Kaieteur News

as thousands protest Netanyahu in

Guyana could have received US$1.1B in 2023 with 10% royalty,

Foreigners making themselves at home in our mineral rich fields with several of these sophisticated, fully air-conditioned mobile trucks.

See snapshots of the truck inside

Prisoner dies after stabbed with mop stick

Guyanese deserve to know secret interest rates being paid to ExxonMobil

instead received US$228M with 2% Giveaway

Bandits and cops in helter-skelter chase after supermarket robbery

CCJhailsJusticeBernard'sstellar contributionstoCaribbeanjurisprudence

TheCaribbeanCourtofJustice(CCJ)has hailed the late former Chancellor of the Judiciary Désirée Bernard as a professional whoestablishedanumberof'firsts'.

Inastatementonherpassingtheregional court said Justice Bernard was a member of the inaugural CCJ Bench in 2005 and she providedexemplaryservicetotheCourtuntil herretirementin2014.“AcitizenofGuyana, Mme Justice Désirée Bernard established a number of professional “firsts”: first female High Court Judge of the Supreme Court of Guyana(1980);firstfemaleJusticeofAppeal (1992); first female Chief Justice of Guyana andintheCommonwealthCaribbean(1996); andfirstfemaleChancelloroftheJudiciaryof GuyanaandintheCommonwealthCaribbean (2001).”

The CCJ said during her long and distinguished career, Justice Bernard held memberships in various regional and international organisations, having been the founding Secretary of the Caribbean Women's Association (1970-1974); first President of the Organisation of Commonwealth Caribbean BarAssociations (OCCBA, 1976); member and Chair of the Caribbean Steering Committee for Women's Affairs, later established as the Women & Development Unit of The University of the West Indies (1978). Internationally, Mme Justice Bernard served as both rapporteur (1982-1984) and Chair (1985-1989) of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women during her membership, which ran from 1982 to 1998. Mme Justice Bernard presented many scholarly papers and

The late, former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Désirée Bernard

participated in numerous international seminars and colloquia both regionally and internationally on a variety of subjects relatingtothelaw,gender,andothermatters ofpublicinterest.MmeJusticeBernardtook theoathofofficeasaJudgeoftheCaribbean CourtofJusticeon16April2005.

CCJ President, Justice Adrian Saunders observedthat“itiswellnighimpossiblethat the region will ever produce another trailblazerasJusticeBernardwas.Shewasa tremendous role model and while it is tempting to focus on her contribution in inspiring generations of women regionally and internationally, her influence in the region generally, in the creation of the OCCBA and in the development of our Caribbean jurisprudence, must not be forgotten.Itwasanabsoluteprivilegeand

(Continuedonpage 13)

Guyana could have received US$1.1B in 2023 with 10% royalty, instead received US$228M with 2%

For the year 2023, Guyana received a total of US$228M in Royalty payments,inaccordancewith the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) the country signed with American oil giant, ExxonMobil.

The terms of the agreement stipulates that “TheContractorshallpay, aroyaltyoftwopercentofall Petroleum produced and sold.” Royalty is a fixed percentagepaidtotheowners ofnaturalresourcesfromthe saleofproduction.

The paltry 2% paid to Guyana from ExxonMobil is one of the several provisions included in the deal that deprives the nation of a fair shareofitswealth.Infact,the governmenthasacceptedthat thecountryisnotbenefitting equally in the lopsided contract and has drafted a newPSAwhichwillhowever not apply to the Stabroek Block, where over 11 billion barrels of oil has been discoveredtodate.

In the new agreement, government requires oil companiestopayaminimum of10%royaltytothestate.

The political Opposition hadvoiceditssupportforthe new terms to be a start of d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h ExxonMobil to secure a better deal for the country Notably, had Guyana institutethissingleprovision from the new PSA, the country could have received a w h o p p i n g

US$1,142,166,805 in royalties last year, instead of the meager US$228,433,361 it collected from the 2%

arrangement.

In the first quarter of 2023, Guyana received a US$57,591,504M, followed by a US$54,436,683M payment in the second quarter Meanwhile, in the third and fourth quarters, the

c o u n t r y w a s p a i d

US$52,805,908M and

U S $ 6 3 , 5 9 9 , 2 6 6 M respectively

Even though Guyana stands to gain significantly more by applying a 10% royaltyto theContractor, the government of Guyana is reluctant to engage E x x o n M o b i l f o r a renegotiationofthedeal.

Itarguesthatthe'sanctity of contracts' principle must be respected. It also believes that seeking a renegotiation nowcandriveinvestorsaway and slow the pace of production and exploration activities ongoing in the Stabroek Block by the Exxon-ledconsortium.

Presently, over 600,000 barrelsofoilperday(bpd)is being produced by three Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels (FPSOs). Guyana is aiming toproduce1.2millionbpdby 2027.

As production increases, sowillthepotentiallossesfor the country by not demanding more from its naturalresources.

For its part, ExxonMobil hasalreadymadeitclearthat it would not walk away if government demands more from its sweet light crude, discovered in the lucrative StabroekBlock.

President of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL),

Alistair Routledge made the disclosure during a press conference in May last year inresponsetoaquestionfrom KaieteurNews.

Companies have not run off because of renegotiationTTMinister

It must be noted that Trinidad and Tobago's Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, Stuart Young had offered the country's expertise to help Guyanabenefitfromabetter oildeal.

Youngwasakeyspeaker on the second day of the Guyana'sEnergyConference

and Supply Chain Expo, hosted at the Marriott Hotel inKingston.TheTTMinister shared that the country spent seven years renegotiating almostallofitsgascontracts.

He said, “It can be done, soourabilitytositdownright across the aisle and to share with those who are now enteringintothenegotiations of their PSCs (Production Sharing Contracts), their E&P (Exploration and Production) Licenses etcetera should not be underestimated because we have done the same thing in our gas supply contracts for

theupstream.”

The Minister added, “Very often I hear those who have no access to the information whatsoever talking about the energy sector and what should be done, similar to what Vice PresidentBharratJagdeowas speakingaboutthismorning.

But the point is, we in Trinidad and Tobago have spent the last seven years of our term successfully negotiating, and I can say here without fear of contradiction, every contract that we negotiated augurs better in direct revenue for

the people of Trinidad and Tobagoandthemultinational oil and gas companies have notgotupandrunoff.”

Young reasoned that those companies are continuing to invest since “respectandfairness”arekey pillarsinbusiness.

“They continue to invest becauseitisallaboutrespect and fairness of relationships and I offer that here to GuyanaandtoSurinameina collaborative approach because you see I am convincedthat[wecan]work together to change the dynamics…”hesaid.

Tel:

Extreme riches, extreme poverty

Whenwesayit,wearegivenablackeye,andastabinthe back. NowthataUNHumanRightsCommittee(UNHRC) member has pointed to the disparity in wealth in Guyana, perhaps the PPPC Government, with Vice President Jagdeo taking the lead, would introduce remedial policies It is this extreme disparity involving the national wealth: the already wealthygetwealthier,andthedreadfullypoorforcedtocope withapoorerexistence Weakgovernanceinsensitiveareashas been identified by the UNHRC as being among disturbing matters As the majority of Guyanese also know terrible leadership has negatively impacted both the physical landscape and the human hopes now dwindling in the breastsofimpoverishedcitizens.

TheUNHRChadthreeyearstolistento,toreadabout,and watch all that is happening in Guyana, the most talked about countryontheplanet. Therehasbeenalottoabsorb,withno endinsight,whentherearesomanycomponentsofleadership andgovernancethathavegonewrong. Thispaperhasledthe way in pointing to the environment that results from the weakness of an impotent Environmental Protection Agency, one minimized to a rubberstamp institution The toll on the indigenouspeopleandtheirwayoflife,wehavecovered,and wehavecontinuouslyhighlightedhowtheoilandothernatural resourceswealthisbypassingGuyanese Theseweresomeof theissuesonwhichtheUNHRCzeroedinandsoughtanswers, giventhatGuyanaisasignatorytoboththeParisAgreementand the Escazu regional agreement The EscazuAgreement has particularsignificanceinthatitemphasizestherightsofcitizens toaccessinformation ThePPPCGovernmenthasbeenvocal abouthowmuchitconsultswiththelocalpopulation Whatit does not say is how much it withholds from the Guyanese public Guyanese know too little about the many things that theyshouldknow,howminuteistheaccessthattheyhaveto thosemattersandissues,andwhichareanaturalpartofahealthy governanceculture

Exploitation has rocked Guyana, with those reeling from their efforts at daily survival taking the hardest hits. The natural resource contracts involving the patrimony of the people are an impenetrable PPPC Government secret, with the nation’s wealth going out, and poor Guyanese hangingbyathread. Itistheextentofwhattheyknow,the harshexperiencewithwhichtheylive. Thegovernmentis proudofhavinganEPAthatisaglobaljoke,andacorporate dream, while 38.8% of Guyanese struggle to exist on GY$1100aday ThankstothelucrativeawardsofthePPPC Government to its inner circle, the extreme tilts in its managementofasurgingoileconomy,thecabalsofitsown (family, friends, and fawning brownnosers), make 100 times that GY$1100 a minute, if not more. The fortunate few know what it is to revel in extreme riches and, at the otherextreme,therearethosemanyGuyanesecompelledto asituationofextremepoverty

InresponsetotheUNHRC,MinisterTexeiranotedthehuge sums that her government has allocated for education and healthcare,andincreasedaccesstoabetterqualityoflifeforthe indigenouscommunity Noreasonablecitizenwoulddenythat budgetaryallocationshavenotbeenmadebythegovernment Conspicuously missing, however, is that economically distressed indigenous areas and numerous other areas of Guyanadonothaveenoughintheirhandstoaddresstheirmost basic needs Similar to how PPPC Government leaders and punditsspeakhighlyaboutconsultations,theyalsopinpointthe millionsbudgetedtoenhancevariousaspectsoflife Whatis covered over, and hustled over, are the missing elements Consultationisnotcomingcleanorgivingtheclearestpathto need-to-know information Likewise, building schools and healthcare centers doesn’t do much to ease hunger pangs, or relievetheneedforclothing,orhelppayallmonthlybills The extremelyrichhavetheirmansionsandcanstilleat,drink, and wear whatever delights their hearts. In stark contrast, theextremelypoorhavetheirhutsandcabins,andstruggle for a meal and medicines. This is the dark tale of two countries,thetwoGuyanasinexistence.

Solutions to GPL’s never-ending power issues

DEAREDITOR,

AsfarasIcanremember GPLhas always fallen short ontheironlytaskwhichisto supply sufficient, reliable and efficient power supply throughout Guyana This problem will never resolve, because GPL is always 10

steps behind There is growing power demand and GPL wouldn’t be able to catch up. To resolve this would mean buying several more generators, upgrading powerlinesetc. The only solution is for the government to start

distributing free solar systems to every single building.

Whether it be home, government building, or business These systems would ease the burden from GPL having to provide the growing power needs. This

seems expensive at first, but ifyouconsiderGPL’scostof keep buying more and more generators, fuel, line maintenance, and electricity theft.Itmightbefeasible.

Thankyou.

Sincerely

RajeshSingh

Deconstructing false narratives

DEAREDITOR,

The veritable cavalcade of world leaders and their representatives–officialand official – into Guyana and Guyanese affairs recently, shouldremindusthatweare being inveigled into webs that are not necessarily woven with our interests in mind Meanwhile, our internal contradictions c e n t r e d a r o u n d race/ethnicity continue to bedevil us even as external and internal players exploit thosefaultlinesfortheirown ends. With our general elections scheduled for late nextyear,weshouldnotonly expect, but prepare to deal with the now unfortunate “traditional” ethnic tensions that erupt in that triggering contestforpoliticalpower

That our political

competition is still predominantly along ethnic lines present dangerous challenges because of the intertwined group and individual feelings of identityandself-worth.This was shown recently when violence was triggered by Pres Granger’s incendiary statements in West Berbice on the Henry boys murders, aftertheshamefulattempted riggingofthe2020elections. The international players attracted by our newfound oil wealth will definitely exploit and exacerbate our divisions.

The experience with ethnic conflict across the globe demonstrate that ultimatelytheyaredrivenby group perceptions of inequalities, which, whether real or constructed, must be addressed For the real inequalities,policiesmustbe structuredthatprovideequal opportunities for all – but also affirmative action in areas where groups might have been historically discriminated against by the state Ethnic impact statements must accompany all governmental programs andwhereparticipationrates continuetolag,explanations must be sought and

adjustmentsmade.

However, from our history, we have seen that certainnarrativescontinueto be peddled by ethnic entrepreneurs that mask the reasons for differential group performance. They create a grievance mindset that locks the misinformed group into suboptimal performances and continued cycles of despair Take for instance, the narrative that Indian Guyanese are somehow ontologically better entrepreneurs than African Guyanese As a matter of fact, the former’s b e t t e r e c o n o m i c performance, even after the Burnhamite program to empowerAfricanGuyanese, is a consequence of the different historical trajectoriesofthetwogroups that have sedimented into different perspectives on economicaccumulation.

The introduction of plantationsintheNewWorld during the late 17th century demandedlabourinnumbers andrigourthanEuropecould not supply, and they enslaved African to fill the gap. They introduced laws which classified them as subhuman to justify the practice and inflicted extreme violence that not only wiped out almost all of their cultural practices, but hegemonized them into accepting European ones thatperpetuatedmuchofthat colonisedmindset.

After the abolition of slavery in 1838, rather than moving to “free labour” as was promised, ex-enslaved Africans were kept de facto unfree as laws were passed to discourage them from moving off the plantationssuch that land must be purchased in 100-acre plots. The mental slavery was perpetuated when the two institutions the ex-slaves looked to for spiritual and economic emancipation –the Church and Schoolwere both controlled by Europeans.

T h e l a t t e r a l s o

introduced unfree Indentured labour –Madeirans and Chinese but mostlyIndians.Lawfarewas waged against the indentureds but especially the“heathen”IndianHindus and Muslims. Their contracts were structured to keep them bound to the plantation such that if they were not in the fields, they had to be either in jail or hospital. Infractions of their contract were subject to criminal penalties and these wereappliedliberally

However,inIndia,which the British East India

Company conquered between 1657 and 1818, the British passed laws that changed the rules on land taxes, crops that should be cultivated etc, that resulted in millions dying in famine and pushed off the land to become excess labour Under the new racism, Indians were also lower ontologically than whites.

Indentured Indian labour

wasfirstusedwithinIndiain the tea plantations ofAssam then to the colonies such as to Mauritius and the West Indies.

They arrived as economic immigrants and the majority who remained seized the opportunity to first rent swampland on the plantations to supplement their abysmal wages. From the 1890s they purchased Crown land when the restrictions were removed to facilitategoldmining

By that time African Guyanesehad beensocialised awayfromfarmingand,inthe words of Desmond Hoyte, away from looking “beyond thehorizon” Newnarratives must be created which can lead to success of all, but especially African Guyanese, in the present neo-liberal, free market dispensation.

These will not come fromthenewcarpetbaggers.

Sincerely,

RaviDev

Recruitment of nurses from Bangladesh

DEAREDITOR

I refer to recent news story that indicates the Government has decided to recruit nurses from Bangladesh via a company called Sigma Engineering which poses a number of questionsinmymind.

Firstly, from all indications Guyana is currently short of competent nurses with reports of continued migration causing a rapid depletion in the Nursing Cohort required in Public Medical facilities. So clearlytheauthoritiesneedto takepromptactiontocorrect this situation as we cannot claim to be the Dubai of the C a r i b b e a n w i t h a substandard healthcare system.

However, as they say charity begins at Home and the natural question to ask is what is being done to retain

Guyanesenurses?

Clearlythereisneedfora serious upward revision in pay and overall emoluments plus some other forms of Incentives as have been offered to other Category of State Workers such as subsidized cost for house lots, duty-free concessions on a motor car for those withfiveyearsofServiceand equally Important improved conditions at the various Hospitals and Medical Centres.

Editorcanweunderstand why the recruitment of Nurses most only take place fromBangladesh?

Why not throw it open also to recruit from the Phillipines and India for example both known to provide properly trained Health workers who can SpeakEnglish.Sir, (Continuedonpage06)

DEAREDITOR,

Whilst I welcome the “maritime assets” France is sending our way, accept and bless, I really do not see the reason why that acquisition should be accompanied by the establishment of a French embassy in Guyana. The two countries do not share a significant colonial history–thankGodforthat–and have not shared any significant bilateral relationshipsince1966.

Why France? Guyana’s rapid rise means “Youths must pursue careers in OSH”

Moreover, since the last of the 3 military coups that led to the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States in West Africa, and to revelations about the shockingly exploitative nature of France’s relationshipswithherformer colonialpossessions,whyon earth would any former colony enter into a special relationship with France for any reason that is not special?Franceisamember country of the EU. That shouldbeenough.

Isthespecialreasonfora French embassy in Guyana tofacilitatetheprocessingof Schengenvisaapplications?

CARICOM is in the process of endeavoring to help achieve peace now in Haiti – a country that has been unremittingly abused by France for almost 5 centuries.

The abuse started psychologically – with almost 1 million slaves on that half of the island of Hispaniola allocated to France (by agreement with Spain) falling under the misapprehension that the French Revolution contemplated them as numbered amongst men After achieving the first and only successful slave rebellion in history, the Haitians further had to deal with the realization that encouragements to undermine the new administration were not for the cause of France but against their own status as free French subjects, as France intended to reenslavethem.

Therealizationtriggered their violent rejection of all thingsFrench.

Haiti was only grudgingly recognized by France after agreeing under duress to pay reparations to Francethatittookupto1947 tofullypayup.

Earlyindicationsarethat thecurrentpowerbrokersin Port-au-Princehaverejected the CARICOM initiative Whilst disappointing, is that

at all surprising? There exists little reason for Haitians to trust a CARICOM that does not treat Haitians the same way it treats other CARICOM nationals.Therearepractical explanationsforthis.Haitiis economically depressed and has a population that represents about half of the entire bloc The other territories are either small islands or larger territories that cannot absorb more personsanyway–exceptfor Guyana recently – though not before we progress a bit f u r t h e r w i t h o u r infrastructural development, by which time controlled Haitian immigration directedparticularlytowards agriculture, can help propel the process further Guyana is English-speaking whilst HaitiansspeakFrench.

Both Spanish-speaking Ve n e z u e l a n s a n d Portuguese-speaking Brazilianspresentlycometo Guyana to work and sometimes settle – but those are neighboring South American countries that haveinteractedwithGuyana continuously over decades. Further, Haitians are of African heritage and that raisesissuesof“optics”with local politicians – on a grander scale and with deeper implications than importing 500 Bangladeshi healthworkershasexcited.

CARICOMmustrespect Haiti’s history. Haitians are Africans who successfully took destiny into their own hands and since survived against terribly repressive odds.

The slave-owning countriessawitintheirown interestsnottorecognizethe Haitian Revolution, and so Haiti lived in economic isolation whilst paying reparations to France. It is not the fault of the Haitian people that the country is so poor today – without the absurd argument that had they not successfully rebelledagainstFranceatthe end of the 18th Century the country might have been better off Kenya is on conditionalonstandbytoput boots on the ground to help Haiti.

CARICOMstandsready and willing to do whatever elsecanbedonewithlimited resources.

A major factor that has contributed in part to the currentimpasseisthatacting President and Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, is perceived by Haitians as a

US appointee and thus not acceptable as eligible to negotiateanythingonbehalf of Haiti’s de facto power brokers.

A way will have to be found to engage with the likes of Barbeque, as otherwise no elections will be held in the foreseeable future to produce a legitimately elected leader Peace has got to start somewhere.Revolutionsare triggered by dissatisfaction. The US promises much needed money to assist the effort, however cries for democracy – especially whenaimedatreinstatingor installing leaders who in reality represent foreign interests – are unattractive locally whilst people are d y i n g a n d s o c i a l infrastructure is being destroyed.

Purporting to enter Haiti without being invited in wouldamounttoaninvasion followed by occupation, as ECOWASrealizedonlyafter issuing such threat to Niger CARICOM should remain committed to helping Haiti toachievepeaceandbecome anormallyfunctioningState – but that will only happen by engaging with those who hold power in Port-auPrince, whether CARICOM or anyone else outside of Haitilikesthemtoday

For any such talks to stand a chance of success, the inevitable issue of an amnesty favoring possibly hundreds of persons will arise and will need to be concededup-front.

Presently Haiti has no effective Government, police force or judiciary anyway! Given the right reasons, most patriotic persons can in time become good people to do business with.Unliketheapproachof our own former colonial master, French patriotism hasfavoredFranceonly Itis noteworthy, that whereas in the 4 decades since its independence, Niger has suppliedFrancewith20%of the uranium it refines to produce the electricity that powersFrance’sFirstWorld standardofliving,only10% of Nigerians enjoy any electricityin2024.

Direct talks with former policeofficerBarbeque,and his ‘Shadow Cabinet’ of patriotic Haitians, should prove more beneficial to Haiti and the region than blindly tying bundle with FranceofallEUnations.

Yourstruly

DEAREDITOR,

It is good to see that Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton, recently “ emphasised the importance of Occupational SafetyandHealth(OSH), (and was) urging young people to pursue studies in this area, as it is considered oneofthetop-rankingfuture professions ” In fact, as Hamilton pointed out, in “ R e f e r r i n g t o a n International Labour Organisation (ILO) assessment done on the 11 most important jobs for the future, the OSH ranks the secondmostimportant.”

Putting this into proper perspective, as Guyana is gathering momentum, we needtorealisethatOSHisof premiere concern worldwide, as it covers the practice that dealswiththesafety,welfare, and social well-being of workers, in all occupations, and in so doing, seeks to provide a safe working environment for the entire staff(andbytheway,thisisa l e g a l a n d h u m a n responsibility), and Guyana embracesthisframework.

AttheleveloftheUnited Nations, the issue is treated withgreatcare,astheUNitself frequently faces multiple and simultaneouscrisesacrossthe globe. The HLCM (HighLevel Committee on M a n a g e m e n t ) o n Occupational Health and Safety Forum is now a respected ‘UN-system wide forum’establishedatits38th sessioninOctober2019,and isverypro-active,operating with a sense of urgency and determination, to build on thecumulativeexperienceof learning from increasing tragic events globally, so as to preserve the system’s

ability to deliver on its programmaticmandatesthat deal with the ‘safety, welfare, and social wellbeing of workers, in all occupations and at every level.

Ihopereadersgetthedrift, that is, Guyana is actually following ‘International Best Ptractices’ where employers must ensure compliance for betterment of all employees And it is good that the Government is ‘driving’ this kindofphilosophy

LiketheMinistersaid,“ OSH (related jobs) is not a professionthatis(well)known like many others, (at least in Guyana,but)itwilldoGuyana great good, personally and collectively, if and when “ youngpeopletryandseek outopportunitiestolearnmore aboutOSHineverysectorand be a part of this growing profession” My advice is that asawarenessgrows,thatthose interested in careers that combine advocacy, education, and hands-on work, consider positively the field of occupationalhealthandsafety (OHS) After all, OHS professionals help protect workers from risks on the job by identifying potential hazards and developing plans to mitigate them; it is notjustabout‘after-the-fact’ compensation. It elevates to pre-emptive preparation. Hence the clarion call from MinisterHamiltonwasmost important.

I s u g g e s t t h a t prospective pursuers in this emerging sector ‘learn up’ on OHS, as it calls for commitment. The studies in this regard focus on identifying, assessing, and controlling (potential) risks arising from workplace a c t i v i t i e s O H S

professionals protect workers from hazards that can lead to injuries, illnesses, and death. These include physical risks (e.g., exposure to hazardous substances), ergonomic risks (e.g., repetitive strain injuries), and, increasingly, psychologicalhealthrisks.

Further,OHSpractitioners proactively manage risk by seeking out potential hazards beforetheyresultinharm This work is done through a combination of methods, includinghazardidentification and analysis, risk assessment, andthedevelopmentofcontrol measures Once potential hazardshavebeen identified, OHS professionals collaborate with employers and employees to develop safe work practices to help minimize the likelihood of harmorinjury

Iknowitalmostredundant for me to say that the Government is really embarking on a vital aspect where Guyana’s workforce is concerned Itisheadingintoan almost ‘once neglected’ area, andthismeanslotsofeffortwill beforthcoming,andhencethe need for many to decide on careers in OHS Let’s remember that Guyana is rapidly growing and the downsideofthis,isthatifwe donotanticipate,thenmany dangers will surface and growth and development will be stymied Quite rightly, the Labour Minister opined that “ it is a nationalmatterthatwehave to address. It’s a matter of ourcultureandhowweview this specific issue.” Editor, mypleaisthatthevisionwill be embraced, and OSH will becomeeveryone’sconcern.

Regards

HB.Singh

Police raided Peruvian president’s home for undeclared Rolex watches

LIMA(AP) — Peruvian police busted through the front door of President Dina Boluarte’s house with a battering ram overnight in search of luxury watches as part of an investigation into possibleillicitenrichment.

Policehadwaitedinvain for several minutes for someone to open the door late Friday, as dozens of armed officers carrying ballistic shields and batons looked on. After their raid around midnight, officers went to the presidential palacewhere,thistime,they were admitted without resortingtoforce.

T h e c o u n t r y i s accustomed to seeing

searches in the homes of former presidents, but this marked the first time in Peru’s history that police forciblyenteredthehomeof a sitting president. Raids on the presidential palace had happenedbefore.

Boluarte is being

Peruvian President, H.E. Dina Boluarte

preliminarily investigated for allegedly acquiring an undisclosed collection of luxury watches since becoming vice president and social inclusion minister in July2021,andthenpresident inDecember2022.

Boluarte’s lawyer, Mateo

Law EnforcementAgents outside the president’s home

Castañeda, told radio station RPPonSaturdaymorningthat policeevensearchedunderthe carpets at the presidential palace, and found

approximately 10 “nice” watches “Staff from the Government Palace completely facilitated the diligence requested by the Attorney General’s Office, which was carried out normally and without incident,” Peru’s presidency said in a message Saturday morning on X, formerly Twitter In an unusual interview during the early hours, Prime Minister GustavoAdrianzéntoldRPP radio that he considered the r a i d “ i l l e g a l a n d unconstitutional.”

Adrianzén added that “a storm was being generated where there is none” and the work of the prosecution is causing “political noise that affects investments ” Boluartehasnotcommented on Friday’s searches Boluarte intially claimed ownership of at least one

Rolex as a long-held possession and urged the media not to delve into personal matters, during a pressconferenceinMarch.

Earlier in the week, AttorneyGeneralJuanVillena criticizedBoluarte’srequestto delay her appearance before the court for two weeks, emphasizing her obligation to cooperate with the investigation.Intheinterview with RPP, Boluarte’s lawyer, Castañeda, did not say how manyofthewatchesfoundin the palace were Rolex watches Political turmoil is nothing new in Peru, which hasseensixpresidentsinthe last six years. But many see Boluarte’s recent statements as contradicting her earlier pledge to speak truthfully to prosecutors, exacerbating a political crisis stemming from her unexplained ownershipofRolexwatches.

Recruitment of nurses...

Frompage04 investigations must also be Another Caricom state besiegedbygangs. Partsof Belizehavebeenputundera state of emergency due to increase in gang related activities (Loop News Mar 27).

Justwhatarethegrouses oftheyouthinBelizewhich

led to this situation becomingsoalarmingthata stateofemergencyhadtobe invoked?

So is there a correlation betweenthistransgressionin Belize and that ongoing in the other sister Caricom nation,Haiti?

Regards ShamshunMohamed

Recruitment of nurses...

Frompage04 carried out to find out exactly why Sigma Engineering has been recruitedtodothisinsteadof through Government to Government Contact with Bangladesh or at the minimum reputable Known agencies in above countries who deal with placement of their workers overseas and would have better “quality” control procedures in Place.

I know from Personal experience that the Woodlands Hospital had recruited nurses form South Indiawhohavedoneagreat

Jobinimprovingthequality of Health care at that Institution and I am sure they would be willing to share their knowledge and expertise in this area with theMinistryOfHealth.

Mr Minister and Mr President I look forward to yourreviewofthissituation and taking the right decisions to avoid appearance of bias and inefficient decision making with regard to the expenditure of funds from thePublicPurse.

YoursSincerely

EPA: A RUBBERSTAMP INSTITUTION

The United Nations Human Rights Committee had three years to listen to, to read about, and watch all that is happening in Guyana, the most talked about country on the planet.

There has been a lot to absorb, with no end in sight, when there are so many components of leadership and governance that have gone wrong.

This paper has led the way in pointing to the environment that results from the weakness of an impotent Environmental Protection Agency, one minimized to a rubberstamp institution.

Jagdeo awaits default Judgement after Mr. Su fails to show up in court

ByShervinBelgrave

VicePresidentJagdeoon sidelines of his pressconferenceonThursdaysaid that he is awaiting a default judgment in a $50M lawsuit he had filed in 2022 against hisformerfriendandtenant, ZhiRongSu.

SpeakingwithaKaieteur News reporter, Jagdeo reportedly said, “We are awaiting judgment by the court,that'stheupdate”.Last Tuesday Guyana's Attorney General and Minister of LegalAffairs,AnilNandlall, SC during his weekly programme called 'Issues in the News' had said that Su never showed up in court to defendhimself.

“I am informed that he has never entered an appearance nor filed a defence to the lawsuit filed

against him by the vice president and that is where the matters are”, Nandlall told his viewers while explaining that the media had reported a non-story when it highlighted that the United Nations Human Rights Committee had questioned government's failure to invest allegations ofcorruptionagainstJagdeo.

He too like the Minister ofParliamentaryAffairsand Governance, Gail Teixeira who responded to the question at the Committee's th140 session said that there was no official police report filed against theVPand that he (the VP) had repeatedly and publicly refuted the allegationsmadeagainsthim in a VICE News televised report.

Jagdeowasimplicatedin collecting bribes for multimillion dollar government contracts in a VICE News documentary that premiered on July 7, 2022. Su had disclosed to VICE News reporters posing as Chinese investors that Jagdeo took

“cash bribes” for the contractsandthathewashis middleman.

In the documentary, Jagdeo called Su “a good friendofours”andhistenant duringaninterviewwithone of the VICE news reporters. However, when the full documentary was aired and Jagdeo learnt of the corruption allegations againsthim,hethreatenedto sue that same “good friend” for $50M for defaming his character but reportedly could not find him to serve the lawsuit. One year and months later, Jagdeo revealed that he had found Su According to legal documents seen by this publication, Jagdeo through his attorneys, Manoj Narayan and C.V Satram, outlined that the statements made by Mr Su that were

contained in the news broadcast clearly imputed criminal and unlawful conduct on the part of the Vice President The attorneys had described the statements made by Mr Su as “defamatory and slanderous ” The lawsuit outlined that the said words werecalculatedtodisparage Mr Jagdeopersonallyandin theofficehenowholds.

Accordingtothelawsuit, owing to the statements that were aired in the documentary, Jagdeo has s u f f e r e d p u b l i c condemnation, humiliation, ridicule,andembarrassment. Additionally, the legal document noted the statements have caused serious injury to the Vice President's reputation and his political standing locally andinternationally

InViceNewsundercover investigation, the Chinese businessman was recorded saying that bribes would have to be paid to the Vice President for them to be guaranteed contracts in Guyana. He could be heard on the recording too telling the team that Jagdeo only accepts“cash.”

The documentary also showed that Su took the “fake Chinese investors to Jagdeo's home to meet him. The documentary was viewed by thousands of GuyaneseinGuyanaandthe diaspora. Additionally, the extendedYouTubeeditionof thereporthasattractedmore than two million views to date.

Jagdeo's defence is that hehadrepeatedlydeniedthe allegations in the extended newsreportwhichwasaired ontheUStelevisionnetwork Showtime and posted on YouTube The allegations had triggered calls by a number of civil society groups and the Opposition for there to be a full independentinvestigationof the serious corruption allegations, which have all been denied by Vice

PresidentJagdeo.

“Vice News came into my house to catch me doing somethingillegalandtaking abribe…andyoucouldn'tdo that in my most unguarded moment…They have done this around the world with leaders they got taking bribes they are never goingtofindanythingofthat naturewithme,”Jagdeohad said.

Jagdeo had said too that he was not conducting officialgovernmentbusiness at his home but was rather meeting with an investor of Su.“Sudidnotgetanything special here and it was not a government project, it was hisinvestorhewantedmeto meet.”

Notably Su, the man Jagdeo had described in the documentary as a “friend” has amassed a significant portion of mineral-rich land under the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration. Su holds some 12,000 acres of precious stones and goldrich lands under his name. Thisinformationisprovided in the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYEITI) documents.

While jagdeo awaits his defaultjudgmentinthecase, theTopCop,CliftonHicken has been written a formal complaint to investigate corruption allegations against Jagdeo. Hicken was written by a local organisation called Institute for Action Against Discrimination(IFAAD).

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

Chinese Businessman, Zhi-Rong Su

ThePPP’sSiegeMentalityisaHindrancetoPoliticalProgress

Since Bharrat Jagdeo assumed the leadership of the PPP, the party has become captive to a siege mentality This siege mentalityischaracterizedby an intolerance towards dissenting voices and a binaryapproachtoloyalty

The siege mentality not only erodes democratic principlesbutalsostiflesthe potential for inclusive governance in Guyana. By attempting to stifle dissent and reject alternative viewpoints, the party is undermining whatever remnants of internal democracy remains within theparty Butfromanational perspective it is also suffocating democratic freedoms.

At the core of the PPP’s siege mentality is a fundamental distrust of alternative viewpoints and a rigid adherence to party orthodoxy Instead of fostering an environment conducive to healthy debate anddiverseperspectives,the party under Jagdeo’s command has adopted a stanceof“you’reeitherwith us or against us ” This mentality leaves little room for independent thought or middleground,forcingparty members and critics alike into a binary paradigm where dissent is equated withbetrayalandenmity

Thisnarrative–ofeither being with or against us – is going to be central at the forthcomingCongressofthe PPP The Congress is expected to be a scripted

spectacle devoid of genuine dialogue, meaningful discussion, or dissenting voices.

At a previous Congress, persons were inserted into sessions to guide the discussionsofthedelegates. This was more of less an attempt at censorship of criticismoftheleadershipof thepartyandgovernment.

Thenotionthattheparty would entertain anything outside the established norms must not be an expectation for the forthcoming Congress There is within the party a deep-seatedfearofdeviation fromthepartyline.Straying from the prescribed narrative is met with swift retribution, further entrenching the siege mentality within the party’s ranks.

Four examples serve to highlight this fear of deviation. At a meeting of the PPP leadership, former CentralCommitteemember, Khemraj Ramjattan, was placedunderthemicroscope andtoldthathewasengaged in legalese when he tried to offeradefence.Atameeting oftheExecutiveCommittee, member Ralph Ramkarran was subject to verbal abuse becauseofthefearwithinthe party’s leadership that he could challenge to become the party’s Presidential candidate. The same fate befell Moses Nagamootoo because of concerns he expressed about corruption within the government Recent de-classified

documents from the US Central IntelligenceAgency quotes two of the then top leadersofthePPPCwereina state of panic over the fear thatthePPPCcouldlosethe 2001 general and regional elections because of governmentalcorruption.

Critics of the PPPC’s policiesorleadershiparenot merely seen as offering constructive feedback.They are most often labelled as enemies of both the party and the State. This blackand-white worldview leaves no room for good faith disagreement The party paints dissenters as adversaries to be silenced rather than voices to be heard Even respected institutions like Stabroek News are not immune to such accusations, with any critical editorial being summarily dismissed as a n t i - g o v e r n m e n t propaganda.

Individuals who dare to challenge the PPPC’s authority are similarly vilified, their motives questioned and their integrity impugned. Glenn Lall’s criticism of the government’shandlingofoil projects, for example, is not seen as genuine concern for the nation’s welfare but rather as evidence of a hiddenpoliticalagenda.This reflexive suspicion of dissenting voices further perpetuates the siege mentality within the party, andgovernment,creatingan environment where conformity is prized above

DEM BOYS SEH

We need power sharing to end de blackouts

De country stumble pun a new national sport: blackout bingo U n d e r t h e P P P C government,poweroutages have become as regular as yuhmorningcupofcoffee, andjustasbitter Delights goingoffandonasifdemis fairy lights on a Christmas tree.

De blame game ensues, with accusations tossed aroundlikedices.Oneparty blaming de odder fuh not making investment in power infrastructure fuh caterforincreaseddemand.

De odder side claiming dat d e g o v e r n m e n t mismanagingdesector

But leh we pause for a moment and consider a novel solution to this electrifyingdilemma.Ifthe

PPPC seems to be dancing to the blackout bug’s tune, perhaps it’s time to change the conductor Instead of political power sharing, whynotoptforsomethinga tad more illuminating – let the Opposition tek charge ofdepowercompany! After all, during the time of theAPNU+AFC in government, we did not have all these blackouts. Under this proposed arrangement,everytimede lights dim, it wouldn’t be a political showdown but a heroic display of unity Oppositionmemberswould swoop in, armed with expertise in power management and a commitmenttokeepingthe nation bright. No longer wouldwefearthedarkness, fortheOppositionwouldbe

allelse.

The West is eager to see Guyana embrace a pluralistic model of governance. However, that isnotlikelytohappenunder thepresentleadershipofthe PPP The party refuses to entertain alternative viewpoints that are divergent from those of its mainleaders.

ThePPPCdoesnotwant a strong and diverse civil society;itprefersonethatis malleable.Thisreluctanceto engage with diverse opinions undermines the principlesofdemocracyand inclusivity upon which the West wants to see Guyana’s futureshouldbebuilt.

The PPPC is unable to breakfreefromtheconfines ofitssiegementality Itisso paralysed by suspicion and

fear that it refuses to embrace a more open and inclusive approach to governance. The party of Cheddi Jagan, though now captured by the bourgeois class,isunabletofosterand environment within the party where dissent is toleratedandwelcomed.The PPPC though embracing a neo-liberal economic agenda, is trapped in an internalcommunistculture.

For the PPP serious criticismoftheleadershipor direction of the country is not seen as an essential element of internal democracy or a sign of a robustdemocracyoutsideof the party Rather it is is viewed as a indication off disloyalty and those who venture such criticisms are branded as enemies to be

vilifiedandvictimized.

Whatmakesthesituation more palpable is that there are no class contradictions within the PPP As such, thereisnotmuchpossibility that the forthcoming Congressofthepartywillbe anythingotherthanarubber stamping of the same old discredited policies of the party, its leadership and the party’ssiegementality

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

our guiding light, quite literally

Of course, there would be challenges The governmentmightfeelatad uneasy relinquishing control of such a crucial aspect of governance. But hey,desperatetimescallfor desperatemeasures.

So, dear readers, let’s embrace this electrifying proposalforpowersharing. Let’scastasidetheblackout bug and usher in a new era of illumination, where the Opposition takes the reins of the power company, and together, we shine brighter than ever before Who knows, maybe we’ll even earn ourselves a new national motto: “In blackout or brightness, unitedwestand!”

Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

GUYANESE MUST RISE

Inthebeliefofthemajor entities in the Christian denomination, Jesus is Risenonthisday Whenhe rose, he gave great hope to peopleeverywhere. Mostof

all,hegavethemsomething to hold onto. Those who have been cast to the peripheries, those beaten down by time and circumstances, those who

have no voice, no standing, no power Of a better life that is to come. Of what is nowpossible. Butfirst,itis ofthequalityofthelifethat istobelivedinthehereand now by believers, and those who try to follow in his footsteps Whether a believerornot,andonedoes nothavetobeafollower,the timeless teachings, the revolutionary thinking, that came from Jesus have to do withbeingagoodneighbor, the best one possible. One devoted to simple truths: there are no enemies, including the unlovable and the utterly detestable. And there must be a place in our hearts and our visions to embrace even the worst among us. And, from my wayofthinking,itisofusing theskillsandtalentsthatone is given, via the doors openedwithopportunityfor profound things beckoning, to make a difference, to be thatagentforchange. Tobe a messenger that is honest and trusted To refine myself continually to be an instrument of whatever is thewillofforcesbeyondmy controlorcomprehension.

Atthemostbasiclevel,it is as Jesus Christ has Risen, somustIriseintheworkIdo hereinthispale. Theremust be the willingness to allow his commandments to carry me to places that I would never have believed myself capable of reaching. As I crawlandcreep,fightoffthe inner limitations that threaten to slowdown, and struggle to get off the ground, it must be done so thatmyfellowGuyaneseare liftedwithme. Incredibleas thismaysound,itismyduty (self-appointed, of course) todomyutmosttoreachout to President Irfaan Ali and his own people, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and his broad squad of

loyalists, and Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton and his folks,anddoasmuchas canbedonebyasimple man to help them to rise. JesusisRisen. Iamtryingto riseoutofthequagmirethat is Guyana. And, by God, theymustrisetoo. Whatam I,ifnotmybrother’skeeper? And if I cannot cut through the negatives and the smog of local wars to find that quiet ground of clarity and peace, then where am I and whoIam?

When our leaders, the three I identified, rise, then Guyaneseofallpersuasions, of all visions, of all convictions, are given a chancetorisealso. Wehave this God-given bounty (pardon is pleaded of atheists and agnostics), and it must be the dynamo that powers our rising. As a people, as a nation, as the owner of treasures. As a society that is given its fair due, a set of citizens is treatedonaprincipledbasis. We have the natural componentsthatmustmake possible our rising as individuals, and as a collective. Now,inthespirit ofEaster,sacrificesmustbe made so that there can be a rising of the people of this nation out of the darkness anddispiritedstateinwhich they have been locked forever Jesus was that rarest of leaders: he came out of nothing, walked and worked with nothing, and out of nothing, he left all of us great somethings. Jesus wasandisoftheintangible. OursrighthereinGuyanais tangible, in that it can be seen and scented and

touched. Therefore,itmust be tasted, and that long sweettastemustnotbelong incoming.

Our leaders must rise, andhow Theirsmustbethe courage to grapple with the forces and powers arrayed against them and believe enough in themselves that they can succeed. Again, this must be emphasized: sacrifices will have to be made. For sure, some will be severe, maybe even rise to the soaring height of the supreme one. I believe that President Ali, VP Jagdeo, Opposition Leader Norton allhaveitinthemtotakeus to a new rung, a different space. Let it be. Let it be differentthanwhathasbeen, is what I insist to each of them, all three of them. In the grandeur of Easter, we must give to get someplace. And if this means giving up friends,givinguponthepull of present or future ambitions, and giving up what holds every rich prospect of making ourselves flourish, then it is what must be. It must be if therewillbeaGuyanathatis rising.

For Guyana to rise, leadersmustcutthroughthe thickets of resistance (and their own fears) and clear a pathwayforallofustowalk inhope,withanewspringin our step. At its core, in its essence, that is rising Risingfromwhereweareas Guyanese,towherewemust beasGuyanese. Itiswhatis nonnegotiable. Arisingtide liftsallboats. Jesusroseand lifted me up out of the thickest darkness. Verily, it is my sworn duty to lift up Irfaan Ali, Bharrat Jagdeo, and Aubrey Norton. If nobody else sees merit in this,Ido. Whentheyrise,all Guyana rises. Jesus did it and left a legacy for people likeme. Partofmygiftisto give to my fellow citizens, regardlessofblow,whatever the price, notwithstanding the pain. Jesus has risen through it all. So, must Guyana.

(The

Pres.Aliannouncesover$1Bininvestments forRupununi

Communities in Region Nine, are p o i s e d f o r significant development as thegovernmentcontinuesto implement initiatives aimed at fostering growth and sustainability in the Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali led an outreach in the village of Nappi, situated in Central Rupununi on Saturday, whereheannouncedthatthe government is set to spend over $1 billion in the Rupununi region, exceeding thebudgetallocation.

– $20M mill, 500,000 pounds cassava valued $20M for Nappi, nearby villages

Ali emphasised that these additional investments reflect the government’s commitmentandsupportfor the people, aiming to empower them to contribute to the development of t h e m s e l v e s , t h e i r communities, and the countryasawhole.Justthree days ago, approximately 500,000 pounds of cassava were delivered to communities in the Deep SouthRupununi. President Ali revealed that an additional 500,000 pounds, valued at $20 million, will soon be distributed to Nappi and

President Dr. Mohamed IrfaanAli addressing the residents on Saturday

eightsurroundingvillages. Furthermore, the governmentplanstoprocure and install a cassava mill in Nappi at a cost of $20 million.

“To support you in thesevillagesandtoensure t h a t y o u h a v e sustainability, excess production, and valueadded,withoutyouasking,

we are going to install a cassava mill and we will startitwithin14daysright here to service these communities around here,” the president told the residents during the engagementwithresidentsat the village Benab In addition to these and other initiatives, residents also benefitted from solar photovoltaic household systems.

Eachsystemcomprisesa solarpanel,twolights,afan, and a power box. President Ali reiterated the PPP/C A d m i n i s t r a t i o n ’s commitment to prioritising theneedsofthepeopleinits programmes and policies. He assured that further interventions will be undertaken, specifically targeting Amerindian villages across the country

“Nothing is wrong with wanting more… we can aspire to be on the same level as those on the coastland. And this government will make the investment to ensure that youareatthatsamelevel,” thehead-of-statesaid.

To further support villages, President Ali said the government is planning to establish service hubs. Among them is the ‘Buyers Hub,’ where excess fruits available in the villages will be procured and preserved forreliablemarketing.

This initiative will be supported by the Men on Mission (MoM). “We want to develop cultural hubs; we want to develop

educational hubs. We will expandourfacilitiessothat the GOALstudents can go and study, that the trained teacherscangoandstudy,” thePresidentstressed.

Other initiatives include food support integration hubs and the establishment ofmentalhealthhubs.

The residents welcomed these announcements, expressing gratitude for the anticipated employment opportunities these programmes will generate. He was accompanied by Minister of Natural Resources,VickramBharrat, MinisterofEducation,Priya Manickchand and other officials during the meeting. (DPI)

Govt. to spend $116M more to boost water supply in Region 9

Several villages across RegionNinewillsoonhave improved access to potable water as $116 million in contracts were awarded through the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB)officeforprojects in these areas. The projects are being executed through the Guyana Water Inc (GWI). The NPTAB via its website revealed that in Region Nine at Katoonarib Village the improvement of watersupplysystemproject will be done by contractor Rasheid Construction to the tuneof$20,931,429.

As it relate to the other projects for the Rupununi area, the installation of water supply improvement projectforPotarinauVillage will be done by contractor N&A Construction for $22,825,500, and at Yakarinta Village, the project will be executed by SRT Contracting and General Supplies for $25,942,892 The same contractorissettocarryout works at Fair View Village tothetuneof$22,540,248.

Thesameprojectwillbe done in the Aishalton community by contractor 3D Construction for $23,822,900. With and numberofwaterwellsbeing drilled in the hinterland regions and now the water supply improved project, this publication reported

that all this form part of the government’s macro plan, whichisaimedatachieving 100 percent water access in riverine and hinterland communities by 2025 Presenting this year’s budget, Senior Minister with the responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh hadstatedthatworksonthe upgrade and extension of water supply systems in the hinterland were completed at Kumu, MocoMoco, Mountain Foot, Quiko and Wowetta villages, while works are progressing at Karaburi and Wallaba. He related that at the end of 2023, hinterland water coveragestoodat82percent compared to 46 percent at theendof2020.

The Senior official further mentioned that this year, to further improve hinterland water supply systems at areas including Baracara, Kimbia, Santa Cruz, Santa Mission, St. Ignatius, Saxacalli, Orealla, Red Hill, Wakapao, Wax Creek and Wiruni just to nameafew,thegovernment has set aside an amount of $1.5billionforthis.

Guyanese deserve to know secret interest rates being paid to ExxonMobil - Leader of the Opposition

Foroverfouryearsnow, Guyana’s oil has been used to a pay a secret charge to ExxonMobil for its investments across the StabroekBlock.

The American oil giant funds the development of new projects as well as exploration activities. The country then repays the company for its investment, or equity contribution, through the cost recovery mechanism outlined in the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) Each month, the company is permitted to deduct 75% of the revenue earned towards itsinvestments.

T h o u g h s o m e stakeholders argue that it is Guyana’s oil money being used to finance the projects and even explore the basin further (in the absence of a ring-fencing provision), the country pays an uncapped andunknowninterestrateto ExxonMobil. Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton during his weekly press conferenceonThursdaysaid Guyanese deserve to know thesecretratesbeingpaidto the Contractor Norton was at the time responding to a question from this publicationonwhetherheis concernedthatthecountryis now in its fifth year of oil production but does not know the interest rates.

Kaieteur News also asked theLeaderoftheOpposition

if he engaged Exxon for the releaseoftheinformation.

In his response, he explained, “As it relates to t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability, we believe that there should be. You would recall in our time in government, Exxon was allowed to brief the Opposition etcetera and we had clear indication that we are for transparency and accountability and I believe that Guyanese deserve to know We could differ on at what stage they know but once there is an agreement, Guyaneseshouldknow.”

The Opposition Leader said that there has not been an engagement with Exxon for the year; however, the political body will inform the company of its position on the matter at its next meeting.Whenhewasasked if the Opposition will press the company for the release of the interest rates, Norton said,“Whenwe(theOiland Gas Committee) meet and determine what will be our strategic focus when we meet Exxon, that group will determine in large measure what is it we put on the agenda ” Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo who is tasked with management of the petroleum sector previously told Kaieteur News that it was a standard practice for a return to be generated on a company’s equity

CCJhailsJusticeBernard’s...

Frompage2

pleasure to work alongside her.” As the first female jurist on the CCJ Bench, Justice Bernard also was a source of inspiration to others in the judicial fraternity The Hon. Mme Justice Maureen RajnauthLee was one such mentee. She reminisces “Justice Bernard was a great friend, mentor,mother,andsisterto all. She was the first Patron oftheCaribbeanAssociation ofWomenJudges.Westand on her shoulders What amazed me most about JusticeBernardwasthatshe wassoself-effacing.Shejust couldn’tunderstandwhywe thought so much of her Kindness and humilitywere her virtues. May she rest in peace,andmayhermemory be a blessing.” For her exceptional contribution to the improvement of the status of women and to the developmentandpracticeof law, Mme Justice Bernard receivedseveralawards,the most notable being the

Leader of the Opposition,Aubrey Norton

“Regardless of whether you make the financing in the form of a loan or equity youhavetogetaratereturn. Thereisacostofcapitaland that is how it is,” Jagdeo explained. Consequently, this publication queried whethertherewasastandard rate Guyana is paying. The subject of a standard rate is particularly significant,

given that Guyana has already been warned by the International Monetary Fund(IMF)thatthecountry could lose massive revenue by failing to cap the interest rates on the investments for itsoilprojects.TheIMFsaid itisanindustrynormthatthe government of the day disallows interests from being recovered on loans.

Even if this is allowed, the administration sets a cap or limit to prevent the full interest amount from being recovered.TheIMF pointed out that Guyana not only allows the recovery of the interestbutalsosetsnocap.

In his response to the specific question however, theformerPresidenttoldthis newspaper, “We are not paying anything The Government of Guyana is notpayinganythingbecause they have to raise the financing using the best efforts; the cheapest cost of financing that is what they are supposed to do as a company,sothisiswhatcan be analyzed even when you lookatthecostbank.”

Before further questions could be asked, Jagdeo requested that the press conference “move on”. The VP has constantly dodged theissueoftheinterestbeing charged on the company’s

equity contribution. In the meantime, Publisher of Kaieteur News, Mr Glenn Lall estimates that Guyana could be losing about US$4B annually, at a 10% interestrate.

According to the PSA, the Contractor, ExxonMobil Guyana does not need the approval of the Minister to recover interest on loans it took to produce the oil and gas resources. To this end, Lall has pointed out that the country could be paying out moreoninterestratesalone, than it made in profits from thesector

“Guyana’s 2023 budget and more, is wah Exxon taking out from our oil in interest alone and all jack mansilentinthiscountry

The whole year Guyana barely scraping in one and one something billion from our oil, and we giving away US$4Bininterestalone,”he said.

Cacique Crown of Honour, and the Order of Roraima, Guyana’s third and second highest national awards, respectively In July 2005, she was awarded the CARICOMTriennialAward for Women She was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) by The University of theWestIndiesinNovember 2007 In February 2011, Mme Justice Bernard was appointed a judge of the I n t e r - A m e r i c a n Development Bank Administrative Tribunal. In February 2023, the UniversityofGuyanavisited inpersontoconferonheran honorary Doctor of Letters in Trinidad and Tobago where she resided The Court will open a condolence book to the public on Wednesday, 8th April2024inrecognitionof Justice Bernard’s sterling contributions.Wesalutethis pioneering jurist and mourn the loss with her family and friends.

WEEK-IN-REVIEW

Map showing the location of the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana

Guyana’s oil block. Jagdeo first highlighted the profitability of the Sunday Stabroek Block. He said, “I don’t think Chevron has done this ExxonM partner reveals because of the need to know more 746M barrels of oil found in one about reserves. I think they have of eight discoveries seen the discoveries; the …as VPJagdeo pussyfooting discoveries keep coming. They on updating nation on total knowthatthereservewillexpandin barrels after two years thefuture.”

He said that the oil block’s

One of the eight discoveries current valuation and the made by ExxonMobil Guyana anticipation of further discoveries Limited (EMGL) in the Stabroek forfutureearningsiswhatattracted Block, since 2022, holds an Chevron. The Vice President even estimated reserve of 746 million suggested that the US$53 billion barrelsofoil. pricetagChevronofferedHesswas

This was disclosed by Exxon’s mostly because of the Stabroek partner, China National Offshore Block. Oil Corporation (CNOOC)

“So, it is something that I Limited, in its 2023 Annual believe is driven largely because of countrywide protests for a better Vice President, Bharrat Chevron fighting to get Results. the need to diversify their portfolio deal.

Jagdeo, who is the chief into lucrative Stabroek

ExxonMobil is the operator of Chevron, but also to get into a

The previous Coalition policymaker for the sector said at Block because of ‘sweet’ theStabroekwitha45%stake,with lucrative agreement and this is a government had accepted a 2% hisThursdaypressconferencethat 2016 oil deal - VP Jagdeo partners CNOOC Ltd and Hess lucrativeagreementbecauseofthat royalty and granted excessive tax government receives quarterly holding interests of 25% and 30%, PSA,”Jagdeosaidtoo. holidays to the Contractor and its reports from the operator of the The current ‘battle’between oil respectively Production from the Stabroek sub-contractors. Guyana merely Block, containing updates on the giants ExxonMobil Corporation

CNOOC said in the report that Block developments sits above receives12.5ofprofits,afterExxon reserves. and Chevron Corporation over the the Lancetfish discovery, which 600,000 barrels per day (bdp) –deduct 75% each month to recover He was however reluctant to Stabroek Block is because of the was made in April 2023, averaged with Exxon having the Liza 1, Liza itsinvestments. share the updated numbers and told lucrative Production Sharing some 100 million tons, which is 2 and the Payara projects online.

Patterson believes that the reporters he would check whether Agreement (PSA) Guyana signed equivalent to 746 million barrels, The oil companies have embarked blackout of information on the the reports received from Exxon onto,VicePresidentBharratJagdeo according to the conversion on an aggressive drilling campaign recoverable resources could be a contained any “proprietary said on Thursday at his weekly formula of the Independent in the Stabroek Block targeting strategic move by the oil major to information”. pressconference.

Petroleum Association of

three other developments: avoidanintensifiedpublicpressure Notably, while the President of ExxonMobil,theoperatorofthe America. Yellowtail, Uaru and Whiptail for renegotiation of the lopsided ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Stabroek Block, and its block

Despite making eight new projects. It should be noted that Production Sharing Agreement Routledge said the company was partner CNOOC have both moved successful discoveries in the Yellowtail and Uaru have already (PSA). no longer focused on updating the to arbitration to assert their rights Stabroek Block since April 2022, been approved, while Whiptail is

“If Guyanese are clamouring numbers, the Senior Vice over Guyana’s golden oil field, the the ExxonMobil-led joint venture under review awaiting government every single day for a renegotiation President of Exxon Mobil Stabroek Block. This is as a result has not provided an update of the approvalanydaynow. when we only have 11 billion Corporation, Neil Chapman of Chevron’s US$53 billion total estimated recoverable

The PSA the Vice President is barrels proven reserves, imagine revealed that appraisal activities takeover of Hess Corporation (the resourcestothenation. referring to is one that is heavily the clamour and the outcry when are ongoing to help the company third-partner in the Stabroek

The last resource count, dated criticized for benefitting the oil they (Exxon) actually finish understandtheresources Block). April 26, 2022, declared the companies more than it does the appraising these wells and it jumps Thisprocesshelpstoreducethe Buying over Hess Corporation recoverable resource for the country from 11 billion barrels to say range of uncertainty in the volumes wouldgiveChevronaccesstoHess’ Stabroek Block at nearly 11 billion Former Minister of Natural something like 40 billion barrels ofhydrocarbonsinplace;definethe most valuable asset in Guyana. oil-equivalentbarrels. Resources, Raphael Trotman, who and the true magnitude of what size and configuration of the ExxonMobil Guyana holds a 45%

Since then, Exxon announced served under the APNU + AFC Exxon has already discovered reservoir and collect data for the interest, while Hess Guyana holds eight subsequent discoveries, the Coalition government between becomes known,” the former prediction of the performance of 30% interest and CNOOC Seabob-1 and Kiru-Kiru-1 wells, 2015 and 2020, was the one who Ministersaid. the reservoir during the forecasted Petroleum Guyana Limited with Sailfin-1, Yarrow-1, Fangtooth SE, signed the heavily criticized ExxonMobil at a press productionlife. 25% interest. The case was filed at Lancetfish-1, and Lancetfish-2 lopsided PSA with Exxon. The conference in February this year Chapman said, “We have six the International Chamber of wells, along with the recently 2016 deal gives Guyana an toldreportersthatthecompanywas drilling ships in the basin in pretty Commerce in Paris, arguing that announcedBluefindiscovery industry-low2%royalty Presently, not focused on updating the close proximity And these drill Exxon and CNOOC has a right of

In an invited comment, Guyana shares revenue with reserves, but on monetizing the ships are doing a combination of firstrefusaloverHess’stake. Opposition Parliamentarian, David ExxonMobil after the company resources found, a position that is what I call exploration drilling, The Vice President was on Patterson said the nation was not deducts75percenttowardsthecost supported by the Government of appraisal drilling and development Thursday asked to comment on the being updated on its oil reserves as incurredtodeveloptheresourcesin Guyana. drilling.” battle between the oil giants over this would trigger massive theStabroekBlock.

This arrangement, with the lack of ring-fencing, sees Guyana paying for projects that are yet to commence production activities. Each month bills from future producing developments are added to the list of expenses to be cost recovered by Exxon. After the 75 percent is deducted to pay back the oil company, Guyana then shares 50/50 of the 25 percent remaining with Exxon as profits This amounts to 12.5 percent of profits fromtheoperations.

Also, under the signed deal, Guyana has agreed to, under the taxation provisions, to pay ExxonMobil’sshareofCorporation and Income Tax. As such it would mean,thatGuyanaforegoeseach

(Continued on page 15)

From page 15

‘strong feeling’that they are year, billions of US dollars. right about the interpretation O n t o p o f t h i s , of the oil contract. He noted documentation to this effect too that Chevron also have is then provided to the US- strong feelings that they are based company allowing it right as well – to this end, he to not have to pay any taxes stated that it will be an in its home country for its interesting arbitration earningsoverseas. Chevron is contending that

“Assessing reserves and producing oil are not mutually exclusive processes. Decisions to produce oil depend on the quantity, quality, and accessibility of reserves. To know these and other parameters about reserves- and the oil reservoirs that contain them- requires appraisal. Companies do not make massive investments in oil production based only on wildcat wells. So, for the VP to try to encourage Exxon to bypass the appraisal stage must be the butt of jokes in the Headquarter of the oil company both in Georgetown and in Houston.”- Opposition

Since the deal was made joint ventures are quite public,therehavebeenmany common in the oil and gas calls by civil society for the industry, noting that the first administration to bring refusal provision does not ExxonMobilGuyanabackto apply to its transaction with the table to carve out a better Hess.“Butwedidwriteit,so ormoreevendealwhichwill we have a view of what was garner more benefits for the intended, ” Williams country underscored Exxon is A c c o r d i n g t o a focused on the arbitration B l o o m b e r g r e p o r t , by Vice President Bharrat projected cash flow from the case in the International commenting on the dispute Jagdeo, is “absolutely five projects sanctioned to Chamber of Commerce in with Chevron, CNOOC foolish” according to the date in the Stabroek Block, Paris,Williamssaid. Board Secretary Xu Yugao, Opposition. On Sunday, the as this would arm citizens Guyana’s Stabroek revealed that the company Office of the Opposition with the knowledge of the Block is expected to yield as had filed for arbitration on Leader said the deficiencies extent and rate at which Opposition pointed out that Extractive Industries much as 1.2 million barrels March 15. CNOOC will do of Jagdeo, who functions as ExxonMobil is expected to asanation,knowingthetotal Transparency Initiative per day by 2027. Production whatever it takes to protect government’s “oil czar” recoupitsinvestments. oilreservesisvitaltoplanfor (EITI) It said, “At the from the Stabroek Block the interests of the firm and continues to be exposed and The Opposition said the long-term future of the moment,thecountryisatthe developments sits above its shareholders by legal pose growing risks to the Jagdeo deliberately economy and plan for the mercy of the glaringly 600,000 barrels per day means, he said at a briefing country’s financial, m i s i n t e r p r e t e d t h e long-term viability of the limited capabilities of one (bdp) – with Exxon having in Hong Kong. “We will e c o n o m i c , a n d statements but went on to Natural Resources Fund man It is a high-risk the Liza 1, Liza 2 and the uphold the terms of the environmentalwellbeing. e x p o s e w h y h e i s (NRF). situationgiventhebillionsof Payara projects online. The partners’ agreement to Thepoliticalgroupnoted “dangerously unfit to be This information is also US-dollars involved and the oil companies have safeguard our shareholders’ thatJagdeoathismostrecent anywhereneartheindustry”. important to guide in legitimate aspirations of the embarked on an aggressive interests,” Upstream Online press conference explained “In his ploy to brush aside drafting a national oil Guyanesepeople.” drilling campaign in the quotesYugao. that it was “nonsense” to these demands, Jagdeo extraction policy, if The Opposition added Stabroek Block targeting

On Monday, Exxon know the reserves without uttered some of his most necessary, and to quantify that to safely and sensibly three other developments: Chief Executive Officer moving to production. The outrageous comments yet on projected workforce and manage the oil sector, the Yellowtail, Uaru and (CEO), Darren Woods told Vice President had said, the oil industry To local content needs in the Coalition government will Whiptail projects. It should Reuters the company filed “Knowing reserves without paraphrase him: it is sector The Opposition establish a Petroleum be noted that Yellowtail and for arbitration because converting it into production nonsense to ask about oil added, that the updated Commission with the Uaru have already been discussions were not is nonsense because we reserves, as the focus must reserves are also important competent professionals; in approved, while Whiptail is happeningwithChevronand already know we have 11 be on production. He added in planning the country’s the meantime, it said it will under review awaiting Hess around the right of first billion barrels of reserves that while the company does long-term energy security, continue to press for the government approval any refusal provision “Those and it will keep growing but submit updated data on assessing the potential for protection of Guyana’s daynow discussions needed to what’s the point about reserves,thatisofnointerest f u t u r e n a t u r a l g a s naturalendowment. The heavily criticised happen and hadn’t been knowing any, about tohimbecausehisfocusisso production, plan for targets Exxon confident it has Production Sharing happening,” Woods said in a reserves”. much on production that he and commitments under Net rights to Hess 30% shares in Agreement (PSA) with Reuters article He said Jagdeo was responding iseventryingtogetExxonto Zero, and plan for the StabroekBlock Exxon was signed in 2016 Exxon wanted to have its toanearlierstatementissued skip drilling appraisal wells exhaustionofoilreserves. American oil giant, under the previous right of first refusal by the Opposition, in which and other such things,” the It explained, “Assessing ExxonMobil Corporation is administration. recognized before it could it argued that keeping Oppositionreasoned. reserves and producing oil c o n v i n c e d t h a t i t s The 2016 deal gives decide on its strategy for the Guyanese in the dark on oil The political group are not mutually exclusive interpretation of intent in an Guyana an industry-low 2% Stabroek block. An Exxon reserves is disrespectful and argued that this latest processes Decisions to oil contract signed with royalty Presently, Guyana executive has said the u n a c c e p t a b l e T h e absurdity by the VP exposes produce oil depend on the Guyana in 2016 will prevail shares revenue with arbitration could take five to Opposition had also called the crisis in which Guyana’s quantity, quality, and in a landmark arbitration ExxonMobil after the sixmonths. forgovernmenttoreleasethe oil sector finds itself. The accessibility of reserves. To case against Chevron company deducts 75 percent know these and other Corporation – Bloomberg towards the cost incurred to Monday parameters about reserves reported. develop the resources in the (and the oil reservoirs that E x x o n ’s G u y a n a Stabroek Block This Foolish for Govt. to contain them) requires subsidiary is the operator of arrangement,withthelackof ignore the size of its oil appraisal. Companies do not theStabroekBlockandowns ring-fencing, sees Guyana reserves – Opposition make massive investments a 45% interest in the block. paying for projects that are …says Jagdeo must be in oil production based only ExxonMobil, and its yet to commence production laughing stock of o n w i l d c a t w e l l s . ” Chinese block partner activities. Each month bills ExxonMobil C o n s e q u e n t l y, t h e CNOOC who have a 25% from future producing Opposition said that for interest in the block, have developments are added to In its wild rush to Jagdeo to try to encourage both moved to arbitration to thelistofexpensestobecost accelerate the production of Exxon to bypass the assert their rights over recovered by Exxon. After oil in the prolific Stabroek appraisal stage must be the Guyana’sgoldenoil-field. the 75 percent is deducted to Block, the Government of butt of jokes in the This is as a result of pay back the oil company, Guyana (GoG) has charged Headquarter of the oil Chevron’s US$53 billion Guyana then shares 50/50 of ExxonMobil, the operator of c o m p a n y , b o t h i n t a k e o v e r o f H e s s the 25 percent remaining the block to focus less on GeorgetownandinHouston. Corporation (the third- with Exxon as profits. This appraising the wells to better The political group partner in the Stabroek amounts to 12.5 percent of understand the quantity of believesthatthegovernment Block). Buying over Hess profitsfromtheoperations. petroleum found and to has no intention of releasing Corporation would give Also, under the signed instead concentrate on information on reserves to Chevron ac On Friday, deal, Guyana has agreed to, monetizingtheresources. the public in spite of its Exxon’s Senior Vice u n d e r t h e t a x a t i o n T h i s p o l i c y, a s obligations under the President Jack Williams provisions,topay communicated to the nation constitution and the statedthatthecompanyhasa (Continued on page 16)

Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton

From page 15

Todd, the government confirmed Guyana remains open to the E x x o n M o b i l ’s s h a r e o f that Sigma Engineers Ltd as the recruitment of specialized skills Corporation and Income Tax. As agent to do the recruitment of 500 which do not currently exist in such it would mean, that Guyana Bangladeshi healthcare workers Guyana from any part of the globe, foregoes each year, billions of US for employment and liaise with the for both the public and private dollars On top of this, relevantauthorities. sectors,”thestatementconcluded. documentation to this effect is then

English Journalist and Presenter of HARDtalk, Stephen John Sackur, aired on BBC World News and the BBC News Channel

The approval letter found its GPHC shortage provided to the US-based company way on social media, raising alarm At the end of 2023 the allowing it to not have to pay any about the deal, given that the Georgetown Public Hospital taxes in its home country for its government has been refusing to Corporation (GPHC) the country’s earningsoverseas. engage the Guyana Public Service main referral hospital, had a deficit

Sincethedealwasmadepublic, Union in collective bargaining to of about 600 nurses to meet its there have been many calls by civil addresstheissueofincreasepayfor needs and achieve industry society for the administration to nurses and other categories of standard Director of Nursing bring ExxonMobil Guyana back to healthcare workers. Persons have Services, Leslyn Holder had said the table to carve out a better or also raised concerns about the that there were 896 nursing staff at more even deal which will garner language barrier and question the the start of January 2023 of which morebenefitsforthecountry competence of the nurses to be 116 were from the Ministry of recruited. Health. She said that at the end of Tuesday Recruiting from Cuba too November, there were 881 staff benefits Guyana, not just through administration maintains that the In response to the circulation of remaining.TheDirectorofNursing BBC grills Exxon over royalty but through the profit contract must remain ‘sacred’. In the approval letter on social media, Services said too that during 2023, Guyana’s lopsided oil contract sharing arrangement The the absence of a key provision, theMinistryofForeignAffairssaid 86 personnel were hired and two – told Exxon 10% provisions of the PSA allow known as ring-fencing, that in response to a request from rehired while 146 persons resign. royalty is the standard ExxonMobil to deduct 75% of the ExxonMobil is allowed to deduct Sigma Engineers Ltd., it issued the Holder said based on the numbers, while Guyana handed 2% revenues earned each month Guyana’s oil money to fund letter to confirm that the agency the hospital is facing challenges. towards cost recovery or repaying projects that are yet to come on wasauthorisedtorecruithealthcare “There are gaps in the following President of ExxonMobil the investments by the company stream. Had Guyana ring-fenced workers, with the view to areas as it relates to patient care; Guyana Limited (EMGL), Alistair The remaining 25% is then shared the projects in the Stabroek Block, addressing concerns raised both by daily staffing of various wards and Routledge recently found himself with Guyana as profit, meaning the it would have been receiving thepublicandprivatesectorsonthe units and this can result in key in the hot seat, trying to convince a country receives 12.5% along with greater profits from each of the severe skills shortage in the health components in care that can be BBC News Journalist that Guyana a2%royalty three projects currently producing sector “The Private Sector affected such as activities of daily is not being robbed through the To date, ExxonMobil has oilatmorethan600,000barrelsper Commission has on numerous living,”shesaid. lopsided Production Sharing recovered US$19B out of the day occasions requested the In light of this the Guyana Agreement(PSA)itsignedwiththe US$29B it said it has spent in Government’s assistance in PublicServiceUnionhadpredicted countrybackin2016. Guyana. Oil was discovered in the Govt. approves recruitment of addressing the need to fill the skills a collapse of the health sector here, Routledge was interviewed by country in 2015 while production 500 Bangladeshi nurses shortages not only in the health noting the “disrespectful” the BBC and featured in its Hard only commenced at the Liza sectorbutalsointhecriticalsectors treatment of public servants by Talk Programme, during the Destiny Floating Production At a time when it is refusing to of construction, engineering, and what it described as “pretensive recently concluded Energy Storage and Offloading vessel raise the salaries of local nurses, services given the expansion and administration.” The GPSU had Conference and Supply Chain (FPSO) in 2019 Notably, the forcinghundredsofthemtotakeup growth of Guyana’s economy In said the “evasiveness of Expo, hosted at the Guyana Natural Resource Fund (NRF) that lucrative jobs in the United this regard, the recruitment agency Government to engage the union Marriott between February 19 and was set up to manage the country’ Kingdom and elsewhere, the was appointed to liaise with sincethelastencounterthroughthe February22,2024. oil revenue has only received Guyana Government last month relevant authorities from various collective bargaining process is

The Country Manager for approximately US$3 5B since approved the recruitment of 500 countries to recruit healthcare very discomforting. This is so EMGL explained, “When we production activities commenced, Bangladeshinursestoworkhere. workers including, but not limited particularly because it was the signed the agreements here there according to the Bank of Guyana’s Government in recent times to Bangladesh. It is within this people that elected the members of was still a lot of risk very early in 4th Quarter Report for 2023- last have been recruiting nurses from context that the authorization letter Government, who individually the exploration of this basin and updatedonDecember5,2023. Cuba and other countries and was issued by the Ministry to took an oath to uphold the law, the indeed, risks are not just geologic Activists for a better oil deal in reportedly paying them more than prevent issues such as human union stated. “Instead, they are risks, when you operate in a new Guyana as well as reputable their local counterparts. Sigma trafficking or any abuse of this committing wanton breaches of the anddevelopingcountryordifferent international organizations have Engineers Ltd. Inc was given the process,” the statement read. The law in full public view and with no parts of the world, so all of that criticized the Exxon deal for approval as the recruitment agency ministry said to date no one has consequences. It tells the populace needstobetakenintoaccount.” favouring the oil company above in a letter dated February 5, 2024. been recruited through Sigma that the institutions that were

The BBC News Journalist then the country. Despite calls for the In the letter which was signed by Engineers Ltd. Inc as shortages are formulated to keep Government in pointed out that Exxon was only governmenttoengagethecompany Minister of Foreign Affairs and currently being filled by personnel checkareeithernotworkingasthey paying 2% royalty to the country, for a renegotiation, the International Cooperation, Hugh from Cuba. “The Government of should or have been politically when the norm in other countries hijackedorisdevoidofappropriate where the company exploits fossil mechanisms to ensure good fuel, a 10% royalty is paid. Exxon governance.” was also told, “The cost sharing

The union said rather than agreement with Guyana means you resolving industrial relation issues can claim literally billions and in collaboration with the GPSU, billions of cost before you even get which will ultimately result in to the profit sharing. That kind of retentionoflocallytrainedstaff,the deal according to Global Witness, GOG has decided to import Cuban an anti-corruption organization, is nurses in the short term. “There are robbing Guyana of tens of billions already serious concerns being ofdollars.” raised by local staff about not only

However, Routledge said this the qualifications of these nurses, was not the case. “No, no. It’s not but also the impact on morbidity robbing the country What it’s and mortality of patients. The doing is delivering the investment language barrier poses a serious that the country is looking for in a c h a l l e n g e t o e f f e c t i v e frontier development location communication between wherethereremainshighrisk(and) professionalsandmoreimportantly iscompetingforcapitalglobally.” betweenpatientandnurse.”

The Country Manager told the Steal nurses BBC that Exxon takes all of the Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo explorationrisksupfront,investing backinJanuarythisyearwhentold money in the country which then

Poorly paid Guyanese nurses have staged many protests over the years calling for increased salaries

(Continued on page 66)

Giveaway of Canje, Kaieteur Oil Blocks mirrors

controversial Senegal gas deals - Glenn Lall

The controversial giveaway of the Canje and Kaieteuroilblocksunderthe Donald Ramotar presidency has striking similarities of several gas deals signed by the West African country of Senegal under its former leader, Macky Sall, anticorruption campaigner, GlennLallhassaid.

Lall made the comments during his radio programmeThe Glenn Lall Show last Wednesday where he revisited the issue of the giveaway of the Canje and Kaieteur blocks which were handed to persons during the dying days of Ramotar's presidency

Lalltoldhisaudiencethat he had visited Senegal under the presidency of Sall. Lall noted that Sall took two of that country's richest gas fields, which he could have sold and repay that country's US$5B debt and lifted its 17 millionpeopleoutofpoverty, butinsteadofsellingthem,he handed both of them to an Australian,FrankTimmisfor free.

Lall noted that Timmis had no experience in the oil andgasbusiness. “Nowhear what went on in Senegal –Timmissoldaportionofthe two gas fields to an oil company and collected over US$900M.

Hethentiedupadealthe British oil Giant BP for the remainder, and is set to collect US$12B more over a 40-year period.” He continued: “Hear that, one foreigner sitting with US$900Mandissettopocket US$12B more over the next 40 years, and the whole country still sitting with US$5B debt and the people starving.”

“Hear more of what happened, later on, the country found out that the President's brother ended up being part of the company that received the sale money fromthattransaction.”

Sall served 12 years as president and elections were held last week where he lost to Senegal's antiestablishment leader, Bassirou Diomaye Faye

Prior to the elections he had jailed Faye, but the young man came out of prison to defeat him at the polls

Asking whether Sall's behavior mirrors that of former President Bharrat Jagdeo,Mr.Lallsaid:“Yesit does, he served 12 years too and wanted a third term, put up billboards all over for a thirdterm,evenmovedtothe courts and when he lost the

Kaieteur News Publisher, Glenn Lall

case, he run till to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to see if the judges would give him a third term, instead he get a sledge hammer…”

Turning his attention to the Kaieteur and Canje oil blocks, Lall said had the PPP government sold them in the openmarket,“bynownoone wouldhavehadtobebarking intheiryardsorinthestreets, togetalivablewage,Guyana wouldhavedonepaidoutthe US$3B debt we had at the time, and still have enough moneyforallGuyanesetoeat comfortably.”

Lall argued on his show thatthevalueofthecountry's oilblockscouldhaveplayeda major role in the livelihoods of citizens today, “but they have disappeared in the wee hoursintothehandsofpeople thathaveleftmanyquestions unanswered, about who got them,howtheygotthem,who are benefitting from them,

where these people come from,andwhatexpertisethey have in the industry as to being in possession of these oilblocks.

“Lallbelieveshadthese blocksbeensoldontheopen market, Guyana would have paid off the entire region's debt; salaries could have been five times more than what they are getting now and money would have been rolling in like sand. “No Guyanesewouldhavetogo (Continuedonpage69)

Senegal's outgoing leader Macky Sall (left) greets presidentelect, Bassirou Diomaye Faye at the presidential palace in Dakar on March 28, 2024. © Senegalese Presidency handout viaAFP

Former President, Donald Ramotar

Former Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud

Exxon, CNOOC merge Guyana arbitration claims against Chevron over Hess acquisition

American oil giant, ExxonMobil and China's CNOOC have merged their arbitration claims against Chevron Corporation planned acquisition of Hess Corporation, which would give the U.S oil giant access toGuyana'sStabroekBlock.

Last October, it was announced Chevron will be acquiring Hess for US$53 billion. The takeover would giveChevronaccesstoHess' most valuable asset in Guyana. The operator of the

Stabroek Block is

ExxonMobil Guyana, who holds a 45% interest, while Hess Guyana holds 30% interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited with25%interest.

Bloomberg reported that Chevron regulatory filing on Thursday included a letter from Hess to stockholders, stating that the unified arbitration was approved afteraMarch26application. “Chevron and Hess believe that ExxonMobil's and

CNOOC's asserted claims arewithoutmerit,”according tothefiling.Hess“intendsto vigorously defend its position in the arbitration proceedings and expects the arbitration tribunal will confirm that the Stabroek ROFR does not apply to the merger.”

The dispute over the a contract written more than a decade ago is unprecedented in the modern history of the oil and gas industry and threatenstoupendChevron's

dealtobuyHess.Inthefiling, Hess noted that Exxon published a statement in October “indicating its support” for the deal before reversing course six months later For its part, Hess reiterated its confidence in winning the arbitration case “based on the express terms of the Stabroek” contract, it said Exxon has accused Chevron and Hess of attempting to “circumvent” thecontract,whichisprivate.

Exxon was the first to

moved for arbitration, filing its case at the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, arguing that it has a right of first refusal over Hess' stake CNOOC recently revealed that it had also filed for arbitration to upholditsrighttoHessstake in the block. The fight over Guyana's Stabroek Block resources finds its genesis in the lopsided oil deal signed by the APNU+AFC Coalition administration back in 2016 This deal extends favourable terms to the oil companies, providing unlimited tax waivers, uncapped interest rates and perhaps the lowest royalty rates known to the industry, at a meager two percent.

Production from the S t a b r o e k B l o c k developments sits above 600,000 bdp – with Exxon havingtheLiza1,Liza2and the Payara projects online. The oil companies have embarked on an aggressive drilling campaign in the

Stabroek Block targeting three other developments: Yellowtail, Uaru and Whiptail projects. It should be noted that Yellowtail and Uaru have already been approved, while Whiptail is under review awaiting government approval any daynow

Moreover, in other sections of the international media landscape, it was reported that Hess on Thursday said in a securities filing that its board unanimously recommended shareholders vote in favor of the company's sale to Chevron CNBC reported thatHessU.S.Securitiesand Exchange filing said, the merger is "fair to and in the best interests of the Hess stockholders ” "We look forward to continuing our successful operations in the Stabroek block with Chevron, pending the deal closing," Exxon wrote in reference to the deal, Hess said.

Prisoner stabbed to death with mop stick

A prisoner on remand for break and enter robbery was on Saturday killed at the Lusignan Prison, E a s t C o a s t Demerara (ECD) after another inmateidentifiedas Shamar Davis, 23, stabbed him to the neckwithapieceof amopstick.

Dead isAntony Prince, 23 of

Foulis, East Coast Demerara (ECD)

TheGuyanaPrison Service (GPS) said that the stabbing took place around 14:05hrsandstemmedfrom jokes they were making abouteachother'sgirlfriend. Prison Guards intervened andPrincewasattendedtoby a nurse on duty at the prison before being rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where he died while receiving treatment.

Police were called in to investigate the matter and Davis has since been

Dead:Anthony Prince

separated from rest of the prisonersbybeingplacedina separate cell Anthony Princeatthetimeofhisdeath was on remand for three countsofarmedrobbery,two counts of Break and Enter and larceny He was no stranger of the law too. In 2021 the media had labeled him a repeat offender and was accused of escaping lawfulcustody Themanwho allegedlykilledhimisalsoa repeatoffenderwhowasalso on remand at the Lusignan Prisonforrobbery

Foreigners making themselves at home in our mineral rich fields with several of these sophisticated, fully air-conditioned mobile trucks.

Man nabbed with illegal gun, ammo after tracked down by police from bar

After leaving a bar at New Road Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara (WCD), in the wee hour on Friday, a 32-year-oldmanwastrackeddownby policeandlaternabbedwithanillegal firearmalongwithammunitionsalong CraneOldRoad(WCD).

The man has been identified as Samuel McIntyre, a self employed resident of Bagotville, West Bank Demerara.

Accordingtoapressreleaseissued by police, at about 02:30hrs, ranks

actingoninformationreceived,trailed aToyotaAllioncarbearingregistration #PAE 2420 from a bar located at New RoadVreen-en-Hoop.

Notably as the vehicle entered Crane Old Road, WCD, police indicatedtothedrivertostop.

Upon stopping the vehicle, ranks approached the driver and reportedly toldhimthattheyreceivedinformation that he is allegedly carrying an unlicensedfirearm.

Subsequently,ranksrequestedfora search to be conducted to which

McIntyreagreed.

Whilstsearching the motorcar, a 9mm Taurus pistol and a magazine containing eight live matching rounds of ammunition were found.

Thereafter, police took possession of the firearm and ammunitions and told McIntyre of theoffencecommitted.

He was cautioned, arrested and escorted along with the firearm and ammunition to the Vreed-en-Hoop PoliceStation.

Arrested: Samuel McIntyre

The unlicensed firearm and ammunitions found

Mel’s Mel’s

High Tea

an affordable getaway in the Cinderella County CalabashCabana BeachResort: an getaway the Cinderella CalabashCabana BeachResort: is the highlight

of Women’s Month activities

From Left: Mel’s High Tea host, Melissa Hillaire and Priscilla Jagnandan Ferrier at the Marriot Hotel last Saturday

Reema Natram

Reema Natram

MeettheCharming ReemaNatram,anative oftheEssequiboCoast.

Reemaisaradiohoston NCNRadioEssequibo, OfficeManagerfor MorningGloryInc,anda freelancejournalistwith theGuyanaChronicle. Ourbeautythisweek, specializesinHuman ResourceManagement andJournalismwith credentialsfromthe UniversityofMinnesota.

Beyondthescopeofher work,Reemaactively participatesinactivities hostedbytheGuyana HinduDharmicSabhaand previouslychairedthe DharmicNawjawanfor theEssequiboCoast. In herfreetime,Reema enjoystravellingand indulginginactivities aboutherculture.Her favouritequoteis,"a singleactofkindnesscan changesomeone'sworld".

Over 35 years in business… Buxtonian Marvin Colt keeps the Guyanese tradition of kite making alive

ByAnasaWilliams

Kite making is a Guyanese tradition. Almost every local household has childhood stories of assemblingahomemadekite or ‘kaddy old punch ’ Marvin Colt is a Buxtonian who has been keeping the Guyanese tradition of kite making alive and has even transformed it into a lucrative business. Colt told The Waterfalls, this week thathehasbeenmakingand sellingkitessince1988.

With Over 35 years of experienceunderhisbelt,the kite-maker’s products are in c o n s t a n t d e m a n d particularly at Easter The kitemakeremploysvillagers to craft and assemble ‘thousandsandthousands’of kites to meet his customer needs.

This magazine paid the dedicated kite maker a visit on Saturday where he was foundathistemporarywork shedconvenientlylocatedon the Buxton Public Road, EastCoastDemerara(ECD), busy about his craft. Colt gavethispublicationawalkthrough of what goes on behind-the- scenes before costumers can get their hands on the artfully designedfinishedproducts.

“Kite making is an art,” declared Colt as he explainedthateachofthesix workers have designated tasks for them to reach their goal of 200 to 400 kites per day Some of the workers makefrills,othersdrillholes and a few measure and cut thewoodforthekiteframes. The group starts the kitemaking process late January and wraps up in time for Easter Monday to be able to meet the demands of his customers.

“Wehavetostartearlyto meet the orders,” he stated. During the interview with this publication, Colt revealedhehasbeenmaking kites on a large scale “From since1988/89.”

“Basicallykiteisartso;I sit down some days and say alright good, we do some round the world kites Normallykiteisastarpoint, the box kite. So we invent someroundtheworld,some double hassle (and) back some seven point stars Some star kites, some diamondpathontheboxand soon.”

When it comes to materialstofuelsuchalarge operation, Colt buys it in bulkandalsoensureshehas some left to go over into the nextyear,soheavoidgetting intotrouble.

He said the purchase of supplies begin early December and end midJanuary However, Colt has notbeenrunningintosupply shortages as his customers are also suppliers, bringing in the materials from Brazil andTrinidad.

With regard to design, thekitemakerexplainedthat somestylesareawholenew situation from the normal kites. Colt said he realized thatcustomersarewillingto take the risk of stepping away from the ‘traditional box’kitedandtrysomething new.

“Well it’s something strange and people ain’t accustomed to it, so people rushing after it ‘cause they never see round kite, as we say round the world they never see it and everybody give it a try and they said theyfeelcomfortablewithit and they can control it. It’s basically a fashion and a showkite,”heexplained.

Even though the operation is a sizable one, Colt often finds himself having,“demandmorethanI can supply, I had to turn downsomeordersyesterday Wehad[GuyanaShoreBase Inc]GYSBIcalluslastnight they need 1000 but if I give them 1000 I won’t have any toselltomycustomers.The army needs as much as possibleItellthemIcangive themapercentage.Menona Mission they ordered 106 but I deal with them ’cause they come in early They come in time so I get to completetheirorder.”

Coltisawarethatastime progresses modernization can step in and the demand forhiskitemaynolongerbe needed. He noted that there was a time the ‘bird kite’ took the market by storm.

Surprisingly, this has not affected his business much. Instead it aided, he said it aidedhimsincethebirdkites seemed to fuel a surge in demandforhiscustomkites.

“Well I had complaints from about 50 customers concerning bird kites.When the wind is heavy the bird kite can’t fly, it can’t come offtheground.Theonlytime birdkitsflyiswhenthewind is still. So everybody said they buyin’ the old school Guyanesething.Evenifthis kite gets a punch you could patch it. If the frame got a little fracture you could change it and it can still fly again.”

On the other hand the bird kites can’t be fixed and heevenoffersfreerepairsas long as the kite was purchased from his shop. Whenthispublicationasked him where he sees the business in the next few years, he said that this is somethinghegetstodoonce a year but the process is a lengthyone.

At the end of the day, he saidtobeabletoputasmile onchildren’sface,andallow them to enjoy the season is whatmattersmost.

Skilled Kite Maker, Marvin Colt

Some of the new styles of kites.

Workers busy at work.

Two of the kites ordered by ‘Men on a Mission’.

Some of the traditional kites.

RICEINDUSTRY’SNATIONALIMPORTANCEBEINGRECOGNIZED

PAT DIAL Industry Rice was first duringWorldWarI. modernizing the Rice geneticmodificationandthis strategy and that within two growninGuyanabyescaped After 2000 the State Industry with the aim of was made scientifically to three years, biofortified Two or three decades slaves in the late 18th began to make a determined achieving higher production easier since rice naturally rice will constitute 50% of ago, the Guyana Economy century who had managed to input to the Industry mainly and the highest quality: accumulates higher levels of Guyana’s total production rested on the tripod of the secure some seed paddy by legislation protecting the Aero planes and drones are zincthanusual. and that markets have Sugar, Bauxite and Rice which had been imported farmersfromexploitationby being employed, drainage is Zinc is necessary for the already been secured in Industries If all three from South Carolina in the millers, by the continuously kept under properfunctioningofhuman Trinidad and Tobago, industries functioned very America The rice construction of silos and review and farmers are immune systems and to fight Jamaica,SpainandPortugal. well and could sell their cultivation by the escapees drying platforms to replace assisted with other inputs against infectious diseases I n c r e a s e d R i c e products profitably in the gave away the locations in drying the grain on the roads including seeds, fertilizer such as Covid-19. Minister Productionisoneoftheareas foreign markets, the country which they were hiding and and the Guyana Rice and sprayers. Expectedly, of Agriculture, Zulfikar in which Guyana is securing experienced a phase of they therefore ceased trying Development Board- GRDB production has kept Mustapha, on this theme itself against the Dutch p r o s p e r i t y A f t e r to cultivate any further rice. which did and still does a increasing each year and last remarked: “The next goal is D i s e a s e w h i c h O i l Independence in 1966, this The Carolina rice which the great deal of scientific work year it was 653,000 tons to start producing this Production brings. It also tripod began to crumble escaped slaves tried to to modernize the Industry approximately This year, variety on a large scale so meets the challenges of largely because of political cultivate was short-grained and make it more productive another milestone was that Guyana can have rice Climate Change as it has involvement in all three and rice cultivation became and capable of sustainably a c h i e v e d w i t h t h e with this food as a healthy greater resilience to adverse industries to the point where extinct in Guyana until serving foreign markets development of a zinc bio- supplement. In this way, we weather conditions and is all three industries became I n d i a n i n d e n t u r e d Today, there are five Drying fortified variety of Rice by will not only be able to working towards the goal of bankruptandthecountryfell immigrants introduced the Floors, an efficient Seed the cooperative effort of increase the income of our meeting the Caribbean’s intogreateconomichardship Indian long- grained rice on Cleaner and Dryer and three GRDB and IICA (Inter- farmers but the health of the food import expenditure of resulting in massive which the Guyana Rice laboratories Rice is American Institute for consumers including those US$5Billion. emigration of the population Industryisbased. responsible for nearly 20% C o o p e r a t i o n o n of the rest of the Caribbean”. (The views expressed in who sought refuge in mainly When the early Indian of the Gross Domestic Agriculture).

Supporting the same theme, this article are those of the Canada, United States, the indentured immigrants were Product (GDP) and is an Itisimportanttonotethat IICA Representative in a u t h o r a n d d o n o t Caribbean, Venezuela, imported,asmallquantityof important base on which the the Zinc Biofortified Rice Guyana, Mr Wilmot Garnett necessarily reflect the Suriname and Brazil. In rice was imported to feed Economyrests. was developed through pointed out that they were opinions and beliefs of this Guyana itself, signs of t h e m b u t t h i s w a s T h e M i n i s t r y o f conventional farming developing an adequate n e w s p a p e r a n d i t s r e s p i t e c a m e w h e n discontinued. Numbers of Agriculture has been further practices and not through information and promotion affiliates.)

Democracy again began to immigrants then tried to be reestablished in the growtheirownricealongthe country towards the end of river banks and as the1900’s. production increased, it was

ThericeIndustrywasnot realised that rice could be a completely destroyed owing profitable crop In the to the self-sacrifice of a 1860’s a rice company was number of farmers and launchedbyexpatriatesbutit millers who tried to satisfy did not satisfy its early thelocalmarket.Muchofthe promise and went out of ricelandswereabandonedor operation. turned into grazing lands for Several ex-indentured livestock or merely allowed Indians took to small- scale to be overgrown when their rice farming and eventually owners emigrated. From smallmillswereestablished. about2000whentheattempt By 1900, the Rice Industry was made to resuscitate the was firmly established and Industry, it was reminiscent had even been able to export of the early history of the rice to the Caribbean islands

Autoimmunediseases:

They are dangerous and becoming more common

Dr. Zulfikar Bux

antibodies to attack our own chance of having a different healthybodycells,insteadof autoimmune disease if a attacking bacteria or viruses, relative has one, e.g, one Emergency causingdamagetoyourbody sibling has type 1 diabetes Medicine Specialist organs. There are over 100 and another has coeliac different autoimmune disease. You can also have When I was in medical diseases that affect different more than one autoimmune school,weusedtoreadabout parts of your body The list condition. autoimmune diseases and below are the more common

The following factors not see these cases often.

ones: below increases your risk of However, I am amazed how Celiacdisease having an autoimmune these diseases have sprung Weakness condition occurring in one's flareupsandsymptoms: Crohn'sdisease disease: up and are now becoming a lossofappetite body M a i n t a i n i n g a

Type1diabetes Aninfection n o r m i n p a t i e n t lossofweight How are autoimmune healthy diet and a

Guillain-Barre Stress presentations. It is estimated

Feeling something is diseases treated? healthyweight syndrome Medicines that about 10% of the world notquiteright. There isn't a cure for getting enough rest lupus Smoking population has some form of Bodypains autoimmune diseases andsleep

Multiplesclerosis UVradiation. an autoimmune disease

How are autoimmune However, there are Doing exercises that Perniciousanemia E x p o s u r e t o Because their symptoms diseases diagnosed? treatments available to suityou

Psoriasis chemicals/toxins vary, they can sometimes be Each autoimmune manage the symptoms and Reducing stress and A u t o i m m u n e What are common missed initially and be diseasehasspecificteststhat slow down the progression getting enough hepatitis symptoms of picked up when they would areneededtodiagnosethem. of the autoimmune disease support. Rheumatoidarthritis autoimmune diseases? already cause extensive

However, your doctor may by suppressing the immune Avoiding foods or Scleroderma Autoimmune diseases damage to our body Today, I have a clue when he/she system. These may be in the chemicals that may Sjogren'ssyndrome can affect most parts of your will shed some light on the listenstoyoursymptomsand form of tablets or injections triggersymptoms Ulcerativecolitis. body and symptoms depend different diseases that fall examines you. Routine tests and the affected individual While getting diagnosed What causes onthepartsofyourbodythat under the spectrum of may offer clues to particular will have to be regularly with an autoimmune disease autoimmune diseases? are affected by the disease. autoimmune diseases and autoimmune diseases managed by a specialist can feel like the end of the

It's not clear why some For example, if you have bring awareness to these life

However, a test called depending on the type of world, finding the right people get autoimmune coeliac disease, it damages threateningconditions. antinuclear antibody test is a autoimmune disease they doctor and lifestyle can help diseases. However, in many yoursmallintestinesandyou What are general test that has a high have Generally, the bring things to a semblance cases, those who get may have gut symptoms autoimmune diseases? degree of accuracy to detect following lifestyle changes tonormalcyandletyoulivea autoimmune diseases seem such as diarrhea or Normally, our immune if there is an autoimmune can also help to decrease productivelife. t o h a v e a g e n e t i c abdominal pain. While each system helps to fight off predisposition, which means autoimmune disease will infections by killing foreign you have a higher chance of have specific symptoms, the bacteria or viruses that get getting the disease if other following general symptoms i n t o o u r b o d y I n members of your family also tend to be associated with autoimmune diseases, our haveit. mostautoimmunediseases: i m m u n e s y s t e m You also have a greater Tirednessorfatigue malfunctions and produces

Diddy’s attorney makes statement about LA and Miami home raids

(Billboard news) released the following warrants were executed at coordinated media presence statement: “Earlier today Mr. Combs’ residences — leads to a premature rush AttorneyAaron Dyer has H o m e l a n d S e c u r i t y There is no excuse for the to judgment of Mr Combs spokenoutandcallstheraids Investigations New York excessive show of force and and is nothing more than a on American music mogul executed law enforcement hostility exhibited by witch hunt based on Sean ‘Diddy’ Comb’s Los actions as part of an ongoing authorities or the way his meritless accusations made Angeles and Miami houses investigation With childrenandemployeeswere in civil lawsuits. There has on Monday, March 25th, by assistance from HSI Los treated. been no finding of criminal Homeland Security agents Angeles, HSI Miami and our Mr Combs was never or civil liability with any of an “unprecedented ambush” local law enforcement detained but spoke to and theseallegations.Mr Combs The lawyer labels the partners, we will provide cooperated with authorities. is innocent and will continue takedowns against his client further information as it Despite media speculation, to fight every single day to “awitchhunt.” becomesavailable.” neitherMr Combsnoranyof clearhisname.”

On Monday afternoon, Now Diddy’s attorney his family members have A s f o r D i d d y ’ s Diddy’s Los Angeles and Aaron Dyer has given been arrested nor has their businesses, of which he has Miamihomeswereraidedby Billboard the following ability to travel been many, the rapper reportedly Homeland Security statement: “Yesterday, there restricted in any way This sold off the remainder of his H o m e l a n d S e c u r i t y was a gross overuse of unprecedented ambush — shares of Revolt TV, which Investigations (HSI) military-levelforceassearch paired with an advanced, hecreatedin2013.

EverythingtoKnowaboutBeyoncé’s CollaboratorsonCowboyCarter

(Time 100) Knox News that Beyoncé “PURE/HONEY” samples Show.” recorded a version of her tracks from Moi Renee, Martell is known as Beyoncé’s music always song. Listeners got a taste of KevinAviance,andKevinJz being the first Black female features a long list of what was to come when Prodigy The album uplifted artist to achieve commercial collaborators, songwriters, Beyoncé released the lead the underrepresented icons success in the country music and credits for samples and singlesoffthealbum,“Texas thatmadethegenrewhatitis genre and made history as i n t e r p o l a t i o n s I n Hold ‘Em” and “16 today Cowboy Carter, the first Black female artist Renaissance, only two songs Carriages” in February She which came out on March to perform at the Grand Ole had officially credited had Rhiannon Giddens 29, spans across country Opry For features, Beyoncé features, but the credits tell a playing the banjo and viola music, and Beyoncé made enlisted a diverse set of muchdeeperstory Herlatest on the former and Robert sure to not only highlight artists. album, Cowboy Carter, is no Randolph playing the steel those who came before her, Post Malone makes an different. guitaronthelatter butupliftnewerartistsasshe appearance on a song called

The list of collaborators Singer Ryan Beatty p u s h e s t h e g e n r e ’s “Levii Jeans.” Shaboozey isjustasexpansive.Multiple revealed he is a songwriter boundaries into new hops on “Spaghettii” and songs feature country music on four Cowboy Carter directions.

“Sweet Honey Buckin” and acts, including newer ones songs: “Protector, ” So who is featured on Willie Jones is featured on like Tanner Adell and “Bodyguard,” “Just For Cowboy Carter? “Just For Fun.” On the song Shaboozey and legends of Fun,” and “II Hands II The album features “Blackbiird,” Bey enlists the the genre, Willie Nelson, Heaven.” appearances in the form of help of four young Linda Martell, and Dolly In a post he uploaded to spoken word interludesfrom singers Tanner Adell, Parton.Onthetechnicalside, InstagramonFriday,hesaid, country music legends Brittney Spencer, Tiera she worked with major hit- “Writing these songs over Willie Nelson, Linda Kennedy, and Reyna making producers like DA the last four years has been Martell, and Dolly Parton. Roberts.Adell had a viral hit GotThatDope,RyanTedder, one of the brightest The latter had her song with her country/hip hop andPharrellWilliams. highlights of my life on “Jolene” covered by Bey, slammer, “Buckle Bunny.”

The BeyHive started earth.” with many of the lyrics One of the most surprising reading the tea leaves on Renaissance featured a changed. Parton is also additions to the featured Wednesday afternoon, when similarly long list of credits featuredbrieflyintheintroto artists list is Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé uploaded a cryptic as Beyoncé paid homage to “Tyrant.”Nelsonjoinsinasa w h o h a s n o i s s u e tracklist to her social media the queer Black pioneers of radio host for two interludes harmonizing with Bey on “II pages The track listing house music Songs like titled “Smoke Hour” and Most Wanted.” Following in “Jolene,” confirmed that “COZY” and “Break My “Smoke Hour II,” whereas her sister Blue Ivy’s BeyoncéusedDollyParton’s Soul” feature the voices of Martell is featured on footsteps, Rumi Carter is famous song in some way TS Madison and Big “Spaghettii”andaninterlude featured on the intro of the after the country singer told F r e e d i a , w h i l e titled “The Linda Martell song“Protector.”

Sean Diddy Combs

Cowboy Carter features several other artistes

BRAZIL

area of Pedro Leopoldo, Minas culture, language and moral shares a border with every South Gerais and provide evidence of beliefs.Thesewarsalsoinvolved American country except human habitation going back at large-scale military actions on EcuadorandChile. least 11,000 years. The earliest l a n d a n d w a t e r, w i t h Economy potteryeverfoundintheWestern cannibalistic rituals on prisoners Brazil’s upper-middle Hemisphere was excavated in of war While heredity had some income mixed market economy

Brazil officially the Brazil at number one of 17 mega the Amazon basin of Brazil and weight, leadership was a status isrichinnaturalresources.Ithas Federative Republic of Brazil, is diverse countries, and is the radiocarbon dated to 8,000 years more won over time than the largest national economy in the largest and eastern most subject of significant global ago (6000 BC). The pottery was assigned in succession Latin America, the ninth-largest country in SouthAmerica and in interest, as environmental found near Santarém and economy in the world by Latin America. Brazil is the degradation through processes providesevidencethattheregion nominal GDP, and the eighthworld’s fifth-largest country by like deforestation has direct supported a complex prehistoric argest by PPP After rapid area and the seventh most impacts on global issues like culture. The Marajoara culture growth in preceding decades, populous. Its capital is Brasília, climate change and biodiversity flourished on Marajó in the the country entered an and its most populous city is São loss. Amazon delta from AD 400 ongoing recession in 2014 Paulo The federation is The territory which would to 1400, developing amid a political corruption composed of the union of the 26 become known as Brazil was sophisticatedpottery,social scandal and nationwide states and the Federal District. It inhabited by numerous tribal stratifi

protests. is the only country in the nations prior to the landing in populati

Brazil’s diversified Americas to have Portuguese as 1500 of explorer Pedro Álvares building, and complex e c o n o m y i n c l u d e s an official language. Brazil is Cabral, who claimed the social formations such as agriculture, industry, and a oneofthemostmulticulturaland discovered land for the chiefdoms. wide range of services. The ethnicallydiversenations,dueto Portuguese Empire Brazil Around the time of the largeservicesectoraccountsfor over a century of mass remained a Portuguese colony Portuguese arrival, the territory bout 72 7% of total GDP, immigration from around the until1808whenthecapitalofthe of current day Brazil had an

followed by the industrial sector world. empire was transferred from estimated indigenous population (20.7%), while the agriculture

Bounded by the Atlantic Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro. In of7millionpeople,mostlysemi- sector is by far the smallest, Ocean on the east, Brazil has a 1815, the colony was elevated to nomadic, who subsisted on ceremonies and conventions makingup6.6%oftotalGDP coastline of 7,491 kilometers the rank of kingdom upon the hunting, fishing, gathering, and Slavery among the indigenous Brazil is one of the largest (4,655 mi). It borders all other formation of the United migrant agriculture The groups had a different meaning producers of various agricultural countries and territories in South KingdomofPortugal,Braziland population comprised several thanithadforEuropeans,sinceit commodities, and also has a America except Ecuador and the Algarves. Independence was large indigenous ethnic groups originated from a diverse large cooperative sector that Chile and covers roughly half of achieved in 1822 with the (e.g., the Tupis, Guaranis, Gês, socioeconomic organization, in provides 50% of the food in the the continent’s land area. Its creation of the Empire of Brazil, and Arawaks). The Tupi people which asymmetries were country It has been the world’s Amazon basin includes a vast a unitary state governed under a were subdivided into the translatedintokinshiprelation. largest producer of coffee for the tropical forest, home to diverse constitutional monarchy and a TupiniquinsandTupinambás. Brazil occupies a large area last150years. wildlife, a variety of ecological parliamentarysystem.. Before the arrival of the along the eastern coast of South Brazil is the world’s largest systems, and extensive natural History Europeans, the boundaries America and includes much of producer of sugarcane, soy, resources spanning numerous Some of the earliest human between these groups and their the continent’s interior, sharing coffee and orange; is one of the protected habitats. This unique remains found in the Americas, subgroups were marked by wars landborderswithUruguaytothe top 5 producersof maize, cotton, environmentalheritagepositions LuziaWoman, were found in the that arose from differences in south;ArgentinaandParaguayto lemon, tobacco, pineapple, the southwest; Bolivia and Peru banana, beans, coconut, to the west; Colombia to the watermelon and papaya; and is northwest; and Venezuela, one of the top 10 world Guyana, Suriname and France producersof cocoa, cashew, (French overseas region of mango,rice,tomato,sorghum, French Guiana) to the north. It

on page 33)

Museu Oscar Niemeyer

Brazil’s Coat of Arms

Christ the Redeemer Statue located in Rio de Janeirio

Brazil’s Flag

BRAZIL

From page 31 tangerine,avocado,persimmon,andguava,amongothers.

Tourism

Tourism in Brazil is a growing sector and key to the economy of several regions of the country The country had 6.36 million visitors in 2015, ranking in terms of the international tourist arrivals as the main destination in South AmericaandsecondinLatinAmericaafterMexico.Revenues from international tourists reached US$6 billion in 2010, showing a recovery from the 2008–2009 economic crisis. Historicalrecordsof5.4millionvisitorsandUS$6.8billionin receipts were reached in 2011. In the list of world tourist destinations,in2018,Brazilwasthe48thmostvisitedcountry, with6.6milliontourists(andrevenuesof5.9billiondollars).

Natural areas are its most popular tourism product, a combinationofecotourismwithleisureandrecreation,mainly sun and beach, and adventure travel, as well as cultural tourism.AmongthemostpopulardestinationsaretheAmazon Rainforest, beaches and dunes in the Northeast Region, the PantanalintheCenter-WestRegion,beachesatRiodeJaneiro and Santa Catarina, cultural tourism in Minas Gerais and businesstripstoSãoPaulo.

In terms of the 2015 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index(TTCI),whichisameasurementofthefactorsthatmake it attractive to develop business in the travel and tourism industry of individual countries, Brazil ranked in the 28th place at the world’s level, third in theAmericas, after Canada andUnitedStates.

São Paulo Cathedral

Brazilian cuisine.

TheBrazilianGoldenLionTamarinis“endangered”

Native only to the Atlantic forest of agriculture-driven deforestation, which tamarin forms social family groups. Males Brazil, the Golden Lion Tamrin still remain continues to fragment their forest home, help to raise their offspring, and often carry an endangered species. These tiny monkeys severing links between populations, their young on their backs in between wereonceonthebrinkofextinctionwhenthe according to Grantham Institute- an institute feedings.Tamarinyoungareusuallytwins.

IUCN (The International Union for ofImperialCollegeinLondonthatdealswith Golden lions live primarily in the trees. Conservation of Nature) listed them as ClimateChangeandtheEnvironment. They sleep in hollows at night and forage by “criticallyendangered”. Lion tamarins reportedly take their name day while traveling from branch to branch. Recent relocation and captive breeding from their impressive manes—thick rings of Long fingers help them stay aloft and snare programmes have improved their t ICUN hairreminiscentofAfrica’sgreatcats. insects,fruit,lizards,andbirds. population assessment from “critically Excerpt from National Geographic on Threats to Survival endangered’to“Endangered”. the Golden Lion Tamrins Theseinterestinganimalsarethreatened, They however, remain under threat from National-Geographic - The golden lion (Continued on page 37)

The Golden Lion Tamarin of Brazil

Lizzo says ‘I quit’ in Instagram post

‘I’m constantly up against lies’ amid ongoing legal troubles:

(YAHOO.COM)

Lizzo is apparently not feelinggoodashell.

“I’m getting tired of putting up with being dragged by everyone in my lifeandontheinternet,”said thesinger,whoisbeingsued by three former dancers for alleged harassment and creating a “hostile work environment.”

The Grammy winner sharedafrustratedInstagram post on Friday afternoon, venting about “lies being told about me for clout and views” and concluding with

did admit she was contemplating quitting music last June after being on the receiving end of a stream of body-shaming remarks. It remains unclear if Lizzo is merely taking a step back from social media or her career amid ongoing legaltroublesorwhethershe intends to leave the music industry altogether Her representatives did not immediately respond to E W ’s r e q u e s t f o r clarification.

Lizzofirstbrokethrough with her third studio album,

a cryptic announcement: “I quit.”

“I’m getting tired of putting up with being dragged by everyone in my life and on the internet,” Lizzowroteinherpost.

“All I want is to make music and make people happyandhelptheworldbe a little better than how I found it. But I’m starting to feel like the world doesn’t want me in it ” “I’m constantly up against lies beingtoldaboutmeforclout & views,” she continued. “Being the butt of the joke everysingletimebecauseof how I look. My character beingpickedapartbypeople who don’t know me and disrespecting my name. I didn’t sign up for this s—. I q u i t ” T h e v a g u e announcement came with little warning, though Lizzo

Cuz I Love You, which spawnedhitsingles,“Juice,” “Tempo,”and“TruthHurts,” which was included on a deluxeversionofthealbum. That album won her three Grammy awards. Her next album 2022’s Special won the Grammy for Record of the Year But in recent months, Lizzo has been mired in controversy, after three of her former back-up dancersfiledalawsuitsuing the artist, her production company, and her dance captain for alleged sexual harassment, weights h a m i n g , r a c i a l discrimination, and creating a “ h o s t i l e w o r k environment.”

take more seriously than the respect we deserve as womenintheworld.Iknow whatitfeelsliketobebodyshamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight.I’mhurtbutIwillnot

Lizzo responded to the suit,saying,“Iamnothereto belookedatasavictim,butI also know that I am not the villain...There is nothing I

Interesting Creatures...TheBrazilianGoldenLion...

Frompage35

asaremanyoftheforestsinwhichtheylive.Brazil’sAtlantic coastal rain forests are disappearing due to ever-expanding logging, agriculture, and industry, and unfortunately, the goldenliontamarinisindangerofvanishingwiththem.

S o u r c e o f I n f o r m a t i o n : https://granthaminstitute.com/2016/03/02/on-the-brink-10south-american-species-endangered-by-environmentalchange/ https://wwwnationalgeographic com/animals/mammal s/facts/golden-lion-tamarin

let the good work I’ve done i n t h e w o r l d b e overshadowedbythis.”

The former backup dancers behind the suit called L i z z o ’s r e s p o n s e “disheartening ” Last September, Lizzo accepted a humanitarian award from the BlackMusicActionCoalition whilehercurrentdancetroupe stoodbehindherinsolidarity

In February, a Los Angeles based judge rejected Lizzo’s request to drop the case, though some allegations were dismissed, including one dancer’s claims of being fat-shamed. Lizzo appeared on the Grammys recently, but she hasnotannouncedanyplans toreleasenewmusic.

American rapper and singer, Lizzo

Kaieteur News

King Charles will attend Easter service, skipping family luncheon amid cancer battle

(PAGESIX COM)

King Charles III is reportedly set to attend church service on Easter Sunday

The monarch, who is currently receiving treatment for cancer, will reportedly attend the annual EasterMatinschurchservice at St. George’s Chapel in Windsorbutwillnothostthe traditional Easter lunch afterward, Buckingham Palace confirmed, per multiplereports.

With his health in mind, Charles,75,isexpectedtosit

next to his wife, Queen Camilla, away from the congregation.

Thereareexpectedtobe fewer people in attendance outofprecaution.

Charles and Queen Camillaareexpectedtosit together away from the rest of the congregation out of an abundance of caution

A source told the Telegraph the former Prince of Wales’ plan to attend church in person Sunday was a “sign of things heading in the right

direction” in regard to his health The upcoming service will be Charles’ first public appearance in nearly two months He was last spotted heading to church with Camilla at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, in early February Thekinglooked chipper as he waved at photographers Charles announced his cancer diagnosis on Feb. 5 one week after he underwent surgery for an enlargedprostate.

King Charles III is set to attend a church service at Windsor Castle on Easter Sunday, but not the traditional lunch that follows.

Tanya Stephens Recording Live Version Of ‘Gangsta Blues’ For 20th Anniversary

DANCEHALL MAGMarch30thmarked20years since the release of Tanya Stephens’ criticallyacclaimed fifth studio album,‘GangstaBlues’,and she’sdoingitbig.

Referring to the VP Records/Tarantula Records recordingas“anadultnow”, the singer is celebrating its birthday with a live version, adornedwithabonustrackor two. “I’m not celebrating commercial activity; I’m celebratingexistenceandmy growth,sowe’redoingalive version of the album,” S t e p h e n s t o l d DancehallMag “We push backtouringuntilafterwedo that because that is going to be playing for awhile, and then we’re going on tour after.Micyawait;miexcited

like a likkle pickney a go Disneyforthefirsttime.It’s about breathing a sigh of relief because we did something different We didn’tknow whatwas going to happen with it (Gangsta Blues) and it didn’t just ‘get accepted’,ittookonalifeof its own. It’s like it grew wings and wheels and just kept moving, and it’s still moving.”

UNLOCKING SUCCESS - GYS 901 CERTIFICATION TO BENEFIT SMALL BUSINESSES LOCALLY

Inthedynamiclandscape of business, small enterprisesoftenfaceunique c h a l l e n g e s a n d opportunities While they may lack the resources and infrastructure of larger corporations, small businesses possess the agility and innovation to thrive in niche markets However, in a competitive environment, establishing credibility and trust with customers is paramount for sustained success. This is where the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) and its GYS 901 Certification can make a significant difference for smallbusinesses.

The GYS 901 Standard, outlinestherequirementsfor Micro, Small and MediumSizedEnterprisesdesirousof establishing a simplified but effective management system tailored specifically forthem.

This certification will provide small businesses locallywithaframeworkfor implementing best practices in their operations to ensure consistency, reliability, and compliance with legal requirementsandstandards.

Globally,smallfirmsare quickly taking advantage of thebenefitsofstandardsand related certification. These benefits include easier access of their products and services to the export markets, heightened operational efficiency, opportunitiesforinnovation, and increased confidence as customers recognize businesses, products and services that conform to quality, environment and occupational safety and h e a l t h a n d o t h e r requirements.

T h e G N B S 9 0 1 Certification can serve as a stepping-stone for local businesses aiming for international certification such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 It is crucial for

MSMEs in Guyana to grasp the benefits this new standardprovides.

Moreover, with the changingbusinessdynamics in Guyana where standards conformance is taking the l e a d , m a n y l a r g e c o r p o r a t i o n s a n d Government Agencies require suppliers to be certified to specific quality standards By obtaining GYS 901 Certification, small businesses can meet these requirements and compete for lucrative contracts and partnerships. This opens doors to new revenuestreamsandexpands businessgrowthpotential.

GYS 901 Certification process involves assessing and optimizing various aspects of the business, including operational processes, quality control measures, and resource management.

By identifying areas for i m p r o v e m e n t a n d implementing standardised practices, small businesses can reduce waste, minimise errors, and increase efficiency

Furthermore, GYS 901 Certificationfostersaculture of continual improvement withinsmallbusinesses.This Certification process also

i n v o l v e s o n g o i n g monitoringandevaluationto ensure compliance with standards and legal requirements for further enhancement.

In conclusion, if you have a small business that is looking to demonstrate conformance to a tailored management system standard to experience real growth opportunities and benefits, certification to the GYS 901 Standard is the answer Through this Certification to this recognised national standard, small businesses will be offered a pathway to success in the competitive environment.

Certification is valid for one year with surveillance visits in between. Register today with the GNBS to enhance your business credibility, markets access, efficiency, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

For more information, contact the Certification Services Department on GNBS telephone numbers: 219-0064-66 or WhatsApp: 6924627. You can also visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org

A village with little to no strife FOULIS

For this week’s village focus, were either out in the fields or were was a part of the village family or The Waterfalls journeyed past the busyabouttheirotherjobs. Atfirst keeps to themselves The famous Hopetown Village, appearance, the area is quite businessman provided some Number 30 Guinness Bar,Weldaad inviting and suitable for raising a information on the service station Police Station and Belladrum to family There were no major saying “It’s a family business and I come to a small and quiet village grocery stores or health care but have had it for 12 years now calledFoulis. there was no need to worry since Business is usually good and I like The village is located in Region two villages away all necessities ithere.”

Six over the Berbice River Bridge, were housed in Belladrum and Leaving, the K. Singh Service through the busy communities of Paradiserespectively Station, headed east of the village, West Coast Berbice (WCB) and There is the K. Singh Service therewereanumberofhouseswith passingbythenumerousfoodstalls Station and though the owner was a variety of cash crops farms ofNumberFiveVillage. reluctant to speak at first, when he including watermelon, tomatoes, Not to be confused with Foulis finally got a break from tending to celeryandvegetables. just after Enmore even though the his many customers, the business The farms are an indication that two villages share similarities in owner shared what it is like to be a agriculture was an integral part of more than just spelling, the one residentofthecommunity theincomeintheareaastherewere visited this week, gave ‘the way Mr Singh told this publication no visible signs of any large downinthecountryfeel.’ that the area is quiet and since his establishment that could provide themareeitheralreadyharvestedor areas. Thevillageissnuggledbetween business is located on the public jobs

A section of the rice fields.

e intheprocessofdoingso.Thereisa According to the Centre for the thevillagesofProfitandElDorado road itself, he has a steady flow of Regrettably, not many villagers damseparatingFoulisvillageWCB Study of the Legacies of British WCB and is home to quite a few customers. “The area is a nice one were available to give this from nearby Profit. This same dam Slavery,intheyear1798Plantation residentsandricefields.Thepeople to live. It’s quiet and you hardly get magazineacomment. can be used to access the Foulis was the 26th plantation livingintheareaaremostlyfarmers anytroublewithanybody.” A villager from nearby El Profit/Foulisbeach. under sub-heading ‘De Mahaica a whetheritbecashcroporrice. Mr. Singh explained that Dorado spoke to this publication, Crossing over the Bellamy Demerarie’ and this appears to

Given that The Waterfalls criminal activities aren’t a usual noted that Foulis is one of the Canal, one could see that instead of correspond to the Foulis in Berbice visited on a Tuesday, most people occurrence since everyone either quietest places to reside. “On any concretewalls,theseadefensehere which was known to have been given day you does hardly see is huge granite boulders and owned by a William Munro. It is people walking around and so. mangroves. conceived that he owned estates in Everyone does go about they Thespacewascleanandmostly both Berbice and Demerara with business and get they stuff done garbage free. There is also a nice thesamename,whichcouldbehow withoutanyconflict.” piece of ‘almost private’ beach to theotherFouliscametobe.

Welcome to Foulis

Meanwhile, this magazine took headoutwiththefamilyandrelaxif With that being said the next a trek west of the village, in the you wanted to get away from the timeyouwanttogetawayforaday, direction of the Abary Bridge; woesofeverydaylifeforamoment. head up to Foulis, fuel up at wheretherearericefieldstotheleft

Looking at the past of Foulis it K.Singh’s Service Station and head asfarastheeyecansee. was discovered that it was actually out to the beach but please keep it

Sinceitwas‘crop’time’mostof a plantation like of the surrounding clean.Seeyousoonfolks!!!

A section of the village

K. Singh Service station.

Easter in Wonderland

Once upon a time, in a land not too far away, there lived a young girl named Hannah.Hannahwasknown for her boundless curiosity and adventurous spirit. She loved exploring the woods near her home, especially during the springtime when the world came alive with colorsandlife.

One sunny morning, while chasing a playful butterfly through the forest, Hannah stumbled upon an unusual sight. She found herself standing at the entrance of a mysterious, enchanting garden unlike any she had ever seen. The flowers here were vibrant and oversized, and the air was filled with the sweet scentofbloomingblooms.

Hannah's curiosity got the best of her, and she ventured further into the garden As she walked deeper into this magical place, she encountered a series of whimsical characters, each more enchantingthanthelast.

First, she met Mr Bumble, a cheerful, talking bumblebee who buzzed around, busily spreading pollenfromonegiantflower to another Mr Bumble was delighted to meet Hannah andofferedheratasteofthe honey his bee friends had been working hard to create. Itwasthesweetesthoneyshe had ever tasted. Continuing her journey, Hannah stumbled upon a tea party like no other The table was set with enormous tea cups and saucers, and the guests were a lively bunch. There was the Mad Hatter, a zany fellow with an oversized top hat,andtheMarchHare,who never seemed to stop hopping They welcomed Hannahtotheirteaparty,and shejoinedinthefun,sipping tea and nibbling on cookies

as they chatted about their mostpeculiaradventures.

As Hannah ventured deeper into Wonderland, she encountered even more curious characters The Cheshire Cat, a mischievous feline with a grin that appeared and disappeared at will, led her to a garden of talking flowers. Each flower hadauniquepersonalityand a story to tell, making Hannah feel like she had stepped into a world of living,breathingtales.

But the most astonishing encounter of all was yet to come.AsHannahfolloweda winding path, she came across a giant rabbit hole. The hole was so deep that it seemedtostretchonforever Unable to resist her adventurous spirit, Hannah decided to follow the rabbit downthehole.

Down, down, down she tumbleduntilshelandedwith a gentle thud in a place that seemedevenmorewondrous thanthegardenabove.Itwas Easter in Wonderland, and the celebration was unlike anythi ng she had ever

FUN WITH POETRY

seen. Easter eggs, the size of Hannah herself, were scattered across the landscape in vibrant shades ofpink,blue,andgold.Each egghadintricatedesignsand patterns painted on it, and theyseemedtoshimmerwith anotherworldlyglow

Hannah soon discovered that the Easter Bunny in Wonderland was a rather special one Instead of hopping around like the bunnies she knew from home, this Easter Bunny soared through the sky with colorful balloons tied to his paws. He was none other than the Balloon Bunny, and he was responsible for delivering Easter eggs to c h i l d r e n a l l o v e r Wonderland.

The Balloon Bunny explained that, in Wonderland, Easter was celebratedbyreleasingthese magical balloons into the sky When the balloons reached the highest point, they burst into a shower of smaller eggs that floated down to bring joy and treats tochildrenbelow

Junior page

BeadedCarrot Wreath

Looking for an Easter craft to deck out yourfrontdoor?TheEasterbunnywilllove thisbeadedcarrotwreath.

You'llNeed:

· Woodbeadsinfourdifferentsizes(the largestbeing1”)

· Floralwire

· Wirecutters

· Greenexcelsior(grass)

· Scissors

· Orangeacrylicpaint

· Craftbrushes

· Dropcloth

· Ribbon

· H o t g l u e g u n

Steps:

1. Lay down a drop cloth on your work area.

2. Paint each wood bead orange and let themdrycompletely

3.Bend one end of the floral wire over with your wire cutters to create a stopping pointforthebeads.

4.Threadeachbeadontothefloralwire, starting with the smallest and working your wayuptothelargestsize.

5. Bend the floral wire over and cut the excess.

6. Cut a small bunch of the excelsior all onelengthusingyourscissors.

7.Sticktheexcelsiorintothetopholeand ifyouwanttoaddmorethanwhatfitsinthe hole, dab a little hot glue on the top of the beadandaddmoreexcelsior

8. Repeat steps 2-7 for your desired numberofcarrots.

9. Tie together with a ribbon to make a bunchofcarrots.

10.Attach a ribbon onto the back with a fewdabsofhotglueandhangitonyourdoor foreveryonetoadmire!

Easter Maze

Easter Time

By Uncle Roy

Eastertimeishereagain, Andwewillhavemuchfun, Withkitesandfoodatpicnics, Withmyfamilyeveryone.

Easterissuchajoyoustime, Thatweallliketoshare, Forgettingworkandschool,evenTV, Atthisgreattimeoftheyear

Itmakesmesohappy, Toseeeveryoneplaytogether, Eating,dancingandflyingkites, IwishEasterwouldlastforever

Hannah couldn't contain herexcitementandjoinedthe Balloon Bunny in preparing the balloons. Together, they filled each balloon with Easter eggs, their laughter fillingtheairastheyworked sidebyside.

As the sun began to set, the Balloon Bunny gave HannahaspecialEasteregg. Itwasadornedwithsparkling stars and a ribbon that seemed to dance in the breeze. "This is a gift from Wonderland to you," he said withawarmsmile.

Hannah thanked the Balloon Bunny for the incredible adventure and the unforgettable experience of EasterinWonderland.

With the magical egg in hand,shemadeherwayback to the rabbit hole, ready to returnhome.

Make your life matter by doing your utmost to help others Easter

There are many ways by which you can make your life more worthy, some of whichwehavebeendealing withintheweekspastinour discourses about selfimprovement. However, thereisonewayinwhichwe can do this in an unselfish manner, and that is by looking out continuously to find how you can help others, both on the long and short terms. I am sure you can think now of instances when you have seen someoneclosetoyouacting in a manner that can lead to

somenegativeresult. Ifyou had helped that person to behave better, then you would have been able to see how rewarding this was to that person, as well as the satisfaction it gave you for having spent your time and energy to do something unselfish. Therearealso otherwaysinwhichyoucan reachouttoyourfriendsand l e a d t h e m i n t o understanding your approach to the proper solutionoftheproblemsthey would be faced with in their everydaylives. Oneway

by which you can make this anongoingprocessistostart a discussion group in which you get those who are members of any group to whichyoubelongtointeract and spread your ideas of good behaviour Getting this group to meet on a regular basis, say weekly, at a determined venue, can provide a guarantee that personal problems will be discussed with the object of findingpropersolutions.

You can get someone who is respected by your group's members from the

church or other organisation inyourareatospeaktoyour groupwhenyoumeet. This will make it an ongoing exercise that will be of immense benefit to the members as they develop and share a culture of good behaviour

Thinkofthevaluetoour nationifthissystemwereto be adopted by every community, and I am now proposingthatweallmakea serious attempt to work towards achieving this, and makeourvoicesheardinthis endeavour

Easter! Easter once again!

Everyone is sayingAmen, In the church as they pray, On this beautiful Easter day

To the park the children go, Their lovely kites they want to show; Their shoes they lace and ribbons they bow, All neatly dressed from head to toe.

Loud music lights the parks aglow, From the MightyArrow to Sparrow, And along with the music, if you want to know, Men drink liquor and the ladies Banko.

What fun to see the children play, Like their parents they are happy and gay, And when it is finished and time to go away, Everyone has enjoyed another beautiful Easter day.

Each digit from 1-9 occurs once within each row, column, 3×3 block, major diagonal, and each of the nine

isolated cells marked in gray There is only one solution.Each digit from 1-9 occurs once within each row, column,

3×3block,majordiagonal,andeachof the nine isolated cells marked in gray Thereisonlyonesolution.

Each of us can help to build our community and our nation when we see the need to join with others in this effort.

Solutions to last week’s

TheSurprisingSkin CareBenefitsofGarlic

Ithasantimicrobialeffects.

Accordingtothis2014study,garlichascompoundsthat inhibitthegrowthofdifferentfungiandbacteria,showingthat itmaybehelpfulintreatingcertainskinconditions.Thestudy attributesgarlic'santimicrobialpropertiestoachemicalnamed allicin.

Ithasanti-inflammatoryeffects.

Cytokinesaremoleculesthatcanpromoteinflammation, andmanyexpertsbelievethattheyplayaroleinskin conditionsandacnedevelopment.

Ithasotherbeneficialeffects,too.

Thisreviewfrom2011studiedvariousdermatologicaluses ofgarlic,consistingoflaboratorystudies,clinicaltrials,and animalstudies.Itfoundthatapplyinggarlicextracttoyour skinprovidesbothwound-healingandantimicrobialeffects. Thestudynotedthatgarlicmighthelpavarietyofskin conditions,including:

*Alopeciaareata

*Wars

*Fungalskininfections

*Psoriasis

*Keloidscars

*Corns

*Leishmaniasis

TheBestSkinCareBenefitsofGarlic

Garlichasalargeamountofallicinpresentinit,andallicin hasantifungal,anti-aging,andskinsmoothingbenefits.Itis alsoknowntoincreaseantioxidantlevelsoftheskinandbody.

Sulfurpresentingarlicpreventsinfectionsandhelpsin reducinginflammation.Italsoenhancesbloodflow,thus givingtheskinanaturalglow

1.Acne,pimples,andspottreatment

Allicinhasantifungalpropertieswhichcanbeusedtoget ridofthatstubbornacnethathasbeengivingyousleepless nights.Justcutafreshpieceofgarlicandapplysomepressure onittoreleaseitsjuice,andthenrubitontotheaffectedarea. Leaveitfor5minutesandwashitoffwithcoldwater You'll seeareductioninrednessandswellingwithintheday Also, thishelpspreventacne,leavingbehindmarksonyourskin.

Anothersimpletechniquetogetridofacneusinggarlicis mixingjuicefrom2-3podsofgarlicwithequalquantitiesof whitevinegarandapplyingittotheaffectedarea.Thevinegar helpsmaintaintheskin'spHlevelswhilegarlicfights infection.

2.Blackheadandwhiteheadremoval

Amostcommonskinproblemisblackheads.Theyoccur moreoftenwhenyouhaveoilyskin.

Taketwoorthreeclovesofgarlicandcrushthem.Then, add1tbsp.ofoatmeal,acoupleofdropsofteatreeoil,and abouthalfofatsp.oflemonjuice.Mixthoseingredientswith honeytoformapaste.Spreadathinlayerontoyourskin. Afterlettingitsitfortwoorthreeminutes,gentlyexfoliate yourfaceandrinsewithwarmwater Youcanusethismixture uptotwoorthreetimesaweektoseeavisiblereductionin blackheads.

3.Anti-agingandporeminimizing

Garlichealthbenefitsalsoworkforanti-aging.Thestrong antioxidantspresentingarlichelpinreducingthefreeradical build-upintheskin,thuskeepingitfirmandyouthful.Italso containssulfur,whichhelpsthebodyproducecollagenand helpsfightwrinkles.Garlicalsocontainsmanyskin-protective polyphenols.Youcancrushsomegarlicclovesandaddthe juiceintoyourregularfacemasksforaddedgoodnessand preventingprematureaging.

Enlargedporesareacommonprobleminagingskin.To minimizepores,makeapastebymashingtogetherhalfa tomatoand3-4podsofgarlic.Spreadathinlayerofthepaste ontoyourface.

After20minutes,washyourfacewithlukewarmwater andsealyourporeswithafinalsplashofcoldwater Tomato andgarlicbothhaveantisepticqualitiesthathelpin uncloggingtheskin,minimizingpores,andtighteningthe skin.

Consumingpill-sizedpiecesofgarliceverydayalsoworks greattoprotecttheskinfromdamagescausedbyfreeradicals, oxidation,andenvironmentalstressorsthateventuallyresultin wrinkles.

CalabashCabanaBeachResort:

an affordable getaway in the Cinderella County

By Davina Bagot

To enter the resort, a small fee of $300 is attached per person, and an additional charge to use the deck, while kayakandwaterraftrentalsare$1000and$1500perhour respectively Visitorscanpacktheirownbasketsandfood bags or stack their coolers, since Calabash Cabana Beach Resort presently does not offer catering, except for snacks an beverages Music is permitted at “moder levels”.

Directions If you are planning a trip, this Easter weekend, here’s how you can find the resort. For those residing outside of Region Two, you will need to take a speed boat or ferry to the Supenaam Stelling. Once there, you can take a taxi that Guyana’s Pomeroon-Essequibo, Region Two, will take you straight to popularly known as the Cinderella County is as magical resort which is an approximate 30as bountiful

own hospitality until keep , Capoey list turn enlist a visit to the breathtaking Calabash Cabana Beach for Resort.

approximately 10 minutes from the main access road. The resort sits just on the turn of the road leading into Calabash first and entering boasts boardwalk the something rafting to tohost in and interview the launched run 5job todeliveringanunforgettableexperienceforguests.

(Continued on page 72)

Breathtaking scenes at the Calabash Cabana Beach Resort

Amanda Edwards

release first album

Btitled various and yetto “Nah from mus backgrounds trials. reach based noted. She Waterfalls singing style. drawn started old, music Esseboom between say thrown “I based mymusic larger lives.”

T other still theproverbial diverse taking this section “Gospel However Christian inspirational without always explained. S producing connecting founder

Severe dry weather fueling wildfires across Guyana

Severedryweatherconditionsacross country have fuelled the daily wildfiresaffectingthehinterland.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Saturday released maps displaying that the wildfires are currently widespread across Guyana and in other countries in this hemisphere.“Thesefiresareprimarilydueto

Thick smoke from fires blanketing the Public Road at Mahaicony on Saturday

spontaneous combustion and possibly exacerbated by human activities”, the EPA stated.

The agency added that activities such as burningofricefields,farmlands,construction waste, vegetation and garbage in and around communities might have caused the fires to spreadintonearbybushesandtheforest.

Asaresultithasledto“thick smoke blanketing communities (downwind) and thereby affectinghumanhealth”,theEPA said.

“Overthepastfewdays,this has been more evident during evenings and early mornings along Corentyne, the East Bank Demerara corridor, and Georgetown, with air quality beingmoderatetounhealthy”the governmentagencyadded.

OneKaieteurNewsReporter witnessed how devastating the effects can be as she travelled to Georgetown from Mahaicony She recorded a video of how the thicksmokeisaffectingvisibility for drivers as they manoeuvre their way along the East Coast DemeraraCorridor

Toavoidfurtherspreadofthe fire the EPA is calling on all citizenstoplaytheirpart.They (Continuedonpage69)

Suriname

Guyana

Venezuela

Arapaimas being rescued by conservationists

Entertainment

On Friday night, 17-year-old AtishaEusebioofShulinabVillage, South Central Rupununi was crowned 'Miss Digicel Rupununi Rodeo,'2024.

Eusebio, an aspiring nurse was one of seven indigenous beauties competing for the annual 'Miss Rupununi Rodeo Queen' title this year

The Shulinab beauty won the pageant on Friday at the Triple 'R' Rodeo ground, Lethem in front a packed audience who gathered to witness the annual event which forms part of the Rupununi Rancher'sRodeofestivity

Picture:RodeoQueen

Caption:CrownedMissDigicel Rupununi Rodeo 2024, Atisha Eusebio(PhotocreditsDigicel)

Tags: Rodeo Queen, Digicel, Rupununi,RegionNinw

Lede:OnFridaynight,17-yearold Atisha Eusebio of Shulinab Village, South Central Rupununi was crowned Miss Digicel RupununiRodeo2024.

By Shervin Belgrave

Atisha Eusebio is Digicel Rupununi Rodeo's Queen

It's not Easter in Guyana without the Rupununi Rodeo and theBarticaRegatta

For EasterWeekend in Guyana all road leads to Lethem Rupununi Rodeo in Region Nine and the BarticaRegatta,RegionSeven.

Families prepare for these events days in advance. Kaieteur News was told that thousands travelled to Lethem to take part of the festivities which include the Rodeo Pageant and to witness the bestcowboysonshowatthe'Triple R'RodeoGroundinLethem.

Digicel is the title sponsor for this year's event which kicked off onFridayandwillendtoday President IrfaanAli dropped in at the festivities on Saturday along withsomegovernmentministers.

One of the main highlights during president's visit was the Education Minister attempting the horsebackridechallenge.

KeyFocus:OnFridaynight,17year-old Atisha Eusebio of Shulinab Village, South Central Rupununi was crowned Miss DigicelRupununiRodeo2024.

If you missed the Rodeo then youmightthousandsmorefromthe coastland on a boat ride to the annualBarticaRegatta.

The Bartica Regatta is a week filled with events from a beauty pageant to football matches. It culminates with a day of fun at Bartica Golden Beach Boulevard where thousands to witness the mainevent,boatraces.

For those travelling to the regatta the Region Seven Communityadvisedthattheywear their life jackets travel early and onlywithregisteredboats.

Atisha Eusebio is Digicel Rupununi Rodeo's Queen

Scenes at the Triple R Rodeo Ground on Saturday

Scenes from last year Bartica Regatta event

Bandits and cops in helter-skelter chase after supermarket robbery

Bandits opened fire on police following a robbery at Hong Yuang Supermarket, Lusignan EastCoastDemerara(ECD) onFriday

Police stated that the armed robbery occurred between 16:52hrs and 17:00hrs, and was committed against the proprietors of the Hong Yuang Supermarket A

report issued by police related that two men, one of whom was armed with a knife and the other a handgun, both reportedly wearingsurgicalmaskswith hoodies over their heads cartedoffaquantityofGTT cell phone cards and two Samsung cell phones belongingtotheproprietors.

A 52-year-old security guard of Friendship ECD,

whoisattachedtotheOmkar Persaud Security Service, and was on duty at the time oftherobbery,toldranksthat at about 16:52hrs on Friday, the suspects arrived at the supermarketonamotorcycle bearing registration number CL 5553 Both suspects reportedly came off the motorcycle and entered the supermarket and proceeded to the cashier area where they took an undisclosed

amount of cash and phone cards. Policesaidoneofthe suspects relieved the proprietors of their cell phones Thereafter, the suspects exited the supermarketandescapedthe scene with the motorcycle. Notably, the area where the crime was committed was canvassedforClosedCircuit Television(CCTV)cameras, and several were seen affixed to the supermarket.

Those CCTV footages were examined, and the footage that captured the ordeal was extracted. Following that, around 16:59hrs, someone called the Vigilance Police Station and reported the matter As a result, a police patrol responded quickly, and while proceeding west along the Lusignan Prison Road, ECD, the suspects were spotted on the motorcycle, proceeding north on a red motorcycle. Ranks then gave chase, and

while in pursuit, the pillion rider discharged several roundsinthedirectionofthe ranks, who returned fire in theirdirection.

During the chase which extended all the way to F e l i c i t y, R a i l w a y Embankment ECD the suspects lost control of the motorcycle and fell into a nearbytrench.Bothsuspects got up, left the motorcycle and began running and jumpingseveralfences

(Continuedonpage69)

Cell phone that was retrieved

The 9mm pistol and ammunition that were found

Motorcycle the bandits used to escape

36 persons graduate as Community Healthcare Workers in Region 10

A total of 36 persons on Wednesday graduated as Community Healthcare Workers (CHW) in Region Ten.Attendingtheceremony at the Major’s Reception Hall, in Amelia’s Ward, Linden was Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony alongside the Regional Chairman, Deron Adams; Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr Gregory Harris andotherofficials.

K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that the 36 persons are the region’s first batch of Community Health Workersandareexpectedto return to their respective communities and apply the knowledge and skills they acquired during the last six monthsoftraining.

Anthony told the audience that the ministry is committed to fulfilling its promise of hiring persons uponcompletionoftraining. With this, he mentioned

that each graduate will be hired by the ministry within their respective area in the region.Herelatedthatafew ofthegraduateswerechosen from riverine areas so that

theycanrenderassistanceto p a t i e n t s t h r o u g h Telemedicine Services. “In

the selection of this batch of students, you would have seen that we chose people from the riverine areas and areas that are currently underserved…”

The first batch of Community Health Workers alongside Dr. FrankAnthony and other health officials at the graduation ceremony

From page 16

the unveiling of the Lancetfish about nurses leaving Guyana to ply field, located in ultra-deepwater their trade in other countries owing and deep-sea layers. Lancetfish to the low salaries they receive said field is one of the eight discoveries that the Government of Guyana made by Exxon in the Stabroek mayverywellhaveto‘steal’nurses Block,since2022,andaccordingto with attractive recruitment CNOOCholdsanestimatedreserve packages to be able to adequately of746millionbarrelsofoil. staffthenewhospitalsthataretobe

According to disclosures by the builtinthefuture. operator, the block has

At a news conference Jagdeo accumulated over 30 new was asked by the media if he discoveries, with a total estimated thought “the government would be recoverable resource volume of able to reverse the tide with respect approximately 11 billion barrels of to the bleeding of nurses that we oilequivalent. have been seeing over the years?”

In a recent development, Inresponse,theVicePresidentsaid, ExxonMobil and its block partner “Thesamewayournursesarebeing CNOOC have both moved to stolen, I think we may have to do arbitrationtoasserttheirrightsover some of this policy ourselves. You Guyana’s golden oil field, the pursuenursing.“Wearedeveloping Pharmacists will now earn Guyana was palpable as he further havesomeregisterednursesaround Stabroek Block. This is as a result a hybrid nursing programme to $215,000. President Ali said over highlighted, “It is one of the most the world, that’s how we may be of Chevron’s US$53 billion increase training of nurses from 5000 persons in the public health incrediblesuccessstories.”

able to recruit too, at pretty takeoverofHess.BuyingoverHess about 150 to 200 per year to now sector will benefit from the salary The Upstream President’s competitive rates Nearly Corporation would give Chevron enable us to train between 1000 to increases. declaration underscores the competitive with what we pay a access to Hess’most valuable asset 1500 nurses per year This significanceExxonMobilattributes nurse now here and we have to in Guyana. The case was filed at programme has already started and Wednesday to its operations in Guyana, explore all sorts of things to keep the International Chamber of not only the training of nurses, we particularly within the prolific our hospitals going ” The VP Commerce in Paris, arguing that are also working on specialized Three North Rupununi Stabroekblock. explained that the government Exxon and CNOOC have a right of areas for nurses,” he disclosed. children drown in ‘fish pond’ E x x o n M o b i l G u y a n a

would have to “bring in people”.

firstrefusaloverHess’stake. While training is being offered to announced the discovery of oil in “We have some people now from get nurses in the system, the Three children drowned on 2015 and swiftly moved to other parts (of the world but), we Thursday President said they are also looking Tuesday after reportedly commence production activities by should in the outer years, when our at the present situation where there swimming in a ‘fish pond’ at December 2019. Production from income levels go up significantly ‘Wealth derived from oil, is a shortage. At that time, the Massara Village, North Rupununi, the Stabroek Block developments when you can sustain it from a gold only benefits the President disclosed that he had RegionNine. sits above 600,000 barrels per day predictable flow, we should be able richest in society, poor discussions with the Cuban The children have been (bpd)–withExxonhavingtheLiza todothat,”Jagdeoexplained. remains in extreme poverty’ Ambassador to have nurses come identified as Michelle Jeffrey, a 1, Liza 2 and the Payara projects Further,PresidentIrfaanAlilast – U.N. Human Rights intothecountry.

Grade One student; Nia Jeffrey, a online. The oil companies have year had also acknowledged the Committee Member tells Salaryadjustments

Grade Two student; and Alicia embarked on an aggressive drilling shortage of nurses in the local Guyana – says poor Ali back in December 2022 had Jeffrey, a Grade Four student. The campaign in the Stabroek Block healthsystemandindicatedthathis remains in extreme poverty announced adjustments to salaries children,allgirlsareaged5,6and8 targetingthreeotherdevelopments: government is engaging Cuba on of several categories of healthcare Reports are that Michelle and Yellowtail, Uaru and Whiptail having nurses from there come into “The wealth derived from oil workers, which he said then, Alicia are sisters and Nia is their projects. It should be noted that Guyana’s workforce While and gold exploitation and mining demonstrated his administration’s cousin. Yellowtail and Uaru have already answering questions from the only benefits the richest in society commitment to the professionals in Commander of Regional Police been approved, while Whiptail is media, the Head of State said that leaving the poorest in a situation of the sector According to Ali, Division#9,SeniorSuperintendent under review awaiting government one of the main issues facing the extreme poverty,” said French Medical Interns will now have a Raphael Rose, has confirmed the approvalanydaynow Caribbean region is the outward United Nations (UN) Human minimum salary of $200,000, tragedy

Situated in the northeastern movement of nurses and health Rights Committee (CCPR) Medical Officers will now have Up press time, ranks were still offshore region of Guyana, the workers. According to him places member Helene Tigroudja. She minimum salary of $300,000, in the remote village conducting StabroekBlockboastswaterdepths such as Canada, the United made that comment last week, Medical Officers of 1 year of post- investigations The Commander rangingfrom1,600to2,000meters. Kingdom, the United States of during the Government of Guyana employment will now earn a said that he is awaiting additional The Stabroek Block is one of the America and Europe are facing the appearance before that body minimum of $351,204, while detailsonthedrowning. largest exploration discoveries same shortages, hence now the Tigroudja explained that one Medical Officers with two-year Reports reaching Kaieteur globallyinrecentyears. world is on an active drive of concern of the committee is the post employment will receive a News are that the children were ExxonMobil holds a 45% recruitingnursesallover “…When right to consultation and minimum of $414,032. Regarding swimming when they suddenly interest, Hess Guyana Exploration I spoke to the administration of the information given to the Medical Officers, Ali said those went under the water and failed to Ltd.with30%andCNOOCholdsa GeorgetownPublicHospital,itwas population. She stated: “often the with three years, their minimum resurface. 25%equityinterestinthisasset. said they now have hundreds of government seems to take salarywillbeadjustedto$446,160, Their bodies were later TheStabroekBlockwitnesseda nurses short of their full consultationasbeingasynonym while Specialist Doctors will now retrievedfromtheriver remarkable discovery in 2023 with complement,”herelated.Indealing (Continued on page 67) earn $450,000 minimum For withtheissue,thePresidentsaidhis Nurses, President Ali said Nurse ‘Guyana is one of the most government is moving decisively Aides and Patient Care Assistants incredible success stories for on a number of training will now earn a minimum of Exxon’– Upstream President programmes for nurses and $100,000,whileNursingAssistants bringing more nurses into the will now earn $115,000. Midwives Liam Mallon, the Upstream system. will now earn a minimum salary of President of ExxonMobil

“So we have to find the $169,438, Staff Nurses will now Corporation, recently opined that immediate measure, the medium earn $169,438 and Staff Nurses Guyana is “one of the most term and long term. The medium Midwives will now earn $195,000, incredible success stories”. Mallon and long term is to train and retrain according to President Ali. The was at the time speaking at the and train more than the capacity Guyanese Leader also addressed recently concluded CERAWeek that you need but the immediate AlliedHealthWorkers,announcing hostedbyS&PGlobalinHouston. term for example for nurses is to that Pharmacy Assistants will now Upstream Online reported that have nurses come into the system earn a minimum of $100,000, Mallon told the attendees at a from external sources,” he Dental Aides and Lab Aides and CERAWeek session, “In my 40- explained. In terms of the mediumCommunity Health Workers will yearcareer,Ihaveneverworkedon and long-term approach, President now earn a minimum of $100,000. anything so exciting and so Ali said in his statement that they The President said Medex will now prolific.” have a programme now for anyone earn $200,000 minimum and Mallon’s enthusiasm for the with the entry requirement to

Michelle Jeffrey

Nia Jeffrey

Alicia Jeffrey

Liam Mallon, President of ExxonMobil Upstream Company

(Photo: AMR ALFIKY/REUTERS)

From page 66

amongthehighestintheCaribbean allotted to this sector For for consent. It doesn’t recognise and Latin America (LAC), healthcare and education system, that those two issues are separate, according to the United Nations $129.8 billion and $135.2 billion you consult and then you wait for DevelopmentProgramme. wereapprovedrespectively theconsent.” Moreover, this publication had

Tigroudja highlighted reported that last week the Top Cop gets formal complaint Guyana’s legislative framework Committee posed a question to to investigate corruption which recognises the rights of Minister of Parliamentary Affairs allegations against VPJagdeo present and future generations to a and Governance, Gail Teixeira, healthy, clean, and sustainable who led the Guyanese delegation Acting Commissioner of environment She scrutinised before the UN body, inquiring how Police, Clifton Hicken is now in Guyana’s Environmental the wealth is being used to ensure possessionofaformalcomplaintto Protection Agency, seeking everycitizenbenefits. investigate corruption allegations clarification on its functions and In her response, Minister against Vice-President Bharrat mandate to enforce strict Teixeira said, “The issue of natural Jagdeo. environmental standards among all wealth being shared we have The police chief was written to stakeholders. reported here, the increase in by a local organisation called

The Committee member allocations for health and Institute for Action Against highlighted Guyana’s ratification education, the fact that in every Discrimination (IFAAD) to ofboththeParisAgreementandthe Amerindian village in our society commence investigations and was Escazú regional agreement, or Indigenous village in society, sentninedaysafterthegovernment focusing on the latter’s provisions every rural village in our society, told United Nations (UN) Human for access to information, public every municipality, there are rights Committee CCPR that it participation, and justice regarding schools for children at the nursery, never investigated Jagdeo because environmental issues in Latin primary and in the regions which no official police report was made AmericaandtheCaribbean(LAC). are large, we have secondary againsthim. However, concerns were raised schools where children come

In the letter also copied to the regarding Guyana’s exploitation of (from) in the interiors where Director Public Prosecution, its golden oil resources, dormitoryisprovided.” Shalimar Ali Hack SC. and signed specificallythelackofconsultation To this end, she explained that by former Georgetown Mayor, with indigenous populations and foracountryoffewerthan800,000 Ubraj Narine, the organisation The IFAAD added, “Once the bribes for government contracts”. the environmental impact of illegal people, coming from a poor requested that a formal investigation has been completed, She said, “…there was no followexploitation activities, including background, significant changes investigation be launched into we kindlyrequestthatyou shareall up because there was no police mercury poisoning in water have been made in terms of free allegations of corruption made the findings with the public,” report made by Vice News or sources. education, free health care, againstJagdeobyViceNews. IFAAD said while calling on anybody else and so police cannot Furthermore, Tigroudja subsidize housing, increases in the “The evidence presented in Hickentotaketheappropriatelegal investigate without some form of criticized the indirect interaction wateravailabilityintheinteriorand their report suggests that high level action if the allegations made are report or complaint.” “However, between oil companies like rural areas, and electricity officials may be engaging in illicit “substantiated”withevidence. the VP has answered this issue ExxonMobil and the Guyanese Guyana’s first trillion dollar was activities, which must be On Monday March 19, US publicly several times in the same people, with communication being passed in the National Assembly thoroughly investigated to Candidate to the Human Rights media that has carried these filtered through the government. lastmonth.Thelargestchunkofthe maintain public trust and uphold Committee for the years 2023- reports”,Teixeiraadded. Sheunderscoredtheplightoffisher $1 146 trillion budget was the rule of law,” the IFAAD said 2026, Professor Laurence Helfer In 2022, Jagdeo’s former friend folk, who lack political allocated to improving the while urging the Commissioner to grilled the government’s andtenant,ZhiRongSuimplicated r e p r e s e n t a t i o n a n d a r e country’s infrastructure: roads, ensure that the investigation be representative at its 140th session, him (Jagdeo) in bribery and marginalised in decision-making bridges, sea defence and airstrips done transparently and without any Gail Teixeira, the country’s corruption. Su had disclosed to processes due to their informal among others, with $221.4 billion obstruction. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, VICE News reporters posing as sector status and absence from for answers on its shortcomings Chinese investors that Jagdeo took unions. when it comes to transparency and “cash bribes” for multimillion

The

letter sent to the Top Cop

In response to these concerns, investigating allegations of corrupt dollar contracts and that he (Su) Tigroudja questioned how Guyana practices. was his middle man. VICE News will ensure the implementation of In posing questions about on July 7, 2022 premiered a the Escazú agreement, particularly alleged corruption in Guyana documentary with its findings. In its provisions for consultation, Helfer said that the human rights the documentary, Jagdeo called Su access to information, and committee understands that the “a good friend of ours” and his decision-making processes. “So in current Guyana Government had tenantduringaninterviewwithone light of the aforementioned range dismantled the State Assets oftheVICENews’reporters. of concerns, we would like to ask RecoveryAgency (SARA) when it the state party to share with the tookofficeandin2020,inresponse Friday committee how it concretely to concerns about its effectiveness intangibly guarantees the and asked which agency is now New Oil Spill Law should implementation of the Escazu responsible for recovering stolen demand full disclosure of all agreement,” she said. Tigroudja stateassets. guarantees – Norton emphasised the need to prioritize He then followed up by the interests and needs of pointing out that the Human Rights Guyana is poised to become a communities affected by extractive Committee reiterates its “request leading producer of oil and gas in industries and their environmental for information on measures to the coming years, with production impacts. ensure prompt and effective expected to reach 1 2 million

Guyana has been blessed with investigations into allegations of barrels per day by 2027- a mere bauxite, timber, gold, diamonds, corruption and the prosecution of threeyearsfromnow manganese and oil. In December perpetrators” before stating “The In preparation for the doubling 2019, ExxonMobil Guyana and its committee is aware of public of current output from the prolific partners in the Stabroek Block frustration regarding for example Stabroek Block and other potential commenced oil production in the failure to investigate reports of exploration successes outside of Guyana.Guyanahasbeentoutedas corruption by Vice President the block, the government of the fastest growing economy in the BharratJagdeo”. Guyana is pursuing a new Oil Spill worldasaresultofoiloperationsin Helfer did not say what alleged Legislation which the Opposition thecountry corrupt practices Jagdeo is accused says should include provisions that

Notably, the poverty rate, the of but Teixeira in her response require full disclosure of all share of the population living spoke of a Vice News article that guarantees submitted by below the U S equivalent of accused him of using a Chinese companiesoperatinginGuyana. US$5.5aday,isabout38.8percent, businessman,ZhiRongSuto“cash (Continued on page 68)

French U.N. Human Rights Committee member, Helene Tigroudja

From page 67

investment costs, foster other critical elements being The guarantees, referred to diversification in the mining sought after around the by Leader of the Opposition, sector and enable more world to produce batteries Aubrey Norton would targeted investments from and solar panels, the provide Guyana with an bothsmallandmediumscale government will be added layer of financial miners. surveying for other critical coverage in the event of an

Notably,itwasexplained elements. oilspill.Shouldthecompany that the identification and “We know that lithium is operating in Guyana fail to quantification of minerals is inbig,bigdemandacrossthe properly compensate or not the sole purpose of this world so it is a much clean up the damages caused mapping exercise, but it will sought after element around by such a disaster, the parent a l s o p r o v i d e a the world and we know that guaranteewouldbeaccessed c o m p r e h e n s i v e they are a few countries in bygovernment. understanding of the South America producing Norton during his s i g n i f i c a n t lithium so we believe that weekly engagement with the multidimensional role of they maybe a possibility that media was asked by this these minerals in the wedohavethatinthecritical newspapertosharehisviews country’sdevelopment. mineral here too… that’s on the legislation being

Earlier this year, the why we are not only focused drafted and elaborate on Committee of Supply on gold and diamond,” some issues he believes approved $400 million for Minister Bharrat said. He should be addressed. In his the phase one of the mineral noted that the team will be response, he pointed out that mapping project to be focusingonafewofthemain

o n l y o c c u r d u r i n g crude oil. He told reporters long time so that we can heagreesthereisaneedfora

ExxonMobil- ExxonMobil

undertaken by the natural mining districts in phase one production or drilling that long before the vessel protectthiscountry.” parent company guarantee resources ministry in the which is Mazaruni, Puruni activities but during the capsized in Tobago and It must be noted that the since the subsidiary of various mining areas in andNorthWestDistrict. transportationofcrudeoil,as wreakedhavocontheisland, u p d a t e d P e t r o l e u m

Guyana. Moreover, it was stated was recently highlighted in the Guyana government Activities Act passed in the

Guyana Limited- does not During the consideration that interested consultants neighbouring Tobago To commenceddraftingalawto National Assembly in have the resources to of the 2024 budget, Minister should provide information this end, Norton said the protect the nation from such August last year does not manage a massive spill that of Natural Resources, demonstrating solid legislation must cover spills liabilities. Jagdeo said the addresssuchevents. can occur as a result of the Vickram Bharrat explained experience and exposure to that occur beyond drilling Bill, in this regard, is likely activities in the Stabroek to the Committee of Supply mineral exploration and andproductionactivities. to be laid in the National Govt. looking for Block. that the mineral mapping of exploitation, mineral TheLeadersaid“itispart Assembly before Parliament consultants to map out

He therefore said, “We the mining areas in Guyana resource mapping and of our general suggestions” takesitsrecess. Guyana’s minerals believe legislation on the oil is badly needed, since the document preparation and foranyoilspillguaranteesto According to him, the spill there should be current data is over 40 years. w e l l - v e r s e d i n t h e be made public. He added legislation, once in place, The Government of mechanisms in it in which

thecompanygivesguarantee

Headdedthattheprojectwill expectations the mineral that when the draft will cover Guyana from “all Guyana (GoG) issued an

assist his ministry in making mapping study intends to legislation is made public or sorts of liabilities ” He Invitation for Request for on the levels of oil spill. In informed allocation of deliver tabled in the National explained, “We have been Proposals for consulting other words, the operator- claims and mining blocks. Interested Consultants Assembly the Opposition working to have legislation services for Mineral Exxon- says they use high The minister said too that it may obtain further will then share further inplace,andthosewillcome Mapping Study of Guyana’s

level technology and it’s not

will also reduce the cost of information by email at recommendations to fortify probably before the next Mineral Resources targeting likely (a spill) but we have prospecting and exploration, jmckenzie@nre.gov.gy All the law Presently, two recess to cover all sorts of both traditional gold seenintheworldthatwithall particularly for small and Consultants should submit citizens are in the Court liabilities. reserves and emerging non- the technology, oil spills mediumscaleminers. their proposals not later than fighting to see the terms of a A law in place like they traditionalminerals. occur so we would like

Opposition Member of 9:00hoursonTuesday,April US$2 billion oil spill have in the US and some

On Wednesday the whatever is being done for P a r l i a m e n t ( M P ) , 23, 2024, at the National guarantee reportedly other countries that will Ministry of Natural theretobeanexposureofthe

Shurwayne Holder had Procurement and Tender submittedbyEMGL. cover also transportation Resources issued the technology and be told what asked the specific areas the Administration Board Last month Vice because we have more crude i n v i t a t i o n s e e k i n g guarantees exist that there

$400 million will cover for (NPTAB), Ministry of President Bharrat Jagdeo being transported in our c o n s o r t i u m o f willnotbeanoilspillthough the mineral mapping and Finance, Main & Urquhart revealedthatthegovernment jurisdiction so it’s not just consultants/consulting firm we believe that there is what other minerals besides Streets, Georgetown, wascraftinganOilSpillLaw liabilities of the oil to submit proposals for the always the possibility of an gold and diamond will the G u y a n a A l l l a t e to protect this nation from companies but transport project. The overarching oilspill.” ministrybesurveyingfor submissionsshallberejected liabilities that may arise companies, etcetera and goal of the project is to

The Leader was keen to Minister Bharrat had and returned to consultants during the transportation of that’s been in the works a bridge data gaps, reduce note that an oil spill can not explained that in light of unopened.

Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton

Giveaway of Canje, Kaieteur Oil Blocks mirrors controversial Senegal...

Frompage19

tobedhungryinthiscountry –that’sthekindofmoneywe already lost out on, just on the oil blocks, ” the businessmanstated.

Giveaway

The Canje Block for instancewasawardedbythe D o n a l d R a m o t a r administration on March 4, 2015,daysbeforethatyear’s General and Regional Elections, to a local company, Mid-Atlantic Oil and Gas

Similarly, the KaieteurBlockwasawarded on April 28, 2015, just two weeks before the elections, and like the Canje Block, it was done based on the adviceofformerMinisterof Natural Resources, Robert Persaud,Ramotarhadsaid.

Lall told his audience that Ramotar had said that hundredsoffilescametohis desk every day to sign off, “andwhenthethenMinister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud brought the files of the Kaieteur and Canje oil blocks to his desk for his signature, he asked Robert if everything is okay with them, and Robert told him yes sir, so he signed off thefiles.

Ramotar also said very clearly, he never met, know

Twocompaniesreceived theblockswith50-50stakes – Ratio Energy Limited (now Cataleya Energy Limited) and Ratio Guyana Limited.Theawardoftheoil blockstothecompanieswas especially concerning since the ultra-deep drilling is required for those blocks, a technique which only a handful of companies in the world have the technology, track record, and capability to execute. The red flags which have manifested in both situations include that the awards were given to unqualified companies, that the initial owners quickly flipped the blocks without doinganywork,thattheyare incorporated in ‘secrecy’ jurisdictions, and that Guyana likely lost revenue due to the avoidance of an open, competitive bidding process.

Severedryweatherfueling...

Frompage61 advised rice farmers, r e s i d e n t s a n d a l l stakeholders to desist from burning rice fields, farmlands,constructionsites and garbage during the prolonged dry weather period.

“Pleasebeadvisedthata National Wildfire Crisis ManagementCommitteeled by the Civil Defense Commission (CDC) is addressingthisissueandwill be boosting surveillance to prevent, detect and hold persons accountable”, the EPAsaid.

The increase and spread of wildfires have had the most devastating impact on thecountrysofar

Just recently Kaieteur Newsreportedthatthata93year-old man was killed on March 13 after a wildfire ripped through his farm at ParakiesVillage,NorthWest

District (NWD), Region One.

Kaieteur News had also reported earlier this month thatwildfiresinRegionNine have been killing and chasing wildlife in that area fromtheirnaturalhabitat.

Not only is the el nino contributingtothespreadof wildfiresbutitisalsodryingup rivers and creeks in the interior locations. Boats are unabletotraversesomeparts oftheCuyuniRiver,causing shortages of basic goods in thosecommunities.

Videos have been begun surfacing on the internet of dried up fish ponds and creeks. In one video people were seen picking fishes strandedinmuddiedpools.

While in Region Nine, conservationistswereforced to rescued Guyana’s largest fresh water fish, the Arapaimafromriverswhere thewaterhaddriedup.

or see the people who received the oil blocks becauseRobertPersaudwas the minister who signed off the deal with the people.”

Lall said when Persaud was asked, who received both of the oil blocks he said, “he never meet, see or know the owners, he only met the lawyers who signed on behalf of the owners, and when he was asked to provide the names of the lawyers who signed on behalfoftheowners,hesaid he can’t remember them or where their offices are located.”

It has been close to five years since the PPP/C Government has failed to honouritspromisetorelease the beneficial owners of the oil blocks offshore which includebutarenotlimitedto the Kaieteur, Canje, Orinduik, Kanuku, Demerara, Corentyne, and Berbice concessions The issue was first raised in November 2020 by theVice President, Jagdeo, who holds an oversight responsibilityfortheoiland gas industry Back then, he said that the government wouldseektodeterminethe beneficial owners of Guyana’s resources, with first priority being given to

theownersofthenation’soil blocks.

Jagdeo had said that the government intends to have a greater understanding of the ownership structure of the companies with the said licenses while adding that this is important for transparency and taxation purposes.

Jagdeo said too that while a number of the companies which are operating Guyana’s oil blocks are registered in tax havens, including Barbados andtheCaymanIslands,the government will ensure it goes after their information to ensure they pay their fair share of taxes. The Vice President had also given a commitment to ensure that this was completed before

theendof2020.Thatwasthe same deadline given to Guyana and other members of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) to have such informationmadepublic.

The international body, EITI, had said it decided to crack down on this global problem since hidden identities in the extractive sectors only help to feed corruption and tax evasion. Italsoaddedthatpeoplewho live in resource-rich countries are at particular risk of losing out when facing this problem as extractive assets are too often misallocated for corruptreasons.

The international watchdog said that this information, once provided by its members, will be publicly available and will bepublishedinEITIReports and/orpublicregistries.

Once published, EITI said, law enforcers, civil society and others have a responsibility to scrutinize the information, and take action to hold to account those who misuse anonymous companies. It should be noted that countries which fail to honour the requirements of the international body could faceexpulsion.

The EITI further noted that its standard requires public officials, also known as Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), to be transparent about their ownership in oil, gas and miningcompanies.

Bandits and cops in helter-skelter chase...

Frompage64 heading north into a busy area. The ranks gave chase behindthembutthesuspects managedtoescape.

Afterrankswentthrough the area where they (suspects) fell, one 9mm pistol, one magazine with sixlivematchingroundsand one round in the chamber, (total seven), one Samsung cell phone, one black side

bag containing a quantity of $20billstotalingthesumof $1,240 and one knife were found on the ground about one foot away from the motorcycle.

At about 22:25hrs, acting on information received, police arrested a 20-year-old unemployed resident of Leopold Street, Georgetown who fitted the description of one of the suspects.

He was told of the allegations, cautioned, arrested, and taken to Vigilance Police Station, where he was placed into custody to assist with the investigation. Police also interviewed the security guard since the CCTV revealedthathewas‘casual’ with one of the suspects. Investigationsareongoing.

Fire Service reviewing footage to identify vandalism of hydrants

One of the repaired hydrants painted red.

TheGuyanaFireService is currently reviewing CCTV footage to identify persons who have been vandalizing the fire hydrants.

The announcement was madeinastatementviatheir FacebookPageonSaturday

“We are currently reviewingCCTVfootageas partofourinvestigationinto the vandalism of hydrants and urge citizens to report any malfunctioning hydrants or incidents of vandalism to the Fire Service or Police,” the Fire Servicesaid.

While it acknowledges the presence of several maliciously damaged hydrants throughout the country, the service is addressing the issue to ensure that all hydrants are

operational.

Additionally, the fire service said that “it is important to note that most of these hydrants were previously repaired by the Fire Service but were damaged through acts of vandalism.In2021,theGFS assumed responsibility for repairs, maintenance, and installation of hydrants, diligently working to make them functional and accessible in case of fire emergencies.”

The service highlighted that challenges encountered since the start of the project have included prolonged misuse and malicious vandalism of numerous hydrants To date, the Guyana Fire Service has installed 303 and rehabilitated340.

One dead in boat accident in Pomeroon River

A boat accident in the Pomeroon River on Thursday has left one man dead.

The deceased has been identified as Ivan Braithwaite. The incident occurredbetween16:30and 18:30 hrs on Thursday, in Kabakaburi, Upper PomeroonRiver Policesaid i n a s t a t e m e n t ,

“Investigations indicate that Braithwaite left home in his canoe to purchase some itemsfromashop.However, he did not return, and his canoe was seen drifting in the river with the items he

boughtinside.”

Subsequently a report was made to the Charity Police Station, and a search commenced but proved futile. Around 06:00hrs on Friday the man’s body was seen floating face down. He was discovered by his sonin-law, Paul Rodrigues. On examination no marks of violence was observed. The body was escorted to the Charity Hospital and pronounced dead on arrival by Doctor Maesh.Thebody is at the Charity Hospital’s Mortuary, awaiting a postmortemexamination.

Govt. to spend $30M to extend Yarrowkabra Nursery

The government through the Regional DemocraticCouncilofRegionFourhassetaside some $30 million to extend the Yarrowkabra Nursery School located along the Linden – Soesdyke Highway

AtthereadingofbidsattheNationalProcurementand Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office, it was revealedthat16contractorshavetenderedforthecontract. Inadditiontoextendingtheschool,theRDCwasseekinga contractortoconstructareinforcedconcretebridgeatLittle

Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids:

RegionalDemocraticCouncil(RDC)ofRegion Four.Constructionofreinforcedconcrete bridgeatLittleDiamond,EastBankDemerara.

ExtensionofYarrowkabraNursery School,Linden-SoesdykeHighway

Diamond,EastBankDemerara.

Theseworksarepeggedat$22million.

This year, the Committee of Supply of the National Assembly had approved some $12.3 billion for Region Administration of Region Four to execute its current and newprojects.

Upgradingof3rdCrossStreet,Hope.

Entertainment

ByShervinBelgrave

Yung Bredda, DJ Magnum, Jumo Primo and Granny IV heading to Baramita...

Yung Bredda, DJ Magnum, Jumo Primo and Granny IV heading to Baramita

International recording soca/dancehall artiste, Yung Bredda, will be performing live this April 20 in mining community of Baramita, NorthWest District (NWD), RegionOne.

Yung Bredda hails from Trinidadandisrenownedfor his songs, 'Rocking Chair', 'Bend down', 'Ambience', 'howyoufeeling'.

He will be performing alongside with DJ Magnum, five-time Soca Monarch Winner, Jumo Primo and Granny IV at a “Show and Football” competition presentedbyYoungBoss,DJ G a r w i n a n d M e l o

Entertainment at the BaramitaPlayField.General Admission is $5000 while VIPissetat$15,000

The football competition kicksoffonApril19andwill endwiththeconcertonApril 20.

Fourteams,PKUnited, F i t z b u r g U n i t e d , Baramita,Arakaka and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)willbevyingforcash prizesandgold.

First Prize is One ounce of Raw Gold while Second and Third place will cop $100,000 and $50,000respectively

Other Teams desirous o f e n t e r i n g t h e competition will have to pay an entry fee of $20,000

WANTED

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

One Typist/ Clerical Assistant. Apply at St John Association, 110 Cowan Street Kingston, Georgetown. Call: 225-9082.

Urgently needed dried carilla bush (any quantity). Call: 609-8281/ 693-3003.

Wanted! Male & Female workers preferably from WBD, for packaging pasta and chowmein. $4100 per day. Call: 611-7839.

Night Guard at Soesdyke area, Handyman & 1 Accountant Clerk with NIS/ payroll experience. Call: 2192170/ 708-4374.

Experienced Land dredge Workers and male Cook needed to work in the Interior. Call: 677-2385.

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

Female Domestic $4500, male labourer $ 5000 daily ,Semi skilled worker $6000 daily, Skilled worker $7000 -$8000 daily to work at Vreed EnHoop #682 5230,615 4414. One Handyman and Driver/ Expeditor needed. Call: 2310363.

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.

For low cost repairs for AC units, refrigerators, freezers, gas stoves, washing machine, dryers, etc. Call: 6294946, 225-4822.

PEN PAL

One middle age man is interested in a single female, Accommodation available. Call/ text: 704-6826.

VACANCY

Male & female needed to work in the Interior, ages 18 years and older. Call: 6998486.

Experienced able-bodied canter Driver needed, flexible hours. Call: 699-8486.

One Painter needed. Call: 615-9132/ 645-8443.

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

Waitress/ Room Attendant to work shift in bar at Soesdyke, EBD. Call: 644-6551/ 661-3608.

Receptionist, Deskstaff, Room & Laundry Attendant & Security Guard needed at 233, South Road Lacytown. Call: 225-0198.

Vacancy exists for one Daf truck Driver to work for a Construction Company. Call: 624-9505/ 656-0603/ 225-5818.

Vacancy for Domestic/ Maid in Georgetown, includes cooking and evening man for cleaning yard & wash cars. Call: 653-4537.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

Nissan X-Trail 2008 $2.3 Neg and Mitsubishi 3 stage Crone canter 4m51 Engine Manual $3.5 Neg. Call 6718845 or 638-4755

Leyland DAF single Axle, model m with winch, Nissan 4 door Pathfinder. Call: 6446551/ 661-3608.

Toyota Hiace van panel for sale, price $ 2.7 mil neg. Call: 609-8281.

Tractor foreign used Massey Ferguson 283 $2.6M, Massey 165 $1.8M, Massey 135 $1.2M, Massey loader tractor $2.4M. Call: 6825230, 6154414.

Minibus for sale BWW series, please contact owner on WhatsApp: 678-4329/ 929497-4173.

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.

Senegal’s fishermen pin hopes on new president to help them fill their nets

Dakar, Senegal – For the traditional, small-scale fishermen of Ouakam Beach in Senegal’s capital Dakar, inequality is just a glance away.

Adama Gueye, a 58-yearold canoe captain, points towards the coast, where imposing villas of the upperclass, including politicians, sit tall and mighty a stone’s throw away from where he fishes.

“We can see the inequalities with our own eyes,” the

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fisherman told Al Jazeera.

For him, the injustice is compounded by decreasing fish stocks in the West African nation, where the centuries-old tradition of artisanal fishing is menaced by foreign industrial boats that export the fish away from Senegal.

But hope is on the horizon and it lies in his country’s new president: Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

Newly elected this week after years of tribulations and political crises – including a recent failed attempt by outgoing leader Macky Sall to delay the vote – Faye is Africa’s youngest leader at 44.

For many disenfranchised Senegalese fishermen who feel they have been wronged by their former leaders, he is also a symbol of change.

“[Faye] knows how much a kilogram of rice costs,” said Gueye, “he’s young, he was born in poverty, he didn’t go to private schools abroad –he’s one of us.”

Traditional fishing canoes, called pirogues, are

parked at the Ouakam beach [Andrei Popoviciu/Al Jazeera]

For the past years under President Sall, legal fishing by industrial foreign trawlers from China and Europe who had signed contracts with the government, decimated Senegal’s fish stocks, leaving artisanal fishers with empty nets. This scarcity also led local fish prices to soar, according to fishermen – something that could significantly affect people’s nutritional intake, as Senegalese get about 40 percent of their animal protein from seafood, according to 2017 figures.

In 2018, the value of Senegal’s legal fish exports reached more than $490m, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, accounting for 10 percent of the country’s exports, behind only phosphates, oil and gold.

Senegal also loses $272m per year because of unauthorised and illegal industrial fishing by foreign boats, according to the Insti-

tute for Security Studies.

Foreign boats are restricted from fishing in certain areas and have strict indicators as to what type of catch they are allowed to fish. But often, they turn off their satellite transponders to avoid being tracked and use illegal nets.

The fishing industry contributes nearly 1.8 percent to Senegal’s GDP, providing more than 600,000 jobs, according to the Environmental Justice Foundation – a number that could be higher due to lack of registration.

Without fish, many livelihoods that depend directly and indirectly on fishing are lost, and a sizeable number of fishermen choose to immigrate to other countries or use their sailing skills and take dangerous boat journeys to Spain’s Canary Islands. In 2023, the UN refugee agency had registered more than 15,000 arrivals to Spain.

But now, the presidentelect wants to change the fate of fishermen. ‘An agreement (Continued on page 73)

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From page 59

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After applying to the Village Council to acquire the lot, she said her mother assisted in securing a loan to start reshaping the venue.

“I must say like all businesses mine came with its fair share of challenges along the way. It has been a constant work in progress especially since majority of the time I am not physically present at the location to oversee the dayto-day operations because I have a regular 9-5 job in Georgetown and only get to visit on the weekends. Notwithstanding, I believe that the future is very bright for Calabash Cabana and I will continue to invest until everything I envision it to be is in tangible format,” Edwards said. The young lady said is eternally grateful for mother’s assistance and guidance throughout the years.

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You can contact the resort on telephone (592) 645- 3802 or visit their Facebook page. during her absence and that caused her to have the confidence in me being able to sell and run the shop from a very small age unsupervised sometimes,” she said.

While at home one day in Essequibo, Edwards said the idea of the resort came to her mind. “My brother owned a piece of waterfront land and right adjacent to his land had a vacant lot. This area was all swamp and bushes; there was no access to be able to swim or anything of the sort.

The land part was all bushes and trees and the water part was filled with grass and what we commonly refer to as ‘busy busy’ or savannah grass.” After applying to the Village Council to acquire the lot, she said her mother assisted in securing a loan to

start reshaping the venue.

“I must say like all businesses mine came with its fair share of challenges along the way.

It has been a constant work in progress especially since majority of the time I am not physically present at the location to oversee the dayto-day operations because I have a regular 9-5 job in Georgetown and only get to visit on the weekends. Notwithstanding, I believe that the future is very bright for Calabash Cabana and I will continue to invest until everything I envision it to be is in tangible format,” Edwards said. The young lady said is eternally grateful for mother’s assistance and guidance throughout the years.

What’s next?

The Calabash Cabana Beach Resort is working to offer accommodation for overnight stays, a restaurant and bar and even a hall for weddings and conferences. The owner said she also plans to add more cabanas and enhance the landscape to offer more water sport activities.

To make the resort even more unforgettable, Edwards wants to throw in a floating party vessel for guests in the near future. “I want it to be something very different from what is regularly seen and all developments will be done with an eco-theme in mind and also to cater for international guests,” she teased.

You can contact the resort on telephone (592) 645- 3802 or visit their Facebook page.

Senegal’sfishermenpinhopesonnewpresident...

Frompage72

to steal our resources’ When Faye announced his electoral programme at the start of the month, he mentioned shifting the fishing zone exclusive for artisanalfishermenby20km (12.4 miles) to protect it fromforeignboats.

He also announced his intent to develop and implement a National Plan for the Immersion and Management of Artificial Reefs, an attempt to reconstruct marine habitats andecosystemsdegradedby yearsofdamagingindustrial and artisanal fishing practices.

“We will apply without concession and in all its rigourtheregulationsonsea fishing to put an end to the political and complacent management of the sector,” local media quoted him as saying.

In advance of the vote, Fayealsosignedacharterfor sustainable fishing, alongside other candidates.

Proposed by Senegal’s National Coalition for Sustainable Fishing and supported by Greenpeace during this month’s election campaign, the charter included a commitment to oversee stock management at the sub-regional level, conduct audits on a fishing agreement with the European Union, and allocateaportionofrevenue generated from oil and gas exploitation to the fishing sector.Fishing is a central part of the Senegalese economy, providing more than half a million jobs, much more according to some [Andrei Popoviciu/Al Jazeera]

U n d e r S a l l ’ s government, Senegal renewedafishingagreement with the EU that had been present in one form or another since 1979 and has been renewed every five years. The deal gives European vessels access to fish in Senegalese waters and exports that catch back home in exchange for 800,000 euros ($863,104). The EU also provides Senegal with an additional 900,000euros($970,992)in investments in artisanal fishing and to improve stocktaking capabilities, enhancing research and data gathering in the fisheries sector and issuing health certifications for seafood products.

But the deal has been controversial. While most fishing agreements have a transparency clause regarding how much fish is exported by European vessels,theEU-Senegaldeal

does not. While the EU invests in the artisanal fishing industry and fishing governance, fishermen like Gueye have argued that if there are no fish to catch, there is no point to these investments.

Chinese and Turkish industrial boats have also been heavily criticised for their practices. For instance, it has not been uncommon for the government to give licences to boats with a history of illegal activities.

Chinese and Spanish fishmealcompaniesbasedin Senegal, which turn the catchintofishfeedtothenbe used to raise farm fish in China, have garnered criticism in recent years. In 2022, fishermen sued a Spanish fishmeal factory, accusing it of polluting drinkingwater

As president, Sall focused on developing the countrythroughinvestments and deals with foreign countries. He was harshly criticisedbytheopposition–led by Faye and his ally Ousmane Sonko – for deals that were not in the interest of the Senegalese but of companies and politicians who extract resources for exports with little trickling downtoothercitizens.

Fayebelieveditwasone of the biggest grievances Senegalese had with the former government, so he ranonacampaigntorevamp Senegal’s natural resource export deals with foreign countries and lend an ear to artisanalfishermen,whofelt they had not been consulted before these contracts were signed by the previous government.

“The EU signed an agreement with Senegal to steal our resources, that’s why people are going to

their fishing activities, especially in view of the cohabitation with oil exploitation,”Senghorsaid.

In 2014, significant natural gas reserves were discoveredoffshorenearthe Senegalese city of St Louis. International players like British Petroleum (BP), which has the highest stake intheproject,andUS-based Kosmos Energy have invested in the project togetherwiththeSenegalese government After the project was announced, European statesmen made officialvisitstocourtformer President Sall for potential exportdeals.

StLouishavecomplainedof the effect the oil and gas rig has on their activities, including the cut off of fishing near the rig and the impactonwhatisoneofthe world’s biggest cold water reefs.

Bassirou Diarra, a fisheries and aquaculture engineer and researcher at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar and campaigner at the Environmental Justice Foundation, told Al Jazeera there is a need to invest in scientificresearchaswell.

policies that continued the system of exportation,” added Senghor “[Faye] needstohelptheSenegalese eat and produce their own fish and not export all of it abroad.”

Not just economic interests threaten the fishermen.

Europe,” said Gueye, referringtothethousandsof localfishermenmigratingto Europeonsmallboats.

“IhopeDiomayewillput themintheirplace,”hesaid, adding that the new presidentalsoneedstocrack down on illegal fishing, illegalnetsandregulatehow both industrial and artisanal fishermenoperate.

“We have hope he will workforus.”

Helping Senegalese fishermen

Fishermen could see the impact themselves. Moussa Gueye (not related to Adama), a 30-year-old fishermanatOuakamBeach born in a family with a tradition for fishing, toldAl Jazeera that during the COVID-19 pandemic, when restrictions limited the presence of industrial boats, fishwereplentiful.

Moustapha Senghor, coordinator of the local artisanal fisheries council of Mbour,acityonthesouthern coast of Senegal, told Al Jazeera that Sall had made effortstoaddressissueswith fishing but they were “insufficient”.

“There is a lack of transparency in fisheries governanceinSenegal,”said Senghor, who stressed the needforopendataresources that show the vessels operating in Senegalese waters, where they can fish and where they can not, and howmuchfishisthere.

He concurs with the other fishermen’s call for a revision of fishing agreements.

Fishing also converges with migration in Senegal. “Most of the fishermen are looking to the Canary Islands to reach Europe because they’re worried about the continuation of

Theextractionofgaswas expected to bring $1.5bn in exportsby2025ifitwereto start when it was scheduled at the beginning of the year, but there have been several production delays. Offshore oilexploitationforexportsis also expected to start production in the following years.

Meanwhile,fishermenin

A c e n t r e f o r oceanographic research wouldbeabletomonitorthe stock of fish and report on how much can be fished sustainably, while also monitoringthepollutionand impact of the rig on the biodiversity in the region.

DiarrasaidSenegal’scurrent fishing agreements are remnants of his country’s colonialpast.

“Macky Sall has implemented [fishing]

Back at Ouakam Beach, Gueye, the canoe captain, pointed out how the shore has been swallowed by the seaforthepast30years,due to rising sea levels. He is hopeful Faye will also address this key issue and protect the fishermen from theeffectsofclimatechange.

As the beach is flooded by a bright sunset, Gueye makes his last caveat clear Despite the faith he puts in the new president, recent politicalupheavalsinthelast years of Sall’s rule have madehimmorecynical.

“We’ve woken up as a society,” he said. “If [Faye] doesn’t do the job well, he won’t last more than one term.”

Small-scale fishermanAdama Gueye at Ouakam beach where he works in Dakar, Senegal [Andrei Popoviciu/Al Jazeera]

Gaza truce talks set to resume, as thousands protest Netanyahu in Israel

(Aljazeera) Truce talks between Israel and Hamas are expected to resume in Cairo on Sunday, Egyptian media reported, days after the United Nations Security Council issued its first demandforaceasefireinthe waronGaza.

Negotiations in Cairo on Sunday came after UN Security Council demanded a ceasefire this week, nearly sixmonthsintothewar

The resumption of indirect negotiations, reported by Egypt’s Al Qahera News TV on Saturday, comes as more protestsagainstIsraeliPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu erupted in Israel’scapital.

Many Israelis feel that Netanyahu is the main obstacle to signing a deal withHamasandbringingthe captives held in Gaza back home,Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhutsaid.

“Thesepeoplehavebeen calling for a deal to bring back the captives for more than175days.Theysaythat the policies of Israel’s

government have simply failed, ” Salhut said, reporting from a protest in Tel Aviv where thousands, including families of the captives,hadgathered.

Demonstrations also tookplacenearNetanyahu’s residence and in other cities acrossIsrael.

Qatar, Egypt and the United States are trying to reach a captive swap deal and a ceasefire in Gaza, as the first pause lasted only a week in late November last year

An Israeli official told theReutersnewsagencythat Israel would send a delegation to the Cairo talks onSunday AHamasofficial however told Reuters the group would wait to hear fromCairomediatorsonthe outcome of their talks with Israelfirst.

AlJazeera’sSalhutsaida statement from Netanyahu’s officesaidhehadauthorised the Israeli negotiating team to meet with mediators in both Cairo and Doha, and had given them a mandate withwhichtonegotiate.

“Mediators like the United States say they remainoptimisticthatadeal canbereached.Butthereare still heavy sticking points from both sides, and huge non-negotiables,” our correspondentsaid. Hamas has sought to parlayanydealintoanendto the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces

Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in KhanYounis in the southern Gaza Strip March 29, 2024. REUTERS/Ahmed Zakot Purchase Licensing Rights

from Gaza. Israel, however, hasruledthisout,sayingthat even if there is a long pause in the fighting, the war will not end until Hamas is defeated.

“Whiletherearesticking points, mediators say that it is a positive sign that these talks are going to be ongoing,”Salhutsaid.

‘Immediate and permanentceasefire’

Elsewhere on Saturday, the French, Egyptian and Jordanian foreign ministers calledforan“immediateand permanent ceasefire” in Gaza and the release of all captives held by Palestinian armedgroups.

Speaking at a joint news conference in Cairo, France’s top diplomat Stephane Sejourne said his government would put forward a draft resolution at the UN Security Council setting out a “political” settlementofthewar

He said the text would include“allthecriteriafora two-state solution” of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the peace blueprint long championed by the internationalcommunitybut opposed by the Netanyahu government.

The three ministers renewed their governments’ support for the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, which has faced a funding crisis since Israel alleged that a few of its 13,000 Gaza staff were implicated in the October 7 attack.

“Israel is not only starving Palestinians, but wants to kill the only entity capable of standing in the way of a famine,” Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadisaid.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Gaza “can endure no more destruction and

humanitariansuffering”,and called on Israel to open its landcrossingswiththeStrip toallowhumanitarianaid.

More than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza since October 7 This followedaHamasattackon southern Israel, in which 1,139 people were killed and over 200 taken captive – some of whom remain in Gaza.

This week, after nearly six months of war, the UN Security Council finally reached a consensus and passed a resolution calling foranimmediateceasefire

However, the fighting continues, with Israel still launchingaerialandground attacks across the strip and promising to launch a full i n v a s i o n o f t h e southernmost city of Rafah where more than a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering

BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCY!

Four matches hosted by Pele FC Alumni Corp in memory of fallen heroes

Despite the dry and dusty conditions of the GFC surface, the Pele FC Alumni Corporation, in association with the Pele Football Club, hosted four matches last Thursday in memory of several fallen football stars spanning over 50 years since the club’s formation.

Graced by former players who earned scholarships to Clemson University in the 1970s, current players, President of PFC Dirk Exeter, and Chairman of the National Sports Commission Kashif Muhammad, dozens of players, including females, had the opportunity to

showcase their skills in four 50-minute matches.

The Pele FC U-15 team competed against Black Pearl, emerging victorious, while the female clash saw GT Kanaimas secure a comfortable win against Pakuri Jaguars, avenging their loss from the previous year. Pele FC’s Under-20 team triumphed 1-0 over Buxton Stars, while the senior match between Santos and Pele ended in favor of Santos.

All participating teams received winners’ and runnerup trophies, and individual players were also recognized with first and second-place awards. During a brief, yet

Sunday March 31, 2024

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

Today your brain is supercharged, Aries. If you've been thinking about doing some writing or have put off analyzing a particularly tricky problem, this would be the perfect day to get started.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

With today's planetary energy, you'll find yourself a little more extraverted than usual, Taurus. You'll finally be able to say what you really think about things.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Today you're unstoppable! You're a very hard worker by nature, and with the current planetary alignment you'll be able to accomplish even more than usual.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

Discard those items from the past for which you really no longer have use. As much as you like to surround yourself with objects of sentimental value.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

Intimacy will be in the air over the next few days. Loved ones suddenly want to spend more time with you, and you'll want to invite friends over every night! By all means, do.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

significant ceremony honoring their fallen comrades, the NSC Chairman praised the Pele FC Alumni for their initiative in recognizing the contributions of past players, whose collective efforts have sustained the club for over fifty years.

Reflecting on his own experiences competing against Pele while representing Mackenzie YMCA, Muhammad emphasized the journey of former players who started like the young athletes present, eventually earning scholarships abroad but never forgetting their roots, prioritizing giving back and em-

Feeling unusually adventurous, Virgo? You're often motivated by your idealistic expectations, and the planetary configurations today .

powering youth.

The Pele FC Alumni also supports numerous children with their secondary and uni-

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

The celestial energy signals a pleasant change for you today, Libra. Finally, the overpowering emotions that have been surging from your relationships will subside. You are now beginning a more contemplative phase.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

This is a good day to devote time and thought to spiritual pursuits, Scorpio. Do something inspirational that instills a sense of wonder deep in your soul.

SAGIT (Nov.22–Dec.21)

A new phase in your life is beginning, Sagittarius. The previous phase could be interpreted as having taught you to be serious and devoted to professional responsibilities.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)

Today's aspects might clear up some rather sketchy ideas about your professional future, Capricorn. If you long for a change, such as daring to undertake a more artistic pursuit.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

You have acquired some sound confidence in yourself, Aquarius. Now it is time for you to show everyone else by actually putting it to use in your life.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

Today's planetary energy should compel you to commit certain acts of self-affirmation that are needed to define your territory and protect your rights.

versity education pursuits.

In a special tribute, a commemorative plaque was presented to Dr. Colin

memory

his elder brother and former Pele President Clyde Watson, spearheaded by Alumni Executive Eric Smith, himself a f ormer national player.

Austin, Springer land CARIFTA....

From page 81

Ninvalle and National Sports Commission (NSC) Commissioner Christy Campbell observing from the stands, Hinckson accomplished more than just redemption.

As the starter’s gun reverberated, Hinckson exploded out of the blocks, grabbing an early lead during her drive phase.

Despite Jamaica’s Adora Campbell closing in, Hinckson found another gear, successfully fending off the challenge to cross the finish line in 11.44 seconds.

Campbell’s time of 11.52s saw her finishing in second place, while Aniya Nurse of Barbados claimed her country’s only medal on the opening day of the esteemed event, finishing third with a time of 11.76s.

“finished seventh last year, I was determined to win this race,” Hinckson asserted following her victory.

The determined sprinter now shifts her focus to the 200m event scheduled for today.

Reflecting on the outstanding performances of Guyanese athletes on the first day, Ninvalle commended their efforts and offered special recognition to the medallists.

Ninvalle conveyed congratulations to the athletes for their remarkable performance on behalf of the Government of Guyana, with special acknowledgment to the office of Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr.

Hinckson,

Watson in

of

Clyde ‘Farmer’ Browne (back row left), Denis Ivor ‘Carrie’ Carrington (2nd left), and Kashif Muhammad (right) take time out for a pic with the winner of the female game, GT Kanaimas.

The time is now!

- Allicock ready for professional boxing

BYRAWLETONEY

Keevin Allicock emerges as one of the C a r i b b e a n ’s m o s t electrifying young pugilists, proudly representing Guyana on the grandest stages, including the Olympics.

Locally, no adversary can withstand Allicock’s ferocity, while globally, he has tasted both triumph and tribulation within the squaredcircle.

Nevertheless, ever since hisperformanceattheTokyo Olympics, boxing pundits have clamoured for the 24year-old to transition to the professionalranks.

Allicockissettoembark on his professional boxing journey on April 20th, showcasing his talents as an undercard for the Dexter Marques versus Elton Dharry World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Flyweight Gold Title showdown.

“Nowistherighttimeto turn pro, ” Allicock expressedtoKaieteurNews, highlighting his readiness for the professional boxing circuit…”I don’t want to think that I’m young and I have a lot of years ahead of me, and just wait and play around. I’m young, I have the strength and now is the time to get into professional boxing and use that strength.”

Allicock’s maiden professional bout sees him pitted against Gardel Roberts. Despite Roberts’ modest record of just one victory in 11 matches, Allicock proclaimed he won’t underestimate his Barbadianadversary,aiming to assert his authority in the professionalrealm.

In response to queries regarding the pressure of a successful debut, Allicock confidently remarked, “The

difference between me and many boxers from Guyana, isthatthisisagiftfromgod and I was born to fight. I’ve been doing this all my life andI’veseenhowdifferentI amfromalotoffighters.”

“Acoupleyearsback,the way that I would train, my coach Sebert Blake would alwaystellmethatI’mmuch morelikeaprofighter,thatI haveaprostyle,youhavethe energy to fight 12 rounds. even to Dexter Marques, most of his fights, I was giving him eight rounds as an amateur fighter, so I picked up that this is my world and this is where I belong,”Allicocksaid.

Allicock, who is currently working with experienced Cuban Coach Francisco Roldan, said he’s lookingfortohavingCoach Blakeinhiscorner,“Blakeis always happy I’m always excited to work with him becauseheknowsmewell.”

More cash support for Project ‘Cricket Gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana’

USA-based Guyanese

Ravi Lutchman, proprietor of JIS&L, NY, and another anonymous friend have generouslydonated$50,000 and $40,000 respectively towards the collaborative effort led by Kishan Das of theUSAandAnilBeharryof Guyana.

Ravi, a softball legend known for his international team representations, is contributingforthefirsttime, while the other friend is supporting for the second time Both patrons express satisfaction with the initiative’s progress and pledge continued support wheneverpossible

Gratitude is extended for the assistance in procuring requested gear that was previouslyunavailable

Ravi Lutchman

Once again, the project appeals to corporate entities, private businesses, and individuals to aid in keeping youths engaged in sports to deter them from street activities,includingdrugsand crime Village leaders are urged to mobilize youths, promotingactiveinvolvement insportstoaddresstherecent surgeinteenagedelinquency, aiming to eradicate it from society

Atotalof$460,000incash hasbeencollected,alongwith various cricket-related items including uniforms, trophies, shoes, protective gear, and equipment Additionally, f o r m e r N a t i o n a l wicketkeeper/batsman Sheik Mohamed donated gear valuedover$600,000

Allcashcontributionsare allocated for purchasing cricket gear requested but unavailableatthetime.

Seventy-two young players from across Guyana have directly benefited from gear bags, trophies, protective equipment, and cricket essentials

According to Allicock, fighting professionally is “going to be much more exciting because I’m going tobebackandforthbecause Iwillstillbeparticipatingin the different games that are up coming, so I’m going to beactive.”

Ashesetsoutonanother quest for Olympic qualification, Allicock highlighted the significance of his April 20 bout in his journey towards the Paris Games.

Meanwhile,withnewsof Allicock’s transition to the professional ranks circulating, boxing enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating a showdown between the Youth Commonwealth Silver medallist and Stephan Da Silva. Da Silva is poised to return to the ring on April 20th against Barbados’ Ricardo Blackman Jr, marking his comeback

following his 2022 victory over Fiji’s William Mel in Sydney,Australia, where he secured the esteemed World Boxing League (WBL) JuniorLightweightTitle.

When questioned by Kaieteur News about the potential matchup with Da Silva, Allicock minced no words.“Don’tgetittwisted. You can’t have a good match-up if a guy can’t last three rounds….I’m not here to play There are so much people that wanted me to turn pro, so I’m not here to play.” Confidently,Allicock dismissed Da Silva’s endurance, stating, “He won’tlast.

That’swhatyouwantto see; a guy getting knocked out? Because that’s what’s goingtohappen.”

I’m willing to fight anyone because this is what boxing is about; its about entertaining.

Thecrowdiswhatbuilds you and at times that crowd could break you, so like I said, I’m here to fight bring anyone you have,throwtheminthering andI’llcrushbothofthem,” Allicockboldlydecreed.

It’s undeniable:Allicock epitomises the future of professional boxing in Guyana a role he graciouslyaccepts.

Notable beneficiaries includetheEssequiboCricket Board, Lethem, and softball teams in the Upper Corentyne area, among others. Cricket-related items, whether new or used, are distributed free of cost to promising young cricketers in Guyana, prioritizing skills, discipline, and education Talent identification is conducted nationwide, with club leadersaidingintheprocess.

Progressive and wellmanaged cricket clubs with youth programs are also supported

Appreciationisextended tonumerousindividualsand organizations for their contributions, including West Indian Sports Complex, Option Group of USA, and various personal donors. Themedia’srolein promoting the initiative is also acknowledged, with distribution efforts set to continue.

For those interested in contributing, contact Anil Beharry at 623-6875 or Kishan Das at 1-718-6640896.

Furthermore, clubs in the Pomeroon area and various cricket committees and clubsreceivedsupportinthe form of equipment, uniforms,andcricketballs.

CWI Rising Stars U15 50-Over Championships… Apple fifty, Pereira’s five-for set up 14-run win for Guyana over Jamaica

All-rounder Shamar Apple struck a half-century while Rivaldo Pereira grabbed five wickets as Guyana pulled off a 14-run win over Jamaica yesterday when action in the CWI Rising Stars U15 50-Over Championshipscontinuedin AntiguaandBarbuda.

Jamaica looked good chasing the 200-plus run target, led byTyson Gordon 57 (4x4) and Demario Hall who scored 52 with four-

fours and two maximums, butfailedtocarrytheirteam overtheline.

Guyana churned out a yet another brilliant spell of bowling with Perriera (529), Darvir Seegobin (2-27) andcaptainAdrianHetmyer (2-49), keeping Jamaica to 205allout48.4overs.

Earlier, Guyana made a robust 219 all out in 48 overs,afterabrilliantknock fromall-rounderApple,who cracked four sixes, along

withawithapairoffours,to leadwith65off69balls.

Khush Seegobin stroked 46, while Hetmyer (24) and Emmanuel Lewis (16) were among the main scorers for Guyana.

Jamaicausedsixbowlers with Ryan Lyttleton (4-53) leading the attack Hall returnedtograb2-29while4 others grabbed a wicket apiece. Guyana will play Windward Islands on April 1.

KeevinAllicock says he’s ready for professional boxing

Rivaldo Pereira grabbed 5-29 against Jamaica in the win for Guyana

ShamarApple’s Fifty helped Guyana to victory over Jamaica

Powerboat races set to ignite Golden Beach Circuit today

joining the fray is Dave’s son, Devesh, who will be steeringFalcon.

Additionally, the PomeroonRivercrew,ledby Neil (Czyzie Boy) and Clint Gonsalves, will also be present.a

Some of the machines that will excite the thousands expected at the Bartica Easter Regatta

The premier event of the Bartica

Easter Regatta calendarrevsofftodayatthe Golden Beach Circuit, featuring top contenders in the powerboat racing scene, where, from 10:00 AM onwards, spectators can expectthrillingcompetitions amongrenownedracers.

Among the participants are Sanjay Ramkissoon, the reigning 115-200hp Champion Driver, along withtheTeamShivrajclan.

Randy Belle will be piloting Conan with the Bellecrew,whileDaveScott will be aboard Jaguar, while

P&P Insurance Brokers on board with Sheltez Tennis Camp

P&P Insurance Brokers and Consultants Limited recently sponsored the Easter Tennis Camp, organised by the Sheltez Tennis Club. Commencing on March 26th, the camp is scheduled to run for two weeks.

P&P Insurance Brokers has been recognised as a dedicatedsupporterofsports development in Guyana and has actively backed tennis campssince2005.

According to a release, theprimaryaimofthecamp is to promote awareness of tennisatthegrassrootslevel, providing young children with an enjoyable yet structured introduction to the sport. Additionally, it

offers current junior players the opportunity to refine theirskillsinpreparationfor internationalcompetitions.

During a simple ceremony held at the National Racquet Centre, Head Coach of the Sheltez Tennis Club, Kalyca Fraser, met with representatives from P&P for the handover ceremony. Fraserexpressed sincere appreciation to the company for their steadfast support of tennis and the camp.JayaPanday,Director of P&P Insurance Brokers, expressed delight in her company’s ongoing commitment to tennis in Guyana and

The Belle clan, widely regarded as the backbone of auto powerboat racing in Guyana,boastsarichhistory of competitiveness and triumph at this prestigious event, which has become a stapleatthistimeofyear

Dave Scott, a veteran with over twenty-five years of experience, has engaged inintensecompetitionswith the Belles and Pomeroon-

based Neil Gonsalves in the Unlimited200hpevents.

Young Devesh Scott has also made his mark, competing with fair success at the Hot and Cold Lake in Essequibo and winning the Champion Driver accolade attheBlueLakeinLinden.

Inthepastfiveyears,the Ramkissoon family, operating under the banner ofTeamSanjay,hasemerged asaformidableforce.

They have steadily matured and asserted their presence, and this year promises intriguing outcomes as all teams have diligently worked to enhance their engines and

Devesh Scott will pilot his ever-dependable Falcon

ensurepeakperformancefor today’santicipatedbattles.

The day’s events will include three rounds for the 200hp, 75-90hp, 40hp, and 15hp boats before shifting focustotheBushBoatsand Jet Skis. Exciting cash prizes and trophies await the top three finishers in

each event, adding to the competitivespirit Additionally, scheduled for today are the River Swim from Goshen to GoldenBeachandtheRoad Race, promising a diverse range of activities for participants and spectators alike.

extended best wishes to Fraser for the successofthecamp.

P&PInsurance Brokers’Jaya Panday (right) hands over her company’s sponsorship to Sheltez Tennis Club coach, Kalyca Fraser.

GUMDACEasterBadmintontournamentspikesoffThursdayApril4

The annual GUMDAC 3-day Easter Badminton Tournament will tee off fromApril 4.

Th e a n n u a l G U M D A C s p o n s o r e d Badminton tournament will serve off its 3-Day tournament from April 4th, attheNationalGymnasium.

Arguablyoneofthemost anticipated badminton events on the calendar, players will engage in three days of action starting from

April4andcontinuingonthe 5th with curtains coming down on the event, onApril 6.Playerswillfeatureinthe Men’s Double, Women’s Double and the Mixed Doubles, with a number of top players set to continue theirtraditionofputtingona s h o w d u r i n g t h i s tournament Action time overthethreedayswillspike

off from 17:00h and will conclude at 22:00h for the firsttwodays.Thefinalday on Saturday March 6, will commence at 13:00h and endsat20:00h.

Tournament Entrance Fees for the Easter Event is GYD$2000, with entries asked to be sent to WhatsApp 609-3033 by April1st.

North Ruimveldt shoots 2 pass Bushlot

- Milo U18 Schools Football C/ship continues today Carmel's striker under heavy defense during second round matchup against NA Multilateral.

The Milo Under-18 S c h o o l s F o o t b a l l tournament’s second round commenced yesterday, featuring thrilling victories for North Ruimveldt (Multilateral) and Dolphin Secondary in the Petra organized 2024 event Spread across the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Queen’s College (QC) grounds, four intense matchesunfolded.

At the MoE grounds, N o r t h R u i m v e l d t (Multilateral) dominated BushlotSecondarywitha2-0 win in the opening match MickellMillsandJarrelSmith was electric in the field, each securingagoalfortheirteam Mills initiated the scoring

earlyon,nettingacrucialgoal inthe30thminutetoputNorth inthelead Smithfollowedupinthe 51stminute,capitalizingona well-placed cross to secure Multi’svictory

In match #14, New Amsterdam (Multilateral) displayed resilience, rallying from a 2-0 deficit againstCarmelSecondaryto secure a 2-2 draw. Despite Carmel’s early lead with goalsfromSamuelFerguson (13’) and Isaiah Barlow (30’), Multi’s Faad Hussein andTeonWilliamsmounted a comeback in the 42nd and 51st minute, respectively, eventually salvaging a draw fortheirteam.

ThefinalmatchattheMoE

ground ended in a 1-1 draw betweenCharlestownandEast Ruimveldt, with Malcolm HendricksandJaheimKendall each finding the net in the secondhalf Meanwhile,atQC ground, Dolphin Secondary triumphed over Leonora Secondary in a gripping encounter JasonSandifordand Jamal Williams showcased their prowess with impressive goals in the 29th and 44th minute,securingahard-fought 2-1victoryforDolphin.

T h e e x c i t e m e n t continues today, with Bartica, Santa Rosa, and Chase’s Academic Foundation, the tournament favourites, set to showcase their skills from 1:00 pm at theMoEground.

Hinckson, Austin, Springer land CARIFTA Gold on day one

Tianna Springer

Gold rained down upon Guyana on the opening day of the 51st edition of the CARIFTA Games, courtesy of Tianna Springer, Malachi Austin, and Athaleyha Hinckson.

The Kirani James Stadium in St. George’s, Grenada, illuminated with excitement as Springer, last year’s CARIFTA Games U17 400m champion, demonstrated why she was the fastest in the Americas and the Caribbean in 2023, seizing victory in the U20 event with a blazing time of 52.31seconds.

At just 16 years old, Springer now boasts the fastest 400m time in the world this year among U18 athletes,eclipsingtheUSA’s Skylar Franklin time of

52.53secondsonMarch22.

InGrenada,Springerleft JamaicansAbigailCampbell (52 85s) and Shanque Williams (53 03s) in her wake as they settled for second and third place, respectively Another Guyanese athlete, Narissa McPherson (54.72s), had to settle for fifth place in the event After the race, Springer expressed her confidence in her ability to win another CARIFTA Games Gold, attributing her performance to her diligent training.

She eagerly anticipates the upcoming 200m event, whichcommencestoday Meanwhile, for Austin, boasting the fastest time in the qualifiers, spectators witnessed his unwavering determination as he

flawlessly executed his run, crossing the finish line in a Personal Best time of 46.35 seconds In a stunning display, Austin, the silver medallistinlastyear’sYouth Commonwealth Games’

400m, surged ahead vigorously on the final turn, overtaking Jamaica’s Marcinho Rose (46 59s), relegating the pre-race favourite to second place, while Joshiem Sylvester (46.93s) of Grenada settled forthird.

Over in the 100m event, HincksonstoodasGuyana’s onlyrepresentativeinanyof thefinals,asJaheelCornette, NaliciaGlen,KenetaFraser, and Ezekiel Millington all ended their participation in the event during the qualificationround.

Hinckson had finished

seventh place in last year’s U17Girls100mfinalsatthe CARIFTA Games in The

Bahamas,andsincethen,she had been determined to return to the regional spectacle for redemption WithDirectorofSportSteve (Continuedonpage77)

BYRAWLETONEY