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John Hess, adviser Oct 04, 2024 Editorial Kaieteur News – Americans are resourceful people.  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) barred John Hess, CEO of Hess Corporation, and a 30% partner in the ExxonMobil-led Guyana offshore consortium, from being a director on the Chevron board.  Chevron’s CEO, Mike Wirth, the buyer of Hess Corporation’s 30% stake in Guyana’s Stabroek Block, was initially taken aback.  Where is the harm, how could there be anything foul with John being on Chevron’s board?  The setback barely gave pause to Chevron’s wisemen, of whom Mike Wirth is the wisest.With typical American ingenuity, Chevron and Hess concocted a sweet, long-lasting toffee that is all upside for both sides to the still pending Hess to Chevron deal.  John Hess will now serve as an adviser to Chevron on government relations in Guyana. Chevron started out on the right foot in its choice of the knowledgeable, energetic Hess for government adviser.  Hess knows the top political players in Guyana like the back of his hand.  There is a school of thought in Guyana that, despite being a junior partner in the ExxonMobil consortium, John Hess has Guyana’s leading government presences eating of his hand.  Hess is in such lockstep with the PPPC Government that he could have all but ‘guaranteed’ the ruling on a matter before the Guyana courts involving full parent company oil spill coverage.  His guarantee was not based on guesswork, nor some superior intellect, nor even the accumulated wisdom of how governments function in Guyana.  Rather, Mr. Hess’s basis for his mindboggling ‘guarantee’ on the outcome of a local judicial proceeding was from an unchallengeable source.  It was straight from the heart of the Guyana Government and at head height also, as if to round off some grand bargain.  It was Mr. Hess himself who all but said so publicly.  Though this opens the issue of political interference in the local judiciary, we at this publication steer clear of such ideas, such not unreasonable interpretations of what came from the Hess CEO.  This gathers considerable strength when the alleged source of Mr. Hess’s bold statement about a ‘guarantee’ made its way into the public domain. With Mr. Hess by his elbow, Chevron’s Mike Wirth just gave himself the best edge that could be conceived.  America’s FTC can stew in its own broth, and may it be a high temperature for those commissioners who voted against Hess’s presence on Chevron’s board.  This role for Hess as adviser on government relations is priceless.  It did more than neutralize the bar from Chevron board service; it just made official the wheeling and dealing for which oil companies are so notorious.  In Guyana, and with the PPPC Government in charge, this is the best combination of circumstances that any of the oil powers or government involved parties could have concocted.  John Hess because of his still viable presence as an ExxonMobil partner has access to the highest levels of the PPPC Government.  Due to the intimate relationships cultivated, there is confidence in the rewarding two-way street association.  In fact, at one time, it was the same Hess CEO who took it upon himself to pronounce with some vigor and conviction about the democratic nature of the government of Guyana. Clearly, John Hess has exhibited all the persuasive attributes of a man about town in Guyana.  To be clear, not in the streets, but to the point where his mind and that of most of the leading members of the PPPC Government are as one.  Mike Wirth and Chevron just dealt themselves a deck full of aces in settling for the government advisory role of John Hess.  The American ambassador and America’s CIA are reduced to a pale shadow when compared to the reach and results that Hess could and would produce.  The Chevron people may have thought that they bought an oilman and his prized piece of Guyana’s now legendary Stabroek Block.  The bonus is that they also bought a goldmine in Hess for all the nuggets he is sure to produce from the wide rich PPPC Government leadership pit. It is bottomless one with much danger for Guyanese.  The Hess government advisory duty just gave Chevron a seat in Guyana’s cabinet, if not its Office of the President. Related Similar Articles

$27M block commissioned at West Demerara Secondary Oct 04, 2024 News Cutting of the ribbon for the new building at West Demerara Secondary School Kaieteur News – A new $27 million building has been commissioned at West Demerara Secondary School in Region Three. The new building that was commissioned at West Demerara Secondary School The new two-storey building features five large classrooms and other essential amenities and will create a spacious environment for some 150 sixth-form students. Currently, thirty-three students are enrolled in Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) studies at the school, which offers a variety of subjects, including Economics, Physical Education, Communication Studies, Law, and Integrated Mathematics. During the commissioning ceremony on Wednesday, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, said the upgrade is part of the government’s broader plan to ensure all schools are equipped with the necessary facilities for students to excel. In her message to the students, she encouraged them to make full use of the educational resources available to them to excel in their studies.  “Your job now is to do well…I commit to you that this is not the end for us at West Demerara [Secondary],” minister Manickchand said. Minister Manickchand also unveiled plans to construct a swimming pool and a multi-purpose court at the West Demerara Secondary School, which will provide students with increased recreational opportunities. Community participation will play a significant role in these developments. Outlining some of the plans for the region, the education minister said several new secondary, primary, and nursery schools are expected to be constructed. A new block will also be opened at Leonora Secondary School on Friday. The minister said that her ministry is currently looking for suitable land for new secondary schools at Nismes and Vreed-En-Hoop and is hopeful that her ministry’s proposals for the schools will be approved by Cabinet. “In about two years we are going to have all the secondary schools we need in Region Three,” Minister Manickchand said. Extension works at De Willem Secondary School have recently been completed and the space can now accommodate the school’s growing population. These initiatives promise to enhance access to educational opportunities for many students and reduce the need for long commutes for students.(DPI) Related Similar Articles

Govt. to use World Bank loan to supervise construction of new block at Annandale Secondary Oct 04, 2024 News Kaieteur News – The government of Guyana through the Ministry of Education is set to use portion of a World Bank loan to pay for the supervision service for the construction of a new industrial block at the Annandale Secondary School, East Coast Demerara (ECD). This is according to a tender the ministry had advertised for the project.  During the reading of bids at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office yesterday, it was revealed that six firms have expressed their interest in the project. Those submitting their bids are: CB & Associates Inc.; E&A Consultants Inc.; Sizwe Jackson Consultancy Service in joint venture with Satriv Consultants Private Limited; Origin Investments; Kalitech Inc.; and Innovative Engineering Consultancy Services. In its tender document, the ministry stated that the contract falls under the Guyana Strengthening Human Capital through Education Project which is being funded by the World Bank. Kaieteur News had reported that in August 2022, the government signed a US$44 million loan agreement with the World Bank through that project title. According to the ministry at the time, the project focuses on the expansion of access to quality education at the secondary level and improving technical and vocational training (TVET). The project will support the piloting and national rollout of a new curriculum for Grades Seven to Nine and finance textbooks for Grades Seven to Eleven. It will also see the development of a new TVET sector policy for 2022-2030 and improve the delivery of TVET at secondary and post-secondary institutions. In brief remarks, the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand stated that this project aligns with the Education Ministry’s goals to improve and expand access to quality secondary education while simultaneously developing the country’s TVET sector. Related Similar Articles

Jagdeo says law must be uniformly enforced on Chinese businesses Oct 04, 2024 News Kaieteur News – Against the background of a rapid growth in Chinese businesses across Guyana, citizens have raised concerns about the viability of their enterprises and have called on government to intervene urgently. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo. Earlier this week residents of Agricola took to the streets to protest the establishment of a Chinese supermarket in their area. Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday in response to a question by Kaieteur News on issue said that the regulatory bodies need to uniformly enforce the laws on these Chinese businesses. Jagdeo explained that he has been in contact with citizens and they have claimed that they are being displaced by Chinese nationals establishing businesses in their communities. On the other hand, he said there are other business person who are pro-Chinese and rent their properties to them so they can do business, saying that there are no payment issues even if they are suppliers. He stated that there is the argument that there are cases where the Chinese business owners often times bypass regulatory approval and the agencies responsible for enforcing the regulations do not hold them accountable in according with the laws of the country. “So they (Guyanese) put up a building that breaches the building permits, no ventilation there on the building, they will get a visit from the inspector who says to sell pharmaceuticals here you have to have proper ventilation, but next door there is a Chinese company selling pharmaceuticals but there is no ventilation whatsoever, they are not applying the law uniformly,” the VP said. Explaining that to sell certain items like alcohol there are different permits needed, Jagdeo highlighted that some of these Chinese entities sell everything under the sun without having the necessary permissions in place and this should not be so. “One may go to a store to buy nails and want a beer, a shop next door may have the permit to sell the beer but you would buy it from the store you are currently in because it’s convenient at the time even though they do not have the approval to distribute alcoholic beverages.” This is one of the other avenues that Guyanese are highlighting as a disadvantage and Jagdeo said that “the Guyana Revenue Authority does not pay careful attention for payment of VAT and other things, or hold them accountable for paying VAT and other taxes that they have to pay. “So we have made it clear to the regulatory bodies you have to enforce the laws uniformly and we believe that sometimes people are induced not to do that so we are paying careful attention to this,” Jagdeo said. He made it clear that government will discriminate against a business based on the owner’s nationality and once a foreign national is accepted into the country there are no restrictions here to prevent them from opening shop.  “So we cannot say oh the Chinese can’t open business here, it’s reserved for Canadians or Americans can’t open businesses here it’s reserved for people from India or some part of the world. You can’t place restrictions on opening business based on nationality. It would not only be against the World Trade Organisation rules but it would run you into a very difficult foreign policy situation,” the VP noted. From a competition disadvantage point of view he admitted that the persons protesting are in their right to do so, adding that if he was in that position he would have done the same thing if he was next to a business owned by a foreigner who wasn’t observing the laws of his native land. “So that’s how we approach it, but we can’t if the idea is to stop people based on nationality, it would be impossible to do it. You cannot do that discriminate on the basis of nationality, but you can ensure compliance with the laws of the country. So they have to pay their fair taxes, they have to look at all of the regulations and if our people are not allowed to sell multiple things in a single store then they must not too,” he added. Related Similar Articles

CDB supporting regional education transformation with key initiatives Oct 04, 2024 News Kaieteur News – The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has announced a series of key initiatives aimed at reshaping education systems across the region, as outlined by Acting President, Mr. Isaac Solomon at the Bank’s inaugural Regional Symposium and Policy Dialogue on Transforming Education currently underway in George Town, Cayman. According to a press release, speaking at the opening ceremony on October 3, 2024, Mr. Solomon highlighted CDB’s commitment to supporting greater use of digital technologies to increase access to education, promoting effective use of artificial intelligence, and the acceleration of skills development to promote youth employability. He said the Bank will be implementing a Framework for Mathematics Education designed to address chronic underachievement in numeracy, and advancing support for learners with special education needs and disabilities to ensure greater inclusivity in education. In contextualising the CDB-convened Symposium, the Acting President said, “This is a milestone moment that can radically change our region’s education system. I say this because it is the first event in the Caribbean organised around the five action tracks agreed to regionally to advance Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education, post-COVID-19.” Additionally, while acknowledging the ongoing challenges and systemic inequalities in existing teaching and learning systems, Mr Solomon said, “This symposium offers a crucial opportunity to devise a roadmap for making our education systems more inclusive, resilient, and adaptable to a rapidly changing world.” He also emphasised the critical role of partnerships among governments, educators, civil society, and the private sector in driving the necessary transformative change. “We cannot do this alone. Let this symposium be a catalyst for deepening those partnerships and driving the change we need,” he asserted. The Regional Symposium and Policy Dialogue on Transforming Education was organised by the CDB in collaboration with leading regional and international organisations. The event, which runs from October 2-4, 2024 has brought together more than 150 participants, including government representatives, educators, youth representatives, civil society, and private sector leaders to co-create actionable solutions for reshaping education systems across the Caribbean. The outcomes of the symposium will be presented at the upcoming CARICOM Council of Human and Social Development Ministers’ meeting at the end of October. Related Similar Articles

Man disappears with rented car Oct 04, 2024 News Kaieteur News – A 53-year-old man is at his wits end, after renting his car to another man, who has since vanished without a trace. The car that was rented and never returned Attempts so far to contact the renter have been unsuccessful. The vehicle was collected on August 5, 2024.  The car owner Rafudeel Razaca during an interview told Kaieteur News that he came into contact with the renter through someone. On August 5, 2024, Razaca met with the renter and the car was handed over. However, since then the owner of the vehicle has not seen or heard from the renter. “I collect a number for he (renter) and I keep calling the number, but he ain’t answering.” Razaca said. He explained that despite attempts to call from different numbers he has not been able to get in contact with the man. “After I see he ain’t turning up with the car I decided fuh take no more chance because the insurance almost expire, and the car gatta service.” As such, he ventured off to the Providence Police Station and filed a report so that police can assist in locating the renter. Razaca said that on Wednesday he received a call from a relative, who informed him that the vehicle was spotted on the West Bank Demerara. Police are investigating the matter. Related Similar Articles

Countries of the Americas agree on new strategy to strengthen tobacco control Oct 04, 2024 News Kaieteur News – During the 61st Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), high-level health authorities approved a new strategy aimed at enhancing tobacco control in the region. This initiative seeks to bolster efforts against smoking while addressing emerging challenges, such as the rising use of electronic cigarettes among youth, PAHO said in a press release on Thursday. Each year, one million people die from tobacco use in the Americas. Despite the decrease in consumption rates, it is estimated that 133 million adults and 5 million adolescents aged 13 to 15 continue to use tobacco. The substance represents one of the main threats to public health, creating considerable social, economic, and environmental burdens on countries. The Strategy and Plan of Action to Strengthen Tobacco Control in the Region of the Americas 2025-2030 aims to accelerate the implementation of measures contained in the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in the region, promoting healthier, more sustainable and equitable environments, and prioritizing the protection of young people, women and lower income populations. “There is still much to be done to combat one of the world’s leading preventable causes of death. This new resolution will help advance proven measures that are cost-effective in reducing tobacco consumption and protecting health, especially among people in vulnerable situations,” Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO said. The strategy identifies youth as a central target for the tobacco industry, which seeks to attract children and adolescents to replace tobacco users who quit smoking or died. In addition, there is an increasingly aggressive promotion of emerging products aimed at this target population, such as electronic cigarettes, whose consumption among young people exceeds that of adult populations in most countries. The five measures of the FCTC recognized by the WHO as the “best buys” to prevent and control noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) form the basis and starting point of the new strategy and plan of action. By discouraging tobacco use and nicotine addiction, it will also contribute to environmental protection and promote an economy that prioritizes the health of the population over the profits of industries that depend on the sale of harmful products. Five strategic lines of action The regional strategy establishes five lines of action: Implementation of effective measures to regulate the consumption, marketing and advertising of conventional and emerging tobacco products. Implementation of pricing and taxation measures to reduce tobacco demand. Provision of comprehensive quality services that support effective cessation efforts and proper treatment for tobacco dependence. Ratification of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the Protocol to Eliminate the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. Strengthening the capacity of Member States to develop public health policies that counter tobacco industry interference. The new strategy responds to a request from PAHO Member States during PAHO’s 60th Directing Council last year, who sought support to develop a strategy and plan of action to continue efforts to implement the most cost-effective tobacco control measures and address challenges such as digital marketing tactics and ongoing tobacco industry interference. Related Similar Articles