Concerns grow over proposed amendments to Cybercrime Act
Excavator operator dies in freak accident
Nigel Hughes challenges Jagdeo to explain giveaway of Kaieteur and Canje oil blocks days before 2015 elections
AkiraLaRose(left)and JoylynJackinhappiertimes
Nigel Hughes challenges Jagdeo to explain giveaway of Kaieteur and Canje oil blocks days before 2015 elections
President,
Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes has challengedVice President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Bharrat Jagdeotocleartheaironthe questionable giveaway of two of Guyana’s largest offshore oil blocks, the Kaieteur and Canje, days beforethe2015elections.
TheprominentAttorneyat-Law, during the AFC’s weekly press conference, was responding to Jagdeo’s invitation to address corruption during the APNU/AFC’s tenure in government between 2015 and 2020. Perhaps, Hughes, said, it would be of greater significance if the past President could explain the suspicious giveaway of the oilblocks.
“As Mr Jagdeo has invited us to address the issue of corruption, he perhapswouldliketotellus why within the last month before the 2015 elections two oil blocks, during an election campaign period, where the government activity is supposed to be reduced to running the basics, why two oil blocksthe Canje and Kaieteur Blocks were actually allocated,”Hughesurged.
The lawyer was keen to point out that there was no public advertisement, no invitation to purchase, and no criteria provided upon which the two prime blocks wereallocated.
Nevertheless, he reminded, “Those blocks havesincechangedhandsat millions of US dollars and thesewereallocatedwithina month of the 2015 election so if we want to have a serious discussion as a country about corruption, whichweshould,wemustbe willingtodiscusscorruption (underthePPP).”
The Canje Block was awarded by the Donald Ramotar administration on March 4, 2015, days before that year’s General and RegionalElections,toalocal company, Mid-Atlantic Oil andGas.
Similarly, the Kaieteur BlockwasawardedonApril 28, 2015, just two weeks beforetheelections,andlike theCanjeBlock,itwasdone based on the advice of former Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud, Ramotarhadsaid.
Twocompaniesreceived theblockswith50-50stakes – Ratio Energy Limited (nowCataleyaEnergy
Continuedonpage6
Leader of the Alliance For Change, Nigel Hughes
Vice
Bharrat Jagdeo
OilspillprotectionforGuyana?
assets are oil wells - Annual Report
Is Guyana really protected from the financial burdens associated with an oil spill disaster that can occur at ExxonMobil’s ongoing Stabroek Block operations? This question would perhaps be best addressed by the Guyana Government that has since joined an appeal against a High Court order for an unlimitedoilspillguarantee.
The country’s financial lineofdefenceorresponseto such an event includes a US$600 million insurance package, offered by a company owned by ExxonMobil, a US$2B oil spill guarantee, and assets whichthecompanysaidcan be sold to take care of its liabilities.
Alook at the company’s
2023 Annual Report however raises further concerns about Guyana’s preparedness to respond to anysuchevent,asmorethan half of Exxon’s assets are production wells, located several thousands of feet belowthewatersurface.
According to the company’s 2023 Annual Report, at the end of December 2023, Exxon’s assets, including vehicles, buildings, wells and facilities in progress, production wells and facilities as well as other right of use equipment such as the FPSOs, drill rigs and others, totaled almost $3 trillion(GYD)orUS$14B.
engagements, President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), Alistair Routledge boasted of his company’s assets as a primary form of financial assurance. He said citizens should note that this is separate from the assets of theotherStabroekBlockcoventurers who also have substantial assets and share any liability for response activities.
Guyana Limited is operator andholds45%interestinthe Stabroek block Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30% interest, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limitedholds25%interest.
Annex ‘C’ Section 3 of the PSA, which addresses costs recoverable without theapprovaloftheMinister, makes it explicit at 3.1(g) thatinsuranceandlossescan berecovered.
such insurance is wholly or partly placed with an Affiliated Company of the Partiescomprisingthe Continuedonpage8
Notably, the wells and facilities in progress and the production wells and facilities account for just overUS$10B.Thistherefore raises the question of whetherExxonwillcashout thewellsandfacilitiestopay foranoilspill.
At previous press
Last week Kaieteur News reported Exxon can recovercostsfromGuyana’s oil that exceeds the insurance provided. This is according to the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) Guyana signedwithExxonMobiland its partners. ExxonMobil affiliate ExxonMobil
It states: “Insurance premium and cost incurred for insurance pursuant to Article 20 provided that if
Following the US$188M cocaine bust at Matthews Ridge, Region One, President, Irfaan Aliwentonrecordcommittingtobreakingupthe networksofthedrugtraffickersoperatinghere.
Thisnewspaperreportedthatincommendingthejoint servicesoperationsledbytheCustomsAnti-NarcoticsUnit (CANU)inthebustPresidentAlimadeitclearthatGuyana will continue to work with its partners to destabilise and break the back of all criminal networks operating in the country Hesaid:“Thebustisnottheendofthematter,we have every intention in working with our partners to destabilise and break the back of all criminal networks especially in drug trafficking operating within our territorial space and airspace. We have already asked and we are ready to work with our partners once we are given theassets,andoncewecansecuretheassetstodealwithall the over flights that are passing over our airspace, we are ready to work with you in dismantling the global empire thatdrugtradehascreatedbutweneedthatsupport.”
ThePresidentnotedthatthepartnershipisnotonlyfor Guyana but for every nation, stakeholders due to the fact that how the trade is changing because of prices and demand,notingthatEuropeisbeingseverelyimpacted“so all of us have a joint responsibility and as small as we are withthelimitedresources,wehaveyoucanbeassuredthat we are taking our responsibility seriously and any information,anyinformationsentthatisavailabletouswe will go after it to the best of our ability, every single operationhastobedismantled.”
Further,hesaidthattherecentdrugbust,demonstrates Guyana’s resolve to combating narcotics trafficking and protecting the nation from being used as a transshipment pointforthemovementofillicitsubstances.
BynowmostGuyanesehaverealisedthatPresidentAli is all bluster and slogans, but his government has actually done nothing to address some of the growing problems in thiscountry Justlikehisvisionandpublicpositionviahis ‘OneGuyana’initiative-allwithappealingring,butreally emptypromisesandplatitudes.
Onlyifheissinceretomakehiswordsmatchwithhis deeds can there be the traction towards what this country mostneeds.Foryears,thePPP/Cingovernmenthasbeen known for being soft on seriously tackling the narcotics problem. We have seen here the rise of very powerful narco-bossesunderthePPP/Cadministrationandnothing willconvinceGuyanesewhatthePresidentsaidlastweek wasreallyanyseriousintenttotacklethedrugstrafficking probleminGuyana.
We have seen reports of how compromised our law enforcementagenciesareandhowdeepcorruptionrunsin government.IfPresidentAliisseriousabout“breakingthe backofthedrugtraffickingnetworks”ashesaidlastweek he would champion real reforms in the Guyana Police Force, CANU and even the Guyana Defence Force. Only recently we witnessed soldiers dressed in their uniforms trafficking marijuana and outside of them being charged and placed before the courts, what noticeable change or actionwastaken.Intacklingorbreakingthebackofdrugs trafficking there needs to be root and branch changes not just in the law enforcement agencies but also in central government.
Anybody,anyLeader,anyPastor,canmakeapleasing speech, proclaim that they are about what is dedicated (‘pledged’) to “break the back of drugs trafficking,” the mostcommendableofobjectives.Itiswhattheydoafteras individual,asLeader,asreligiousshepherdthatmatters.If we come across as slightly on the skeptical side, it is because PresidentAli has made so many public speeches and pledges on important things, and look where we are. Try transparency, corruption, oil deal, and straight talking followed by clean dealings. They stand as the best evidenceofhistruths.
I am taken aback by Exxon Guyana’s President, Mr.Alistair Routledge letter to editor in KN
DEAREDITOR, To put politely, I am offended by the discourtesy and deceptiveness of Mr Routledge in stating that “this publication continues to spread misinformation aboutExxonMobilGuyana’s operations.”Mr Routledge’s arrogance and audacity should stir resentment in all Guyanese. Heisoutofline, outrageous in his disrespectfulness to not just Kaieteur News, but every Guyanese with an honest, patriotic bone in them. The fact that he can cherry-pick what he chooses to respond to evidence how Exxon Guyana mismanages information and misinforms Guyanese. What power, benefit, in withholding? In trying to plaster that word “misinformation” on KN, it is surprising that a man as much in possession of his senses as Mr Routledge could take a page out of the book of someone like Bharrat Jagdeo, and please himself by parroting it Surely, Exxon and its Guyanapresidenthavemore self-respectthanthat,amuch closer association with higherstandardsoftruththan whatprevailslocally
The issue that raised the ire of Exxon is simple: how manybarrelsofGuyana’soil isbeingusedbythecompany in its daily production operations. Why is that so unnerving, maddening? It wasaquestionfirstraisedby International Attorney, Ms.
Melinda Janki, with an answer still awaited. It was then taken further by KN’s publisher, Mr Glenn Lall, when he asked how many boatloads of Guyana’s oil Exxonisfetchingaway Isit zero barrels, or 30,000, or 50,000 barrels of Guyana’s wealth being used in the company’s daily production operations (or being fetched away without Guyana knowing)?A straight question deserves a straight answer Mr Routledge shouldnotprovideaJagdeotype answer, one that obscures more than it enlightens. Instead,hemust provide the kind of answer that aligns with Exxon’s world-class standards, as he himself has proclaimed at differenttimes.
I note with interest the caginess of Exxon’s Guyana president in focusing his letter on Guyanese being always present “to witness every offshore oil lift ” Considering how inhibited Government of Guyana leaders operating onshore have come across in living uptotheirresponsibilitiesto locals with developments involving their wealth, offshore witnesses do not instill abundant confidence.
For Mr Routledge’s information, too many Guyanese are too familiar with two sets of tracks (or books)thataresointegralto business operations In short, my response to Mr Routledge’s attestation
shouldneednotranslation“a fat lot of comfort their presence at the oil lifts brings. IftheExxonGuyana president is to be taken literally, things are so virginal pure in how his company conducts itself in this Guyana partnership.Yet thereissomuchdarkness,so much silence, there is so much that doesn’t sit right withthisnationalpatrimony ItiswhymoreGuyanesesee Exxon for what it is and grit theirteethatwhythisshould beso,howGuyana’sleaders can let this be so. Guyana’s leadershavebeenreducedto tools, and sensitive Guyanese institutions made intofools.Guyana’spolitical captains have been miniaturized by Exxon into the equivalent of mice, but Mr Routledge is boldfaced and twofaced enough to speaksounashamedlyabout w h o s p r e a d s “misinformation ” What could be a more monstrous misusing of the elected of Guyana for Exxon’s cause and circus? What can be more detrimental to Guyaneseintereststodayand intheforeseeablefuture?
Nonetheless, the issue remains hanging: how many barrels of Guyana’s oil is Exxon using in its daily production operations Since he was energized to break his silence, Mr Routledge has a duty to furnish a clear and straight answer Itwouldhavemore weight than what Vice
President Jagdeo and Minister Bharrat have offered, confirm the caliber of the partner that Guyana has in Exxon. Further, it would be significant if the Exxon Guyana president wouldholdtrulyinformative press engagements to keep Guyanese abreast of new oil developments, including new discovery amounts That’swhatreliablebusiness partners do Or why Guyana’s auditors were blocked from accessing some of the raw production dataonitsbooks. Nopartner for whom credibility and integrity are corporate imperatives would even thinkof,letaloneengagein, such a move that says so much about its commitment tostandardsinamultibillion Americandollarventure.
Even further and seeing that Mr Routledge has stepped into the public domain, he is urged to share why a partner would be so secretive with the release of US billions in oil project expenses. Iwouldthinkthat, for its own reputation, there would be accelerated diligenceinlettingGuyanese know what they are being charged for and let them do their own scrutiny Dissembling, distracting, and dodging have brought Guyanese to these points of doubt. Mr Routledgeknows what he must do, could accruetoExxon’scredit.
Sincerely,
GHKLall
Freedom is a non-negotiable right that should not be infringed upon by any government or institution on the citizenry
DEAREDITOR
AsIeagerlywaittoread t h e e x p l a n a t o r y memorandum and the proposed amendments which seem imminent in comingtopass,ifindeedthe speculations of those amendments to the cybercrime act are true, we all mustrejectit.ButuntilthenI willsharesomethoughts. Firstly, the concept of freedom and human desire for it is deeply ingrained in our experiences It tra
a t i
g
, 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 sacrificesofthosewhohave fought and died for these freedoms have ensured that successive generations to present, can enjoy the benefits of an open society Wemustensurethefreedom we enjoy must never be takenaway Secondly, it is no secret, forthesignsareallover,that the struggle for freedom is far from over In this digital age, new forms of tyranny are emerging, often cloaked in the language of security, public order, or societal well-being. It is important
for us to recognise that g o v e r n m e n t s a n d institutions, sometimes under the guise of safeguarding the public’s interest, have sought to c u r t a i l f r e e d o m s , particularly in the realm of protest and digital expression. Thirdly, the alleged and suspicious proposedamendmentstothe Cybercrime Act by the Government of Guyana, which are intended to limit andmonitorGuyanesehome and abroad freedom of expression on social media platforms, especially those who are critical of the government and some high profile individuals. This, if done,willbeacontemporary example of an insidious, Machiavellian threat to the
freedomsweallenjoy Again I say we must never allow thisgovernmentoranyother in the future to take our freedomaway
Freedom of expression, bothofflineandonline,isthe cornerstone of a democratic society, which this government boost about being responsible for “bringing back” to Guyana. Social media platforms, which have become the modern-day public square, provide an unprecedented space for individuals to share ideas, opinions, express dissent, and mobilizeforpositivechange couldnowbeatrisk.
It appears obvious, that this freedom has now becomeapointofcontention (Continuedonpage06)
‘Federalism can increase racism’
DEAREDITOR
With constitutional reformintheair,wemustbe prepared to be presented with all manner of diversions, particularly by those who wish to avoid changing the winnertakes-all political system that for decades has been the major obstacle to Guyana’s growth and development Mr. Ravi Devunderstandsthiswell, for he tells us that the central need of politics in
G u y a n a i s t h e combination of ‘kinship (thebasisofethnicity)and consent (the basis of democratic government) into politically viable
e n t i t i e s t h r o u g h constitutionally protected arrangements, involving territorial and nonterritorialpolitics
’He recommends federalismforit‘combines the seeming contradictory impulses present in all societies, but accentuated in plural societies such as Guyana, the need to be united (the principle of solidarity – and shared rule) and the need for groups to live authentically (the principleofautonomy–self rule).’
Whereheis wrongis in his assessment that while ‘Our liberal democratic governance structure
a s s u m e s a m o r e homogenous society than we are, executive shared governance can lead to immobilism in decision making’and thus should be rejected(KN:03/09/2024).
Before considering R a v i ’s n o t i o n o f ‘federalism’,I believe that
a few overarching conceptual concerns need tobeclarified
Firstly, as I understand
i t , g o v e r n a n c e immobilisation is an
essential feature of democratic governance in allsocieties
It defines the limits to which the executive must adhere or be punished for exceeding, either by various forms of veto, at elections or by public protest.
In a homogeneous society, ultimately this is done by way of a united public opinion and where this does not exist, as in politically antagonistic multiethnic/bicommunal societies, by way of shared executiveauthority
S e c o n d l y , constitutional immobilism
is not necessarily total, for example, in the case of Northern Ireland, vetoes by way of the Good Friday
Agreement, do not necessarily shut down the government but could prevent the implementation ofagivenpolicy
IamcertainthatMr Dev would have preferred the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to be at the executive table able to veto the APNU+AFC Coalition government unilaterally dismissing thousands of sugar workers at Christmas time.Icertainlydid.
As in the case of the ‘pocket veto’, immobilism can also be temporary: to give pause for more in depth consideration of a contentiousissue
Thirdly, as Sir Authur Lewis argued, democracy requires that ethnic groups or their representatives be an effective part of decision-making that will affecttheirlives
Inasocietysuchasours, if the focus is indeed upon developing a nation out of our ethnic peoples, winningorlosingelections should be secondary and consensual governance should be given pride of place
Seventy years of political life have demonstrated the inhuman lengthstowhichthePPPis willing to go to give the impression that ethnic political preference is not pervasive: this is the most convincing evidence of its prevalence
In relation to political devolution, my ideological positionis‘subsidiarity’:the
organising principle of decentralisation, which holds that the central authority should have a subsidiary function, dealing with only those tasks that cannot be dealt with effectivelyatthelocallevel, and that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest, or least centralised authority capable of addressing them effectively (Subsidiarity, autonomy and local democracy SN: 21/08/2013).
I took issue with Mr Dev’s conceptualisation of federalism as it is to be applied to Guyana in Consensualdemocracyand devolution, Guyana SN, 31/01/2018; Federalism
a n d r a c i s m , S N : 08/05/2013; Federalism: the ethnic balkanization of Guyana, SN: 22/05/2013; Local government reform, SN: 10/07/2013; Local government: a bird’s eye view, SN: 17/07/2013, and Local government should be liberating, SN: 24/07/2013,tonameafew, until he suggested that his objective could be accomplished by a system of devolution similar to that established in Kenya His proposal is somewhat u n c l e a r a n d t h u s unfortunatelyhenowfaces a similar difficulty with M r . E r i c Phillips(‘Federalism and R a v i D e v . ’ K N , 05/09/2024)ashehadwith Mr Vincent Alexander, who accused him of surreptitiously attempting to place Indians at an a d v a n t a g e i n t h e distribution of the regions and thus the natural wealth
of Guyana (`I maintain that Dev’s Federalism proposal is highly flawed ’ SN: 25/01/2018).
Dev’s discourse a few days ago emphasizes the possible vicissitudes of the ideology of federalism, but he has a more specific formulation.
‘I propose that Guyana bereconstitutedasaFederal Republic,evenasacoalition government be formed at sucharepublic’scentre.
In a society where the major ethnic groups each constitute majorities in different areas of the country, political devolution offers the largest number of incentives towards addressing ethnic insecurities.
There are several variants of devolution, ranging from strong Local G o v e r n m e n t t o Federalism
The latter arrangement offers the most benefits to Guyana: in a federal structure, “winner takes all politics” would be eliminated, since the central government would be concerned with national issues such as defence and foreign policy’(Federalism to end ethnic conflict. SN: 3/12/2017).
As pointed out above, in ethnically divided s o c i e t i e s , l i b e r a l democracy demands that ethnic groups be at the executive table went important decisions are made, and defence, foreign and border policy etc , are important to all ethnicities
If, therefore, by
coalition government at the republic’s centre he has in mind one based on themajorethnicitiesbeing able to immobilise action that runs counter to their national and local interest andnotalliancewithsome minisculeparty,Iagree.
But I do not believe that it is possible to eliminate ‘winnertakesallpolitics’by establishing more opportunities for winners to takeall!The kind of ethnic differentiation that is to be found at the national level also exists in every region and therefore coalition only at the centre will not suffice
The PPP and PNC will still be all powerful at the regional level and in Dev’s kind of system, it would be possible for the
A f r i c a n p o l i t i c a l leadership in Demerara to discriminate against Indians and vice versa, say by the IndianleadershipinBerbice.
To escape such an environment, ethnic groups are most likely to conclude that it would be better to find security among those of their ethnicity, thus making the racial balkanization of Guyana a distinct possibility
To be acceptable to me, in an ethnically divided democratic society such as ours, what is also needed at the national and regional levels are immobilism mechanisms to prevent regional authorities from discriminating and thus avoiding the possibilities raised by Alexander and nowPhillips
Thus, federalism does not preclude the need for e x e c u t i v e s h a r e d government at the central level.
Indeed, since our intent should be to reduce central government intervention in regional affairs to the minimum, avoid exclusion and foster intra-ethnic relations in the regions, shared governance arrangements are also necessary at the local level
Then and only then would we see the kind of united ethnic regional politicsthatwillmakethe n a t u r a l s t a t ec e n t e r e d n e s s o f federalism/devolution, harmless to our project of buildingaunitedGuyana
Regards
DrHenryJeffrey
Nigel Hughes challenges
Jagdeo to explain giveaway of Kaieteur and Canje oil blocks...
Frompage2 Limited)andRatioGuyana Limited.
Theawardoftheoilblocks to the companies was especiallyconcerningsince the ultra-deep drilling is requiredforthoseblocks,a technique which only a handfulofcompaniesinthe world have the technology, trackrecord,andcapability toexecute.
The red flags which have manifested in both situations include that the awards were given to unqualifiedcompanies,that the initial owners quickly flipped the blocks without doing any work, that they
are incorporated in ‘secrecy’ jurisdictions, and that Guyana likely lost revenue due to the avoidance of an open, competitive bidding process.
To this end, Hughes suggested that the administration should commence by publicizing dataonallassetstransferred by the state to private individuals during the PPP’s27yearsinofficefor the nation to see the beneficiaries of those actions.
The Leader of the Alliance For Change was adamant that leaders must be willing to engage on such issues lest the country emerges as a ‘banana republic’orapoliticallyand economically unstable country with an economy dependent upon the export ofnaturalresources.
“We must be willing to discuss corruption because the track record that we have got as a country suggests that with the wealththatwehave,allthat we are going to do is
become a rich banana republic. We are not going to achieve anything other thanthat.
We will become a rich banana republic with lots of roads, lots of hotels (and) most of the citizens can’t even afford to survive because of the costoflivingandwehave these vacuous discussions about corruption that are not based on any sort of data,”Hughesargued.
F
attorney also noted that over US$1B from the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) or the oil account, was spent by government last year; however, there is no evidence of a signific
developed
On the other hand, he said the country is left to marvel at an incomplete DemeraraRiverBridgeand a promise that future projects will not be subjected to feasibility studies.
Still on the issue of corruption, the aspiring President questioned the award of contracts under t h e i n c u m b e n t administration He said, “How many companies which have been receiving major contracts in road construction have a track record of being more than 20or10yearsold?”
Hughes pointed to the Schoonord to Crane, West Coast Demerara Road project as an example, citingthatthecontractwas awarded to a contractor
s
$600M above the Ministry’s Engineer’s Estimate, while other experienced contractors werereportedlysidelined
Our society is in turmoil and is at a dangerous precipice
DEAREDITOR
, Calls for constitutional change to realise devolution of power to the masses ignore the constitution makes provision for this. Herein lies another concern that the haste to change the constitution is not being matchedbyasimilarhasteto learn and strengthen the constitution by way of d e v e l o p i n g a n d implementing legislation
The Constitution of Guyana
makes provision for devolution of power to the 10 administrative regions and the scores of local authorities.
Constitution and laws are dead at their hearts unless activated by the people
We should not lose sight that the United Kingdom does not have a constitution but there are laws, put in place, to hold peopleaccountable
In the instance of Guyana, we have a constitution that presents the framework to guide day-to-day governance and some accompanying laws, yet reasonsarefound tojustifynon-accountability, lawlessness and the transgressingofbasichuman rights.
Guyana does have a s y s t e m o f s h a r e d governance, a mechanism that ensures economic, social and political justice for all It remains evident no political party/group controls all the Regions and Local
Authorities.
What we need to ensure justice for all is strengthening the independence of regional and local authorities, by realising legislation consistent withArticles75, 76 and 77 as outlined in the ConstitutionofGuyana.
The Constitution expresslystatesat:
A r t i c l e 7 5 : “Parliament shall provide that local democratic o r g a n s s h a l l b e autonomous and take decisions which are
binding upon their agencies and institutions, and communities and citizensoftheirareas.”
A r t i c l e 7 6“Parliament may provide for regional democratic councils to raise their own revenues and to dispose of them for the benefit and welfareoftheir areas.”
Article 77“The development programme of each region shall be integrated into the national development plans, and the Government shall allocate funds to each region to enable it to implement its developmentprogramme.”
These articles have been in Constitution since 1980. They are intended to empower the people to manage their affairs Legislation could see the deepening of this thrust for self-determination, which our people fought for from thedaysofslavery
Thepoliticaldysfunction
in society should not be laid atthefeetoftheconstitution but the absence of political willtorespectthewillofthe people, and develop laws to empowerthem.
Where the Jagdeo/Ali regime is failing the O p p o s i t i o n m u s t demonstrate the requisite stridency to hold Governmentaccountable.
In an environment where any Government does not want to demonstrate respect for those who did not vote for them, and is pursuing a p r o g r a m m e t o
economically disenfranchise persons, put them on the fringe of society, out of necessity the Opposition must respondwithmilitancy
It cannot be business as usual when regional and local authorities, and workers/citizens are deliberately being denied the right to economic empowerment for exercising their right to political association or because of their Godg i v e n p h y s i c a l characteristics
The dysfunction is trampling on the spirit and intent of the political system to be i n c l u s i o n a r y , t o safeguard and advance the rights of every citizen, to foster a society where theopportunityforgrowth and development is accessible all without stringsattached
We must develop an
intoleranceforthis.
Our society is in turmoil and is at a dangerous precipice For how long must we accept or ignore that a vast majority of the people are being denied, deprived, d e m o n i s e d , a n d discriminatedagainst.
These ills cannot be ignored
The Opposition, as a government-in-waiting, must lead the way in partnering with groups and individuals in society to bring about positive change,startingnow
T h e s a m e Constitution, at Article 171, empowers every Member of Parliament, regardless of which side of the House he orshesits, tocarryaBill,motion,etcto the National Assembly that can realise, change or strengthenlegislation. Bring a Bill to the National Assembly to strengthen the devolution of power and force the Government to recognise the importance of ensuring the national patrimony is to thebenefitofall.
In the midst of vast wealth our people are suffering Many go to bed to the sound of hunger pangsintheirbellies
Those who are not affected cannot divorce themselves from this harsh reality because w h a t a f f e c t s o n e invariabilityaffectsall.
Sincerely
LincolnLewis
Freedom is a non-negotiable right that...
Frompage04 for many governments includingthegovernmentof Guyana.Theyfearthepower ofunregulateddiscourse.
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 cyber-bullying,hacking,and misinformation is undeniable,suchregulations must be carefully balanced toensuretheydonotbecome toolsofoppression,Irepeat, oppression.
This supposed intention by the government, attempting to limit digital freedoms is 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 platformstoremovecontent deemed “unlawful” within 36 hours, without the need foracourtorder
This proposal was widely criticized by free speech advocates, who argued that it would have a chilling effect on online expression,raisingconcerns about potential censorship. The government eventually retractedtheproposaldueto widespread public opposition, which still require platforms to remove certain types of content but with a more nuanced approach to intermediary liability
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 the bans using virtual private networks (VPNs) and other tools
Finally, China is another country which provide perhaps the most extreme example of governmental control over digital freedoms The Great FirewallofChina,presentsa
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,andYouTubeareall bannedinthecountry,while their domestic platforms are heavily-monitored and censored.
Despitetheseoppressive measures, the Chinese citizens desire for freedom have continuously found ways to resist the government’s measures, often using coded language and other creative methods. Guyana should never allow itself to descend to those levels to restrict or deny our citizens their freedoms. We must fight if ever such oppressivemeasurespresent themselves.
Yoursrespectfully, JermaineFigueiraMP
Man found with 9mm submachine gun
On Sunday afternoon officers of the Customs Anti Narcotics Unit (CANU) received a tip about a man who was allegedlycarryingasubmachinegun.
Acting on the information CANU conducted an operation in the Norton Street, Georgetown area where they intercepted a man who was carrying a backpack.
Upon searching the backpack the contents turned out to be a 9mm submachine gun with a matching magazine. The man was arrested and escortedtoCANU’sheadquarters.
The illegal gun and magazine
Jilted man kills wife, wounds self
AwomanwasonSundaystabbedtodeathbyherreputed husbandwhoalsowoundedhisnephewandattemptedtokill himself during a fit of rage at Free and Easy, West Bank Demerara,RegionThree.
Itisallegedthatatabout12:00hrsonSunday,thesuspect visitedthesister’sresidencetoseehischildren. Itisclaimed thatHarriswasonhercellphone,andthisangeredthesuspect, who took away the cell phone and broke it. It is further reported that the deceased then went and sat on the stairway outside,butthesuspectfollowedher,tookoutaknifefromhis haversack,andattemptedtostabher
Junior Lord was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospitalbypublic-spiritedcitizenswherehewastreatedand admitted as a patient in a stable but serious condition. The scene was processed, and the body of Harris was escorted to the West Demerara Regional Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival by the doctor on duty The body wasthentakentotheEzekielFuneralParlourawaitingapostmortemexamination.
Meanwhile,withtheassistanceofpublic-spiritedcitizens, policearrestedthesuspect.Uponhisarrest,twowoundswere observed to his abdomen, which he claimed were selfinflicted.TheEMTwassummoned,andhewasescortedtothe West Demerara Regional Hospital, where he remains under guardbypolice.Investigationsareongoing.
Frompage3
Contractor,suchpremiumandcostsshallberecoverableonly to the extent generally charged by competitive insurance companies other than an Affiliated Company of a Party comprisingtheContractor.”
The contract continues, “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 suchcosts,lossesordamageshaveresultedsolelyfromanact ofwillfulmisconductorgrossnegligenceoftheContractor.”
ThismeansthatGuyanawillhavetoprovethatanoilspill was caused by gross negligence or willful misconduct by Exxonforthosecoststobebornebythecompany Cognizant ofthedamagethatcanbedonebyanoilspill,twoGuyanese went to Court demanding an unlimited parent company guarantee, which is a signed document that legally binds Exxontocovercostsabovethelimitedinsurance.
HighCourtJudge,JusticeSandilKissoononMay3,2023 orderedtheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency,(EPA)toissue anEnforcementNoticetoExxonMobiltoensureitprovides an unlimited oil spill coverage to safeguard Guyana, but the rulingwassubsequentlyappealedbybothExxonandtheEPA. Thegovernmentwaslateraddedasapartytothecase,fighting againsttheprovisionofthisguarantee.
While the Court of Appeal deliberates on the matter, Exxon, Hess and CNOOC have lodged a US$2B oil spill guarantee to cover damages above the insurance. Citizens havehowevercontinuedtocallforfullprotectionagainstan oilspill,especiallysincesuchadisastercouldnotonlyaffect Guyana,butCaribbeannationsaswell.
Notably,themodellingresultsshowedthatanunmitigated oil spill can reach Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao,Grenada,St.VincentandtheGrenadines,St.Lucia, Martinique, and Barbados as well as Dominican Republic, Haiti,andJamaica.
President Irfaan Ali
ByRenaySambach
Ex x o n M o b i l Guyana Limited (EMGL) did not have to pay over $197 Billion in taxes to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) for the past two years,asthetaxeswerepaid by the Government of Guyana (GoG) in keeping withthelopsidedProduction Sharing Agreement (PSA) the Coalition Government signedwiththeUSoilmajor backin2016.
Exxon is the operator of the Stabroek Block, with a 45% interest, while Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds 30% interest and ChinaNationalOffshoreOil Corporation (CNOOC) Petroleum Guyana Limited holds25%interest.Allofthe block-partners enjoy a taxfreerideinGuyana.
According to Exxon’s Annual Report, in 2023, the G o v e r n m e n t p a i d G$138.182 billion in taxes on its behalf to GRA. This figure represents a significant increase compared to the G$59.381 billion Government had to payforExxonin2022.
The company explained in its report, that while it is subject to Guyana’s income tax laws, the taxes assessed on the company’s operation are paid by the government,
Government paid over $197 billion in taxes for Exxon in past two years
rather than the company itself.
“Under Article 15 2 of the Petroleum Agreement, the Branch is subject to the Income Tax Laws of Guyana with respect to filingreturns,assessmentof tax,andkeepingofrecords Under Article 15 4 of the Petroleum Agreement, the sum equivalent to the tax assessed on the Branch will be paid by the Minister responsible for Petroleum to the Commissioner General, Guyana Revenue Authorityandisreportedas non-customer revenue,”
Exxonstated
WhileAmericanoilgiant ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM) operation is subject to taxation in other parts of the world, its subsidiary EMGL will continue to enjoy a tax free earnings in Guyana as a result of the StabroekBlockPSA.EMGL disclosedbackinJunethatit earned approximately US$2.9 billion (GYD$614 billion) in profits last year—entirelytax-free.
The Irfaan Ali-led administrationhasexplicitly statedthatduetothesanctity of contract, the 2016 PSA willremaininplace,despite the deal being labelled as ‘lopsided’.
In fact, last year, President Ali, during an interview with British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Senior Journalist Gideon Long, reiterated his
administration’s position to no
‘lopsided’ Exxon deal President Ali said, “Well, I would say definitely, we did not have the best of deals, Exxon have a good deal s
government ” Ali then highlighted that sanctity of contract is “very important” to his government, adding, “and we can’t go back on that.”
It should be noted that a legal suit brought against these abusive tax giveaways by the Publisher of this newspaper, Mr Glenn Lall was unsuccessful as the Court dismissed the case in February2023.
Moreover, the provision of the Stabroek Block contract which gives Exxon and its affiliates a tax-free ride in Guyana has attracted criticisms locally and internationally The contract statesatArticle15.1thatthe Contractor (ExxonMobil Guyana Limited) as well as its affiliates shall not be subjected to tax, valueadded tax, excise tax, duty, fee, charge or impost in respect of income derived from petroleum operations, propertyheldortransactions exceptasspecifiedunderthe agreement.
It goes on to state at Article 15.4 that the sum equivalenttothetaxesowed bythecompanywillbepaid by the Minister responsible for Petroleum to the
Excavator operator
dies in freak accident
An excavator operator hailing
from Turkeyen Greater Georgetown died on Saturday in a freak accident when the excavator the machinehewasoffloadingfromatruckfell onhim.
Dead is 49 year old Joseph Hollingsworth. According to police the incident occurred around 09:30 hrs. at Coglan Dam, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara Reports revealed that Hollingsworth was with businessman TravisPierpontwhohiredhimtotransport theheavy-dutymachinefromCoglanDam, Pouderoyen,WestBankDemerara. Thiswastobedoneusingatruckowned bytheman,registrationnumberGAE4266. Uponloadingtheexcavatorontothetruck, when he was about to drive off Hollingsworthrealisedthatitwastooheavy as the truck was not moving, since it couldn’t take off the weight of the excavator He decided to offload the machine and while in the process of doing sotheexcavatorfelloffofthetruckandinto a drain pinning him there. He was rescued bypublic-spiritedcitizensandrushedtothe West Demerara Hospital, but was pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor on duty The body of the deceased was then transported to the Ezekiel Funeral Home, awaitingapost-mortemexamination.
Commissioner General of theGRA. Itshouldbenoted that the contract also allows fortheissuingofareceiptto ExxonMobil, indicating that it has met the local tax requirements to avoid the burdenofdoubletaxation.
Article 15 5 of the contract states, “Within one hundred and eighty (180) days following the end of
eachyearofassessment,the Minister shall furnish to Contractor proper tax certificates in Contractor’s n a m e f r o m t h e Commissioner General, Guyana Revenue Authority evidencing the payment of the Contractor’s income tax under the Income Tax Act and corporation tax under the Corporation Tax Act.
Such certificates shall state the amount of tax paid individually on behalf of Contractor or parties comprising the Contractor and other particulars customary for such certificates.”
President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited, Alistair Routledge
PPP media prostitution ring
ThePPPGovernmentisrunning a media prostitution ring It gets peopletosellthemselves,topeddle their minds, to push their flesh. Why is this government and its warlike leaders so afraid of the independent media? I try to rationalizeittomyselfbutfail.
The government’s morbid fear ofbeingexposedforwhatitisbythe independent media has rushed it to the brink of excess, what I call madness itself The PPP Governmentwentandbuiltitsown red-lightdistrict,anditisallinthe centerofpublicattention.
I trust that the deliverers of democracy(suchasitis),theleading members of the resident diplomatic corps, are paying close attention, absorbingthisindecentandlawless media cabal, and its shouts and showers of abuse that are pelted at thelaw-abidinginthiscountry
In a true democracy, there is division of labor The government governs in a clean, transparent manner Thelegislaturemakeslaws for the benefit of the people. The opposition is a watchdog. The judiciary judges with wisdom and freedom. The people speak their mind without fear of retribution. Andthemediareportsonallthisin a straight-up and unfettered
manner In the make-believe democracy preferred by the PPP Government, it is the leadership that gets to decide, sound off, and close out any discussion about what constitutes clean and transparentgovernance
Whenthatischallengedandput to shame repeatedly, the PPP leadership lets loose its media eye gougers, nutcrackers, and backstabbers. Who would believe itwhentheyaretoldthattaxpayer’s moneyisbeingusedtopayanarmy
of ghost writers, public commentatorsturnedcitizenletter writers, and a brigade of goonish social media operators, to attack protesting citizens Believe it, I say
Whenmenandwomencanlower themselves to perform such media tricks,thenwhatisthatifnotamedia prostitution ring operating in broad daylight Takeoffthemascaraand lipstick(fakenames)andignorethe revealing apparel and come-hither aura, and these are the dregs from Guyanese society that the national governmenthasdugupandsentout toattackprincipledcitizens.
One big chief is so in love with his version of democracy’s media norms that he has his own standby socialmediatrollfarmhangingonto
his every word and ready to utter calls for vengeance and violence againstcitizens.
Theydonotworryaboutthelaw and its long reach It is part of the setup in a regular prostitution ring, wherethelawenforcersarebought outandturnablindeye,oncethey are allowed to continue to collect outofsightinthebusinesscorners ofthestreet.
Inthisgovernmentring,thereis aringmasterwithhiscoiledwhipto keep the troops on their toes and delivering How many that contributethroughtheindependent media have been targeted today, andwhereisthetallysheet? How many bold Guyanese brutalized? Why,how,andsincewhenhasthe independentmediabecomesucha thorn in the eye, such a feared presence in this country? I will take the easy way out: it has been since the beginning going back to the 1960s, with matters never so ugly,andatsuchmenacinglevels, astoday
The why is almost as straightforward:whenagovernment and many of its people have been aboutthecrookedandcorrupt,then they can never rest placidly, becausethereisthatdreadthatthey will be discovered and exposed.
Regarding the how, this is where the independent media earns its spurs The choice is that it sticks tothehonestroadandgivesvalue to the people thirsting for authenticinformation
Orthatitjoinswiththeflashystate mediacounterparts,whohavesoldall thattheymayhaveoncestoodfor,to take the fullest advantage of PPP Government generosity Like a workeroftheeveningonthestreet, themorecustomersthebetter More fake news stories (pretended bliss) meanmorecashinthepocket. Itis a sweet racket In the PPP Government’s media prostitution ring, greater output is intended to inundateandoverwhelm.
There is state media, which housestheknowncharacters There is the government-influenced private media There is the private media that aids and abets government calumnies and atrocities. In the language of prostitution,theyarecalledJohns.
Those who come crawling around corners under the cover of darkness,tosamplethedelightsofthe flesh Who are the ones feasting at the fleshpots of the PPP Government,ifnotthoseloadingup on concessions, awards, and free money like they have never
encounteredintheirlives.
Oilmoneyisabundant,averitable gravy train that helps to grease their pens and morals and conscience I madeamistakeonthelasttwo:those were imaginary, never present Whoever heard of a street worker with a conscience or a soul or morals? ThisiswhatGuyaneselive with today: the soul of a who**, those who will do anything to get even,togetahead,andtogetinthe goodbooksofthoseincharge.The question is who the Lord of the Flies (Roger and Jack) in the Guyanacontextis.Leadersorthose whoreadilydotheirbidding. Thanks to the arrangements of leading PPP lights, this is how the respected Fourth Estate has been degradedintoanabusedstate. Ithas gone from a power for truth, to mainlyacheapprostituteslavingfor scheming politicians Independent mediapayshardprices
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper)
Cracks in newly built Schoonord to Crane highway not a problem - Pres. Ali
Several defects have been highlighted at sections of the newly commissioned Schoonord to Crane highway The $15.1 billion four lane highway was commissioned by President Ifraan Ali just over a week ago to help alleviate traffic congestioninRegionThree.
However,KaieteurNews visited the Highway just a fewdaysafteritopenedand found sections of the walkway to the newly built roadalreadycrumbling.The issuewasfirsthighlightedby social media commentator Francis Michael Bailey Bailey shared a video in which he pointed out a number of issues with the road. Baileypointedoutthat though new, the road was already patched at some parts. In addition, the area that was left as a walkway forcommutershadanumber of defects including cracks, andtheexposedrebarsmade fromsteelwhichisatripping
hazard for pedestrians. Foreign objects such as plastic and pieces of wood appeared to be mixed into the blocks that made the walkway giving it a rough finish.
Additionally, Bailey pointed out that the cement workappliedtothestructure appearedtobeshoddy “This is very, very poor casting work…The covers [of the walkway]aresupposedtobe individual units over the drainsthatcanbemoved but they have come along here applied at a very cheap casting over the top of it so apparently now it’s not supposed to move…” the socialmediauserpointedout inthevideo.
Bailey noted too that where the cracks appear in the cement walkway is due to foreign objects such plywood being left in the structure.“Underwhereyou see the cracks are because youstillhaveplywoodinthe
structure that going to make it deteriorate,” he said. Added to this, the social media user noted the contractor who was hired to completesectionsoftheroad already had to do remedial work to it. “If you look closely you see that they would have already had to patch the road at some parts…” Bailey pointed out. He questioned how the recently built road can be
rehabilitationandhowwasit possible for local engineers to certify the clearly “substandard work” as complete.
In a subsequent video shared on social media, President Ali brushed aside the concerns about the road labeling it as “empty noise” “There is absolutely no
project there are some drain covers and these are covers that the form still be
removedthisisongoingand there is a long defects liabilityperiodsothisisjust empty noise,” the Head of State said in response to questions from the press on thestateoftheroad.
$15.1billioncontractfor the road was signed back in September 2022 by the Ministry of Housing and Water, Central Housing and P
There are visible signs that the newly commissioned road has been repaired
(CH&PA) after it was
national tendering process.
The new four-lane project
contractorsanddoneineight lots The contractors include:RConstructionInc, Avinash Contracting & ScrapMetalInc,L-Heureuse Construction and Services
Construction Inc, AJM
Construction, Puran Bros DisposalInc,andJSGuyana Inc.
Theroadmeasuressome 4.1km of dual carriageway reinforcedconcreteroadand some of the features of the hig
ncludes an emergency lane, medians, the rehabilitation of 2.4km o f r o a d w a y s , t w o roundabouts, 11 reinforced concrete box culverts, 36 pre-stressed bridges, road signageandmarkings. In his address at the commissioning ceremony, the Head of State said that this highway is just the first phaseofthehighwaythat Continuedonpage15
The cement walkway for the $15 billion road has already started to crumble
Plastic and wood are among the foreign object seen protruding from concrete structure used to create a walkway
Overamonthafter the Attorney General Anil Nandlall had written to the UnitedStatesDepartmentof
Justice requesting information on the alleged gold smuggling and the sanction of three Guyanese citizens they are yet to get a response.
This was disclosed by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday during his weekly press conference at Freedom House on Robb Street.Respondingto media
queries Jagdeo told reporters: “On the gold mining sector, too you’d recall we have asked for information from the US government about the gold smugglingbecausewedon’t havethatinformationandwe have asked the US government to share the information. We have not received it as yet and you should ask the attorney general where it is at this pointintimebutwehavenot receiveditasyet,”headded.
Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, had revealed on a
recentepisodeofhisweekly programme ‘Issues in the News’thathehasdispatched the requisite request to the UnitedStatesDepartmentof theTreasuryforinformation onthesanctionsimposedon two Guyanese businessmen and a senior government official.TheU.S.Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Guyanese billionaire Nazar Mohamed, his son Azruddin Mohamed onallegationsoftaxevasion and the then Permanent Secretary (PS) for the Ministry of Labour, Mae Thomas for allegedly misusing her position to of
government contracts to the Mohameds.
The AG had said, it is being alleged that these persons are accused by the Office of International AffairsoftheDepartmentof Justice,CriminalDivisionof committing a number of criminaloffencesinGuyana.
“
Guyana has already made it very clear that these grave allegations of criminal
conduct will be thoroughly investigated by the relevant lawenforcementagenciesof thestateandinthisregardwe
evidence etcetera that are in the possession of the Americanauthoritiesandwe did so under the relevant Treaty,”heexplained.
Previously, Dr.Ashni K. Singh,SeniorMinisterinthe Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service announced that the U S informed the government t
information must be sent by Guyana’s Attorney General to the U.S. Department of Justice,whichwillthenwork with OFAC to gather source documentationonthematter
“Our Government will now submittherequestfollowing theprocessadvised.Wewill also continue to pursue,
through the appropriate channel, the relevant information covered by the Tax Information Exchange Agreement.ThisAgreement providesfortheexchangeof information to administer andenforcelawsconcerning thetaxesspecifiedtherein,to assure the accurate assessmentandcollectionof taxes to prevent fiscal fraud and evasion, and to develop improved information sources for tax matters,” Dr Singhsaid.
Following the sanctions handed down by OFAC, Dr Singh and Commissioner General of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Godfrey Statia wrote to the U S authorities seeking more information about the sanctions.
Dr Singh wrote to the U S Department of the T
e Commissioner General
under the ambit of the Tax Information Exchange AgreementbetweenGuyana and the US, has been in contact with the American authorities.
Moreover, United States Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot on June 14, 2024 on the sideline of an eventattheU.S.Embassyin Georgetown, said the sanctions, are the result of over two and a half years of investigations by U S authorities Ambassador Theriot highlighted the
gravity of the offenses that led to these sanctions. She stated, “We reserve these types of sanctions for gross levels of corruption and human rights abuses ” Theriot went on to explain that,“it’saveryhighbar,we donotdothislightly Thisis something that we ensure t h a t w e h a v e a preponderance of evidence before we’re ready to levy thesanctionsandwehadthat in this case against the three individuals who were sanctioned.”
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo
Twogirlsdiewhileswimminginhighwaycreek
On Sunday a family outing to a creek on the Linden /Soesdyke Highway turned somber after two of the young family members who were playing in the water had their lifeless bodies retrieved sometime later
Dead are 10-year-old Akira La Rose and 11-yearoldJoylynJack.
Relatives and friends of the two girls were inconsolable at the scene on Sunday
According to the police the girls were at the Enchanter Creek on the Linden Soesdyke Highway withmembersoftheirfamily including their grandmother Allison Klass and Jack’s fathertocelebrateLaRose’s 10thbirthday Allegedly the two girls wereplayinginthewaterand subsequently it was
discovered that they were missing An alarm was raised, a search party was formedandthefranticsearch for the youngsters began. Theywerefoundinthewater unresponsiveandescortedto the Diamond Diagnostics Center by the police as well ascivilianswheretheywere examined by a doctor and pronounced dead on arrival.
Their bodies were also examined by the police, but no marks of violence were found The bodies were transported to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home for post-mortem examinations and an investigation is ongoing.
K a i e t e u r N e w s understands after the girls went missing and the search commenced some time later one of them was retrieved fromthewaterandappeared to have been alive. Persons
C a r d i o p u l m o n a r y resuscitation (CPR) and the emergency service hotline wascontactedbuttheywere toldthatnoambulanceswere available that far out. The secondchildwasretrieveda fewminuteslater
A video circulating on social media shows persons in a small boat on the creek with a number of others diving and resurfacing repeatedly Oneofthedivers felt the child’s body and called out to the other for
assistance to retrieve it. The man was observed walking to the shallow end of the creekwiththechild’slifeless
body in his arms as onlookerswailedloudlyand a few were heard questioningifshewasalive.
Persons in a desperate search for the two girls before their bodies were recovered
Akira La Rose (left) and Joylyn Jack in happier times
Concerns grow over proposed amendments to Cybercrime Act
- AFC flags Govt’s move to criminalise defamation
AFC concerned about The Alliance for Change (AFC) has expressed grave concern over the proposed amendments to the CybercrimeAct saying that these will allow theadministrationtocriminalisedefamation andcensorpersonsonline.
Speaking at the party’s weekly news conferencelastFriday,FormerleaderofAFC Khemraj Ramjattan urged that there should benohastebythegovernmentinitsattempt to counter disinformation by introducing legislation which criminalizes behaivour online.“Freedomofexpressionandfreedom of conscience can suffer There must be a cautious approach taken in moving forward to avoid censorship and restrictions on legitimatecontent.”
He noted that taking into account the government’s attitude of being “democratic centralist” their criminalization of disinformation can be used against persons who critique the government and it can further cause self-censorship, erode press freedom and the publication of opinions. Ramjattan explained that, “The United Nations has not yet agreed on substantive cybercrime provisions, noting that member countries are still negotiating “A UN convention is expected to be adopted and finalized in the National Assembly in 2025 and Guyana will have to ratify The haste at whichtheAGseemstowantlegislationwhen thereisyetnoapprovaloftheUnitedNations on this specific matter is then rather suspicious,”Ramjattansaid.“TheAFCurges the PPP to bring on this important matter
preferablyagreenpaperandthereaftermust inform its Law Reform Commission to state its position on such a matter. There after legislation should then be sent to a special select committee to scrutinize thoroughly any attempt of criminalizationof activity on theinternet.”
Leader of theAFC andAttorney at Law Nigel Hughes commented on the matter saying it is important that one looks at the originoftheCybercrimeAct.Hesaidthefirst treatyonthiswasbackin2001-theBudapest Treatyandthatwasn’tatreatyactuallyitwas aconventiononcybercrime.”
The convention he explained covered five areas. Those being: illegal access to a computer,illegalinterceptionofinformation, data interference, system interference and misuse of devices. “Under the heading of misuseofdevicesithasabsolutelynothingto do with the issue of defamation. What the present government is attempting to do is to criminalisedefamation.”
Defamation allows a person a civil remedy in the form of a suit. So if someone libelsordefamesanother,theaggrievedparty can g to the court and get damages. Hughes lamentedthat,“Whatthepresentgovernment isdoingisgivingacriminalsanctiontowhat ineffectwasacivillaw,whichyouhadtogo to court. The problem with that is, is that it nowbecomesatoolinthearmofthestatethat they can use to prosecute, stifle and silence peoplethegovernmentwantstogetridofand thereisnobettercasethatIcanrefertothan the case of Sherod Duncan.Whywould you
CracksinnewlybuiltSchoonordto...
Frompage12
would lead to Parika. “This is not just about theSchoonordtoCranehighwaythisisabout the realisation of a grand vision, that vision thatseekstotransformeverysingleregionof ourcountry.”
“The infrastructure interlink that we are talkingaboutistopositionGuyanaasamajor transportandlogisticshub,itistoopenupthe opportunities in tourism and it is to expand the opportunities in agriculture,” he explained during his remarks. Minister of HousingandWater,CollinCroalsaidthatthe
road project forms part of government’s infrastructure vision which is “to lift our people out of poverty and to create the condition for economic growth and developmentineveryregion.”
The minister went onto state that this highway will immediately bring further development, reduce travel times, reduce traffic congestion and “open new opportunities for entrepreneurship which bodeswellforthelong-termviabilityofWest Demerara and its prospect for further development.”
want to criminalise somebody because theywenttosocialmediaandcalledyou a‘trenchcrappo’?”
Hughes advised that if the terms offend you, the law provides a civil remedy whereby you can sue the offender, bringing a defamation suit againstthem.Makingthiscriminalnow means that the prosecution will now have a wide discretion to prosecute persons,“andinvariablythishasalways been used as we have seen recently to silence people who either criticise the governmentorcriticisethepoliceforce.”
“WehaveaseriesofchargesagainstDeon Bascom,wehaveseenwhathadhappenedto SherodDuncanandinessencetheyhavenow criminalised what for centuries has been a civillaw Thereareveryfewcountriesinthe world that seek to silence their citizens, becausetheyseektodefame,”Hughessaid.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo last Thursday reassured that the amendments to theCybercrimeActarenotaimedattargeting social media commentators or ordinary citizens who air their views. He said, “Anil Nandlall made it clear what the regulations fortheCybercrimeActthatwaspassedunder APNUwouldentail.Nowwebelieveinfree media,webelieveinpeoplefreelyexpressing theirviewsontheinternet.”
Jagdeo explained that his government is against censorship on the internet and
promotes the people’s right to freedom of speech. However, he said that “the United Nations now has come up with model legislation about crime, crime that is perpetuatedincyberspace.Sotheregulations willfitintotheUnitedNationsframeworkof what they had defined, would be crime in cyberspace,it’sonlypeoplewhodothatlike toextortpeopleusingyouknowcybermeans or cyberspace to exploit people. Or people whoareexploitingwomen.”
Jagdeo reminded that while he served as President of Guyana, his government had passedalawaimedattacklingpersonstaking photographs of others with the intent of blackmailingthem.Italsolookedat“people who exploit our children, like child pornography and all these things, these are importantthingsforus.”Heassuredthatthe governmentwillnotcondonesuchbehaviour whilenotingthattheamendmentstothelaw arenottoregulatewhatpersonssay
Former Leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan
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.
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 House Maid to work in Providence area. Call: 624-8591. Room Attendant, Desk Clerk, Supervisor and Receptionist 23-45 Years old. 233 South Road. Call: 225-0198.
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.
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.
Mature man, loving and generous seeks female for friendship, ages 25-40 Years, WhatsApp: 1-246-835-6908.
RENT House for rent in Eccles. $100K monthly. For more information Call: 685-5294.
PEN PAL
Israel kills 33 Palestinians, wound 145 in latest attacks
(Aljazeera) - Gaza’s Health Ministry says Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have killed 33 Palestinians and wounded 145 others over the latest 24-hour reportingperiod.
An attack at the King Hussein(Allenby)Bridgeon the border between the occupied West Bank and Jordan killed three Israeli securityguards.
An estimated 750,000 people have taken to the streets in one of Israel’s biggest-ever protests as anger boils over at the government’s failure to securethereleaseofcaptives held in Gaza. Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister NajibMikatihascondemned Israel’s “blatant violation” of “human values” after threeparamedicswerekilled on Saturday in an attack in southernLebanon.
At least 40,972 people have been killed and 94,761
wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza. In Israel, the number ofthosekilledintheHamasledattacksonOctober7isat least1,139,whilemorethan 200 people were taken captive.
Meanwhile, Israeli air raids killed more than a dozen people overnight into Saturday, hospital and local authorities said, as health workers wrapped up the second phase of an urgent polio vaccination campaign designed to prevent a largescaleoutbreak.
Sources told Al Jazeera 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 displacedPalestinianskilled 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
Georgia shooting suspect’s mother warned school
of ‘emergency’, US media
reports
(BBC NEWS) - The motherofthesuspectinlast week’s Georgia shooting contactedhisschooltowarn of an “extreme emergency” and asked them to check on hersonthedayoftheattack, USmediareports.
Both the suspect’s mother and grandmother were in contact with the school prior to the shooting, according to reports. Colt Gray, 14, is accused of carrying out a shooting at Apalachee High School that left four people dead and nine injured. He faces four counts of first-degree murder The revelations come after authorities also chargedthesuspect’sfather, Colin Gray, with second d e g r e e m u r d e r , manslaughter, and child cruelty
Officials accuse him of allowing his son to possess an AR-15 style rifle. Both father and son appeared in
court on Friday but neither entered a plea The Washington Post obtained text messages sent by the boy’s mother, Marcee Gray, to her sister, explaining that she had asked school officialstocheckonherson themorningoftheshooting.
“I was the one that notified the school counsellor at the high school,” Ms. Gray wrote. “I told them it was an extreme emergency and for them to goimmediatelyandfind[my son]tocheckonhim.”
The suspect’s aunt, Annie Brown, provided the text messages and call logs to the Post. The suspect’s mother later confirmed the recordstothenewspaper
Ms Brown also
confirmed the text exchanges to other US media outlets. It is not clear what caused the mother to contact the school, though CNN reported on Sunday
that she did so after her son sent her a text saying: “I’m sorry”. The phone records show Ms. Gray called the school about a half an hour beforetheshootingbegan.
According to the Post, there appears to have been some confusion when a schooladministratorwentto look for the boy, as another childhadasimilarname.
Separately, Charlie Polhamus, Colt Gray’s grandfather,toldCBSNews, the BBC’s US partner, that the boy’s grandmother had spoken with school officials that week. “My wife had gone up there… the day before and met with the teachers to get him some, they were having some problemswithhimnotgoing to school, and this kind of thing,”hesaid.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, which is handling the case, did not immediatelyreturnarequest
for comment. The Barrow County School System has also not commented to media on the reports. Colt Gray is accused of shooting andkillingtwo14-year-olds, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and teachers RichardAspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. In the months leading up to the shooting, he had faced mental health struggles and difficulties at home, Ms. Brown told the Washington Post.
The FBI also said that policeinterviewedtheboyin May2023aboutanonymous online threats to commit a school shooting. He denied to police he was behind them.
Vigils have been held to commemorate the victims andmournershavecreateda memorial of flowers, candles, and balloons outside Apalachee High School.
Democrats turn Trump’s deadliest weapon against him
In Trump in Exile, her recent book on
president’s life after losing
describes how aides to Donald Trump set about destroying Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor who
Republicanvotersaway
“One Trump adviser referred to Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals,” McGrawwrites.
“Rule number five: Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon ” Alinsky w
C h i c a g o community organizer who died in 1972 but is still influential on the left and demonized on the right
Trump’s world puts his fifth rule – which also says: “It infuriates the opposition, who then react to your advantage” –intoconcertedaction
D e S a n t i s w a s ridiculed for his lack of height and his heightened sanctimoniousness but most effectively for his simple weirdness: a discomfiting public manner the Trump camp indelibly linked to an alleged incident on a donor’s jet in which, lacking a spoon, the
governor chose to eat a cup of chocolate pudding usinghisfingers
D e S a n t i s disintegrated Trump swept to the nomination With Joe Biden as his opponent, it seemed Trump would once again dominate with nicknames and ridicule, based on “Sleepy Joe’s” (even more)advancedage
But then Biden dropped out, and something unexpected happened Kamala Harris and her running mate, the Minnesota governor, Tim Walz, turned fierce ridicule back on Trump and hisVPpick, the Ohio senator JD Vance, deriding both for their simple weirdness: personal, social and of coursepolitical Ifpollingisanyguide, thetactichasworkedlikea dream.
To Molly Jong-Fast, a podcaster and MSNBC commentator now touring Politics as Unusual, a live show with the Republican operative turned antiTrump organizer and ridicule merchant Rick Wilson, Trump, Vance and the rest of the GOP are simplyeasytargets.
(THEGUARDIAN)
Radwan neighborhood, northofGazaCity The Israeli military said it conducted a “precise strike” at the school that targeted fighters “operating inside a Hamas command
The four victims of the High School shooting in Georgia
Returning Champions Shine, Rising Brazilian Stars Break Through
Day6ofthe2024 IMMAF Pan
A m e r i c a n Championships concluded in spectacular fashion, with athletes from across the Americas battling for the coveted title of Pan AmericanChampion.
In a thrilling day of finals,TeamsUSA,Mexico, and Brazil dominated the podium, whilst Uruguay, PeruandJamaica Team USA impressed
across both Junior and Senior divisions, capturing gold in multiple weight classes.
In the Jr Women’s Atomweight and Men’s Bantamweight finals, Irann Orozco and Gavin Mitchell delivered outstanding performances,eachwinning viasubmission.
In the Sr. brackets, veteransAbigailAlvarezand Cary Miller added to their already impressive IMMAF
résumés, securing gold with a pair of highlight reel d
LaVelle, Caleb Spears, Dante Bazan, and Desmond Alvarado also rose to the occasion, each taking home aPanAmericangoldmedal.
Host nation Mexico matched Team USA’s success, particularly in the Juniordivisions,wherethey claimedfivegoldmedals.In the Senior divisions, Diego
Torres Rangel secured his second consecutive Pan American title, edging out Brazil’sLuisFilipeGusmão in a tightly contested decision.
Monday September 09, 2024
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Overall,theforecastfortoday is fairly good. The aspects seemtofavorfiguringoutthe meaning of all that's transpired over the past several weeks It's an opportunity for you to take a leisurely
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Have you felt somewhat lost forthepastfewdays?Thefog maylifttodayandenableyou to situate yourself at last. You'reprobablyeagertosettle a question that has nagged at you and interfered with your judgment.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
You may have been feeling somewhat disillusioned. Perhapsyoulostsightofyour goals or misplaced your faith in yourself. You'll feel some reliefbeginningtoday
CANCER(June21–July22)
Youmightbetemptedtosettle certain matters by radical means. The visionary part of you means you're painfully aware of the world's wrongs. You see no reason not to take actiontocorrectthem.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Today will be fairly calm in terms of outside events, but yourinnerworldislikelytobe in a rush of activity Today you wish you could find the solutiontoyourheartachesas well as your career predicaments.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
You have a lot of thinking to do about your professional goals, Virgo. You'll go over the elements to see if there isn't some way to approach thingsdifferently
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Youjustcan'tdoeverythingat once, Libra. How do you expect to reduce your stress and recuperate while at the same time continue to be a superstar performer in every areaofyourlife.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
Thisisagoodmomenttoadapt your logic and reason to reality, Scorpio. If you don't, you're going to run into some
Everyone knows that you find newideasplentiful.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
It'sgoingtobealittledifficult t
ou to
y, Sagittarius. You, who can be easily influenced by others, will be listening to and criticizing everything that peoplesay
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Haveyoubeenreviewingyour
ely, Capricorn? Of special interest is your cultural background. What educational, social, and religious environment were you born into? What are its values?Intheend.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) It's time to elevate your senseofself,Aquarius.You're justasgoodasanyoneelse,so why don't you believe it? The problem is that you're very sensitiveabouthavinganego. Even though you know everyonedoes.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Today your intellectual and expressive abilities should receive a boost from the planets.It'sanexcellenttimeto organize your thoughts about presentingaproject.
JonathaAbadHernandez Gonzalez also shone, earningaTKOvictoryinthe Senior Men’s Strawweight final.
With Brazil’s previous generation of World Championathletes,thelikes ofGiulianyPerêaVieiraand Fernanda Guersone, having made the switch to professional MMA, the nation’s next generation of talentsteppedup.
Ana Carolina Brito Dos Santos claimed gold in the Junior Women’s Flyweight division with a rear-naked choke, while João Roque delivered a TKO win to secure the Senior Men’s Featherweighttitle.
Uruguay and Peru also made their mark on the medals table, each earning two golds, adding to the
representationoftalent.
Finally, in the Senior
division, Jamaica’s Tyrece
Aryna Sabalenka beats Jessica Pegula to win the US Open for her third Grand Slam title
NEW YORK (AP)
Aryna Sabalenka left the U.S.Openintears12months ago as the runner-up. She exitedinthesemifinalseach of the two years before that, other losses that were difficult to digest On Saturday,Sabalenkawasina joking mood after winning her first championship at Flushing Meadows and the thirdGrandSlamtitleofher career
Sabalenka, the No 2 seed, got past No. 6 Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5 in a rollicking final under a closed retractable roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium, displayinghertypicalpower while sprinkling in some variationtoaddthistriumph to those at the Australian Open each of the past two seasons.
“I had a lot of tough lessons here especially last year,” Sabalenka, a 26year-old from Belarus, said after grabbing the last two gamesofthefirstsetandthe last four of the match. “In those tough moments (Saturday), I was just trying to stay strong and trying to remind myself that I have been through a lot and I’m strong enough to hold under thispressure.”
Sitting near the U S Open trophy at her news conference, Sabalenka alluded to “a lot of challenges” away from the court.Therewasthedeathof herfatherin2019.Thedeath of an ex-boyfriend this March A right shoulder problem that forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon right before it began this July “After I lost my father, it’s always been my goal to put our family name in the
history of tennis,” she said. “Every time I see my name on that trophy, I’m so proud of myself, I’m proud of my family that they never gave up on my dream and that they were doing everything they could to keep me going.” Also driving her: what she called “all those tough losses in the past here ” That includes semifinal defeats in 2021 against Leylah Fernandez andin2022againstNo.1Iga Swiatek. Most poignant, of course, was last year, when Sabalenkawasrattledbythe Ashe crowd, blew a set advantage and was defeated by Coco Gauff. Like Gauff, Pegula is an American, but thespectatorswerefarmore generous toward Sabalenka this time, applauding her best efforts and even obligingwhenshewavedher armstoaskforextranoise. After extending her
winning streak to 12 matches, Sabalenka thanked the fans for cheering for her — which probably (wink, wink) was unrelated to her kidding offer of “Drinks on me”afteranearliervictory
There were light moments Saturday evening, too. After her coach, Anton Dubrov, was awarded a smaller version of the champion’s trophy for his role in her success, Sabalenkateasedthatitssize “actually looks sad” compared to the real thing. She also laughed after pointing out that if both guzzle booze out of their respective trophies, “I’ll have a hangover tomorrow, more than you’re going to have.”Pegula,anativeNew Yorker whose parents own the NFL’s Buffalo Bills and NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, was participatinginamajorfinal for the first time at age 30.
showed her frustration by whackingaballoffthevideo wall behind the baseline, dislodging a little square panel. Maybe that released some tension, because suddenly Pegula asserted herself, using her own fivegame run to go up 5-3. But whensheservedat5-4witha chance to force a third set, PegulaletSabalenkabreak.
“She played some big tennis in big moments,” Pegula said. Sabalenka is as demonstrative as anyone, her body language usually a spot-on barometer of whether things are going well. But as she sputtered at the start Saturday, it was tough to read what she was thinkingagainstPegula,who eliminated Swiatek in the quarterfinals.
She’s won 15 of her past 17 matchesoverthepastmonth; both losses came against Sabalenka.
“Everyone is like, ‘Congrats! Amazing tournament!’” Pegula said. “I’mlike,‘Eh,whatever.’”
To Pegula’s credit, she did not fold after Sabalenka reeled off five consecutive games to grab the opening set and move ahead 3-0 in thesecond.Inthenextgame, Pegula dropped a point and
Even while down an early break, Sabalenka reacted to mistakes by calmly turning her back and breathing deeply as star athletes from other sports such as Stephen Curry, Lewis Hamilton and Noah Lyles looked on from the stands Once Sabalenka calibrated her booming strokes — her forehands were the fastest of the past two weeks, speedier than any woman’s or man’s — it was apparent the outcome
wouldbedeterminedbyher.
By the close, the statisticsmadethatobvious: Sabalenka finished with far more winners than Pegula, 40-17, and also more unforced errors, 34-22 Sabalenka controlled most exchanges, but also sprinkled in the occasional dropshotordeftvolley
“I was happy I was able tofightbackandgivemyself a chance,” Pegula said, “but intheend,itwasn’tenough.”
There was one moment of clear anger from Sabalenka.Itcameat5-allin the first set, when she double-faulted to face a break point, then leaned forward and cracked her racket against the court four times.
Seemed to work. She saved that break point, wound up taking that game, thenbrokePegulatoownthe opening set. A year ago, Sabalenka blew that sort of leadagainstGauff.Theyear before, Sabalenka did the sameagainstSwiatek. Didn’t let it happen again. “In that second set, honestly, I was just praying there,” said Sabalenka, who collected a $3 6 million winner’s check “I was literally standing there and praying.”
Roglic reigns in Spain with record-equalling...
Frompage21 a little bit smarter and not trust your gut as well.
Roglic was the last rider out for the final stageandtheTokyoOlympicstime-trialgold medallist finished with a time of 26 minutes and59seconds,goodenoughforsecondafter
SwisscyclistKungwent31secondsfaster
“It’samazing,finally
I’vewaited,I’vebeenfightingforitfora very long time and I really wanted that win today,”Kungsaid.
“IsufferedalotbutIthinkeveryonedidat theendofthishardVuelta It’salwaysnice if you win with more than half a minute, it showsyouwereabsolutelythebest.Itwasno coincidencetoday.”
Shiann Salmon returns to her roots...
Frompage21 consistently racing close to that mark in the lead-up to Zurich.
But in Zurich, she finally broke through the elusive 53-secondbarrier,achieving hergoalfortheseason.
“I was thrilled My
overall aim for the remainderoftheseasonwas to break the 53 seconds barrier, so I was beyond happywhenIrealizedthatI had done so,” Salmon said.
“I’m currently the fifth Jamaicanwomantodoso.
I feel exhilarated, top 5
a l l - t i m e i s a b i g accomplishment and I’m grateful.”
Reflecting on her performancesbeforeZurich, S a l
imminent. “Yes, I definitely feltitcoming. My body is now used to running low 53s. My coach and I already predicted it, it was just a matter of me
executing the races properly,”sheshared.
Only four other Jamaican women Deon Hemmings, Melaine Walker, Kaliese Spencer, and Rushell Clayton—have ever broken the 53-second mark in the 400m hurdles. Now, Salmon joins that exclusive club, cementing
her status as one of the best intheworld.
Looking ahead, Salmon is focused on finishing her season on a high. She will contesttheDiamondLeague final in Brussels, with her sights set on another sub-53 performance. “My ultimate aim is to finish the season w i t h a n o t h e r 5 2 performance. Anything else that comes with that is a bonus,”Salmonconcluded. With her decision to returntoJamaicaprovingto betherightmove,Salmon’s resurgencehasherpoisedto continue breaking barriers andreachingnewheightsin the400mhurdles.
Billie Jean King poses with Jessica Pegula, left, of the United States, and Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, following the women’s singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in New York. Sabalenka won the match (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Marquez wins rain-hit San Marino Grand Prix after Martin’s gamble backfires
MISANO, Italy, (Reuters) - Marc Marquez won the San Marino Grand Prix ahead of Francesco Bagnaia yesterday after championship leader Jorge Martin’s gamble to swap bikes when it rained briefly at the Misano circuit backfired when the weather clearedup.
Marquez’s masterclass indampconditionsgavehim his second victory in as many races after he won the Aragon Grand Prix last weekend as he denied the ItalianfactoryDucatiteama winonhometurf,withEnea Bastianinifinishingthird.
Martin eventually finished15thafterswapping bikes twice as he saw his championship lead over Bagnaia cut down to seven pointswhileMarquezisnow 53pointsbehindthePramac Racing rider “For me, the most important was the speed after that rain, it gave methepossibilitytoleadthe
race Then when I was leadingIsay,‘NowIwilltry to find the same pace as the practice’,”Marquezsaid.
“The emotions were super high when we crossed theline,Iwassuperhappy,” he added, dedicating the victorytotheGresiniRacing team’s late founder Fausto Gresini.
With the threat of rain looming,Martinhadanother goodstart—justashedidto win Saturday’s sprint — but thistimeBagnaiawasableto stay ahead and retain the lead.
The pair nearly collided on the second lap before Martin braked hard to avoid contact while his teammate Franco Morbidelli damaged Pedro Acosta’s wing when he overtook the GasGas Tech3 bike, with the rookie managing to keep his balance.
But without a wing on one side, Acosta found it difficult to muscle his bike
around the circuit and he eventuallyslidoffatturn14 a couple of laps later before rejoining the race, dropping fromfourthtolastplace.
The rain soon came down with 21 laps to go, however, and Morbidelli wasthefirsttocrashwhenhe slid off the damp surface at
Roglic reigns in Spain with record-equalling fourth Vuelta
title
MADRID, (Reuters)Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic sealed a record-equalling fourth Vuelta a Espana title yesterday after retaining his overallleadinthefinalstage of the race, a 24 6 km individual time-trial in Madrid which was won by StefanKung.
Red Bull-BORAhansgrohe’s Roglic reclaimed the red jersey
from Australian Ben O’Connorwithadevastating solo attack on stage 19 on Friday and the Slovenian riderneverlookedbackashe equalled Spaniard Roberto Heras’srecordoffourVuelta wins.
WhenRogliccrossedthe line, he pointed a finger to the sky and smiled as he finishedwithanoveralllead of two minutes and 36 seconds over O’Connor whileSpaniardEnricMasof Movistarwasthird.
“It is just a lot of sacrificing,it’snotonlyme,” Roglic said. “My family, everyonearoundme-weall sacrifice, we all live for it. I justfeelhappyactuallythatI could do it and I really appreciatethesupport.
“Themoreyougettothe end (of the Tour), you just wanttofinishitoffanditwas tough. But everything went
Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe’s Primoz Roglic celebrates on the podium while wearing the red jersey after taking the overall race lead by winning stage 19. (REUTERS/Vincent West/ File Photo)
fine, I was fast, so I’m happy.”Victory was all the morespecialforRoglicwho was forced to abandon the Tour de France ahead of stage 13 after the yellow jersey contender crashed twiceinconsecutivestages. Roglic, who won three consecutive Vueltas from 2019, came into this year’s race as the clear favourite, with Giro d’Italia and Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard and Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel opting nottorideinSpain. However, he was surprised by O’Connor
when the Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale rider took the redjerseyfromhimonstage six and opened up a gap of nearlyfiveminutes.
But Roglic, nicknamed the ‘Slovenian Dream Crusher’, slowly clawed his way back and put one hand onthetitleinstage19onthe summit finish of Alto de Moncalvillo.
“Iexpectedtobegood(at the start of the Vuelta) becauseIknewIwas,butnot second overall,” O’Connor said.“Sometimesyou’vegot to trust your gut and other timesyoucouldprobablybe
(Continuedonpage20)
turnone.
MARTINROLLSTHE DICE
Martin rolled the dice andledabunchofridersinto thepitstoswapbikesbutthe rain suddenly seemed to clear up, with Marquez and Bagnaiaoptingtostayouton track. Soon after, Marquez
came into his own and carved his way through the pack to take the lead from Bagnaia, who was gingerly navigating his way through thewetpartsofthecircuit.
But the rain stopped quickly and Martin was forced to come back in to swap bikes again for slick
tyres, with the crestfallen Spaniardshakinghisheadas he rejoined the race behind Marquez and Bagnaia but a fulllapdown.
Wi t h B a g n a i a ’s immediate rival out of the picture,theItalianchosenot to take risks, following Marquez cautiously while Bastianinimoveduptothird onhisfamiliarhomecircuit.
Out front, Marquez steadilyincreasedthegapto Bagnaia and the Spaniard took the chequered flag to spark celebrations in the GresiniRacinggarage.
“Today more (better) thansecondwasimpossible. Marcwastooinshapetotry and attempt and try to win. Maybe next time I will be fully fit and I can have a chance,” said Bagnaia, still feelingthe effects of a crash attheAragonGrandPrix.
“But Marc in these conditions is for sure very strong, so we will try again nexttime.”
Shiann Salmon returns to her roots to rediscover her best with stunning win in Zuricha
SportsMax - Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon hasrediscoveredherbestformafterreturning to train at home, and it’s paying off in spectacularfashion.Salmon,whohasbeena consistent force in the 400m hurdles this season, clocked a lifetime best of 52.97 seconds to win her first-ever Diamond League race in Zurich last Friday This remarkableachievementnotonlysecuredher spot among the elite but also marked a significant personal milestone, as she became just the fifth Jamaican woman in history to break the 53-second barrier in the event.
After graduating from Hydel High and spending a year at GC Foster College, SalmonventuredoverseastotrainwithTonja Buford, a US Olympic medalist turned
coach. However, after a few seasons in the United States, Salmon felt the American environment was making her “soft” and unmotivated, which led to her bold decision lastseasontoreturntoJamaicatotrainunder renowned coach Maurice Wilson at the SprintecTrackClub.
“Idon’tfeelasifIeverneededto‘justify’ doing something that I felt was for my best interest. However, I felt like the American lifestyle/system was never meant for me. I think I got a bit complacent and soft, so I returnedtomyroots,”Salmonexplained.
That decision has clearly paid off Salmon has shown remarkable consistency this season, first setting a lifetime best of 53.13intheOlympicfinalinParisand (Continuedonpage20)
Ducati Lenovo Team’s Francesco Bagnaia and Gresini Racing MotoGP’s Marc Marquez in action. (REUTERS/Massimo Pinca)
Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon.
Ackera Nugent and Stacey-Ann Williams dominate with victories at Zagreb meet
SportsMax - Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent and StaceyAnn Williams continued their impressive seasons
w i t h d o m i n a n t performances at the
Boris Hanžekoviæ
Memorial in Zagreb, Croatia,yesterday
The meet, part of the WorldAthleticsContinental Tour Gold since 2020, f e a t u r e d s e v e r a l standout performances from Caribbean athletes, with Nugent and Williams leadingtheway Nugent, the world leader in the 100m hurdles withherblistering12 24set at the Rome Diamond
League, once again demonstrated her class, claimingvictoryin12.55.
Facing a quality field that included former world record holder Kendra Harrison and Olympic silver medalist Cyrena Samba-Mayela, Nugent ran
a composed race to
comfortably secure first place. Great Britain’s Cindy Sember finished second in 12.67,withHarrisonthirdin 12 76 2022 World
Championship silver medalist Britany Anderson of Jamaica finished sixth in 12.91.
In the women’s 400m, Stacey-Ann Williams ran theraceofherlife,clocking a lifetime best and meet record of 50 00 seconds to wintheevent.
Williams faced strong competition but managed to hold off Norway’s Henriette Jaeger, who ran 50 22, and the USA’s ShamierLittle,whofinished thirdin50.58.
Barbados’ Sada Williams, showing signs of fatigue after a long season, finishedfourthin51.23.
T h e J a m a i c a n victories were part of a broader Caribbean presence on the podium inZagreb
Shashalee Forbes finished second in the women’s 100m, clocking 11.23behindGambia’sGina Bass Bittaye, who won in 11.13.
The USA’s Jenna Prandiniroundedoutthetop
Falcons win another Warner Park thriller
CPL - Antigua & BarbudaFalconspulledoff a stunning two wicket victory over St Kitts & NevisPatriotswithjusttwo balls to spare in a tense matchattheRepublicBank CaribbeanPremierLeague (CPL).
After winning the toss and inserting the opposition, the Falcons restricted the Patriots to 153/8 off their 20 overs
Mohammad Amir picked up three wickets for the Falcons and Mikyle Louis starringwiththebatforthe Patriots.
Louis’ lusty order
lower order hitting
ensured thirty-three runs were scored off the last few overs as he cruised to 63runsoffjust 36 balls, including seven sixes.
Atarget of 153 was a success of sorts for the home side after they were earlier reeling at 60/4intheninthover
In response, the Falcons seemed to be hauling in the target without too many alarms, Brandon King and Justin Greaves striking their way to55beforeKingfellinthe
From then on the plain sailing was over as the Falcons lost regular wickets and the match remainedtooclosetocall.
Wanindu Hasaranga was the main architect of the damage with the ball for the visitors, the Sri Lankan all-rounder’s legbreaks and assorted varieties posing a constant threat.
Justin Greaves, Sam Billings, the dangerous Jewel Andrew and Shamar Springer were
a l l p o c k e t e d b y
H a s a r a n g a i n a devastating period of t o p - q u a l i t y s p i n bowling.
At 110/7 when Billings departed the scene, it looked as if the Falcons’wings had been clipped and that the duel wasgoingthewayofthe Patriots
Roshon Primus and Imad Wasim combined effectively to hit the gaps in the field and take every single run on offer in order to eke their way closer to the
target
With three overs to go the Falcons required 22runstowinwiththree wicketsinhand
Dominic Drakes was
summoned into the attack and bowled a frugal over that was hit for just six runs to leave the equation as 15 runs needed from 12 balls
Primus was then caught off backward point off Nortje as the pendulum swung towards Patriots in thepenultimateover
With 11 runs needed from the final over, Fabian Allen stole the game at the last for the Falcons, smiting consecutive Drakes short balls for six and fourintothelegsideand scampering the single needed for victory with twoballsremaining.
Imad Wasim was named Player of the Match for his 17 not out and 2/24 with the ball as the victory took the Falcons to third in the
table and left the Patriots bottom of the table after suffering their fifth defeat on the bounce
threewithatimeof11.30. I n t h e 8 0 0 m , Jamaica’s Natoya Goule ran a strong race to finish second with a time of 1:57 43, just beh
Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent won the 100m hurdles.
Chepchirchir,whosetameet recordof1:57.00.Ethiopia’s Nigist Getachew finished third in a personal best of 1:57.47. Meanwhile, in the men’s 110m hurdles, T o k y o O l y m p i c c h a m p i o n H a n s l e
Parchment secured third placein13 25
Japan’s Rachid Muratake claimed victory in 13 14, holding off A m e r i c a n D a n i e l Roberts, who finished secondin13 18
Sinner storms past Fritz to win first US Open title
BBC Sport - World number one Jannik Sinner stormed past Taylor Fritz to wintheUSOpenandsecure asecondGrandSlamtitleof theyear
Italy’s Sinner, who won his first major title at the Australian Open in January, held off a late charge from American 12th seed Fritz to win6-36-47-5.
It comes just 19 days after it was revealed he had been cleared of any wrongdoing after twice testingpositiveforabanned substanceinMarch.
Sinner held his arms aloft and looked up to the sky as he became the first player since Guillermo Vilas in 1977 to win his first two Grand Slam titles inthesameseason
He is also the first Italian man to win the singles title at Flushing Meadows
Fritz, meanwhile, was unable to become the first American male Grand Slam singles champion in 21years
Andy Roddick, who was watching from the stands, remains the last American man to lift a major singles trophy, havingwontheUSOpenin 2003 Sinner shakes off
Fritz for straightforward winWatched on by a home
crowd packed with celebrities and sporting stars, Fritz got off to a shaky start when he dropped serve in the first game
The 26-year-old recovered well to win three games in a row, but he continued to falter on serve and
Sinner capitalised to take the opener and subdue the expectant mood on Arthur Ashe Stadium
Refusing to dwell on
the first set, Fritz improved and made the second a closer affair, losing just two points in fourservicegames
However, Sinner underlined his status as world number one, upping the ante when it mattered most to strike the crucial blow as Fritz served to stay in the set at 5-4down
Having failed to make the most of three break point opportunities early in the third set, Fritz brought the crowd to life withtwobrilliantwinners to break for a 4-3 lead and keephisfinalchancesalive. But Sinner soon quashed those dreams, breaking back as Fritz attempted to serve for the set and doing the same two games later to wrap up the win after two hours and16minutes
Jannik Sinner has won six ATP Tour-level titles in the past nine months. (Getty Images)
Golden Jaguars on the hunt for three points against Martinique today
BYRAWLETONEY
The Golden Jaguars are set to roar once again today in Fort-de-France as they take on Martinique at 4:00 pmintheongoingLeagueA action of the CONCACAF NationsLeagueatthePierreAlikerMunicipalStadium.
Coach Jamaal Shabazz’s side will be looking to bounce back after a 3-1 homedefeattoSurinamelast Thursday
Similarly, Martinique also began their campaign with a 3-1 loss, falling to Guatemala.
Despite the opening setback, Shabazz remains optimistic.
“Whenyou’reinLeague
A, you want to stay up. It took Guyana ten years to reach this level. One loss won’t break our spirits,” he said.
Acknowledging the challenge of facing Martinique, Shabazz added, “We know it’s a tough assignment,butthesearethe moments we’ve worked hard to reach. Now, we’re goingtobattleitoutandsee whereittakesus.”
After the defeat to Suriname, team captain Elliot Bonds reflected on theirperformance.
He noted that while the team made individual mistakes, the match against Martinique offers a chance
for redemption. “We know what needs to be done. The 3-1 loss was down to our own errors, but we’re learning from it and know where to improve,” Bonds said.
With just four days between games, Bonds emphasized the need to move forward quickly. “There’snotimetodwellon it.
We’ll review the game, makeadjustments,andfocus onwhat’snext,”headded.
It will be interesting to see Shabazz’s approach against Martinique, a team they last faced in 2017, endinginascorelessdrawat Mackenzie Sports Club
GroundinLinden.
Martinique, playing at home, have won four and lost one of their last five matches, scoring and conceding four goals in that period.
In the Nations League, they’ve played 12 matches, winning two, drawing five, and losing five. Meanwhile, Guyana has played 17 Nations League matches, winning 11, drawing twice, andlosingfour
TheGoldenJaguarshave struggled on the road, with one win and four losses in their last five away games, while Martinique have two wins, two draws, and one lossintheirlastfiveoutings.
Omari Glasgow has scored 17 times for the Golden Jaguars and is just one goal shy of tying the country’s all-time record, set by Nigel Codrington.
North Soesdyke Masters demolish East Coast Aash
Decor in the 3rd Round BMC O50s Tournament
- Solid half centuries recorded by Clement Archer and Nanram Shamlall Archer & Sudesh Persaud after their record opening partnership
At the Enmore
Cricket Club ground: East Coast called correctly and decided to take their first strikeonabeautifulSaturday morning with a slightly heavyoutfield. They started very slow andsedatelybutmanagedto speed up their innings with
several wickets in hand to finish on a formidable 169 for4wicketsoff25overs.
O p e n e r N a n r a m Shamlallbattedthroughout the innings to finish on a well composed 86* pepperedwith4@6sand8 @4s
He was well supported by fellow opener J Jitlall
with 20 and Mohamed Shaw with a cameo 23 SkipperRJaisinghfinished with3for31off5overs
In reply, North
Soesdyke made light work of East Coast’s total knocking off the required runs without any loss in 15 overs
Former East Bank 1st
Division player, Clement Archer rattled up a commanding 81* with 6 @6s and 5 @ 4s Sudesh Persaud narrowly missed out on his half century finishing on 47* with 4 @ 4s North Soesdyke now taketheleadon5pointsfrom 3matches.
Golden Jaguars on the hunt for three points against Martinique
Sports
Antigua & Barbuda Falcons pulled off a stunning two wicket victory over St Kitts & Nevis Patriots with just two balls to spare.
