Kaieteur News

Govt. is not above the law; must act in the residents return to find neighborhoods in total ruins

best interest of the people

and not foreign companies

- Int’l Lawyer Melinda Janki tells Attorney General

UK rebukes Venezuela over threats to take over Essequibo ...says border issue settled in 1899, must be respected

MP :Public Service

Exxon under investigation in Australia following ruptured gas pipeline Commission in place but public officials still acting

Foreign contractors take Guyana to court for US$90 million over delays in Wales Gas project

Lawyer, Melinda Janki

ExxonMobil under investigation in Australia following ruptured gas pipeline

The National Offshore Petroleum Safety and E n v i r o n m e n t a l Management Authority (Nopsema), the environmental regulator in Australia, is currently investigating a potential spill from ExxonMobil’ssubsidiary,Esso.

The Guardian reported that the regulator confirmed it received a notification about a potential spill on April 6, 2024, following a visible “sheen” on the ocean’s surface off the Victorian coast wheretheoilcompanyoperatesan underseagaspipeline.

It is believed the rupture originates with a pipeline connecting the West Kingfish platform to the Kingfish A platform.

A Nopsema spokesperson said the pipeline was “reported to contain95%wateratthetime”but has since been “isolated at both facility ends and is being depressurised”.

“The facility has been offline for four weeks and continues to be so,” they said. “An investigation hasbeenlaunchedandNopsemais contentEssoiscurrentlymanaging theincidentappropriately.”

The regulator did not clarify what remaining material the pipelinewascarryingorwhatmay havebeendissolvedinthewater

“As the investigation is ongoingitwouldnotbeappropriate tocommentmoreatthisstage,”the spokespersonsaid.

ExxonMobil Australia was contactedforacomment.

The gas platforms in the area are among the oldest offshore oil and gas operations in the country, with West Kingfish in the early stagesofdecommissioning.

News of the rupture has prompted calls for more stringent regulations and transparency from the regulator and operators, particularly when it comes to decommissioning old oil and gas infrastructure.

Greens senator Peter WhishWilson said he had serious concerns about the rupture, particularly as Esso is applying to setupacarbon,captureandstorage (CCS)operationintheareatoinject waste CO2 into the Gippsland Basin,beneaththeocean’ssurface.

“Nopsema is supposed to have oversight and regulate the environmental management of the offshore fossil fuel industry, but coastalcommunitiesarefastlosing confidence in the ‘independent’ regulator, which has become more ofanenablerthananinvestigatorof offshore oil and gas projects,” he said.

“If Esso cannot manage to

decommission rig infrastructure safelyIhighlydoubtit’scapableof carrying out risky carbon capture and storage it has planned for the region.”

The Australian Workers Union warnedinSeptember2022thatthe company was “cutting corners” in howitwasplanningtodealwiththe infrastructure during the decommissioningprocess.

LouiseMorris,offshoreoiland gas campaign manager with the Australian Marine Conservation Society, said the organisation is seeking a full investigation of the incident.

“This rupture of a gas pipeline runbyEssoispartofavastnetwork

of dangerous, ageing and rusting offshore gas rigs in our oceans all overdueforshuttingdown,”Morris said.“Itisanotherexampleofwhy the offshore regulator Nopsema needs to be stronger in their regulatory oversight and transparency.”

Presently, ExxonMobil is constructing a 225 kilometers offshore/onshorepipelinethatwill transportnaturalgasfromtheLiza FieldsintheStabroekBlocktothe Wales Development site to be monetized by the government Guyana hopes to generate some 300 megawatts of electricity using gas and plans to market 4,000 barrels of propane, butane and

pentanethatwillbegeneratedeach day

Head of the Gas-to-Energy (GTE) Project, Winston Brassington had said that Guyana will be getting some 50 million cubicfeetofgasperday(MMCFD) as assured by its contractor, ExxonMobil Guyana. This will amount to 63 million barrels of liquidsperannum,hesaid.

Brassington also pointed out that the 50 MMCFD is only 40 percentofthepipeline’scapability, astheinfrastructurewillbeableto transportover120MMCFD.

Notably, despite the risks associated with the project, the government and Exxon has been dodging the question of insurance and compensation in the event of gas leaks and possibleexplosions

The pipeline passes through a number of residential communities, farmlands, waterways and roadways in proximity to public facilities such as schools and businesses ExxonMobil is expected to completetheconstructionactivities by the end of 2024; however, the structure will only become operational after the GoG completestheNaturalGasLiquids ((NGL) facility and the power plant.

Govt. is not above the law; must act in the best interest of the people and not foreign companies

-Int’lLawyerMelindaJankitellsAttorneyGeneral

The government of Guyanaisnotabovethelaw and must act in the best interest of its citizens rather than foreign companies, International Lawyer and renowned climate activist, MelindaJankihassaid.

Seefullstatement belowfromJanki:

The statements by the Attorney General Anil Nandlall as reported in the KaieteurNewsarticleon9th April 2024 entitled “Govt. must decide what protection

Guyana must have from an oil spill not the Court – AG” areathreattotheruleoflaw

T h e p o w e r s o f government (i e , the executive comprising the President and ministers) are limited by the Constitution, by statute and by the common law The government has a duty to upholdtheruleoflaw

The government is not the State. Contrary to the assertions of the AttorneyGeneral the government is not even “in charge of the management of the State.” Themembersofgovernment are servants not managers. They are accountable to the people for their actions.The government has a legal duty to act in the best interests of Guyana as a sovereign State and the people of Guyana who make up the State. The resourcesoftheStatebelong to the people not to the government The government is legally required to put the interests of the people above the interests of foreign corporations such as Exxon Mobil.

Under the doctrine of separation of powers, the Judiciary interprets the law

The rule of law requires the government to respect the doctrine of separation of powersandnotseektousurp thefunctionsofthejudiciary

The rule of law requires the government to respect and obeycourtjudgements.

The Judiciary decides whatarethelegalrightsand duties of government, private sector entities and individuals. The Judiciary haveaconstitutionaldutyto protectthepeopleofGuyana from abuse of power by the government.

On 3rd May 2023 in an internationally acclaimed decision, his Honour Justice Sandil Kissoon, after hearingfullargumentsmade

the following declaratory order:

“ADeclarationishereby grantedthatCondition14of the Environmental Permit (Renewed) No. 20160705EEDPF issued on the 31/05/22, imposes on Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, unlimited anduncappedliabilityforall costs associated with clean up, restoration and compensation for all damages caused by any d i s c h a r g e o f a n y contaminant arising from its exploration, development and petroleum production activities within the Stabroek Block, Offshore Guyana.”

The environmental permit is a legal document. Esso signed it and agreed to its terms It is for the Judiciary, not the government, to determine the legal meaning of that environmentalpermit.

In plain English the judge said that if there is an oil spill from Esso’s operationsthenEssoisliable for all the costs to clean up the oil and to restore the environment as well as all the costs of compensating those who are affected There is no limit on Esso’s liabilityandthereisnolimit on the parent company guarantee. If Esso does not have the money to meet its liabilities,thenthepeopleof Guyanawillhavetopay HishonourJustice Kissoonalsomadethe followingorder:

“AnOrderofMandamus isherebygranteddirectedto the Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) to issueanEnforcementNotice pursuant to Section 26(1) and(2)oftheEnvironmental ProtectionAct, on or before 9/05/23, directed to Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited to perform its obligations under Condition 14:10 and 14:05 oftheEnvironmentalPermit ( Renewed) No. 206 607 05 issuedonthe31/05/22andto provide, within 30 days thereafter, on or before 10/06/23, the unlimited liability Parent Company GuaranteeAgreementand/or unlimited liability Affiliate Company Guarantee to indemnify and keep indemnifiedtheGovernment of Guyana and the Agency

environmentalobligationsof

Esso and its Co-venturers within the Stabroek block, togetherwithEnvironmental liability insurance as is customary in international petroleum industry in accordance with the Conditions at 14:05 (i), (ii), (iii),(iv),(v)and(vi)froman insurancecompanystanding and repute that equates to Grade A Plus as envisaged by Condition 14:05, failing which the Environmental Permit (Renewed) No, 206 60705dated31/05/22stands suspended.”

In simple English the Court as the arbiter in these matterssaidthatEssohadto produce environmental liability insurance that is customary in international petroleum operations In other words, Esso has to provide the same insurance in Guyana as oil companies produce wherever they operate Citizens may remember that one of the documentsplacedbeforethe judgebyEssowasinsurance referringtoEgypt.

The Attorney-General is an extremely capable and well-regarded Attorney-atLawanditdoeshimnocredit to talk about ‘unlimited insurance’ when the entire population knows that there isnosuchthing.

InclearEnglishtheorder requiresEssotocomplywith condition 14 and provide a parentcompanyguaranteeto indemnify Guyana and the Agency In other words, if Esso does not have the money, then Exxon Mobil Corporation has to step in and pay for the damage caused by Esso’s petroleum operations.

Thejudgealsosaidthatif Essodidnotcomplywithits legal obligations, then its permit would be suspended. As the entire nation is now aware, production would onlystopif,andonlyif,Esso breaches its legal obligations.

As citizens are also aware, on 8th June 2023 his Honour Justice of Appeal RishiPersaudgrantedastay on condition that Esso lodged a US$2billion guarantee. In effect Esso doesnothavetoprovideany insurance or the parent company guarantee So, Guyana could have unlimited liability for harm caused by Esso’s petroleum operations.On7thJuly2023

Messrs. Collins and Whyte

applied for the Court of Appeal to vary or discharge that stay The Court of Appeal has not heard that applicationasyet.

Esso and the Agency have refused to provide a copy of the US$2billion guarantee allegedly provided to the Agency by Esso. On 19th February 2024, Persaud JA decided that he did not have jurisdiction to order Esso and/ortheAgencytoprovide the court with a copy of that sameUS$2bnguaranteethat hehadorderedEssotolodge. Messrs. Collins and Whyte have applied to the full benchoftheCourtofAppeal for Persaud JA’s order to be varied or discharged. There hasbeennoresponseasyet. EssoandtheEPAlodged

their appeals in May 2023. Messrs Collins and Whyte appliedforanurgenthearing of those appeals. Up to now the Court ofAppeal has not set a date to hear those appeals.

It is well known that justice delayed is justice denied.JusticeKissoonisto becommendedforthespeed with which he handled this

matter The rule of law is threatened when judges do not deliver their decisions swiftly This is especially serious in cases of judicial reviewwherepublicinterest litigants seek to protect the nationfromunlawfulactions

by government and regulatorybodiessuchasthe Agency Everyday’sdelay

Continuedonpage6

International Lawyer, Melinda Janki

EDITORIAL

The UNHRC does not have anything to defend

The United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) should be proud of its work. It has nothing to defend, especially as such relates to its recent lines of questioning about corruption and abuses in Guyana. The questionsthattheUNHRCsawfittopushforanswershave beenthevariedexperienceofGuyanese. Manyofthemhave seen it, recognize what is happening, and draw their own conclusionsabouttheweaknessesanddisturbingpatternsof conductofthePPPCGovernment.

InthelockedmindsofthemenandwomeninthePPPC Government, they have a monopoly on local truths. Meaning,thatthoseGuyanesewhohavethetemeritytocall outthegovernmentanditsmalfeasancesareliars. ThePPPC inpowerholdsitselfoutasaparagonofgovernancevirtue, which only opens it to national ridicule. While the chief government spokesperson tasked with responding to the UNHRC, Minister GailTeixeira was at her slipperiest best, she only made matters worse. It was obvious to any knowledgeable observer that the UNHRC had done its researchdiligentlyandcamearmedwithloadsofdetailabout the way things are in Guyana. Committee Member, Ms. HeleneTigroudhainsistedthatGuyanaisnotbeingmadeinto a special case, but that the same standards apply to all countriesthatsignedoffoninternationalinstruments.

Whatsuchratificationdoesistotiecountriestoperiodic inquiryandprobingtoensurethatthereiscompliancetowhat wascommittedto,whatmustbethenorm. WhatGuyanese have become familiar with is how the same PPPC Government that takes such offense at the UNHRC has becomecomfortableinhavingitswaylocally,andnottaking kindlytoanycriticismorexposurewhatsoever Inbrief,this government and its leadership cohort, in which Minister Teixeira is a longstanding pillar, likes to boast of having policiesandproceduresinplace,butdoesmostlynothingin adheringtothem. Inkeepingwithwhatprevailsindomestic Guyana, the PPPC Government seeks to have respected international agencies gloss over its misconducts and look the other way when chronic official wrongs rise to be the routine.These are all part of the public record, and it is an expansive one. Most Guyanese have seen, have read, and have heard, for themselves the dirty and ugly record of a governmentrunamokandanswerabletonoone,otherthan its own senior policymakers. Guyanese know about the rivers of corruptions, the allegations of corruption, and the deadendsintowhichthoseterminate. Thecorruptionisjust too much not to be noticed, not to be commented on and condemned. So also, have been the dead bodies of those killed by uniformed agents of the State under questionable circumstances. Whennationalleaderssurroundthemselves withthedregsandscrapingsfromthebottomoftheGuyana barrel,thenitshouldnotsurprisethatthecriminallyinclined believethatthelawdoesnotapplytothem.Twistedofficers of the law conclude that their political masters will provide cover for them when things get out of hand and too hot. Members in the breast of the PPPC Government think that theyaredoingwhatwouldpleasetheirpoliticalseniorswhen theyattackmembersofthemediaandthosewhoexposetoits untruths. This is whether any orders from the top were passedornot. Weatthispaperhavehadourownexperiences thatarewell-publicized,andwhichnopartyorentity,localor foreign, has to dig too deep to appreciate the many dirty realitiesthathavetakencenterstageinPPPCGuyana.

TakingthisrecordofthePPPCGovernmentclinically,or evenonlyareasonableportionofit,theUNHRCwouldhave beenblind,deaf,andlostnottoknowwhatisgoingonhere. The sharpness of the economic divide, the alarming chasm between the haves and have nots, needs no introduction. They are no mystery in this oil rich country Try as the government may, and Minister Teixeira certainly did, these issuescannotbesweptunderthecarpet. TheUNHRCknew allthis,andthisiswhathasbeenreinforcedbeforetheworld: thedisturbingandtheself-defeating.

The integrity commission and the invasion of privacy rights

DearEditor, Ihavearguedbeforeand still insist that our Integrity Commission is both badly mis-purposed (as most of its statutory functions are redundant and unnecessary) and a crass violator of privacyandcomfortrightsof public officials and their families.

T h e I n t e g r i t y Commission Act identifies threebroadfunctionsforthe commission: (i) monitor the wealth of specified public officials, (ii) enforce a code of conduct for public officials, particularly with regards to conflicts of interest, and (iii) serve as a complaint authority against public officials for acts ranging from corruption to politically-biased and inefficient service – judging from the twenty-five criteria on the commission’s complaintform.

In terms of monitoring wealth, most countries use national revenue authorities as opposed to integrity commissions for good reason.

For instance, the larger database of our GRA, its moreintegratedsystems,and

itsgreaterlegalpowersmake it far more capable of detecting undeclared and illegitimatewealth.

The GRA can, by efficiently capturing and cross-referencing a person’s d e c l a r e d i n c o m e , expenditure, assets, and transactions, more capably perform this function than the docile Integrity Commission.

In terms of serving as a complaints authority, the IntegrityCommissionisalso redundant and unnecessary as there are several such authorities already in existence, such as the Ombudsman, the Ethnic Relations Commission, the Public Procurement Commission, and the Police Complaints Authority For instance, Article 192 (1) of the constitution empowers the Ombudsman to “investigateanyactiontaken by any department of Government or by any other authoritytowhichthisarticle applies, or by the President, Ministers, officers or members of such a department or authority, being action taken in e x e r c i s e o f t h e

administrative functions of that department or authority.”

One may argue for a more effective and activist Ombudsman, but giving the Integrity Commission the same mandate is an exercise infutility

Has the commission receivedanycomplaintsand, if so, what has it done with them?

Lastly, the question of privacyandcomfortrightsof those public servants who fallundertheactandhowto balance those rights against the need to fight public corruption.

O u r i n t e g r i t y commissionisauthorisedby law to seek information on the total lifelong wealth of a publicofficialand his or her closefamily

Thisisacrassinvasionof privacy, as the exercise reaches back into the life of theofficialpriortohisorher jobappointment.

It is also unnecessary because annual declarations of assets and incomes from the date of one’s appointmentcanalonedetect any suspicious richness without the need for

declaring one’s entire personal and family wealth. Indeed, a public officer under the act could declare his or her wealth on the first dayonthejobaszero.

T h e i n t e g r i t y commission then should onlyfocusonthewealththat person accumulates going forward.

WhyshouldIdeclaremy yacht – or be penalised for notdoingso–ifIpurchased it several years before I was appointed to a top governmentjob?

It is unconstitutional for the commission or any such authority to invade one’s right to privacy over and abovethatnecessarytofulfil itsstatutoryfunctions.

A less intrusive and burdensome demand for information may also encourage prompt and full compliance by officials

It would be more useful for the commission to focus exclusivelyondetectingand preventing conflicts of interest in the public service No other agency in Guyana has this mandate.

Sincerely SherwoodLowe

We need narratives of whole truths for national reconciliation

DearEditor,

Nooneshoulddifferwith o u r f o r m e r P M Nagamootoo’s yearning for greater national unity, greater civility, and mutual respect amongst us Guyanese; at all times and very much so at times of changeofGovernmentinour country, and in this instance thechangeofGovernmentin August 2020. Us Humans, being what we are, Moses might have tempered his f e e l i n g s o f b e i n g disrespected had he recalled the events preceding that change of government: five long tortuous months full of anxiety following our elections of March 3rd, and more than 19 months after his Government lost the noconfidence motion on December18th,2018.

Mosesimmediatelyafter that historical loss had assertedthathisGovernment would conform to the standard parliamentary requirementofarrangingand holdingnewelectionswithin ninety days. We Guyanese and Guyana, for nineteen

months,wereputtoasevere test of not tearing ourselves apart – there are many to whomweshouldbethankful that we did not go over the edge.

Moses might have tempered his feelings if he recalled the change of Government when he, triumphant, took office in May2015.

Elections were held on Monday, 11th By Wednesday evening GS Jagdeo was preparing us for a possible exit from Office and although we were very disappointed that we were n o t g e t t i n g s o m e questionable boxes recounted, President Ramotar early conceded Changeover arrangements between the Hinds and Nagamootoo families were abruptly ended; a last walkthrough was canceled; the PM’s car was demanded but soon demoted to the backup position whilst I caught a minibus to travel to our city centre with my closeman; Moses made some disparaging remarks about

how he found the PM’s Residence. For the cause of our “Dear Land of Guyana” we do need to see ourselves asone,everyoneofuscould have been in the other’s shoes.

IfirstmetMosesandhis wife, Sita, about October 1990, when my wife, Yvonne, and I attended a cocktail reception hosted by Khemraj and his wife, Ragmatti, for us to meet leading persons of the Progressive Youth Organization. Moses would have known of the anguish andwrongsdonetoDr Jagan and the members of the PPP from the split of the PPP in 1955: the gerrymandered constituencyboundaries,the rigged elections of 1968 to 85, the travails to the 1992 elections after two aborted attempts, and the events from December 2018 to August 2020. It is good to recognise that our “Dear Land of Guyana” needs greater cohesion - there are none but us to labour for it. Moses would know that we have a lot to clear from our

chests. Our Dear Land of G u y a n a n e e d s reconciliation We need narrativesofwholetruthsfor national reconciliation. We mustliveinthespiritof“One Guyana”, as proclaimed by our President, working to hoist up each other, for the prosperityofeachother,ona background of “One World, OneHumanRace”.

This is particularly so now, with our good fortune of ExxonM finding pools of oil off our shores, at depths whereitcouldnothavebeen won a few years before. There is no hiding from the fact that our good fortune would have brought along with it great forces for disruption within and without Guyana. It needs no sayingthatIkeephopingfor a better contribution to national cohesion, from Moses.

Yourstruly

SamuelAAHinds Former Prime Minister andFormerPresident. Ambassador to the USA andtheOAS.

What is the cost of the worst case scenario oil spill?

DearEditor,

Exxon has yet to share what the estimated cost is to clean up an oil spill in the worst case scenario The scenario planning was done, the simulation was done and thecosttocleanituphasyet tobeshared.Thegovernment hearing in the US had presented the argument for coverage in the range of $10 Billion US Dollars.This was the result of their experience with previous oil spills.Why hasn t Exxon been willing to share the cleanup costs for a spill that they know could affect other countries in the Region? This is where the discussionmustbegin.

The government of Guyanamustnotturnablind eye to the high level of risk that such a spill poses. The current argument that they cant afford increased coverage and that it could shutdownthesectorisbeing madetoscarethepublic.The government should be insisting on coverage that will meet the estimated costs associated with the worst spill outlined in Exxons simulation. The simulation should also be done by a neutral third party to ensure transparency CRG encourages the chambers of the attorney general to take a step back to adjust its position. We must not run blindlybehindrevenuewhile risking losing more than we receive.

The loss due to a major spill could cost not just the revenue gained, but also the health of those in the region. Agovernment which has the best interest of its citizens in mind would be vehemently arguing for all oil and gas suppliersinthesectortocarry the appropriate level of c o v e r a g e C l e a r l y ExxonMobils current

insurance coverage is inadequate.The EPAand the government should not be bending over backwards to cater to such unscrupulous behaviour Letsnotforgetthe missing signing bonus. Lets notforgetthescholarshipsfor thechildrenofministers.Lets not forget the high level of unauthorized deductions in billed expenses Lets not forget the unauthorized negotiations and subsequent reductionintheamountowed totheGRA.

A good business partner and supplier does not deal underhandedly with those they do business with. The Chambers of the attorney general has yet to launch a thorough investigation into theexpensefiasco,andutilize theForeignCorruptPractices Act with the help of the US Government.

The dealings of our government and its officials must be able to withstand public scrutiny If the government is unwilling to fight for what is best for our citizens then it must be replaced.ItisCRGshopethat thisgovernmentdoesntinsist on going in the wrong direction on this very importantissue.

Sincerely,

Mr.JamilChanglee Chairman T

h e C o o p e r a t i v e

RepublicansofGuyana

It is simply a blatant lie that Kwayana ignores racial violence emanating among Africans

DearEditor,

InobservanceofBrother Eusi Kwayana’s 99th birthday, I penned an overview of his political contributions which some sections of the media graciously published. The intention was to introduce newer generations to one of Guyana’s consequential public personage and to reintroduce him to older generations in whose memories he may have faded. I also set out to highlight aspects of his contributions that have either been lost in or smothered by the binary political consciousness of ourbifurcatedsociety

Further, I wanted to put inoneplacetheoutlineofthe breath of an eight-decade sojourn with all its twists, turns, divergences and convergences to hopefully encourageaholisticanalysis of his politics, praxis and interventions.

It is against that background that my attention was drawn to a missive by Bro Ravi Dev ostensibly on a slice of Kwayana’s activism (KN “ Kwayana and the PPP”). That is the object of my missive today As a disclaimer,ifoneisneeded,I amasupporterofKwayana’s who has spent a lot of time trying to understand his politicsandtolocatethemin thelargerGuyanesepolitical trajectory I am also a keen studentofGuyana’spolitical

history

Dev correctly pointed out that Kwayana supported Dr Cheddi Jagan’s candidacy at the 1947 election, defended Jagan’s right to lead the early PPP, thenbrokewithhimafterthe two splits of the PPP on statedissues.Butratherthan conclude that Kwayana’s attitude represented a rare independenceofthoughtand action, Dev proceeded to locate him as an anti-Jagan fanatic.Intheprocesshedid not mention that Kwayana declined nomination as PPP leader in deference to Jagan and that at the time of the first split in 1955, he stayed with the Jagan faction when manyAfricansleft.

But Dev did not stop there. He morphed his antiJagan construction with an anti-Indian construction to present Kwayana as the architect of the antiJagan/Indian stream in Guyanese politics He presents as his evidence articles written by Kwayana in the PNC’s New Nation and Kwayana’s location of the beginnings of the ethnic conflicts of the 1980s in 1961 rather than in 1962.

What is Dev’s objective? Dev sets out to spoil Kwayana’s“birthdayparty.” As he hinted, he has reservations about Kwayana’s thesis that in Guyana’s ethnic ferment, there is no guilty race Whether Dev believes there is a guilty race is not my

concern here He is suggesting that the No Guilty thesis may not be genuine since the author (Kwayana) through his writings and activism constructs Indians and their leader (Jagan) as the guilty ones.

IrespectfullyrejectRavi Dev’s suggestions Kwayana,theconcretist,has given Jagan credit when he thought it was right to do so andcriticizesJaganwhenhe thoughtitwasrighttodoso. He adopts the same attitude to Burnham. If Kwayana spoke out against the ethnic turn of the post-1957 Jagan PPP,doesthatmakehimthe author of that strain? If Kwayanawarnedagainstthe prospect of ethno-racial hegemonyofonegroupover the others, does that make himthedefinerandshaperof that tendency? In a politically divided environment,towhichgroup could Dr Jagan turn?Which group voted in much larger numbers for Dr Jagan’s PPP? Which areas of the

economy did the post-1957 PPP governments direct its policyemphasis?

The perception and realityoftheIndianistnature of the post-1957 PPP is not

Kwayana creation or definition Like others Kwayana reacted to it. His voice may have been louder than others, but he was not lyingonJaganandthePPP Dev’s suggestion that becauseKwayanaplacesthe beginning of the violence in 1961 when an African was killed by Indians is at best mischievous He accuses K w a y a n a o f o n l y chronicling Indian violence against Africans and avoiding violence in the other direction There is some cherry-picking there. He does not say that while Kwayana concludes that Indians were the aggressors in 1961 and 1964, Africans were the aggressors in 1962 and 1963. Does Dev have a reason for wanting to start theviolencein1962?

Itissimplyablatantlie

(Continuedonpage6)

New York Guyanese to end Ramadan Fasting today

DearEditor,

SinceMarch10,Muslim GuyaneseNewYorkershave been observing Ramadan or RamzanorRojah,aperiodof fasting that culminates Tuesday night with the expectedsightingofthenew crescent moon. Wednesday isEidulFitr,acelebrationat the end of the month long daytime fasting period. Eid is a school holiday in New York and parking rules are suspended throughout the cityandnearbytowns.

Since March 10, most if notallGuyaneseMuslimsin America and Muslims from othernationalitieshavebeen

fasting (dawn to dusk avoiding food and water) and attending mosques at dusk to pray and break the fast.SomeMuslimsattended masjid several (five) times duringtheday,asprescribed intheholyKoran.Wherenot possible, they pray at a convenient location to adheretothispillarofIslam. Muslims fast for spiritual andbodyrenewalduringthis holyperiodofsacrifice.

E v e r y M u s l i m nationality group in New Yorkhasitsownmasjidthat attracts fellow nationals (Bangladeshi, Pakistani, India, Moroccan, Saudi,

It is simply a blatant lie that Kwayana ignores...

Frompage5 that Kwayana ignores racial violence emanating among Africans.Ashepointsout:“I know also that the present public image of violence is an African one. Few people regret more than I do the degeneration of sections of Africans in Guyana but, to saythatitisnaturalorthatit wasalwaysso,orthatallare downhill must be due to ignorance or mischief. My present mission includes waging jihad against the doctrine, not the person, of anyonewhoclaimsthatthere is a guilty race in Guyana” (NoGuiltyRace. P.37).

ItisregrettablethatRavi Devinsistsonthesuggestion that there might be a guilty race in Guyana. Kwayana himself puts that suggestion in perspective “My challenge to writers of history,orofthestoryofthe peoples is this. An African writer or Indian writer shouldnottrytopretendthat

hisorherraceisalwaysright andtheothersalwayswrong. This cry ”My race (IndianorAfrican)isalways right, my race suffered the most, my race is the most wronged in the country, all the violence done in history was against my race”—is a false alarm. This kind of history, so far as Guyana is concerned, can be seen as war propaganda. It has no basis in the facts of our experience and will condemnlatergenerationsto endless conflict. We can arrive at a conclusion of a guilty race, only by twisting facts, missing facts and treating readers or listeners with disrespect. This does not mean that in every department of wrong the scores are equal. It means thattherehasbeentodateno groundatallfortheideaofa guilty race of Guyanese” (NoGuiltyRace,p.2).

Regards

DavidHinds

Palestine, Jordanian, Yemenis, Turkish, among others). There are dozens of Masjidsaroundthelargecity andinotherpartsofAmerica

where Muslims live Guyanese Muslims have established masjids where they clustered including in Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Orlando, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Boston, Minnesota,andelsewhere.

The largest number of Guyanese-oriented masjids areinQueens;therearealso Guyanese masjids in BrooklynandBronx.

There are numerous Guyanese and Trinidad

oriented masjids in the greater Richmond Hill (Little Guyana and Little Trinidad) area, and in Jamaica, Queens Village, and in other Guyanese or Caribbean communities

where Guyanese or Caribbean Muslims tend to congregate for social activities and worshipping. Every nationality around USA have their own jamaat a n d M o s q u e s f o r worshipping. TheAlAbidin Masjid is the largest among Guyanese located on 125 and Liberty Ave. Guyanese, like other nationalities, prefer to worship at their

own masjid with their customs and practices, and breaking the fast with their c u l t u r a l d i e t TheNewYorkareamosques or masjids were packed nightly during the Ramadan period. Some individuals of othernationalitiesalsocome to the Guyanese Masjids for worship, and some Guyanese do worship at m o s q u e s o f o t h e r nationalities, where Guyanese mosques are not available.

Since the start of Ramzan, hundreds have been gathering at each masjidnightlywellattiredin

traditional garb to pray and break their fast by consuming dates, fruits, and solid meals and water, tea, coffee, and soft drinks Vermicelli was popular as a dessert. There were nightly Iftaar at every masjid and non-Muslims were also invited at some of them. President Irfaan Ali flew in to New York and attended Iftaar or breaking of the fast on April 4 at the Al Abidin Masjid that was packed to capacity He was flocked by several Guyanese and mobbedforpixtaking.

Yourstruly Vishnu

Bisram

MuslimsobserveEid-ul-Fitr

Muslims today observe

Eid-ul-Fitr as the month of Ramadan concluded with the sighting of the moon. The Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) in a notice issued on Tuesday said that the “crescent to commencethemonthofShawwal1445 AH was looked for after sunset on Tuesday, April 09, 2024 Reports received locally and regionally confirmedthatthemoonwassighted.”

TheCIOGsaidthatithasaccepted the reports and has declared the commencement of the month of ShawwalandEid-ul-Fitrtoday

Meanwhile,PresidentoftheCIOG Al-Hajj Shahabudeen Ahmad in his message said “we were honored by Allah (swt), the Infinitely Merciful, to have graduated from the university of Ramadan. A month in which we practiced patience, self-control and restraint We have participated in private and communal worship, engaged in much reflection and introspection,enhancedourcaringand giving and refined our character; all

with the expectation of attaining closeness to our Creator, Allah (swt) Now, after a month of fasting, we celebrate with the intention of being Abdun-Shakoor,thankfulservants.”

The CIOG President said too that st on the 1 day of Shawwal, the day of Eid,“aswecelebrateandrejoiceinthe grace and mercy of Allah (swt), we ponder on the many lessons of Ramadan.”Henotedthatthisyearwas “Immenselymoredifficultnotbecause we deprived ourselves of food and water but because of what we endured asanUmmah.”

Al-HajjShahabudeenAhmadnoted too that this year's Ramadan Muslims observeEid-ul-Fitr“waspainfulaswe watchedindisbeliefatthefirstpublicly televisedgenocideofourBrothersand Sisters in Gaza. We were given many lessons this Ramadan but the greatest lessons came from them while undersiege Notably, the concept of Imaan(faith) and Tawwakul (intense andhopefultrustinAllah(swt)).”

He said that emerging from Ramadan this year cannot mean the

sameaslastyear “Thelessonswewere taughtinandoutoftheMasjidmustbe coupled with action. Gratitude is not just expressed on the tongue. Selfrestraint and control must be extended to other aspects of our lives. We witnessed our Brothers and Sisters breaktheirfastwithsoupmadeofgrass and water, and some are in perpetual fasting.

Despite their homes and places of worship decimated, they still prayed thenightprayersbetweentherubble.I ask, what is the source of their strength? What we witnessed is their constant dua (prayer) of our Father Ibrahim (Abraham), peace be upon him.”

Al-Hajj Shahabudeen Ahmad urged that, “In our celebration, let us not forget those among our brothers and sisters who face difficulties and hardship,thosefacingthechallengesof illness,hunger,anddespair Reachout, find ways to help, comfort and sustain others, while filling them with hope andremindingthemthatAllah (swt) is Gracious,MercifulandAbundant.”

Govt.isnotabovethelaw;mustactinthebest...

Frompage3 is a day in which the judiciary is allowing potentiallyunlawfulconduct to continue to the detriment oftheStateanditspeople.

As established decades ago, “Justice is not a cloisteredvirtue:shemustbe allowedtosufferthescrutiny and respectful, even though outspoken comments of men.”Andwomen.

Itiscontrarytotheruleof law and the public interest that eleven months have elapsed without the Court of Appeal determining the appeals and also that the Court has not heard the applications on the stay More generally, it undermines the rule of law

wheninjudicialreviewcases certain judges have been unable to render their decisions within the time limitssetbylaw

As the two most senior judges in country, the Chancellor and the Chief Justice ought to ensure that the judicial system delivers justice in a timely, independent and impartial manner that merits public trust.

It is their responsibility to demand and obtain the resources necessary to do so ortostepdown.

The rule of law is underminedwhenthereis,or appears to be, interference with the judiciary Despite public reports that the President assured John Hess

that Persaud JAwould grant the stay, the AttorneyG e n e r a l , w h o i s constitutionallytheprincipal legal adviser to the President, has said nothing and has apparently taken no actiontoclearthePresident's name or uphold the rule of law

The rule of law requires governments to treat all citizens equally The rule of lawisaguaranteeoffreedom

from oppressive and arbitrary government but it has to be used and protected bycitizens.

The Attorney-General's comment that “every Tom, DickandHarrylall(can)file cases, (although) they have no direct interest in the oil and gas sector , ” is

disrespectful to public spirited citizens who are doing their public duty by keeping the government in check.

The rule of law is under threat in Guyana and more citizens had better stand up to protecttheirfreedom.

Note: Messrs Collins and Whyte are represented by Seenath Jairam, Melinda Janki and Abiola WongInniss.

Melinda Janki is an Attorney-at-Law Sheisthe recipient of the prestigious Commonwealth Lawyers Conference Rule of Law Award 2023 for her work to uphold the rule of law in Guyana and internationally She has worked for oil supermajors.

Stand up for Guyana

Stand up Guyana, for the PPP/C Government (Jagdeo) is falling down on the job of doing right by Guyanese.

Stop taking things for granted, stop turning a blind eye, or else both the PPP/C Government and the APNU+AFC Opposition will allow ExxonMobil to trample upon Guyanese.

To all Guyanese, we owe it to our enslaved forebearers, to our martyred indentured, to stand up for our birthright and our rights, and if it means a showdown with the exploitative foreigners, then so be it.

A hundred and twenty oil blocks are more than a parcel of precious oil real estate; they are a whole oil country by themselves.

Director of the RCGV, Antonio Hamraj

Guyanese citizens residing in Venezuela want the Guyana Government to assist in resolving issues they face in the neighboring country, Director of the RCGV (Representatives of the Guyanese CommunityinVenezuela),Antonio HamrajsaidonTuesday.

RepresentativesoftheGuyanese

Guyanese citizens want Govt. to help resolve issues they face in Venezuela

Community in Venezuela (RCGV) is a non-governmental organisation based in Ciudad Guayana, Estado Bolivar, Venezuela that watches over the social rights of Guyanese citizenslivingthere. Ithasbeenin existencefor20years.

Hamraj, the current head of the organisation, in an interview with the Venezuelan press revealed that hehasrequestedameetingwiththe Guyana’s newly appointed AmbassadortoVenezuela,Richard Van-West Charles to brief him on some of the issues Guyanese are facing.

The RCGV Director reportedly said that while his organisation has

m a i n t a i n e d t e l e p h o n e communication with the Guyanese diplomatic headquarters in Venezuela; he wants the new ambassador to visit the Guyanese community(CiudadGuayana).

He noted that a recent census revealedthattherearesome1,315 Guyanese presently residing in the neigbouring country This year another100wasaddedtothattotal afterregistrationwasresumed “One of the serious problems currently faced is with respect to the identity situation with some compatriots who have resided in thecountryforyearsandhavenot been able to get nationality as

established by the National Constitution of Venezuela,” the Director said before adding that some workers of the immigration and registration authorities there havebeentakingadvantageofthe Guyanesecitizensbysellingthem falsedocuments “ Andsomeofthemhavebeen deceivedbyfalsemanagerswhosell them false documents for US$250 andevenUS$300dollars,”Hamraj explained.

The Director is hoping that AmbassadorVan-WestCharleswill help resolve this and other issues beingfacedbyGuyaneselivingin Venezuela

Guyana’sAmbassador to Venezuela, Richard Van-West Charles

He even called for the two countries to work together in establishing a direct flight from Guyana to Venezuela’s Capital so that Guyanese can enter through legalroutes.Guyaneseareentering by river through the Venezuelan borders which can be very dangerousforthem.

Georgetown is a city beyond repair

Georgetown is a sight to make one's eyes sore. Fetid drains, indiscriminate dumping of garbage, poor infrastructure,marketswhich should have long been condemned, and disorder all around,allpaintapictureofa cityinirreversibledecline.

However, the decay and decadence of Georgetown are not recent phenomena. Theyaretheresultofdecades o f n e g l e c t a n d mismanagement that predated the PPPC government of 1992

Despite what the politicians may say, the city has slipped beyond the grasp of redemption.

Georgetown's crumbling infrastructure,chokeddrains, and inadequate municipal servicesarerelicsofabygone era,remnantsofatimewhen neglect was the norm and progress a distant dream.

Even before 1992, the city was grappling with insurmountable challenges

This situation has now been madecatastrophicbythelack of proper urban planning, c o u p l e d w i t h t h e proliferation of illegal vending and squatting that h a v e t r a n s f o r m e d Georgetown into a labyrinth ofchaosanddisorder

The problems run deeper thanpoormunicipalservices. They are symptomatic a larger malaise that afflicts everyaspectofurbanlife.

Even with abundant financial resources at its disposal, a cash-flush City Hallwouldstillbepowerless to single-handedly fix the

deeply ingrained problems plaguing Georgetown. The city's decay and dysfunction stem not only from financial deficits but from a pervasive attitude that does not allow for the orderly and effective developmentofthecity Noamountofmoneycan compensate for the lack of civic responsibility and collective action needed to addressissuessuchasillegal vending, inadequate infrastructure, and environmental degradation. Without a fundamental shift in attitude, Georgetown's problems will persist indefinitely,defyingeventhe most generous fiscal interventions.

Illegal vending has becomeanentrenchedpartof Georgetown's façade, defacing its streets and pavements and suffocating its once-vibrant stores and markets This problem insteadofbeingnippedearly in the bud has been encouraged to the point now ithasbeenmetastasized.The absence of zoning regulations only exacerbates the problem, leading to a haphazard landscape where skyscrapers loom over modest homes and sacred sites stand in the shadow of disreputablebusinesses.

Attempts to envision a revitalized Georgetown ring hollow in the face of such entrenched dysfunction. The costofrestoringthecitytoits formerglory–ofrepairingits roads, revitalizing its green spaces, and improving its drainage – is staggering,

beyond the reach of any budget.

Even if the city were to receive a windfall of oil money,itisdoubtfulwhether it could be effectively deployed to address Georgetown's myriad woes. The rot runs too deep, the problems too pervasive, for any fix or grand scheme to succeed.Likeapartythatrigs elections, Georgetown is a broken system, rendering meaningful change all but impossible.

T h e o n c e - p r o u d landmarks of Georgetown now stand as monuments to itsdecline.Merriman'sMall, once a jewel of urban greenery, now lies neglected and overgrown and turned intoabazaar,asadtestament to the city's faded glory The streets, once bustling with commerce and culture, now teemwithdecayandvendors taking up every available squareinch.

Attempting to address even the seemingly lowhanging fruit of illegal vending in Georgetown is akin to walking through a minefieldofsocialunrestand discontent Any effort to enforce regulations or curb this pervasive issue will be met with fierce resistance, with the possibility of it descending into riots and claims of victimization. The cultureofillegalvendinghas so become deeply ingrained that individuals feeling entitled to sell their goods whereverandwheneverthey please This sense of entitlement not only

DEM BOYS SEH

Georgetown should be turned into a different kind of tourist attraction

Some forward-thinking minds have proposed a revolutionary solution to Georgetown'sperpetualstateofdecay:turn itintoatouristattraction! Whyfixthecity whenyoucanprofitfromitsdilapidation?

Travellers can be invited to experience the authentic sights and smells of Georgetown's bustling markets, where navigating through these facilities becomes a thrilling game of holding one's breath to avoidthepungentodorsemanatingfromthe drains or braving the perilous washrooms, which provide a real test of one's survival skills.

And let's not forget the pièce de résistance–avisittothereveredLaRepentir Cemetery, now transformed into a lush rainforest,wheretouristscancommunewith nature amidst the eerie backdrop of tombstones being swallowed whole by a jungleoftoweringtrees.

And let's not overlook the exhilarating experience of attempting to walk along Georgetown's pavements, which have been overrun by enterprising vendors eager to

undermines the rule of law but also creates a volatile environment where lawlessness thrives unchecked.Insuchaclimate, the very essence of urban governance is compromised. No city can function effectivelyinsuchaclimate.

The only reason why attentionisbeingpaidbythe government to Georgetown is because there is massive sunken private sector and public sector investment within the city All of the government ministries and most of its departments and

agencies are located in the city The government, however, should have long moved its ministries and departments out of the city and into other areas where greaterordercanprevail.But the massive private sector investments in the city and the fact that it is still the country's main port will always allow for some importance to be attached to Georgetown.

showcase their wares. Walking becomes a thrilling obstacle course as tourists dodge makeshift stalls and negotiate with persistent sellers vying for their attention. It's a true test of agility and endurance, offeringaglimpseintothevibrantchaosthat defines life in Georgetown. Who needs a pedestrian-friendlycitywhenyoucanhavea thrillinggameofsidewalkrouletteinstead? Welcome to the wild world of Georgetown tourism!

Who needs pristine beaches or majestic landscapeswhenyoucanhavetheauthentic charm of Georgetown's decay at your fingertips? With a little marketing magic, Georgetown could become the hottest destinationforadventuroussoulsseekingan unforgettable experience – just don't forget your bug spray and nose plugs! After all, why let a little thing like urban decay stand inthewayofagoodtime?

It's time to embrace Georgetown's uniquebrandofcharmandturnitsflawsinto touristgold!

Talkhalf.Leffhalf

It is now even more importantforthegovernment andtheprivatesectortoshift their investment focus away from Georgetown and towards the creation of new cities, towns, and secondary urbancenters.Georgetownis beyondfixing.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaperanditsaffiliates.)

Soft questions for VP Jagdeo

It is the season of questions, and since I have an inquiring mind, the blasphemousisdone. Inow place a little pamphlet of questions at the feet of His Excellency, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo. Iassurehimandhis coterieofloyaliststhatthere are neither traps nor landmines nor surprises nor tricksnoranythinguntoward in these simple questions publicized.

Theyhavetodowithhis management of the nation's oil patrimony, his relationshipwithExxonand others, and his familiarity with truth, and the oathsunsworn or unwritten or unknown-ofleaders.

The VP may take umbrage, but I can only be aboutuniformityofeffortsto steer him to the paths that holds the most promise for

Guyana. The paths from which he dodges with awkward feet, which he seeks to obscure through clumsycamouflagesthatare transparent to everyone Truthbetold,aredherringis aredherring,andsoisapink iguana.

First, sir, why do questions,theessenceofthe ordinary, about the people's patrimony drive you to such fury? I appreciate that the best defence is a hostile offense, but why the agitations that reveal so much that is now unanswerableaboutthisoil?

Recently, some questions were raised before Mr Routledge, but the first stop mustbe,noifs,ands,orbuts, with the chief policymaker Is the paramount policy to intimidate interrogators through pretending at

frothing mob-like frenzy over straightforward inquiry?

Asismynorm,aspeckof advice is posted. No matter how often a question has been tabled, a leader is a teacher, a policymaker is a messenger, an oil czar cannot afford to be this bizarre (answered before). Another word for this errant comrade,ifsomeofwhathas been asked pushed, pleaded for (transparency, fencing, leadership integrity and b o l d n e s s ) w e r e implemented, questioners wouldrunoutofquestions. I would have to spend more time writing books than assisting to pull up socks. They are not mine; for the record and to clear up any confusion about whose socksfallindisarraynotjust to their ankles, but to their

shoetips. Jagdeo's.

Second, why is it Mr Vice President that there is this immovable devotion to placing Exxon's interests above those of Guyanese?

Even the blind can see without a dog, or a hearing aid, and with astounding clarity what being puppet, pawn, and parrot to the decisionsthatbenefitExxon hasinflictedonVPJagdeo.

As a courtesy, I am leaving out the bristling, menacing porcupine that he can rapidly transform into, whenoilanditspossibilities forGuyanese(notWoodsor Wirth) are on the agenda. Why do foreign investors always take precedence, eminence, over local visions, considerations, expectations? Regardlessof all the calumny (justified I believe) that has been

hurled, has nothing been learned from the lessons of egregious failures? Thisoilisandcan be the hour of personal redemption,sowhynotseize it and show the world what personal capabilities are? No! I do not identify cunning, nor disgrace this writing (or the object of it) by having any truck with suspected weaknesses, or other labels alleged and affixed.

If those may have been present before, let them be the monopoly property of othersnow Ithinkthatitis well within the wisdom of Bhar-ratthatthereisheinous injustice in GY$25,000 per qualified, while Exxon's people get a full, fun-filled ride on Guyanese backs. Why do interest rates and expense billions have to be so, Dr Policymaker? Why doallpolicieshaveagolden Exxonsheentothem? Why real audits are not the norm, sothatExxonisexposedasa snake in the grass? Better makethatinsidethebra. Not one of those questions is asked to embarrass the former president. Every one of them is to help see himself through the eyes of distressed and disgruntled Guyanese, including many of his own people. The ranksmultiplyoftheonesno longer in that worshipful condition.

If the keen has noticed thatIallocateseveralbitesof thesameapple,withthreeor fourquestionsunderasingle umbrella heading, then I learnthatfromthebest. Itis Bharrat Jagdeo himself; his presenttitleprovidesofficial confirmation of and witness to his long, colorful history. This naturally segues to the last question, and the underlying sub-inquiries relatedtoit.

Third, there have been e n d l e s s s w i r l i n g speculations about Jagdeo's familiarity with truth. Is truth merely an abstraction, liege? Is it seen as hindrance, nuisance, and inconvenience, master, something less on the totem pole? As I have weighed this, there is this measured conclusion: Jagdeo has an identity crisis, one that is acute and chronic, in p r o x i m i t y t o t h e pathological.

There is this mysterious difficulty with truth. He huffs. He puffs. He comes up with stuff I have observed him sweating by the barrel, like a man afflicted with fevered hallucinationswhenoiltruth is the mandate of the moment,musttakeprimacy He has not been about what todo,buthowtogoaboutit like one of Edghill's roundabouts.

There are strong truths andthereareslyones. There arealsosordidones. Oneof these days, long after me, there will be a Truth Commission. A genuine one, not one of those local COIfarces. Somebodywill recall that someone at some time said something about the truth, and Jagdeo's haunted relationship with it. Thisleadershouldhavebeen good,hechosetobegoring, graceless, and of ghastly grimness. Ananswerortwo shouldhelptocleantheair

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s affiliates.)

Manshotfivetimesinlegbymotorcyclist

A26-year-oldmanwasonMondayshot fivetimesintheregionofhislegswhileat MiddleRoad,LaPenitence,Georgetown.

The injured man has been identified as ShaneBourne.

Police in a statement said that the incident occurred at about 11:30h. Bourne was reportedly approached by two unidentifiablemenonamotorcycle,oneof whomfiredseveralshotsathim.

Bourne was struck four times in his rightthighandonceinhisleft.Thesuspects thenfledthescene.

The injured man was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) by public spirited citizens and is listedasstable.Investigationsareongoing.

Meanwhile,35-year-oldWessonHinds was shot by two unidentifiable males on Sunday at Charlotte Street, Georgetown. The assailants were reportedly wearing facemasksandwereonamotorcycle.

Police said that the pillion rider was armedwithahandgun.

Investigations revealed that the victim was standing on Charlotte Street opposite

the Truth Power, Glory, and Sanctuary church, facing north when the suspects approachedfromthesoutherndirectionon themotorcycle.

The pillion rider disembarked, demanded belongings from the victim, whileaskingthevictimifhe“getanything” andwithoutdelay,dischargedaroundfrom the handgun, hitting the victim in his left upperthigh.

Subsequently, the suspects fled on the motorcycle. The victim was taken to the GPHCwherehereceivedtreatment.

…as UN accuses EPA of hiding critical environmental data from public Guyana must implement stricter environmental laws for Foreign Companies in extractive sector

The extractive industry in Guyana has long been a significant sourceofrevenueforthecountrybut with such industries there are environmental risks that must be managed, monitored, and mitigated and,rulesenforced

In Guyana, this role falls under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and with the expansion of the domestic oil and gas industry its effectiveness, is of greaterimport

During its most recent period

review by the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) however, the EPAfound itself on the receiving end of harsh criticism

Specifically, the Committee expressed its concern about reports of inadequate implementation of environmentalregulationsincluding oftheEnvironmentalProtectionAct andthelackofdetailedinformation on the effective role of the Environmental Protection Agency in the implementation of these regulations

Additionally, the Committee alsoflaggedtheEPAoverconcerns about the limited access to environmentalinformationandlack of effective consultation and meaningful participation by the most disadvantaged groups, including the Amerindians and fishery-dependent communities in decision-making processes directly impacted by pollution and climate change

“Furthermore,theCommitteeis

concerned about the prevalence of illegal mining activities, which contribute significantly to desertification, and by the lack of thorough assessment of the environmental impact of such activities by the Environmental ProtectionAgency,”theCommittee said

The Committee said too it was concernedbythenegativeeffectsof water pollution and air contamination caused by these activities, as well as poor

management of hazardous waste and their impact on environmental healthconditions,suchasabnormal childbirths, fatigue and memory loss Itisconcernedaboutreportsof the hazards posed by mercury contamination and poisoning from miningactivitiesininhabitedareas, particularlybyindigenouspeoples.

To this end, the UNHRC called onGuyanatoenhancetheabilityof the public to participate meaningfullyinenvironmental

Continued on page 23

Jailed: Orin Younge

Security Guard jailed for possession of ammo

A36-year-oldsecurityguardof Middle Walk, Buxton, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was on Monday sentenced to two years in prison when he appeared at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court to answer a possessionofammunitioncharge.

Orin Younge also known as Orin Matthews was arrested on Fridayafterhereportedlyassaulted and threatened to kill his child’s motherwithafirearm.

He made his first court appearance before Magistrate

Fabayo Azore where he was chargedfortheoffenceofhavingin his possession a magazine containing an unlicensed AK-47 ammunitionrounds.

Younge pleaded guilty to the charge.

Police said that at about 23:45hrs, ranks responded to a reportofdomesticviolence,which relatedthatawomanwasallegedly assaulted and threatened by her child’s father with a gun. It is also allegedthatthesuspectpointedthe

gunatthevictimwhenheheardher talkingtothepoliceonthephone.

In response, ranks visited a locationonFridayatMiddleWalk, Buxton, where Younge was contacted. He was told of the offence, cautioned and arrested. Thereafter police conducted a searchofthepremises,wherethey foundamagazinewith15live(7.62 ×39)AKroundsofammunition.

Younge and the ammunition were taken to the Vigilance Police Station.

The 15 live rounds of AK ammunition that were found

Ansa Mcal unveils joint venture with Indian alcoholic beverage company

ANSA McAL Limited has enteredintoastrategicpartnership with Globus Spirits Limited, a distinguished player in India’s alcoholicbeveragesindustry

Together, the companies introduce Globus ANSA Private Limited, a dynamic joint venture merging cultures and expertise.

According to a release from Ansa McAL, this collaboration represents a momentous milestone in its journey, one that will revolutionise the beer industry in India,withtheiconicCarib®brand proudlyleadingthecharge.

Withabrewingheritageofover 70 years, the Carib® brand embodies a legacy of excellence and unwavering commitment to quality,thecompanysaid.

“Aswesoughttoexpandintothe Indian market, it was imperative to find partners who shared our dedication to maintaining the integrityoftheCarib®brand Thus, we are honoured to embark on this journey alongside Globus Spirits Limited,” the company said in the mediarelease

According toAnsa McAL, the partnership marks the dawn of a new era in the Indian alcoholic beveragesindustry

“GlobusANSAPrivateLimited

will specialise in the manufacturing and distribution of

Sector Business Development Manager – Beverage – Caribbean Development Company; Mr Anthony N. Sabga III, Group Chief Executive Officer, ANSA McAL Limited; Mr. Shekhar Swarup, Managing Director, Globus Spirits Limited and Mr. Adrian Sabga, Managing Director, International and Business Development, Caribbean Development Company.

alcoholic beverages across the Indiansubcontinent,leveragingthe strengths and expertise of both GlobusSpiritsandANSAMcAL.”

Meanwhile, speaking on the occasion, Mr Shekhar Swarup, Managing Director of Globus Spirits Limited, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “We are thrilled to join forces with ANSA McAL, a

companywithanillustrioushistory and a reputation for excellence in the Caribbean. This joint venture represents a strategic alignment of oursharedvisiontoofferpremium quality products to consumers acrossIndia.

We are confident that the synergybetweenourorganisations willdriveinnovationandgrowthin the Indian alcoholic beverages market.”

Chinesecontractortofund$10M repairtoHarbourBridge–Edghill

The company responsible for the tug and barge (OME Tone One), which on Sunday nightdriftedintofourbuoysandtwopontoons at spans 12 and 13 of the Demerara Harbour Bridge(DHB)willbeartherepaircosts

This is according to Minister of Public Works,BishopJuanEdghill Edghillmadethe comments on Sunday evening during an assessmentoftheaccident,whichoccurredat 19:30hours

“The company that is responsible for this,whateverthecostofthedamages,they would have to pay that is not an option,”

Minister Edghill assured An investigation is currently being carried out by the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) to determine the cause of the incident and whether the tug pushing the barge had sufficientcontrol,givenitsheavyloadofsteel plates.

Additionally, the minister stated that technical experts will be enlisted to conduct inspections to ensure the bridge remains in

goodcondition,whilethenewbridgeisbeing constructed Divers were also deployed to assess the extent of damage to the anchors Minister Edghill emphasised that despite the incident, traffic flow interference is minimal, and he assured the public that the bridge will remainfunctionalfortraffic Heavytrucksare also permitted to traverse the bridge The ministerconfirmedthatallcrewmembersand coastguardswereaccountedfor China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and its partners China Railway Caribbean Company Limited and China RailwayEngineeringBureauGroupCompany Limited are the responsible entities “The contractor that is building the new Demerara River Bridge will be held liable for the paymentoftherepairs,it’stheirworkers,their barge, their tug” Edghill told this newspaper onTuesday Notably the Minister highlighted tothispublicationthatafterafullinspectionof the DHB after the incident, the damages had beenassessedatjustover$10million

Mr Anthony N Sabga III, Group Chief Executive Officer of ANSA McAL, echoed these sentiments “ANSA McAL is thrilled to partnerwithGlobusSpiritsLimited in this exciting venture India presents immense opportunities for expansion,andweareconfidentthat our collaboration will allow us to

seizethegrowingdemandforhighquality beverages by captivating palates with our distinctive products By leveraging our combined resources and expertise, wearepoisedtodeliverunparalleled value to both consumers and stakeholders”

The establishment of Globus ANSA Private Limited underscores the commitment of both Globus Spirits Limited and ANSAMcAL to drive innovation, foster growth, and create lasting value in the Indian alcoholic beveragesindustry

Asthejointventureembarkson this exciting journey, it is poised to redefine the consumer experience and set new benchmarks for excellence. Moreover, with the inclusion of license manufacturing of Carib® in India, the company solidifiesitsdedicationtoexpanding ourglobalfootprintwhileupholding thelegacyofqualitythathasdefined theCarib®brand

ABOUTGLOBUS SPIRITSLIMITED:

Globus Spirits Limited is a leading player in the Indian alcoholic beverages industry, renowned for its commitment to quality, innovation, and consumer satisfaction. For more information on Globus Spirits Limited visit https://www.globusspirits.com

From left: Mr. Ravi Dharamdial,

Foreign contractors take Guyana to court for US$90M over delays in Wales Gas project

The contractors of the Wales,WestBankDemerara (WBD) Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project have initiated legalproceedingsagainstthe Government of Guyana (GOG)forUS$90millionin costoverruns.

TheGTEprojectwillsee the utilization of Guyana natural gas resources being piped from ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) StabroekBlockoperationsto thelocationinWales.

Exxon is responsible for the construction of the 140mile (225-km) gas pipeline with a price tag of US$1 billion.Theoilcompanyhas promised to deliver the pipeline by the end of this year This gas pipeline will be connected to the combined onshore facilities, which falls under the purview of the government. Exxon will have to supply gasfromtheStabroekBlock to the 300 megawatts (MW) power plant and a Natural GasLiquids(NGL)facility

In November 2022, United States-based Lindsayca and CH4 joint venture was awarded the US$759 million contract by the government for the construction of the onshore facilities. Engineers India Ltd(EIL)wasalsohiredata cost of US$22 million to supervise works by CH4/Lindsayca.

Prime Minister, Mark Phillips

Routledge.

“It’s hard to have all the facilities ready at the same time ” As soon as the onshore facilities are ready, “thewholethingwillstartup and all those benefits will flowtothecountry,”hesaid.

Guyana will miss the chance to slash its power coststhisyearbecauseofthe project delay It imports expensive fuel oil for an aged and often faulty power facility When fully running onnaturalgas,thenewplant will reduce the nation’s power costs by 50%, officialshavesaid.

According to Reuters, the US$1.9 billion power project is embroiled in legal fights and risks cost overruns. Notably it was statedthatthefirstphaseofa 300-MW power plant is running six months behind schedule and full operation is not expected until the fourthquarterof2025. Notably,uptopresstime therehasbeennowordfrom the government on the contractors that head to arbitration over the US$90

In January 2023, the governmentsignedaUS$23 million contract with Engineers India Limited (EIL) for the provision of ConsultancyServicesforthe Wales NGL facility as well asthepowerplant.

million in cost overruns. Prime Minister Mark Phillips is spearheading the GTEproject.

According to Reuters, Guyana’s efforts to use its natural gas resources to fuel a power plant that would slash the South American nation’s energy costs have snagged on construction delaysandthreatentocurtail the rising oil hotspot’s revenue this year by US$1 billion.

The gas pipeline completion will require Exxon to pause production

inthethirdquarterattwooil production vessels to connectthemtotheundersea pipeline, Exxon country manager Alistair Routledge said.

If the tie-in lasts four weeks, Exxon and its consortium partners Hess and China’s CNOOC would havetohaltupto12million barrels of oil output from two platforms that produce 400,000bpdatpeaklevels.It was explained that based on Guyana’s recent sale at US$85 per barrel, it could lead to over US$1 billion in

deferredoilrevenue.

An Exxon spokesperson lastweekdeclinedtospecify howlongtheproductionhalt willlast.Routledgehadsaid the pipeline connection and maintenance works would take“weeks,notmonths.”

The executive said Exxon is not worried about having to shut production this year for a project that will not be ready to accept the gas at least until sometimein2025.

When the gas-fired power plant is ready is “a question of timing,” said

Reuters noted that while itisnotuncommonformajor projects to run behind schedule, Guyana’s government faces a p r e s i d e n t i a l a n d parliamentary election next year and is keen to deliver tangible benefits to the nation’s750,000residents.

M o r e o v e r, t h i s publicationrecentlyreported that agreements for GTE project are yet to be laid in the National Assembly d e s p i t e r e p e a t e d c o m m i t m e n t s b y government.

Car thief caught on camera

A man was caught on camera stealing a tinted grey Toyota 212 motorcar, PRR 900 from in front of a house on Perry Street, Tucville,Georgetownataround03:00hrson Sunday

Ittookthecarthiefjustovertwominutes tostealthevehicle.

Footageshowedthatthemanwasdressed in black pants, a blue jersey, a pair of white sneakersandwhatlookedlikeadarkcoloured cap.

The thief was seen sneaking up to the

driver’s side of the car, and using a tool to carefullyopenthedoor Aftergainingaccess, heenteredandtookaboutaminutetohotwire thecar

Blinking lights came on first before the engine revved. The car thief then drove off slowlyandacceleratedashegotfurtheraway

Persons who may be able to identify the suspect or have knowledge of the whereabouts of the car are asked to make contactwiththenearestpolicestationorcall cellphonenumbers,621-9093or691-8947.

The man stealing the car

An artist’s impression of the GTE project

15contractorsbidtorehabilitatetaxiwayatCJIA

Fifteencontractorshavesubmittedbidsto rehabilitatetheTaxiwayCharlieattheCheddi JaganInternationalAirport(CJIA)

Thiswasrevealedattheopeningofbidson Tuesday at the National Procurement and TenderAdministrationBoard(NPTAB)office

The contractors have responded to the Ministry of Public Work’s advertisement to rehabilitate the Taxiway Charlie at the internationalairport

The ministry had tender for the rehabilitationofthetaxiway(phaseone)which isestimatedtocost$443,957,430 Thetaxiway is a pathway for aircraft at an airport which connects runways with aprons, hangars and terminalsamongotherfacilities

Those who bid are:Avionics Engineering Inc -$420,011,655,ColinTalbotContracting Services - $643,423,307, S Jagmohan Construction & General Supplies Inc$491,433,124, AJM Enterprise$533,619,660, Sheriff Construction Inc$442,986,915, Surrey Paving & Aggregate Company Guyana Inc - $431,526,953, P&R Construction Service - $443,864,295, Errol Cush Contracting Services - $439,830,037, Sawh Construction Inc - $439,351,395, Mohamed’s Excavating Construction Inc$376,513,725, Chung’s Global Inc$446,414,220, Caribbean Concrete Guyana Inc.-$395,904,862,C&LConstructionInc.$534,126,075, Avinash Scrap Metal Inc.$529,335,345,andSolaceConstructionInc.$440,485,395.

Thispublicationhadreportedthatthenew works for the airport are part of the government’s plans to modernise the facility

Section of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

(Photo courtesy, CJIA)

Atapressconferencein2022,Ministerof PublicWorks,JuanEdghilltoldreportersthat construction on the airport will continue The airportexpansioncontractwassignedin2011 under then President, Bharrat Jagdeo and passed through the truncated presidency of DonaldRamotar

However, when the David Granger administrationtookofficein2015,itsaidthat

With about US$150 million already pumped into the expansion of CJIA– citizens should expect more of their taxpayers’dollars going towards the ‘continued modernisation’of the airport

theverydefectiveplanneededadjustmentsand changes were made The decade-old project was awarded to Chinese contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) for thesumofUS$150million:$138millionfrom theChinaEximBankand$12millionfromthe ConsolidatedFund–taxpayers’money

WhenthePPPadministrationtookofficein August 2020, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghillhadexpresseddissatisfactionwiththe workdonebythecontractorandassuch,had negotiated and gotten CHEC to do additional

works at the airport at no cost to Guyana It was only recently that CHEC completed the works on the airport Notably, while the contract cost with the Chinese contractor remains at US$150M, the government has undertaken several multi-million upgrades to theairport

This year with $1.1 billion budgetary allocation for the ongoing modernisation of theCJIA,itwasstatedinthebudgetestimates that the money will be spent on the apron, taxiwaysandairlineofficesfortheairport.

First Batch of UG’s Food Scientists to Transform Food Security for Guyana and the Region -HeadofChemistryDept.

The University of Guyana’s (UG)firstbatchoffoodscientistsare expectedtotransformfoodsecurity for Guyana and the Caribbean, Dr Dawn Fox, Head of the UG’s DepartmentofChemistrysaid

“We are inordinately proud of this pioneering batch of Food Scientists They represent the culmination of years of planning withthevisionofGuyanabecoming amajorfoodsecurityplayerforthe region by transforming the food manufacturing and food product development sectors,” Dr Fox said during an interview with UG’s Department of Events, Conference andCommunication.

AccordingtoDrFox,thisrecent boost to our nation’s human resourcescapacityishappeningata timewhenwearesettobenefitfrom affordableenergycostsarisingfrom theOil&Gassector.

“Wefullyexpectthesegraduates tonotonlyimpacttheexistingfood manufacturing scene but also to expand the industry via entrepreneurship,”shesaid

The Bachelor in Food Science programme was implemented in 2019 and designed as a multidisciplinary programme, integrating the study of agriculture, chemistry,biology,andbusiness The first two years of the undergraduate foodscienceprogrammeareintended to establish a solid background in math, chemistry, and physical and

biological sciences, while the last two years emphasise the application of basic sciences and technology to the manufacturing, sensory evaluation, storage, distributionandsafetyoffoodsand foodingredients.

Dr Fox said this achievement took a “village of supporters” including; the Department of Chemistry, particularly the Food Scienceteam-MrGaryMendonca, Ms Samantha Joseph, Ms Sharlene Roberts, and Ms Kezia Bess She expressed special gratitude to ProfessorEmeritaVerianThomasof Florida A&M University for her exemplary leadership in creating and supporting the programme throughout, and the Faculty of AgricultureandForestryaswellas various public and private sector entities.

Meanwhile,inaninterviewwith DECC, some of the first batch of graduatesspokeabouttheirjourneyat UGandexpressedhowexcitedthey weretonowbeinabetterpositionto apply their newly acquired skills in theworkingenvironment

Ms Omadai Madray, a budding food chemist said:“Throughoutmy time at the university, I have been fortunate to learn from brilliant educators, collaborate with passionate peers, and engage in hands-on experiences that have deepenedmyunderstandingoffood science This journey has not only beenacademicallyenrichingbuthas alsoshapedmyvaluesandIamnow ready to apply myself and further developmycareer.”

Yonnique Wallace-Williams

said: “In the journey towards my Bachelor’s in Food Science at the

University of Guyana, my passion for food safety and product development blossomed from my initial studies inAgro-Processing I am very eager to contribute to the developmentofthesector”

Jethro Warner: Despite being one of the few males amidst a predominantly female cohort in the Food Science Programme at that time, Jethro Warner embarked on a journey to obtain his Degree from the University of Guyana with determination

Hesaid:“Comingfromafamily that made processing food a business,Iwasveryconfidentinmy ability to succeed in this course At first, I felt like an outsider in my classes Iwastheonlymaleinasea of female students But as time passed,Irealisedthatmygenderdid not define my capabilities or my

passionforthesubject.Thisdegree willdefinitelyhelpmetofast-track mycareerdevelopment.”

Marleysa Bishop said that despite earlier aspirations of becomingadoctor,shefoundherself drawntotheworldoffoodscience A serendipitous scholarship opportunity reignited her academic pursuits, leading her back to the university Today, she proudly embraces her role as a Food Scientist, ready to make a positive impactinherfield

“Ineverthoughtthatfoodscience would be something that I am interestedin,buttoday,beingableto standandproudlycallmyselfaFood Scientist,andthendiligentlyexplain toothersthebenefitsoffoodscience, thecomplexitiesofthedisciplineand howmuchimpactfoodsciencehason theworldtoday”

Omadai Madray Yonnique Wallace-Williams Jethro Warner Marleysa Bishop

ANOTHER VAGRANT FOUND DEAD IN LESS THAN A WEEK

Thebodyofavagrantwasfounddeadon Tuesdayinatrenchat10thField,Cummings Lodge,EastCoastDemerara(ECD).

Accordingtopolice,thevagrantwhohas only been identified as ‘Saray’ was found lyingonhisleftside,cladinagrayjerseyand longbluejeans.Notablythebodywasfound partially underwater On the scene, ranks examined the body for marks of violence

butnonewereseen Furthermore, the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) from the Central Fire Servicerespondedtotheincidentandvictim was pronounced dead by Dr Etwaroo of the GeorgetownPublicHospital

The man’s body was transported to the Memorial Gardens mortuary where it awaits identificationandapost-mortemexamination

Investigationsarestillon-going.

Notably,anothersuspectedvagrantbythe name of Edward Bramnarine, also known as ‘Eddy’,a49-yearoldman,wasfounddeadat the corner of Water and Holmes Streets, Georgetownlastweek.

Kaieteur news understands that Bramnarinewaswellknownaroundthearea. Afemalevendor,whohadknownthemanfor

over18years,lastsawhimlyingmotionless on the street, bleeding from a wound to his leftsidechest Nooneelsewasaround His body contained a stab wound to his chest andacutonhisrightwrist

The woman called the Ambulance Service, which arrived shortly after and BramnarinewaspronounceddeadbyDoctor DurgafromtheGeorgetownPublicHospital.

Human skeleton found at Rose Hall Sugar Estate

The Rose Hall Sugar Estate

A 37-year-old cane harvester on Tuesday stumbled on human skeletal remainswhileharvestingcaneattheRose Hall Sugar Estate, East Canje Berbice, RegionSix.

Police said that a security guard, DevpersaudHublallandthecaneharvester LatchmanPersaud,reportedthediscovery totheReliancePoliceStationaround08:30

hrs.

Persaud told them that he had found the remainsaround07:45hrsatEnterpriseA,Field one,oftheestate.

Ranks were sent back with the men to the estate to investigate and reported that the remains were found on the western end of the field. They have since removed the skeletal remains.Investigationsareongoing.

WANTED VACANCY

Sales Representative, canter Drivers & Porters to work in warehouse. For more information Call: 673-7373.

Wanted! Workers for packaging pasta and chowmein. $4100-$5000 per day. Workers paid weekly. Call: 6117839.

One Handy person to work in the Interior. For more information Call: 677-0869.

One night Watchman needed. For more information Call: 612-2125.

One licenced Car/Van Driver in Georgetown area. Mechanical background, free upper flat for living. Call: 2271813.

Two Kitchen Assistance to work from 6am-2pm. For more information Call: 6655074/ 603-1278.

SERVICES

Business/ residential PFSGYD$58M, Visa Application, advertisements, graphics design, passport application forms & i130 application. Call: 626-7040.

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

We repair & install fridge, freezer, washer & dryer, AC units, stove, etc. Whatsapp/ Call Omar: 683-8734/ 6549711.

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.

EDUCATION

First AID/CPR/AED & home nursing courses Available at St. John Headquarters. Call: 225-9082.

One Plumber needed for Eccles. Call: 645-8443/ 6159132.

Vacancies for Maintenance/ Semi- Skill Workers, One Cleaner, Welder and Labourer. Call: 621-6969/ 615-7784.

Male Sales Representative, Age 20-30 years old. Apply or Contact: 619- 1237.

One Driver/ Purchaser to work for a private company. Must have 10 years driving experience and Motor lorry license. Call: 625-1413/ 6290037.

Primary level Teachers needed. Submit applications to smartmindseducation @gmail.com

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

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

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

Painter needed. Call: 6159132 or 645-8443.

Public Service Commission in place but officials still acting – MPs

Members of Parlia ment (MPs) have raised their concerns over several regional officers not being confirmed in substantive positions within the public service.

This is despite the Public Service Commission (PSC)— the hiring/appointing body for public servants being in place since July 2023.

The issue was raised during Monday's sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

$436M

PAC member and Minis-

ter of Public Works, Juan Edghill enquired about the number of vacancies that exist within Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) when the Committee reviewed the Auditor General's 2019 report.

Regional Executive Officer (REO) Susanah Saywack told the PAC that 25 vacancies existed at the time but only five of those vacancies were filled presently. She said several persons continue to act in some of the remaining 20 positions.

PAC Chairman Jermaine

Figueira explained that this is in breach of the public sector rules which allow for a person to act temporarily in a position but not exceeding four months.

“What are we doing in regards to the labour laws? We can't have people acting for two years and the law prescribes for four months,”

Figueira said.

Saywack revealed that the last time the positions were advertised was in 2019 and a reminder was sent out in 2021.

She explained that the

in contracts awarded to set up water supply systems in Hinterland schools

The Ministry of Education, through a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), will spend $436 million to rehabilitate and construct water supply systems for hinterland secondary schools and dormitories. This is according to the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). Contracts for the projects were awarded on April 4, 2024.

Kaieteur News had previously reported that the Ministry of Education in an advertisement said the government had received a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) toward the cost of the “Support to Safety Nets for Vulnerable Populations Affected by Coronavirus in Guyana” and intends to use part of the proceeds to reha-

bilitate or construct water supply systems for secondary schools and dormitories in Regions One, Nine, Seven and Eight. The project was divided into 12 lots.

According to information obtained from the NPTAB website, the contracts which are slated for Region One were awarded to contractor AAV Ragoobeer General Construction in two lots; (Lot1) $48,005,423 and (Lot2) $35,868,525.

The contracts awarded for Region Seven were awarded to contractor Kv Contracting Service for three lots; (Lot3) $33,817,476, (Lot4) $13,879,583, and (Lot5) $42,263,018.

NPTAB revealed also that the contracts for Region Eight were all awarded to N&A Construction for three lots;

(Lot6) $43,270,080, (Lot7) $35,304,425, and (Lot8) $19,953,650.

As it relates to Region Nine, Lereg Engineering was awarded a $53,846,772 contract for Lot 9 and a $32,998,048 contract for Lot 12 while contractor Ramesh Barker Construction was awarded the $40,372,500 contract for Lot 10 and $36,496,215 contract for Lot 11.

In December 2020, it was reported that the government had received US$30.4 million under the Support to Safety Nets for Vulnerable Populations Affected by Coronavirus in Guyana project. The IDB had reported that under this project, it has two main components: social protection and support for educational continuity.

In the education component, IDB had explained that the operation will finance actions to mitigate the effects of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for their reopening, including: the development of educational content for radio and TV for students in nursery, primary and secondary schools; the distribution of pedagogical materials such as textbooks and curricular guides for teachers; water supply improvement solutions including the installation of water pumps and storage tanks ; and debt relief for public university students.

persons who have been acting for more than three years include: a Medical Superintendent, the Deputy REO, an Education Officer, a Systems Development Officer and an Environmental Health Officer.

The REO noted that while 15 of the 20 positions have persons acting, five of the positions including the District Development Office post have been entirely vacant since 2019.

It was said that among the reasons for a delay in appointing persons to the position was the absence of the PSC which is tasked with, among other things, the hiring and promotion of public servants.

Edghill asked that the matter be noted by Miguel Shaun Choo-Kang, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.

“Mr. Chair, may I ask that this issue be noted by the Permanent Secretary and forwarded the information to the PSC so that the situation could be normalized,” Edghill said.

Meanwhile, PAC member and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira agreed that the PSC should be asked to all fill vacant posts where persons have been acting.

Notwithstanding, she said many of the persons acting in the positions may not be qualified to be appointed to the substantive positions.

“These are issues that the PSC will have to take into consideration,” Teixeira said.

The officers from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) who presented before the PAC on Monday

UK rebukes Venezuela over threats to take over Essequibo

The United Kingdom has denounced the latest attempts made by the Venezuelan government to illegally claim Guyana'sEssequiboregion.

InastatementissuedonX formerly known asTwitter on Tuesday,theUKnotedthatthe UN Security Council met to discussthethreatstoGuyana's territoryfromVenezuela. The UK noted that Venezuela cannot act unilaterally to disruptthepeaceoftheregion. “The border issue was settled in 1899through international arbitration and must be respected,”theUKadded.The Security Council discussion on the Guyana/Venezuela border issue happened as result of a request made by President Irfaan Ali for the matter to come up before the UN Security Council of which Guyana is a nonpermanentmember

Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud on Monday said the UN Security Council will address the Venezuelan President's violation of the rules of international law requiring States to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of other States, as well as the International Court of Justice's Order on Provisional Measures of December 1, 2023, which prohibits Venezuela from taking any action to interfere with Guyana's administration and control of its Essequibo Region pending the Court's finalrulingonthemeritsofthe controversy

Guyana's decision to approach the UN Security Council on the matter follows thedecisionoftheVenezuelan President last week to sign new legislation into law declaringGuyana'sEssequibo asanewVenezuelanstateand putting systems in place for the defence of Guyana's

Essequibo. Venezuela, through a referendum, has alreadyincludedEssequiboin itsofficialmap.

Guyana issued statements rejectingthemovebyCaracas, and has informed the international community of the move. CARICOM has since said Venezuela's adoption of the “Organic Law” means that country has acted unilaterally, precipitously, and potentially, dangerously and so has offended “the Joint Declaration of Argyle for Dialogue and Peace between Guyana andVenezuela” of 14 December2023andsubverted internationallaw

The regional bloc said the “unacceptable escalation of tensions” between the two South American neighbours “has threatened to undermine peace and security in Latin AmericaandtheCaribbean.”

On Monday, Venezuela filed its response to Guyana's casebeforetheICJ,althoughit has repeatedly refused to recognise the Court's jurisdictiononthematter The Court has already ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the case President Ali has welcomed Venezuela's decision to file its response to Guyana's Court case. In a statement on Monday night, the President said he hopes Venezuela will continue to fully engage in the process beforetheInternationalCourt. Guyana nevertheless welcomed Venezuela's decision to submit its key argumentstotheInternational Court of Justice, saying that doing so would allow that judicial body to “take all arguments and evidence into account and issue a more informed judgment, which willbefinalandbindingonthe parties.”

Guyanamustimplementstricter...

From page 13 decision-makingandaccesstoinformation,particularly Amerindiansandfishery-dependentcommunities,includingair andwaterquality,laws,regulations,policies,permit applicationsanddecisions,pollutiondata,andenforcement actionstaken.Additionally,thecountryhasbeencalledonto redoubleitseffortstoaddresswaterpollutionandair contamination,improvewastemanagement,improvethe frameworkforensuringcompliancewithrelevantregulations, andregulatethemaximumpermissibleconcentrationsofair andwaterpollutants.Thisisinadditiontorevisingthelegal frameworkgoverningsocialandenvironmentalresponsibility andthelegalregimeandregulatorystandardsapplicableto miningactivities,“includingbyprivateforeigncompanies,to imposeonthemanobligationtoexerciseduediligenceto identifytherisksofviolationoftherightsprotectedbythe Covenant,preventandmitigatetheserisks,andprevent violationsoftheserights.”

...saysborderissuesettled in1899,mustberespected

A meeting of the UN Security Council

‘There’s no more life’:

Khan Younis residents return to find neighborhoods in total ruins

CNN - Palestinians forced from their homes in Khan Younis by Israel’s military offensive have begun returning in small numbers tothesouthernGazacityfollowing the withdrawal of Israeli forces, with many arriving to find their formerneighborhoodslookinglike wasteland.

VideofootagefilmedbyaCNN stringer shows dozens of returning residentsexaminingtheruinsofthe city, some of them standing atop destroyed buildings, sifting through heaps of rubble that had oncebeenhomes.

The Israeli military on Sunday said it had withdrawn its ground forces from Khan Younis after monthsoffiercefightinginwhatit described as a major Hamas stronghold. Much of the city, once home to hundreds of thousands of people,hasbeenbulldozedandthe video shows the frames of homes completely ripped up alongside roads strewn with rubble and debris It shows the returning residentsretrievingwhatfewthings they can salvage; mattresses, carpets, kitchen containers and blocks of wood. Some children carry sofas and chairs over their backs.“Thisiswhathasbecomeof Gaza,” says one man, driving through the rubble with his motorbike. Other former residents traveled in on foot, some on bicycles, some on pickup trucks andsomeonthebackofdonkeys.

‘Devastationeverywhere’

Perched atop a dusty rug with herbackrestingonalargecushion, 12-year-oldAseelpointstoapileof rubbleinfrontofherwhereshesays herhomeusedtobe.“Thereitwas, itsdestroyed,”shesays.“Ourhouse isgone.Wemanagedtograbsome pieces of furniture [but] we were only able to retrieve small things from our house. I wish I couldve gottenmyclothes.”

Another Palestinian youth, Tamar, is carrying pieces of wood. “Ill go sell them to make 10 to 20 shekels, so that I never have to extend my hand out and beg for money from people,” he explains. Hedidntrecognizehishousewhen he first returned,Tamar says. “If it werentformyneighbors,Iwouldnt have known it was my house. Devastationeverywhere,”hesays.

The vast majority of buildings in the footage, including homes, offices and mosques, have been significantly damaged and many are entirely flattened. On Monday, theEuropeanHospitalinGazasaid the bodies of 46 Palestinians had been recovered following the Israeli withdrawal from Khan Younis, most of them “found dead under the rubble of demolished buildings.”

Former residents retrieve belongings from their homes in Khan Younis, Gaza, on April 7, 2024.

Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images

Those buildings that are still standing are covered in soot and riddled with bullet holes and artillery damage. Piles of empty bulletshellsandtheremnantsofat least one mortar lie on the ground. “My house got completely destroyed. It was three stories, and nowitsonewiththeground.Iwasnt left with any memories. Just like everyone here. They destroyed the area in a barbaric and intended way,”saysanotherformerresident, Saad.

Mahmoud Ahmad, an elderly man, stands inside his destroyed home,reducedtoonlyaframe.He points to areas that used to be rooms, recounting what used to be where and what he has lost. “That was my washing machine, they burned it, the Israelis. I had a nice little sitting area here, its all gone. Thatwasmyfridge,look,thedoor is removed. This was the kitchen. Theresnothingleft.”

‘Theydestroyedus’

ThroughoutthefootageinKhan Younis,Israelidronescanbeheard buzzing overhead, as can occasionalgunshots. Graffitiedon the walls of what appears to be the office of a telecoms company are Stars of David and anti-Arab profanitieswritteninEnglish.

“Gaza belongs to the Jews,” reads a marking in Arabic on the wall inside a torn up building.

Before the October 7 attack by

Hamas on Israel, Khan YounisGazas second-largest city - had been home to more than 400,000 people, according to Gazas Ministry of Interior In the early daysofthewar,thecitywasahaven for thousands of Palestinian civilians fleeing Israeli military operationsinthenorthofGaza.

But when Israeli forces began an assault on KhanYounis in early

December, those living there were forcedtoseekrefugefurthersouth. More than a million Palestinians are now sheltering in dire humanitarian conditions in the southerncityofRafah,whereIsrael isalsoplanninganoffensive.Even forthosenowabletoreturntoKhan Younis, there is little solace to be found.

Amongthoseinterviewedinthe

CNN footage is Abdelkarim, a young Palestinian who sits next to his destroyed school. He says that whilehewasshelteringinRafahhe spent his time reading and writing because he knew he wouldnt be abletogobacktoschool.“Howare we going to learn now?” he asks. “Theres no more life Our childhood is gone. They destroyed us.”

Threemoregeneratorsaretobe installedatGPL'sColumbiastation

To address the persistent issue of frequent power outages in the country, three additional generatorswillsoonbeinstalledat the Guyana Power and Light's (GPL's) sub-station in Columbia, EastCoastDemerara.

These generators are part of a US$27 million governmentfunded project to enhance the powercompany'scapacity

The project includes 17 generators and six step-up transformers, which are expected to contribute 30 megawatts of powertothenationalgrid.Todate, GPLhasconfirmedtheinstallation of14outofthe17generators.The generators were procured from Apan Energy Services Incorporated (AESI). Engineers from both GPL and AESI

anticipatethattheremaininghighpowered systems will be operationalinthecomingdays.

Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips, accompaniedbyadelegationfrom both agencies, visited the site on Monday to assess the progress of theequipmentinstallation.

Prime Minister Phillips expressed satisfaction with the work completed thus far, stating, “The government remains committed to boosting GPL's generation capacity and improving its overall service to thepeopleofGuyana.”

The government's proactive approach in expediting various electrical projects in response to recent power outages underscores its dedication to alleviating

citizens' concerns. In less than three years, the PPP\C administration has added over 40 megawattsofpowertothenational grid, with ongoing investments and project developments expectedtoincreasethisfigure.

Furthermore,therevitalization of theAmalie hydropower project will introduce an additional 165 megawatts of power to the country's energy mix Additionally,thecompletionofthe gas-to-energy project in Wales, Region Three, will further augment the power supply by nearly 300 megawatts These investments will significantly enhance GPL's operational efficiencyandaddressthegrowing electricity demand nationwide (DPI)

CWI Regional 4-Day Championships...

HarpyEagles,Scorpionslock upasactionresumes todayinatSabinaPark

Guyana Harpy Eagles will tackle Jamaica Scorpions on their home turf at the legendary Sabina Park today when action resumes in the CWI Regional 4-Day Championships.

Guyanawontheirlastthreeroundsconvincingly,with the254runhammeringofTableleadersWindwardIslands Volcanoes, the best of the lot, especially after having a mixedstarttothetournament.

Apart from freshman pacer Sylus Tyndall, who replacedtheinjuredMatthewNandu,thechampswillbe keenonlookingtotheircoreforcontinuedsuccess.

The Eagles will be gunning another win when action bowls off today versus Jamaica

With all of their core batsmen including Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kevin Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Tevin Imlachandotherseithertastingcenturiesorhalfcenturies at least, Guyana will be keen on piling on big scores or chasingdownone,shouldtheyneedto.

WednesdayApril10,2024

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19

Happinessreignsinthehome as friends and family members gather for a longawaitedreunion,Aries Oryou couldbehostingagatheringof friends and acquaintances interestedintheartsorpsychic ormetaphysicalmatters.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Group activities, perhaps with a social, ecological, or humanitarian focus, could take place today somewhere in your neighborhood, Taurus.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

our values could undergo a complete turnaround today, G e m i n i R e c e n t developments in the world, your community, among yourcircleoffriends

CANCER(June21–July22)

Spiritualandpsychicmatters come to the forefront today, Cancer Youcouldbegreatly inspired to express yourself creatively

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Are you contemplating a move of some kind, Leo? Perhaps you're thinking about relocating to be closer to members of a group with whichyou'reaffiliated.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Communicationwithfriends, siblings, and neighbors should be open, congenial, and supportive today, Virgo. A gathering could open the doortonewfriendships.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Career matters couldn't be goingbetterrightnow,Libra, especially if you're in one of the communication fields, including writing, publishing, teaching, the Internet,ormassmedia.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

Have you been planning a trip by air, Scorpio, perhaps to a distant place associated with a specific spiritual tradition?

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Some vivid, inspiring, and intense dreams or visions could come your way today, Sagittarius.Theycouldinvolve paranormal figures, such as angels

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Love and romance should be flying high for you now, Capricorn If you're single, you could soon form an incredible relationship If you're already involved, the spiritualandemotionalbonds betweenyouandyourbeloved shouldgrow

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

You should be feeling physicallystrong,healthy,and energetic today, Aquarius, although you could also be a littlelightheaded

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

In future years, you might remember today as one of the best days of your life, Pisces Romance should be goingbeautifully

Bowling-wise, Guyana have little flaws as both aspectsoftheircomboinpaceandspinhavewonmatches outright for them or put their batsmeninapositiontosecurea win.

Jamaica on the other hand suffered a huge loss in their last game versus the Leeward Hurricanes.Butwithplayerslike Jermaine Blackwood, Brandon King, Derval Green, Pete Salmonandothersinthemix,the Scorpionswillbelookingtoturn theirluckaroundagainsttheredhotdefendingChamps.

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force will play the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) today at the Sir Frank Worrell Ground. Windward Islands will battle West Indies Academy (WIA) at Coolidge, while Leewards and Barbados Pride faceoffatQueen'sParkOval,as partoftoday'srestart.

ExxonMobil Guyana Linden Inter-School...

Frompage30 focus areas when we seek to invest,”Hoppiesaid.

Wayneright Bethune, PresidentoftheUpperDemerara Football Association (UDFA), encouraged players to embrace the 'Beautiful Game' with p a s s i o n a n d sportsmanship Despite challengesattheseniorleveldue to limited facilities, Bethune applauded the opportunity for youth participation provided by theschools'tournament.

Dawn Barker, Region 10 Education Officer, stressed on the importance of sports in personal development and commended ExxonMobil for their continued investment in youth football through New Era Entertainment.

Last year, Christianburg Wismar Secondary School emerged victorious, defeating New Silvercity Secondary to claimthecovetedtitle.

Omisi Williams finishes second as England's George Dutton claims Kares CrossFit Caribbean title

- Guyanese Kevin, Haresh and Woodroffe storm U21 category

The Kares CrossFit Caribbean Championship witnessed the dethroning of defending champion Dillon Mahadeo, as England's George Dutton emerged victorious in the men's Rx division on Sunday attheNationalPark'starmac.

Despite Mahadeo's seasoned experience,hehadtosettleforthird placewithafinalscoreof450,while Dutton clinched the top spot with a scoreof470aftertwointensedaysof competition Guyanese athlete Omisi Williams secured the second position.

D u t t o n ' s i m p r e s s i v e performance saw him excel across various challenges, earning 90 points in the Fire-Drill section, 100 points in the Inverted Flame challenge, and 95 points in the Greater Heights task, ultimately securinghimthechampionshiptitle.

The Under-21 category, the spotlightwasonGuyanesetalentsas Kares Fitness athletes Haresh Rameshwar,KevinRameshwar,and VladimirWoodroffeclaimedthetop three spots Haresh Rameshwar emerged as the standout performer,

amassinganimpressivetotalof480 points across events like Swim Randy,HotPlate,PeakStrength,and Daredevil over the course of the competition.

On the women's front, Guyana's DeliceAdonisfinishedfourth,while Bryleigh Hansen of the USA claimed the top spot with a final scoreof485.Hansenshowcasedher prowess by dominating events such as Swim Grace, Fire Drill, and the Inverted Flame, each earning her significant points. Suriname's Ava Zalman secured second place with 470 points, followed by Heather HutsonoftheUSAinthirdplace.

The Kares CrossFit Caribbean Championship proved to be a rivetingshowcaseofathleticismand skill, with competitors from around the world vying for victory in variousdivisions.

IPL: India's pace sensation Mayank Yadav...

Frompage31 started when his father, a police vehicle siren seller, enrolled him at Delhi's renowned Sonnet Cricket Club.Hispacecaughttheattention of former India cricketer Vijay Dahiya, then coaching Uttar Pradesh, during a net session at a domestictournament.

Dahiya, who was also assistant coachwithLSG,calledupGautam Gambhir, then the LSG team mentor, and said Yadav had to be signed. LSG bought Yadav for his base price of two million rupees in theIPL2022auction,buttheydidn't

play him the first year because he didn'thaveenough"bowlingmiles" in his legs. But they never doubted hisability It's still early days for Yadav Manypitfallshavetobenavigated. ThecaseofMalikisareminder of how difficult the journey is. Malik played 10 ODIs and 8T20Is for India in 2022 and 2023, but cannot currently command a guaranteed place in the first XI of hisfranchise,SunrisersHyderabad. But if Yadav can stay fit, and continue to grow as a bowler, life willhappenforhimat150km/htoo.

Bryleigh Hansen of the USA going through the paces on day two at the National Park.

Podium finishers in the Women's Rx category, first place - Bryleigh Hansen (center) Ava Zalman (right) and Heather Hutson.

Guyanese, Omisi Williams receiving his second-place prize at the closing of the Kares CrossFit Caribbean championship.

Olympic Games hopefuls pay a courtesy visit to Ambassador Depoo

SeveralGuyaneseathletes, seeking Olympic qualification, made a courtesy visit to H.E. Virjanand Depoo, Guyana's Ambassador to Suriname, during their layover in the Dutch-speaking country over theweekend.

Ambassador Depoo extended his best wishes to the athletes, offering words of encouragement for their bid to participate in the Paris2024OlympicGames.

The Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) sent the male 4x100m team to French Guiana to pursue qualification for the Paris

2024OlympicGames.

They arrived in French Guiana

today, featuring Emanuel Archibald,ShemarHoratio,Akeem Stewart, Noelex Holder, Jaheel Cornette,andKeironDeSouza.The teamiscoachedbyformernational athlete Junior Cornette, as confirmed by AAG's General Secretary,JamesCole.

Theirobjectiveistoachievethe qualification mark of 38 80 seconds at the International Athletics meeting, the Games of Guyana,tobeheldattheDrEdmar Lama Stadium on Saturday, April 13.

At the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Stewart, Archibald, Arinze Chance, and Holder secured fourth place in the finalwithatimeof40.05s.

Guyana's national 4x100 m record (39.59s) was set by James Wren-Gilkes, Dennis Collison, CliftonSchultz,andAubreyWilson atthe1975PanAmGames.

Notably, Guyana's 4x400m mixed relay team has qualified for theWorldRelays,scheduledtotake placeinTheBahamasfromMay45.

Meanwhile, Holder and Archibaldwillstrivetoachievethe

10.00 seconds qualifying time for the 100m, with Archibald aiming for 20.16 seconds or better in the 200m.

Holderholdsapersonalbestof 10.23 seconds, while Archibald boasts 10.13s and 20.69s in the respectiveevents.

Additionally, Simeon Adams aims to surpass his best of 46.96 seconds in the 400m to meet the entry mark of 45 00 seconds, having recorded a season-best of 48.24seconds.

LeslianBaird,bronzemedallist at the 2023 PanAmerican Games, is also heading to French Guiana,

aspiringtoreachtheentrystandard of 85.50m, surpassing his current national record of 78.65m set in November,wherehisbronzemedal throwwas78.23m.

Asofnow,noGuyaneseathlete hasqualifiedforthegamesthrough entry standards Similar to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, half of the athleteswilladvancethroughentry standards,whiletheotherhalfwill bedeterminedviaworldrankings.

The qualification window for the 10,000 meters, combined events,racewalks,andrelaysspans from December 31, 2022, to June 30,2024.

Sammy closer to selecting T20 World Cup squad; expresses satisfaction with strategic build up to tournament

SportsMax - With the ICC Men's Twenty20 World Cup now less than two months away, West Indies Head coach, Daren Sammy sayshehasjustaboutsettledonhis squad for the global showpiece, which will be jointly hosted in the CaribbeanandUnitedStates.

Sammy, who captained the West Indies in T20 titles in 2012 and2016,isaimingtocophisfirst title as a coach and, by extension, lead the regional side to a third crown.Assuch,hepointedtothree Ps –personnel, preparation and purpose –which has guided his decision-making where selecting playersisconcerned.

“We've selected squads and exposed about 22 players over the last year in preparation for this maineventthatiscoming,andfinetuningandgivingclearguidanceas to what roles are required in the differentpositions,tohelpustobe successful, ” Sammy told journalists during a press briefing onMonday

“So you would've seen different guys getting different opportunities over a consistent periodoftimeindifferentroles,and ithasbroughtusdowntoprobably thefinal15,16,20players,andit's about fine-tuning now I'm probably quite sure as to what my World Cup team will be. It's based on the measures that we've taken and the strategic roles we have givenplayers,”headded.

Sammy expressed satisfaction withtheentirethoughtprocessthat goesintotheirpreparationtoensure that players' mindset and performances align with their objectives. He also welcomed the fact that the core group of players are already showing a heightened senseofbelief,whichhebelievesis vitaltotheircharge.

“Where before 2023 we were averaging six or so runs per over betweenovers number seven to 15 whereas international teams were going at seven, close to eight, we have now changed that to seven.

Still,weneedimprovementbutthe small measures that we're taking and the preciseness with which we're working has enabled us to takelittlestrides,”Sammynoted.

“Where our team is really strongisintheengineroom.WhatI call the engine room is from number four to seven, where you have your all-rounders coming in and keeping on the pressure. I'm quitehappywithwhereweareasa T20teamaswe'rebuildingtowards

themainevent.Iseeagroupofmen that believe that they can win,” he declared.

Sammy's side, to be led by Jamaican Rovman Powell, will contest Group C alongside New Zealand, Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea and Uganda in the preliminary stage of the June 1-29 tournament.

Their group campaign will be spreadacrossGuyana,StLuciaand Trinidad,andSammysaidmuchof the planning took into considerationthevariousvenues.

“A lot goes into our thinking whenweselectdifferentteamsand with the different venues that we have,ifyouseethedifferentteams

Daren Sammy...The system that we've implemented is just geared towards winning the World Cup.

we play, it's right in line with the strength of our team and understanding what it will take to defeattheseguys,”Sammyshared.

“The biggest thing for us has been preparation and it shows that

whenwepreparewell,we'vegiven ourselves the best chance of performing.The system that we've implementedisjustgearedtowards winning the World Cup, and that's whatwehavetodo,”heended.

West Indies Head coach, Daren Sammy says he has just about settled on his squad for the global showpiece.

ExxonMobil Guyana Linden Inter-School football officially launched

EightsecondaryschoolsinRegion10are gearingupforthethirdExxonMobilGuyana Inter-Schoolsfootballtournament,organised byNewEraEntertainment.

The tournament will commence onApril 12,withmatchesalsosetforApril13,14,16, 19, 20 and 21. The final will be played on April26.

Competing teams include Christianburg Wismar Secondary, McKenzie High School, Wisburg, New Silvercity Secondary, Kwakwani, Linden Technical Institute, LindenFoundationSecondary,andHarmony SecondaryRyan Hoppie, ExxonMobil's CommunityRelationsAdvisorforPublicand Government Affairs, expressed the company's delight in supporting the tournamentonceagain.

With ExxonMobil investing $5M in this year's Championship, Hoppie praised New EraEntertainmentfortheirdedicatedefforts, highlighting their role in fostering football developmentattheschoollevelinLinden.

He added, “Our collaboration with New Era is a prime example and we have been workingwiththeseguysforafewyearsnow and we continue to support their initiatives because, as I said, we know the significance of sport for the individual and also the community.”“For ExxonMobil Guyana, we seetheimmensevalueofinvestinginSports, it gives us the opportunity to support the communityandyouthswhicharetwoofour

(Continuedonpage27)

BBC Sport - Everyyear, the Indian Premier League (IPL), the world's richest cricket tournament, unveils richtalents.

Only twice though has therebeenawedchatterabout a young Indian pace bowler because of their exceptional speed.

Umran Malik from Indian-administered Kashmir created a storm threeyearsago.InIPL2024, it's Mayank Yadav who is turning heads almost as quicklyashe'sturningupthe dialonspeedguns.

Bangalore, an IPL first for a debutant. He picked up six wicketsfor41runsacrossthe twomatches.

Yadav's performance prompted Ian Bishop, commentator and former West Indies bowler, to describe him as a "child of thewind".

England managed to overturn an enormous deficit in the first Test. (Getty Images/Stu Forster)

The 21-year-old lanky bowler from Delhi made his IPLdebutforLucknowSuper Giants against Punjab Kings in March and set pulses racing with a terrific spell of fast bowling. He bowled a delivery at 155.8 km/h (96 mph) and won the man-ofthe-matchawardondebut.

In the next game Yadav went one better with a 156.7 km/h(96mph)scorcher-the season's quickest delivery so far-andasecondsuccessive man-of-the-match award against Royal Challengers

Dale Steyn, one of the greatest fast bowlers in history, and who Yadav described as his only idol, said on Twitter: "Mayank Yadav where have you been hiding!" In a tweet after his second game, Steyn simply wrote:"That'saseriousball! #PACE".

Former Australia player Tom Moody felt Yadav was "definitely in the conversation" to make India's squad for the T20 World Cup that will follow theIPL.

What prompted the normally measured and seasoned experts to gush about Yadav after he had playedonlytwomatches?

For one, pace. Others havealsotopped150km/hin this IPL, but none as

IPL: India's pace sensation Mayank Yadav lights up tournament

consistentlyasYadav,orwith quite the same ferocious effect.

But pace alone is seldom enoughatthetoplevel.What madeYadavstandoutwashis control.Hehasn'tyetbowled a single extra in the IPL. He has varied his lengths without pace being affected. And then there's the quality of batters snared, and the manneroftheirdismissals.

Against Punjab he accounted for Jonny Bairstow, one of the more accomplished players of fast bowling,byhurryinghimon the pull shot, a sure-fire indicator of how quick he was.

He went even better

against Bangalore, similarly dismissing Glenn Maxwell, oneofthebestT20batsinthe world.

He then beat another Australian star, Cameron Green, for sheer pace when uprooting his off-stump Green is no stranger to fast bowling Here, he stood frozen at the crease, bat hanging loosely, a tell tale signofabatteranticipatinga short delivery and belatedly reactingtoonethatwasn't.

"He has some real extra speed that you don't really see a lot of around world cricket at the moment," Maxwell told ESPN, comparing Yadav to exAustralia bowler Shaun Tait athispeak.

Fast bowlers commonly accept that the faster they bowl, the harder it becomes to maintain control. Tait and Malik have both faced that. So far, Yadav has defied the stereotype.

Other potential pitfalls awaitthough.

Several Indian pacers have arrived on the scene as tearaway quicks, only to settleintothe"medium-fast" categoryastheyearsgoby

Then there's the constant riskofinjurythatcomeswith repeatedly executing the physically demanding action of fast bowling over extendedperiods.

Afterhisfirsttwogames,

Yadav encountered the looming threat of injury in his third match against GujaratTitans.

He bowled just one over, hittingaround140km/h,fast for most bowlers but below Yadav'susualstandard.Then he left the field with a side strain.

Team-mates said that Yadavseemedfineandthere wasn't much cause to worry Even if he recovers quickly, this incident offers insight into the pressures of fast bowling and its impact on speed. Yadav has already contendedwiththeissue-he missed the IPL last year due toinjury.Yadav'sjourney

(Continuedonpage28)

Cristiano Ronaldo sent off for Al-Nassr in Saudi Super Cup defeat to Al-Hilal

BBCSport-Al-NassrforwardCristianoRonaldowassentofffor elbowinganopponentduringhisside's2-1SaudiSuperCupsemifinaldefeatbyAl-Hilal.

Ronaldo,39,wasshownastraightredcardon86minutesafter appearingtoswinghiselbowtwiceintothechestofAliAlBulayhi, whofelltothefloor

ThePortugalinternationalthenappearedtoraisehisfirsttowards therefereebeforeleavingthefield.

ItisRonaldo'sfirstredcardsincehismovetoAl-Nassrin December2022.Al-Nassrweretrailing2-0atthatstageaftergoals fromSalemAl-DawsariandMalcom,withformerLiverpoolforward SadioManepullingonebackinstoppagetime.Three-timewinnersAlHilalwillplayAl-IttihadinthefinalonThursday.Al-IttihadbeatAlWehda2-1intheirsemi-finalearlieronMondaythankstogoalsfrom formerRealMadridcaptainKarimBenzemaandMoroccoforward AbderrazakHamdallah.

Cristiano Ronaldo had been booked earlier in the game, before receiving a straight red card.

Ian Bishop has called Mayank Yadav a 'child of the wind'. [AFP]

Yadav clean bowled Cameron Green in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. [AFP]

Guyanese duo: Madhoo and Fitzgerald secure PDC World Cup spots

Guyana will make their Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Cup return later this summer, after Sudesh Fitzgerald and Norman Madhoo won through last weekend's Latin America QualifierinCostaRica.

After winning last year's inaugural qualifier, the pair repeated the feat in San Jose to confirm their spot at the 2024 WorldCup,whichwilltakeplaceat Frankfurt'sEissporthalle,Germany fromJune27-30.

Madhoo - who made his fourth World Darts Championship appearance in December - will representtheGoldenArrowheadin the popular pair's event alongside his compatriot Fitzgerald, a World Championshipparticipantin2009.

The qualifier was open to nations across Central and South America as well as the Caribbean, and featured 12 teams, each of whom came through a qualifying process in their home countries to

securetheirspot.

The Guyanese duo were dominant in the round-robin stage, dropping only two legs en route to claiming top spot in Group B, before whitewashing Panama's pairingofAndresVegaandAntonio Arango to advance to the semifinals.This set up a showdown against Costa Rican duo Denis Valerin and Jason Calderon, with Calderon part of the Costa Rican side that came within one dart of eliminating the Guyanese trailblazersatthesamestageofthe 2023qualifier

However, Madhoo and Fitzgerald swept aside Calderon and Valerin in four straight legs to progress to a decisive contest against Nicaraguan pair Norwin JimenezandGeraldOrdenana,who theymetintheround-robinstage.

Madhoo and Fitzgerald ran out 4-2winnersinthegroupphase,and it was a similar outcome in Saturday's showpiece, as they

punishedmisseddoublesfromtheir opponentstocruisetoa4-1victory andbooktheirreturntoGermany

The 2024 CDLC Tour opens with a double-header weekend in

Montego Bay, Jamaica, from July 20-21 and concludes once again with events in Santiago, Chile on October12-13.Attheconclusionof the CDLC Tour, the top-ranked

Cup spots in Costa Rica.

player over the course of the four events will secure a spot in the 2024/25PaddyPowerWorldDarts Championship, which begins at AlexandraPalaceinDecember

NBAroundup:TyreseMaxeyscores52as76erstopSpurs insecondovertime

Reuters - Tyrese Maxey poured in a career-high 52 points and Ricky Council IV and KJ Martin had big baskets in the second overtime as the visiting Philadelphia 76ers outlasted the San Antonio Spurs 133126onSunday

A three-point play by Council tied the score 126126 with 3:04 left in the second OT and two free throws by Council with 1:56 toplaygavethe76ersatwopointlead.

Nicolas Batum then canned a 3-pointer and Martin followed with a dunk on the break -- the game's finalpoints--with1:09leftto push Philadelphia's lead to seven.

Kelly Oubre Jr added 26 points for the 76ers, who have won five straight. Paul Reed and Council had 11 eachandBuddyHieldscored 10. Reed also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid (knee surgery recovery) and Tobias Harris (kneecontusion).

Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 33 points, 18

rebounds, seven blocked shots and six assists. Malaki Branhamadded22pointsand Champagnie and Tre Jones had 17 points each for San Antonio.

Clippers 120, Cavaliers

118

PaulGeorgescored23of his 39 points in the fourth quarter, including a tiebreaking jumper with 7.1 secondsleft,andLosAngeles ralliedfroma26-pointdeficit tobeatvisitingCleveland.

George blocked Darius Garland's layup with 1 7 secondsleft,andtheClippers sealed the comeback victory after Max Strus missed a 3pointeratthebuzzer

George finished with 11 rebounds and seven assists for Los Angeles James Harden added 22 points for theClippers. Garland led Cleveland with 28 points. Strus and Evan Mobley scored 20 pointsapiece.

Mavericks 147, Rockets 136(OT)

KyrieIrvingscored25of his season-high 48 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, and Dante Exum's

buzzer-beating 3-pointer to close regulation helped Dallas complete a comeback from down as many as 22 pointstostunHouston.

T

Guyanese Sudesh Fitzgerald (left) and Norman Madhoo celebrate after securing 2024 PDC 'My Diesel Claim' World

Rampant Berbice ease to title following 9-wicket mauling of Demerara

Berbice completed an excellent run as they carted off the GCB U19 Women's T20 Inter-county championship after thrashing Demerara by 9 wickets yesterday, followingatopall-roundeffortfrom senior national player Realeanna Grimmond.

GCBWomen'sU19T20Inter-countyfinal... - Grimmond (10*) and 4-17 headlines emphatic win

The Guyana Women's senior player was the match MVP for the final leading Berbice to 64-1 in the 12thover,astheygunneddowntheir targetof63withwicketsandoversto spare.

Grimmondsnappedup4-17with support from Trisha Hardat (2-8), Crystal Durant (1-8) and Kaina Leitch (1-5), leaving Demerara captainNaomiBarkoye(12)theonly playeronherteamtoattainadouble digitscore.TheAncientCountygirls led by the consistent Durant, who scored24withfourboundariesalong with her opening partner Tiea Isaacs (16) and Grimmond who saw her team home as she ended on 10 not out For Demerara, only national spinner Niya Latchman managed to createaslightdentwithfiguresof17, as none of her mates were able to recoverfromtheopeningstandof51 madebyDurantandIsaacs.

Under-16boxer

KeyronBritton receives sponsorship fromUSA-Based Guyanese

Top Under-16 boxer Keyron

Britton from Vergenoegen Boxing Gym has yesterday received sponsorship from USA-Based

Guyanese Samuels Gittens of Sthimkhal Inc. The sponsorship covers Britton's airfare to St Lucia to participate in the Champion of

Champion international tournament scheduledforApril12thto14th.Gittens saidthathecontinuestobeimpressedby theboxer'srapiddevelopment.

CWI’s Bascombe talks up new Caribbean T20 tournament for emerging players

SportsMax - Cricket West Indies (CWI) director of cricket Miles Bascombe has confirmed that a new CaribbeanT20tournamentis beingplannedfornextyear Bascombe pointed out that the tournament, which has the blessings of Caribbean Premier League (CPL)organizers,isaimedat unearthing a wider range of new talent and is being earmarked for next year

May “There is some recognitionthattheCPLmay not necessarily be where thosestarswouldemerge,so we are working with CPLto have an emerging players regional T20 tournament,” Bascombe revealed during a CWI press conference in Barbados Monday “We recognise in terms of T20 cricketthatweneedawayto find our next crop of T20 players.Wehavehadsuccess in T20 cricket and I'm sure the head coach [Darren Sammy]isanticipatingsome more success as we play at home in this (T20) World Cup. But we generally still havetoworkhardatfinding our next crop of emerging T20stars,"headded.Newsof the tournament initially

came to the fore last December when CWI vicepresident Azim Bassarath and Caribbean Premier League CEO Pete Russell indicated that the two bodies were in discussions about a secondary T20 spectacle. Russellatthatpointhintedat theprospectthattheemerging players tournament could come to fruition“We feel that'sanimportantpartofany cricketsystem,evenCPL So, we want to support that in as big a way as possible," Russellsaid.

Berbice U19 ladies clobbered Demerara by 9 wickets yesterday on their way to capturing the GCB T20 Inter-county title.

Gittens (left) hands over sponsorship check to Britton while his coach Clifton Moore looks on.

Olympic Games hopefuls pay a courtesy visit to Ambassador Depoo

launched

Guyana Linden Inter-School football officially

Organizers and participating schools Captains at the launch of the ExxonMobil Linden Inter-school football tournament.

Guyanese athletes, seeking Olympic qualification, made a courtesy visit to H.E. Virjanand Depoo, Guyana's Ambassador to Suriname, during their layover there.