Kaieteur News

Int’lanalyst says:

Oil output in Guyana, Brazil, U.S expected to keep oil prices stable despite lower production from OPEC countries - IBD shot dead by colleague US House passes

Cop accidentally

Elderly man dies in wildfire at North West farm

bill that could ban TikTok nationwide

Govt. seeking contractors to build six more secondary schools

Trade union mobilising workers for countrywide action

Trade union mobilising workers for countrywide action ...says

TheGuyanaTradeUnion Congress(GTUC)hasputthe governmentonnoticethatits failure to return to the negotiation table with teachers in good faith will result in the mobilisation of itsmemberstoact.

While GTUC did not specify as to what form their action will take, the Union didsaythatitwillcontinueto stand with the teachers, children, families and all affected by the strike. The Trade Union noted that the move by Government on Tuesday,March12,2024not to respect the agreement to engage with the Guyana Teacher's Union (GTU) with a view to resolving the disputeisademonstrationof Government's continued high handedness, disrespect and ill-will towards teachers and the nation's working poor “It showcases Government's disregard for our nation's children, particularly those who are dependent on the public education system,” the

statementadded.

The GTUC called on workers of Guyana, trade union leaders, religious organisations, civil society, including the supporters and forthegovernment,to“open theireyesandseeclearlythat neither they nor their children are safe from the ravages of the ruling party…” “The Government is thereby put on notice that failingtoreturntothetablein good faith will result in us mobilising and taking action,” the GTUC said adding that they are disgustedwithGovernment's “dishonest attitude towards such a large and diverse group of citizens, children and our wider community in terms of its impact.” The union said there is further concernthatGovernmenthas a wider more nefarious agenda that is unfolding gradually President of GTU, Dr MarkLyte,toldthemediaon Tuesday that the Union will be heading back to the High

President of GTUC, Lincoln Lewis

Govt. pussyfooting on teachers salary talks

Court in wake of a breakdown in the salary talks The GTU and Education Ministry had agreed to engage in talks towards solving teachers' salary woes following the Court appointed mediation process. The mediation was alsogearedtowardsbringing an end to five weeks of protest and industrial action led by teachers across the country During an emergency press conference held at the GTU's headquarters on Woolford

taken, and the legitimacy of thesignedagreementcoming out of the first meeting is placingthisadministrationas onethatwecannottrust.”

Avenue, the GTU President accused the Ministry of Education of reneging on an earlier agreement that the two sides would discuss salary increases for teachers for the period 2019-2023 in accordance with the multiyearagreement.Dr Lytetold members of the media that “We are going to take this matter back to the Court for theCourttoadjudicateonthe matter We are at present, in consultation with our lawyers, and we believe that renegingonthefirstposition

He explained that the negotiations fizzled after the Education Ministry's Permanent Secretary, Shannielle Hoosein- Outar, showed up at the meeting to introduce herself as the “chief negotiator” for the Government and making it clear that the Government has no intention to discuss a wage package for the period 2019-2023.

Dr Lyte noted that the GTUafterconsultationswith its attorneys on the legal actions to be taken, it will consider other actions, including the resumption of thestrike.“We aremakingit clear that the Union will not be bullied by the Government,itwouldappear that the Government is divided on the issue…For obvious reasons, all the options are before us, strike being the one that we would

have called off, and strike being a possible action that couldresume.Infact,calling off of the strike was temporary to have these discussions take place. So, this nation can be plunged againintoanationwidestrike actionbecausethethousands of teachers across this country are disappointed in the action of this administration and they will beheldaccountableforthis,” theGTUPresidentsaid. The Ministry of Education in statement following the press conference said that the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education informed the representatives that fiscal provisions for prioryearincreaseswerenot provided for in the 2024 budget. She reiterated that teachers would have benefitted from across-theboard salary increases given in previous years and asked therepresentativestodiscuss the salary proposals commencingfrom2024.

Pres.Aliseesriseincyber-security threats to Guyana

PresidentIrfaanAlionWednesdaysaid that there has been a rapid increase in cybercrimethreatstothiscountry

Ali made the comments while delivering remarks at UG's 2023 Perry Center Award for Excellence in Security and Defense Education for Hemispheric Defense Studies. He listed some security challenges faced not only by Guyana but by the Region that might need the intervention of strategic educational courses One of those challenges, according to Ali is cyber-security “So cybersecurityisbecomingamajorthreat”, Alisaidwhileadding“Wehaveseenfiveyears-agoonemayhavedesignatedthisas alowlevelthreatinGuyana[but]wehave seen over the last two years how intense thisthreatisbecoming”.

Ali said that the information and misinformation campaign during recent tensions with Guyana's neighbours is one example of how the cyber-threat is real. One of those recent tensions was with neigbouring Venezuela over the Guyana's Essequibo.“WehaveseentheCARICOM website being hacked, their information platform being exposed to all elements”, Ali added as he explained the seriousness ofacyber-securitythreat.

The president continued that cybersecurity threats will become more prevalent as country's economy becomes more sophisticated and has greater “reach”.

“Youseethosewhoareattackingyour information set are attacking it because they look at your reach, the reach of the country and one must acknowledge that

reach of Guyana is becoming more intense and we having greater position globally”, the presidentsaid.

Ali further explained that because of this, there will be a greater interest in what Guyana has.“Whatwestore,whatinformationwehave, what type of partnership we are having”, Ali noted while labeling cyber-security an importantissuethatneedstobeaddressed.

ThePresidentthenwentontolistsomeother securitychallengesGuyana andtherestofthe regionfaceandtheyinclude“portsecurity”and gang violence-a problem that is currently plaguingHaiti.

He urged the University of Guyana and the Guyana Defence Force to craft training programmesthatwillequipindividualswiththe knowledgetodealwiththeseandothersecurity issues.

Fight by US oil giants over Stabroek block underscores its strategic importance

The dispute by US oil majors, ExxonMobil and Chevron underscores the strategic importance of the Stabroek block and the lengths to which companies will go to secure a stake in high-potential oil assets, Dr David Lewis Vice President of ManchesterTrade and cochairoftheCaribbeanPolicy Consortiumhassaid.

E x x o n M o b i l Corporation last Wednesday said it filed a contract arbitration claim disputing HessCorp'sproposedsaleof itsGuyanaoilproperties,and suggested it may counter ChevronCorp'spendingdeal fortheassets.Thearbitration case seeks to preserve Exxon's right to acquire Hess's30%stakeinthegiant Stabroek offshore oil block, Senior Vice President Neil Chapman said in a conference on Wednesday Guyana's Stabroek Block, which is considered the largest oil discovery in decades, is the prize in Chevron's bid for Hess Exxon made it clear for the firsttimeitwouldbidforthe Hess's Guyana properties if

Chevron proceeds with its proposedUS$53billionHess purchase.“Idon'tknowifthe Chevrontransactionisgoing to proceed or not, that is in their hands,” Chapman said ataMorganStanleyeventin New York. “If there is a transaction, we plan to exert our preemption rights,” he said.

Chevron and Hess have saidtheybelievetherightsdo not apply as the transaction wouldinvolveamergerwith the parent company that would keep Hess's Guyana subsidiary intact “We remain fully committed to the transaction, and are confidentinourposition.We look forward to closing the transaction on the terms we've agreed,” Chevron spokesperson Braden Reddall said in a statement. Chevron'sbidforHessis“an attempt to circumvent” the joint operating agreement that governs the partners' roles in the Stabroek block, Chapman said Exxon's challenge could prove fruitfulevenifitdoesnotend up enlarging the oil company'sholdings,analysts

havesaid.

Lewis in a column which appeared on Troy Media said the outcome of this dispute could have significant implications for the global oil industry, particularly in the emerging basin of Guyana, which is considered vital to the crude markets.Otheranalystshave saidthatthedisputecouldgo either way "It is still very possible"thatExxonseesthe needtobidforHessbeforea Chevron-Hess shareholder vote, which could happen in the next couple of months, said Mark Kelly, CEO of financialadvisoryfirmMKP Advisors "Exxon has seemingly implied it really wants to own Hess' stake in Guyana, so it potentially needs to put something competing on the table prior to a Chevron-Hess vote," he said.PaulSankey,ananalyst with Sankey Research, said the other possibility is that Chevron is forced to pay Exxon to allow the deal to proceed "There's the possibility that (Chevron) cuts them a check and just

- Int'l analyst

says, "can you go away please? And there's the possibility that they (Exxon) go to arbitration and delay thedeal,"hesaid.

Meanwhile, noting that Chevron has hinted previously that without the Guyana assets, it would not be interested in Hess, Dr Lewissaidnotsincethe1996 “colawars”whenCoca-Cola secretly purchased Pepsi's operationsinVenezuelafrom the Cisneros Group have we had U.S. global corporate majors competing head to head in any market in the Americas. He said that deal of US$500 million in 1996 (US$983 million in 2023 dollars) is a standard on Bschool case studies of M&A business.“Today,itisgreatly overshadowedbytheUS$53 billion competition between ExxonMobil and Chevron for the purchase of the Hess Corp. share in the Stabroek BlockinGuyana,theworld's new major oil and gas “hot spot.”ExxonMobiloperates

Man steals Iphone to take care of sick daughter

Afatherof two was onWednesday orderedtoperformcommunityservice afteradmittingincourtthathestolean iPhonetohelppaythemedicalbillsfor hissickdaughter

Forty-seven-year-old Delon James of Lot 448 East Ruimveldt, Georgetown made his first court appearance before Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus. He is accused of pretending to want a call from Akeela Jordan and then riding away on his bicycle with the phone. James pleaded guilty with explanation to the offence which stated that on March 11, 2024 at Waterloo Street, Georgetown, he stole one Iphone 11 valued$114,000,propertyofJordan.

Accordingtothefactspresentedin court, on March 11, 2024 at about 13:59hrs, Jordan was sitting in the Promenade Gardens, when James reportedlywentuptoherandrequested aphonecall.

Following his request, Jordan handedoverherphoneandJamesright after, jumped on his bicycle and made good his escape A report was subsequentlymadeandJameswaslater arrested and told of the allegations leveledagainsthim.

Thefactsfurtherrelatedthat,James upon his arrest told police that he borrowed the phone and went away

-Court Hears

with it Notably, the phone was recoveredonhim.

During the court proceedings, James expressed his remorse for the offencehecommitted.Hesaid:“Isorry fuhwhatIdid.” Followingthat,James told the court that it was out of frustration that caused him to steal the phone.Hehighlightedthathis13-yearolddaughteriscurrentlyillwithsickle cells, and he did not have any money Themanclaimedthathewantedtosell the phone, so he can acquire money to visither

The prosecution had no objections tobail,giventhereasonsthatJamesdid

not waste the court's time; the stolen phone was recovered; he has no antecedents,andhisage.However,the prosecutordidsuggesttothemagistrate that community service should be imposed on James. In light of this, Magistrate Isaacs-Marcus placed Jamesoncommunityservice.Assuch, heisrequiredtoreporttotheBrickdam Police Station every Friday from 09:00hrs – 12:00hrs, commencing on March15,2024andconcludesonMay 17, 2024. The Magistrate was keen to warnJamesthatifhefailstoappearto do community service he will go to jail.

theStabroekBlockandholds 45 percent interest Hess holds30percentinterest,and CNOOC from China holds the remaining 25 percent interest. Production capacity at the field is expected to reach more than 1.2 million barrels per day by the end of 2027, according to Exxon's 2023 end-of-year report Lewis said by industry standards, the development of this project has been remarkablyefficientwiththe currentconsortiuminplace–making new discoveries and developing new projects at astonishingrates. In October last year Chevron first announced it was acquiring Hess, including its share in the Stabroek, for US$53 billion.

L e w i s s a i d i t i s fundamentallygoodbusiness practiceforanymanagement teamtoassesstheiravailable options – especially when this kind of money is on the line. “It is simple fiduciary duty to shareholders. Much of Hess's financial value is attributable to just how well this project has performed. As the anchor incumbent, ExxonMobil is right to consider its options before changing that balance ” Lewis however pointed out that it is curious that Exxon Mobil has taken several months to exercise its first refusal right, but such rights do not expire and are embedded in the original contract “The potential derailment of Chevron's ambitious acquisition underscores the intricate dynamics of global oil exploration agreements and the competitive tensions amongtheworld'soilgiants. Theresolutionofthisdispute will not only determine the fate of the Hess acquisition but also set a precedent for howrightsoffirstrefusalare interpreted and enforced Ultimately,theChevrondeal may still happen. But no company would let such a prize slip away without at least having a closer look. Now, with ExxonMobil's filing for arbitration at the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, the matter will head to the courts.”

he appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate's Court on a charge of rape Michael Adams also known as 'Crocklie', of Lot 28 Goedverwagting, Housing

cheme, East Coast Demerara (ECD), was arrested on March 7, 2024 afterareportwasfiledagainst him for rape. Adams made his first court appearance before Magistrate Rushelle Liverpool, where the charge wasreadtohim. He was not required to plea to the indictable charge andwasremandedto

Tel:

VP Jagdeo drifts and shifts

Guyana’s chief policymaker and oil supremo, Bharrat Jagdeo, is now pleased with himself to assume the role of messenger and intermediary When he should be the best representationofstrengthandclarityonoil,hehasfallenin lovewithbringingmessagesandsendingGuyaneseonwild goosechases. Itisapitifulsituationwhenthemanwhoput himselfinchargeofthenation’soilpatrimonyiscontentto limithisroletothatofago-betweenforExxonMobil.

JagdeowasaskedtosharesomedetailsonExxonMobil’s $133B depreciation and amortization deduction but he refused to do so Instead, he is sending the local media to squeezethedetailsoutofExxonMobil Atbest,thatisatough proposition,andbecauseitisExxonMobilbeingaskedforthe information, only the slippery is to be expected Senior officials of the company were pushed before in public consultations(themselvesafarce)forcertaindisclosuresand backupdetailsonoilprojectsinthepipeline,andtheyquickly andcleverlyducked.

The people from ExxonMobil immediately referred Guyanesetotheirgovernmentforenlightenmentonwhatever theywantedtoknow,whateverwasbotheringthem. Butnow thereisJagdeodoinghisownduckingandreferringhiscitizens toExxonMobil. ThisishowGuyanesearetreatedliketoys(or kids)andpassedbackwardandforwardbythistopAmericanoil companyandatopGuyaneseleader Itispartofthegamesand schemes at which ExxonMobil and Jagdeo have both gotten verygoodat,andwhichgivesGuyanesealotofgrief

Depreciationandamortizationintheamountof$133Bisa staggering figure It will help immensely if Guyanese have some idea about the underlying assets, as itemized and quantified The Government of Guyana should have that information,whichmeansthatJagdeoshouldhaveaccesstoit He should have some interest in knowing what is involved, given the huge figure This should not rise to the level of a mystery for the Guyanese people The backup for $133B in depreciation and amortization would represent a long list of items,forsure Butitisalsoacertaintythattherearesomeassets of significant value that would stand out, if not account for a good percentage of the deduction. Guyanese are seeking answers,actuallyforcedtogropinginthedarkbytheirown oil leader This is all due to the thick layers of secrecy throughwhichthePPPCGovernment(andJagdeo)hasseen itfittoburybillionsuponbillionsinoilexpenses. Jagdeo andthegovernmenthavecommittedtotightsecrecywithoil expenses, and the result is this shameless but revealing merry-go-roundfromGuyana’soilczar

Itisshamelessnesstakentoanotherlevellocally,forJagdeo has no qualms about abandoning his duty to Guyanese and sending them to where he knows they will encounter a barbwired wall, total resistance ExxonMobil deals with the government, it has no direct relationship with the Guyanese people,henceitisnotanswerabletothem ExxonMobildoes nothavetoansweranythingthatitdoesn’twantto,andsince expenseshavebeensuchalockandkeyaffair,thenitisafool’s errand ThisiswhatGuyana’soilchiefknows,butstilldirects the media to the company This reveals so much of the Vice President’smanagementofthisoilwealth Heisfearfulofhis shadow,heisfearfulofopeninghismouth,andheisfearfulof what could fall on his head, if he were to be bold So, he surrenders himself to hiding behind fig leaves, which only makeshimlookmorenakedandanxious

Jagdeo sweats and shakes with dread that any depreciation and amortization detail he provides would be ‘changed’tohisdetriment.Aleaderdevotedtotruthfulness andopennesscouldcarelessabouthowwhatheprovidesis misconstrued and by whom. Accuracy is his armor, and thereisnomorbidfearofanybodyregardinganything. But when a national leader falls apart, like Jagdeo does, when need-to-know information is involved, then he is his own accuserandconfessor Thisiswhatsecrecyspawns;thisis thekindofoilleaderGuyaneseget.

Row over lands for Qatari hotel should have been avoided

DEAREDITOR, We seemed to be embroiled with another contentious matter- that is the right and wrongs of the Qatari Hotel This could have been avoided if there were prior appropriate consultations and discussions with interested personsandagencies.

First, I saw the City Engineer’s letter published on Wednesday March 13, 2024. I have no difficulties with its contents since the Engineer is carrying out his duties in a professional manner However, there are issuesbeyondthenicetiesof ownership of the land in question.

Mere ownership of land does not give that owner the righttodoasheorshecares ignoring historical environmental and other factors I leave this to personswiththecompetence for research but for our own

knowledge, I pose the following. First, is it right and proper to utilise areas used by Guyana National Service, the St. Stanislaus ground and other agencies.

Second,youhaveinthisarea two major International Hotels, the Pegaus and Marriottsittingon the knees ofourPoliceheadquarters.Is it a good thing to box in our Police Headquarters with anotherlargeHotel.

Third,intheareathereis already an Educational Institution. Will this have a negative or a positive effect on this school? There is of coursethequestionoftraffic in this area. Fourth, what withtheEverestSportsClub nearby? Finally, at the insistence of the PPP Government, one of the betterknownTownPlanners cametoGuyanaexpresslyto look at the development of o u r C a p i t a l C i t y, Georgetown which was

already on the brink of insanity Discussions were held with all of the security agencies, government corporations and ministries and the Greater Georgetown Development Plan was preparedandacceptedbythe Government and the Municipality during the tenureofmyMayorship.

One aspect that emerged out of the wide ranging discussion is that we should do nothing to reduce public open spaces in Georgetown becauseweneedacapitalto breathe and be dutiful. We should do nothing to frustratedevelopmentbutas we see here and elsewhere, development can be a twosided sword, that on the one hand, brings progress but damages the environment and takes away from the naturalbeautygiventousby theCreator

I always recount an observation by Henri Kirke,

M.A., B.C.L, Sheriff of Demerarawhenheobserved this piece from his book, Twenty-FiveyearsinBritish Guiana. Even though time does not stand still, “ he wrote as follows about Georgetown:- “The city is embowered in trees: its aspect from the top of the lighthouse is of a sea of palms, out of which rise at intervals towers, spires and campanile.Foragreatpartof the year, the flamboyant trees make your eyes ache with the gorgeousness of their scarlet flowers, whilst in September - October, the long-johnsbreaktheskyline with their rich creamcoloured plumes, changing weekbyweektoarealburnt sienna.”

Letusdowhatwecanto makeGeorgetownaplaceof beauty

Sincerely

HamiltonGreen

Elder

Direct negotiations, followed by Conciliation/Mediation then Arbitration for Final Settlement

D

negotiations between the employerandtherecognized Trade Union followed by Conciliation/Mediation.The

is agreement(s) between the two parties. The failure of such an agreement follows ARBITRATION as the last

Representation Procedures Agreement between the parties for final and binding settlement of any labour dispute

There is generally no place for the Courts in the collective bargaining process,buttocall/directthe parties to observe and honour their own signed collective agreement for the bargaining in good faith in keeping with the Trage UnionRecognitionAct–No 33 of 1997. Actions by any court can be appealed to the Court of Appeal and ultimatelytheCCJ.

Theconciliator/mediator is not an arbitrator and cannot substitute his/her judgement for that of the

p a r t i e s T h e conciliator/mediator cannot imposeasettlement;itisfor the parties to agree to a solution under the guidance a n d s k i l l o f t h e conciliator/mediator who must maintain a strictly impartialandneutralattitude towardsthetwoparties.The conciliation/mediator’s f u n c t i o n r e q u i r e s independent professional j u d g e m e n t , a n d a conciliator/mediator should not be swayed by external pressures.

Arbitration is another type of third-party intervention. It is the stage which, in the context of the u s u a l g r i e v a n c e representation procedure, is expected to follow closely uponanimpasseorfailureat conciliation to resolve a dispute However, arbitration need not await the failure of the conciliation/mediation processinsituationswherea dispute can have a severe socialandeconomicimpact, orwhereaprolongeddispute in a major industry/ service could severely affect communitylifeorwherethe ongoing operation of an industry is necessary to

sustain the national economy In such a case the Minister of Labour is empowered by law to intervene to bring to an end any dispute by promoting a returntonegotiationsbythe employerandtradeunionor refer the dispute to arbitration.

Arbitration, like conciliation /mediation, involves third party interventioninthecollective bargaining process In conciliation/mediation, h o w e v e r , t h e conciliator/mediator is expected to use his powers of persuasion to enable the partiestonarrowtheareasof differences between them with a view to reaching acceptable solutions In arbitration, the arbitrator is required to decide the issue on the merits of a case presented by the parties and make an award. Such an awardisfinalandbindingon the parties involved in the dispute, and they are expected to give effect to thatawardinthetraditionof industrialrelationspractice.

In general, when an employer recognizes a trade union as the sole bargaining agent of the workers in any

undertaking, the parties usually sign a collective agreement for recognition and avoidance and settlement of disputes. E m b o d i e d i n t h a t recognitionagreementisthe grievance procedure in which the various stages t h r o u g h w h i c h a grievance/dispute can be processed are outlined. It provides for arbitration as the final stage for the resolutionofdisputes.

But there are, within industrial relations practice, several means by which the stage of arbitration could be r e a c h e d I n s o m e agreements, either party may request that the matter under dispute should be taken to arbitration; if this happens, the other party has no option but to comply In others, arbitration can only take place with the mutual consent of both parties; and once one of the parties refuses to consent to arbitration, no arbitration proceedings can take place.

The law, in certain situations, provides for arbitration with which the partiesmustcomply

Incollectiveagreements, (Continuedonpage06)

SincePPPcametopowerartists associated withtheGuyanaUnited ArtistsGUAhavenotreceivedanyfinancial support,grantsandpurchasesofArtwork

DEAREDITOR

It has been months since Ihavewrittenontheplightof ourseniorArtists.

Mostofourseniorartists have given up that anything is likely to change our state ofaffairs.

They figure that government actions are deliberate and people are so burdened with their own survival that they don’t care nor do they value our service.

One artist even likened our task to “ploughing the sea”. Since then, four of our seniorartistshavediedallin theirsixtiesandseventies.

Imyselffellillandhave not the mobility that I once had and therefore have not beenasactiveasIusedtobe. IwasmovedwhenIheardof Simpson’sdeath.

Always with a smile on his face, hustling to sell one of his latest gems I can recall him saying “this is a masterpiece!

Nevertheless, I can still write of what is happening in the life of o u r s m a l l a n d diminishing artist community

My thoughts are of the many incredibly talented Guyanese artists and other professionals, ordinary members, members of the working class who have given their golden years of service to our country and have died in poverty and neglect

My thoughts are of the school teachers in the trenches battling for a livingwage

Now I am going to be quite honest in saying that since the PPP government came to power in August 2020 and I am not singular in my experience, artists associated with the Guyana United Artists GUA, primarily of working-class origin have not received any financial support that is in the form of grants, purchases of Art work or otherwise

Now it is unfair, unjust that this Ministry that has been allocated billions of dollars could display such contempt and disregard forartistswhohaveserved Guyana and the Guyanese Nation for well over 4 decades

Noconsiderationofhow artists and their families survived the COVID shutdown and in the aftermath.

WhatIamsayinghereis recordedinletterstoKNand SN. I have even gone to the extent to inform the UN Secretary General H E Antonio Guterres of the plight of this small group of artists who are discriminated against for expressing our creative geniuses which only seeks to unite and bring Guyanese together to fulfil our destiny by way of our unique cultural traditions.

ThisletterisbeingCCto President Irfaan Alli, UN Secretary General, UN Resident Representative in Guyana, Guyana Cultural Association NY and others....in addition to my request for the National Gallery acquire THE O U T L I N E O F GUYANESE HISTORY

the only visual arts representation that captures on canvas our post-colonial history from Independence to the

presentday

It is not the cost that has any bearing on the acquisition of the work, it i s t h a t t h e P P P government does not want future generations of Guyanese to know of their history and this work, so far that they misrepresent and replace our rich artistic tradition withmediocrity

Having said this much, it is for the Guyanese p u b l i c a n d t h e International Community of Nations to inquire into the characteristic political tendency of the PPP governmentwhichistouse the power at its disposal to crush any semblance of freedomanddemocracy

Art must be free and unfettered, this Ministry has been once again allocated quite a large budget, GYD$ billions from the GYD$1 1 Trillionbudget,thelargest budget ever since Guyana gainedIndependence!

Thanking you for your attention.

YoursFaithfully

Increasing ‘Autocratization’of Guyana

DEAREDITOR, A new report, V-Dem, from an international organization finds that since 2018undertheAPNU+AFC coalitiontonow,Guyanahas been downgraded from the status of an “electoral democracy”.

Thestudyorreportstates that Guyana is descending towards ‘autocratization’ (authoritarian rule under a strong man) based on a new report released by the Gothenburg-based V-Dem Institute that tracks democratic freedoms worldwide.

Democracy is sliding in Guyana.

The report, released this week, is for the year 2023 The country is s l i d i n g t o w a r d s ‘autocratization’, a major causeforconcern,anditis hoped that the ABCE countries will take note and take measures to protect democracy in Guyana Peoplearefearful of speaking out against abuses

Elections are due mid nextyear

And already the President and Vice President at a memorial service for PPP founder Cheddi Jagan last Sunday threatened anyone thinking of forming a

political party The PPP is fearful that its base will be split as there is growing disenchantment among its supporters

O n l y a s m a l l percentage of the population has been enjoying the newly found oil wealth Close friends, family members, and those with the right religious connection are the main beneficiaries of contracts in the hundreds ofbillionsofdollars.

Guyana has declined on multiple metrics t r e n d i n g a s a n autocratizer, according to the ‘Democracy Report

2024’ that measured democracy for the year 2023 Guyana is at the bottom 50% of countries onthedemocraticscore

It is categorized among regimes that are known for autocracy and h a r a s s m e n t o f independent journalists and civic groups that speak out against repression

Anyone who dares to critique the government is attacked Paid trolls and propagandists go after them as do the PresidentandVP

The V-Dem report categorises countries into four regime types based on

their score in the Liberal DemocraticIndex(LDI)and color codes each: Liberal Democracy, Electoral Democracy, Electoral Autocracy, and Closed Autocracy

The annual report maps each country on a matrix of whether each is turning more democratic (‘democratising’) or more a u t o c r a t i c ( ‘ a u t o c r a t i s i n g ’ ) Democratisation is taking placeonlyin18countriesof 180 countries rated; Guyana isnotamongthem.

US, Canada, UK, and the developed western countries are among them Guyana is sahded between grey and orange, meaning an electoral democracy but with elements of autocracy

Democracy is getting worse in dozens of countries including in Guyana where freedom of expression and of association/civil society areworstaffected Democracy is on the decline in Guyana. Efforts are needed to stop the downward trend towards autocratization and measurestakenforareversal towards increasing democratization.

Yourstruly,

It is PPPthat isAnti-Jagan

DEAREDITOR

,

Mr Vishnu Bisram provided an impressivse account (KN March 11) of his activities that benefited CheddiJaganandthePPPto debunk assertions of Joey Jagan and PPP communists that he, Bisram, and others areanti-Jagan.

Bisramassertshehelped power Jagan and the PPPto office Bisram and therefore could not be described as anti-Jagan.

Bisram and others penned articles critical of Jagan’s communism that irked Joey and the communists.

Instead of directing his venom at Bisram and others, Joey should target the leadership of the PPP who have been i n v o l v e d i n policymaking and businesses that stain the name of Jagan and the party that he, Janet, and others founded.

It seems to me and many other Guyanese that it is the PPP that is antiJagan.

It seems to me that the individuals who are most anti-Jagan are Joey himself and several in leadership positions in the PPP

Joey did not defend his father’s name on good governance after the passing of the old man It is recalled that Joey attacked his father’s government as w e l l a s J a n e t ’ s government for the

constant blackouts during the 1990s

B i s r a m , D e v , Ramharack, Seecharan are using freedom of speech to write on issues Cheddi would have welcomed their critiques and have a debate. He never censored speech, and he never personally attacked anyone as Joey is doing.

Cheddiwelcomedcritics andcritiques.

He listened to them and debunked their arguments He would not have supported Joey and the others who want to silence critics and who resorted to name calling, labeling, and abusive language against whom theydisagreed

Instead of spitting venom on Bisram and other objective critics, Joey should train his guns on the PPP, which since the death of Cheddi in 1997 and Janet in 2008, have become anti Cheddi, anti-Janet, and antiworkingclass.

Cheddi was the most anti-corrupt individual in the history of colonial a n d i n d e p e n d e n t Guyana He was very frugal, warning against lavish expenditures a Cadillac lifestyle in a donkey cart economy

Since2020,thePPPhas become the most corrupt party in the history of the country

Has Joey forgotten that corruption led him to

abandon the PPP in 2011 and endorsed the AFC and subsequently the coalition in 2015, resulting in the defeat of thePPP

He lambasted the PPP on corruption prior to 2015 He assailed the PPP forcensorship

I was at Babu Jaan in the scorching heat waiting for the leaders who were late Listen to the language of the PPP leadership uttered at Babu Jaan threatening political association, party formation and those who critiquethegovernment

The present PPP government disrespects labourunion.

Collective bargaining is violated.

Would Cheddi have approvedofthepositionand policiesofhissuccessors?

Since 2020, Joey, Donald Ramotar, Clement Rohee,andothershavebeen silent on corruption and censorship.

Isitacaseofthe“mouth being silenced by the hands thatarefeedingit’,asMartin Cartersoeloquentlywrotein his poems? Rohee was critical of the government prior to his appointment as GECOMcommissioner

Heispraiseworthyofthe government now Ramotar d o e s n ’ t s e e t h e government’s anti-working class policy as anti-Jagan. He is silent on violations of collectivebargaining.

Yourstruly, RoopchandSharma

Direct negotiations, followed...

Frompage04 there are two types of arbitration provisions: voluntary arbitration where the consent of both parties is required to set the machinery for arbitration in motion; and compulsory arbitration — (a) where the collective labour agreement providesforthemattertobe referredtoarbitration atthe request of either party; (b) where the State may consider it necessary to ensure that services deemed to be essential are not unduly interrupted by work stoppages resulting from industrialdisputes.

In this case, the State can referadisputetocompulsory arbitration as applicable in national law, for final resolution of any such disputes.

Adjudication through arbitrationreflectstherights approach in one of the following dispute resolution processes for determining the dispute involuntary arbitration in which, the disputing parties jointly ask an independent and acceptablethirdpartytohear both sides and consider the dispute and make an award, which by prior agreement would be final and binding. In compulsory arbitrationanyone of the parties could haveadisputedeterminedby athirdparty

The third party’s decisionisfinalandbinding, and is compulsory once initiated,andmayormaynot take account of any precedent. The outcome is

also legally enforceable

C o l l e c t i v e l a b o u r agreements in Guyana provide for voluntary arbitration, either by mutual consent or at the request of oneparty,orforcompulsory arbitration by law in the essential services or in situationswherethenational interestisatstake.

Industrial relations methods as alternative disputeresolution(ADR)

N e g o t i a t i o n , conciliation, mediation, and arbitration in the settlement of industrial disputes have special significance for the social partners and are valued, effective dispute resolution methods in the conduct of labour relations. These tried and tested methods are frequently and extensively utilized in industrialrelationsasroutine s e r v i c e s o f

Ministries/Departments of Labour, mediation services, and other labour dispute resolution institutions

Within the industrial relations context therefore, onecannotseriouslyreferto thesemethodsasADR.

It is a misnomer, for the methods used in ADR, are essentially industrial relations methods – negotiations, c o n c i l i a t i o n , m e d i a t i o n , a n d arbitration These methods and processes h a v e h a d a l o n g tradition and history of success in industrial relations

When these methods are

usedincivilsocietymatters, theyarereferredtoasADR–alternative to the protracted, e x p e n s i v e , l e g a l / judicial/courtsystem.

This is a valuable contribution of industrial relationstocivilsociety Itis to be noted also that conciliation/ mediation and arbitration have long been used in the field of international relations, civil society, family, and community relations, and in the commercial world in place of the costly, protracted and timeconsuming litigation throughthejudicialsystem.

Thereisnoneedforcourt appointed mediators, as in the case of the current teachers’strike.

However,inthisunusual court intervention in the well-established system of industrial and labour to deal with industrial disputes, the expectation and duty of the appointed mediators is to mediate an end to the current strike called by the GTU and the recommencement of direct negotiations with the Ministry of Education and t h e G T U o r Conciliation/mediation by the Ministry of Labour Failure of agreement invokestheARBITRATION processforfinalandbinding resolution.

This is essential for the discipline and maintenance ofthebestpracticesinlabour andindustrialrelations.

Yourssincerely, SamuelJ.Goolsarran

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

Chief policymaker on oil?

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, is now pleased with himself to assume the role of messenger and intermediary.

When he should be the best representation of strength and clarity on oil, he has fallen in love with bringing messages and sending Guyanese on wild goose chases.

It is a pitiful situation when the man who put himself in charge of the nation's oil patrimony is content to limit his role to that of a go-between for ExxonMobil.

BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT...BLUNT

Seigefred Wilson back on his feet moments after the accident

Man survives after truck crushes his motorcycle

AfoodvendoronMonday miraculously survived after a Canter truck crushed his motorcycle along the Public Road at Number Eight Village, West Coast Berbice, RegionFive.

The vendor, Seigefred Wilson,alsoknownas'Bomb Man' of Bath Settlement, WCB, would normally ride around Berbice selling beverages, food and other snacksinatrayattachedtothe backofhismotorbike.

Monday was no different but it almost ended in a tragedy for him after a canter truck knocked him down whilehewasplyinghistrade. Instead of stopping to assist him, the truck continued its journey Luckily for Wilson he had on his helmet and

narrowly escaped with a few minor scrapes and bruises. Footage of the accident obtained from security cameras has surfaced on the internet.

The footage showed Wilson riding his motorcycle atanormalrateofspeedwhen a dark-coloured canter truck slammed into him from behind The impact flung Wilsonoffhismotorcycleand crushed it and the tray filled with his merchandise in the process. Wilson somehow managed to “tuck and roll” after landing on the paved roadbeforespringinguptohis feet.Areporthasbeenlodged at the Fort Wellington Police Station and ranks are on the look-out for the hit-and-run, cantertruckdriver

CDEMAProject grantedone-year extension

Idevelopment, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency's Coordinating Unit (CDEMA CU) has been granted a one-year extension to the Targeted Support to CDEMA Project (TSCP) by GlobalAffairsCanada.

This extension, provided atnoadditionalcost,prolongs the project's timeline until December31,2024.

According to a statement, the project was launched on March1,2019,withaninitial funding of CAD $8 million fromCanada.TheTSCPaims to bolster Comprehensive DisasterManagement(CDM) in the Caribbean region, with aspecificfocusonvulnerable populations, notably women andgirls.

TheTSCPencompasses a range of initiatives aimed at supporting the CDEMA system and its participating states.

These include enhancing operational readiness for all hazards, improving gender r e s p o n s i v e n e s s i n programming,andfacilitating community recovery efforts through the Caribbean Early RecoveryFund(CERF).

Inresponsetothegranting of the one-year extension, DeputyExecutiveDirectorof

Deputy Executive Director of CDEMA, Lt. Col. Kester Craig

CDEMA, Lt Col Kester Craig thanked Global Affairs Canada for its continued commitment and support saying, “The Targeted Support to CDEMA Project has been instrumental in the execution of CDEMA's mandate,bystrengtheningthe Regional Response Mechanism and the internal capacity of CDEMA both in human resources and digital transformation efforts Throughthechallenges,great strides have been made and will continue with the welcomedprojectextension.”

Lt Col Craig explained Despite encountering challengessuch (Continuedonpage16)

Global child deaths reach historic low in 2022 – UN report

Geneva / New York / Washington,13March2024

— The number of children who died before their fifth birthday has reached a historiclow,droppingto4.9 millionin2022,accordingto the latest estimates released today by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNIGME).

“Behind these numbers lie the stories of midwives and skilled health personnel helping mothers safely deliver their newborns, health workers vaccinating and protecting children against deadly diseases, and community health workers who make home visits to support families to ensure therighthealthandnutrition support for children,” said UNICEFExecutiveDirector CatherineRussell.“Through decades of commitment by individuals, communities, andnationstoreachchildren with low-cost, quality, and effective health services, we’ve shown that we have the knowledge and tools to savelives.”

The report reveals that more children are surviving today than ever before, with the global under-5 mortality ratedecliningby51percent since2000.Severallow-and lower-middle-income countrieshaveoutpacedthis decline, showing that progress is possible when resources are sufficiently allocated to primary health care, including child health and well-being For example, the findings show that Cambodia, Malawi, Mongolia,andRwandahave reduced under-5 mortality by over 75 per cent since 2000.

But the findings also show that despite this progress, thereis stilla long road ahead to end all preventable child and youth deaths.Inadditiontothe4.9 million lives lost before the age of 5 – nearly half of which were newborns – the lives of another 2.1 million

The number of children who died before their fifth birthday has reached a historic low

childrenandyouthaged5-24 were also cut short. Most of these deaths were concentratedinsub-Saharan AfricaandSouthernAsia.

This tragic loss of life is primarilyduetopreventable or treatable causes, such as pretermbirth,complications around the time of birth, pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria. Many lives could have been saved with better access to high-quality primary health care, includingessential,low-cost interventions, such as vaccinations, availability of skilled health personnel at birth, support for early and continuedbreastfeeding,and diagnosis and treatment of childhoodillnesses.

“While there has been welcome progress, every yearmillionsoffamiliesstill suffer the devastating heartbreak of losing a child, often in the very first days after birth,” said WHO DirectorGeneral,Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus “Where a child is born should not dictate whether they live or die. It is critical to improve access to quality health services for every woman and child, including during emergencies and in remoteareas.”

Improving access to quality health services and saving children’s lives from preventable deaths requires investment in education, jobs, and decent working conditions for health

workers to deliver primary health care, including communityhealthworkers.

As trusted community members,communityhealth workers play an important roleinreachingchildrenand familiesineverycommunity with life-saving health services like vaccinations, testing and medicine for deadly yet treatable illnesses, and nutrition support They should be integrated into primary healthcaresystemsandpaid fairly, well trained, and equipped with the means to provide the highest quality ofcare.

Studies show that child deaths in the highest-risk countries could drop substantially if communitybased child survival interventions could reach those in need. This package ofinterventionsalonewould savemillionsofchildrenand would deliver care closer to h o m e I n t e g r a t e d management of childhood illnesses – especially the leading causes of postneonatal death, acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, and malaria – is needed to improve child healthandsurvival.

“This year’s report is an important milestone showing that less children die before their fifth birthday,” said Dr Juan PabloUribe,GlobalDirector for Health, Nutrition and Population, World Bank &

Director, Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents.

“But this is simply not enough We need to accelerate progress with more investments, collaboration and focus to endpreventablechilddeaths and honor our global commitment. We owe it to all children to ensure they have access to the same h e a l t h c a r e a n d opportunities, regardless of wheretheyareborn.”

While the global numbers show welcome signs of progress, there are also substantive threats and inequities that jeopardize child survival in many parts of the world. These threats include increasing inequity and economic instability, newandprotractedconflicts,

the intensifying impact of climate change, and the falloutofCOVID-19,which could lead to stagnation or even reversal of gains and the continued needless loss of children’s lives. Children born into the poorest households are twice as likelytodiebeforetheageof 5comparedtothewealthiest households, while children living in fragile or conflictaffected settings are almost threetimesmorelikelytodie before their fifth birthday thanchildrenelsewhere.

“The new estimates show that strengthening accesstohigh-qualityhealth care, especially around the timeofbirth,helpstoreduce mortality among children underage5,”saidLiJunhua, United Nations UnderSecretary-General for

Economic and Social Affairs “While the milestones in the reduction of child mortality are important to track progress, they should also remind us that further efforts and investments are needed to reduce inequities and end preventable deaths among newborns, children and youthworldwide.”

At current rates, 59 countries will miss the SDG under-5mortalitytarget,and 64countrieswillfallshortof the newborn mortality goal.

That means an estimated 35 million children will die before reaching their fifth birthday by 2030—a death tollthatwilllargelybeborne by families in sub-Saharan Africa and SouthernAsia or in low- and lower-middleincomecountries.

Who said Jagdeo had no good bone in his body

I keep telling people that nohumanbeingissofargone that he is past reversing course, or that he or she has no redeeming bone in their body, must be left to selfdestruct. Slowly

Publicly Itisusuallyan

exercise in futility My biggest failure to convince anyone has to do with a remarkable Guyanese gentleman who goes under the name of Bharrat Jagdeo.

To give himself some extra gloss,hepreferstheaddition

of 'doctor' before his illustrious name. Honorary recognition for a man in searchofhonor

It can be an elusive propositionforsome.

I go to the pains of treating Jagdeo decently, as

thoughheisthepossessorof some intellect, a representor of less rottenness than ascribedtohim.

There is incurring of disappointment and distress, even the wrath, of some Guyanese.

I shrug, for being a brother'skeepercanbeavery costly venture. Just revisit thefateofafellanamedAbel.

Duty,standard,demands steadfastness. If better than mecameinfortheirshareof blows from their own folks, whyshouldIbesparedeither cord or cat o' nine instrument?

Are-migrantmayneither be appreciated nor accepted in his old villages, but the course chosen must be traveled, regardless of daggers drawn, spears hurled.

Fortherewastheonethat most Guyanese say is incorrigible, Bharrat Jagdeo, slow walking (and backwards) Exxon's billboard that broadcasts to the world how Guyanese get 52% in total income from theiroil.

It's wrong It's misleading. For a man who owessomuchofhispolitical existence to Exxon, it had to have pierced deeply to abandon a benefactor. Jagdeo must have shaken in his Gucci shoes, but he managed to get the word out past his tightly drawn lips: Exxon's billboard that it gat aal ovah de place is wrang. Wrang. I hope that the brigade of Guyanese naysayers and nasty minded people get to see the error of theirwaysaboutJagdeo.

Be man enough to swallowtheirwords.

I repeat my personal mantra: no man is such an evildoer that he is irredeemable. So unloved thatlovecanneverbeknown by him. So unforgiving in

what he has done, that no kindness can ever be extendedtohim.

To confirm how much Jagdeohaschanged,thegreat stridesthatJagdeohasmade, he did the unthinkable: he spoke well of a true Guyanese known as Vincent Adams.

Dr Adams,asareminder to the sluggish, is a real scientist, a luminous, courageous Guyanese patriot, who gave Exxon fits during his time at the local EPA. Asaquickaside,itwas not the first time that American oil companies crossed swords with Dr Adams and walked away gashedandbleeding.

Dr Adams was the man whopointedoutthatExxon's 52%billboardclaimfortotal oil collections for Guyana was notreally52%, butless. Having pathetically jumped to Exxon's command, Dr Jagdeo (not a real one) had thrown out Dr Adams (the genuine article) out on his headoutoftheGuyanaEPA. JagdeodidnotharboranyillwillagainstDr Adams,itwas simply that he was too dangerous to have around. SinceExxondidn'twanthim, Jagdeo couldn't want him. Criminals wanted by the USAare not extradited from here pursuant to American appeals.

But a man of the quality ofVincentAdamswasshown thedoorandgivenaone-way tickettotheairport.

Now Jagdeo choked on his words, and inflamed his tonsils, when he was forced to admit that Adams had it right. Allofthisgoestoshow that Bharrat Jagdeo is on the mend. Indeed, it is likely to be slow going, with frequent fallingoffthewagon.

But give the brother a break, he is human too, and has a whole slew of ambitions (chestnuts)

roastingonasecretfire. My fellow Guyanese should see thelight.

Vince Adams was right, Jagdeo was right to acknowledge (however grudgingly) that Adams was indeed right, and I also was right all along in saying that Jagdeo was going to get things right one of these brightdays.

All he needs is a little time. Withhimobservinghis th60 birthday in fine style recently,givehimanother60 years,andheissuretocome up with a second pitch of what is right about this oil. Other Guyanese of a more vehement nature may insist that he admits how much he hasbeenwrong.

My answer is pure nonGuyanese: why humiliate a leader?

Whykickamanwhenhe isonhiswaydown. Hemay putupmanyashout,butheis on his way out. Even his godmothers, his American protectors,arewringingtheir hands and gnashing their teeth over him (the men are crying in their beer and singing“:ODannyboy….”).

This is what Guyana's greatwealthhascometo,and it has taken down Guyana's greatest son, Bharrat 'I am alwaysright'Jagdeo.

What is there not to applaudaboutJagdeo,aman learning the hard way about the failure of his farces and feebleness.

Hisficklenesstoo. Wave enough rope in front of him, andhesoonconfessesallhis otherwrongs.

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

Govt.seekingcontractorstobuild sixmoresecondaryschools

TheMinistryofEducationisnow seekingcontractorstobuildsixbrand new secondary schools across the country, according to recent tenders issuedbytheministry

Some$74.4billionwasapproved in this year's budget for the construction, rehabilitation, extension, and maintenance of educational facilities. According to the tender documents, the ministry intends to construct a brand new secondaryschoolatJawallainRegion Seven, Monkey Mountain in Region Eight, Waramuri in Region One, Micobie in Region Eight, Orealla in Region Six, and at the community of Phillipi. Kaieteur News had reported that the Education Ministry had embarked on a very aggressive programmetoensurethatallchildren have access to secondary education. The Government has set 2025 to achieve universal secondary education During a visit to the AmerindianvillageofOreallabackin December last year, Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh told residents that government intends to build a secondary school there and is currently identifying an area for the school.Hehadalsosaidthatthemove to build the school there is to ensure children get access to quality educationwheretheyreside.

The senior official added that the new school will ensure that the number of children traveling to the coast to receive an education would be minimised When completed, children from Orealla as well as Siparutawillattendtheschool.

As it relates to the school for Micobie, the decision was made last yearfollowingthedeadlydormfirein MahdiainMay Itwasreportedinthe media that a decision of the Cabinet was made to construct a secondary schoolatMicobiethatwouldcaterto students from that community that wereonceresidingatthedorms.

This publication understands that

the new secondary school when completedatJawallawillbethesecond of its kind in the Upper Mazaruni District. It will help to ease the overcrowding at the DC Caesar Fox Secondary School in Waramadong. Additionally,itwillprovidestudentsin other communities such as Kamarang and Philipai with the opportunity to receive a sound secondary education. Thesestudentsarecurrentlyeithernot receivingasecondaryeducationorare being educated in primary tops, a secondary department in a primary school.While the government intends to build these new schools this year, currentlyconstructionsareongoingon new schools such as the Kwebanna, Hosororo, Tuschen and Karasabai SecondarySchools,andtherebuilding of schools such as St Mary's Secondary School, St. George's High School and Christ Church Secondary School.

Car mirror thief agreed to

compensate victim

A21-year-old taxi driver who pleaded guilty to a simply larceny charge and agreed to compensate the victim, was placed on self-bail, when he appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrate'sCourtonTuesday Joseph Juman also known as th 'Bird', a resident of 8 Street Success, East Coast Demerara (ECD), made his first court appearance before Magistrate Rushelle Liverpool, where the simplelarcenychargewasreadto

him. Juman pleaded guilty to the offence which alleges that on February25,2024,hestoleapair of rearview mirrors valued $70,000anda'crowngrill'valued $55,000 at Chateau Margot Railway Embankment, ECD, property of Ghansham Laljie. He was arrested on March 6, 2024 andwaschargedtwodayslaterfor theoffence.

In light of the accused agreeing to compensate Laljie a sum of $125,000 he was then placedonself-bail.

Cop accidentally shot dead by colleague

A Police Constable is now under close arrest assisting with investigations, after he allegedly accidentally shot his colleague, during the man hunt for prison escapee AkeemWong.

According to the police this action was taken “based on preliminary information, that he allegedly and, unintentionally fatally wounded Sergeant Alex Vaughn on Tuesday March 12th,2024.”

Commissioner of Police, CliftonHicken,hasordereda probe which is being

conducted by the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR)andsupervisedbythe Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority On Wednesdaymorning,Deputy C o m m i s s i o n e r 'Administration' Mr Calvin Brutus, Commander Regional Police Division #3 and other high ranking officialsoftheGuyanaPolice Force along with junior ranks, visited the mourning relatives of the late Sergeant Vaughn, at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, to offer words of condolences and encouragement during this

difficulttime.

Reputed wife of Vaughn, Jonnel Singh told this newspaperthat,“hewasvery dedicatedtohiswork.Heput his work before anything.” She said now that he is gone shehastofigureouttheway forward and what's her next move.

The Kaieteur News previously reported that, VaughnwasonTuesdayshot dead during a search at Karrau Village for prison escapee,AkeemWongwhois alleged to have killed a woman and her son at Saxacallilastweek.

Wong escaped from the Mazaruni Prison back in Februarythisyear Lastweek

Friday, 49-year-old David

Gomes and 75-year-old

Elizabeth Nellie Gomes of D ' U r b a n S t r e e t , Wortmanville, Georgetown were brutally chopped to death.Policesuspectthatthe killings took place between 17:00hrsand20:00hrs.

In a press statement, police had said that so far their investigations revealed that at around 10:00hrs, last FridayGomes,his6-year-old son and his mother travelled toSaxacalliMissionforthree days to clean up their house and surroundings. “According to David's 6year-old son, at around 15:00hrs Friday last, the suspectcametotheirhouseat Saxacalli and asked for something to eat and directions,” the police statement said. Gomes gave the suspect something to eat and also drank Vodka with him.

The child reportedly said that the suspect spent some time at the family's property He told police that he later saw the suspect arming himself with a cutlass and choppinghisfatherabouthis body His grandmother, after

Prison Escapee, Akeem Wong

observing what was happening,reportedlyrushed to his father's aid and the suspectalsodealtherseveral chops about her body The boy told police that he was hiding under the bed during theentireordeal.

After killing the mother and son, the suspect attempted to wash away the blood but ended up running away into nearby bushes when he heard a boat approaching.

The boy then reportedly locatedhisfather'scellphone andsentavoicenotetooneof hisfather'sfriendsaskingfor help.Policewerealertedand ranks were sent to the location to conduct investigations.

The investigators have since learnt that the prison escapee was seen in the area andattheGomes'property It is believed that he is the killer Police learnt too that thesuspectwasalsochopped during the ordeal Meanwhile, crime sleuths reported that the victims' bodies bore multiple chop woundstotheheadandother parts.

Exxon's third FPSO 'The Prosperity' which started production offshore Guyana in November 2023. of

expected to keep oil prices stable despite lower production from OPEC countries

In a recent report titled “Ready for Take-Off,” the I n t e r - A m e r i c a n Development Bank (IDB) highlighted that despite lower production levels from Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) countries, the surge in oil output from Guyana, Brazil, and the United States is expected to maintainstabilityinoilprices.

The report underscores the volatility in commodity prices, particularly oil, throughout 2023. Despite temporary increases triggeredbyeventsliketheconflict in the Gaza Strip, prices remained

on a downward trajectory after Russia's invasion of Ukraine Citing data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the report indicates a drop in OPEC's oil market share to 51% in December 2023,markingitslowestlevelsince 2016 This decline in OPEC production is set against the backdrop of record output from non-OPEC countries, notably the UnitedStates,Guyana,andBrazil.

TheIDB'sreportshedslighton the macroeconomic landscape, noting that Latin American and C a r i b b e a n e c o n o m i e s outperformedexpectationsin2023, with GDP growth reaching 2.1%.

Strong global economic expansion played a significant role in driving thisgrowth,supportedbyproactive policies and resilient financial markets.

Looking ahead to 2024, the report predicts a deceleration in global economic growth, with market analysts projecting 1.6% growthfortheLatinAmericanand Caribbeanregion.

However, the return to longterm average growth of 2% is anticipatedby2025.

The global economic context outlined in the report indicates a gradual slowdown in growth following the COVID-19

pandemic recovery While the United States experienced improvedgrowthin2023,forecasts suggest a moderation in growth rates for the coming years Similarly, growth in the Eurozone and China is expected to remain subdued, with various factors contributing to these projections. Amidst these economic dynamics, the surge in oil production from non-OPEC countries, particularly Guyana, Brazil, and the United States, is poised to offset the decline in production, thereby stabilizing oil prices in the global market. In Guyana, ExxonMobil

Guyana Limited is producing over 645,000barrelsofoilperday(bpd) from three ships in the Stabroek Block—Liza Destiny, Liza Unity and Prosperity.With three projects in operation, Exxon said it looks forward to progressing with Guyana's Yellowtail and Uaru Projects for which development wellsarealreadybeingdrilled.

The company remains in discussions with government for the approval of Exxon's sixth project, Whiptail, sometime this year Collectively, Exxon said Guyanaisontracktoproduceover 1.2millionbarrelsofoilperdayby 2027fromtheStabroekBlock.

Elderly man dies in wildfire at North West farm

A 93-year-old man was killed on Tuesday after a wildfire ripped through his farm at Parakies Village, North West District (NWD).

DeadisAlexanderJosephine.

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) said that the fire began ravaging his farm around 12:30 hrs. Josephine, according to reports, left his residence around 09:00hrs that day to attend to his farm. Familyreportedlyrecalledreceivingacallaround

13:00hoursthathehadsustainedburnsfromafire at his farm and had died. They immediately informedranksattheAcqueroPoliceStation.

When the lawmen and emergency responders arrived at the location they found Josephine lying motionless on his back with burns covering his body

HisremainsweretakentotheKumakaDistrict Hospital, where it was further examined before beingplacedinthehospital'smortuary

UG gets award for excellence in security and defense education

The University of G u y a n a o n We d n e s d a y received the 2023William J. PerryCenterforHemispheric Defense Studies Award for Excellence in Security and DefenseEducation.

Theawardceremonywas held at the George Walcott Lecture Theatre at UG's Turkeyen Campus The award was conferred by the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies. “This seminal award, according to a press statement sent out by the university, “acknowledges

U G ' s s i g n i f i c a n t contributions to developing future leaders equipped to address critical security and defense challenges within GuyanaandtheAmericas”.

“The Perry Award for Excellence in Security and Defense Education is given to individuals or institutions in recognition of their significant contributions in the field of security and defense education in the Americas”,UGstated.

The University of Guyanaisreportedlytheonly

2023PerryAwardrecipient.

In 2022 UG launched its master's degree in strategic development studies, a programme developed as a result of a collaboration between the university, Guyana Government Agencies National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)—and t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s Government through the WilliamJ.PerryCenter.

Vice Chancellor Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin speaking at the event said: "The University of Guyana is honoured to receive this award, " emphasising the institution's commitment to advancing security and defense education.ShenotedthatUG is “firmly committed to its role in developing future leaderswhocancontributeto a more secure and peaceful hemisphere. In particular, national security in all spheres is the critical factor in our present and future success as a nation, so the Nation's University has to deliver in

The lodged items

thisarea.

Thisisafirststep.”

Meanwhile,PerryCenter Director, Paul J.Angelo said thatitwasanhonourtohave participated in the establishment of the programme.“AstheMasters of Science in Strategic Development Studies suggests, the University of Guyana is the nucleus of a much broader national pivot towardstrategicthinkingand representsthecountry'smost vital platform for public dialogueaboutGuyana'srole in the Americas and the

Labourer arrested with firearm, ammo

Alabourer was arrested with a firearm, matching rounds of ammunition and a quantity of cannabisonWednesdaymorning.

The police have said that the arrest was made during an intelligence-led operation whichwasconductedontheman'sresidence at First Street, Better Hope, East Coast Demerara.

The police said that, “the owner was contactedandunderthehouseablackTaurus 9mm pistol with a Magazine containing five matchingroundsconcealedinablackplastic wrapwerefound.Thesuspectwastoldofthe

allegation,cautionedandarrested.”

A further search was conducted on the easternsideoftheyardinadug-upareainthe ground, where one black plastic bag with wrappedtransparentpackageswasfound,all of which contained leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis, police added. The suspect was further informed of the second allegation and subsequently escorted to the SparendaamPoliceStation.

The suspected narcotic was weighed and it amounted to 2,338 grams. The Firearm, Ammunitionandthethreebulkyparcelswere lodged.Investigationscontinue.

world—a leading space for policy makers, civil society, and the private sector to discuss Guyana's today and tomorrow,”hesaid.

President Irfaan Ali who also attended the ceremony saidthattheawardshouldnot

beunderestimated.

“The Perry Centre is not an ordinary centre The National Defense University i s n o t a n o rd i n a r y centre These institutions w o u l d h a v e c r a f t e d programmes and developed

the minds of extraordinary people around the world [and] it is a tremendous honour to achieve this accolade, this award and we mustnottakeitlightlyatall,” theheadofstateexpressed.

P r e s i d e n t A l i underscored the pivotal role of the university and programmessuchasthesein stemming the root cause of authoritarian leadership which is now becoming prominent in today's society.“To deal with this we have to deal with security as a lifelong investment and not just an opportunistic i n v e s t m e n t T h e f u n d a m e n t a l s o f international security, and hemispheric security form the foundational pillars on whichtheprincipleof

(Continuedonpage16)

Govt. inks $28M to construct bridge at Early Childhood Centre

The Early Childhood Centre of Excellence (ECCCE) located at the University of Guyana (UG) campus.

The government through the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) programme recently signed a $28,638,435 contracttoconstructabridge attheEarlyChildhoodCentre of Excellence (ECCCE) located at the University of Guyana (UG), Turkeyen Campus.

The contract was signed with contractor R. Kisson Contracting Service, and the projectwouldpaveawayfor easieraccesstothefacility

Kaieteur News had reportedthatthe$161million Early Childhood Centre of ExcellencewasinNovember 2022commissioned.

The Centre was also a project funded by the Government through the Basic Needs Trust Fund Guyana (BNTF) and the Caribbean Development Bank(CDB).

This publication understands that this institution is a childcare, teaching,andresearchfacility

Contractor, R. Kisson Contracting Service alongside Project Manager of BNTF, Karen Roopchand signing the contract. , BNTF

offering developmental appropriate learning environments for children of students and staff of the University of Guyana and from the surrounding communities.

ThemainmissionofUG's ECCE is to provide exemplary pedagogical practiceandopportunitiesfor research about the impact of

early care, education, and development, including special education needs and/ordisabilities.

The Basic Needs Trust Fund is a grant funded programmebytheCaribbean Development Bank which aims to reduce the incidence of poverty by targeting the causeofinequitableaccessto qualityeducation.

$741.5M headquarters for Ministry of Housing & Water to be completed by year-end – Minister Croal

Minister of Housing and Water, Colin Croal, on Tuesday,ledateamofsenior personnel for an on-site inspection of the new headquarters under construction for the housing andwaterministry

Situated at Houston, alongtheMandelatoEccles Highway, East Bank Demerara, the complex will comprise two buildings –one designated to host the ministry's secretariat, and the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), while the other will serve as the headquartersfortheGuyana WaterIncorporated(GWI).

The five-story housing ministry building is being constructed at a cost of $741.5 million, while the four-storyGWIbuildingwill amountto$562million.

F o l l o w i n g t h e inspection, Minister Croal noted the growing mandate of the ministry, hence the need for a larger and more modern building to accommodatetheexpanding staff “Our staff keeps

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal

increasing so we have an issue of accommodation so we are trying to push the contractor to be able to complete in time,” he emphasised.

Addressing the ongoing construction at the housing ministry'sbuilding,Minister Croal explained, “The building is five floors and they are at the second floor…Alotofpersonshave been asking, they haven't been seeing activities, and thatisbecausethecontractor is awaiting some additional materials that have now arrived and they will recommencework.”

Theframeofthebuilding is expected to be completed by mid-year Minister Croal reported that all aspects of the construction are expectedtobecompletedby theendofthisyear

“ T h e p r o j e c t e d completion would be by the middle of this year, but in termsoftheotheramenities, air conditioning…you have toputincubiclesetcetera,to accommodatethenewoffice spaces. So, what we are aiming for is that the new year [2025] we must start in thisnewlocation,”hestated.

The minister highlighted that the new building is

Current stage of work at the New Headquarters for the Ministry of Housing and Water and Central Housing and Planning Authority at Huston

expected to streamline the ministry's operations, boosting efficiency and effectiveness Centralising all offices in one location will simplify business transactions for individuals, he noted However, the projects department with approximately200staffwill be housed at the existing

location.

Chief Executive Officer of the CH&PA, Sherwyn Greaves noted that between 400 to 500 persons visit the office daily He remarked, “There wouldn't be this cluster and this cramped environment anymore so it willbeapleasurevisiting,its alreadyapleasurewhenyou

go for an allocation, but it willbeanaddedpleasure,of the atmosphere and the ambiencethatyouwouldget when you visit the institution.”

Minister Croal reiterated that the aim is to have both agencies occupying the new headquarters in the New Year (DPI)

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US House passes bill that could ban TikTok nationwide

(BBC NEWS) The US HouseofRepresentativeshas passed a landmark bill that could see TikTok banned in America.

It would give the social media giant’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, six months to sell its controlling stake or the app will be blocked in the US. While the billpassedoverwhelminglyin abipartisanvote,itstillneeds to clear the Senate and be signed by the president to becomelaw.Lawmakershave long held concerns about China’sinfluenceoverTikTok.

TikTok is owned by Chinese companyByteDance,whichis subject to a national security law requiring it to share data

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There have been protests over a potential ban on TikTok at the Capitol building in Washington DC

withChineseofficials.

MikeGallagher,aWisconsin Republican who coauthoredthebill,saidtheUS could not “take the risk of havingadominantnewsplatforminAmericacontrolledor owned by a company that is beholden to the Chinese Communist Party”. TikTok has tried to reassure regulators that it has taken steps to ensurethedataofits150million users in the US has been walled off from ByteDance employeesinChina.

However, an investigation by the Wall Street Journal in January found the system was still “porous”, with databeingunofficiallyshared betweenTikTokintheUSand ByteDance in China. Highprofile cases, including one incident where ByteDance employeesinChinaaccessed a journalist’s data to track down their sources, have stoked concerns. After the

vote on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the company accused lawmakers of jammingthrougha“ban”following what they called a “secret” process.

Speaking ahead of the vote,HakeemJeffries-thetop DemocratintheHouse-welcomed the bill, saying it would decrease “the likelihood thatTikTok user data is exploited and privacy undermined by a hostile foreign adversary”. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the chamber would now review the legislation. Its prospectsintheupperchamberof Congress are unclear in the wake of Republican White House candidate Donald Trump speaking out against thebill.Theformerpresident, who tried to ban the app duringhisterminoffice,changed his position after a recent meetingwithRepublicandonorJeffYass,whoreportedly

owns a minor stake in ByteDance.

Mr Trump’s opposition was echoed by some House members on Wednesday Marjorie Taylor Greene, a GeorgiaRepublican,wroteon socialmediathatthebillcould allow Congress to force the sale of other corporations by claiming to be protecting US datafromforeignadversaries. SomeDemocratsarealsoopposed to a ban, fearing it could alienate the app’s youthfuluserbaseastheparty struggles to retain its hold over younger voters.

ButtheleadersoftheSenate intelligence committee welcomed the House vote. MarkWarner,aDemocrat,and Marco Rubio, a Republican, said they were determined to shepherd the bill through the chamber. “We are united in our concern about the national

(Continued on page 18)

UG gets award for excellence in security...

From page 14 leadership and principle of security and democracy is built,” he further stated.

The Guyanese head-ofstate also noted that this is the only beginning of more partnershipandcollaboration withGuyanaandtheWilliam J.PerryCenter

Chief of Defence, BrigadierOmarKhanalsoacknowledged the head of state’s vi-

sion in institutionalising the strategic development studies that are geared towards the holistic concept of national development. “We all know how imperative it is to have leaders across the various sectors prepared and equipped to respond to today’s challenges and to be proactive to address new and emerging situations, especially regarding the safety of

our people and the security of our democracy and sovereignty Already,wehaveseen the tremendous strides made in this regard,” the Brigadier Khanstated.USAmbassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, DirectoroftheNationalIntelligence and SecurityAgency (NISA), Colonel Sheldon Howel, delivered brief remarks at the awarding ceremony

CDEMA Project granted one-year...

From page 8 as the COVID-19 pandemic and the volcanic eruption in St. Vincent and the Grenadinesin2021,theprojecthas remainedpertinent. Head of Cooperation at Global Affairs Canada, Abebech Assefa acknowledged these challenges in granting the extension stating, “Canada recognizes the unprecedented level of impactsthattheregionhasbeen experiencing, especially in 2020 and 2021. CDEMA has been called into action for

more frequent and longer periods of time and so Canada is happy to approve this extension so that the important initiativesundertheTSCPcan be completed.”

The extension provides an opportunity to complete vital initiatives under the TSCP With the unwavering dedication of CDEMA CU’s technical staff and support from Global Affairs Canada, significant strides have been made. These include the recruitment of technical positions to bolster capacity, the

organization of Regional SearchandRescueTrainings, and the establishment of an e-learningplatform.

Moreover,theprojecthas played a pivotal role in strengthening disaster risk governance in the region by supporting coordination efforts and sector subcommittees. The extension reflects the enduring collaboration between Global Affairs CanadaandCDEMAinfortifying resilience and preparedness in the Caribbean region.

UN agency says Gaza aid centre hit by Israeli forces

(BBC NEWS) The UN agency for Palestinian refugees says a member of staffwaskilledand22others were injured when Israeli forceshitafooddistribution centre in Rafah, in the southernGazaStrip.

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said attacks on its facilities had “become commonplace in blatant disregard to international humanitarianlaw”.

The Hamas-run health ministry said an Israeli air strikekilledfivepeople.The Israelimilitarysaiditkilleda Hamas commander in a “precisestrike”.Itidentified him as Mohammed Abu Hasna and alleged that he had been a “combat support operative” in Hamas’s military wing in the Rafah area. Amanwiththatname wasonalistoffivefatalities given by health officials.

Rafah is crammed with an estimated 1 5 million Palestinianswhoareseeking shelter from Israel’s ground offensiveelsewhereinGaza.

The UN’s secretary general haswarnedthatathreatened Israeli assault on the city could “plummet the people of Gaza into an even deeper circle of hell”. The war in Gaza began when Hamas gunmen attacked southern Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200 people and taking 253 others as hostages. Morethan31,200 people have been killed in

Gaza in the military campaign that Israel launched in response, according to the Hamas-run h e a l t h m i n i s t r y Wednesday’s strike reportedly hit the eastern side of the UNRWA food distribution centre, which is in the eastern part of Rafah. UNRWA spokeswoman JulietteToumatoldtheBBC that up to 60 people were believed to have been workingatthefacility,which also served as a warehouse for food and other critical supplies.“Weknowthatitis the Israeli forces who were

responsible.Ourteamswere on site and they reported back the casualties,” she said Pictures of the aftermath showed a pool of blood in a courtyard outside a blue-and-white painted warehouse,andanotherpool just inside the doorway of thebuilding,nexttoboxesof aid. A 15-year-old boy and four men aged between 27 and 50, one of them called MohamedAbu Hasna, were reported killed. People were alsofilmedatalocalhospital next to the bodies of five people, one of whom was a man wearing a blue UN

UNRWA said up to 60 people were believed to have been working at its Rafah distribution centre when it was hit

tabard “It’s a UNRWA centre, expected to be secure,” UNRWA staff member Sami Abu Salim toldtheAFPnewsagencyas he surveyed the damage. “Some came to work to distributeaidtothepeoplein need of food during the [Islamic] holy month of Ramadan Suddenly, they were struck by two missiles.”

On Wednesday evening, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) put out a statement saying its aircraft had “precisely targeted and eliminated a terrorist in

Hamas’s Operations Unit in the area of Rafah, Mohammed Abu Hasna”, without mentioning the UNRWA facility. “He was also involved in taking control of humanitarian aid and distributing it to Hamas terrorists,”itadded.

“Furthermore, [Abu]

Hasna co-ordinated the activities of various Hamas u n i t s , a s w e l l a s communicated with and activated Hamas field operatives.[Abu]Hasnawas also responsible for an intelligenceoperationsroom which provides information

on IDF positions for use in Hamas attacks ” Mr Lazzarini said: “Today’s attackononeoftheveryfew remaining UNRWA distribution centres in the Gaza Strip comes as food supplies are running out, hungeriswidespreadand,in some areas, turning into famine.”

“Everyday,wesharethe co-ordinates of all our facilities across the Gaza Strip with parties to the conflict. The Israeli army received the co-ordinates including of this facility yesterday.” UNRWAsays at least 165 of its 13,000 employees in Gaza have been killed and more than 150ofitsfacilitieshavebeen hitsincethestartofthewar More than 400 people have also been killed while seekingshelterundertheUN flag, according to the agency

Israel has accused UNRWA of supporting Hamas, which is proscribed asaterroristorganisationby Israel,theUK,USandother countries. The agency has deniedthis,butinJanuaryit sacked nine of the 12 employees accused in an Israelidocumentofplayinga partinthe7Octoberattacks. The UN has yet to publish the results of an internal investigationlaunchedasthe US and other donors paused funding in response to the allegations.

USHousepassesbillthatcouldbanTikTok...

Frompage16 security threat posed by TikTok - a platform with enormous power to influence and divide Americans whose parent company ByteDance remains legally required to do the bidding of the ChineseCommunistParty,” theysaidinastatement.

After the vote, TikTok appeared to renew its push to have users lobby Congress, sending another notification urging them to c o n t a c t t h e i r representatives.

A similar move last week saw congressional offices bombarded with calls, a move that some staffers told the BBC had hardened opposition to the company

Outside the White House on Wednesday a

handful of supporters gathered to protest against thebill.

Tiffany Yu, a young disability advocate from Los Angeles, told the BBC theplatformwasvitaltoher work. “Fifteen years ago I only dreamed of reaching 30 to 40 people,” she says. Now, she has millions Another demonstrator, O p h e l i a N i c h o l s , highlighted the bill’s negative impact on US businesses.

“Shame on them, at the House,”shesaid.

Content creator Mona Swain,23,saidherearnings from the app were paying her mother’s mortgage and for her siblings’ college educations.

“To be put out of work at such a crazy time in my lifeandjustinalotofother

creators’ lives, it’s really, really scary right now,” Ms SwaintoldReuters.

If the bill does manage to secure approval in the Senate,PresidentJoeBiden has promised to sign it as soonasitlandsonhisdesk, which could prompt a diplomaticspatwithChina. ByteDance would have to seekapprovalfromChinese officials to complete a forced divestiture, which Beijing has vowed to oppose.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang WenbinsaidonWednesday thatthemovewould“come backtobitetheUS”.

“Although the United States has never found evidence that TikTok threatens US national security, it has not stopped suppressing TikTok,” he

toldreporters.“Thiskindof bullying behaviour that cannot win in fair competition disrupts companies’ normal business activity, damages the confidence of international investors in t h e i n v e s t m e n t environment, and damages the normal international economicandtradeorder.”

But White House Spokesperson Karine Jean Pierre insisted that the bill merelysoughttoensurethat ownership of major technology platforms operating in the US “wouldn’tbeinthehandsof those who can exploit them”.

EvenifByteDancedoes secure approval to sell its stakeinTikTok,itisunclear whether any of its competitors have the

funding to launch a bid for the platform. The company has previously valued the appataround$268bn.

The price tag could scare off some investors. But analysts told the BBC there would be plenty of potential buyers in the US. What deal might ultimately succeedisanotherquestion, given the cost and antimonopoly concerns weighingonthetechsector

“All the big social media companies would be interested but I think they wouldfacealotofanti-trust hurdles… There are other firms in the social media space that are smaller like Snapchat that would be interested but wouldn’t be abletoaffordit,”Emarketer analystJasmineEnbergtold theBBC.

When the Trump

administration ordered a sale in 2020, some of the biggest firms in the US emerged to explore bids, which then reportedly valued the firm at about $50bn.

Microsoft ultimately lost out to a team that included Walmart and software giant Oracle, led by Larry Ellison and Safra Catz, who had ties with the Trumpadministration.

Thedealfellapartamid legal challenges and the change-over to a new administration.

Today, TikTok’s reach and advertising revenue h a v e i n c r e a s e d significantly Researchfirm Emarketer estimates TikTok will bring in about $8.66bninadrevenuefrom the US this year, compared withlessthan$1bnin2020.

CWI

CG United Women’s Super50 Cup Round 4…Guyana vs. Jamaica

Munisar, Latchman and company make light work of Jamaica

- Guyana win by 5-wickets (DLS Method)

Ashmini Munisar’s magical form con tinued as the spinner led a hostile 5-wicket victory over Jamaica, as the Guyanese bowlers continued to show out this season in St. Kitts.

Batting first, Jamaica were mopped up for 72 in just 27.1 overs with the experienced duo of Chedean Nation (20) and Rashada Williams (31), the only players reaching double figures.

Guyana again were sublime with the ball, as their star-

studded spin crew led by wizard Munisar, who followed up her 5 wickets in the last game with figures of 3-11.

The ever-consistent Niya Latchman (2-1) continued to dominate the bowling charts, along with Munisar, as one of the most consistent wickettakers this tournament.

Off-spinner Sheneta Grimmond (2-20), while Kycia Schultz (1-3) and Cyanna Retimiah (1-13) completed the onslaught by the Guyanese ladies.

A rampant Guyana would

then surge to 74-5, requiring just 17.4 overs to secure another thumping win.

Opener Mandy Mangru led with 24, while skipper Shemaine Campbell scored 21 and Shabika Gajnabi 11, as Guyana knocked off the small target.

Medium-pacer NeishaAnn Waisome (2-23) and Jaunel Deers (2-4), tried to give Jamaica a fighting chance, but failed in the end due to the relatively small total set by their batsmen earlier.

Newly formed Plaisance Sports Club to hold AGM

The newly formed Plaisance Sports Club will hold their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday, 14th April 2024.

The Venue is Eddie Grant’s research center at the

Thursday March 14, 2024

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)

Are you an artist, writer, or musician, Aries? If so, your work may take on a more symbolic or impressionistic tone. Today you're probably more interested in conveying feelings and impressions than details.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Innovative art forms might seem especially appealing today, Taurus. Stay out of gallery shops unless you're prepared to take home a carload of merchandise.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20)

Do you believe in ghosts? Some strange phone calls, emails, or other communications may come your way today, Gemini. One may come from someone who thinks you're someone else.

CANCER (June 21–July 22)

An unexpected sum of money could come your way today, Cancer. It probably won't be large, but it will be welcome nonetheless.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)

Have you been exercising too rigorously lately, Leo? If so, you might feel some little aches and pains. Stay off your feet for most of the day.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Se pt. 22)

You may feel indecisive today, Virgo, especially in the morning. Other people's actions may confuse you. Don't worry. Concentrate on your projects and goals.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)

Are all of your friends into astrology, divine science, or spiritual matters, Libra? It might seem like most of them are today, anyway. You may have many new friends in those fields.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

A love partner may host a social event or meeting of some kind, Scorpio. It might be interesting to get acquainted with friends of your mate you haven't yet met.

SAGIT (Nov.22–Dec.21)

Are you contemplating a trip, Sagittarius, perhaps to a place you've always dreamed of visiting? If you're in doubt as to whether or not you can do it.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) The Material values may pale beside spiritual ones today, Capricorn. You might consider giving up the rat race and retreating to the wilderness.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

A current or potential romantic partner might seem like the most perfect, wonderful person in the world to you, Aquarius. Your romantic nature could get the better of you today.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)

You might not be able to concentrate on your work today, Pisces. Your head may be in the clouds and your eye for detail could fail you somewhat.

From page 23 24n.o. and Matthew Pottaya 36n.o. National under15 player Sohil Mohammed was the only batsman dismissed (15)

Achievers were then brushed aside by 8 wickets at the Area H ground. Batting first, the visitors were bowled out for 64 in 18.3 overs. Berbice youth player Raj Tika claimed 6 for 14 from 6 overs, while Matthew Pottaya took 2 for 9. Rafael McKenzie and Kulmalchan Ramnaris took 1 wicket each.

RHT Pepsi reached 68 for 2 in 10 overs with Ramzan Koobir 25 no and Pottaya 10n.o. Nylon Hicks made 15 before he was dismissed.

At the Bush Lot, West Coast Berbice ground, RHT Pepsi won the toss and elected to bat first and amassed a massive 407 for 4 from their fifty overs. Pottaya struck a majestic 180n.o. and Romesh Bharrat 119 as the pair added 300 for the 3rd wicket. It was Bharrat third century for 2024 in BCB tournaments after hitting 2 centuries at the under17 level. They received support from Nyron Hicks 39 and Kulmalchan Ramnaris 20n.o.

In reply, Bush Lot United needing to score 408 for an upset, they were bowled out for 77 to lose by a whopping 330 runs.

The only home team batman to offer resistance was Berbice youth player Tilsiram Ramcharran with 29 as leg spinner Kemo Sansarran took 6 for 11 from 6 overs. Ramnaris took 2 for 9, while Tika and McKenzie took one wicket each.

Rose Hall Town Pepsi will now play Tucber Park CC in their final match.

Plaisance Society Hall. The proceedings are set to start at 2:00pm sharp. This meeting will elect office bearers for the newly formed sports club and to set up plans as they chart their way forward.

International athletes show...

From page 20 has further opened the floodgates of top-level persons from around the world coming to compete. We have a big vision for the sport, and this year, we will lay the platform to go bigger.”

The organisers further revealed that they are also upskilling their judges, and another practical assessment will be conducted on March 17. Athletes are reminded reg-

istration closes on March 24, and the fee is US$70.

The link to registration is https:// competitioncorner.net/

On April 6, athletes will head to the National Aquatic Centre at Lilliendaal for a series of workouts, and they will return to action on April 7 on the National Park tarmac.

General admission is $1,000, while VIP tickets are $7,000.

Barbados Auto Racing League is back at Bushy Park

Get Your Machines

Ready!

That’swhattheBarbados

Auto Racing League (BARL) is telling members after a four-year hiatus from circuitracing.Itwasbackin

October 2020 that the 28year-old club hosted a time attackandtrackdaydrifting, all at the iconic Bushy Park, which attracted forty cars anddrivers.

League Chairman,

StefanHinds,saidthisyear’s racing season kicks off with circuit racing and a time attack event on Sunday, April21.

“We have four groups in theclub–Group1,2,3,4and

within those groups are specific classes as well, depending on CC sizes etc. So, it would be those four groupsinthecircuitaspectof it,” Hinds said. He further explained that the time attack would be in the four classes of Enthusiast Tuner, Tuner Plus and Race Cars; there is also a bike class which was previously unsubscribed. “Motorsports lovers can expect loads of action from the combined two disciplines along with driftingdemonstrationsfrom our Wheels and Heels drivers,”hesaid.

Hinds also stressed that after a decade of shifts and changes in the club and in motor sport by extension, BARL is in the process of rebuilding. “We are asking the fans to bear with us, we are working towards getting back to where we were, and we need their support to do so.”

He continued: “We have a generation of drivers between 2013 and 2023 that we need to reconnect with because it is about the continuity of the sport, we needtodevelopnewdrivers, so we have to connect with that lost generation in effect aswell.”

Last year the club recorded success with two quarter mile acceleration tests, and twoTest andTune events, however, Hinds

pointed to the accelerationtestheldinJuly which he described as ‘outstanding’and noted that it was held in collaboration with the Barbados AssociationofDragstersand Drifters (BADD), which he referred to as BARL’s sister club.

“Weintendedtodevelop this relation further in 2024 through supporting their club events and eventually touringregionalislands,”he revealed. This is just one element of the chairman’s three-year plan for BARL which includes finalising plansfortheUSA/Caribbean series and driving school in association with the Sports Car Club of America or the SCCA.

The club will also be hosting a recruitment drive inthelastquarterofthisyear,

“This event will bring all drivers, crew, family, members, affiliates and partners together to kick back, relax and have an enjoyableday,”thechairman said.

Registration for the upcoming racing season which runs from April to November is expected to start in the coming weeks, interesteddriverscansignup via barlinfo246@gmail.com oratMotorSportServicesin HaggattHall,St.Michael.

About BARL: The Barbados Auto Racing League was established in 1996tobringstructuretothe Sunday afternoon Bushy Park ‘race-offs’ between groups of grass roots ‘weekend warriors’that had developed since the venue closed after the previous October’sfinalracemeet.

BARL developed steadily in the following years; by the late 2000s, it claimed the largest ‘exclusive’ membership of any island club, as most purpose-built track racers are unsuited to other disciplines.

In recent years, the club h a s u n d e r g o n e a transformation, running a wide variety of disciplines, including events at the Vaucluse Raceway and popular ‘Wheels & Heels’ dexterity events in town centrecarparklocations.

International athletes show keen interest in Kares CrossFit

- Organisers eager to push Guyana’s sport tourism

K a r e s C r o s s F i t Caribbean Championship returns April 6-7 in Georgetown, Guyana, and thethirdeditionwillbeakey factor in the event’s quest to become highly attractive globally

This year, the event has already attracted the attentionoftopathletesfrom the Netherlands, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Suriname, Bahamas, and French Guiana, as well as interestfromDubai.

By attracting highcaliber athletes, Kares CrossFit has collaborated with Competition Corner, a dynamic registration, planning, and scoring softwarebuiltforFunctional Fitness and Weightlifting

competitionsglobally.

CrossFit is a branded fitness regime that involves constantly varied functional movements performed at highintensity Coordinator Jordana Ramsay-Gonsalves states, “We have tremendous plans togrowthesportofCrossFit inGuyanaand,byextension, the Caribbean. From this year,youwillseesignificant changes to our modus operandi, and it started with us partnering with the international platform of CompetitionCorner”.

“As part of taking the event to the next level, we have put certain systems in placetoensureahigherlevel ofcompetition,anditstarted byhavingthosewhowishto compete participate in open workouts Understandably,

this move may limit the numbers, but it ensures immense quality on the field,” Ramsay-Gonsalves furtherexplained.

In August-September, Kares CrossFit Caribbean Championshipaimstohosta scaled event inTrinidad and Tobago while the 2025 editionoftheirmaineventis headed to the United Kingdom, as they are set to receivetheirCrossFitlicense soon.

“We see CrossFit as a product that grows sport tourism immensely in Guyana. It’s massive that oneoftheathleteswhohave over 70,000 followers on Instagram is coming to compete. Additionally, the platform on which the competitionisnowplaced (Continuedonpage19)

Akili Haynes and Priyanna Ramdhani in Cuba for tournament

Akili Haynes and

Priyanna Ramdhani are currentlyinCubaandwillbe competing in the Cuba International Tournament whichwillcommencetoday, Thursday, March 14, 2024. They will compete in the singles, doubles and mixed

doublesevents. The Guyana Badminton Association extends their best wishes to the athletes and hope that they will emulatetheirwinningstreak astheydidintheTrinidad& Tobago International when theycopthreesilvermedals.

Thistournamentfallsat the end of the Olympic qualifying period and as such athletes from around the world have entered to compete

S o m e c o u n t r i e s participating are Ireland, Guatemala, Indonesia,

Assuria Insurance continues support as sponsor for Kares CrossFit

Caribbean Championship

K a r e s C r o s s F i t Caribbean Championship is thrilled to announce its continued partnership with AssuriaInsuranceasaproud sponsor for the upcoming event on April 6th and 7th.

With Assuria Insurance’s steadfast support for the third consecutive event, the competition will take place at the Aquatic Center and National Park Tarmac, hosting participants from United States, Europe, Suriname, French Guyana, Trinidad, Barbados, Bahamas, Netherlands and Guyana.

The Kares CrossFit Caribbean Championship has become a beacon for fitness enthusiasts, drawing competitors from diverse backgrounds to showcase t h e i r s k i l l s a n d determination. This year’s event promises to be the most exciting yet, with athletes converging from various regions to compete in this exhilarating CrossFit competition.

“We are immensely grateful for Assuria Insurance’s continued support of the Kares CrossFit Caribbean

Championship, ” said

JordanaRamsay-Gonsalves, Event Organizer of the championship.“Asaleading insurance provider in the Caribbean region, their commitment to our event speaks volumes about their dedication to promoting health, fitness, and community engagement Together, we aim to inspire athletes from all corners of theglobetopushtheirlimits and celebrate the spirit of competition.”

Athletes and spectators alike can look forward to an electrifying weekend of

India, Kenya, Malta, Canada, Peru, Brazil, Jamaica and Trinidad The

GBA would like to thank the Guyana Olympic A

N a t i o n a l S p o r t s Commission for making thistournamentpossible

competition, camaraderie, and inspiration at the Kares CrossFit Caribbean Championship With participants hailing from acrosstheCaribbean,United States, and Europe, the championship promises to beatrulyinternationalaffair, showcasing the best in fitnessandathleticism.

For more information about the Kares CrossFit Caribbean Championship and to join the excitement, visit the Kares CrossFit Caribbean Championship Facebook and Instagram pages.

CWIRegional4-DayChampionshipsRound4Day1…

GuyanaHarpyEaglesvs.BarbadosPride

Half-centuries from Anderson, Imlach set up solid foundation for Eagles heading into Day 2 - GHE (1st innings 231-5)

Guyana Harpy Eagles captainTevinImlachandhis deputyKevlonAndersonhit firstdayhalf-centuriesasthe champs enter day 2 at Coolidge today, in the driver’sseat.

The Eagles ended on 231-5 in 89 overs after a good first day Tagenarine Chanderpaul hit a gritty 40 off 144 balls, finding the ropes4times.

His partner Matthew Nandu (28) again looked goodbutfailedtoconverthis start.

However, it was Vicecaptain Anderson who kept his team going with an aggressive 87 which was decoratedwith16fours.

His century partnership with captain Tevin Imlach, who grinded the opposition bowlers for 55 from 162 balls (6x4), carried Guyana onday1.

Barbados Pride veterans t a p p e d i n t o t h e i r international experience, as

speedsters Jason Holder (229), Kemar Roach (1-35) and spinner Jomel Warrican (1-31)pickedupkeywickets fortheirteam.

Guyana had their best start to date thanks to some solidarity from the openers who added a breezy 52, the highestoftheseason.

Nandu punched four fours but was run out in the 25thoverfollowingamixup between himself and Chanderpaul, giving the P r i d e t h e i r f i r s t breakthroughofthemorning session.

Chanderpaul continued to frustrate the Barbados seamers, while a watchful captain Imlach, got his innings going with a couple offours.

Warrican’s introduction turned out to be a golden move, forcing the lefthanded Chanderpaul into an irresponsible shot, holding out to Roach in the deep; who completed the crucial

catch.

Guyana reached their 100 in the 48th over, with a new batsman in Anderson and his captain, eventually taking the champs to 122-2 when afternoon tea break arrived.

Anderson continued his aggression during the afternoon session where he reached his half-century but more importantly gave Guyana the numbers to post abigfirstinningstotal.

Bothbatsmenbroughtup their half-centuries when play resumed for the final session of the afternoon, beforetragedystrucktwice.

Justashelookedsetfora three figure score, Roach landed the huge blow to remove Anderson, while Holder accounted for the wicket of Imlach, who had just crossed fifty along with Kemol Savory (7), as Barbadospulledthingsback.

Action continues today from10:00h.

Guyanacanqualifyfor2026FIFA...

Frompage23 States excluded due to already securing berths as hostsfortheFIFAWorldCup 2026.

In Group C, Barbados has been drawn alongside Curacao, St. Lucia, Haiti, andAruba.

Group A comprises Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Cuba, and Honduras, while Group B features Bahamas, Costa Rica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad andTobago.

Meanwhile, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and Jamaica will compete in Group E, with the winner of the

matchup between the British Virgin Islands and the U S Virgin Islands joiningthem.

Turks and Caicos Islands and Anguilla will vie for a chance to join GroupF,wheretheywould face off against El Salvador, Puerto Rico, St V i n c e n t a n d t h e Grenadines, and Suriname Concacaf has outlined a scheduleforeachnationto playfourmatchesbetween June2024andJune2025

The top two teams from each group will advance, forming 12 teams that will be drawn into three groups of four These countries will then play six games from

P&P Insurance donates to DCC Awards Ceremony

“P&P Insurance Brokers & Consultants Limited on Wednesday made a donation to the Demerara Cricket Club for its awards ceremony to be held shortly. The donation, made at the Company’s corporate headquartersinLamahaStreet,consistedof2 bats, a pair of bowling boots and a pair of wicketkeepinggloves.

The presentation was done by Executive Director of P&P, Mr Vikash Panday to former Guyana and West Indies all-rounder, Mr RogerHarper,Presidentoftheclub.

Inbriefremarks,Mr BishPanday,Chief ExecutiveOfficerofP&PInsurance,saidthat

P&Phasalonghistoryofsupportingnotonly cricket, but sports in general. That support has been consistent year after year since the inception of P&P. Mr. Panday also said that Demerara Cricket Club is one of Guyana’s and the Caribbean’s most outstanding clubs whichhasproducedmanyiconicplayers,too numeroustomention.

He congratulated Mr Harper on arranging the awards function as it certainly provides motivation and encouragement to theplayers.Inresponse,Mr.Harperthanked Mr Pandayforthecontributionandextended bestwishestothecompany

September through November 2025, with the threegroupwinnerssecuring qualification.

The top two thirdplace teams will progress to intercontinental playoffs, involving one nation each from South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.

The four lowestranked teams will engage in single-elimination matches, with the winners advancing to face teams with byes in the next stage

Concacaf stated that the winners of these matchups will secure their place in the highly anticipated 2026 tournament.

John Lewis Memorial Sevens Rugby Tournament set for Saturday and Sunday

The Guyana Rugby FootballUnion,GRFU,will stagetheannualJohnLewis M e m o r i a l S e v e n s tournament, on Saturday, March16from11:00hours, and on Sunday March 17, from 15:00 hours in the NationalPark.

The tournament is held in memory of GDF reserve Colonel (Ret’d) John Percy Lewis, MSM, who passed away in April 2020, whilst serving as the President of the Pepsi Hornets Rugby Club.

The formal opening ceremony will start at 11 hoursonSaturday

Guyana can qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup – Forde

BYRAWLETONEY

Despite the challenges posed by insufficient infrastructure and other essential elements of the ‘beautiful game,’ the president of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) firmlybelievesintheGolden Jaguars’ can qualify for the 2026WorldCup.

Guyana’s senior men’s national team will compete inGroupDfortheConcacaf 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, alongside Panama, Nicaragua, Montserrat, and Belize.

The Golden Jaguars will kick off their campaign on June 6 against Panama in Panama City, followed by matches against Belize on June 11, Nicaragua on June 6, 2025, and Montserrat on June10,2025.

“Ibelievethateverytime our national team performs, it’s an overachievement for football,” Forde told Kaieteur News at a recent p r e s s c o n f e r e n c e announcing the Golden Jaguars’ participation in the inaugural FIFA Series in SaudiArabia.

“Whenoneconsidersthe severe lack of some basic

BCB/OrvinMangru

facilities and infrastructure necessaryforthegametobe played, our team’s qualification and promotion toleagueAshouldbeseenas a monumental achievement. If that doesn’t inspire hope acrossthisnation,especially in those leading this charge, thenwhatelsedoweneedto be confident about?” Forde lamented.

The Golden Jaguars are set for the Middle East, where they will face Cabo Verde on March 21 and Cambodia on March 26 in the first-of-its-kind FIFA event.

Coach Jamaal Shabazz believesthattheFIFASeries willplayacrucialroleinthe country’s World Cup

campaign. Shabazz, who guidedGuyana’sdeepestrun in a World Cup qualifier duringtheirquestforaplace in the 2014 event in Brazil, echoed Forde’s sentiments regarding the Golden Jaguars’chances.

Recently, Forde labelled the lack of football facilities inGuyanaa“crisis,”withthe GFF’s National Training Centre being the only suitable venue for elite football, though not for hosting matches during the F I F A w i n d o w o r competition.

In fact, the Golden Jaguars played only one game in their Nations

League campaign in Guyana, with other matches held in St. Kitts and Nevis andAntiguaandBarbuda.

“Do I believe that we have the necessary building blocks in place at the moment?Idon’t.Whilethat is a goal, I’ve said publicly, andI’llsayitagain,wehave to see this journey beyond thegoal.WhatdoImeanby that?”Fordenoted.

He added, “If we can’t find a common purpose, given our shared aspiration toqualifyforthe2026World

RHT Pepsi A register three consecutive victories

- Bharrat, Pottaya hit centuries and Sansarran and Tika take five-wicket hauls

RHTYSC cricket teams continuetodominatecricket in the Ancient county of Berbice The Rose Hall Town Pepsi A team under the captaincy of National junior player Matthew Pottaya started their campaignintheBCB/Orvin Mangru Construction U19 tournament 2024 with three consecutive victories in zoneA. They defeated East

Bank Blazers, Bush Lot United and Achievers. The outstanding players for the Pepsi team to date are Pottaya and Romesh Bharrat who both scored centuries, while leg spinner Kemo and pacer Raj Tika tookfivewicketshaul.

At the Area H ground, thehometeamdefeatedEast Bank Blazers by 9 wickets toregistertheirfirstvictory

Cup, and we can’t make a concerted effort to put the fundamentalthingsinplace, then if, for some reason, we’reunabletosecureaspot for 2026, we would’ve built infrastructuretoimproveour

chances in every cycle That’swheremyattentionis focused on… What are we doingwithourstakeholders, and are we doing it in the right place? I can answer that;wearenot.”

East Bank Blazers were bowled out for 80 in 27 overs with Gaffoor top scoring with a polished 45. Bowling for RHT Pepsi, Guyana under15 standby player Kulmalchan Ramnaristook5for5from6 overs and Matthew Pottaya 3 for 6. RHT Pepsi then raced to 86 for 1 from 6.2 overswithRamzanKoobir (Continuedonpage19)

The Concacaf Qualifiers consist of three rounds involving32FIFA-affiliated C o n c a c a f M e m b e r Associations, with Canada, Mexico,andtheUnited

(Continuedonpage22)

Guyana Harpy Eagles captain Tevin Imlach scored a gritty fifty on day 1.

Eagles vice-captain Kevlon Anderson shows his class but sadly missed out on a century.