Kaieteur News

In seven years oil in Liza One and Liza Two will be drained

...20-year project life shortened as 40% of oil already pumped

The20-yearproject Development Plan for that that about 40% of the year lifespan due to the life of the Liza project however indicates collectivereservesatthetwo optimizationofproduction.

OneandLizaTwo that the project, operated by projectshavebeendepleted. The Minister during a

projects have the Liza Destiny Floating Meanwh

e, at the newsconferenceassuredthat been significantly reduced Production Storage and current rate of production, therampedupoilproduction with almost half of the Offloading (FPSO) vessel, ExxonMobil could drain the is being done safely by the reserves at the fields already has a reserve of 452 MBO. remaining resources in just operator of the Stabroek depleted. This means that 44% of the oversevenyears. Block He was however

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat

This information was reservesarealreadydrained. Liza One, according to asked by this newspaper to ramping up oil production willbeavailable.”

hared with Similarly, at the Liza the Ministry of Natural explainhowtheoptimization has now become a trend in M

Kaieteur News by the Two project, the Ministry Resources website is works could affect the 20- oil-producing states since P

Ministry of Natural reported that almost 200 producing about 150,000 year estimated project life this could prove more petroleum sector, Vice Resources. MBOhavebeenproducedby barrels per day while the f o r e a c h o f t h e financially viable for a President Bharrat Jagdeo’s

This newspaper had E x x o n s i n c e t h e LizaTwoprojectisoperating developments. country- in this case, position is that Guyana’s oil requesteddataontheamount c o m m e n c e m e

o f

To this end, he said, “Yes Guyana. shouldbeproducedasfastas of oil produced to date from production activities in approximately 250,000 it can finish before the 20 According to him, possible. the projects currently in February2022. barrelsperday years or it can even go “Rampingupproductionand Hesaid,“Myownviewis operation. That field, according to It should be noted that beyond because as a producing the oil in a that we have a period in Liza One, which the FDP holds about 570 Minister of Natural reservoir matures, you can reservoiratafastertimethan which oil would still be very commenced oil production MBO.Consequently,35%of Resources, Vickram Bharrat get more out of it and then as youcanisactuallygoodfora relevant in the global mix of in December 2019, has the reserves have already previously admitted that oil we have more discoveries, country because it comes energy and we have a period already produced close to been produced by the from the three projects wecanaddthosewellstothe back to the window that is but it is a window that is 200 million barrels of oil company currently in operation could existingdevelopmenttoo.” available for fossil fuel to closing because of climate ( M B O ) T h e F i e l d It could also be deduced be depleted ahead of the 20- Bharrat pointed out that survive and the price that change.”

Finance Minister meets EXIM Bank officials on financing Gas-to-Energy project during US visit

Senior Minister in the

Treasury,MichaelKaplan,in Coleman, in Washington Jose W Fernandez, and Office of the President with Washington DC where he DC. At that meeting Dr Assistant Secretary, Bureau responsibility for Finance updated Mr Kaplan on Singh alluded to Guyana’s of Energy Resources, Mr and the Public Service Dr r e c e n t e c o n o m i c overall economic growth of Geoffrey R. Pyatt, at the Ashni Singh met and held developments and prospects 49.7 percent and the non-oil State Department in discussions on Gas-to- in Guyana and explored growth 12.6 percent in the Washington DC where Energy project with the opportunities for the two first half of 2024, discussions focused on a Senior Advisor to the countries to collaborate on representing the fourth numberofavenuesforcloser President and Chair, Mr mattersofsharedinterest. successiveyearofexpansion cooperationinadvancingthe Larry T Decker, and other

He also reiterated the inthenon-oileconomyatthe agenda for economic growth senior and technical officials Government of Guyana’s half-year and improving the lives of of the Export-Import commitment to maintaining He further outlined the the Guyanese people, (EXIM) Bank of the United a favorable macroeconomic efforts being made by including in the areas of States (US) in Washington environment and strong Government to ensure that energy security, human DC. institutional framework this sustained strong capital development, and

According to a statement

tate economic growth redounds pandemic preparedness in released by the Ministry of increased opportunities for to the benefit of all the context of the Economic Finance, the meeting took UScompaniestodobusiness Guyanese. The two teams and Health Dialogue of the place during the Senior inGuyana. also explored a number of Americas. Minister’s four-day visit to

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service Dr Ashni Singh during one of high-level meetings in the US.

theUS. Minister met with United collaborationgoingforward.

TheEXIMBankisstillto Dr Singh expressed by Guyana’s Ambassador to S t a t e s A g e n c y

Dr Singh also met with Government of Guyana consider approval of a loan appreciation to the Bank for the US, Samuel Hinds, met International Development theUnitedStates(US)Under places the highest level of to Guyana, valued at its continued support to with the Deputy Assistant ( U S A I D ) D e p u t y Secretary of State for importance on the special approximately US$646 Guyana, and reiterated that Secretary, United States Administrator for Policy and Economic Growth, Energy, relationshipsharedwiththe million. The loan is meant to the Government values (US) Depa

I

and the Environment, Mr. (Continued on page 9) support the Gas-to-Energy greatly, its relationship with project. theBank.

As a result, during the Dr. Singh met and held visit discussions surrounded discussionswithanumberof the bank’s support towards other high-level officials as the project, which, when G u y a n a h a v e b e e n completed, is expected to partnering in a number of significantly reduce areas such as economic electricity costs, increase the g r o w t h , t r a d e a n d competitiveness of other development including industries, and reduce the enhancedsecurity nation’s reliance on heavy During his visit to the fossil fuels. At the meeting, US, Dr. Singh, accompanied

Kaieteur News

Printed and Published by National

& Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: DR. GLENN LALL - TEL: 624-6456

Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

EXXONMOBIL TAKES CARE OF ITSELF

Under one corporate name or another,

ExxonMobil has been in the oil business for over a century The multi-national, in some waystheUnitedNationsorWorldBankofoil,hascompiled an encyclopedia of knowledge and tricks on how best to manageitsowninterests. WhatGuyanesearefindingoutto their distress is that ExxonMobil strongly sets itself up to takecareofitsbottomline,withnotapennysosmallastobe ignored,norchargedbackagainstGuyana’soil. Guyanese discoveredthatinrecentcompletedauditsofthecompany’s expenses, with some findings indicating how ExxonMobil leaveslittletogobythewayside,asitbillsandcollectsfrom Guyana’soil.

From yoga exercises to fun and frolic to holiday cheer, these were all charged against Guyana’s cost oil. Now, through the 2016 oil contract, that instrument of darkness and corporate ingenuity, there is confirmation of how ExxonMobil lets no dollar go a begging, with Guyana payingthepriceevenwhenthecompanylapsed.

In layman’s terms, ExxonMobil’s 2016 Production SharingAgreementincludesaclausethatgivesthecompany severallayersofprotections.

In what could turn out to be a potential disaster for Guyanese,ExxonMobilwassmartandcoldbloodedenough togiveitselfthelegalgroundstocollectbackfromGuyana’s oilanymoneythatisabovetheUS$600Moilspillinsurance that stands. Annex C, Section 3.1 (g) subtitled “Costs Recoverable Without Further Approval of the Minister” states in part: “Insurance premium and cost incurred for insurance…shallberecoverable.”

And “Costs, losses and damages incurred to the extent not made good by insurance are recoverable, including costs, losses or damages resulting from the indemnities in Article 2 of the agreement, unless such costs, losses and damages have resulted solely from an act of willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Contractor.” Wecut through the dense construction to assert that these are the lengths to which ExxonMobil goes to look after itself on Guyana’s back. First, the insurance premiums to protect Guyana should an oil spill occur are recoverable from Guyana’soilrevenues,onceitiswithintherangenormally chargedbyinsurancecompaniesnothavinganyrelationship withExxonMobil.

Second, whatever amount is above the insurance coverage in place is also recoverable from Guyana’s oil revenues. Third, the only time that such costs beyond the insurancemaximumarenotrecoverableisifExxonMobilis aloneresponsiblefor“anactofwillfulmisconductorgross negligence.”

Ofnoteisthattheserecoverablecostsdonothavetobe signedoffbythesubjectminister

It is jaw-dropping, a work of extraordinary corporate cleverness, that ExxonMobil has foisted on Guyana, compliments of a weak and befuddled Coalition Government back in 2016. For the icing, the insurance companyisanaffiliateofExxonMobil.

In effect, any necessary payout is under ExxonMobil’s control. There it stands in black and white, almost 100 percent fool proof. Yet, ExxonMobil calls itself Guyana’s partner, when it is a nothing but a stalker seizing any opportunitytotakeadvantageofGuyana.

IntheExxonMobil-Guyanapartnership,thecompanyis fully insulated, while the host country is terribly exposed. Ordinary felons who can afford competent legal counsel have often escaped the clutches of justice, through technicalities. They usually do not have the protective armor of a watertight contract such as ExxonMobil has refined and perfected after using it in other Third World countries. With that 2016 oil contract, ExxonMobil has givenitselfwhatistheequivalentofaslaveowner’sropes and whips. Everywhere that Guyana turns it is cornered withnoreliefinsight.

ARE THE GAS TO ENERGY’S ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT CONTRACTUALOBLIGATIONS BEING UPHELD?

DEAREDITOR,

While meetings which fa

ns surrounding US Exim ‘Bank’s support towards Guyana’s transformational Gas-to-Energy project’

ExxonMobil completes the approximately US$1B

Environmental Protection Agency kindly inform whether the contractual

in

he Environmental Permit 2021528-NGPLE have been upheld.

InbothQ3andQ4/2023, as a resident in the area of influence of the pipeline, albeit not consulted before the submission of the

Environmental Impact

Assessment, I had discussions with the head of the Oil and Gas unit at the Environmental Protection Agency about the mandated requirement of an updated Environmental and Social baseline study At that time, heinformedthatthetermsof reference referred to in s e c t i o n 4 o f t h e Environmental Permit were not yet finalized, a copy attachedherewith.

Recently,intheQ3/2024 Ionceagaininquiredatboth the Environmental Protection Agency and ExxonMobil about this contractual undertaking. Silence, the usual modus operandi, has been the only

response. This study is a necessity as it becomes the new baseline on the completion of the pipeline. The information contained therein is data which will be a necessity in the future should any health, legal, environmental and/or other action/sbecomealiveatthat t i m e Wo u l d t h e Environmental Protection Agency kindly indicate whether this contractual obligation has been completed and release the updated Environmental and Socialstudy.

Further, in the current season of the environmental permit transfers, would the Environmental Protection Agency kindly indicate the

followingwithrespecttothe G a s - t o - E n e r g y Environmental Permit 2021528-NGPLE:

Ÿ Has the NGL plant beentransferredoutof thispermit?

Ÿ Whenwasthistransfer undertaken?

Ÿ Was it transferred to a governmententity?

Ÿ To which government e n t i t y w a s i t transferred?

Ÿ Will the permit withouttheNGLplant be uploaded on their website or is it available in hard copy?

Yourssincerely, Elizabeth DeaneHughes

Wheneverthiscountrythinksthatitstandsachancetolookafteritself,ExxonMobilensuredthatitthereislanguageinplacethat givesitloopholesthroughwhichtoescapeliability Courtsoftenhavedifficultypinningwillfulmisconductorgrossnegligence onregularlawbreakers.

Guyana’s chances of court success against

negligence”mustbeprovedarenextto

Notjustmisconductbut“willful

Guyanaisonitsownbeyondthepaltryinsuranceonhand.

FREEDOM is a non-negotiable

right that should not be infringed upon by any government or institution on the citizenry

DEAREDITOR,

Ieagerlywaittoreadthe explanatory memorandum

a n d t h e p r o p o s e d

amendments to the CybercrimeActwhichseem imminentincomingtopass. Ifindeedthespeculationsof those amendments to the cyber-crime act are true, we all must reject it. But until then I will share some thoughts.Firstly,theconcept offreedomandhumandesire for it is deeply ingrained in

o

, a n d geographies It was the philosopherJohnLockewho famously asserted, “All individuals are born free, endowed with certain inalienable rights” This innate desire for liberty, for

human rights and freedom has shaped the course of history, fueling revolts, revolutions, wars, protest, and movements for the abolition of slavery and nations’independence.

The sacrifices of those whohavefoughtanddiedfor thesefreedomshaveensured that successive generations to the present, can enjoy the benefits of an open society. Wemustensurethefreedom we enjoy must never be takenaway.Secondly,itisno secret, for the signs are all over, that the struggle for freedom is far from over In thisdigitalage,newformsof tyranny are emerging, often cloaked in the language of security, public order, or societal well-being It is importantforustorecognise

that Governments and institutions, sometimes under the gu

of safeguarding the public’s interest, have sought to

s , particularly in the realm of

expression Thirdly, the alleged and suspicious proposedamendmentstothe Cybercrime Act by the Government of Guyana, whichisintendedtobedone, purportedlyseektolimitand monitorGuyanesehomeand abroad freedom of expression on social media platforms. Especially those who are critical of the government and some highprofile individuals. This, if done,willbeacontemporary example of an insidious, Machiavellian threat to the

Noise pollution vs CSEC Maths and English scores

DEAREDITOR,

Reference is made to GHK Lall’s September 7, 2024, missive in your letter column, joining the chorus bemoaning the noise pollution that pervades Guyana but with specific reference to Region 3, especially Leonora, WCD.

One may argue that alcohol consuming establishments / bars like these “create employment”. But at what cost to the physical/mental health of the community?

Howaboutthewelfareofthe younger school age children who are the future of this country? How about the negativesociologicalimpact onLeonora,asamicrocosm of like situations existing throughoutGuyana?

Recently, President Ali read the riot act to the Ministry of Education insisting that changes must be made to up the future CSEC percentages in Mathematics and English

Language throughout Guyana, and those extra hours and AM teaching

must, unswervingly, commence this very September term. Again, using Leonora as an

example, can this be truly achieved when the noise pollution, (among other variables) dilutes our children’s ability to concentrate in school after the nightly cacophony of noise thundering in their minds?

Applying the verifiable data and variables (physiological/sociological/ financial etc ) in a quantitative analyses model can enable the involved government agencies to evaluate, predict and act accordingly or issue compliant directives, with immediacy. Future qualitative analysis can help to understand, why, how or what are the consequences ( positive or negative) of the

freedoms we all enjoy Again, I say we must never allowthisgovernmentorany otherinthefuturetotakeour freedom away Freedom of expression, both offline and online,isthecornerstoneofa democratic society, which this government boasts about being responsible for “bringingback”toGuyana.

government’sactiontakenin the quantitative analysis stageandcanserveasapilot forfuturegovernmentaction in the reduction of noise pollution thereby adding qualityoflifetoournowand futuregenerations.But,who willholdthetigerbyitstail? Who will have the cerebral and intestinal fortitude to enforcetheapplicablelaws?

Mr President, you have beendemocraticallyelected, by the voting populace including the tax payers, to lead this country and all, including our younger generation,aredependenton your prudent decision making.

OneGuyana!

Sincerely,

JonathanSubrian,Esq.

Social media platforms, which have become the modern-day public square, provide an unprecedented spaceforindividualstoshare ideas, opinions, express dissent, and mobilize for positive change could now be at risk It appears obvious, that this freedom has now become a point of contention for many governments including the government of Guyana They fear the power of unregulated discourse Further, the assumed intended amendments to the Cybercrime Act in Guyana exemplifyhowgovernments can use legislation to stifle free speech under the guise of combating cybercrime. While the need to address legitimate concerns such as cyberbullying, hacking, and misinformation is undeniable,suchregulations must be carefully balanced toensuretheydonotbecome toolsofoppression,Irepeat, oppression. This supposed intentionbythegovernment, attempting to limit digital freedoms are not limited to our country Around the world, similar efforts have been met with fierce resistance and rightfully so, from civic-minded individuals, NGOs, political organizations and groups who recognize the dangers of unchecked governmental

power In 2013, the Indian government attempted to pass the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, which wouldhaverequiredinternet platforms to remove content deemed “unlawful” within 36 hours, without the need for a court order This proposal was widely criticized by free speech advocates,whoarguedthatit would have a chilling effect ononlineexpression,raising concerns about potential censorship.Thegovernment eventually retracted the proposal due to widespread public opposition, which still require platforms to remove certain types of content but with a more n

intermediaryliability

Another prominent exampleisthe2014Turkish government’s attempts to ban Twitter and YouTube. Thebanswereimposedafter theseplatformswereusedto disseminate information critical of the government, particularly regarding corruption allegations against high-ranking officials The move was widely condemned both within Turkey and internationally as a blatant attack on free speech Turkish citizens took to the

streets in protest, and many found ways to circumvent thebansusingvirtualprivate networks (VPNs) and other tools Finally, China is another country which provides perhaps the most extreme example of governmental control over digital freedoms. The Great Firewall of China presents a vast and sophisticated system for internet censorship. It is designed to control the flow of information and suppress dissent Popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are all banned in the country, while their domestic platforms are heavily monitored and censored Despite these oppressive measures, the Chinese citizens desire for freedom have continuously found ways to resist the government’s measures, often using coded language andothercreativemethods. Guyana should never allow itself to descend to those levels to restrict or deny our citizens their freedoms. We must fight if ever such oppressive m e a s u r e s p r e s e n t themselves.

Yoursrespectfully, Hon.JermaineFigueira MP

Kaieteur News’ response to ExxonMobil Guyana

It is a matter of some

amusement that

ExxonMobil, a corporatetitanrenownedfor its global reach and unassailable influence, should now find itself echoing the Guyanese government in accusing this newspaper of spreading misinformation.

Thepeculiarspectacleof a private corporation adopting the rhetorical posture of a nation’s administration is, if nothing else, a scene that deserves ourcollectivepause.

Since 2021, this newspaper has implored, urged, even begged the government to undertake what should be a basic tenet

of responsible management of Guyana’s oil resources: independent monitoring of oilproductionandoillifts.

It is not, as ExxonMobil and the government would have the public believe, a matter of “misinformation” or,heavenforbid,subterfuge onourpart.

No, it is the humble

exercise of responsible governance that Guyana, an infant in the oil world, must establish its own means of verifyingtheproductiondata handed to it by seasoned multinationals. Thiscallforindependent oversightisessential,lestwe content ourselves with relying on the goodwill and

n e s

i l conglomerates. Trust, while avirtue,isnotasubstitutefor vigilance.

Thegovernmentremains unbending in its refusal to

independent monitoring and verification, opting instead to trust the very oil companies whose interests

searchforthefacts.

Itisnottheroleofafree press to act as a megaphone for either government or corporateinterests.

Our duty is to question, to hold accountable, and to safeguard the public trust.

ThesoonerExxonMobiland the government recognize that,thebetter

arenotalignedwiththoseof thenation.

It is one thing for the government to abdicate its responsibility to ensure independent scrutiny; it is

ExxonMobil to throw its weight behind such derelictionandinsinuatethat this newspaper’s insistence on checks and balances is somehow an exercise in misleadingthepublic.

The only party being misled here, it seems, is the people of Guyana—misled into thinking that the oversight of their national wealthisbeinghandledwith carewhen,inreality,thefox isguardingthehenhouse.

Equally perplexing is Exxon’ssilenceontheuseor non-use of oil in its operations.

Exxon should clarify its position on this issue. We look forward to Exxon providing the details as to thisaspectofitsoperations.

In this regard, it is therefore with great enthusiasmthatwewelcome ExxonMobil’srecentofferto provide “any additional information”andanswersto pressingquestions.

Perhaps, in the spirit of transparency, ExxonMobil might begin by enlightening thepublicastoits“massive” rateofreturn.Wemightalso benefit from updates on the c o u n t r y ’s p r o v e n reserves another glaring o m i s s i o n i n t h e government’s lexicon of accountability and, for good measure, the sums being held by the company for future decommissioning costs.

Forifwearetoplaceour faith in the hands of an oil giant, we would at least like to know where those hands have been and where they plantogo.

This,ExxonMobil,isnot misinformation It is an inquiry into the truth, a

EDITOR’SNOTE:The article above responds to ExxonMobil Guyana’s President Alistair Routledge’s letter to the EditorpublishedinSaturday, September7,2024editionof theKaieteurNews.

Theletteraspublishedis below:

Exxon’s production vesselshavemetersandthey meetorexceedinternational industrystandards

DearEditor, It’s unfortunate this publication continues to spreadmisinformationabout ExxonMobil Guyana’s operations Its readers deservebetter

Contrary to assertions repeatedly made by the p a p e r t h i s w e e k , Government representatives are present to witness every offshore oil lift – both their own, and those of the Stabroek block consortium. Simply put, none of the consortiummemberscanlift oil without a government witness present The Government has described howitexercisesitsrightsand dutiestocloselymonitorour operations.

The Government’s oil lifts also aren’t a mystery –theyareavailableforanyone to read on the Ministry of NaturalResources’website. Furthermore, despite repeated claims to the contrary, our offshore production vessels have meters, and those meters meetorexceedinternational industrystandards.

That data is also m o n i t o r e d b y t h e Government.

Thoselookingforfactual information about Guyana’s oil-and-gas industry would be better served seeking out news outlets that are committed to factual and unbiasedreporting.

Sincerely, AlistairRoutledge President, ExxonMobil Guyana

BLUNT BLUNT

THE ROLE OF THE FREE PRESS IS NOT TO ACT AS A MEGAPHONE FOR GOVT. OR CORPORATE INTERESTS

ExxonMobil’s silence on the use or non-use of oil in its operations is quite perplexing.

The company, though, has offered to provide “additional information” to pressing questions.

Perhaps, in the spirit of transparency, ExxonMobil might begin by enlightening the public as to its “massive” rate of return.

We might also benefit from updates on the country’s proven reserves—another glaring omission in the government’s lexicon of accountability—and, for good measure, the sums set aside for future decommissioning costs.

For if we are to place our faith in the hands of an oil giant, we would at least like to know where those hands have been and where they plan to go.

This is an inquiry into the truth, a search for the facts. It is not the role of a free press to act as a megaphone for either government or corporate interests. Our duty is to question, to hold accountable, and to safeguard the public trust.

The sooner ExxonMobil and the government recognize that, the better.

An electoral eclair

Th e r u l i n g

P e o p l e ’ s Progressive

Party/Civic (PPPC) knows how to win elections. Their history is marked by gestures subtle and grand—designed to pull the massestowardthem.

Thelatestannouncement, waiving all tolls across Guyana’s river bridges upon the completion of the new Demerara River Bridge, fits neatly into this tradition of electoral sweeteners On the surface, it appears an act of benevolence, a gesture of concernfortheoverburdened citizen But one cannot help butraiseabrowatthetiming The waiving of tolls coincides with next year’s elections, a fact too glaring to ignore. Yet, this is the privilege of incumbency, to extend benefits at such opportune moments that theyappearasblessings.But before we wholeheartedly celebratetheremovaloftolls as a win for the average Guyanese,wemustpause.Is it truly in the nation’s best interest to remove tolls across these vital arteries of transport?Oristhedecision, beyond its obvious electoral allure, setting the stage for deeper problems traffic congestion, increased security risks, and the erosionofamoresustainable publicinfrastructuremodel?

The roads leading to the Demerara Harbour Bridge, as they stand, already swell with traffic Commuters during peak hours in the mornings and evenings face delays that stretch patience and exhaust time The introduction of the new Demerara River Bridge—a fixed structure promises relief,butwearenaïveifwe think it will alone solve the

problem

The volume of vehicular traffic has grown at a pace unmatched by the expansionofinfrastructure. And herein lies the first issue with a blanket waiver of tolls. By removing a financial barrier to crossing the bridge, the government willinadvertentlyencourage an even greater surge of vehicles. What might seem likeamomentaryvictoryfor thecommuter—nofeeatthe tollbooth could evolve into a nightmare of endless queues and longer commutes Tolls, when appropriately priced, serve as more than just a revenue generator for maintenance. They act as a deterrent, a brake on overuse. In hightraffic areas, a toll can encourage the use of alternative transportation m e t h o d s , w h e t h e r carpooling, public buses, or even biking Guyana’s public transport system is admittedly far from ideal, but the solution to that problem is not to give every driver unrestricted access to crosstheriveratwill.Rather, an investment in improving public transport could ease the burden on the bridges while keeping traffic manageable.

Let us consider the experience of other countries In cities like London and Singapore, congestion pricing has been introducedtomanagetraffic flow Drivers must pay to enter certain areas at peak hours. The result? Reduced congestion, better air quality, and a more pleasant commuting experience for everyone. These cities have recognized that free access to key transport points encourages overuse. Guyana, at a different stage

of development, faces similar challenges on a smaller scale But the principleholds:unrestricted, untolledaccesswillnotlead to a freer-flowing traffic system.Quitethecontrary,it risks bringing everything to agrindinghalt.

Then there is the question of security, particularlywiththeBerbice River Bridge The toll system, cumbersome as it may seem to some, has a secondarybenefit:itactsasa checkpoint.Whencarsmust stop to pay, authorities have a moment to observe who is crossing. This might seem minor, but in a country where crime poses real threats, these moments of pause are invaluable Waiving the toll removes this point of surveillance, making it easier for those with less-than-honest intentions to cross unnoticed. The toll booth, often overlooked, plays a roleinpublicsecurity

The Berbice River Bridgetoll,whileunpopular amongsome,hasservedasa brake on the volume of traffic entering Region Six. This is not merely an economic question—it’s a security one As more vehicles flood into the region, the challenges of monitoring and controlling movement increase Removing tolls would open the floodgates, so to speak, allowing more traffic, more movement

oversight. This is not an argument for sealing off regions or restricting mobility, but rather for ensuring that infrastructure decisions are made with an e y e t o w a r d b o t h convenience, security and safety.

Finance Minister meets EXIM Bank officials...

Frompage3

US and he used the opportunity to restate appreciation, on behalf of President Dr. IrfaanAli,andtheGovernmentandPeopleof Guyana, of the US’s strong support for the restoration of democracy in 1992, and its preservation during the 2020 General and RegionalElections.

He also thanked the US for unequivocally supporting the sovereignty andterritorialintegrityofGuyanaintermsof theGuyana/Venezuelabordercontroversy

The Senior Minister also met with the Assistant United States (US) Trade RepresentativefortheWesternHemisphere, Mr Daniel Watson, in Washington DC. wherediscussionscenteredonenhancingthe trade and investment partnership between the US and Guyana with Dr Singh emphasizingthattheUScontinuestobeone of Guyana’s most significant trading partners, and reiterated Government commitment to maintaining a strong

Proponents of the toll waiver will argue that it provides immediate financialrelieftotheaverage citizen.Thereistruthinthis. In a country where income inequalityisgrowingandthe cost of living continues to rise, even small savings at a tollbooth can make a difference to families. But thereareotherwaystooffer relief. We must also think l

of a nation—its bridges, roads, and public transport systems—requires constant upkeepandexpansion.Tolls provide a direct source of funding for these projects. Withoutthem,wherewillthe money come from? The

burden will likely fall on taxpayers, many of whom will not use these bridges regularly Is it fair to ask citizens from across the country to subsidize the travel of those in certain regions? A modest toll, appropriately scaled, ensures that those who use the infrastructure contribute to its maintenance. This is notonlyfair—itisnecessary f o r s u s t a i n a b l e development.

The decision to waive tolls may win votes, but it will not solve the deeper problems facing Guyana’s transport system Traffic congestion will worsen and securityriskswillrise.

Instead of embracing

short-term populism, the PPPC should consider a more balanced approach Retainthetollsandimprove public transport, including through developing a mass transportsystem.Otherwise, we will have to continue to build roads, including possibly through peoples’ homes.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

institutional environment, and a favourable macro-economic environment conducive to UScompaniesdoingbusinessinGuyana.

The meetings between Dr. Singh and USofficialsalsoincludedameetingwith the Executive President of the CAF (Corporacion Andina de Fomento) Development Bank of LatinAmerica and the Caribbean, Mr Sergio DíazGranados Where the Minister explained that the Government is open to partnership with CAF and would like to see the bank play a role in Guyana’s exciting transformation currently underway

The two sides also explored ways in which the financial institution can partner with the Government to ensure that the currentaggressiveinfrastructurebuild-outis financed optimally, and that critical investments are made toward further boosting the economy and diversifying a numberofcriticalsectorsinthecountry

Grand GDP: thanks Exxon, bigger thanks to Guyana’s grand viziers Drs. Jagdeo, Ali

It’s time for drooling, a Exxon.

Exxon may have packed up burdensome cost recovery more warming the GDP lush celebration of Guyana’s Who said that crass oil their bags, disconnected regimewouldhaveblownup number, the smaller and GDP for the first half of company capitalists were their hoses, and caught the all the conventional GDP colder Guyanese are class,whosecontributionsto 2024. The last time I recall ruthless and voracious? But nextAmericanAirlinesflight numbers favored in the halls Where’s the beef, Dr and extractions from coming across a GDP of the biggest thank you is due back to Spring, Texas (while ofacademy Bharrat? Now if that is Guyana’s GDP borders on 49 6%, well, I can’t the PPP Government best billingGuyanaforit). Local A new textbook would offensive to his godless the criminal. Then there is remember personified in the turkey trot GDPwould have most likely have been written with some sensitivities, I apologize and the insidious insider class Not even China at the combo of President Dr been creeping around in the new formula to measure this respectfully redirect the (aka the friends, family and peak of its economic Irfaan Ali and Oil Viceroy low single digits. On the GDPmonsterinGuyana. question to Excellency Ali, favorite class) whose trajectory came close. I am Dr Bharrat Jagdeo. Here is other hand, had the Ali- Yeah, Guyana’s GDPis a who should have no qualms pickings closely resemble boxing my head about something to think about Jagdeo leadership tag team monster. But it is our about my choice of meat. some of those princes in oil whether those rampaging folks. If Drs. Ali and Jagdeo delivered on their sworn monster to be coddled and How is it Excellency Jagdeo richAfrica,andwithasmuch Asian Tigers-Singapore, had found their onions, and word to deal with that cherished. My hang-up is and my good friend, the transparency The Middle South Korea and company- lurched forward with skill dastardly 2016 oil contract, why is it that with such a esteemed President Ali, that East of emirates and Gulf in their heyday were in and wisdom (and loads of Guyana’s GDP would have monstrous GDP (thanks to the more exciting Guyana’s States,isstillthere,isn’tit? proximityofahalfyearGDP courage), to change that climbed deeper into the Exxon,Ali, and Jagdeo) that GDP is, the more despairing Those have had it good of 49.6%, and come up odious 2016 oil contract, stratosphere. A mere 2% the rank-and-file in Guyana ordinary Guyanese are? I and great. May I be excused empty I give credit where it where would Guyana’s GDP more (4% total) in royalty are forced to live like see more than a great, big for asking of President Ali is due: a big thank you to be? At the remote end, negotiated, with a less midgets? The bigger and disconnect at work. I see and VP Jagdeo, how about enormous disillusionment doing something that is truly taking hold of citizens. The tangible and durable for the oil is theirs, the big bang little people? The minimum GDP is because of that same wage Guyanese: imagine oil, but Guyanese are forced living in a country blessed to wait with tongue hanging with an incredible half-year out,likesomepitifuldog,for GDP of 49.6%, and this the first round of election group of economic bottom generosity feeders are compelled to

TothepresidentandVice contend any way they can President, I say (with hat in with approximately US$300 hand, of course) that every permonth. Nowthatmaybe Guyanese should be hailed as a livable wage by marching in lockstep with PresidentAliandVPJagdeo, those GDP numbers. Their b u t I i n v i t e b o t h ability to look at food prices compassionate Guyanese and laugh, their standard of leaders to try that for a half living, and their quality of yearandseeifthetearsdon’t life, should all be cruising at flow from their eyes in 35,000 feet. With a GDP copious quantities. Oh, and about which Guyana can another matter, brothers Ali now consistently boast, the and Jagdeo (appreciate the Guyanese people should, at honor), if that is a livable least, also have something to wage, then it sure as hell boast about, too It is can’t be for people. The definite that both grand puppy chow and prime cuts leaders agree privately with crowd may be able to what is said here but cannot manageonUS$300monthly, admit to any of this publicly andstillhavesomefundsleft Thebetterapproach,thenow for an overdue animal settledmantra,istohighlight manicure. But not regular subsidies, and to preach people, no gents. As an sweetly about how caring aside, though it doesn’t have a n d k i n d t h e P P P universalapplication,aclose Government (and they companion of highflying themselves) have been to GDPisrisinginflation. So,I Guyanese. One would think submit that Guyanese are that they just shoved their lined up for (experiencing) a hands in their pockets and two-fistedkicktotheface. A gave a nice raise to citizens. paltry to meaningless share Since the Ali-Jagdeo tango of Guyana’s GDP richness preferstodealinstuttersteps and the slap in the face of and footsies, I give them a rising prices for a round-thehand. Indeed, there are yearbonus.

Guyanese who have reaped I am sure that Jagdeo the their rewards (ten, twenty, a Great and Ali the Greatest hundred fold). With the will agree with me secretly permission of this illustrious that something must be done Guyanese leadership duet, I for struggling Guyanese takethelibertyofidentifying Theirchallengeishowmuch those Guyanese who have and when Good luck, come into their own on the Guyanese. I think that ran back of the largely oil driven out when the oil started GDP There is the PPP gushing.

aristocracyclass,firstinline. (The views expressed in I only have one house and a this article are those of the couple of famished dogs. a u t h o r a n d d o n o t Then, there is contractor and necessarily reflect the pretending-to-be-contractor opinions of this newspaper.)

AFC: Parliamentary scrutiny of Police Force could serve as deterrentagainstcops’involvementinillegalactivities

Scrutiny of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and its rankscanserveasadeterrent for their involvement in criminal activities, the Alliance For Change (AFC) saidonFriday

Recently, there have been a number of reports of members of the Police and Defence Forces being involvedinillegalactivities.

At the party’s weekly press conference, former Minister of Public Security KhemrajRamjattantoldthis publicationthatroguepolice officers must be dismissed fromtheForce.

“We have to make sure policemen that have gone rogue in relation to matters of protection and service must be dismissed and we have to have investigation carriedoutbyPoliceService Commissions to ensure that those who are supposed to protectandserveusmustdo so professionally, honestly andjustly,”Ramjattansaid.

Ramjattan said that Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn ought to operationalise the Public Security Committee of Parliament to allow for continued scrutiny of membersoftheForce.

“ Like in America, where we can demand and subpoena people to come and answer questions like

the PPP (People’s ProgressiveParty/Civic)did when they were in opposition from 20152020,” Ramjattan, who is alsoanattorneysaid.

Ramjattan recalled: “I allowedpeoplelikeRobeson Benn and Gail Teixeira and Harry Gill, to come and ask q u e s t i o n s o f t h e Commissioner, the Fire Chief and the Prison Commissioner and they did thatextensively.”

Hesaidwhileinthepast, there was thorough scrutiny of the officials, since the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) took office there has been“atotalshutdown”.

“… So that is where the policy for the Alliance For Change is vastly different from that for the existing government in relation to matters of police scrutiny and you see when you have scrutiny like that it deters or it has a capacity to deter the activitiesofpolicethatareso muchinvolvedinallkindsof thingsnow.”

LACK OF CAPACITY

Meanwhile, Leader of the AFC Nigel Hughes during the press conference pointedtotherecent4.4tons (4,400kilos)drugbustwitha

streetvalueofUS$188Mon August 31 at an illegal airstripatMatthewsRidge.

y PresidentIrfaanAliwhosaid that his government will continue to work with its partners to destabilize and breakthebackofallcriminal networks operating in the country

Hughes said, “ The headline of the president or the statement by the president that he was going to dismantle the drug gang? Youwouldhavetobeliving in wonderland to take that statement seriously, what is he going to dismantle the druggangswith?”

Hecontinued:“Iamsure when the heads of criminal enterprises in Guyana, meet and hear what the President says, they must have a good laugh,becausethePresident has not been able to dismantle anything looking like a drug gang unless the United States if America providesassistance.”

Hughes reminded that the discovery of two submarines and almost quarter billion worth of narcotics found in Guyana were not detected by domesticlawenforcement.

“Soitmustmeanthatitis clearthattheabilitytolocate large quantities of narcotics, the ability to locate the equipment that is used to convey this large quantities

of narcotics overseas that is clearly beyond the capacity of the Guyana Police Force (GPF),”theAFCleadersaid.

Hesaidtoothatitisclear that the GPF lacks the capacity to combat major crimes.Asaresult,hecalled on the government to implement the Protective Disclosure Act of 2018 aimed at establishing a Commission where persons can make protected disclosures.

“…Whistle blowing as it’s called since 2018 that

was passed through the previous administration and up to now that Act has not beenbroughtintotheforce.”

Hughes said that the implementation of the Act would be vital in the investigation of the recent US$188Mcocainebust.

“ An act like this would allow them to make thedisclosureconfidentially to the Commission or to its agentsothatyoucanstartto get real information,”

Hughes said at the press conference.

Hughes,alsoanattorney, said that residents of the community where the cocainewasfoundwouldbe reluctant to reveal any information related to the find due to reports in the media that suggests a senior policeofficerisconnectedto thecocainebust.

“…The difficulty with that is that the more people lose confidence in the Guyana Police Force, is the more the rule of law becomes threatened,” the attorneysaid.

Kaieteur News recently reported that a senior police officer is allegedly connected to the US$188M cocaine bust at Matthews Ridge, Region One and law enforcement authorities are looking to question him regarding his alleged role in the smuggling of drugs out ofthearea.

Local law-enforcement authorities believe that the largequantityofcocainethat was seized in a JointServicesoperationwas

Continuedonpage48

Leader of theAFC, Nigel Hughes

FormerLeaderofthe AFCandAttorney-at-Law, KhemrajRamjattan

Govt.secretlyinsertsprovisioninLiza1,2and PayaraPermitstoshieldExxonfromalloilspillcosts

The Government ofGuyana(GoG)

through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has modified the Liza One, Liza Two and Payara Permits, granted to ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), reversing the legal requirement for an unlimited parent company guaranteetocoveroilspills.

K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that a provision wasinitiallyinsertedintothe Yellowtail Permit for the f o u r t h d e e p w a t e r development, dated March 2022. That Permit outlined new conditions with regard to oil spill protection for the country

While Condition 14 of thePermitrequiresExxonto p r o v i d e a P a r e n t Company/Affiliate (of Operator and Co-Venturers (CoVs))guarantee,itisclear thatthecoverageforoilspill protection is not unlimited. In fact, citizens who suffer ongoing loss from such an event will have to take Exxon to Court for compensation.

Condition 14 3 of the

Yellowtail Permit states, “The above individually or a combination shall at least be guided by an estimate of the sum of the reasonably credible costs, expenses, andliabilitiesthatmayarise from any breaches of this permit. Liabilities are considered to include costs associated with responding toanincident,clean-upand r e m e d i a t i o n a n d monitoring The estimation is not expected to address unidentifiableorinestimable

compensation for loss and ongoing damage to other parties,andwhichareableto be pursued through civil action.”

In t

, governmenthasmodifiedall of the previously issued Permits granted to Exxon, protecting the multinational corporationfromalloilspill costs.

The Liza One, Liza Two and Payara Permits have beenmodifiedtofeaturethis

newprovisionintroducedby the People’s Progressive Party(PPP)regime.

ThefirsttwoPermitsfor the Liza One and Liza Two oil projects were approved by the previous Coalition government while the third p

, Paya

a

approved by the PPP government. These Permits did not previously feature thisprovision.

Two citizens, Frederick Collins and Godfrey Whyte hadtakentheEnvironmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) to

Court for failing to enforce compliance with the Liza One Permit, requiring an unlimited guarantee for oil spills.

Though the Court ruled infavourofthelitigants,the ruling was appealed and is still ongoing in the Court of Appeal.Exxon,EPAandthe government are fighting against the provision of an unlimitedoilspillguarantee.

High Court Judge, JusticeSandilKissooninhis ruling underscored the importance of an unlimited

parent company guarantee. “If the unthinkable occurs, and there is an event in the Stabroek Block resulting in the release of hydrocarbons then Esso, and to the extent thatitisunabletodosoasit is largely an assetless subsidiary without financial resources,thenEXXON,the Parent Company comes into play.”

The court noted that EXXONcontinuestoderive abenefitfromtheoperations of its subsidiary and will cover the liabilities and obligations of Esso as stipulated at Condition 14:01.

Assuch,JusticeKissoon reasoned that “If, however, thateventoccursandthereis no uncapped Parent CompanyGuaranteeinplace to indemnify the State, then theStateis liablefor allthat occurs.

It is simply not open to the permit holder to say it is engaged in a frolic of its own, aided and abetted by the EPA, to unilaterally, arbitrarily and unlawfully capitsunlimitedliabilityand financialassurance.”

EPAExecutive Director, Kemraj Parsram

High Court Judge, Justice Sandil Kissoon

President ExxonMobil Guyana Limited,Alistair Routledge

Dr. Jailall (6th left) was bestowed by the Governor of the State of North Carolina, USAwith that state's highest honour – “The Order of the Long Leaf Pine” –for

Internationally

Educator Dr. Julie Jailall is a Special Person

Some of the creative pieces produced by Kenthings.

Owner of 'Kenthings', Kenita Roberts.

Thisweek’s featuredbeautyisthe simplygorgeousMeera Singh whoisMarketing ManageratKaieteurNews,with experienceinmarketingand accounting.Meerarecentlycelebrated her30thbirthday.Meeradescribes herselfasacommittedprofessionaland devotedmothertothreebeautifulkids. Wheneversheisnotworking,Meeraloves shoppingandspendingtimewithher family.HerfavouritequoteisbyHannah Bronfman ~ “Don’t forget to tell yourself positive things daily! You must love yourself internally to glow externally.”

Meera Singh

WEEK-IN-REVIEW

Sunday

ExxonMobilandpartners maderecordbreaking US$8.5Binfirsthalfof 2024–Mid-YearReport …asGuyanagains

US$1.2B

The operator of Guyana’s oil rich, Stabroek Block, ExxonMobil and the company’s two CoVenturers,inthefirsthalfof this year enjoyed record breaking income from the three Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels operating offshore.

The three vessels, Liza Destiny, Unity and Prosperity are producing a daily average of 645,000 barrels.

According to the Government of Guyana’s Mid-Year Report, the total earnings from the export of crude oil amounted to US$9.4B in the first six months of 2024, a US$4B increase compared with the sameperiodlastyear

It should be noted that 75% of that amount was deducted by the Stabroek Block partners to recover their investments. To this end, the report states that US$7.5B in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) outflows wasrecorded,reflectingcost recoveryfromtheoilandgas sector.

Government pointed out that this outweighed FDI inflows during the review period, which amounted to US$2.9B.

In addition to revenue deducted for cost, Exxon also received 50% of the profits from the Stabroek Block, in accordance with the2016ProductionSharing Agreement (PSA). As such, Exxon and partners bagged at least US$8 5B from Guyana’s oil and gas operations in only six months.

This is a massive increase in cost recovery compared with the same periodlastyear TheBankof Guyana (BoG) in its 2023 Half Year Report indicated that US$4B in revenue was deducted from Guyana’s oil duringthefirstsixmonthsof theyear

Meanwhile, Guyana’s Natural Resource Fund (NRF) received a US$1.2B top-upduringthefirsthalfof 2024.

Between January and June 2024, the Government ofGuyana(GoG)had15lifts of profit oil from the three

producingFPSOs;fourfrom Destiny,fivefromUnityand six from Prosperity The report explained, “During the period January to June 2024, Government received US$1,220 6 million as revenue from its share of profitoilfromthirteenofthe fifteen lifts that occurred in the first six months of this year and two lifts that occurred in the final quarter of2023.”

With prices for Brent crude averaging US$84 per barrel in the first half of 2024, Guyana also received US$162 4 million in royalties related to production and sales from the final quarter of last year and the first quarter of this year In July, Government received US$167.6 million as profit oil payments for two Government lifts that wereexecutedinJune.

The cumulative balance of the NRF, including interest of US$64.1M at the end of June amounted to US$2,870.6 million, after withdrawals of US$550 million.

At the beginning of the year, it was anticipated that government would receive 25liftsofprofitoilfromthe Stabroek Block. Due to the ramping up of production at the Prosperity FPSO however, the country will receive an additional two lifts (approximately two millionbarrelsmore).

To this end, the report noted, “Petroleum deposits for the year are now projected to total US$2,645 9 million this year, 10.3 percent higher than projected at the time of preparing Budget 2024

Government is now expectedtoearnUS$2,292.1 million from the sale of Guyana’s share of profit oil, and US$353.8 million in royalties.”

This year, almost

US$1.6B is expected to be withdrawn from the oil account The NRF is

expected to have a closing balance of approximately US$3,154.9 million at the endoftheyear

Oilproductiondrivesup GDPto49.7%infirst halfof2024–Mid-YearReport …assugarindustry declinesby60%, golddownby10.3%

Oil production in the Stabroek Block is driving Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), resulting in a 49.7% growth in the first sixmonthsof2024.

This was revealed in the Mid-Year Report, recently p u b l i s h e d b y t h e Government of Guyana (GoG). The document also highlightsa12.6%growthin the country’s non-oil GDP between January and June this year, despite challenges in a number of traditional sectors.

The reportnotedthatthe overall outlook for 2024 remains positive, as strong performanceinothersectors maintain non-oil growth expectations.

“Overall real GDP growth for 2024 is now projected at 42.3 percent, with non-oil growth of 11.8 percent. Once realised, this will represent the fourth successiveyearofexpansion in the non-oil economy, following the contraction in

2020,” government said in theMid-Yearreport.

Sugardownby60%

Despite the $9B allocation to the Guyana

Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) in this year’s Budget and subsequent supplementary funding, the sector suffered a massive 60% decline in the first half of2024.

GuySuCoreported6,739 tonnes of sugar produced during the review period.

“This performance is attributedtothecarriedover impacts of drier-than-usual weather conditions last year into the second quarter of this year,” the report explained.

Meanwhile, government revised its sugar production for the year from 100,000 tonnesto70,000tonnes.

Gold

Also recording a decline was the gold mining subsector which contracted by10.3%comparedwiththe sameperiodlastyear “Atthe end of June 2024, gold declarations stood at 188,160 ounces, with the 35 3% increase in declarations from the lone large producer outweighed by lower declarations from thesmall-andmedium-scale producers Declarations from the latter fell from 159,084 ounces in the first half last year, to 119,603 ouncesattheendofJunethis

2023 to 2024

addressed Overall production for 2024 is now projected at just over 1,620,000 tonnes, and the sector is now projected to grow at 41.3 percent this year

Livestock

Ontheagriculturalfront, thelivestocksectordeclined in the first half of 2024 by 7.8%.

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh

year,” according to the report. Government predicts that subsector will grow by 2.1%thisyear

Bauxite

During the period under review,thebauxitesubsector

contracted by 20%, recording a production of 196,650. The performance, a c c o r d i n g t o t h e government, was driven by lower output from both producers, who continue to grapple with marketing and operationalchallenges. It is however expected that the larger producer would improve production inthesecondhalfoftheyear Additionally, the smaller operator anticipates that production will return to more stable rates, as plant reliability and other operationalissueshavebeen

This was driven by contractions in the output of poultry meat and milk. According to the report, “Thedeclinesof9.5percent and 4.9 percent in poultry meat and milk, respectively, outweighed the increased production observed for beef,pork,muttonandeggs, whichgrewby21.1percent, 23.4 percent, 68.2 percent a n d 3 5 p e r c e n t , respectively.”

Again, government noted challenges posed by hot temperatures This resulted in ‘Inclusion Body Hepatitis’ in poultry while extreme dry conditions affected forage availability and promoted the multiplicationofinsectpests which affected the productionofmilk. Rice

During the period, the rice industry is estimated to have grown by 17.9%. The Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) reported productionof362,030

(Continuedonpage16)

President, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, Alistair Routledge

Graph showing the increase in cost recovery from

Frompage15 tonnes of rice equivalent, compared with 302,295 tonnes in the first half of 2023.

While bad weather was blamed for the poor performance in the sugar sector, the report cited “favourable weather conditions”forthegrowthin production.

Meanwhile, “given the better-than anticipated performance in the first crop,” the production estimate for the year has been revised upward to 717,032 tonnes of rice. The sector is now projected to grow by 8.9 percent this year

Forestry

With 202,066 cubic metres of timber products produced as of June 2024, government estimated a 13 2% expansion of the forestry sector in the first halfoftheyear Thesector’s growth outlook for the year isunchangedat3.9percent.

Fishing

Interventionsmadeinthe fisheries sector resulted in a 27.7% growth during the first half of the year, with increases recorded for both shrimpandfishproduction.

Thereportstatesthatfish output grew by 39 1%, reaching 9,821 tonnes at the end of June this year. Meanwhile, marine shrimp production reportedly grew by 1.9% to reach 9,588 tonnes at the end of the first halfofthisyear

“Alsosupportinggrowth inthissubsectoristhe70.6% increase in aquaculture productioninthefirsthalfof the year. The overall performance is attributed

largely to more favourable climatic conditions and increased fleet activity,” the reportsaid.Inthemeantime, the subsector is now estimated to grow by 16.8% fortheyear

Monday

‘Nolinkbetweengrowth inGDPandprosperous livesforGuyanese’—Int’l Lawyer,MelindaJanki

Guyana’s Gross

Domestic Product (GDP) has been on a springboard over the past four years, charged heavily by the burgeoning petroleum sector Withmassivedoubledigitgrowthbeingrecorded, the small South American nation has emerged as the fastest growing economy, creating the illusion of not only a wealthy country, but prosperouspopulation.

Aw a r d - w i n n i n g Guyanese International Lawyer, Melinda Janki has however dispelled the link between the country’s growth in GDP and improvement in the lives of its citizens During a webinar on Sunday ‘Guyana’s oil-boom or blowout?’ Janki who has beensuccessfulinlitigations challenging the oil and gas operations locally painted a grimpictureofthecountry’s realityasanoilproducer

She said, “Most of you have heard the various claims that Guyana is undergoing an economic boom,thatGuyanaisgetting rich, that Guyanese are becoming more prosperous and these claims are based almost entirely based on

Guyana’s Gross Domestic Product.”

She pointed out that the World Bank in 2022 said Guyana’s GDPincreased by 62%, while the Bank of Guyana in 2023 reported growth in GDP by 33%. More recently, Janki said President IrfaanAli touted a 49 7% growth in GDP duringthefirsthalfof2024.

The lawyer said: “this sounds very impressive but what does it mean? The (International Monetary Fund) IMF says GDP just measuresthemonetaryvalue of final goods and services producedinacountry,sothat includesGuyana’soil.”

Shewaskeentonotethat mostoftheGDPgrowthwas driven by the oil sector “In 2022,theIMF,lookingatthe World Bank’s figures of growth said actually the oil bitgrewby124%.That’snot that surprising because Guyana really didn’t start producing any oil until December 2019, so Guyana is starting from a very low place,”theLawyerreasoned.

Janki noted that growth inthenon-oilGDPthatyear was around 11% which continues presently as confirmed by the Bank of Guyana, which stated in a 2023 Report that the oil and gassectorcontinuestobethe major contributor to GDP growth. “But that doesn’t mean that Guyana is better offeconomically Why?The GDP includes Guyana’s oil production,butGuyana’soil production doesn’t go to Guyana. Nearly 90% of the oil production goes to three foreign companies- Exxon, HessandCNOOC-theytake it, but it counts as part of Guyana’sGDP.”

In explaining the circumstances that allowed for this unbalance in the equation, she referenced the lopsided contract signed between the Government of Guyana and Exxon in 2016. That arrangement allows Exxon, the operator of the Stabroek Block, to deduct 75% of oil produced each

investment. The remaining 25% is shared equally with Guyana as profits The country also receives 2% of all petroleum produced and soldasroyalty;thisispaidon aquarterlybasis.

Jankitoldthealmost100 participants of the online event that oil has not made Guyana better off, in fact, reportsindicatesoaringfood prices, forcing more people to eat from garbage cans. “The Bank of Guyana says

inflationhasgoneup,largely driven by the increase in foodprices,therearepeople eating out of garbage cans…you see more people sleeping on the streets,” the Lawyerargued.

On Sunday, Kaieteur News reported that oil production in the Stabroek Block catapulted Guyana’s GDPgrowth to a staggering 49.7%inthefirstsixmonths of2024.

The Government of Guyana’s Mid-Year report also emphasized a 12.6% growthinthecountry’snonoil GDP between January and June this year, despite challenges in a number of traditionalsectors.

Janki however argued thateventhegrowthinnonoil GDP is linked to the petroleum industry, citing theconstructionsectorasan example This sector recorded a 43.7% growth duringthefirsthalfof2024, with sand and stone declarations estimated to have grown by 46.6% and 73.4%,respectively

Guyana’sdebtsurgespast US$5B–Mid-YearReport –Externaldebtprojected toincreasefromU$1.9B toUS$2.8Bbytheendof theyear

Guyana’s total debt has risen sharply, exceeding US$5 billion by mid-2024, according to the Ministry of Finance’s Mid-Year Report. As of June 2024, the country’s debt stood at US$5,063.3million,upfrom US$4,508.8 million at the endofDecember2023.

Thereporthighlightsthat Guyana’s public debt remains sustainable and is currently subject to a moderate risk of debt distress The government said that it has maintained a focus on securing development financing under prudent cost and risk parameters.

“At the end of the first half of this year, Guyana’s stock of Total Public and Publicly Guaranteed (PPG) d e b t a m o u n t e d t o US$5,063 3 million, reflecting positive net flows from both external and domestic creditors,” the reportstates.

As of the end of June 2024, external PPG debt totaled US$1,924.2 million. The ministry stated that this increase is attributed to positive net flows from multilateralcreditorssuchas the W

InternationalAwardWinning Lawyer, Melinda Janki

Caribbean Development Bank, as well as from bilateral creditors including China, Canada, India, and UK Export Finance. These funds support various social andinfrastructuralprojects.

Multilateral creditors hold the largest share of externalPPGdebtat63.4%, followed by bilateral creditors at 35 1%, and private creditors at 1.5%.

Notably,thereportstatesthat the external PPG debt stock is projected to grow to US$2,832.3 million by the end of 2024, driven by expected continued inflows from both bilateral and multilateralsources.

It was disclosed that external disbursements reachedUS$196.8millionin the first half of 2024, a 94.6% increase from the same period in the previous year This surge is largely due to increased funding from bilateral creditors, which amounted to US$157.9million,reflecting a 127.5% rise compared to the first half of 2023. Key projects funded include a social protection initiative by Canada, the East Coast D e m e r a r a R o a d Improvement Project Phase 2, and the Regional Hospitals Project, financed byChina,alongwithseveral projects funded by the India EXIMBank.

Moreover,domesticPPG stoodatUS$3,139millionat the end of June reflecting some US$2,226.2 million in treasury bills based on the issuance of new fiscal instruments. TotalPPGdebt servicepaymentsforthefirst half of 2024 amounted to US$85.2 million, a 7.7% decrease compared to the same period in 2023. This decline is primarily due to a 33.3%reductionindomestic debtservicepayments,from US$42.2 million in the first half of 2023, to US$28.2 million in the first half of 2024. “The contraction in domestic PPG debt service payments was in turn due to

the completion, in the previousyear,ofrepayments under a government guaranteed bond issued by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited(NICIL)in2018but transferred to the books of Central Government in 2020,” it was stated Conversely, external PPG debt service payments increased by 13.8%, rising from US$50.1 million to US$57 million, driven by higher payments to both bilateral and multilateral creditors.

Additionally, earlier this year the government got the green light to increase the ceilings on both domestic and external debt. The domestic public debt ceiling has been increased to $1.5 trillion,upfrom$750billion from its last revision Meanwhile, a new external borrowing ceiling of $1.5 trillion has been approved, afteritslastincreaseto$900 billion. This move was part of a broader financial strategy to increase the nation’scapacity,inorderto finance its $1.146 trillion 2024 budget, including several large-scale infrastructureprojects.

To access the Mid-Year Report 2024, click here: https://finance govgy/wpcontent/uploads/2024/08/Mi d-Year-Report-2024.pdf

Tuesday

Essequibobusinessman gunneddowninhome

Sixty-one-year-old businessman, Ghanraj Bhasmat,wasshotandkilled at his home in Adventure, Essequibo Coast, Region Two,onMondaymorning.

According to the police, Bhasmat lived with his 47year-old wife, Durpattie Ragobar, and their 30-yearold daughter Ragobar informedinvestigatorsthat (Continuedonpage36)

Murdered, Ghanraj Bhasmat

Screening Tests for Common Diseases

Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine

Whatisascreeningtest?

A screening test is done to detect potential health disorders or diseases in people who do not have any symptoms of disease. The goal is early detection and lifestyle changes or surveillance, to reduce the riskofdisease,ortodetectit early enough to treat it most effectively Screening tests

are not considered diagnostic, but are used to identify a subset of the population who should have

additional testing to determine the presence or absenceofdisease.

Whenisascreeningtest helpful?

What makes a screening test valuable is its ability to detect potential problems, while minimizing unclear, ambiguous, or confusing results While screening

tests are not 100% accurate in all cases, it is generallymorevaluableto have the screening tests at the appropriate times, as recommended by your healthcare provider, than to not have them at all However, some screening tests,whenusedinpeoplenot at high risk for disease, or when testing for very rare diseases, can cause more problemsthantheyhelp

S o m e c o m m o n screeningtests

Be sure to consult your healthcare provider regarding the appropriate timing and frequency of all screening tests based on your age, overall

health, and medical history The following are

some examples of commonscreeningtests: Cholesterolmeasurements

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that can be found inallpartsofthebody Itaids in the production of cell m e m b r a n e s , s o m e hormones, and vitamin D. The cholesterol in the blood comes from 2 sources: the food you eat and production inyourliver

However, the liver produces all of the cholesterolthebodyneeds.

Cholesterol and other fats are transported in the bloodstream in the form of spherical particles, called lipoproteins.

The 2 most commonly known lipoproteins are lowdensity lipoproteins (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, and

high-density lipoproteins

(HDL), or “good” cholesterol Cholesterol screening is performed by a blood test. People with high cholesterol measurements from a blood sample have a h i g h e r r i s k f o r cardiovascular disease (CVD), than those with cholesterol in the normal range. Studies have shown that peoplewithhighcholesterol canreducetheirriskforheart disease by lowering their cholesterol.

It is important to understand, however, that people can still have heart disease even with cholesterol levels in the normalrange.

Fecaloccultbloodtest

Fecal occult blood is detected by microscopic analysisorbychemicaltests for hemoglobin (blood) in thestool.

People with blood in their stool may have a cancerous growth indicative ofcolorectalcancer

The test requires collectionof3stoolsamples that are examined under the microscopeforblood.

It is important to understand that when blood ispresentinastoolsample,it can be due to other noncancerous factors, such as certain medications or foods, gastrointestinal bleeding, or hemorrhoids. Testing is recommended starting at age 50 by many organizations including the AmericanCancerSociety.

Pap test (also called Pap smears)

Pap smears are samples ofcellstakenfromthecervix

inwomentolookforcellular changes indicative of cervical cancer The Pap smear is an important screening test in sexually active women under the age of 65, to detect cancer at a stagewhenthereareoftenno symptoms. It is important to understand that a Pap smear may be referred to as “abnormal,” but may not mean that a person has cervical cancer Some organizations also recommend HPV (human papilloma virus) screening incertainpopulationsduring thePapsmear

Prostatespecificantigen (PSA)

This blood test measures the prostate specific antigen (PSA)

levels in the blood

Antigensareanysubstances that evoke responses from a person’s immune system

Theprostatespecificantigen levels can be elevated in the presence of prostate cancer However, it is important to understandthatotherbenign prostateconditionsmayalso elevate PSA, such as benign prostatichyperplasia(BPH), which is noncancerous swelling of the prostate. he P S A t e s t i s n o t recommended for all men, and there is considerable controversy over the role of PSAtesting.

omeorganizations,such as the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), now recommend against PSA screening.

The pros and cons of PSA screening should always be discussed with your healthcare provider

beforetesting.

Some of the cons include unnecessary testing and procedures, unnecessary costs, and significantly increased anxiety

Mammography

Many organizations, including the USPSTF, recommend mammography screening for breast cancer every 1 year to 2 years after age 50. This test is done in conjunction with a clinical breastexam

Colonoscopy

Many organizations, including the USPSTF, recommend screening for coloncancerorcolonpolyps atage50,earlierifyouhave afamilyhistoryorotherrisk factors.

Diabetesorprediabetes

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that all adults be screened for diabetes or prediabetes starting at age 45, regardless of weight. Additionally, individuals without symptoms of diabetes should be screened if they are overweight or obese and have one or more additional diabetes risk factors.

Consult your healthcare provider regarding all of theseaswellasothertypesof screening tests, based on your medical condition, as not all healthcare providers areinagreementinregardto whichscreeningtestsshould be done and for which age groups.

Talking Dollars & Making Sense Talking Dollars & Making Sense

By Rennie P

Demystifying the Balance Sheet

WelcomebacktoTalking business can use to grow or Retirement Benefit projects.

G$41.30 billion in 2022. that is expanding its Dollars & Making Sense. payoffdebts.

Assets:G$8.46billion,down

Deferred Tax Liabilities: Retained earnings represent operations while managing Today, we’re unraveling the Types ofAssets from G$10.43 billion in G$2.6 billion, up from profits that the company has itsliabilities. mysteries of the Balance There are two types of 2022. This is the amount G$3.16 billion in 2022. decided to reinvest in the Why Entrepreneurs Sheet a fundamental assets: current assets and DDL has set aside to cover These are taxes DDL will business rather than paying Should Care financial statement that non-currentassets. future pension obligations need to pay in the future, but them out as dividends to As a business owner, every entrepreneur should CurrentAssets:Theseare foritsemployees. notwithinthenextyear shareholders. The growth in understanding your Balance understand. Whether you’re assets that your business WhyAssets Matter Why Liabilities Matter retained earnings shows Sheet helps you make starting out or looking to expects to convert into cash A s s e t s a r e

Liabilities represent DDL is keeping more profit informed decisions about expand your business, orusewithinayear Theyare

’s

d what you owe to others and within the company to fund managing cash, paying off graspingtheBalanceSheetis the “liquid” parts of your r

ces Th

e managing them carefully is futuregrowth. debts, and reinvesting crucial for making informed business things you can valuable and well-managed essential for business Why Equity Matters profits.Itshowsyouwhether decisions We’ll use real quickly turn into cash to pay your assets, the more power survival. Too much debt can Equity is a critical your business is growing or examples from Demerara yourbills. you have to grow, pay off strain a business, especially indicator of your business’s shrinking, whether you’re Distillers Limited’s (DDL) For DDL, current assets debts, and stay competitive. if it can’t generate enough financial health. As your carrying too much debt, and 2023Annual Report to bring in 2023 were G$25 93 It’s essential to regularly revenue to cover the costs. business grows, your equity how much value you’re theseconceptstolife. billion, an increase from review your assets to ensure However, some debt is often should increase, showing creating for yourself or your What is a Balance Sheet? G$22.98billionin2022.Key they’re working for you necessary to grow a that you’re building value. shareholders. Imagine taking a currentassetsinclude: efficiently

business, like taking out Investors and lenders pay The Balance Sheet can financial snapshot of your Cash: G$927.7 million, 2. Liabilities: What Your loans to invest in new close attention to equity also help you prepare for business at a specific down from G$1.29 billion in BusinessOwes equipment or expand becauseitreflectshowmuch future financial needs, like moment in time The 2022. This represents the Liabilities are your operations. of the company is truly applyingforloans,attracting Balance Sheet is exactly cash DDL has in hand or in business’s debts—what you 3. Equity: What’s Left for ownedbyitsshareholders,as investors, or selling your that a picture showing the bank. Cash is crucial owe to others. Just like with the Owners opposedtobeingfinancedby business Banks and what your business owns, because it helps a business assets, liabilities are split Equity is the value left debt. investors often look at a what it owes, and the stayflexibleandresponsive. into current liabilities and over after subtracting How the Balance Sheet business’s Balance Sheet to owner’sequity(yourstakein Inventories: G$20 71 non-currentliabilities. liabilities from assets. In Works determine whether it’s the company) at a particular billion, up from G$17.49 Types of Liabilities simple terms, it’s what TheBalanceSheetworks financially stable enough to date. It’s called a “balance billion in 2022. Inventory is Current Liabilities: belongs to the business by ensuring that the total investinorlendmoneyto. sheet” because it balances the stock of goods ready for These are debts your owners (or shareholders, in value of what a company Wrapping Up out: sale. A growing inventory business needs to pay off t h e c a s e o f l a r g e r owns (assets) always equals Understanding your Assets = Liabilities + canbeagoodsignifsalesare withinthenextyear Thinkof companies). Equity reflects the total amount of what it Balance Sheet is crucial for Equity expected to increase but them as your short-term the net worth of your owes (liabilities) and what’s managing and growing your This equation must could be a problem if goods financial obligations, like businessatanygiventime. left for owners (equity).This business. It gives you a clear always be in balance. Think arenotsellingasexpected. rent, utility bills, or money Types of Equity balance is a crucial financial view of what your business of it like weighing scales Trade Receivables: owedtosuppliers. For DDL, total equity in check—if the Balance Sheet owns, what it owes, and where both sides need to be

G$2.78 billion, down from DDL’s current liabilities 2023 was G$53.35 billion, doesn’t balance, there’s what’s left for the owners. equal. G$3.05 billion in 2022. This in 2023 were G$8.39 billion, up from G$50.93 billion in likely an error in the With this information, you WhyistheBalanceSheet represents money customers up from G$6.71 billion in 2022 Key components accounting. can make smarter decisions Important? owe to DDL. A decline here 2022 Some of the key include: In DDL’s case, their that will help your business

The Balance Sheet is could mean customers are componentsinclude: Issued Capital: G$770 Balance Sheet shows a thrive. essential for assessing the paying faster, which is good, Trade Payables: G$4.05 million. This is the money healthy business. Their total In the next column, we’ll financial health of your or that DDLis selling less on billion, up from G$4 16 that shareholders have assets in 2023 were G$67.05 dive into more aspects of a business. It tells you if you credit. billion in 2022. This is the invested in the business. It billion, up from G$60.81 compa

have enough resources to Non-Current Assets: amount DDL owes to doesn’t change unless new billion in 2022. This growth statements to make strategic cover your debts, whether These are long-term assets suppliers for goods and sharesareissued. in assets, coupled with a rise business decisions Until you’regrowing,andwhether that your business will use services they’ve already Retained Earnings: in equity, demonstrates a then, keep learning and keep you’reontrackforlong-term for more than a year They received.

G$44.10 billion, up from financially strong company makingsenseofeverydollar success. Understanding your include things like

Current Borrowings: BalanceSheetalsohelpsyou equipment, buildings, and G$3 96 billion, up from communicate with investors long-terminvestments. G$1.98 billion in 2022. This and lenders—they want to DDL’snon-currentassets represents short-term loans know your business is stable in 2023 were G$41 12 or debt DDL must repay beforegivingyoumoney billion, up from G$37.83 withintheyear

The Key Sections of a billion in 2022. Examples Non-Current Liabilities: Balance Sheet include: These are long-term debts, Now, let’s break down Property, Plant, and typically due in more than a the three key parts of a Equipment: G$22.73 billion, year These liabilities might Balance Sheet assets, up from G$17.15 billion in includebankloans,bonds,or liabilities, and equity—and 2022 This includes futuretaxpayments. use DDL’s 2023 Annual factories, machines, and In 2023, DDL’s nonReport to bring these other physical assets that current liabilities totaled conceptstolife. helpproducegoods. G$5 3 billion, up from 1. Assets: What Your Investments: G$9 79 G$3 17 billion in 2022 BusinessOwns billion, slightly down from Theseinclude: Assets are the resources G$10.11 billion in 2022.

Long-Term Borrowings: your business controls that These are long-term G$2.69 billion, up from G$0 can provide future economic investments, which might be in 2022. This shows DDL is benefits. Think of assets as shares in other companies or takingonmoredebt,likelyto everything that your bonds. finance expansions or new

Country Profile: Belgium

Belgiumacountry

whichisofnorth Europe,isoneof the smallest and most denselypopulatedEuropean countries, and it has been, since its independence in 1830, a representative democracy headed by a hereditary constitutional monarch. Initially, Belgium had a unitary form of government.

In the 1980s and ’90s, however,stepsweretakento turn Belgium into a federal state with powers shared among the regions of Flanders, Wallonia, and the Brussels-CapitalRegion.

Culture

According to Britannica (https://wwwbritannica co

m / p l a c e / B e l g i u m )

Culturally, Belgium is a heterogeneous country straddling the border between the Romance and Germaniclanguagefamilies ofwesternEurope.

With the exception of a small German-speaking population in the eastern partofthecountry,Belgium isdividedbetweenaFrenchs p e a k i n g p e o p l e , collectivelycalledWalloons (approximately one-third of the total population), who are concentrated in the five southern provinces (Hainaut, Namur, Liège, Walloon Brabant, and Luxembourg), and

Flemings, a Flemish(Dutch-) speaking people (more than one-half of the total population), who are concentrated in the five northern and northeastern provinces (West Flanders, East Flanders [WestVlaanderen, OostVlaanderen], Flemish Brabant, Antwerp, and Limburg). Just north of the boundary between Walloon Brabant (Brabant Walloon) and Flemish (Vlaams) Brabant lies the officially bilingual but majority French-speaking BrusselsCapital Region, with approximately one-tenth of the total population. (See alsoFlemingandWalloon.)

History

Belgium and the political entities that preceded it have been rich with historical and cultural associations, from the Gothic grandeur of its medieval university and commercial cities and its small, castle-dominated towns on steep-bluffed winding rivers, through its broad traditions in painting and music that marked one of the high points of the northern Renaissance in the 16th century, to its contributions to the arts of the 20th century and its maintenance of the folk cultures of past eras. The Belgian landscape has been

a major European battleground for centuries, notably in modern times during the Battle of Waterloo (1815) and the 20th century’s two world wars. Given its area and population, Belgium today is one of the most heavily industrializedandurbanized countries in Europe. It is a member of the Benelux Economic Union (with the N e t h

s a n d Luxembourg),theEuropean Union (EU), and the North A t l a n t i c T r e a t y O

n (NATO) organizations thatallhaveheadquartersin or near the capital city of Brussels.

Cuisine

Frietjes – Fries-

Supposedly the inspiration for French fries, Frites are the unofficial national dish of Belgium. A trip here would not be complete without at least a couple of servings. Belgium fries are created with the finest potatoes, twice fried for the ultimatecrispychip.

The sauce is almost as important as the fries themselveswithmostopting for simple mayonnaise. Frietjesaresopopularyou’ll often see restaurants and foodtrucksdedicatedsolely tothemcalled‘frituur’.

GreyShrimp-Crevettes grises, tiny grey shrimp, are

everywhere in Belgium Harvested from the North Sea by people on horseback there are dozens of ways to eatthesetastycreatures.

Oneofthemostpopular ways to eat them is in a croquette. They’rerolledin a bechamel sauce, packed together, dipped in breadcrumbs, and fried as a delicioussnack.Tomaatmet Grijze Garnalen is another Belgian staple. These tasty shrimparemixedwithmayo and salad and stuffed inside an uncooked tomato. To be extra Belgian, pair it with a pistolet,acrustyroundbread roll.

Belgian WafflesContrary to popular belief, there is no such thing as Belgian Waffles – locals know there are either Liège WafflesorBrusselsWaffles. Liège Waffles are chewier, sweeter and thicker than their Brussels counterparts which are lighter and crispier

Both waffles have deeper grooves and are bigger than typical US waffles. Both waffles are usually topped with sweet cream, sugar, fruit or chocolate but you can get creative. The Belgian royal family is known to be especially partial to Liège waffles but it’s a matter of personal taste (Leopold HotelOudenaarde)

Place of interest: Luxembourg

Belgium Flag

The Gravensteen Castle

Interesting Creatures... Zebrafish

Done by: National biomedicalresearch. brain, heart, liver, kidneys. Geographic The zebrafish is a good And genome sequencing has For a creature that’s less research stand-in for its shown that 84 percent of the than one and a half inches fellow vertebrate, the genes that cause disease in long, the zebrafish (Danio human,becausethetwohave humans are also found in rerio) looms large in many parts in common: zebrafish.

Since University of scientists can study vascular mating dance, the female Queensland cell biologist and other systems by spawns—as many as 300 Ben Hogan began studying introducing fluorescence. In eggs, which the male zebrafishin2001,theirusein the brain, Hogan has found fertilizes by releasing sperm labs has soared, he says. One unexpected “scavenger into the water. Weekly of the fish’s advantages is cells” clearing away waste. breeding ensures the embryo clear literally Because Ifsuchcellsoccurinhumans supply embryos are transparent and andcouldbecontrolled,they So far zebrafish studies developoutsidethemother’s might be useful against have yielded insights into body, scientists can dementiaandstroke,hesays. cancer, diabetes, muscle manipulate genes to model R

human diseases and directly experimentstakeslotsoftest E

observe disease changes in subjects, and zebrafish researcher at the National liveanimals—somethingnot oblige. In the wild, sunrise Institutes of Health, predicts possible in another common triggers mating; in Hogan’s that “these little striped labanimal,mice. lab, it’s spurred when he swimmers have great Though mature zebrafish turns on lights and lifts the potential for advancing are striped, young ones are tank divider between the medical research in the see-through enough that sexes.Aroused by the male’s future.”

‘Kenthings’ for uniquely crafted jewellery

“These ideas [from entrepreneurs] propose new ways of catering to customers’ needs, and in several cases, these ideas are well received, and small businesses experience exponential growth…”

Asweatthispublication continue to uncover the multifaceted talent of our youngmenandwomenfrom various communities of our country, today we shed light on yet another individual who expressed her creative skills through jewellery making. This young entrepreneur is 24-year-old Kenita Roberts, the proud owner of ‘Kenthings’, a popular

Some of the creative pieces produced by Kenthings.

jewellery business. Before wegetintothebusinessside ofRoberts,youshouldknow this young woman is not onlyanentrepreneurbutshe is also an Environmental Consultant with EES INC., she holds a BSC in Environmental Sciences from the University of Guyana and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Project Management

through the GOAL scholarship programme Roberts also completed Jewellery Making 1 and Wedding and Décor 1 courses at the University of the West Indies Open Campusin2021.

Inarecentinterviewwith TheWaterfalls,Robertssaid Kenthings is co-owned by SimoneRoberts,hermother, whoisalsoacreativeperson. Her mother specializes in paintings, wood burning, floralarrangements,andhas a general creative perspective.

According to Roberts, Kenthings officially started inMarch2017whileshewas in 6th Form at Queen’s College.Shenotedhowever,

that mid-2016, she made cloth chokers and loc jewellery with copper wire and rings. “I posted it on Facebookandreceivedafew sales. From there, I decided to continue making pieces and selling them,” she recalled.

Questioned what inspired her to start this venture,Robertssaidshehas always been a creative person and loved arts and crafts. “I did Art for CXC, which required much dedication.Mybusinesswas inspired by my desire to be innovative and creative; it just happened that I expressed this creativity through jewellery, and peoplelikeditandsupported me throughout the years,” sheexplained.Forthosewho have never heard about Kenthings, the business is a

products I p r o v i d e jewellery such earrings, bra armcuffs,waistbeads, nose cuffs, anklets, rings, andnecklaces,justtonamea few “I started with loc jewellery and rings and progressed as the years passed,”sheadded.

Not limiting herself to only jewellery making, the young woman said she is open to other creative projects, such as floral

customizations.

Having been operating for quite a while now,

Owner of ‘Kenthings’, Kenita Roberts.

Roberts revealed that it was always easy, as there have been some challenges faced overtheyears.

Elaborating further, she explained that one of the ch

e availability of attractive b

t jewellerysuppliesinGuyana that deteriorated over the years. “Therefore, jewellery supplies would need to be procured internationally, increasingtheproduct’s (Continuedonpage35)

Some of the creative pieces produced by Kenthings.

Some

BY ALLYIAH ALLICOCK

Ever since discovering ‘Black Gold,’ Guyana has attracted entrepreneurs and investors at an amazingly rapid pace ‘Worksite Guyana’ (WSG), a local company is among those entities that demonstrated a high level of trust and confidence in the economy, endorsing this by way of a

New building era in Guyana…

Worksite Guyana/5veFinga Architects partner to construct Guyana’s Future

customersinGuyana.

The administrators of WSG/5veFinga Architects are confident that Guyana is fertile for the realization of their lofty objectives and servicesandtheirpartnership is indeed a groundbreaking union that is geared to redefine the landscape of construction services in the CooperativeRepublic

“We have some of the best practitioners in Guyana and are known for our innovative house plans, modern homes, and diverse projectportfolio,”shesaid.

large investment in the providence of efficient and effectivecustomerservices.

‘Worksite Guyana’ has now taken another bold step and has partnered with ‘5veFinga Architects’, in continuance of its mission andobjectivestoprovidethe same level of qualitative services to its valued

NarifaSingh,akeyforce in the initiative told The Waterfalls that “This is a collaborative effort that represents a bold step forward, uniting two of Guyana’s most promising businessesinasharedvision of innovation, excellence, and growth,” Ms Singh assured.

Shestatedthatherfirmis renowned for its excellence in architectural design Accordingtoher,“5veFinga Architects are reliable, e x p e r i e n c e d , a n d affordable.”

Singh further assured prospective clients that irrespective of whether the erections are for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes, 5veFinga Architects is geared to provide unparalleled expertise in designing comprehensive plans tailoredtoitsclients’unique needsandaspirations.

“Confidentiality and efficiency are the watchwords and the driving forces behind this initiative and we are working assiduously to deliver top quality finishes,” asserted Singh.

She also assured that through the alignment of their resources, networks, and expertise, Worksite

Guyana/5veFingaArchitects is poised to enhance the construction experience for theirvaluedcustomerswhile ensuring that each project is executed to the highest standard.

“Homeowners and developers can now look forward to comprehensive solutions, from the initial design phase with 5veFinga Architects,” she said. The young entrepreneur further reveals that Worksite Guyana is known for its construction competence, bolstered by reliable professionalsthroughoutthe constructionphase.

According to her, the collaboration between Worksite Guyana/5veFinga

Architects marks a significant milestone in the evolution of Guyana’s constructionsector

Both companies have already demonstrated a commitment to innovation

andqualityandboastoftheir ability to make a profound impact on the local market. Further, they aim to foster a new era of trust, efficiency, andcreativity,commendable variables that are glaringly missinginlocalconstruction services.

“ H o m e o w n e r s , developers, and business entities are urged to support their efforts, not necessarily based on sentiments, but because they are benefiting from the synergy of two of the most forward-thinking companies in the industry,” saidSingh.

S h e n o t e d t h a t

“Guyanesecannowrelaxas these two market leaders combine their strengths, not just building structures but also building a stronger, more resilient construction industry for Guyana. “Here is where vision meets execution, and trust meets innovation!”

CONSUMERCONCERNS

RESUSCITATING THE YARD GARDENS

In the 19th and for most of the 20th centuries, Georgetown was proudly known as “the Garden City of the West Indies”. The gardens referred to the flowering trees and palms planted along the main streets of the town and the flower and kitchen gardens cultivated by householders

in almost all yards Georgetown was once crisscrossed by canals which helped to drain the town, prevent flooding and also serve as a reservoir for the Fire Brigade during fires. Along these canals in the main streets were planted flowering trees such as flamboyants, golden showers, cannon balls and even cabbage and century palms and these also served as fire-breaks The lotus lilies in the Camp Street c a n a l h a v e b e e n immortalized in the water colours by the architect and painter,sharples.

From the 1950’s, these canals began to be filled up since the City Engineer felt that the use of drainage pumpswereamoreefficient way of draining the City The filled-up canals became walkways and such walkways still remain in streets such as Main Street, Camp Street and East Street with some of the trees still managing to survive along them. A few of the canals still remain including the Lamaha Street, Church Street, High Street and Vlissingen Road with only few of the trees surviving. The tree-lined streets of the “garden city” cannot be revived for a number of reasonsbuttheyardgardens can.

Before the loss of the culture of yard gardens and plantpots,everyyardhadto haveacoconuttree,amango tree, bananas and a root of sugarcane They also planted trees from a large variety which included genips,breadfruit,tamarind, plumrose, sapodillas, maamie, jamoon, starapples, and dungs as well as smaller fruit trees such as papaws, avocado pears, soursops, psydiums, gooseberries, guavas, cherries, custard apples, sugar apples, limes and souraries,boththesweetand sour varieties In the backyards, there were the kitchen gardens where ochroes, tomatoes, mustard and other types of bhaji, sweet and hot peppers, radishes. Saijan (merenga),

boulanger (eggplant), squash, carilla (bitter melon),bora,sorrelandeven pumpkin or watermelon or sweet potato vines were allowed to run along the ground.

Anumberofspiceplants which were used to flavour cookingsuchasfineleafand broad leaf thyme (basil) and ginger and sometimes turmericwereincultivation. Onthefencessumetoovines wereallowedtoflourish. In the front of the yards, flower plants were always present and these would usually be Caribbean roses, oleanders, queen-offlowers,jasmine,buttercups, hibiscuses and crotons and bougainvilleas of various colours. Bachelor’s button would be the usual ground flower On the High Street

side of the City Hall where the formal entrance is, a flowergardenreminiscentof these older gardens is still maintained.

Today, buildings have overtaken the land space in most of the yards of downtown Georgetown, leavingcomparativelysmall patchesoflandascompared withthemoreeasterlywards of the City where the yards canaccommodategardens.

Nowadays, grafted fruit trees are very common and suchtreesfruitwhenthetree is very short. As such more t r e e s c o u l d b e accommodatedinthelimited land space in downtown Georgetown. In the more spaciousyards,theold-style gardens could easily be resuscitated.

The usual flowers as

mentioned above could be grown, in particular roses which seem to have disappeared, even in the Botanic and Promenade Gardens. Fruit trees could be grown more freely about the yard since many would be short grafted and occupying less space. The kitchen garden in the backyard should be more carefully planned and cultivated to produce fresh and healthy food for the family and plant pots and boxes should be used to grow the small medicinal plants such as lemon grass, ginger, turmeric, toolsie, neem and mint among others.

Much research has since been done in herbs and medicinal plants thus providing a bigger

repertoire. In reviving the gardens of the past, some ripe fruit should always be allowed to remain on the trees so that birds could againbeattractedtoreturnto Georgetown In old Georgetown, colourful and beautiful birds greeted each new day with birdsong and citizens woke up in the mornings amid these beautifulsounds.

Therearetwothingsthat couldbedonetoimprovethe renascent gardens: the cultivation of grape vines and placing garden chairs in the gardens. One or two Madeiranfamiliescultivated grape vines, both dark and cleargrapes, but this culture disappearedwiththedecline of the old-style gardens and theemigrationofPortuguese families in the 1950’s

Grapevines and the hanging bunches of grapes could aesthetically improve the garden and provide families with a valuable fruit. In many Caribbean countries where grapevines flourish, the exposed bunches are veryoftencoveredinbagsto protectthemfrombirds. In all the wards of the city and in the immediate surrounding villages, the brightstreetandhouselights have made it impossible to see the starry skies and the moonlight for though one could see the moon in the sky, one could not see the moonlight. A few garden seats in the back garden couldallowonetoenjoythe moonlight,seethenumerous stars in the dark night skies and the daily treats of the colourfulsunsets.

PROMOTING STANDARDS FOR THE SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION OF QUALITY INDIGENOUS PRODUCTS - HERITAGE MONTH

As our nation observes Amerindian Heritage Month, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS)isplacingthespotlighton StandardsavailableforIndigenous products which are produced to helpsustainthelocaleconomiesof manyIndigenouscommunities.

This year’s theme, “Many Voices, One Song. Celebrating Amerindian Heritage 2024”, resonateswithGNBS’commitment to ensuring that Indigenous traditions are preserved while they utilize standards to guide their production of food, art and craft productsforsustainability

In outlining the requirements, the available standards by far encapsulate the traditional knowledge, practices and craftsmanship of our Indigenous people and offer a benchmark for Indigenous products to meet national, regional and internationallyacceptedquality

Importantly, standards related to Indigenous food products help safeguard traditional recipes and methods of preparation, while also ensuringfoodsafetyandnutritional value.

Standards for Indigenous products include the Specification for Cassava Bread, Specification for Indigenous Furniture (bamboo, rattan, wicker and nibbi), and the Code of Practice for Manufacture of Wooden CraftItems.

The following provides an overviewofthesestandards:

TheSpecificationforCassava Bread (GYS 246:2010) specifies requirementsforcassavabreadand related products, intended for human consumption, obtained from the processing of bitter cassava. The standard offers guidance to makers of the product o

packaging, labelling, hygiene and production.

The Specification for Indigenous furniture (GYS 509:2013) is a CARICOM Standard, which was adopted by the GNBS The standard was developedtobenefitmanufacturers by the harmonization of requirements for the manufacture of various types of furniture, suitable for both domestic and commercial use. It covers material requirements, which are selected for bamboo, rattan, wicker, tibisiri and nibbi furniture and these shall be characterized by lightness, flexibility, durability and smoothness with no hair-like strands hanging from them. Based on the standard, Indigenous furniture shall be constructed with good workmanship components which shall be of quality and uniformity; and the furniture shall remainstableinanuprightposition

whenempty

Lastly,theCodeofpracticefor manufacture of Wooden Craft items (GCP 31:2010) is also a CARICOM Standard, which establishes the minimum requirements for the manufacture and production of wooden craft items. The standard is focused on perfo

prescriptive requirements and may beappliedtoallwoodencraftitems inthemanufacturingstageoratthe point of sale to retailers and end

consumers.Thestandardstipulates requirements for materials used in manufacture including wood, adhesives, finishes or finishing material, and hardware. It also includes health, safety, storage, environmental, packaging, and labellingrequirements.

As a nation, we must be appreciative of the contributions made by our Indigenous people to our cultural and economic fabric, fromtraditionalcraftsandartisanal productstosustainableagricultural

practices Standards are useful toolsforguidingtheproductionand advancement of Indigenous products, ensuring they meet quality requirements while maintainingauthenticity

As we celebrate Amerindian Heritage Month 2024, the GNBS takes this opportunity to recognize three local manufacturers; Sand flowerProducts,Marcia’sProducts and Luke’s Manufacturing whose locally made cassava bread and cassavacassareepareGNBSMade inGuyanaCertified. The GNBS invites all stakeholderstojointhismissionto ensure the contributions of our Indigenous people are celebrated andtheirproductsrecognized.The Bureau will continue to do so through the development and promotionofstandards.

For further information, please contact our GNBS Standardisation Department on 219-0064-66 or visit our standardsportal:gnbsguy.com

‘Kenthings’ for uniquely crafted jewellery...

Frompage28 waiting time and cost,’she shared.

Another challenge she disclosed has to do with time. “This is a personal challenge that I am working on.IfIcould,Iwouldputall of my time into making jewellerybecauseIenjoyit. My favourite product to make is the Kenthings signature earrings,” she pointedout.

Notwithstanding these challenges, Roberts related that she understands that therewouldbegoodandbad times when operating a business but it would not stop her from taking her businesstohigherheights.

She stated that while there have been challenges, there have been tremendous supportforhercraft.

“My support base has been good. People always reachouttomeandlookfor meateventsIadvertisetobe presentat.

I t i s a l w a y s a heartwarming experience to know that friends and total strangersarerootingforyou andlookingoutforyou,”she expressed.

When asked what she hopes to achieve for Kenthings moving forward, she noted that she sees the growth of her business as a slow and steady process “I am not givinguponit

I’d love to have my pieces on shelves for people to pick up at any time and offer a luxurious aspect to Kenthings, to nameafew,”sherevealed

She also is hoping to open up a store front, to showcaseherproducts

As Roberts continue to contribute to society in a meaningful way through her business, she is of the

v i e w t h a t y o u n g entrepreneurs in Guyana bring innovative and new ideas to the Guyanese market.

“These ideas propose new ways of catering to customers’ needs, and in several cases, these ideas are well received, and s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s experience exponential growth.

New ideas are not easy to bring into a new market, butwithconsistencyandthe right audience, things can change for the better,” she explained.

When asked what she thinks can be done locally to boost small businesses, she explained exposure t h r o u g h e v e n t s , newspapers, features, grants and public recognition can help a goodway

“However, what I believe goes a long way is the friends and families of small business owners publicly supporting their businesses through social media shares, likes, comments, and word of mouth.

This costs zero dollars and helps a small business reach the right audience. I appreciateeveryonewhohas done this for me,” she related.

InadditiontoKenthings, Roberts also co-owns ‘Infuzed’, a cocktail business, and ‘Ignium’, an eventdecoratingbusiness.

Forpersonsinterestedin connecting with Kenthings, they can be contacted on Instagram as kenthings592, Facebook as Kenthings, WhatsApp at (592) 6626341, and TikTok as Ms. Kenthings Their pick-up location is currently in Alberttown.

Selena Gomez is now a billionaire

New York CNN Selena Gomez can now add becomingabillionairetoher longlistofachievements.

The 32-year-old actress, singer, investor and entrepreneur just achieved the financial milestone thus making her one of the youngest self-made billionaires in the United States, according to Bloomberg, which values hernetworthat$1.3billion.

Some of the wealth for the “Only Murders in the Building” star comes from singing, brand partnerships and acting, but the “vast bulk”ofherwealthistiedto Rare Beauty, her 5-year-old makeuplinethatisasuccess with influencers and teens, the publication revealed Friday

Gomez’swealthisbased on Bloomberg’s “estimated value” of her stake in the beauty brand, plus her interest in mental health platform Wondermind and various other earnings from

hermusic,acting,properties and money she makes from partnerships that she posts about on social media, which includes her 424 million followers on Instagram.

Her popularity on Instagram makes her the third most followed person, behind socce

Cristiano Ronaldo (638 million) and Lionel Messi

Selena Gomez

(504 million), helping her r a k e i n m a s s i v e endorsements with Puma, worth a reported $30 million, and Coach, a $10 milliondeal.

In2020,Gomezrevealed that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and later said in an interview with Entrepreneur that any deal struck with her “has to have an element that’s charitable or in the mental health space.” She started the Rare Impact Fund to help raise $100 million to help people gain access to mental health services.

Other revenue streams for the former child star include income from her Hulu show “Only Murders in the Building,” which was just renewed for a fifth season where she makes $6 million a season, according toBloomberg,andasmaller slice from her music royalties.

Gomez’s representative didn’t immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.

But her following has alsohelpedherRareBeauty line, putting her in the celebrity-led category of makeup brands dominated by Rihanna and the Kardashians. Gomez also hasreportedlyreachedoutto investors for Rare Beauty, seeking a $2 billion valuation.

Frompage16 she and her husband were awakened by a noise.While she remained in bed, her husband went to investigate in the hallway Moments later, she heard four gunshotsfollowedbyashout of“thief.”

Ragobar recounted that she rushed outside to the bathroom area, where she discovered her husband lyinginapoolofbloodwith agunshotwoundtohischest. Hewasimmediatelytakento the Suddie Hospital, where doctors pronounced him deadonarrival.

Notably, the Police reported that the suspect gunman/gunmen shot and killedBhasmatfromoutside the house through a louver window connected to the washroom; failing to gain entry into the residence Bhasmat’s son Poonraj

Lakeram told this publication that during the wee hours of Monday he heard the loud noise so he rushed over to his father’s residence. The man said he livesnearby

Lakeram said when he arrived, he saw his father lying in a pool of blood on the bottom flat of the home. “They went kick the door downstairs and me old boy get up now to go and see what happen and when he gone to see now, them man like they went at the washroom area, the toilet part and they shot him,” the son said. The man added, “I hustletogetpoliceandstuff, and when I call 911 nobody nahanswer.”Lakeramnoted that while he believes that more than one person is involved, only one person can be seen on the footage.

The investigation into the murder of Ghanraj Bhasmat isongoing.

‘Allcostsfordamage aboveoilspillinsurance canberecoveredby ExxonMobil’–contract Inabsenceofunlimited parentcompany guarantee…

ExxonMobil, the operatorofGuyana’soil-rich Stabroek Block has repeatedly committed to coveringallcostsassociated with an oil spill that occurs during offshore production activities However, such costswillberecoveredfrom Guyana’soil.

This is according to the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) Guyana signedwithExxonMobiland its partners. ExxonMobil

affiliate ExxonMobil Guyana Limited is operator andholds45%interestinthe Stabroek block Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30% interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana

Limitedholds25%interest.

Theagreementstipulates that oil spill costs not covered by the insurance provided by ExxonMobil will be funded by Guyana.

Annex ‘C’ Section 3 of the PSA, which addresses costs recoverable without the approval of the Minister, makes it explicit at 3.1(g) thatinsuranceandlossescan berecovered.

It states: “Insurance premium and cost incurred for insurance pursuant to Article 20 provided that if such insurance is wholly or partly placed with an Affiliated Company of the Parties comprising the Contractor, such premium and costs shall be recoverable only to the extent generally charged by competitive insurance companies other than an Affiliated Company of a Party comprising the Contractor.”

million insurance coverage peroilspillevent.

High Court Judge, Justice Sandil Kissoon on May 3, 2023 ordered the Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) to issue an Enforcement Notice to Exxon Mobil to ensure it provides an unlimited oil spill coverage to safeguard Guyana, but the ruling was subsequently appealed by both Exxon and the EPA. The government was later added as a party to the case, fighting against the provisionofthisguarantee.

event, and the US$2B guarantee which was being discussed He said, “We have an absolute obligation as the operator and the investor in the Stabroek Block to prevent incidents from happening, do everything we can and to mitigatethoseandifwehave to, then we bear the cost of cleanup and any liabilities that go with that…but our absolute commitment is to first prevent these from happening.”

Wednesday

The contract continues, “Costs,lossesanddamages incurred to the extent not made good by insurance, are recoverable, including costs, losses or damages resulting from the indemnities in Article 2 of the Agreement, unless such costs, losses or damages haveresultedsolelyfroman act of willful misconduct or gross negligence of the Contractor.”

This means that Guyana willhavetoprovethatanoil spill was caused by gross negligence or willful misconduct by Exxon for thosecoststobebornebythe company Cognizant of the damage that can be done by an oil spill, two Guyanese wenttoCourtdemandingan unlimited parent company guarantee,whichisasigned document that legally binds Exxon to cover costs above thelimitedinsurance.Exxon presently has a US$600

While the Court of Appeal deliberates on the matter, Exxon, Hess and CNOOC have lodged a US$2Boilspillguaranteeto cover damages above the insurance. Citizens have however continued to call forfullprotectionagainstan oil spill, especially since such a disaster could not only affect Guyana, but Caribbeannationsaswell.

Notably, the modelling results showed that an unmitigated oil spill can reach Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, Grenada, St VincentandtheGrenadines, St. Lucia, Martinique, and Barbados as well as Dominican Republic, Haiti, andJamaica.

Exxon’scommitment President of EMGL, Alistair Routledge during a May 19, 2023 press conference explained that Guyana was safe from liabilities associated with a spill The company had calledthemediashortlyafter the High Court ordered an unlimited parent company guarantee to protect this country from the financial burdens of a spill. At that time, he pointed to the company’sinsurancepolicy, a US$600M coverage per

Seniorcopfingeredin massivecocainebustat MatthewsRidge

Aseniorpoliceofficeris allegedly connected to the US$188M cocaine bust at Matthews Ridge, Region One last Saturday and law enforcement authorities are looking to question him regarding his alleged role in the smuggling of drugs out ofthearea.

Local law-enforcement authorities believe that the largequantityofcocainethat was seized in a JointServices operation was being transshipped to Europe. So far, one man has been arrested and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) said that severalothersescapedwhen law men swooped down on t h e B a r i m a - Wa i n i operations. Kaieteur News has been told that a senior police officer is being questionedinrelationstohis involvement with the traffickers.

Sources told this newspaper that the officer mighthavebeenawareofthe operations at Matthews Ridge where cocaine was frequentlydroppedoffand (Continuedonpage37)

Map depicting the predicted transport after 45 days from an unmitigated 177,157 barrels per day spill at the Haimara wellhead in the Stabroek Block (Source Exxon CIA)

HomeAffairs Minister, Robeson and other officials stand next to the seized cocaine

Frompage36 then picked up by small aircraft.

“They are looking into reports that this officer was aware of the operations and whenthedrugswouldmove in and out,” one of the sourcestoldthisnewspaper

A Joint-Services team led by the CANU on

Saturday unearthed approximately 4 4 tons (4,400 kilos) of suspected cocaine,whichhasacurrent street value of US$188 million at a nearby illegal airstrip at Matthews Ridge. Neatly stashed, the cocaine was found buried in four hand-dug pits which averaged five to six feet deep, covered with tarpaulins,woodsthensome bushes.

Speaking of the successful seizure, Director of CANU, James Singh told media operatives at the site thatthiscouldnothavebeen d o n e w i t h o u t t h e collaboration of the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Special Forces Unit, the United States Drug EnforcementAgency(DEA) and the government through the Ministry of Home Affairs.

He said the operation is oneofmanythattheywould haveconductedoverthelast fivemonthswiththeGuyana Defence Force playing their part in helping to identify illegal airstrips within the country and monitoring them.“Inthiscase,wewere lucky in the sense that we wereabletostrikeattheright time, whereby we were able toseizethedrugsbeforethey weretransshippedtoanother furtherlocation,”Singhsaid noting this is an ongoing investigation.

Singh explained that the airstrip which was found, was not one that has been gazetted by the government andsoitwasbuiltwithplans to accommodate small aircraft bringing several kilos of cocaine outside of Guyanahere.

Noting that several camps were found in close proximityoftheairstrip,the CANU Head mentioned, “Thefactthatthisamountof drugs were found in several locations means it was w a i t i n g f o r t h e transshipment, so it’s not like it came here to go, they arewaitingfortheopportune momentthatiswhyIsaidwe were very successful in not justinseizingbutdetectinga new concealment method and idea as to how big the networkis.”

It was highlighted that

the seizure of the drugs was the second phase of the operations, with the first phasebeingthediscoveryof a quantity of fuel just a few daysagoatthelocation.

Singh elaborated that whentheJointServicesteam first came in, they noticed a few persons were fleeing intothejungle.

“So the fuel, the follow up investigation with the assistance of the GDF, Special Operations section were able to do a follow up operation and the officers were able to seize what you seebeforeyou.

The officers when they came in, they spent several days here combing the area and they knew that as we shared information with our colleagues from the DEA if it’s not above ground then it’s hidden somewhere underground,wediscovered these pits dug by hand,” he said.

In his brief comments, Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn yesterday saidthisoperationisperhaps the largest ever seizure on land to occur in Guyana. “It exemplifies and identifies thatwehavebeenworkingat this problem continuously, that we are aware of certain flights to certain places illegally

The government and of course, the energy and interest of President Irfaan Ali, we are putting in much resources and many persons into getting onto this situation, we will continue this fight, we are happy of course that we have the United States Drug and EnforcementAgencywithus sharing information and intelligence and backing us up on issues which have occurred from time to time but that this fight will be a long one,” the minister related.

To this end, the Minister further emphasised that Guyana is a victim of this illegal type of activity. “We do not produce cocaine; we

don’t transit it; we don’t make the guns The important thing of the drug traffickingisassociatedwith the other elements of transnational organized crimes, money laundering, gun smuggling, homicides unknown and unsolvable in many instances and generally decline in law and order in environment where it takes over We don’t want to get to that place, so we bodebythissuccess,wewill be doing everything we can to push our efforts to interdict and prevent drug beingsmuggledover,onand through our maritime space too.”

Having been working withinternationalpartnersin combattingthesecrimes,the Minister also warned locals, theoneslivingintheinterior regions to desist from partaking in these illegal activities.

“Wewillstayonthis,we want to warn those who are engaged in it to desist because we will be coming afterthem;wewanttoadvise people who are in the areas, who are in the environment out here and may be aware that things are happening that don’t want to say it but they need to say it, to save our country, to improve our security, to save our society inrespectofthisdrugfight,” hesaid.

Questioned whether this operationmightbeexecuted by foreigners, the Minister told the media that an operation of this kind could not have been done without localhelp,“butofcourse,we think this is a major operation being done by persons in neighbouring countries and investigations are underway.” Following the recovery of the 4,400 blocks of cocaine from the pits on Sunday, samples were taken by CANU ranks for testing and then later destroyedatthesite.

‘Critic’guiltyof contemptofcourt –orderedtopay$100k fine,issuepublicapology

Justice Priscilla Chandra-Hanif in the High Court where he pleaded guiltytocontemptofcourt. He was ordered to pay $100,000bySeptember9. Failure to do so will see him being sent to jail for three days. He also has to issueapublicapologytothe court. Rodrigues was cited for contempt in accordance ofSection6oftheContempt Act,afterhelive-streameda

sectionofacourthearingvia his Facebook page without having the court’s permission to do so. This occurred on August 30th during the defamation hearing for a lawsuit filed againstRodriguesbyFormer Minister of Government Simona Broomes for defamationofcharacter

The court was made aware of his actions when thelivestreamendedandhe was summoned to make an appearance and provide cause why he should not be held in contempt. The court documentstatesthathemust issue the apology on his show and also publish it on his website. Broomes had fileda$450millionlibeland defamation lawsuit in February of this year Broomes is suing Rodrigues over several libelous statements, which he made against her on his morning programme, ‘They Break News’. She has asked the courttoawardher$450Min damages.

In court documents seen by this newspaper, the former Minister lists 14 times that the social media commentator made statements defaming her on his January 24, 2024 programme.Inthedocument drafted by attorney Dexter Todd, Broomes noted that Rodrigues accused her of engaging in revolting activities.Thelawsuitdetails that on his January 24, 2024 programme which was broadcast on Facebook, Rodriguesmadethelibelous statementsagainstBroomes. As part of the lawsuit, seeking an injunction that would restrain Rodrigues, his servants and or his agents, from further publishing or causing to be publish, any statement by him that would convey the impression that she was

involved.

She is also seeking an order to have Rodrigues remove the offending programme from all social media platforms, to retract his statements and issue an apologytoher

The lawsuit covers severalpartsofthebroadcast that was done by Rodrigues and the many statements he made at various points in relationtoBroomes.

Inhergroundstosupport the claim, Broomes noted that she was a politician, MemberofParliamentunder t h e A P N U + A F C Government, and a human rights activist who is highly respected nationally and internationally as a leader, businesswomanandminer

Broomes was awarded bytheU.S.StateDepartment in 2013 as an International Hero in the fight against human trafficking in Guyana. At all material times, she noted Rodrigues falsely and maliciously published boldly and sensationally untrue allegations and statements about her on his widely v i e w e d F a c e b o o k programme ‘They Break News.’’

Thursday

‘We’llbreaktheback ofdrugtrafficking networks’–Pres.Ali commendsJointServices formassiveMatthews Ridgecocainebust

Commending the joint services operations led by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) in the recent drug bust in Region One, President Irfaan Ali on Wednesdaymadeitclearthat Guyana will continue to work with its partners to destabilise and break the backofallcriminalnetworks

operatinginthecountry

The Head of State made these statements at the launch of the country’s first National Defence Institute, whichwasheldattheArthur ChungConferenceCentre.

During his address he said,“Thebustisnottheend ofthematter,wehaveevery intention in working with our partners to destabilise and break the back of all criminalnetworksespecially indrugtraffickingoperating within our territorial space and airspace We have already asked and we are ready to work with our partners once we are given the assets, and once we can securetheassetstodealwith all the over flights that are passing over our airspace, we are ready to work with youindismantlingtheglobal empire that drug trade has created but we need that support.”

The President noted that the partnership is not only for Guyana but for every nation, stakeholders due to thefactthathowthetradeis changing because of prices anddemand.“AndEuropeis being severely impacted so all of us have a joint responsibilityandassmallas we are with the limited resources, we have you can beassuredthatwearetaking our responsibility seriously and any information, any information sent that is available to us we will go after it to the best of our ability, every single operation has to be dismantled,”Alisaid.

Further, he said that the recent drug bust, demonstrates Guyana’s resolve to combat narcotics trafficking and protecting thenationfrombeingusedas atransshipmentpointforthe movement of illicit substances.Speakingto (Continuedonpage38)

Mikhail Rodrigues popularly known as the ‘Guyanese Critics’

President IrfaanAli on Wednesday at the launch of the National Defence Institute.

Frompage37 those directly involved in thisillegalactivity,President Ali warned, “To those who mayhaveanambitiontouse Guyana as a transnational point for the movement of illegal substances let me be clearwewillcomeafteryou withthefullforceofthelaw, we will not allow our country to be used for criminalactivityandwewill proceedthosewhoseektodo so.”

“We are committed to dismantling any cells which mayexistlocally,headded.

Kaieteur News had reported that a JointServices team led by the CANU on Saturday unearthedapproximately4.4 tons (4,400 kilos) of suspected cocaine, which has a current street value of US$188 million at a nearby illegal airstrip at Matthews Ridge.

Neatly stashed, the cocaine was found buried in four hand-dug pits which averaged five to six feet deep, covered with tarpaulins,woodsthensome bushes.

Speaking of the successful seizure, Director of CANU, James Singh told media operatives at the site thatthiscouldnothavebeen d o n e w i t h o u t t h e collaboration of the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Special Forces Unit, the United States Drug EnforcementAgency(DEA) and the government through the Ministry of Home Affairs.

He said the operation is oneofmanythattheywould haveconductedoverthelast fivemonthswiththeGuyana Defence Force playing their part in helping to identify illegal airstrips within the country and monitoring them.“Inthiscase,wewere lucky in the sense that we wereabletostrikeattheright time, whereby we were able toseizethedrugsbeforethey weretransshippedtoanother furtherlocation,”Singhsaid noting this is an ongoing investigation.

Singh explained that the airstrip which was found, was not one that has been gazetted by the government andsoitwasbuiltwithplans to accommodate small aircraft bringing several kilos of cocaine outside of Guyanahere.

Noting that several camps were found in close proximityoftheairstrip,the CANU Head mentioned, “Thefactthatthisamountof drugs were found in several locations means it was

w a i t i n g f o r t h e transshipment, so it’s not like it came here to go, they arewaitingfortheopportune momentthatiswhyIsaidwe were very successful in not justinseizingbutdetectinga new concealment method and idea as to how big the networkis.”

It was highlighted that the seizure of the drugs was the second phase of the operations, with the first phasebeingthediscoveryof a quantity of fuel just a few days ago at the location. In hisbriefcomments,Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn yesterday said this operation is perhaps the largest ever seizure on land to occur in Guyana “It exemplifies and identifies thatwehavebeenworkingat this problem continuously, that we are aware of certain flights to certain places illegally The government andofcourse,theenergyand interest of President Irfaan Ali, we are putting in much resources and many persons into getting onto this situation, we will continue this fight, we are happy of course that we have the United States Drug and EnforcementAgencywithus sharing information and intelligence and backing us up on issues which have occurred from time to time but that this fight will be a long one,” the minister related.

Questioned whether this operationmightbeexecuted by foreigners, the Minister told the media that an operation of this kind could not have been done without localhelp,“butofcourse,we think this is a major operation being done by persons in neighbouring countries and investigations areunderway.”

Following the recovery of the 4,400 blocks of cocaine from the pits on Sunday, samples were taken by CANU ranks for testing and then later destroyed at

thesite.

Rampantcorruption, mismanagementofoil sectordenyingGuyanese abetterlife –PNCR

Amid growing concerns over the management of Guyana’soilsector,themain Opposition, People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) said if more robust effortsaretakentostampout c o r r u p t i o n a n d incompetence, every citizen would be able to enjoy a better standard of living from the country’s natural resources.

Speaking to Kaieteur News recently, Economist andoilandgasadvisortothe p a r t y E l s o n L o w acknowledged that Guyana washeadingdownaslippery slope with the general management of the oil sector, making specific reference to the many allegations that have surfaced recently including the award of a contract to monetise the country’s gas resources to a one-year-old company Fulcrum with no proven track record in the business. Stakeholders have also raised concerns about the lack of a Petroleum Commission, which has virtuallyleftthesectorinthe hands of Vice President, BharratJagdeowhohasbeen bogged down by allegations of corruption. Low said the government is not doing enough to build a post-oil economyasthereisnofocus on productivity and technologicaladaptation.

However,Jagdeotoldthe medialastThursdaythatthe investment the government is currently making in infrastructure will prepare the country to sustain its economy after oil has been exhausted. The Minister of Natural Resources recently disclosed that the projects currently producing may very well be exhausted before 20 years given the ramped-up production by operator of the Stabroek Block ExxonMobil Following the disclosure, it was a concern voiced by citizens;whatwillhappento Guyana after oil is finished. This publication asked the VPif when oil is exhausted, will Guyana continue to borrow loans to finance the country’s development like theyaredoingtoday?

Saying that the question should be posed to the

Opposition, Jagdeo questioned, “So you are saying,don’tbuildthepower plant now, don’t build the

other infrastructure now?…

Cause a lot of this infrastructure that we’re puttinginisnotjustasocial nature (but of an) economic nature.” He explained that the power plant will facilitate lower rates for electricityandwilltherefore create the atmosphere to move further into the manufacturing sector Building more farm to marketroadsandprocessing facilities like tissue culture labs will allow for further progression of the agriculture sector. “So you havetoplanforthedaywhen oil is no longer available or does not generate the same sort of income that it will generate say about three years from now because we arenotatpeakrevenuefrom oilasyet,”headded.

Low however told this publication that, “The government is definitely not doing enough to build an economy that provides the kinds of high paying jobs Guyanesewoulddesireafter the oil economy has waned. Therehasnotbeenafocuson improving productivity, the adaption of technology and increasing human capital. Withoutthisapproach,there will not be high-paying jobs regularlygenerated.”

Low also believe that thereshouldbegreaterfocus on strengthening the education sector to ensure students receive the highest qualityeducationratherthan failing key subject areas in droves. He said this should be combined with skills training and support for smallbusinessestodrivejob growth. On the issue of the possibility of the oil be exhausted in 20 years, Low said, “It is totally inappropriate for the government to talk about exhaustingoilreservesin20 years when it is clearly actively hiding them from the Guyanese people Repeated disclosures from Stabroek block partners demonstrate that Guyana’s reserves are far larger than the PPP’s declared reserve, so there should be every expectationthatGuyanawill beabletoproduceoilforan even longer period than currently projected The government is hiding these reserves to justify its narrativethathighersalaries areimpossibleandtogiveit a n e x c u s e t o overwhelmingly focus on infrastructure This only serves to facilitate corruption via procurement fraud in large infrastructure projects.”

Theeconomistexplained that Equatorial Guinea whichisperhapstheworld’s mostcorruptedcountryhasa budget focused on infrastructure and a whopping 75% is being spent of capital projects. Looking at the situation in Guyana with the huge focus oninfrastructurehebelieves the government is headed in thesamedirection.Thoughit maybetheconcernofmany thatGuyanamayenduplike our CARICOM sister Trinidad Low stated that, “there is no comparison between Guyana and Trinidad. Trinidad only produced3billionbarrelsof oil in a century long legacy of oil production and Guyana will be producing farmorethanthatinashorter space of time. The idea that Guyana could end up like Trinidad is a myth that must be discarded. Rather, our country is wealthy enough that if we avoid corruption and incompetence, we can give every Guyanese the standard of living they deserve.”

Friday

ExxonMobilnotopposed toGuyanainstalling ownmetersatpumps …sayswilladhereto anyregulationsGovt. putsinplace

ExxonMobil Guyana

Limited (EMGL) on Thursday said it is not opposed to Guyana installing its own meters on the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels currently producingoiloffshore. In a statement to the media, in response to comments made by the PublisherofKaieteurNews, Glenn Lall, EMGL, the subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation noted that representatives of government are present to witness every offshore oil lift.

Lall, in an article published on Wednesday reasonedthattheoperatorof Guyana’s oil rich Stabroek Block has been given a free pass to take as much of the country’s oil as it needs for its offshore operations, a move that could pave the way for boatloads of undocumented crude oil to beshippedaway Hepointed out that the oil giant, as per the terms of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), is allowed to use a reasonable amount of oil for its daily

operations;however,thereis no record of how much of thisproductionisbeingused by the company Exxon did not address the use of Guyana’s oil for its operations but pointed out “none of the consortium memberscanliftoilwithout a government witness present.” It also noted that government has outlined how it exercises its rights anddutiestocloselymonitor itsoperations. TheMinistry of Natural Resources however in a statement on Thursday said that: “The ‘production’ for use in offshore operations, as referencedintheAgreement, is not crude oil but natural gas. Most of the natural gas extracted offshore is reinjected,whileaportionis processed, removing impurities,sothatitisuseful asfuel.”

ExxonMobil Guyana said: “the Government’s oil lifts also aren’t a mystery –theyareavailableforanyone to read on the Ministry of Natural Resources’website. Furthermore, despite repeated claims to the contrary, our offshore production vessels have meters, and those meters meetorexceedinternational industrystandards.Thatdata is also monitored by the Government,” the company stated.

Exxon argued that the FPSOs have transfer meters that meet or exceed international industry standards and are approved by the Government of Guyana. Further, it said the transfermeteroperationsare witnessed by government representatives, in keeping withindustrybestpractices.

Asanadditionallayerof verification, Exxon said representative samples are shared with the government and lifters. To this end, the oilcompanysaid,“EMGLis unaware of any regulatory regime that requires local regulators to install separate metering equipment, however we have no objection to the government pursuing an independent monitoring system and will adheretoanyregulationsthe governmentputsinplace.”

For his part, Lall raised concerns over the lack of independentmeterstoverify the company’s daily rate of productioninlightofExxon refusing to allow auditors access to its raw production data. It was reported that during the audit of Exxon’s 2018and2020expenses,the companyrefusedtoprovide

(Continuedonpage39)

Economist andAdvisor on Oil and Gas to the PNC, Elson Low

Frompage38 amapofthemeteringpoints on the Liza Destiny, the country’s first Floating Production Storage and Offloading(FPSO)vessel.

The auditors said the schematic would provide a visual representation of the physical flow of production as it is produced onto the FPSO, through the various

types of production equipment, and into the storagetanks.

ExxonMobilalsobluntly refused to provide the raw production data to the audit team To this end, the businessman reasoned, “Government is getting data that Exxon presents to them as raw data, hence they refused to give the auditors accesstochecktherawdata ontheproductiondataatthe pumps.

Toeliminatethisissueis simple, put our own meters on each of the FPSOs, this wayauditorswouldnothave to beg Exxon to see the raw data, we would have this at ourfingertips.”

Saturday

One-year-oldcompany gotcontracttomonetise Guyana’sgasnotonly onexperiencebut proposal–Jagdeo

The one-year-old company headed by former

Vice President of

ExxonMobil Jesus Bronchalo was awarded a

contract to monetize Guyana’s gas but evaluators not only considered the company’s experience, but thenatureofitsproposal.

This was explained by Vice President, Bharrat JagdeoonThursdayduringa pressconferenceatFreedom

House, Robb Street, Georgetown.

The Chief Policymaker fortheoilandgassectorwas asked by this newspaper whetherhestillstandsbythe company since new information has come to light regarding the expertise oftheotherbidders.

To this end, Jagdeo said that following the invitation for bids, a technical evaluation team was set up. Subsequently, the VP noted that the bids were evaluated andrankedaccordingly;this document was shared with Cabinet by the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat.

Jagdeo was keen to note that evaluators did not considerindividuals,butthe proposalssubmitted.Infact, he was adamant that

politicians were unaware of the affiliation between Fulcrum LNG and Bronchalo, the former Vice President of ExxonMobil Guyana.

“I asked him (Bharrat) didyouknowthatJesuswas partofthebidandhesaidno and personally I did not know too until after the award was made and I saw himatoneofthemeetings,” Jagdeoasserted.Ontheother hand, he informed that the evaluators were aware of Bronchalo’sconnectionwith thecompany

Be that as it may, he made it clear that the evaluation team not only assessed the bids on experienceofthecompanies but the specifics of the proposal.

“Theywereawareofthis but they evaluated not just experience, it’s the proposal you evaluate a proposal, you ask for a proposal, what are the elements of this proposal?

You don’t know, you just latch on to one thingexperience,”heargued.

TheformerHeadofState also reasoned that the experience of a company is not only defined by its age but “it’s the experience that theybringintheproposal.”

Jagdeo said global energy companies such as Solaris,ERM,Schlumberger and others were associated with the bid which brings collective experience to the proposal.

He therefore noted, “Do they have the requisite experience to develop a projectofthisnatureandthe answer in this case is yes, becauseofthesecompanies, notbecauseoftheJesusguy buttheproposal.

Two, can they raise the financingforaprojectofthis nature and thirdly, what is the nature of their compliance with the bid document? Have you checked any of these things with the evaluators or the

Ministry?”

It was reported that five months after tendering his resignation at ExxonMobil as Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer for the Guyana operations, Bronchalo launched FulcrumLNGinJuly2023.

In June 2024 it was announcedthatthecompany was contracted by government to design, finance, construct, and operate the required gas infrastructure to provide gas monetization solutions and accelerate upstream gas developmentsinthecountry Research conducted by thispublicationrevealedthat Bronchalo is not only CEO ofFulcrumLNG,buthealso wears several other professional caps at the business.

According to company records, seen by this publication, Bronchalo is also Secretary, Treasurer, Director, and President of thecompany.

From all indications, he hasonlyhiredoneemployee. Kaieteur News discovered thatIvorEllulhasbeenhired as Technical Director at FulcrumLNG.

The limited experience of the company has raised serious questions about its capacity to fulfill its contracted obligations Bronchalo’s company was selected as “the most

responsive compliant bidder” among 16 others whotenderedtodevelopthe non-associated gas in the StabroekBlock,operatedby Exxon.

A deeper dive into the company’s records also led Kaieteur News to the businessaddressofFulcrum LNG.

The energy company

operates from what appears tobeatwo-storyguesthouse located at 937 TAHOE Boulevard, Incline Village, Nevada, USA Fulcrum LNG,accordingtocompany records, operates from Suite 130B.

OMAIaimsforhigher annualproduction, extendingminelifeat Guyanagoldproject

Canadian mining company,OmaiGoldMines Corporation,isadvancingits expansion plans for its gold project in Guyana, with newly released drill results showing potential to increasegoldproductionand extend the life of the Wenot miningpit.

Earlier this year, Omai unveiled an enhanced Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for its gold project located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni)Guyana. The company holds a 100% interest in the gold project, which encompasses two gold deposits: the shearhosted Wenot Deposit and theadjacentintrusive-hosted GiltCreekDeposit.

In an update on Friday, Elaine Ellingham, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Omai expressed optimism about the company’sfutureinGuyana. She said, “We are very pleased with these first results from our 2024 drill program and have doubled the size of the program to 10,000 meters. Following completion of our Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for the Wenot open pit deposit in April, and a C$13m financing in June we prepared plans to drill several high potential areas

ontheOmaipropertythatwe believewillmoveustowards our goal of significantly expandingthemineplan,for Omai beyond our baseline PEA, with higher annual production, a longer mine life and enhanced economics.”

The results from the company’s first PEAfor the Wenot Project revealed that the project is slated to yield over142,000ouncesofgold annuallyovera13-yearmine life. At its peak, production is anticipated to soar to 184,000 ounces in a single year, with a total estimated production of 1,840,000 ouncesofpayablegold.

Notably, Ellingham said in the recent statement that the current PEA only incorporates 45% of the property’s MRE, leaving substantialroomforgrowth. “Much of our planned program is also targeting an expansion to our already substantial gold resources,” sheadded.

Omai’s planned drill program for 2024-25 will test several areas, including extensions to Wenot to the eastandwest.

Additionaltargetsonthe Omai property will also be drilled as some are near surface and high grade that could bolster the grade profileintheearlyyearsofa productionscenario.

Moreover, the company disclosed that relative to the otherdepositsinGuyana,the Wenot MRE of 834,000 indicated ounces of gold grading 1.48 g/t Au and 1,614,000inferredouncesof gold grading 1.99 g/t Au is quite shallow, with 81% of the1.9millionounceswithin the PEA pit lying above a 330mdepth.

“The very limited

drilling below the 350m level presents significant potential to expand the Wenotdeposittodepthalong thefull2.5kmstrikelength,” itwasstated.

Notably,drillingatOmai is expected to continue until early December at which timethecompanyexpectsto commence work towards an updatedMRE.

Moreover, the most recent NI 43-101 MRE for the Omai property, dated May 21, 2024, includes the Wenot resource of 834,000 indicated ounces of gold grading 1.48 g/t Au and 1,614,000inferredouncesof goldgrading1.99g/tAu.For the adjacent Gilt Creek deposit,theNI43-101MRE is 1,151,000 indicated ounces of gold grading 3.22 g/t Au and 665,000 inferred ounces of gold grading 3.35 g/tAu.

In2020,Omaire-entered Guyana’s mining industry. The company had said that their work completed thus far, has put them on track to become the next large-scale gold mine to open in Guyana.

Recently, the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission (GGMC) announcedthatithasgranted Omai, a new Prospecting Licence providing the exclusiverightofoccupation and exploration for gold, basemetals,preciousmetals and precious stones Notably, the licence has an initial three-year term until April 29, 2027 that can be extendedto2029.

This licence gives Omai the exclusive rights to apply foraMiningLicenseandthe company has commenced meetings with government officials that have provided guidanceontheprocess.

Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo

Omai’s operation in Guyana (Omai Gold Mines photo)

Tems Acknowledges Buju Banton’s Criticisms of Afrobeats, but Says Genre is Escapist Music

Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Tems, in respondingtoBujuBanton‘s criticism of Afrobeats as frivolous music, says the genre is intended for escapism as opposed to addressingsocietalissues.

The conversation arose during her appearance on Kick Game’s Shopping for Sneakers, where host Craig Mitch referenced Buju Banton’s August interview on Revolt TV’s Drink Champs.

In that interview, Buju Banton had criticized Afrobeats as “shallow and unsubstantial music that lacks content aimed at liberating Africa, ” contrasting it with the politically charged and culturally rooted messages of Reggae and Dancehall. TheAfricanPridesingerhad also predicted that the Afrobeats genre would fade with time and expressed disappointment that contemporary African artists, unlike legends such as Fela Kuti and Lucky Dube, have not continued the legacy of using music to address social and political issues.

In responding to Buju’s c r i t i q u e s , T e m s acknowledged the Jamaican’s influence and stature in the global music worldbutofferedadifferent perspective on Afrobeats, pointing out that the genre’s purposeisfordistractionand relief from unpleasant realities.

“Of course, I really respect Buju Banton as an artist, and I understand

where he’s coming from. ReggaeisnotAfrobeats,and the Afrobeats in Nigeria is specifically for escapism It’s specifically for dancing; specifically for vibes. It’s specifically made for that purpose.

That’s the purpose of Afrobeats It’s made to bring you alive and just forget about your worries and just enjoy,” she explained “The climate of Nigeria calls for that type of music That’s why Nigerians love that music, and the world has come to lovethatmusic

But it doesn’t change the purpose of that music so the purpose remains the same It’s always been for vibes and I think that’s just the clarification, you know, Afrobeats is not Reggae

and Reggae is not Afrobeats,”sheadded.

Tems, whose most streamed songs include

Tems, Buju Banton

Free Mind, Essence with Wizkid, and Higher, also said music genres are diverse and have various purposes and contended that Afrobeats is no exception.

“We can’t all make the same type of music It’s like R&B is usually about heartbreak or it’s about love You can’t compare R&B to Jazz; you can’t compare Jazz to rock music or punk rock. Music isfordifferentpurposes,and there is music that is for u p l i f t i n g p e o p l e economically, financially, and politically, and then thereismusicthatisjustfor escape—it’s a good time,” shesaid.

During his Revolt TV

interview, Buju had highlighted his concerns about the direction of A f r i c a n m u s i c , particularly Afrobeats, in relation to its potential to effectsocialchange

“Themusicneedstofree

Talking Dollars & Making Sense...

Frompage35 value. Investors and lenders pay close attention to equity becauseitreflectshowmuch of the company is truly owned by its shareholders, asopposedtobeingfinanced bydebt.

How the Balance Sheet Works The Balance Sheet works by ensuring that the total value of what a company owns (assets) always equals the total amount of what it owes (liabilities) and what’s left for owners (equity). This balanceisacrucialfinancial check—iftheBalanceSheet doesn’t balance, there’s likely an error in the accounting.

In DDL’s case, their Balance Sheet shows a healthy business.Their total assetsin2023wereG$67.05

billion, up from G$60.81 billion in 2022.This growth inassets,coupledwitharise in equity, demonstrates a financially strong company that is expanding its operations while managing its liabilities Why Entrepreneurs Should Care

As a business owner, understanding your Balance Sheet helps you make informed decisions about managing cash, paying off debts, and reinvesting profits.Itshowsyouwhether your business is growing or shrinking, whether you’re carrying too much debt, and how much value you’re creatingforyourselforyour shareholders.

The Balance Sheet can also help you prepare for future financial needs, like applyingforloans,attracting

investors, or selling your bus

Banks and investors often look at a business’s Balance Sheet to determine whether it’s financially stable enough to investinorlendmoneyto.

WrappingUp

Understanding your Balance Sheet is crucial for managingandgrowingyour business.Itgivesyouaclear view of what your business owns, what it owes, and what’s left for the owners. With this information, you can make smarter decisions that will help your business thrive. In the next column, we’ll dive into more aspects of a company’s financial statementsto makestrategic business decisions Until then,keeplearningandkeep making sense of every dollar

my people fight fi free your continent with word, sound, andpower,andyouhavethe ability now, and all you are singingisf-ckery?Youdon’t singasongtofreeAfricaall now?”Bujulamented.

Additionally, he had stressed the importance of leaving a lasting impact through music, urging Afrobeats artistes to think beyondaccumulatingwealth andconsidertheirlegacy.

“We want more from dem. You want the money? Go and get it! But what is gonnabesaidaboutyoulater onandyourposterity?

You didn’t make any impact! So Reggae music stillstandspredominant.Itis

still the king’s music,” he hadsaid.

Nigerian artist Burna Boy shared sentiments similar to Buju’s in an AppleMusicinterviewlast year The Last Last singer had criticized the lyrical content of many Afrobeats songsforlackingdepthand real-lifeexperiences “Half of them, 90 per cent of them, have almost no real-life experiences that they can understand, which is why you hear most Nigerian music, African Music, or Afrobeats,aspeoplecallit, is mostly about nothing, literally nothing,” he had said

Africa.IfIamallthewayin Jamaica,andmycountryand

Linkin Park’s Emily Armstrong Addresses Criticism over Past Support for Danny Masterson

Billboard News.Com

Linkin Park‘s new singer

Emily Armstrong is responding to backlash over claims that she supported convicted rapist Danny Masterson during his sexual assaulttrial.

The Dead Sara cofoundertooktosocialmedia Friday (Sept. 6) to address past comments by the Mars Volta‘sCedricBixler-Zavala that she showed support for M a s t e r s o n d u r i n g preliminary hearings ahead of the actor’s 2020 trial.

Bixler-Zavala’s wife, Chrissie Carnell-Bixler, was among several women to accuse the That ’70s Show starofsexualassault.

“Hi, I’m Emily I’m new to so many of you, and I wantedtocleartheairabout something that happened a while back,” Armstrong wroteinherInstagramStory

“Several years ago, I was

asked to support someone I consideredafriendatacourt appearance,andwenttoone earlyhearingasanobserver Soon after, I realized I shouldn’t have. I always try toseethegoodinpeople,and I misjudged him. I have neverspokenwithhimsince.

Unimaginable details emerged and he was later found guilty ” She concluded, “To say it as clearly as possible: I do not condone abuse or violence against women, and I empathize with the victimsofthesecrimes ” L

d return on Sept 5, with Armstrong on board as Mike Shinoda’s new covocalist and Colin Brittain signing on as d r u m m e r a n d c oproducer Shortly after the livestream reveal, Bixler-Zavala posted

screengrabsonInstagram of his past comments aboutArmstrong’s former support for Masterson and her ties to the Church of Scientology, Rolling Stonereports “Do your fans know about your friend Danny Masterson? Your rapist friend,”Bixler-Zavalawrote

last year in a comment on DeadSara’sInstagrampage. “Remember how your fellow scientologist g squadsurroundedoneof Jane Doe’s when she tryingtoleavetheelevators? The court sheriffs had escort her away from awfulcult…”

In another Instag

post on Friday, Chrissie Carnell-Bixler reportedly accusedArmstrong of being a “hardcore Scientologist who supported convicted serial rapist both in and out ofcourt.”

She added, “Emily Armstrong is a true believer of the Scientology cult/criminal organization that engages in human and child trafficking, child and

elder abuse, the coverups of countless [sexual assaults] onchildrenandadults.”

Last September, Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women during theearly2000s.

TheRanchactorwasnot convicted on charges tied to Chrissie Carnell-Bixler’s accusations,butsheispartof acivilsuitagainsthim.

Janet Jackson Sets Las Vegas Residency at Resorts World

Janet Jackson

Variety - Janet Jackson hasofficiallyannouncedher Las Vegas residency at Resorts World Theatre, launching during New Year’sweek.

The “Janet Jackson: LasVegas”residencywill beginDec 30andinclude a show on New Year’s Eve,witheightadditional performances set for 2 0 2 5 i n c l u d i n g Va l e n

n e ’ s D a y weekend

Tickets to all ten performances will be available for purchaseAug. 28 at 10 a m PT on AXS.com.

“Janet Jackson is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in pop music, ” said Bobby Reynolds, senior vice president of AEG PresentsLasVegas

“We could not be more thrilled to close out 2024 with her return to the Las Vegas Strip and her venue debut at our award-winning Resorts World Theatre, and to kick off 2025 with a run o f s u r e - t o - b eunforgettable shows

This is a residency fans won’twanttomiss.”

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee will perform at the 5,000-capacity theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas after completing a successful run for her “Together Again” tour, a 35-city trek that kicked off in June, with a European leg launching inSeptember

At the time of the tour’s announce back in 2022, Jackson teased new music from her was imminent, though it never manifested Jackson who released her most-recent LP, “Unbreakable,” in 2015 told “On Air With Ryan Seacrest” in April that “the pandemic and on top of that was a couple of things that I needed to straighten out in my backyard” were the main reasons she hadn’t been able to work onheroriginalmusic.

“So now, since we’re past all that, we’re going aboutputtingoutnewmusic forsure,”shesaid.

Singer EmilyArmstrong

History was created on July 9, 2024 when author,Universityinstructor, and an internationally

recognized Guyanese educatorDr JulieJailallwas bestowedbytheGovernorof the State of North Carolina, USAwiththatstate’shighest honour – “The Order of the Long Leaf Pine” – for excellence in education leadershipandservice.

The prestigious Order of the Long Leaf Pine award establishedin1963hasbeen reserved by North Carolina

governors to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the state and their

communities through exemplary service and e x c e p t i o n a l accomplishments.

The Order of the Long Leaf Pine Society of which Dr Jailall is now a member, stands as the state’s highest

nationally

Dr

.

Julie Jailall

is a Special Person

inclusive of six degrees.

After contributing significantly to Guyana’s education system, Dr Jailall migrated to the US, where she spent over 30 years investing her time and effortsinacademicfield.

honorary society, promoting theidealsofcivicleadership, s e r v i c e , a n d accomplishment.

The award was a just a suitable addition to list of honours that Dr Jailall has amassed over the course of three decades of her illustrious career It is believedDr Jailall,whoisthe current Director of the Cyril Potter College of Education might be the only Guyanese tohavereceivedthisfeat

She has been lauded for herstellarcontributioninthe education sector in North Carolina(NC)aswellasher home country, Guyana. Dr Jailall’sjourneyineducation spans decades from her beginningsasaneducatorin Guyana to earning her DoctorateinEducationfrom the North Carolina State University

Herimpressiveresumeis replete with professional experience and credentials

According to Education Digest,aNorthCarolinaDr Jailall is lauded for her tenure across the State of North Carolina. She held various pivotal roles, including teacher, Assistant Principal, Principal, and Executive Director for public and charters schools acrossthestate.

Her leadership and vision as the Superintendent ofPrisonEducationServices

were instrumental in creating new positions within the North Carolina

Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC) advocating tirelessly for offendereducationacross54 correctionalinstitutions.

The NC publication noted that the award bestowed on the valued educator stated: “Dr Julie Jailall,recentlyretiredasthe Education Superintendent for the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC), has

returned to her homeland of Guyana after an illustrious careerinNorthCarolina…”

“As Dr.Jailall transitions back to Guyana, her legacy of educational leadership and commitment to enhancingthelivesofothers through education will continue to inspire generations. Her impact on NorthCarolina’seducational landscape and her advocacy for offender education

leaves a lasting imprint on the state’s educational and correctionalsystems.”

Inhercurrentcapacityas DirectorofCPCE,Dr Jailall manages at least 20 satellite college centres across Guyana She told The Waterfallsthatitishonourto returntoservehercountryin thiscapacity

‘BETTERTHAN GOLD”

Dr Jailallhailsoriginally

from Hague Backdam West Coast Demerara (WCD), andthenherfamilymovedto Unity Village in the Hubu Parika,EastBankEssequibo (EBE) As a result, she attended Hague Backdam Nursery School and Blake Primary (EBE) and because there was no high school in hervillage,shewastheonly student continuing in the “primarytop.”

This era of her life is reflected in her book, “Sharda:AWorldCaribbeanGuyanaliteratureseries” Dr Jailall recalled “my family farmed rice and cash crops and on Saturdays, my mother would sell our produce at the Leonora Market.”

She noted that her father on the other hand loved to teach. He spent a lot of his time to teaching children from their village Hindi and English. Shesaid“hewould often tell us ‘education is greater than gold ’ This resonated with me as a child.”

Ironically, Dr. Jailall recalled that her father did notseetheneedforhis“girl child”toachievethehighest levelofeducation.”Shesaid “I really had to beg them to continue to go to school because we were a staunch Hindufamilyandculturally, thisisjustnotsomethingthat wasanorm.”

Asaresult,afterpassing

Internationally acclaimed Guyanese Educator, Dr. Julie Jailall

Dr. Jailall is pictured with her husband and their three sons

Internationally acclaimed Guyanese Educator Dr. Julie Jailall...

ThecoverofDr.Jailall’sbook“Sharda”: AWorldCaribbean-Guyanaliteratureseries.”

Frompage43

the Preliminary Examination and CP (College of Preceptors examinations) at age 13,Dr JailallearnedaplacetoZeeburgHigh Schoolbuthermomdidnotwanttosend“agirl childtohighschool”Dr Jailall,however,was determinedtogoontohighschool Shelater enrolled in a private school called Uitvlugt College, which, unfortunately, closed after a year

Dr Jailall, then, persisted through many hunger strikes until her mother relented and latersenthertoTutorialHighforoneandahalf yearswhereshepassedenoughGCEs(London University General Certificate of Education Exams) qualifying her for enrollment at the University of Guyana It took a lot more persuasion than mere “hunger strikes” to convincehermothertofinallysendhertoUG

Dr Jailall became the first and the only childofher10siblingstoearnacollegedegree, or more accurately, five accredited college degrees Dr Jailallcreditsherteacher-thelate HenryRahamanasthepersonwhoinfluenced her the most and was her inspiration towards excellence Mr Rahaman, who later became Principal of St Roses High, recognized Dr Jailall’s potentials as a gifted child and he introducedhertoherfirstbook,Kidnappedby RL Stevenson borrowed from the Salem Public Library located in the Parika area on the East Bank of Essequibo. Dr Jailall, the voracious reader that she was, ended up readingeverybookinherschool’slibrary TEACHINGEXPERIENCE

Before she was recommended by the NCDAC for the highest award

Dr Jailallworkedatalllevelsofeducation from kindergarten to university levels She worked in various schools in Guyana in the 1970s – Blake Primary School, St Lawrence Primary School, Parika-Salem Primary, and Greenwich Park Primary East Bank Essequibo

She also worked at Cummings Lodge Secondary School as an English teacher She moved to Grand Bahamas, Bahamas where she worked as an English teacher at the HawksbillHighSchool,Bahamas

In her early 30’s, Dr Jailall migrated to NorthCarolina,USAwheresheworkedatall levelsofeducationinfourdifferentcountiesas an English Teacher, and a Special Education teacher working with students with learning disabilitiesandstudentswhoweredescribedas behaviorallyandemotionallyhandicapped

Dr Jailall was a teacher with passion and deep empathy. Although she was licensed to teach regular education, she instead took the challengetoteachspecialeducationatatime when her school district couldn’t find candidates for special needs students. Her

ConsultantastheLearning Disabilities specialist at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Dr. Jailall was featured in a news article about educators who change lives

approach was “to teach students with special needsasthoughtheyweregifted!”

She helped each student to find their gift andthenshecelebratedthemas“blossomsof theschool!”Duetoherservicetostudentswith special needs, she won several grants, especiallytoservedisadvantagedstudents

ItwasnosurprisewhenDr Jailallreceived theflagship,prestigious“FlameforLearning” AwardfromJohnstonCountySchools,North Carolina(NC),forherdedicationandpassion asaneducatorfortheneediestofstudents

Dr JailallalsoworkedinNCasaschool principal for several elementary schools, middleschools,andhighschools Dr Jailall’s experienceincludedthatofExecutiveDirector of two large Charter Schools, and Assistant Directorofa“Montessori”School

She also served as a College Instructor at theBrunswickCountyCommunityCollegein Washington, NC, USA, and at the Berbice Campus of the University of Guyana Additionally, she served as the Education

Dr JulieJailallandher husband Dr Jerry Jailall then moved toAbu Dhabi (near Dubai) in the United Arab Emirates where she taughtatanall-girlspublic School in Al Mafraq, and she also taught in the Masters in Education programme at theAbu DhabiUniversity

In addition to her wealth of work experience,Dr Jailallhascompletedfivefully accreditedface-to-facedegrees-aBachelorof Arts degree in English and Visual Art and a postgraduate Diploma in Education from the UniversityofGuyana;aMasterofArtsdegree in Education Leadership and Curriculum Studies and a post-graduate Certificate of Advanced Studies in creative writing and English as Second Language from the East Carolina University; and a Doctor of Education Degree in Education Leadership and Policy Studies from the North Carolina StateUniversity

Dr Jailall recalled as she moved from variousleadershippositionsinNC,shesawthe vacancy for superintendent at NCDAC and decided to take on the challenge of ensuring thatinmateswereeducated “ I was supervising the education in 54

prisonsandIdidthisforfouryears Itwasaveryexpansivejobtobehonest;I had to overlook the programmes for 15000 inmatesinschool”

TRANSFORMATIONALLEADERSHIP

In2009,Dr Jailallpublishedherfirstbook, “Sharda”, and then later co-authored a bestselling book used in school districts and colleges around the world, “The Principal as Curriculum Leader: Shaping what is Taught and Tested” published by the international CorwinPress

Dr Jailall has been awarded as a school transformation and reform expert for successfully turning around low-performing schools into high performing schools Her serviceasatransformationalschoolleaderfor decades included being a driving force for changeandtransformationfortwoelementary schools

During her leadership, both of these schoolsmadetremendousjumpsinexemplary student achievement in a short time Cooper Elementary School was the most featured schoolinthelocalnewspaper

Transformational leadership is her trademarkandthatwaswhyshewasrecruited as a Superintendent of Schools for the North CarolinaPrisonSystemintheNorthCarolina DepartmentofAdultCorrectionwhereshehad education programmes in 54 state prisons for adults and four special schools for inmates under18yearsold

Shepartneredwithsevenuniversitiesand 41 community colleges to strengthen education programmes in the prison schools Under her leadership, each inmate was provided a digital tablet to access education services Inmates complete special programs, micro credentials and certifications, and can obtainassociateandBachelor’sdegreeswhile inprison

In their nomination of Dr Jailall for the “Order of the Long Leaf Pine,” the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction wrote, “It is with great delight that we nominate Dr Julie Jailall, former Superintendent of Education, North Carolina DepartmentofAdultCorrectionforTheOrder of The Long Leaf Pine Award for her exceptional accomplishments and exemplary servicetotheStateofNorthCarolina ”

“She was a deeply committed, hardworking, enthusiastic and transformative leader who made significant and positive changes within the agency for the rehabilitationofoffendersthrougheducation Dr Jailall’slegacyasachangeagentwithinthe agency and her long history of exemplary service in education in several countiesBrunswick, Beaufort, Johnston, AlamanceBurlington,andWake-makesheradeserving candidatefortheOrderoftheLongLeafPine award”NCDACsaid

Dr Jailall has three sons and two grandchildren. Her hobbies include gardening, traveling, visual art and badminton. For all these accomplishments and the historic award of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, Dr. Julie Jailall is truly a “SpecialPerson.”

Dr. Jailall is pictured with her husband and grandchildren

Guyana’s Dr. Rita Persaud

cops prestigious “Women Changemaker of the Year Award”

Dr Rita Persaud, a Canada-based Guyanese University Professor, has beenawardedtheprestigious “Women Changemaker of the YearAward” by the Girl Child Education (GISR) FoundationofIndia.

This recognition, which highlights exceptional womeninvariousfields,was presented during the Fifth International Inspirational Women Awards (IIWA) 2024, held on July 27 in Delhi,India.

The GISR Foundation is a non-government, not-forprofitorganizationregistered

u n d e r t h e C e n t r a l Government’s Ministry of CorporateAfairsinIndia.

The organization plays a proactive role in India’s development process by providing education to und

G

Children GISR helps students find their passion, their aim and help them to have a better future The organization notes that in a country where girls are worshippedasgoddesses,for some reasons they are deprivedoftheirbasicrights suchasaneducation.

As such, the GISR Foundation, is dedicated to supporting girls’ education, selects only a few individuals each year to receive this distinguished award.The honour is part of an international initiative aimed at acknowledging individuals with outstanding achievements, exceptional

Canada-based Guyanese University Professor, Dr. Rita Persaud f f

p e r f o r m a n c e , a n d extraordinary talent across various roles, including researchers, academicians, mentors, advisors, trainers, andthoughtleaders. In a congratulatory letter, the foundation praised Dr Persaud for her remarkable contributionsandunwavering commitment to excellence.

“ Yo u r r e m a r k a b l e achievements have earned you this coveted recognition, and we are truly proud of you,”theletterstated

Dr Persaud is a Professor, employed at Wilfrid Laurier University

(WLU), Waterloo, and George Brown College (GBC), Toronto where she teacheshumanresourcesand business. Born in Guyana, South America, Dr Persaud migrated in the 1980s to Canada,livedmostofherlife in Canada and has been continuing her education eversince.

In Guyana, Dr Persaud has become known for her philanthropic ef orts and for generously donating millions of dollars worth of education material to the Ministry of Education, and theUniversityofGuyana.

NationalfuneralforSir ShridathRamphalonSept.14

…to be interred at The Place of the Seven Ponds

The Of ice of the

President announced on Saturday that a National Funeral of Honour will be heldonSaturday,September 14,2024intributetothelife and legacy of Sir Shridath Surendranath Ramphal, OE, OCC,GCMG,AM.

Sir Shridath “Sonny” Ramphal, a towering figure in international diplomacy and one of the Caribbean’s most respected elder statesmen, died peacefully on August 30, 2024, at the ageof95.

SirShridathwasbornon October 3, 1928, in New Amsterdam, British Guiana (now Guyana) He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 67 years, Lady Lois Ramphal, who passed away in2019.

His illustrious career spannedseveraldecadesand left an indelible mark on globaldiplomacy,Caribbean development, and the fight against institutional racism. He was a distinguished alumnus of King’s College

Sir Shridath Ramphal

London and Gray’s Inn, London His career was markedbyaseriesofpivotal roles, including Assistant Attorney-General of the West Indies Federation, Minister of Justice and Foreign Af airs of Guyana, andSecretary-Generalofthe Commonwealth, a position heheldfor15years,making him the longest-serving individualinthatrole.

The Of ice of the Presidentinastatementsaid, “ S i r S h r i d a t h , a distinguishedsonofGuyana, former Commonwealth

Secretary-General, and a towering figure in global diplomacy,willbehonoured forhislifelongservicetothe nation, the Caribbean, the Commonwealth, and the world.”

The funeral will take place at the Promenade Gardens, Georgetown, commencingat15:00hours, to be followed by interment at The Place of the Seven Ponds in the Botanical Gardens.

“This solemn occasion willbeobservedwiththefull Continuedonpage48

400 million students affected globally by climate related school closures since 2022-WorldBankReport

Climaterelatedschoolclosures have affected 400 million students globallybetween2022and2024,a newWorldBankreporthassaid.

The report published on Wednesday‘ChoosingOurFuture: Education for Climate Action’ described the ongoing disruptions tolearningasacrisiswhichremain invisible since they are not being tracked.

Itsaidtherewasnoofficialdata on the frequency and severity of school closures due to extreme climate events. Consequently, this crisis is going largely unnoticed. For this report, the World Bank relied on extensive literature reviews, supplemented with novel data. It said it not only assessed media reports on climate-related school closures between January 2022 to June 2024 from 81

schoolscandomuchmoreforproclimate behaviour change. Across low- and middle-income countries most students, parents, teachers, and even policymakers want schools to better prepare students for climate action, however, this is currently not happening The biggest obstacles to this goal are low foundational skills; lack of climate education within already overloaded curricula and lack of teachercapacity

countries, but also a number of other surveys such as a youth survey (ages 17-35 years) on climate and education from eight countries (Angola, Bangladesh, China, Columbia, India, Kazakhstan, Senegal, and Tanzania).

The World Bank’s analysis shows that over the past 20 years, schoolswereclosedinatleast75% of the climate-related extreme weathereventsimpacting5million peopleormore.

“Most worryingly, the frequency and severity of school closures continues to grow due to climate change. Between January 2022 and June 2024, an estimated 404 million students faced school closures due to extreme weather events. This was the result of at least 81 countries shutting down schools temporarily due to floods, storms, and heatwaves,” the Institutionsaid.

Notably, these school closures can cause big learning losses.

Between January 2022 and June 2024,countriesthatclosedschools torespondtoclimateshocksloston average 28 days of instruction in affectedschools,thereportstated.

“Affected schools in lowincome countries during the same period lost about 45 days, while thoseinhigh-incomecountrieslost only 6 days. In some contexts, climate-related school closures are frequent or of long duration,” the WorldBanksaid.

For instance, between January 2022 and June 2024, students in Philippines experienced 23 episodes of school closures. In Pakistan, they lost 97 days of school (nearly 54 percent of a typicalacademicyear).

Rising temperatures are also having a negative impact on student learning, the Institution reported.Infactanaveragestudent in the poorest 50% of Brazilian municipalities could lose up to 0.5 years of learning overall due to risingtemperatures.

DO MORE

According to the World Bank,

The World Bank said across 100 countries, nearly 47% of frameworks have no mention of climatechange. Inayouthsurvey across eight low- and middleincome countries, nearly 65% feel they did not learn enough about climate in school But adding climate topics to an already overloaded school curricula is not easy If done without careful consideration, it could backfire by further crowding-out the muchneeded focus on foundational skills,theinstitutionpointedout.

Additionally, the World Bank noted that most teachers currently donothavethecapacitytoteachon climate Across six low- and middle-income countries, 87% of teachers claim to include climate themes in their lessons, and yet 71% answered at least one basic climate related question incorrectly.

RISING TEMPERATURES IN GUYANA

TheWorld Bank Report on the impacts of climate on education comesatatimewhenGuyana,like other countries, has been experiencinghighertemperatures.

R e c e n t l y t h e Hydrometeorological Service of theMinistryofAgricultureissueda publicadvisoryduetothepredicted above-normal temperatures across Guyana from September to November2024.

This period, traditionally the warmest months of the year, particularly in September and October, is expected to experience even higher-than-average temperatures, raising concerns for public health, agriculture, and livestock.

The Hydrometeorological Service warns that the increased likelihoodofextremeheatandheat wave days could significantly impact vulnerable groups, includingtheelderly,children,and those with pre-existing health conditions.

“During this time, heat-related illnesses such as dehydration, heat exhaustion,andheatstrokebecome significant risks with the potential for an above average numberofheatwavedaysthisyear, the Hydrometeorological Service urges the public to take preventive measures,” the Hydromet office cautioned.

The public was urged to take preventive measures, such as stayinghydrated,limitingoutdoor Continued on page 48

OreallaVillagetoget$198Msecondaryschool

Orealla/ Siparuta, the only Amerindian village in Region Six will soon get a secondary school building, which will be constructed tothetuneof$198,866,010.

ThesodwasturnedonSaturday to mark the start of the school’s

construction Minister of Education,PriyaManickchandwas joined by other officials for the ceremonialactivity

According to information provided by the Ministry of Education, the new Orealla Secondary School which will be constructed by 4S Security & Building Enterprise and will featuresixmodernclassrooms,four specializedlaboratories,andawellequipped library, aimed at providing high-quality learning environmentforapproximately180 students.

The facility will serve the educational needs of students from both Orealla and the nearby Siparuta area thereby addressing a critical gap in educational resources.

The supervision of the project will be conducted by CEMCO Incorporated.Itwasreportedbythe ministry that already the contractor quality of education and provide statement reported that the school access to education like those in milestone for the region, with the

was given an initial mobilization students with the necessary will not only benefit students by more urbanized area, the region school serving as a beacon of

amountof$59,659,803andthatthe resourcesforacademicexcellence. eliminating the need for them to said. progressandopportunity project is anticipated to be

The new Orealla Secondary travel to the coast for secondary Regional Executive Officer, This publication understands completedwithinsixmonths.

The Minister in her brief substantial impact on the local financial burden on parents who had applauded the Orealla and many hinterland areas which have

School is poised to make a schooling but will also ease the Narindra Persaud at the ceremony that Orealla Village is just one of

e community, ensuring that students previously had to pay for Siparuta Village Council for their been targeted to get new secondary

in this riverain village and the

commitment to advancing surrounding areas benefit from expenses. which played a key role in the thebuildingoftheschoolsallforms educational opportunities and improvededucationalfacilities. The establishment of this realization of the project. He noted part of the government’s goal of infrastructure across Guyana. She The Regional Democratic school will ensure that students in that the commencement of achieving universal secondary noted that this project is part of a Council (RDC) of Region Six in a these remote communities have construction signifies a major educationby2025. broader initiative to enhance the

GUYEXPO 2024 expected to attract large crowds

DPI - This year GUYEXPO, the largest trade show in Guyana andthelongestsustainedexhibition in the Caribbean, is expected to attract some 100,000 patrons and 250booths.

This is a notable increase from last year’s 80,000 attendees and 200exhibitors.

Pointing out that Guyana has been on an impressive economic trajectory, with over 49 per cent growth recorded this year alone, Minister Walrond expressed that it alsospansmultipleindustries.

The theme of GUYEXPO aims to reflect this with the variety of businesses anticipated to participateinthisyear’sexposition.

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond

Highlighting the Government’s minister,isproudof.

staff of the Ministry of Tourism steadfast commitment to Minister also stated, “We are have begun the groundwork to supporting small businesses and excited about the range of products ensure that GUYEXPO 2024 lives investing heavily in their growth and services that will be on up to the expectations of and development, Minister display we are committed to internationalstandards. Walrond added that the once, small creating an event that reflects both, Apart from the businesses on and emerging enterpriseshavenow the growth and the global display,patronscanlookforwardto evolved into viable, thriving competitiveness of the Guyanese a family-friendly experience with a entities. businesses.” fungamesectionforchildren.

GUYEXPO offers these Several sponsors are on board The registration period for businesses a platform to showcase reflecting strong enthusiasm for businesses is from 1st to 30th their achievements, one that, the this year’s event. The dedicated October2024.

continuous advocacy and support, schools built. It was reported that

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and the contractor among other officials turning the sod for the construction of the new Orealla Secondary School on Saturday.

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.

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.

One general housekeeper to work on weekend. $4,500 per day. Age 30-40 years old. Call: 693-2600.

Sand truck drivers wanted, $5,000 per trip. Sand pit to Eccles, Call : 621-5282.

One general domestic & one handyman to work in Campbellville. Tele: 621-5140.

Male & Female clerk to work in a printery in Campbellville.Tele: 621-5140.

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.

Mature man, loving and generous seeks female for friendship, ages 25-40 Years, WhatsApp: 1-246-835-6908.

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 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.

SALE

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

Hurry Hurry Big sale Left over lumber: 6x6 beams green heart Klin dried export quality. Contact: 604-7734 (whatsapp) / 226-8995.

House for rent in Eccles. $100K monthly. For more information Call: 685-5294.

New regional hospital to be constructed in West Demerara

DPI - President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has announced plans to construct a new, modern regional hospital in West Demerara, Region Three aimed at providing world-class healthcare services.

The president made this announcement during the commissioning of the Zeelugt Primary School on Friday.

He noted that the existing West Demerara Regional Hospital has seen significant growth and improvement over the past four years.

“In the first four months of 2021, they did 16 surgeries. In the first four months of 2024, they did 585 surgeries. It is easy to post one bad story or two bad stories on Facebook.

But what about this? 585 surgeries that were completed, compared to 16 in 2021,” he said. This expan-

sion of services has also led to a notable reduction in referrals to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

According to President Ali within the last four years, referrals to the GPHC have decreased by almost 100 per cent. “[The number of] referrals to Georgetown Hospital in the first four months of 2020 was 208. The referrals to Georgetown in the first four months of 2024, is 106.

That tells you of the qualitative care[and] the difference in the qualitative care,” the head of state pointed out.

Similar improvements have also been recorded in clinic attendance.

The West Demerara Regional Hospital is currently undergoing significant upgrades including the construction of a new mortuary, and the acquisition of equip-

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali

ment for laparoscopic surgeries. Additionally, surgical services have expanded from limited hours to round-the-clock availability.

While these improvements are tremendous, President Ali acknowledged that the hospital can no longer meet the demands of the growing regional economy, or

provide the level of healthcare that is necessary at this stage of its development.

“Now with this growth, we know that the West Demerara Hospital has now outgrown its time. It has outgrown what it was built for. It does not meet the modern, efficient, reliable needs of the citizens of Region Three,” the president noted.

That is why the government is taking action to address this deficiency, and the president added that tenders for the new facility will be launched in the week.

“Every day, we wake up with a new mission…[and] a new drive.

And that mission and drive is to make your life better. That mission and drive is to dedicate a bit more energy in getting the work done,” he asserted.

Parliamentary scrutiny of Police Force could serve as deterrent...

From page 11 being transshipped to Europe. So far, one man has been arrested and the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) said that several others escaped when law men

swooped down on the Barima-Waini operations.

Kaieteur News has been told that a senior police officer is being questioned in relations to his involvement with the traffickers.

Sources told this newspaper that the officer might have been aware of the operations at Matthews Ridge where cocaine was frequently dropped off and then picked up by small aircraft.

“They are looking into reports that this officer was aware of the operations and when the drugs would move in and out,” one of the sources told this newspaper.

400 million students affected globally by climate related school...

From page 46 activities during peak heat hours, and ensuring that living and working spaces are well-ventilated.

The discussions on climate change- the long-term shift in temperatures and weather conditions- has taken on global importance as rising temperatures continue to take a detrimental toll on the environment and human life.

It is however, human activities, that have been the main driver of climate change, primarily the burning of fossil fuels (like coal, oil and gas), which produces heattrapping gases.

The United Nations explains that burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions that act like a blanket wrapped around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures.

The main greenhouse gases that are causing climate change include carbon dioxide and methane. These come from using gasoline for driving a car or coal for heating a building, for example.

Following the discovery of oil off this country’s coast in 2015, ExxonMobil began producing oil in December 2019.

With three Floating Pro-

duction Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels in operation, producing an average 645,000 barrel per day, Guyana maintains that emissions from the sector are offset from its huge forest cover that acts as a carbon sinkmeaning that the country removes more carbon than it emits into the environment. Forest accounts for about 85% of Guyana’s total land area.

National funeral for Sir Shridath Ramphal on Sept. 14...

From page 45

ceremonial tributes befitting Sir Shridath’s monumental contributions to Guyana, including the preservation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to the global community,” the statement said inviting all Guyanese to join in paying their final respects to “a man whose extraordinary vision and tireless dedication have left an indelible mark on our country and the world.”

Meanwhile, as Commonwealth Secretary-General from 1975 to 1990, Sir Shridath played a key role in the international campaign against apartheid in South Africa.

His efforts were instrumental in the eventual termination of apartheid, earning him global respect and admiration. Nelson Mandela once

said of him: “He is one of those men who have become famous because, in their fight for human justice, they have chosen the whole world as their theatre.”

Sir Shridath also served as Chancellor of the University of Guyana, the University of the West Indies, and Warwick University.

He was involved in various global initiatives, serving on all the Global Commissions that produced landmark reports on the environment, development, and disarmament between 1980 and 1995.

His leadership as Chairman of the West Indian Commission culminated in the 1992 report, “Time for Action,” which remains a seminal blueprint for Caribbean development.

In addition to his diplomatic contributions, Sir

Shridath was a key figure in environmental conservation, serving as President of the World Conservation Union and Special Adviser to the UN Conference on Environment and Development. He also played a significant role as Chief Negotiator for the Caribbean on External Economic Relations.

On June 30, 2020, Sir Shridath Ramphal, Guyana’s Co-Agent and Head of the Legal Team in Guyana’s border case against Venezuela, opened Guyana’s arguments before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the issue of the court having jurisdiction to hear the matter.

Even in his later years, Sir Shridath remained active on the international stage. At 92, he became the first lawyer to appear virtually before the

International Court of Justice during the COVID-19 pandemic, representing Guyana in a critical border controversy case with Venezuela. Throughout his life, Sir Shridath received numerous prestigious honours, including the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC), the Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George (GCMG), the Order of Excellence of Guyana (OE), the Order of Merit of Jamaica (OM), the Order of the Companions of Oliver Tambo from South Africa, and Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).

He was also appointed to the Order of New Zealand, New Zealand’s highest civil honor.

PEN PAL

Over 30 contractors bid to construct doctors’ quarter at District 10 Health Centre

During the recent opening of bids at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office, it was revealed that over 30 contractors applied to constructthedoctor’slivingquarterattheDistrict10Health Centre,RegionFive.

The project is being executed through the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Five and is estimated tocost$21.3million

Kaieteur News reported previously that in August, MinisterofHealth,Dr FrankAnthony,andtheregionalteam commissioned the new health center at Lakeville, which is set to enhance healthcare services for residents of De Hoop and neighbouring villages. It was reported that the new health centre is fully equipped with medical supplies and equipmenttocatertoapproximately1,200residents. Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids:

Ministry of Public Works

Consultancy services for social and gender resilience building for Linden to Mabura road project.

Regional Democratic Council of Region 5

Construction of doctor's living quarters at District 10 health Centre.

Woman wanted for human trafficking

TheGuyanaPoliceForce (GPF) on Saturday issued a wanted bulletin for a woman who allegedly involved in humantrafficking.

The wanted woman was identified only as, Andreina. Police reported that the woman allegedly committed the act between May and August 1, 2024 at Robb Street,Georgetown.

Personswithinformation about the whereabouts of Andreina, are asked to contact the police on 2271149, 225-8196, 227-1611, 8196 or the nearest police 226-3405, 225-6978, 225- station.

Prison escapee recaptured in Sophia

Lusignan Prison who escaped while attending clinic at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), was recaptured on Friday night at Sophia, Georgetown.

The recaptured prisoner, Isiah Daniels also known as

recapturedat23:30hrs.

The prisoner escaped on Friday morning at about 11:30hrs.

The Guyana Prison the public and the Joint Service (GPS) in a press Service for the swift

response in recapturing the appreciation to members of prisonescapee.

National Drainage and IrrigationAuthority (NDIA) Construction of foundation for hardware house at Kimbia.

Wanted: Andreina

Isiah Daniels

Israeli attacks kill over a dozen people as war on Gaza enters 12th month

More than a dozen Palestinians killed as all of Gaza has been under relentless Israeli strikes since the early hours of this morning, particularly in the north.

Aljazeera - At least 61 people have been killed by IsraeliattacksonGazainthe last two days as Israel’s war on the besieged enclave entersits12monthwithlittle sign of respite for the Palestinianterritory.

Israeli air raids killed more than a dozen people overnight into Saturday, hospitalandlocalauthorities said, as health workers wrappedupthesecondphase

of an urgent polio vaccination campaign designed to prevent a largescaleoutbreak.

Sources told Aljazeera that three women and two children were killed in the east of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza as a resultofIsraelishelling.

Separately, Gaza’s Civil Defence agency said an Israeli air attack targeting a school-turned-shelter for displaced Palestinians killed at least three people. The Civil Defence also said 20 people were wounded in the attack that targeted theAmr Ibnal-AasSchoolintheAbu Iskandar area of the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, northofGazaCity

Palestinians survey the aftermath of an Israeli air strike that targeted displacement tents near al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza [Al Jazeera]

The Israeli military said it conducted a “precise strike” at the school that targeted fighters “operating inside a Hamas command and control centre embedded inside a compound that previously served as Amr Ibn al-Aas school”. Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting fromDeirel-Balahincentral Gaza, said all of Gaza has been under relentless Israeli

strikes since the early hours of this morning, particularly inthenorth.

“There has been a concentration of attacks in thetownofBeitLahiya,with the Israeli army extensively shelling the area with artillery,”hesaid.

“There has also been an air attack on an evacuation centreintheSheikhRadwan neighbourhoodofGazaCity A number of casualties are

being reported from the attack.”

In recent months, Israeli forces have struck several schools housing displaced Palestinians, many of them in Gaza City, claiming the strikes targeted Hamas fighters.

Israel’s war on Gaza has so far killed almost 41,000 people, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza.

According to the United

Nations,mostofthedeadare womenandchildren.

Pro-Palestine protests in London

Meanwhile, throngs of protesters rallied against Israel’s war on Gaza in centralLondononSaturday.

Demonstrators shouted slogans and carried banners as they rallied through the capital towards the Israeli embassy in South Kensington.

“Pro-Palestinian protestershaveheldarallyin Londonintheweekthatsaw British Foreign Secretary David Lammy say that his country would immediately suspend 30 of the 350 licences to export arms to Israel,” Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallegosaid,reportingfrom London. “But for people whowehavespokentohere, the move is not nearly enough. As Lammy himself has said, this certainly does notgoasfarasbackin1982, whenPMMargaretThatcher imposedafullarmsembargo on Israel over its participation in the Lebanon war

“However, people here are demanding that more be

done. They want all arms exports to end with immediateeffectbecausewe are going into nearly 11 months of Israel’s war on Gaza and the situation only seemstobeworsening.”

Call for inquiry over killedactivist

TheUN also calledfor a “full investigation” into the killing by Israeli forces of American-Turkish activist AysenurEzgiEygi,26,while protesting against illegal Israeli settlements in Beita, intheoccupiedWestBank.

“Wewouldwanttoseea full investigation of the circumstances and that people should be held a c c o u n t a b l e , ” U N spokesman Stephane Dujarric told a news conference, adding that civilians “must be protected atalltimes”.

Eygi was “shot in the head” while participating in thedemonstrationonFriday, theUNrightsofficesaid.

Herfamilyalsocalledfor an inquiry in a statement, saying “her presence in our lives was taken needlessly, unlawfully, and violently by theIsraelimilitary”.

Venezuela revokes Brazil’s authorization to represent Argentine interests in the country

BRASILIA/CARACA

S, Sept 7 (Reuters)Venezuela revoked Brazil’s authorization to represent Argentine interests in the country, including administering the embassy wheresixoppositionfigures

are sheltering, the Venezuelangovernmentsaid Saturday In a statement, Venezuela said the decision waseffective“immediately” andwasduetoproofthatthe embassy was being used to plan assassination attempts against President Nicolas Maduro and Vice President DelcyRodriguezGomez. Brazil said that it had receivedthecommunication “with surprise” and Argentina said shortly afterwardsthatitrejectedthe “unilateral” decision by

Venezuela. Both countries urged Maduro to respect the Vienna Convention on Diplomaticrelations.

“Anyattempttoinvadeor kidnap asylum seekers who remain in our official residence will be harshly condemned by the international community,” Argentinasaidinastatement “Actions like these reinforce the conviction that in Maduro’s Venezuela, the fundamentalhumanrightsare not respected ” In its statement, Brazil insisted that itwouldremainincustodyand defenseofArgentineinterests until Argentina indicates another state acceptable to Venezuela to do so “The Brazilian government highlights in this context, underthetermsoftheVienna

Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) guard the street ofArgentine ambassador’s residence where six members of the opposition sought asylum after warrants were issued for their arrests in March, in Caracas, Venezuela September 7, 2024. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria

Conventions, the inviolability of the facilities of the Argentine diplomatic mission,”itsaid,addingthatit housedsixVenezuelanasylum seekers,assetsandarchives.

Theescalationinthespat betweentheSouthAmerican countries was first reported byReuters.

On Friday night, some opposition members in the Argentine residence reportedontheirXaccounts that the building was under surveillance and had no electricity They posted videosshowingmendressed inblackandpatrolsfromthe government intelligence agency,SEBIN. In March, six people sought asylum in the Argentine embassy in Caracas after a prosecutor ordered their arrest on charges including conspiracy Opposition leader Maria Co

On Friday, Argentina’s Foreign Ministry asked the InternationalCriminalCourt (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant against Nicolas Maduro and other senior government officials for eventsthatoccurredafterthe Julyelections.

Venezuela broke relations with Argentina following its disputed presidential election on July 28. Brazil, like Colombia and Mexico, has asked the Venezuelan government to publishthefullresultsofthe vote. The government has notdonesoandthecountry’s e

ity proclaimed that President Nicolas Maduro won reelectionforathirdterm.

Machado has denied the allegations against her collaborators.

BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY!

In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about on-going indecencies in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.

‘I leave as a champ’

- UFC legend Johnson retires

(BBC Sport) - Former UFC flyweight champion

Demetrious Johnson has retired from mixed martial artsattheageof38.

Johnson is considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time and the best flyweight to grace the sport.

Nicknamed ‘Mighty

Mouse’, the American was theinauguralUFCflyweight champion and successfully defended the title 11 times between 2012 and 2017 beforelosingitin2018.

He held the flyweight t i t l e i n t h e O N E Championshipfortwoyears until announcing his decision during ONE 168 in

DenveronFriday

“They wanted me to leave the belt in here, but I ain’t doing that,” Johnson said.

“I came into this sport a champ and I’m leaving as a champtoo.”

He has a record of 25 wins, four losses and one draw.

Johnson’slastboutwasa points win over Adriano Moraes in May 2023, his firstfightonhomesoilsince 2018.

JohnsonlefttheUFCfive years ago, but remains the holder of several flyweight records,includingmostwins (13), most finishes (seven) and longest winning streak (13).

Athispeak,Johnsonwas known for his incredible speed of action and thought, and his innovation was admired across all weight classes.

Sunday September 08, 2024

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

You might have to do a lot of running around when you probably want to stay home. Obligations to friends and family are likely to come up, and even though you're a bit tiredyou'llwanttohelpout.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Don't be surprised if lots of people contact you today Perhapsyou'reinthemoodto gossip or neighbors have news of changes nearby You should be brimming with energy

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You could be feeling a bit antsy today and may want to spend time exercising or trying a new sport or game that you've never played before.Thisisgreat.

CANCER(June21–July22)

An exciting communication could inform you of an advancementopportunitythat you should explore. While you'd be quick to act under normal circumstances, Cancer

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Afriend could ask for a loan andyoumighthesitatetogive himorherthemoney Follow your instincts. The person probablyisn'ttoosavvyabout money You might want to participate in some group activities.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Today you're likely to experienceapowerfulburstof energy that may temporarily turn you into a workaholic. Chores may have piled up around the house that desperatelyneedtobedone.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Frustration may be the word for today, Libra.You could be experiencing a bit of wanderlust. Distant states and foreign lands may beckon to you, but circumstances could make it hard for you to get away

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

You've probably had a busy week, Scorpio, and may feel outofsortstoday Perhapsyou had too much good food last night, stayed up too late, or both.Itgoesagainstyourgrain tostayinandrest.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

Theremightbealotofworkto doathometoday Sincecertain family members are conveniently absent, you may feel that the burden falls on you Don't be a martyr, however

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Toomuchindulgingmayleave you with a headache or stomachache to the point where you may want to spend most of today sleeping. The stress of this condition could cause you to snap at family members.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)You like to be honest with thoseyoucareabout,buttoday you're likely to be a bit too honest. Don't be too quick to take offense and watch the tendencytobetooblunt.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

It might feel like your home has turned into Grand Central Station Lots of family members present, deliveries made and phones ringing, and youmayjustwanttowatchTV orreadabook.

Demetrious Johnson became the UFC’s inaugural flyweight champion in 2012 and was unbeaten between 2012 and 2017 (Getty Images)

Johnson exited the UFC in a shock swap deal with ONE in 2018 in which welterweight Ben Askren movedintheotherdirection.

Johnson became ONE flyweight champion, losing his first title attempt to Moraes before immediately avenging the defeat with a flying knee knockout that went viral in the combat sportscommunity

Johnson competed in 14 worldtitlefightsintheUFC, losing only two - to Dominick Cruz at bantamweight in 2011 and HenryCejudoatflyweightin 2017.

After his retirement, Johnson was named as the first inductee into the new ONE Championship Hall of Fame.

He intends to continue competing in grappling tournaments.

“West Side won’t be the best side at President’s Cup,” says J’s Racing Stable

As the excitement builds for the u p c o m i n g

President’s Cup on September 22, 2024, at Rising Sun Turf Club, J’s Racing Stable is determined tomakeasignificantmarkin the sport of kings. Fresh off the most prestigious race in Guyana, finishing second in the Guyana Cup to the impressive Brazilian-bred Olympic Kremlin from SlingersRacingStable,J’sis on the accelerator to elevate theirstatusinhorseracing.

Owner Jermaine Sripal emphasizes his competitive spirit, stating, “When enteringintoanybusinessor sport, I have to come out on top, and get there as fast as possible.”

He acknowledges his personal friendship with Javed, the owner of the Guyana Cup winner from Slingers Racing Stable but remains confident that the President’s Cup will see the crown snatched from Slingers stable and returned to Berbice—not Region 5, but directly to New Amsterdam,Region6. Inaboldmovetosecure

victory, J’s Racing Stable has imported two top-class Grade 1 Brazilian horses, Mapa Do Brasil and Companheiro Lea, to compete alongside their

establishedrunners.

Thisstrategicmoveaims to increase their chances significantly in both the President’s Cup and the Sprintontheday’scard.

Among the lineup from J’s Stable is the crowd favorite and Horse of the Year 2023, Spankhurst, making a highly anticipated return to the track. Joining

himisstablemateNovaSol, who also showcased his talent with a commendable second place in the Guyana Cup. Thecombinationoflocal

owners and international imports sets the track for an exciting day of racing at RisingSunTurfClub,home oftheGuyanaCup.

Notably,MapaDoBrasil and Olympic Kremlin share a very competitive history, having raced together in Braz

occasions.

Earlier this year, before Guyana C

winner Olympic Kremlin was imported to Guyana, Mapa Do Bras

emerged victorious against Olympic Kremlinoncebefore.

This connection adds an intriguing layer to the upcomingraceday,sparking curiosity about how these horses will perform in the newenvironment.

With a strategic mix of experience and fresh talent, J’s Racing Stable is not just aimingforastrongshowing; theyaregunningforthetop. As the President’s Cup drawsnearer,alleyeswillbe on J’s and their impressive stableofhorses.

Will they prove that “West Side” isn’t the best sideafterall?Onlytimewill tellastheraceunfolds.

Sinner ready to crash Fritz’s American party in U.S. Open final

(Reuters) - Jannik

Sinnerwillhopetoblockout a rocking home crowd on Sunday when he faces TaylorFritzintheU.S.Open final at Flushing Meadows, where the 12th seed will be bidding to become the first Americanmanin21yearsto win a Grand Slam singles title.

U.S. fans had become accustomed to celebrating the triumphs of American men for decades, with the likes of Jimmy Connors, JohnMcEnroe,JimCourier, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi collecting 41 slams between them from the 1970stotheearly2000s.

But sinceAndy Roddick wonhissolemajoronArthur Ashe Stadium in 2003, Americanmenhavefailedto winanyofthefourmajors.

With the barren run lasting for 82 consecutive slams,NewYorkfanswillbe turning up the volume to deafening levels on Sunday as they get behind Fritz and hopehecanfinallysnapthat

losing streak. “I’m gonna accept that. I have my team andmypeoplewhoareclose to me,” said Italian top seed Sinner “Inmymind,Iknow that there are many people watching from home from Italy, and it’s just take some support from them.” Sinner hasenjoyedanextraordinary

Australian Open and was in top form as he won the

tournamentlastmonth.

But he did not get the hero’swelcomeaU.S. Open top seed usually enjoys when they arrive

in New York, with a d o p i n g s a g a overshadowing his oncourt exploits Days before the tournament began, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said that he tested positive twice for an anabolic agent in March but

avoided a ban when an i

l accepted his claim that the positivetestsweretheresult o

contamination Some players and members of the media cried foul but Sinner tuned out the complaints as he marched through the men’sdraw,downingformer champion Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals before beating Briton Jack Draper inachaoticsemi-final.

“We went just day by day, really, with not so many expectations Trying to find my game, trying to find our rhythm,” said Sinner

“Just trying to find confidence throughout the days ” The biggest question mark over his chances now is whether he damagedhiswristfollowing a fall during the semi-final, ashebracedhimselfwithhis left hand when he fell to the court “The physio (loosened) it up very fast on court,soafterIfeltOKinthe

beginning. Then, after, it went away by playing, which is good,” Sinner told reporters.Hewillbereadyto deployalltheweaponsinhis arsenalagainstthe12thseed Fritz, who wants to defy the odds again after a convincing run through FlushingMeadows.

Fritz beat former finalists Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev en route to the all-American semifinal, where he outlasted FrancesTiafoe

He possesses one of the most lethal serves in the sport and sent over 75 aces acrossthetournament

He is also brimming with confidence that he can end the U S men’s major droughtonSunday,withhis career head-to-head against Sinnerdeadlockedat1-1

“I’ve always enjoyed playinghim,”saidFritz.

“I have a feeling I’m going to come out and play really well and win. When I playgoodtennis,Ithinkthat levelisgoodenoughtowin.”

Jannik Sinner of Italy in action against Jack Draper of Great Britain on day twelve of the U.S. Open tennis tournament (Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images)

Mapa Do Brasil, Companheiro Lea

Rose Hall Town 54th Anniversary - 1970 to 2024...

RHT NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour Cricket team to spearhead celebration

Rose Hall Town,

G u y a n a ’ s smallest town wouldbeabuzzofactivities betweenthe14thtothe22nd of September as the town celebrates 54 years of attaining this status of Township.

Rose Hall became a Township on the 20th of September 1970 under the leadership of Mr Hubert Patrick Benn and over the years has developed into a modern business center in theancientcounty

The small Township has apopulationofabout20,000 residents and is the home to award-winning clubs, Rose HallTownYouthandSports Club and St Francis Committeedevelopers.

The calendar of activitiesstartsonthe14thof September under the theme simplythebestandhasbeen coordinated by members of the RHTYSC NAMILCO ThunderboltFlourunder 21 andfirstdivisionteams.

Membersofthecluband Towncouncilwouldstartthe week of activities with the liveTVprogramonNTN26. On Sunday the 15th there would be a cross-country

race for attractive prices with dozens of athletes expectedtoparticipatewhile the Rose Hall Town Poonai Pharmacy under 13 team wouldplayGuyminelaterin the same day at the Area H ground.

Other activities for the anniversary planned by the NAMILCO cricket teams areanEssaycompetitionfor primary and secondary school students, A poster competition for all levels of schools, a basketball competition, a six-a-side football competition, an evening of music with the Guyanapoliceforcemusical band, medical outreach, intersecondaryschool10/10 tournament,Saynotodrugs andalcoholMarch,pictorial exhibition, kiddies fun session, launching of RHT historical leaflet, tribute to outstanding residents, tribute to the long-serving municipality workers and honoring of the townships top grade 6 and CSEC students.

Other planned activities includepresentingtheCoral Thrim University of Guyana scholarship to a student while six students

would be given the Zabeeda/Sherina Haniff Memorial educational bursaryaward.

The RHTYSC would also b

he bowlers’run-up at each end after four of its greatest players The northern end would be the Royston and Esan Crandon bowling end while the southern end would bear the name of Assad Fudadinand Kevin Sinclair

TheRoseHallcouncilis also working along with St Francis to organize an eveningofgospelmusicand an afternoon of reflection with all the residents of the Township.

The Township is currently being prepared for the activities with employees of the council placing dozens of national flags on posts across the town. The activities will be held under the patronage of senior government Minister Dr Ashni Singh and the organizers are also working on erecting an ‘I love Rose HallTown’monumentinthe town before the end of the year

HilbertFosterstatedthatthe RoseHallTownNAMILCO teams are mandated by the club’s management to o rg a n i z e t h e 5 4 t h anniversarycelebrationafter Mayor, Dave Budoohad, approached the club for assistance to mark the anniversary

Theclubhasestablished a special committee to oversee the calendar of

RHTYSC secretary Hilbert Foster hands over items to Rose Hall Town Clerk Natasha Griffith

received from several individuals and companies including Minister Collin Croal, Minister Zulfikar Mustafa, Guyana Breweries Inc, Guyana Beverage C o m p a n y , A r m c o construction, J’s printery, Metro Office Supplies, Office Express, Coral Thrim, Region 6 Vice Chairman Zamal Hussain, Mohamed Raffik, I and R Construction, Bhesam Ra

, Factory Price, Alim Shaw,

NAMILCO, A.Allys and Sons, Danzie Store, MohamedAlimed,Jermaine Bagot Construction Firm, D a v i n d r a P e r s a u d Construction, NTN Ch26, NCN Ch15, Bakewell, Deputy Commissioner Ravi Budram, Raymond Haniff, Attorney at law Adrian Anamayah and Ramoo Funeral Home The RHT NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour teams are sponsored by the National Milling CompanyofAgricola.

WDFA Senior League kicks off today at Uitvlugt ground

TLeague, sanctioned by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF),issettokickofftoday attheUitvlugtground. Thismarksthebeginning

of one of Region Three’s most exciting football competitions, with eight teams from across West Demeraracompetingfor the

2024title.

In a demonstration of its commitment t

b football, the GFF took the

opportunity to support the league by distributing official match balls to the participating teams This initiative highlights the importance of grassroots football in the country, a

o showcase their skills and furthergrowthesportacross Guyana.

GFF Technical Director Bryan Joseph, who attended the opening ceremony, emphasized that this initiativeispartofabroader effort to strengthen football infrastructurethroughoutthe country “Grassroots and club football form the foundation of our national football program,” Joseph explained.

“This Senior League plays a crucial role in identifying emerging talent and ensuring they have the r

footballs,isjustonewaywe

associations.”

Thisyear’seditionofthe WDFAMen’sSeniorLeague isexpectedtobeparticularly thrilling, with each team determined to claim the championship.

The atmosphere at the Uitvlugt ground will be buzzing as Pouderoyen FootballClub(FC)facesoff against Eagle FC in the opening match at 2:00 p.m., setting the stage for a fiercely competitive season. Later in the day, Uitvlugt Warriors FC will take on Beaver’s FC in another eagerlyawaitedmatchup.

Looking ahead, the WDFAMen’sSeniorLeague is expected to continue growing in stature. As the competition progresses over the coming weeks, fans can look forward to top-tier football and many unforgettablemoments.

Showstoppers is the new Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ National Champion

Showstoppers became the first teamfromtheEast Bank/West Demerara division to be crowned the Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’NationalChampion, defeating LaingAvenue 3-0 in the final on Friday evening at the Pouderoyen tarmac.

Amos Ramsay bagged a second-halfbraceinthe20th and 25th minutes, while Stephon Jupiter found the back of the net in the 18th minute.

Wi t h t h e w i n , Showstoppers walked away with $1,000,000 and the championship trophy, while theloserpocketed$500,000 andtherespectivetrophy

In the third-place playoff,NorthRuimveldtof Georgetown edged the Silver Bullets of Linden 1-0 viaanAeonAlleynestrikein the16thminute.

North Ruimveldt pocketed $300,000 and a trophyfortheirefforts,while

Silver Bullets walked away with$200,000andatrophy

In the earlier semifinal round, Showstoppers bested Silver Bullets 3-1. Marvin Josiah, Dexroy Adams, and Daren Benjamin scored in the seventh, 11th, and 17th minutes,respectively Ontargetinthelosswas ColwynDrakesintheeighth minute.

Also, Laing Avenue edged North Ruimveldt 2-1 on penalty kicks after regulation time ended scoreless.

In the quarterfinal fixture, Showstoppers defeated Mighty Ruler 1-0 via a Jupiter conversion in theeighthminute.

Laing Avenue edged Hustlers 2-0 on penalty kicks after normal and extra timeendedscoreless.

Meanwhile, Silver Bullets defeated East Bank Gunners of Berbice, while North Ruimveldt bested BallerzEmpireofEastBank Demerara 2-1 on penalty

kicks after regulation and extratimeendedscoreless.

In the initial playoff round, Liliendaal Hustlers bested the All-Stars of Essequibo 3-0 Raushan Ritch bagged a ‘Guinness Goal’(GG)[agoalscoredin the final three minutes of normal time counts as two] inthe20thminute.Opening the scoring in the 14th minutewasSunilLogan.

CompleteResults

GuinnessGoal-(GG)-2 goals

Final

Showstoppers-3 vs LaingAvenue-0

Amos Ramsay-20th and 25th

StephonJupiter-18th 3rdPlace

North Ruimveldt-1 vs. SilverBullets-0

EonAlleyne-16th

Semifinal-1

North Ruimveldt-0 vs. LaingAvenue-0

Laing Avenue won 2-1 onpenaltykicks

Semifinal-2

Showstoppers-3 vs SilverBullets-1

Showstoppersscorers

MarvinJosiah-7th

DexroyAdams-11th

DarenBenjamin-17th

SilverBulletsscorer

ColwynDrakes-8th

Quarterfinal-1

EastBankGunners-0vs. SilverBullets-0

Silver Bullets won 2-1 onpenaltykicks

Quarterfinal-2

Ballerz Empire-0 vs NorthRuimveldt-0

NorthRuimveldtwon21onpenaltykicks

Quarterfinal-3

Mighty Ruler-0 vs Showstoppers-1

StephonJupiter-8th

Quarterfinal-4

Laing Avenue-0 vs Hustlers-0

Laing Avenue won 2-0 onpenaltykicks

Playoff

Hustlers-3 vs. All-Stars0

RaushanRitch-GG-20th

SunilLogan-14th

Royals close out thriller at Waner Park

Nyeem Young k e p t h i s composure at the death as Barbados RoyalsbroketheheartsofSt Kitts&NevisPatriotswitha thrilling two-wicket victory in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

The Royals appeared set foracrushingwinwhenthey reduced the Patriots to 0/3 before weathering a rapid 82-run partnership between Wanindu Hasaranga and MikyleLouis.

After restricting the Patriots to 153/8 at Warner Park, the Royals lost Rahkeem Cornwall and Quinton de Kock early and the match was at a knife’s edge throughout a nervejanglingchase.

Needing eight runs off thelastoverbowledbyRyan John, the Royals’ nerves heightened when Jason Holder fell off the first ball after a superb catch at deep backward square by Josh Clarkson.

ButYoungluckilyinside edgedtotheboundaryoffthe third ball before smashing a brilliant six over mid off on the penultimate delivery as

when their top three batters were dismissed for ducksthe first time that has occurredinCPLhistory

Theekshana started the carnageonthesecondballof the innings when he pinned

Evin Lewis lbw. Two balls laterTheekshanaproduceda cracking delivery that spun sharply and through the defences of Kyle Mayers, whotrudgedoffindisbelief.

The Patriots lost their third wicket when Andre

Fletcher was lbw to Dunith Wellalage before the match suddenly flipped through a

Hasaranga and Louis as the Royals suddenly struggled

onslaught Naveen-ul-Haq

wasonthereceivingendand leaked 16 runs to cap a madcapPowerPlay

But Louis holed out in the ninth over leading to another collapse where the Patriots also lost Sherfane RutherfordandHasarangain thespaceofsixballs.

Itcouldhavebeenworse for the Patriots when Clarkson was given out lbw to Theekshana before he successfully reviewed Clarkson struggled to get going, but batted through to theendandreceivedsupport from John who smacked 29 off14balls.

Just like the Patriots, the Royals lost a wicket on the second ball after Mayers knockedoverCornwallfora duck Speedster Anrich Nortje had compatriot de Kockwincinginpainaftera blow to the body before the batterhitbackwithasixover fineleg.

De Kock was cleaned bowled in the fifth over by Mayers, who had patiently persistedaroundthewicket.

Wellalagebattledcalmly through the middle overs before Young’s late heroics sealedathrillingtriumphfor theRoyals.

Bevney Marks of LaingAvenue receives the second-place prize.

Dinuth Wellalage (2R) and Rovman Powell (R) of Barbados Royals celebrate the dismissal of Sherfane Rutherford of Saint Kitts and Nevis Patriots (Getty Images)

47highlightschase Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League 2024…

-

Gurbaz19-ball

Tahir, Motie help Warriors crush Kings by 6 wickets

Guyana Amazon Warriors spin twins Gudakesh

Motie and captain, Imran Tahir, continued their clockworkastheysharedsix wickets for the second straightgametohelptighten thescrewsonthehometeam by 6-wickets, in their match which was slightly affected byrain.

Mirroring their performances from the last game,leg-spinnerTahir(329) and his younger partner, left-arm spinner Motie (3-16) kept the Kings to an even 100 all out in 14 3 overs last night attheDarrenSammyCricket Stadium.

Only Mathew Forde (31) managed to look threatening with his three sixes with opener Johnson Charles (19), the next-best scorer

Fast-bowling allrounders Keemo Paul (219) who continues to bowl himself back into form and South African fast-bowler Dwaine Pretorius (1-10), were other wicket-takers fortheWarriors,whomade lightworkofthetarget.

The champs ended on 101-4 in 10 overs after new Warriors draftee, New Zealand’s Tim Robinson

Rahmanullah Gurbaz of the Amazon Warriors struck seven sixes in his innings of 47 from 19 deliveries. (Getty

(33) provided the ideal start along with the explosive RahmanullahGurbaz(47). Robinson hit 3 fours

and 2 sixes before wristspinner Noor Ahmad (322) broke the opening stand of 62, removing

both openers; but not before the Afghan Gurbaz slammed 7 sixes Ahmad then removed

GBAtoupgradeU-16ProgrammetoNationallevel

GBAPresident, Steve Ninvalle

Following the acquisition of a new boxing ring viatheofficeoftheMinistry ofCulture,Youth,andSport, the Guyana Boxing Association(GBA)willnow expand their monthly existing u-16 programme to anationalplatform.

The initiative, which is staged twice per month, is the backbone of the entity’s developmentalthrust. The acquisition of the new ring will allow the association to utilise the older equipment to be transported to the various venues.

Vergenoegen will serve as the next location for the

event on September 21st, withLindenslatedtohostthe initiative two weeks later. Similarly, Berbice is scheduled to take centre stage following the conclusion of the Linden date Meanwhile, the decisiontoconducttheevent on a national scale was further boosted by the announcement of the 16th boxingfacilityintheformof VS Fitness Gym in the Soesdykearea.

GBA President Steve

Ninvalle said, “The acquisitionofanewringvia the Government of Guyana allows the association to continue its developmental workonanationalscale.The

GBAwill now be afforded the opportunity to utilise the older ring to stage events specifically of a developmental nature in different regions, which will benefit the respective communities and regions This in turn will translate to the expansion of the local talent pool, further increasing and expanding the competitive market locally, which is the main source of our continued successregionally” He further said, “By the same token, the increase in the sport’s infrastructure as in the case of the Soesdyke facility is another

indication of the sport’s growing importance and popularity. This is the 16th facility that is affiliated with the a

will provide the avenue for not only the unearthing of talents from uncharted territories for the national grid but a platform for

outlyingareas.

The GBA will continue initsmandatetoprovidethe necessary support and facilities for the

Shai Hope (11), while Azam Khan (0) fell to speedster Alzarri Joseph (1-18) Shimron Hetmyer

Tim Robinson played a scorcher in his Republic Bank CPLdebut for theAmazon Warriors against the St. Lucia Kings. (Getty Images)

Images)

Gudakesh Motie is now the leading wicket taker in the 2024 season of the Republic Bank CPL following three consecutive 3-wicket hauls. (Getty Images)

Johnson Charles of St Lucia Kings is dismissed by Keemo Paul of GuyanaAmazon Warriors during their Men's 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League match (Getty Images)