admin

Guyana received US$100M exploration bills in 2020 – Financials  Jul 06, 2024 News Despite Exxon said COVID affected work programme… Kaieteur News – ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) was granted a one-year extension to continue exploring the Stabroek Block in 2020 after it complained that its exploration programme was affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo Financial statements for the company and Co-Venturers, Hess Guyana Exploration Limited and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited have however revealed that the company racked up an exploration bill of $20B or US$100M during that same period. Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo was therefore asked to explain why the country received such a huge bill for exploration when Exxon claimed it could not work due to the pandemic. ExxonMobil was initially expected to relinquish (return) a 20% portion of the Stabroek Block to the government of Guyana in 2024. Former President, David Granger however approved an extension to the relinquishment provision, enabling the company to keep the entire block for an additional year. In this respect, Granger ordered that the days from the period March 2020 to March 2021 are not counted in assessing elapsed time applicable to the agreement. The former Head of State gave the extension almost five months after the tumultuous March 2020 General and Regional Elections. He further ordered that the licensees/operator shall present updated work plans detailing mitigation efforts, revised schedules, planned milestones and other information as requested by government. The new government later said it was satisfied that the conditions were met to justify the extension. The PPP however refused to share reports detailing how the operator was affected during the Pandemic. On Thursday, Jagdeo explained, “President Granger in, I think August 2020, just before he left, he gave an extension. That document said that they would get the extension, but submit documents to us. So it happened before we assumed office. We then asked them to submit the original exploration plan and how it was affected and they proved to the satisfaction of the Ministry that there was a departure from the original exploration plan.” The Vice President therefore reasoned that this explains why exploration costs were recorded on the Stabroek Block partners’ financial statements. According to him, “They did do some exploration but it was a more aggressive exploration plan. There was a departure and that is why the extension was given, but it was given before (we took office), but we concurred with it, that’s why we didn’t make an issue.” In addition to Guyana being charged exploration costs during the 2020 period, the Alliance For Change (AFC) also previously presented documents indicating that Exxon’s operations was Gazetted as an essential service during the Pandemic, therefore permitting oil and gas operations to continue unhindered. The government however maintains that it does not need to provide evidence to justify the extension it endorsed, allowing the company to continue exploring the oil rich block. The Stabroek Block which spans 6.6 million acres remains Guyana’s only commercial block with over 40 discoveries announced to date. The offshore concession is so massive that it is also equivalent to 600 individual oil blocks. In October this year, Exxon and its partners will have to return 20% or about 120 of those blocks to the State which would not include any of its discoveries. Related Similar Articles

Four-year-old dies in Sophia fire Jul 06, 2024 News The gutted C-Field House Kaieteur News – A C-Field Sophia family was on Friday afternoon plunged into a state of mourning after the youngest member-a four-year-old boy- died in an inferno that gutted their one flat concrete home. The child was identified as Junior Anderson. Kaieteur News learnt that the fire erupted some time after 15:45 hrs. Neighbours recalled hearing screams as one of the children of the family ran out into the street screaming for help. After realizing that the home was on fire the Guyana Fire Service was called even as neighbours formed a bucket brigade aimed at saving the house and the four-year-old child who was trapped in the house. Unfortunately, the fire was raging and public spirited residents were unable to enter the building. Not even the fire fighters were able to save the lad. The child’s mother was inconsolable after receiving news that her son was killed in the fire. Family members rushed to the location and were in a state of disbelief. Many tried to run into the burning house even as the fire fighters tried to extinguish the fire. A firefighter douses fire at the C-Field, Sophia house (Guyana Fire Service) The Fire Service in a statement said that it received a call that the house was on fire at 15:59 h. The fire tenders and fire fighters arrived on the scene at 16:06h. The GFS said that upon arrival the fire fighters were informed that one child was unaccounted for. After extinguishing the fire, the charred remains of little Junior Anderson were discovered. The gutted house was occupied by 42-year-old Nigel Anderson, 37-year-old Shonnette Anderson, 11-year-old Michael Anderson, 15-year-old Waveny Anderson, 6-year-old Cynthia Anderson, and 4-year-old Junior Anderson, who died in the blaze. According to preliminary investigations, the Fire Service reportedly learnt that the fire was caused by children playing with matches. “The naked flames ignited a mattress, which then set nearby combustible materials on fire, leading to the spread of the flames throughout the building” the fire service said. The parents of the children were reportedly not at home when the fire erupted. Investigators were told that the children were left in the care of a teenager. “According to the teen, she left the children playing and went to lie down, subsequently falling asleep,” the Fire Service reported. The teen reportedly said that she was awakened by one of the children who told her the house was on fire. The panicked teen ran out of the house. Investigations are ongoing. Related Similar Articles

GTU back pedals, agrees to salary negotiations from 2024 onwards Jul 06, 2024 News GTU General Secretary, Coretta McDonald …hopes to ink agreement with Education Ministry by August Kaieteur News – After 75 days of industrial action, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and the Ministry of Education on Friday agreed that the 2009- 2023 multi-year proposal put forward by the Union will be shelved and focus will now be placed on the 2024 and onwards multi-year proposal. This was announced by the Ministry of Education Friday afternoon. In a statement, the Ministry said that “the conciliation process initiated by the Ministry of Education to engage the Guyana Teachers’ Union regarding the timeline for which a multi-year agreement should be agreed upon has come to an end.” In the statement, the ministry said that the bilateral talks can now begin on the proposed 2024 multi-year agreement. “The Ministry of Education will continue to serve teachers in various ways and continues to have the best interest of teachers at heart,” the ministry stated. Following the ministry’s announcement, calls were made to GTU’s President Dr. Mark Lyte. Those calls were unanswered. However, contact was subsequently made with General Secretary of the Union Coretta McDonald who described the agreement as “a land slide victory for not only the Guyana Teacher’s Union, but, for Trade Unions in general where there were threats of cutting the teacher’s salaries and all kinds of things.” Asked to elaborate, McDonald said that she views the agreement with ministry as a win. She explained that despite taking industrial action for 75 days and even approaching the court for assistance, the Union has won and the teachers ought to be proud of their efforts. “This is actually a win for the Guyana Teacher’s Union, because you and I know that the entire system across this country was interrupted. The ministry had to scale down on all of its programmes because teachers were not in school and to that end I want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our members all across this country, to the parent who have been supporting us and the civil society in general who have been supporting us throughout that ordeal,” the General Secretary stated. McDonald said too that in negotiations there is a winner and a loser and sometimes, those who appear to be on the back foot take longer to emerge victorious. Further, the Union representative said that throughout the discussions with the ministry, the membership of the GTU was thoroughly informed and consulted. She said given the ministry’s posture, there is a readiness to work with the Union to find amicable solutions to the challenges outlined during the pro-longed industrial action which resulted in schools being significantly affected and the ministry even cancelling the end of term examinations due to the absence of teachers at schools across the country. Moreover, McDonald told Kaieteur News that the GTU is looking forward to fresh talks with the Education Ministry and will approach them in good faith. She said the Union is hopeful that an agreement will be signed by the end of August so that teachers start the new academic year with renewed vigor. Related Similar Articles

Nigel Hughes promises to keep claws off oil sector Jul 06, 2024 News Newly elected leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Nigel Hughes …says will establish Petroleum Commission in 100 days if elected Kaieteur News – Newly elected Alliance for Change (AFC) leader, Nigel Hughes on Friday promised to establish a Petroleum Commission within the first 100 days of being elected to serve as president. Hughes made the comment during his first press conference as leader of the AFC. He criticized the Irfaan Ali led-administration for its failure to introduce a Petroleum Commission to oversee the nation’s burgeoning oil and gas sector. “Within the first 100 days of being elected to office, I will establish the Petroleum Commission,” Hughes promised. A Petroleum Commission would be an independent body which would hold responsibility for monitoring and enforcing Guyana’s petroleum laws, policies and oil agreements. The body is also intended to ensure oil companies comply with health, safety and environmental standards. Hughes said, “The concentration of decision-making in the areas of natural resources, finance, and oil and gas in the hands of a single person is highly risky, dangerous, and leads to policy being made up on the trot, all of which is bad for business.” The AFC leader underscored that oil and gas policies in Guyana must be from the considerations and deliberations of experts. He added, “The AFC intends to follow international best practice. In consideration of these matters, the party has appointed Dr. Vince Adams and Mr. David Patterson to head the Alliance for Change’s Oil & Gas Advisory Committee with full powers to invite highly skilled technical experts both locally and internationally onto the committee.” In the meantime, Hughes highlighted that until the AFC attains office he will not have an input in or involvement with the AFC Oil & Gas Committee. He maintained that there is no conflict of interest between him being AFC leader and having ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) as a client of his law firm – Hughes, Fields & Stoby. The AFC leader recently acknowledged that he is indeed a Politically Exposed Person (PEP), but noted that there is no law that prevents him from having the oil company as a client. “In my capacity as leader of the Alliance for Change, I am not in a position to influence government  policy, particularly as it relates to Exxon. I, however, may be in a position to influence AFC policy on oil and gas,” he said during Friday’s press conference. Related Similar Articles

Vet, Security Guard and Chef nabbed with cocaine Jul 06, 2024 News Kaieteur News – Three men were arrested by officers of the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) on Thursday after being found with several parcels containing 5.672 kilograms of cocaine. The five parcels of cocaine found by CANU ranks The officers intercepted a motor vehicle travelling along Vlissengen Road in Georgetown, in which there were three adult males. The men were identified as 44-year-old Joel Hodge, a security guard of Urquhart Street, North Cummingsburg; 52-year-old Rawle Hoyte, a Chef of Sandy Babb Street, Kitty and 40-year-old Quacy Joseph, a Veterinarian of 5th Field, Cummings Lodge. CANU said that upon conducting a search of the vehicle the trio was traveling in, ranks found the five brick-like parcels, and observed that they contained a whitish, powdery substance, suspected to be cocaine. The trio was subsequently arrested and taken to CANU’s headquarters with the parcels, which were weighed, tested and confirmed to be cocaine. An investigation is ongoing. Related Similar Articles

Motorcyclist dies after falling in front of car Jul 06, 2024 News Dead: Christopher Beckles. Kaieteur News – A 24-year-old man lost his life on Friday after he lost control of the motorcycle he was driving and fell in front of a moving car on Princess Street, Georgetown. Police identified him as Christopher Beckles of Norton Street, Georgetown. The accident occurred at around 06:30 hrs. Investigators said that the car was driving west along Princess Street while Beckles was speeding east. “The rider of the motorcycle lost control and fell on the road in the pathway of a motor car,” police said. The car was unable to slow down in time and not only crashed into the bike but into Beckles too, killing him on the spot. Police have detained the driver of the car who is assisting with investigations. Related Similar Articles

Decomposed body found in back dam believed to be missing Berbician Jul 06, 2024 News Kaieteur News – The decomposed body of a man found on Friday at Rose Hall, Canje, Berbice is believed to be that of a 56-year-old man who has been missing for approximately two weeks. Deochan Rai, a father of five went missing on June 18, 2024, after he and a friend went to the back dam at Canje, Berbice to pick corilla. Police are yet to confirm the identity of the person whose body was found. Rai’s son, Krishnarine told Kaieteur News that, “Mah father and this man left the house to go and pick corilla, and the man alone return to the house.” Krishnarine said he was unaware that his father was missing, until he received a call from someone informing him that his father was not at his home for days. After receiving the call, Krishnarine filed a missing person’s report and formed a search party to find his father. During the search Krishnarine said his father’s bicycle was found. “We find the bicycle, me know from the time I see the bicycle I know something happened,” the emotional man said. Additionally, Krishnarine was also informed of the decomposed body found on Friday. Related Similar Articles