortto either keep Dr. Kissoon in the seat, or to stay mum on the running of GECOM in order to sweep under the carpetitsdeficiencies.

GECOMdoesnothavea good reputation in Guyana. Many feel that those in charge of the secretariat and of the administrative portfolio have always been working at the behest of the political party in power and/or the government Most recently, this all came to a legal head on when the David Granger led government unilaterally appointed Justice Patterson asChairman,anissuewhich was taken all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice (Guyana’s apex court) before resolution; Justice

Patterson was deemed illegally appointed not inkeeping with established norms Enter Madame Claudette Singh, retired judge and one of the foremost female legal luminaries of Guyana. One would expect therefore that any legal issue faced by GECOM, to have a quick and just resolution. Yet on the holding of elections 2020, there arose a plethora of issues ranging from administrative to E-Day issues. Someincludebutare not limited to: insufficient voter education, poorly trained staff, unclear hierarchy of the command chain, misuse of E-day protocols and alleged impersonification of voters. Theresultwasthattheresult of the elections was challenged via legal means and officers of GECOM are currently in front of the courts for possible fraud with the former CEO and Deputy CEO leading the charge.

With the termination of the famous recount exercise under the watch of CARICOM and the wider world, results were declared and a change in government occurred. At GECOM, a new CEO and Deputy CEO were swiftly appointed promising to right the ship. Both appointments were questioned and heavily criticized by sections of the population who saw those appointments as political and that those appointed were neither the best candidates nor the process transparent. However,on (Continuedonpage17)

Guyana should look to Switzerland...

Frompage04 andtheirspecificinterestsin parliament and would subject the legislative process to greater scrutiny andchecks.

The key question howeverishowcanrealand deep constitutional change byachieved?Unfortunately, nopartyinpowerwillagree to changes of the current political system, which servesthemsowell.

Thisisbestevidencedby what happened in 1992, when PPP took power after yearsinopposition.

In 1980, Guyana’s president Linden Forbes Burnham dumped the traditional Westminster system, in place since independence in 1966, in

favor of an authoritarian constitution with a strong presidency

This constitutional change was strongly opposedbythePPP,whilein opposition. However, once the PPP gained power, CheddiJaganfailedtoreject the Burnham constitution in favor of crafting a more democratic constitution for Guyana.

In Switzerland, the transition from a loose c o n f e d e r a t i o n o f independent cantons to a federal state with semiautonomous cantons was only possible after a brief civilwarin1847,whichwas won by the liberal and radical forces over the conservatives.

Thislaidthebasisforthe visionarySwissconstitution of 1848. The transition to a federal state with a stable and accountable federal government and the rule of law was also key to Switzerland’s economicrise starting in the 19th century to become one of the most prosperous nations on the planet, nota bene without anynaturalresourcesexcept for its hard-working population.

Is Guyana ready to undergo serious and fundamental constitutional reform without a major politicalcrisis?

Sincerely, AndreBrandli,PhD P r o f e s s o r, L M U Munich,Germany

- as oil production in Guyana ramps up Hess shareholder profits jump by 14%

Profits for shareholders

Further it was noted that of Hess Corporation have the “higher-than projected jumped by 14% since the production rates on the secondquarterof2024. Prosperity FPSO” has

This was announced by resulted in a new production the Board of Directors of the target this year of American company on approximately 228 million Wednesday The oil barrels of crude oil for 2024. company, which has a 30% As such, the industry is now interest in Guyana’s prolific expected to grow by 56.4% Stabroek Block said, “The this year, up from 44.7% dividend represents an projected at the time of approximate 14% increase preparingBudget2024. compared to the dividend for Governmentsaid,“Atthe the second quarter of 2024, project level, Liza Destiny, which equals a 25 cent Liza Unity, and Prosperity, increase per share on an all underwent optimisation annualizedbasis.” and topside debottlenecking

CEO of Hess Corporation, John Hess

To this end, Hess the company, compared to activities in the first half of explained the “regular the second half of this year the year The FPSOs quarterly dividend of 50 comes on the heels of a produced at an average of cents per share (is) payable r e v e l a t i o n b y t h e 157,000 bpd, 245,000 bpd, on the Common Stock of the Government of Guyana a n d 2 2 2 , 0 0 0 b p d , Corporation on September (GoG)thatthethreeFloating respectively, while reaching 30, 2024 to holders of record Production Storage and the highest collective rate of at the close of business on Offloading (FPSO) vessels 644,000bpdinJune2024.” September 16, 2024.” In that are producing oil in Oil earnings July, Hess announced an Guyana each underwent The total earnings from adjusted net income of optimization works in the the export of crude oil US$809 million, or US$2.62 first half of this year to amounted to US$9.4B in the per share, compared with increaseoilextraction. first six months of 2024, a $201 million, or $0.65 per According to the Mid- US$4B increase compared share, in the second quarter Year Report, the oil and gas with the same period last of2023. sector is estimated to have year It should be noted that

While Hess continues to grown by 67.1% in the first 75% of that amount was boast of increased profits, half of 2024, with total deducted by the Stabroek Guyana’s earnings from the production reaching 113.5 Block partners to recover sector continue to pale in million barrels during the theirinvestments. comparison. period. To this end, US$7.5B

This is in part as a result Government reported reflected cost recovery from of the lopsided 2016 oil that daily production in the the oil and gas sector contract, in addition to the Stabroek Block averaged Meanwhile, Guyana’s refusal of the incumbent 624,000 barrels per day Natural Resource Fund administration to renegotiate (bpd) in the first half of this (NRF) received a US$1.2B theagreement. year, compared with top-upduringthefirsthalfof

The increase in quarterly approximately 380,000 bpd 2024, including profits and dividends to shareholders of inthefirsthalfoflastyear.” royalty.

Jagdeoisattemptingtodictatethenarrative

At yesterday’s press conference, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo did what Jagdeodoesbest.Hesought to frame the public discourse in terms most favourable to his government.

With the finesse that only decades of political experience can confer, he began with a familiar refrain—complainingabout the so-called “anti-PPP” elements that refuse to measure the success of the current administration by comparingittotheprevious APNU+AFC regime. That government, according to Jagdeo, was a festival of corruption, a five-year carnival of ineptitude. And here, as if he were a universityprofessorgrading papers, Jagdeo insists that the current PPPC

a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ’s performance should be evaluated against the low barsetbyitspredecessor

But why should Bharrat Jagdeo dictate how the current government is assessed?Whograntedhim the authority to set the boundaries of public debate? What makes the APNU+AFC’s tenure, which Jagdeo repeatedly castigates as disastrous, a useful standard for comparison? This is the centralquestionthatJagdeo evades as he attempts to straight-jacket the analytical framework w i t h i n w h i c h h i s government’s performance isscrutinised.

It’s a clever rhetorical sleight of hand, one we’ve seen before. Jagdeo would haveusbelievethatbecause

the APNU+AFC was bad, any improvement no m a t t e r h o w marginal—should be cause for applause. He places the goalposts so close to the groundthatthePPPCcould trip over them and still be declared victors The implicit message is clear: “We’re not as bad as they were, so we must be doing fine.” But this argument collapses under the weight of its own absurdity If the A P N U + A F C administration was, as Jagdeo claims, an unmitigated disaster, then why should we be satisfied withmerelysurpassingsuch dismal standards? To compare the present government to the previous one is like grading on a curve in a class where most o f t h e s t u d e n t s failed everyone looks better, but it says nothing about the quality of the work.

ByJagdeo’slogic,ifthe previousregimedrownedin c o r r u p t i o n ,

mismanagement, and incompetence, then the PPPC’s ability to keep its head just above water shouldbecelebrated.Thisis governance by contrast rather than by excellence, a tacticasoldaspoliticsitself. But why should the people of Guyana accept such a meagre proposition? Why shouldtheyallowJagdeoto dictate the terms of debate? The answer is simple: they shouldn’t. Instead, the public should feel free to a s s e s s t h e P P P C government on their own terms, using criteria that matter most to them. Let us

take,forexample,theglutof resources now available to the government—primarily from the burgeoning oil industry When Jagdeo compareshisadministration totheAPNU+AFC,doeshe take into account that his government presides over vastly greater wealth than its predecessor? If not, then why should the public not ask:“Whatcouldhavebeen achieved with these resources?”Shouldtheynot demand to know whether this unprecedented revenue is being spent in a way that benefits the many rather than the few? Should the government not be judged by how effectively it manages the bonanza that haslandedinitslap?

W h y l i m i t t h e discussion to a comparison with the last administration when there are countless other regimes worldwide that could serve as models? WhynotevaluatethePPPC by its resourcefulness compared to other oilproducing countries? Nations with similar reserves and populations often manage to harness their oil wealth to build strong, diversified economies with robust institutions and minimal corruption Why, then, should the people of Guyana be content with comparisons to a failed regime?

Andwhatofcorruption? Jagdeo speaks of the APNU+AFC as though their legacy is one of unbridledgraft,andperhaps it was. But the fact remains that corruption is a persistent problem under

DEM BOYS SEH

Enjoy yuh life; it is the only one you will have on this Earth!

Imagine this:You wake uponemorningandnothing makes sense. You have no clue what your name is, whereyouare,orevenwho youare.

For all you know, you could be a millionaire, or maybe you owe a loan shark. It's a mystery! The first thought that pops into your head is: “Who am I?” but honestly, that's boring So, instead of solving that puzzle, you decide to make the most of it. After all, how often do yougetablankslate?

First stop—coffee. You orderthebiggestcuponthe menu,notcaringifyoucan

afford it because, let's face it, maybe you're rich. If the cashiergivesyouaside-eye when you pull out your cash, you flash a winning smile. At least you have money Next, you head to the nearest clothing store. Try onthatfancyshirttheyhave in the showcase. You pay andstrutoutlikeamodelon a runway If someone asks whoyouare,justshrugand say,“I'mwhoeveryouwant metobe.”

Asthedayprogresses,it occurstoyouthatthiscould go either way You could stumble into a government office and start running the

the PPPC as well The p e r c e p t i o n o f corruption—whether in the awarding of contracts, in government hiring practices, or in the cozy relationships between government officials and certain private sector interests has not dissipated. If anything, it has deepened. The public shouldnotfeelcompelledto compare levels of corruption between two regimesbutshouldratherbe asking whether their government is as clean as it ought to be or whether it is asaccountableastheywere promiseditwouldbe.

Jagdeo, of course, prefersnottodwellonsuch matters.Hewouldratherthe public forget the PPPC’s promises to renegotiate contracts with oil companies, a promise that remains largely unfulfilled. The government’s current posture toward these contracts is one of cautious acceptance, rather than renegotiationinthepeople’s interest Why should citizens not measure the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ’s performance against the promises it made? Why should the government not be held accountable for whatitsaiditwoulddowith theoilcontractsandwiththe PetroleumCommission?

The public must also consider the present government’s policies on their own merits For instance,whathasthePPPC done to address the chronic issues of poverty and inequality? Has it pursued policies that genuinely uplift the working class, or has it focused more on expanding the fortunes of the political and economic elite?Thesearethekindsof questions that Jagdeo seeks to avoid by imposing his narrow comparative framework. He does not wantthepublictoassessthe government by how well it has reduced poverty or by how much it has reduced inequality He would much rather they assess it by how much less corrupt or less incompetent it is than the lastadministration.

But even here, Jagdeo overreaches. By seeking to dictatethetermsofanalysis, he exposes the fragility of his government’s record. If the PPPC’s performance truly stood on its own merits, there would be no need to constantly invoke the spectre of the APNU+AFC. There would benoneedtoplaythegame of relative success The PPPCcouldproudlytoutits achievements, unburdened bytheneedforcomparison. But the fact that Jagdeo

continually returns to this refrain suggests that the g o v e r n m e n t ’ s accomplishments are not quite as impressive as he would have us believe. In the end, Bharrat Jagdeo’s attempt to impose a frameworkforassessinghis government’s performance is not just an insult to the i

Guyanesepeople;itisatacit

shortcomings He would ratherbejudgedagainstthe lowest standards than face the scrutiny of a free and independent evaluation The people of Guyana should reject this gambit. They should demand more. They should assess their government by the standards that matter most to them—not by the pitiful ones Jagdeo so desperately clingsto.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)

Ministry, or you could be a laboureronarubbishtruck. But here's the kicker: you don't have to choose. For one day, you're free from thelabels,expectations,and baggage that come with knowing who you are. By the end of the day, you realizesomething. Life is a lot more fun when you're not weighed down by the question of identity Maybe you don't needtorememberwhoyou are to enjoy yourself

Maybe the real you is just someone who's really good at making the most of a forgetfulday Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

clear the air thoroughly, please PNC and taxes –

The PNC must speak straight and speak speak to truth about national matters would stars, and the Americans so inclined), as immediate true. The PNC cannot speak like Vice expose its underbelly and possibly some type backdrop, the onus is on the PNC to get this comment that PresidentJagdeowhenadirectquestionisput ofskullduggery Oritsettledforsilence. The issuesortedoutconvincinglyandpublicly In goes to the heart to it, with a shave here, a shove there, and a claims of clean, transparent government and other words, Maikwak cannot serve as shield of the matter To repeat: taxes are owed slice somewhere else. Does it owe any taxes leadership have suffered from this seeking of or dead-end. The confidential status that is ornotowedbyMaikwak. Ifowed,effortsare to the Municipality of Georgetown? The thesafeharborofconfidentiality Orsilence. due other ordinary presences in Guyana underway to clear up the situation. The PPP party gave a loud, unequivocal NO. Thanks So, when I read of this development about cannot apply in this situation. The answer Government loves to smirk and snarl about for that clarity But that transfer of the lands Maikwak coming out of PNC spokespeople, about the PNC not owing those taxes is proof when cornered with allegations of to Maikwak has come in for its own fire. it does not sit right, falls short. The PPP welcomed. But pointing to Maikwak does wrongdoing or failure. The PNC is best Does Maikwak now owe the $6.7B to City Government and its players cannot be notconcludethismatter advisednottogodownthatroad. Hall,andonthisthePNCshouldn’tshiftfrom roundly denounced for hiding behind In the interests of plain truths and the This brings me to the development foot to foot, or retreat into silence. If it does smokescreenswhenthehardissuesoftheday transparencies that go along with those, this coming out of the Georgetown City Council. owe billions in taxes, as stated with are raised, but the PNC held to a different $6.7B issue [and Maikwak] must be told. I just say that it is certainly timely, a nice late considerable confidence by VPJagdeo, what standard. Through silence. Through some The longer that this alleged tax arrears August surprise that benefits one political are its plans and arrangements to resolve the verbalmaneuver Throughwhatlookslikean dangles unanswered in the face of Guyanese, group currently Why revisit what has been matter? Whatevertheamountowed,ifanyat unpersuasive head fake. Wrong once, wrong the worse odor it assumes. I believe that the already settled? So, it has nothing to do with all,whatdoesthepartyintendtodoaboutit? twice. party has already put the wrong foot forward arrears. It does not help that a clear, straight I think that this stand from Jagdeo about in how it has dealt with this startling Thisblowssomesmokeintheface. Ifnot answer on the $6.7B tax bombshell has $6.7B owed by the PNC (Maikwak) to the development. arrears, then what is it, really? Why even shiftedfromthePNCitselfintotheblankness Georgetown City Council demands a clean Should it persist with what I believe is a bother to bring that up again? We must start of Maikwak, and right there in Sophia. I am response, represents a good start. I could losing approach, the only thing that it somewhere is walking the straight line with allforconfidentialrelativetocertainmatters, pauseiftheactualamountowedisnotshared succeedsindoingisdiggingabiggerholefor straight stories and straight talk. If not, all but there are some things that still must be currently A case could be made for some itself. Separately, my concern is how does a that there would be is the usual six-for-nine said to set the record straight. If Maikwak is degreeofconfidentiality,butitcan’tbeopen- responsible organization of the national that has become such a feature in Guyana. due some concession or exemption, then the ended. I assert this because the PNC is not standing of the PNC, reach this stage of an From leadership to governance, to oil, to documentation would help Also, somerun-ofthemill,fly-by-nightpresencein alleged $6.7B rates and taxes backlog. If the statistics, to taxes, to public disclosures. We confidentiality has its time and place, but it Guyana. The PNC is a major national amount is in the neighborhood (wherever it continuethisway,andallGuyanawouldever must stop being seen as some sacred, all- presence, the national government more than applies),Iwonderhownegligentorcavalierit be is a society and country forever embroiled purpose shelter when answering once. This makes it the farthest thing from a could have been about something of this in controversies, riddled with accusations, uncomfortable questions can lead to the regularmom-and-popcornershop. Withthat nature. An amount of $6.7B must involve a andgoingnowhere. potential disclosure of inconvenient truths. highest former national presence [a good number of years. Unless there is a (The views expressed in this article are The PPP Government and some of its more government] and its status as the major significant set of property spread across the those of the author and do not necessarily sparkling luminaries have rushed for cover opposition political group (a government-in- municipality’s area of authority Either way, reflect the opinions and beliefs of this inside the sanctuary of confidential when to waiting, should there be alignment of the this doesn’t look good and calls for newspaper and its affiliates.)

‘Exxon not using Guyana’s oil for its operations’

- says provision in PSA is not for crude oil but natural gas

The Government of arenotusinganyofthecrude b e s t p r a c t i c e s a n d

usingoilfromproductionfor Guyana has insisted that produced for that purpose. transparency standards itsoperationswasflaggedby operator of the lucrative So it would be zero,” Jagdeo Furthermore, the ministry International AwardStabroekBlockExxonMobil said. said that it is common winning Lawyer, Melinda is not using this country’s oil The Ministry of Natural knowledge that the crude oil Janki during a webinar on foritsoperations. Resources also provided whichiswhatExxonextracts Sunday

Questions have been clarification on the issue in a offshore Guyana has to be

The virtual discussion raised as to whether statement responding to an refined into a number of titled‘Guyana’soil-boomor ExxonMobil has been article published by the products as it cannot be used blowout?’ was widely utilising this country’s crude KaieteurNews. in its natural unrefined state. attended by close to 100 as provided for in the The ministry said that, As there are currently no participants from different lopsided Production Sharing “Article 11 9 of the refinery operations in c

Agreement to fuel its Petroleum Agreement states Guyanatorefinethecrude,it presentation, the Lawyer offshore operations. Vice “The Contractor shall have has to be exported to pointed out, “The Petroleum President Bharrat Jagdeo on the right to use in any international markets where Agreement says that Exxon, Thursdayathisweeklypress Petroleum Operations as it can be refined into the Hess and CNOOC can take profit oil, so if you think of petroleum operations, conference told the media much of the production as petroleum products. “The as much oil as they need for the oil, you have got three including drilling and while responding to a may reasonably be required ‘production’ for use in the operations. So, when things-one,thefreeoilthat’s production operations and question posed by this by it therefore and the offshore operations, as theyproducetheoil,theycan taken off the top, we don’t pumping to field storage.” newspaper that he had quantities so used or lost referencedintheAgreement, take, each one of them, knowhowmuchthatisandit Data on the Ministry of previously addressed the shall be excluded from any is not crude oil but natural Exxon, Hess and CNOOC, doesn’t count and then the

issue and it remains the calculations of Cost Oil gas. Most of the natural gas each one of them can take as rest of the oil which is Petroleum Management same. and/or Cost Gas and Profit extracted offshore is much oil as they say they divided into something P

“I think it still stands that Oil and/or Profit Gas reinjected, while a portion is needfortheiroperations.” calledcostoilandprofitoil.” indicate how much oil is they are not using any of the entitlement.” processed, removing In 2021, Janki said she It should be noted that taken out by Exxon for its production for that purpose, The statement further impurities, so that it is useful wrote to President IrfaanAli ExxonMobil Guyana operations. for generating power or clarified that this was in asfuel,”theministryadded. requesting information on Limited (EMGL), as the The website however power in the FPSO’s, they keeping with international

The issues of Exxon how much oil was being operator of the Stabroek publishes information on the deducted by the companies; Block is required to submit a amountofoilproduceddaily however, she never received quarterly production bythecompanyandprovides aresponse. statement to the government an overview of gas injected, She said, “Either he of Guyana, outlining among flaredandusedforfuel. doesn’t know or he doesn’t other things the gross This therefore raises want to say, but this oil does quantity of crude oil or q

Fire razes storage bond in ‘A’ Field Sophia

Fire of an unknown origin destroyed a storage bond located in ‘A’Field, Sophia on Thursday afternoon. The fire which started at approximately 14:30h quickly spread throughout the bond despite the prompt response from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS). However, the fire fighters’ valiant efforts were unsuccessful as the bond was completelydestroyed.

Residents in the community gathered as word of the fire spread, and thick black smoke billowed into the sky. At the time of the fire, the owner (s) whose name is unknown was not at the premises. Kaieteur News understands that the bond stores wood, spare parts and other materials. Bahiyyah Fraser, a neighbour told Kaieteur News that the fire spread quickly “I saw the fire start from the neighbor’s side, and the wind just carried it. It all happened so fast,” Fraserwhorecentlymovedtotheareasaid.

The woman told this publication that because of how fast the fire spread, a motorcycle belonging to a relative was burnt. She disclosed that no one lived at the bond and there were no signs of vagrants there.

“No, nobody lights fires around here,” sheassured.

TheGFSisinvestigatingthecauseofthe fire.Uptopresstime,nostatementhasbeen issuedonthefire. (Wayne Lyttle)

The aftermath of Thursday’s fire. A damaged motorcycle.

notgetcounted,it’sjustgone natural gas produced as well publishing of selective and the rest of the oil is asthe“quantitiesusedforthe i

divided into cost oil and purpose of carrying on government.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

US$1.2M TVET centre commissioned at North West Secondary School

Mi n i s t e r o f students in the region. It will and enthusiasm for the new Education, offer specialised training facility

P r i y a programs and resources Manickchand durig

Manickchand aimed at equipping students r e m a r k s a t t h e

o n W e d n e s d a y with practical skills and commissioning spoke about commissioned the new US certifications needed for the significance of the new $1 2 million Practical v a r i o u s t r a d e s a n d centre, calling it a major Instruction Department professions. achievementfortheMinistry (PID) at North West The centre will feature of Education and the Secondary School in hands-on workshops, GovernmentofGuyana. Mabaruma,RegionOne. industry-relevant training She emphasised the This Technical and programs, and certification importance of expanding Vocational Education and courses to prepare students opportunities for students in Training (TVET) facility, for successful careers and Region One, aligning with constructed at a cost of contribute to local economic the Education Month theme, US$1,209,241 GYD$ development.

‘Investing in Education, 252,610,444.90 replaces the The commissioning Bridging Gaps, Creating previous PID that was ceremony was attended by Opportunities ’ “We’re destroyed by fire in 2021. Minister of Education Priya investingineducation,we’re According to the press Manickchand, Minister of going to bridge gaps and release, the newly built PID Housing and Water Collin opportunitieswillbecreated, is designed to enhance Croal, regional officials, and that is the theme of our

v

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand with students and educational officers.

aining educators, and students, all life every single day,” underscored the Ministry’s education, particularly for their location, has access to opportunities for up to 400 of whom expressed support MinisterManickchandsaid.

commitment to improving every child, regardless of

Amerindian and Hinterland quality education from communities, as evidenced nursery through secondary by the creation of the Office school “We made very o

specific and clear directions, H

for the Ministry; that every Development. She reiterated child, wherever they exist, the goal of ensuring that on the highest mountain or deepest valley, along every river bank, on every road side, would be able to access nursery, primary and secondary education.” She explained.

Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain explained the implications of the PID for students’ educational futures. She noted that, in addition to traditional CSEC subjects, students will now be able to achieve a CVQ Level I certificate, which will facilitate entry into technical institutes, the University of Guyana, GOAL programs, Cyril Potter College of Education, and Carnegie School of Home Economics. She stated, “previously, for you to matriculate, the only thing youcould’vegottenwasfive subjects at CSEC inclusive of English and Mathematics. Now the Ministry of Education has looked extensivelyatthis.”

Dr Ritesh Tularam, Deputy Chief Education Officer with responsibility for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), highlighted the centre’s role in shaping the futureworkforce.

He pointed out that the PID will offer programs in five occupational areas: furniture making, motor vehicle repairs, electrical installation, commercial food preparation, and home management.

Students who complete theseprogramswillreceivea CVQ Level I Certificate and will have the opportunity to pursue further levels of certification.

ILO says global labour income share declines

...large share of youth unemployed

GENEVA (ILO News) – In its newly-released World Employment and Social Outlook: September 2024 Update, the International Labour Organization (ILO) finds upward pressure on inequality as the labour income share stagnates and a large share of youth remains out of employment, educationortraining.

The report indicates slow progress on key Sustainable DevelopmentGoals(SDGs)asthe2030deadlineapproaches.

The study reveals that the global labour income share, which represents the portion of total income earned by workers, fell by 0.6 percentage points from 2019 to 2022 and has since remained flat – compounding a long-running downwardtrend.Ifthesharehadremainedatthesamelevelas in 2004, labour income would be larger by US$2.4 trillion in 2024alone.

The study highlights the COVID-19 pandemic as a key driver of this decline, with nearly 40 per cent of the reduction in the labour income share occurring during the pandemic years of 2020-2022 The crisis exacerbated existing inequalities, particularly as capital income continues to concentrate among the wealthiest, undermining progress towards SDG 10, which aims to reduce inequality within and amongcountries.

Technological advances, including automation, have played a role in this trend. While these innovations have boosted productivity and output the evidence suggests that workers are not sharing equitably from the resulting gains. The report warns that without comprehensive policies to ensure that the benefits of technological progress are broadly shared, recent developments in the field of artificial intelligencecoulddeepeninequality,puttingtheachievement oftheSDGsatrisk.“Countriesmusttakeactiontocounterthe risk of declining labour income share. We need policies that promote an equitable distribution of economic benefits, including freedom of association, collective bargaining and effective labour administration, to achieve inclusive growth, and build a path to sustainable development for all,” said CelesteDrake,ILODeputyDirector-General.Drawingonthe ILO’s recently published Global Employment Trends for Youth (GETYouth),thestudyalsoidentifiesthelargeshareof youth outside employment, education and training as a persistent area of concern.As GETYouth showed, the global rate of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET) registered only a modest decrease from 21.3 per cent in2015to20.4percentin2024andisprojectedtoremainflat forthenexttwoyears.ThefemaleNEETrate–whichstoodat 28.2 per cent in 2024 – is more than double that faced by youngmen,jeopardisingSDG8.

EU delegation meets Min. Anthony to discuss health and pharmaceutical investment mission

The European Union Delegation in Guyana on WednesdaymetwithDr FrankAnthony,MinisterofHealth, to discuss the upcoming EU Health and Pharmaceutical InvestmentMission.

The discussion focused on potential collaborative opportunitiesbetweentheministryandtheEUcompaniesin the health and pharmaceutical sectors, aiming to align these effortswith Guyana’shealthcareneedsandgoals.

In a press release the Ministry of Health said, the EU delegation is committed to fostering partnerships that will contributepositivelytoGuyana’shealthsector,ensuringthat the expertise and resources of EU companies are effectively utilised. Ambassador René Van Nes, Joan Nadal, from EU Delegation Guyana and Taiana Mora, the mission coordinatorandothermemberswerepresentatthemeeting.

WANTED VACANCY

Drivers to drive Canter, and Porters to work in warehouse. Call: 673-7373. Experience is an asset.

Canter Driver, age 30 year or older, Must have at least 5 years experience. Call: 6130855 9:00 am- 4:30 pm.

Excavator Operator, Must have at least 5 years experience. Call: 613-0855 between 9:00 am - 4:30 pm.

Bob cat Operator, Must have at least 5 years experience. Call: 613-0855 between 9:00 am - 4:30 pm.

Cook needed, Hours: 6 AM to 9 AM, Days: Monday to Saturday. Call: 226-0724 between 9 AM to 4 PM.

Wanted! Workers for packaging pasta and chowmein. $4100-$4900 per day. Workers paid weekly. Call: 6117839 (GTT)/ 637-0983 (digi).

One House Maid to work in Providence area. Call: 624-8591.

One Handyman needed to work in the Interior. Call: 6770869 or WhatsApp: 664-0844.

Urgently wanted Truck / Lorry driver. Must be safe & reliable. Call: 609-9203 / 6031768.

Mining equipment, Maroc nozzles starting from $3,500 & chinese engine bed starting from $21,000. Call: 6981267/657-9121.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

1 Honda CRV, includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, sproiler, crashbar, low mileage PTT Series (first owner). Contact: 649-0956.

1 Toyota Allion, Pioneer DVD, CD & USB deck, reverse camera, alarm, low milage. Call: 649-0956.

Unregistered, 2 ton Hiab Canter, 4D 35 Engine. Manual fuel pump . Call: 628-6870.

One (1) electrician for Eccles Call 615-9132 or 645-8443.

One Clerk for TSI Eccles office. English & Mathematics, grade 1 or 2. Email application: techserigy@ yahoo.com or Call: 615-9132.

Maid to clean for East Bank area. Call: 615-9132.

Female Cleaner for office. Call 645-8443.

Male Cleaner for Eccles. Call: 615-9132/ 645-8443.

Vacancy at P.S.G.C.S for General Cleaner, Mason, Carpenter, Fabricator/ Welder, Maintenance Workers & Handyman/ woman. Call: 621-6969/ 615-7784.

Litigation/companies Clerk. Experience essential, Applications with CV & References to Cameron & Shepherd/ csmain@cameronandshepherd.com

Vacancy Exist For two experienced Dispatcher at Confidential Cabs. Call: 231-5784, 231-4001, 231-4000.

Experienced Cook & kitchen Assistant needed at Famous Flavour Creole Restaurant. Call: 676-5534 / 709-8131.

One (1) painter. Call: 615-9132 or 645-8443.

Room Attendant, Desk Clerk, Supervisor and Receptionist 23-45 Years old. 233 South Road. Call: 225-0198.

Vacancy exist for one general domestic 40 years or older. Call : 619-9317.

SERVICES

Visa Application:U.S.A, Canada & UK:Graphics design, advertisements, wedding arch rentals.Tel:6267040.

Elevate your brand with our professional Graphic design services. For more information Call: 619-0007, 629-5526.

BUS SERVICES

Need a bus or planning an outing. Call Matthew bus services and tours, Surniname/ Braz. Whatsapp : 639-2663/ 673-2348.

$791M Yarrokabra Secondary School commissioned

…as seven primary tops are closed

Seven primary tops (a secondary depart ment in a primary school) located along the Soesdyke – Linden Highway have been closed as the Ministry of Education commissioned a new secondary school at Yarrowkabra.

The $790M Yarrowkabra Secondary School was commissioned by President Irfaan Ali and Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand on Thursday.

The Ministry inked a $790,571,342 contract with R. Bassoo & Sons Construction Company to build the school in September 2021.

At the contract signing, it was shared that the school will have nine buildings complete with the necessary laboratories, space for industrial arts, among other auxiliary buildings.

The new school will accommodate 1,019 students across 35 classes and 65 teachers including 29 newly recruited educators, 31 trained teachers, 14 teachers who are in training and 20 to be registered for training.

Minister Manickchand during her remarks said that plans to construct the school were in the pipeline since 2013 and now that it is constructed and opened, seven primary tops which accommodated 550 students have been closed. The primary tops that

ages 25-40 Years, WhatsApp: 1-246-835-6908.

have been closed are in Hauraruni, Laluni, Long Creek, Kuru Kururu, Dora, Low Wood and Susannah.

Minister Manickchand disclosed that her ministry will soon seek contractors to build an additional 10 classrooms at the school.

“We started this school last year and we already need 10 new classrooms which the Permanent Secretary has already put out a bid because once the school is here, kids will come to school and once children come to school lives will change,” the minister related. Noting that opening the school forms part of the President’s goal of ensuring children are provided with the infrastructure to receive their education, the minister said that over the next few days several schools will be commissioned and that the sod for a new secondary school at Orealla, Region Six will be turned this weekend.

Meanwhile, President Ali said the commissioning represents another historic occasion in the country’s education sector.

“We are here to open yet another school, a grand achievement that is in its own right but in so doing we are

also making a leap towards realizing a key goal of our national education policy, universal secondary education, and that is an important goal of our education policy.

We firmly believe that universal access to secondary education should not be considered optional it is an indispensable right for every child,” the President said.

It was reported that the government’s goal is to achieve universal secondary education in Guyana by 2025.

On Thursday, President Ali said that secondary education is not merely a privilege but a fundamental entitlement that must be extended to all. “We don’t need the United Nations or anyone to set the benchmark we are setting the benchmark for our country so that we can become a model for others to follow and that benchmark is to achieve universal secondary education,” he stated.

Further, he said that the government’s goal is not solely to increase the number of classrooms, but to also create conducive learning environments whereby equipping schools with modern technologies including libraries, laboratories, and facilities for sports, which will enrich the educational development of

children in the country.

“Universal secondary education is to ensure that no child is left behind, through this initiative we aimed to make education accessible to every child, providing enriching, enlightening and empowering life experiences essential for a modern economy,” the Head of State expressed.

He told the gathering that the Yarrowkabra Secondary School symbolizes hope, opportunities, and progress and that the educational institution will be a beacon for the youths of Yarrowkabra.

“By investing in such schools, we are investing in the intellectual capital of our nation, a resource that holds the key to innovation, creativity and sustainable development,” the President stated.

The Head of State called on the school’s administration to take good care of the state-of-the-art facility since it was constructed for intergenerational benefit.

Further, he urged parents to pay attention to the education of their children since that responsibility does not fall solely on teachers.

The Commissioning ceremony was also attended by Minister within the office of the Prime Minister, Kwame McCoy.

The regional system is broken, continues...

From page 05 same people, the contractor is simply lacking in capacity to do concurrent repairs and maintenance in all the regional schools in a timely manner. And students and teachers are made to suffer for a bad design for running govern-

ment. As we talk about constitutional reform, let’s either fix the regional system or dismantle it in favor of modern systems for rapid decision making and program implementation.

The Regional System, “as is,” is a “goadie” the

country has to carry, and that’s not good. Let’s revamp and reform the system now! Simply saying our system is bad and our not fixing it, is insanity.

Sincerely, Dr . Jerry Jailall Civil Society Advocate

PEN PAL Mature man, loving and generous seeks female for friendship,

President Irfaan Ali alongside Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and other officials cut the ribbon at the commissioning ceremony of the Yarrowkabra Secondary School.

Mathews Ridge drug bust puts spotlight on need for robust policing of illegal airstrips - PNCR

Th e P e o p l e s N a t i o n a l

Congress Reform (PNCR) on Thursday said that the $40.7B drug bust at Matthews Ridge, Region

One by ranks of the Joint Services speaks to the need for better monitoring mechanisms to be put in place to detect illegal airstripsinthehinterland.

In a statement, the oppositionpartysaidthatthe lack of effective monitoring

h a s f a r - r e a c h i n g implications for the country’s national security andterritorialintegrity

Morethanfourtonnesof cocaine, with a street value ofsomeG$40.7billion(176 million Euros), were unearthedinseveralbunkers off an illegal airstrip near MatthewRidge,RegionOne (Barima-Waini).

The narcotics, which were found close to the Clandestine Airstrip on Saturday, were destroyed aftersampleswereextracted to assist with further investigations.

Following the bust, the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) disclosed that

The Joint Services with support from the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), carried out an operation in Region One which led to the discovery of four tonnes of cocaine, and the illegal airstrip.

its officers, in collaboration with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Special Forces Unit with support from the United States Drug Enforcement A

y (DEA), carried out the operation in Region One whichledtothediscoveryof theillegalairstrip.

However, the PNCR in its statement said the joint operation exposes several breachesandfailingswhich, if not vigorously confronted and addressed, would see Guyana remaining a major

trans-shipment point for drug trafficking and a locus for other aspects of transnational organized crimes, such as gun smuggling and traffickinginpersons.

To this end, the party stressed the need for the monitoring of undetected c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d maintenance of illegal airstripsinthehinterland.

“Constructing and preserving airstrips in Guyana’s hinterland would requiretheuseofmanpower and heavy-duty machinery,

involve noisy and extensive d e f o r e s t a t i o n a n d construction operations, and leave telltale footprints that could be easily detectable fromthegroundandair,”the partysaid. ThePNCRsaid: “Howcouldsuchairstripsbe constructed in secrecy is a question the government must answer If, as reported, that such airstrips are monitored by the GDF, why are they not promptly destroyed as a matter of policy? We, in the PNCR/APNU, remain

skepticalthatGuyanahasan effectivesystemtodetect,let alonetodestroy,theseillegal airstrips ” Further, the Opposition party suggested that Guyanese are doubtful of the Joint Services ability to detect and track illegal flights into the country The party said that there is need for adequate satellite and groundsurveillancesystems to be put in place to detect and track all flights into Guyana. Thepartysaidthat theGuyanaPoliceForcewas not involved in the major drug bust while noting that “Unconfirmed reports even point to the likely involvement of one or severalseniorpoliceofficers intheconcealmentofthe4.4 tonnecocainecache.”

“Thedireimplicationsof this development cannot be over-stated.

For a major arm of our law enforcement apparatus to be sidelined, distrusted, and likely compromised amounts to a national crisis. Such a police force constitutes a national security threat in itself. We, in the PNCR/APNU, have repeatedly raised the alarm

overthiscrisisinpolicingin G u y a n a We h a v e highlighted the fact that severalhigh-rankingofficers arelikelycomplicitincrime. The PPP government has chosen to ignore these concernsforitsownpolitical and criminal agenda. The Mathews Ridge seizure amply demonstrates that the GPFisdistrustednotonlyby citizens,butevenbyitssister law enforcement agencies,” the party said. Meanwhile, the PNCR said that as the next government it will confrontdrugtrafficking.

“One of our main approacheswillbetowinthe trust and cooperation of residents in our Hinterland communities in making themamajorlineofdefence a n d s o u r c e o f intelligence…We will also invest in training and technologies to boost our detection and surveillance capacity. We will professionalize the police force and restore and enhance its credibility and effectiveness. None of this will occur under the current PPP government,” the party added.

Madame(retired)JusticeClaudetteSingh,GECOM,ManzoorNadir...

Frompage06 appointment, the CEO promised to right the ship and fix the issues of his predecessor

One would therefore expect that transparency to beparamountinalldealings

and protocols to be established in keeping with theconstitutionalmandateof the organization. These protocols if adhered to wouldensurethatthenation benefitsfromanagencyfree of political bias and that it’s functioning exemplar to the restofthenation.

GECOMitselfmusthave been surprised when young Dr Gerald Forde, representative of the list of TNM penned a letter to GECOM asking for an update on his status and for the possible removal of Dr Kissoon,inkeepingwiththe law To the country’s consternation, GECOM unashamedlyadmittedthatit had let its guard down and Dr.Asha Kissoon may have been admitted to parliament via a process not in keeping with that stated by the constitution. None other than the CEO himself, Mr Vishnu Persaud belatedly admitted that protocol was not followed and Dr Kissoon went to parliament via selection through someone other than the

representativeofthelist,one Mr Kenrick Morgan. The commission itself, after months of deliberation was only able to respond to Dr Fordethatasfarastheywere concerned, he was still the substantiverepresentativeof the list of TNM and that attempts to change this by Leader of the party, Dr. Kissoon were unsuccessful since the procedure was not in keeping with the process set out by the constitution. Oh what a reflection this must be on the CEO, the Commissionbutmoresothe Chairperson, the learned former judge. If there is anything to hang one’s headinshame,thismustbeit for someone with such a storiedlegalpast. Isitshame that has the former Judge pussyfootingincahootswith the government represented commissioners on having a final decision rendered on thematter? Ifshethinksthat thiswillbesoonsweptunder thecarpet,sheisinforarude awakening.

Enter Mr Manzoor Nadir,SpeakeroftheHouse appointed by the governing PPP/C representatives in Parliament. Whencontacted byDr Forde,whoonreceipt of the information from GECOM that he was still according to GECOM’s recordstherepresentativeof

the list, issued a letter of recall of Dr Kissoon. This letter, dated March 14th, 2024andsignedreceivedby the personal secretary of the Speaker March 15th, 2024, seems to have gone lost (although its circulation is public)orunreadresultingin adeafeningsilencefromMr. Nadir. He for whatever reason seems to have abdicated his constitutional responsibilityandchoosesto remain mum on the issue. Himself and Dr Kissoon seem to be reading from the same script; “silence is the way, let time pass by so that thematterwillfizzleaway”. Clearly, Mr Nadir is forgetting that history is being written and his sordid behaviour will be for posterity for all his generationstosee,similarto thatoftheChairofGECOM. Precedent in such has been already set as exemplified by former speaker of the house, Mr Ralph Ramkarran SC, who on receiving a similar letter of recall from former opposition leader and representative of the list Mr Robert Corbin in the past, declared the seat vacant and Mr James McAllister (former PNC MP) as no longer a member of parliament Surely Mr Nadir must know of this.

Exactly what is his motive forthederelictionofhisduty is open for all to cast aspersions.

In the meantime, Dr Kissoon continues to reap the plushy benefits of being an MP and Deputy Speaker oftheHouse(afatsalaryand access to Parliament). ANUG,thepartywhichwas supposedtogosecondbutin good faith allowed Dr. Kissoontogosecondisshut out from sending a representative to parliament to represent the more than 2200 persons who voted for them. How could a party with at least 3-4 very prominentlawyersallowDr Kissoon“ahustler”tooutwit them,isasastoundingasthe issueitself.

Why have they not taken any legal means to have the matter addressed? Isitlackofinterest,fortitude or is there some hidden agenda at play? Could ANUGhaveknownthatthey havenolegalstandinginthis entireordealandassuchthe reluctancetopushforthwith any other means of redress? Are they hoping for Dr Kissoon tohaveachangeof heart or for Mr Nadir to finally wake up out of his slumber and do his job, handing the seat on a platter to ANUG? Clearly with a candidate long selected and

publicly announced ANUG was hoping to go to parliament Have they accepteddefeat?

Finally, what about the fourth estate? Have they also grown fed up of this never-ending saga and as such refuse to investigate thoroughly who is at fault and ask them the hard questions, pressing them for answers? What about the representatives of those countries/organizations that profess democratic norms?

Aretheytakingnoteofwhat is happening in Guyana where the rule of law seems tobeselectivelyadheredto?

Only as recent as August 2, 2 0 2 4 U S T r a d e Representative Ambassador KatherinemetwithDr Asha Kissoon, among other opposition party leaders to discuss areas of mutual interest related to trade between Guyana and the United States. Clearly the rep had no issue being seen in a photo op with someone who is illegally squatting in our parliament and representing no one but herself. Isthatacceptable?

As a Guyanese who voted for a small party in 2020 (LJP) the behaviour of Dr Kissoon and inaction of Mr Shuman during his stint has left a bitter taste in my mouth, Why should I trust

third parties again after the debacle of the AFC of past and now the TNM and LJP The only third party that seems to maintain some level of independence is ANUG, but even their inaction on this issue shows their lack of fight when it m a t t e r s m o s t a n d toothlessness in politics. Why should I give them my vote in 2025 if they happen tobeontheballot?

Mydilemmaissharedby a sizable portion of the population who seem to be left with no choice but to vote for one of the big parties.

Even the resurgence of theAFCunderitsnewleader and his forays around the countrymustbeviewedwith suspicious lens. After all, once bitten twice shy, goes the refrain. Guyana needs a third party with leaders of unquestionable character who are willing to fight for the people and not look to use politics as a means of achieving personal fortunes andfiefdomsasisthenorm. Willthoseleadersstepup,or must we continue with the Nortons’ , Trotmans’ , Shumans’,Kissoons’andthe failures of time past? The clockisticking.

RespectivelyYours, DaleAgard

FormerLJPSupporter

Netanyahu’s border proposal threatens Gaza ceasefire talks

Aljazeera - Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his military must retain open-ended controloverGaza’ssouthern border area with Egypt –known as the Philadelphi Corridor – digging in on a position that threatens to derailceasefireefforts.

Netanyahu’s stance on the corridor – which was seized by Israeli forces in May – has become the key obstacle to reaching a ceasefire deal in Gaza as pressure mounts on the Israeli leader amid mass protests domestically demanding that a deal be reached that brings captives home and international outrage as the number of Palestinians confirmed killed by Israel’s military in Gazanears41,000.

“Gaza must be demilitarised, and this can only happen if the Philadelphi Corridor remainsunderfirmcontrol,” Netanyahu told foreign journalistsonWednesday

Netanyahu said Israel mustmaintaincontrolofthe corridor to prevent weapons being smuggled into Gaza and that Israel would only consider withdrawing from the strategic location when presentedwithanalternative plantopolicethearea.

“Bring me anyone who willactuallyshowus that

theycanactuallypreventthe recurrence” of smuggling, he said. “I don’t see that happening right now. And until that happens, we’re there.”

W h e n a s k e d b y journalists for a timeline for Israel ending its war on Gaza, Netanyahu refused to giveone.

“How long can we do this? As long as it takes to achieve this victory And I think we’re getting a lot closer,”hesaid.

Netanyahu has faced searingcriticismfrommany in Israel for his position on the Philadelphi Corridor, including from within his own military and security establishment who believe Israeli troops do not need to be permanently based in Gaza and could, instead, launch targeted raids if required to stop arms smuggling.

Egypt, a mediator in the ceasefiretalksalongwiththe US and Qatar, has also demanded a concrete timeline for Israel’s withdrawal from the corridorwhichrunsalongits border The United Arab Emirates, which established formaltieswithIsraelinthe 2020 Abraham Accords –designedtonormaliseArabIsraeli relations – has also criticisedIsrael’sdecisionto control the corridor on

Hamas calls for pressure on Netanyahu to stick to agreed ceasefire plan, accuses the Israeli leader of using the Philadelphi Corridor to thwart deal.

Israeli tanks stand near the Israel-Gaza separation fence as seen from southern Israel Sunday, in July 2024 [Tsafrir Abayov/AP Photo]

Wednesday.In a statement released on Thursday, Hamas blamed Netanyahu for the ongoing impasse in ceasefire talks and accused the Israeli leader of wanting toprolongthewaronGaza.

“Netanyahu’s decision not to withdraw from the Salah al-Din [Philadelphi Corridor]axisaimstothwart reaching an agreement,” Hamassaidinthestatement.

“Wewarnagainstfalling into Netanyahu’s trap and

negotiations to prolong the aggression against our people,”Hamassaid,adding that Israel must be held to a deal that was agreed earlier thisyear

“We do not need new proposals. What is required n

s governmentandobligethem to what has been agreed upon,”thestatementreads.

During his address to

reporters on Wednesday, Netanyahu also incorrectly claimed that Israel’s ground invasion of Rafah in southernGazainMayforced the first release of Israeli captives held by Hamas in Gaza.

That negotiated release, in fact, took place months earlierinNovemberundera weeklong ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and Hamas.

The Israel-Hamas truce

began on November 24 and wasrenewedtwice.

Under the agreement, fighting was paused and humanitarian aid was allowed to enter Gaza as Hamas released captives in exchangeforIsraelreleasing Palestinianprisoners. Bytheendofthesix-day truce on November 30, 105 captives had been released by Hamas and 240 Palestinian prisoners had beenfreedbyIsrael.

US secures release of 135 political prisoners from Nicaragua

Aljazeera - The United States has secured the release of 135 political prisoners held in Nicaragua, including students and members of a faith organisation.

In a statement on Thursday, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the prisoners were among the thousands ofNicaraguanscaughtupin a multiyear rights crackdown by the government of President DanielOrtega.

The prisoners were sent to neighbouring Guatemala and could relocate from theretotheUS,accordingto

Sullivan Guatemalan P

o Arevalo’sofficeconfirmeda plane carrying formerly detained Nicaraguans had landed in the country early onThursday “Nooneshouldbeputin jailforpeacefullyexercising their fundamental rights of free expression, association, and practicing their religion,” Sullivan said in a statement He said the political prisoners had been arrested because they were considered a threat to the “authoritarian rule” of Ortegaandhisvicepresident and wife, Rosario Murillo. He called on Nicaragua to

The released group includes students and religious leaders who were arrested as part of government crackdown under President Daniel Ortega.

“immediately cease the arbitraryarrestanddetention of its citizens for merely exercisingtheirfundamental freedoms”.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also hailed the release in a post on the socialmediaplatformX.

“Nicaraguans deserve democracy and freedom from persecution in their home country,” the top diplomatwrote.

The announcement comes two days after the United Nations Human Rights Office released a report saying that Ortega’s government continues to “persecute not only those

who express dissenting opinions but also any individual or organisation that operates independently or does not fall directly undertheircontrol”.

The report detailed dozens of cases where detainees were “tortured through various forms of sexual abuse and electric shocks”.

The crackdowns largely began amid the student-led protests that swept the countryin2018.

Those protests were sparkedbyaproposedsocial securitylawthatwouldhave i n c r e a s e d w o r k e r contributionswhilereducing

pensionsandotherbenefits.

Tens of thousands of peopletooktothestreetsfor peaceful demonstrations, but Ortega’s government declaredtheirprotestsillegal and deployed paramilitary forces.

From the start of the protestsinApril2018toJuly 2019, an estimated 355 peoplewerekilled.

Ortega’sstrongresponse has been seen as part of a broaderautocraticlurch.The president, who came to power in 2007, has since lifted presidential term limits and consolidated all branches of government underhiscontrol.

His administration has continued to take actions to tamp down dissent, including before the most recentelectionsin2021.

Authorities arrested or forced into exile dozens of opposition candidates in the lead-up to the vote. They also imprisoned several leaders of the country’s influential Catholic Church, who served as mediators duringtheprotests.

Last week, for instance, Ortega’s government b a n n e d 1 6 9 nongovernmental groups, bringingthetotalnumberof banned organisations to morethan4,000since2018.

Suriname beat Guyana 3-1 in League A baptism

- Golden Jaguars to face Martinique on Monday

BYRAWLETONEY

The Golden Jaguars experienced their League A Nations League debut against Suriname, suffering a 3-1 loss to their rivals last evening at the National TrackandFieldCentre.

The highly anticipated clash between Guyana and Suriname delivered on its promise, but ultimately, it

was the visitors who left the Edinburghfacilitywiththree points. This match marked the return of international football for Guyana for the first time since their victory over The Bahamas (3-2) in LeagueBlastSeptember Coach Jamal Shabazz’s teamappearedtobethemore aggressivesideinitially However, 18 minutes

into the contest, Djevencio van der Kust scored, giving Surinamethelead.

Van der Kust, who plays for Sparta Rotterdam, c

y 7th

Eredivisie, the Netherlands’ top league, caught the Guyanese defenders off guardasheslippedintoopen space in the box and calmly

goalkeeperQuillanRoberts.

The Golden Jaguars regrouped but could only muster a few half-chances until Omari Glasgow found the equalizer just before halftime

Glasgow scored his 17th international goal from the penaltyspot,levelingthescore at1-1againstSuriname

Thepenaltywasawarded after a surging run from Middlesbrough FC’s Isaiah Jones,whowasfouledinthe box. The Chicago Fire FC f o r w a r d G l a s g o w confidently converted Guyana’s first goal of the match.

Friday September 06, 2024

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Difficult predicaments could arise today if you try to exert your will over others without having the most honorable intentions, Aries. It could be that you're using someone else's fear of you to control himorher

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

The fire within you is raging today,Taurus,andyoushould becarefulhowyouwieldthis power Be proud and triumphant. Walk with your shouldersbackandheadhigh. Freedomisimportant.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

There may be a great deal of fuss over something that seems quite insignificant to you, Gemini. Try to see the beauty and importance of everythingaroundyou.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Thingsarecomingtoacritical point for you today, Cancer, and you may find that other people openly object to your actions. It's OK to be a bit selfish if the situation is appropriate.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Feelfreetospeakmoreloudly today, Leo. You'll find that things fall into place more easily if you speak your thoughts outwardly and directly in the presence of others. Bring your internal powerunderyourcontrol.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Youshouldbaskinaglorious splendortoday,Virgo.There's a great deal of power at your disposal.You'll find your ego ishealthy,charged,andready forthebattlefield.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Add more sunshine to your day, Libra. It may be time to stir up your inner passion and let it speak with greater confidencethanyouhavebeen lately Make sure you heal yourself by letting the people aroundyouhearyourtruth.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

You'llfindthatyoursparkcan easily turn potential energy into kinetic energy, Scorpio. Don'tunderestimatethepower of your words. Realize the profound impact they have on othersandtakeresponsibility

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

Don't dwell on your fluctuating moods today, Sagittarius. Look at the larger trends and how positive elements are coming together inyourfavor

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Thisisyourdaytoshineinall your glory, Capricorn. There's noneedtoholdanythingback. You'll find that you have a great deal of love to share. Your heart is likely to go to extremes today in order to proveitslove.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Trynottolosesightofyour own projects or desires, Aquarius. There's a great deal of power and manipulative energy in the air today that could throw you off course if youaren'tcareful.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Recharge today by getting outside and stretching your arms to the sky, Pisces. Be proud and courageous. You have the power to turn an unhealthy situation into a positiveone,

September 9. The Golden Jaguars are set to host Guatemala on October 11 and will then travel to Paramaribo for a return fixture against Suriname on October 15 Guyana’s StartingXI:QuillanRoberts, Terence Vancooten, Reiss Greenidge, Curtez Kellman, Isaiah Jones, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Kadell Daniel, Daniel Wilson,

Elliot Bonds (captain), Omari Glasgow, Deon Moore.

Suriname’s Starting XI: Etienne Vaessen, Anfernee Dijksteel, Leo Abena, Stefano Denswil (captain), Djevencio van der Kust, Immanuel-Johannes Pherai, Virgil Misidjan, Gyrano Kerk, Justin Lonwijk, Shaquille Pinas, Gleofilo Vlijter

Withhisgoal,Glasgowis now just one goal away from matching Nigel Codrington’s all-time record of 18 goals Stephen Duke-McKenna replacedDanielWilsonasthe firstsubstitutionforGuyanaat the start of the second half, injecting new energy into the GoldenJaguars’attack.

Renewed, the Golden Jaguars once again put Suriname on the defensive, with Osaze De Rosario, who came on for Deon Moore, makinganimmediateimpact De Rosario had a golden opportunity to put Guyana aheadbutfailedtocontrolhis dribble after getting past goalkeeperEtienneVaessen.

J a d e n M o n t n o r eventually broke the deadlockinthe66thminute.

Roberts made several spectacular saves to keep Guyana in the match, but Aris Limassol FC’s player, whohadtestedtheGuyanese custodianearlier,capitalized onhisopportunitythistime.

In the 83rd minute, former Netherlands U20 player Virgil Misidjan extended Suriname’s lead, prompting many Guyanese supporters to leave the country’s only international footballvenue.

Since Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson scored twicetoleadGuyanatoa2-0 victoryoverSurinameatthe GuyanaNationalStadiumin 2016, the Golden Jaguars have suffered back-to-back losses to their South American neighbors, with scores of 2-3 in the 2016 Caribbean Cup and 1-2 in a friendlymatchin2022.

L o o k i n g a h e a d , following yesterday’s match,Guyanawilltravelto Fort-de-France to face Martinique on Monday,

Guyanese among outstanding performers following 2024 CWI Rising Stars Men’s U17 season

The Guyana quartet of Romario Ramdehol, Johnathan Van Lange, Golcharran Chulai and Rampersaud Ramnauth copped individual awards following sterling performancesattherecently concludedCWIRisingStars Men’sU17tournament.

Guyana finished third in both formats but could have easilywalkedawaywiththe title if not for the intervention of rain which plagued both formats of the tournament.

D e s p i t e t h e shortcomings,theGuyanese will hold their heads high. Theyfinishedwith39points in the 2-Day format, which was won by Barbados, who tallied up an aggregate of

69 2 points; leaving 2nd place to be occupied by the WindwardIslandswith62.8 points. In the 50-over leg of the competition which suffered the most because of the weather, Guyana finished withatotalof14.4points.

Winners Trinidad and Tobago sat in the number one spot with 20.2 points, followed by Barbados who missed out on a double title by a few points as they sealedthe2ndspotwith17.6 points. Ramnauth copped the award for Most d i s m i s s a l s b y a wicketkeeper, while Van Lange bagged the most wickets award, both in the 50-over, with Chulai finishing as one of the

leading wicket-takers with one of the better match performances. Ramdehol was Guyana’s leading wicket-taker and joint leading alongside Cody Fontenelle of the Windward Islands. PlayeroftheMatch awards2-Dayformat:

Round1: L e e w a r d s v s Windwar

Fontenelle

Barbados vs. Jamaica –

JoshuaBranch

T&T vs Guyana –

RomarioRamdehol

Round 2-Windwards vs. Jamaica–CodyFontenelle

Leewards vs. Guyana –

GolcharranChulai

T&T vs Barbados –

ZacharyCarter

Round3:

Leewards vs. Jamaica –VitelLawes

Guyana vs. Barbados –ZacharyCarter

T&T vs. Windwards –

EdmundMorancie

To p i n d i v i d u a l performers:

Most catches - Joel Durand(Windwards)

Most wickets- Cody Fontenelle (Windwards)/ Romario Ramdehol (Guyana)

Most runs - Joshua Dorne(Barbados)

Most dismissals by a Wicketkeeper - Gadson Bowen(Barbados)

MVP: Zachary Carter (Barbados)

Player of the Match awards 50-Overformat:

Round1:

TT vs Windwards –

EdmundMorancie

Round3:

Leewardsvs.BarbadosZacharyCarter

T&T vs Jamaica –AadianRacha

Windwardsvs.GuyanaJonathanVanLange

Round4:

Jamaica vs. Barbados –

ZacharyCarter

W i n d w a r d s v s

Leewards–Isra-elMorton

T&T vs Guyana –BrendanBoodoo

Top individual performers:

Most catches- Zachary Carter (Barbados)/ Brendan Boodoo(TT)

Most wickets- Jonathan V a n L a n g e (Guyana)/Zachary Carter (Barbados)

Most runs - Zachary Carter(Barbados)

Most dismissals by a Wicketkeeper - Christiano

R a m n a n a n ( T & T ) / R a m p e r s a d Ramnauth(Guyana)

MVP: Zachary Carter (Barbados)

From left: Golcharran Chulai, Romario Ramdehol, s kipper Jonathan Van Lange and Rampersaud Ramnauth pose with their awards following a mixed season for the Guyana U17 team.

Guyanese Fung, Campayne pummel their way into Pan American MMA Semi-final

The Guyana Mixed Martial Arts Federation is thrilled to announce that the local fighters recently battered their way into the semi-finals at the Pan AmericanGamesinMexico.

Prize fighters John CampayneandLyndonFung havealreadytradedblowsin the local boxing scene, are now gearing up for a s h o w d o w n o f e p i c proportions.

Come today, Friday, they’llstepintothecagewith one goal in mind: to secure theirspotinthefinals,where

the battle for the gold or silver for Guyana will be decided.

But that’s not all, fight fans!Ezekiel“TheHammer” Persaud has bulldozed his waythroughthecompetition and secured his place in the finalsonSaturday Withtwoofheavyhitters in the Super Heavyweight division and one fierce c o n t e n d e r i n t h e

Strawweight division, Guyanaiswellonitswayto dominating the MMA scene at these Games Assistant Technical Director, Charles

Greaves, reports that the team is laser-focused and riding high on momentum. The fighters are in peak condition, and their spirits are through the roof as they headintothenextrounds.It’s all about heart, grit, and the relentless pursuit of victory fromhereonout.

Staytunedasthefighters continue to make history in Mexico. The road to gold is pavedwithblood,sweat,and tears—but our fighters are ready to leave it all in the cage for Guyana, it was noted.

Kascon Engineering donates bat to Rampertab Ramnauth

The Rafeek Kassim-led construction firm, Kascon Engineering Services continuestoprovidesupport for young cricketers in Berbice, with Rampertab Ramnauth being the latest beneficiary

The left landed Ramnauth, a prolific National youth player who plays locally for Port Mourant, received a quality SGGradeoneplayeredition bat which was purchased from Cricnation592 Store. Ramnauthwasabovethecut as he represented Guyana and Berbice at all junior levels. He also featured for West Indies U-16 team on a tourtotheUnitedKingdom.

The businessman, Kassim who has also pledged support to the current Guyana Under-17 player Adrian Hetmyer, recognizedtheultra-talented Ramnauth, and decided to lend support. Earlier this year, under his construction firm, Kascon Engineering Services, Kassim pledged a 12-month support to young Hetmyer, who played for

Rampertab Ramnauth receives his newly purchased bat from Cricnation592 Store, compliments of Kascon Engineering.

Guyana Under-17 in TrinidadandTobago.

Ramnauth is on the senior Guyana selectors’ radar and is currently a Guyana Harpy Eagles contracted player He expressed gratitude to Kassimandhiscompanyfor providingthisbat.

“I am thankful to Mr Kassim for recognizing my talent and supporting me,”

Ramnauthsaid.

Kascon Engineering is a company in Guyana which specializes in the construction of roads, buildings, and sea defenses. Kassim is no stranger to cricket, as he played the game competitively and has served in administrative roles.He was once at the helm of the Young Warriors CricketClub.

Guyana will be fancying their chances at the upcoming semis in Mexico.

Guinness‘Greatest of the Streets’Nat’l final... CouldBallerzEmpireand Showstoppersdefendhome-turf?

Th e W e s t

D e m e r a r a community will comealivetonightwhenthe national finals of the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Competition is staged, at the Pouderoyen MarketTarmac.

Nineteamswillbevying for top honours and prize monies totalling more than $2million along with trophies and bragging rights foroneyear

The host will have two teams to in champion BallerzEmpireandprevious champion Showstoppers as their representatives along with the usual vociferous bandofsupporters.

Word coming out of the community is that they’ve been working hard at training to ensure that the major spoils remain on the WestSide.

However, a look at the pedigree of the other teams will show that the hosts will havetoperformattheirlevel best to repel the opposing teams.

Georgetownwillhaveas their representatives newly crowned champion Laing Avenueandrunner-upNorth Ruimveldtandastherecord willshowusuallyhavesome of the strongest teams nationally

Linde

r community that send a very strong team and they will

champion Silver Bullets as their representative, while East Coast that did not have the luxury of hosting a tournament this year will be

Hustlers bring home the covetedhardware.

represented by East Bank Gunnersandtheytoolooked impressive in their march to the Zone crown, while Bartica’s Mighty Rulers performed similarly against their opponents to earn the right to contend for the nationaltitle.

The final team in the competition is Essequibo’s All Stars winners of their inaugural zone tournament and they would no doubt be aiming to convince the Organisers that the standard of play in the Region is just asgoodastheotherzones.

Meanwhile, the winning team will cart off $1million and trophy, while second, third and fourth place

finishers take home

$500,000, $350,000 and $200,000respectively

Fans are being promised giveaways throughout the night’sproceedings.

GCB congratulates Savory following maiden CPL call up

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) hailed Harpy Eagles wicketkeeper Kemol Savory following his selection to the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons for this season’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

The left-hander was called up by the Falcons as cover for West Indies

batsman Brandon King, who is dealing with an injury.

Savory,

gloveman, has been one of the younger, more talented batsmen in Guyana and around the Caribbean, having cemented his place in the championship winning 4-Day as well as the50-overteam.

GCB

Essequibo batsman for continuinghisjourneyfrom strength to strength as he patientlymapshiswayinto theWestIndiesseniorteam.

The board wishes Savory, along with the

representing the Guyana Amazon Warriors and any otherfranchise,thebestfor thisCPLseason.

Cayman Islands, Anguilla open League C campaigns with victory; Bahamas, USVI play out 3-3

SportsMax - Anguilla and Cayman Islands began their quest for promotion on a winning note as they blanked Turks and Caicos Islands and British Virgin Islands (BVI) in contrasting manner in League C of the 2024/25 Concacaf Nations

L e a g u e ( C N L ) o n

Wednesday

Anguilla’s 2-0 win over Turks and Caicos Islands representsanhistoricfeatas itwastheirfirst-evervictory in the Concacaf Nations League, while Elijah Seymour’s solitary goal in Cayman Islands’ 1-0 win over BVI also had a hint of history on it His goal marked the 1,000th goal in the Concacaf Nations League’sfive-yearhistory

With the wins, Anguilla and Cayman Islands assumed pole position in G r o u p s B a n d C , respectively, while GroupA remain evenly poised after the Bahamas and US Virgin Islands played out a 3-3 stalemate Anguilla vs TurksandCaicosIslands

Germain Hughes (58th) opened the scoring for Anguilla at TCIFANational Stadium when he pounced on a loose ball and slotted home Lamar Carpenter (74th) notched the second when he drove home a leftfooter from deep inside the

18-yardbox.

US Virgin Islands vs. BahamasIt was a closely contested affair at the Bethlehem Soccer Complex in Christiansted, as host US Virgin Islands fought hard for their come-from-behind stalemate.

Lesly St Fleur gave Bahamas a second-minute lead in a frantic start as he converted from the penalty spot.USVirginIslandswere back on level terms in the 27th thanks to Naqwan Henry,whogotontheendof Rakeem Joseph’s pass and slottedhome.

However, Bahamas regainedtheleadinthe37th as Wood Julmis expertly headed home from Jordan Cheetham’sweightedcross. BrandonAdderleyadded

another in the 58th, with a close-range effort to put Bahamas3-1up.

But US Virgin Islands wereinnomoodtosurrender the points and pulled one back through Joseph in the 77th,beforeGabrielCatoneHighfield headed home in the 86th to secure the host a share of the spoils. British Virgin Islands vs. Cayman Islands Cayman Islands dominated proceedings for most of the way, but British Virgin Islands fought bravelytokeeptheirhostsat bayuntilthe84thminute.

That was when Elijah Seymour’s all-important left-footed strike secured all three points for Cayman Islands, much to the delight of the fans at the Truman BoddenComplex.

GCF announces Team for Caribbean...

Frompage27 and supporters for their unwavering support oftheathletesandthesport.

championship and the team’s participation, the public is encouraged to contact GCF Racing Committee Vice President, Linden Dowridge,at592-619-8147.

Elijah Seymour of Cayman Islands celebrates the allimportant strike. (Concacaf)

GTA Storm cart off Trophy Stall sponsored Legends trophy

GTA Storm defeated archrivals Toronto Blizzards in a thrilling encounter to claim the Legends Over-50 title when the second edition of the Canada Cup, organisedbytheOntarioTwilightSoftball Cricket League (OTSCL) ended last Sunday at the Ashtonbee playing field in Scarborough,OntarioCanada.

Inapulsatingfinal,TorontoBlizzards, whowereinserted,reached137forninein theirallotted20overs.Inreply,GTAStorm gottotherequiredtargetwithtwoballsto spare. Ramo Malone hit a top score of 37 notout.

Earlier, left-arm bowler Richard Driffield stole the show with a brilliant spell of four for 11 in his four overs to undermine Toronto Blizzards batting. He was subsequently named player of the final.

Former Guyana all-rounder Sunil Dhaniram copped the Most Valuable Player of the tournament award while Driffield also received a cash award for taking four wickets in a match. Malone collectedatrophyforthebestcatchinthe category

At the presentation ceremony, which followed,GTAStormreceivedtheTrophy Stall sponsored trophy, and medallions, sponsored by Ramesh Sunich of Bourda Market.

Roger Sunich, brother of Trophy Stall proprietor, Ramesh Sunich, hands over the winning trophy to GTA Storm skipper, Troy Gobin, a former Guyana Under-19 player

GCF announces team for Caribbean Elite Cycling Championship

The Guyana Cycling Federation (GCF) hasproudlyunveileditsseven-memberteam settorepresenttheGoldenArrowheadatthe highly anticipated 2024 Caribbean Elite Cycling Championship The prestigious event is set to take center stage on local soil from November 9-10 in Georgetown, Guyana,

The team, composed of some of the country’sfinestcyclists,includesBritonJohn from the We Stand United Cycling Club, Curtis Dey from KFC Evolution Cycling Club, Christopher Griffith from KFC Evolution Cycling Club, Kwame Ridley from Kaieteur Attack Racing Cycle Club, Jamual John also of KARCC, Segun HubbardfromKFCEvolutionCyclingClub, and youngster Aaron Newton from KFC EvolutionCyclingClub.

These athletes have consistently demonstratedexceptionalcommitment,skill, and results in recent years, making them a formidable force in the Caribbean cycling arena. Among the standouts, Briton John is poised to make waves following his remarkable success at the 2024 Tour de Guiana,whiletheseasonedJamualJohnaims to leverage his experience for a strong showingatthisyear’schampionship.

RisingstarAaronNewtonhasalsoproven his mettle, having recently impressed at the Farmsup 50-mile road race. In a statement, the GCF expressed confidence in the team’s

Young Aaron Newton was selected as part of Guyana’s seven-member team to represent at 2024 Caribbean Cycling Championships.

abilitytoshineontheregionalstage:“Weare confident they will represent Guyana with distinction at the Caribbean Elite Cycling Championship.”

The event will feature cyclists from acrosstheCaribbeancompetingintimetrial and road race events, fostering both competition and camaraderie among the region’sbest.

TheGCFalsoextendeditsgratitudetothe We Stand United Cycling Club, Kaieteur AttackRacingCyclingClub,KFCEvolution CyclingClub,aswellassponsors,coaches,

(Continuedonpage26)

Suriname beat Guyana 3-1 in League A baptism

-GoldenJaguarstoface MartiniqueonMonday

Part of the action between Guyana and Suriname in LeagueAof the CONCACAF National League.

Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Nat’l final...

Could

The action promises to be intense and keep the large crowd anticipated at Pouderoyen very entertained.

Ballerz Empire and Showstoppers defend home-turf?

Sports