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GWI begins pipe replacement along Avenue of the Republic Sep 14, 2024 News The new pipe to be installed Kaieteur News – The Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) in a statement on Friday said that it has commenced pipe replacement works along Avenue of the Republic and High Street as part of its Georgetown Transmission Replacement Programme. The company explained that the current transmission mains, installed between 1920 and 1960, are being replaced due to frequent leaks and breakages, which have made them costly to maintain. This initiative, backed by a $1 billion investment from the Government of Guyana, aims to upgrade the city’s water supply network. GWI’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shaik Baksh, noted that the aging pipelines are unable to withstand high water pressure and traffic vibrations, leading to water losses and disruptions in service. “We have to replace a lot of these pipelines because there are a lot of water losses, what we call Non-Revenue Water (NRW) losses in Georgetown and its impacting on the level of service. There are huge leakages around the City and no matter how much water we pump though the system, a lot of it is being lost contributing to the low level of service,” Baksh explained. C & L Construction Inc. has been contracted to complete the works. Notably, the replacement works will be executed in two phases: Lot 2 covers the section of Avenue of the Republic between Hadfield and Church Streets, while Lot 3 focuses on High Street between Hadfield and Broad Street. Each lot is expected to take six months. Moreover, GWI said that it is actively engaging with stakeholders, including residents, businesses, and public agencies, that are expected to experience disruptions during the project timespan. Related Similar Articles

Venezuelan mom deported for overstaying time Sep 14, 2024 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News Venezuelan National Katiusha DeJesus Carias who was ordered to be deported, leaving her son behind …three-year-old son to remain in Guyana Kaieteur News – A 36-year-old Venezuelan national, who has been residing in Guyana illegally for the past two months, was on Friday ordered to be deported when she appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. The woman, Katiusha DeJesus Carias appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore. Once deported, the woman will leave her three-year-old Guyanese toddler in Guyana. Guided that she speaks Spanish, an interpreter was there to assist Carias and the court. During the court proceedings, Immigration Officer Melissa Pinheiro informed the court that Carias was a prohibited immigrant. The Venezuelan woman had entered Guyana legally on March 14, 2022, but failed to report to the Chief Immigration Officer to apply for an extension. Pinheiro stated, “The last document Carias received was an extension valid until July 24, 2024. As of today, she has overstayed her time. She did apply for an extension, but did not apply for a further extension after the initial one expired.” Based on these grounds, Pinheiro made an application to the court for Carias to be removed from the country. Magistrate Azore was presented with a document from immigration services that confirmed Carias’s approval to stay in Guyana was valid from January 25, 2024, to July 24, 2024. There had been no further extension granted beyond this period. Pinheiro noted that Carias was supposed to apply for an extension before the expiry date of her last approval. Carias claimed that she was unaware of the requirement to apply for an extension before the expiry date. Consequently, the court ruled that due to the invalidity of her reasoning, the application for deportation has been granted. After the ruling, Carias tearfully pleaded with the court, stating that she has a three-year-old son who is going to school.  She added that her son is Guyanese, and she has other family members residing here.  Despite her pleas, the court’s decision was final. Following the hearing, Carias was seen in distress, crying in her cell as she awaited further instructions from the police. Kaieteur News understands that the immigration officers informed Carias that upon her return to Venezuela, she would need to apply at the immigration office to legally re-enter Guyana to see her son in the future. Related Similar Articles

US$214M audit dispute with Exxon to be settled through arbitration or mediation – Jagdeo Sep 14, 2024 News Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo Kaieteur News – Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo told the media on Thursday at his weekly press conference that the time for discussions over the US$214M disputed expenses of Exxon has expired and at this point, the provisions within the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) will be activated to have the issue resolved. The Stabroek Block PSA under the heading Sole Expert and Arbitration, Article 26:1 states that “The Parties shall make reasonable efforts to resolve amicably all Disputes by negotiation. A notice of the existence of a Dispute shall be given by a Party to another Party in accordance with Article 34. In the event that no agreement is reached within sixty (60) days after the date on which a Party notifies the other that a Dispute exists, or such longer period as specifically agreed by the Parties in writing, any Party shall have the right to have such Dispute determined by arbitration as provided for in this Article 26. Notwithstanding the above, such period of negotiation is not required where the running of this time period may bar access to arbitration.” Article 26:2 further states that, “Any claim, demand, cause of action, dispute, or controversy arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, including any question regarding its formation, existence, validity, enforceability, performance, termination, or alleged breach (“Dispute”) which cannot be settled amicably by negotiation shall be resolved by arbitration.” Jagdeo told reporters, “We have to determine that and there is only one way forward basically because they have a…I gather they are sending documents to us now, to address those concerns and I said to the ministry we have long gone past that stage. There was a time period for that this is on the first audit.” He further stated that “We now have to trigger the provisions under the PSA. Which means some form of a mediated settlement or arbitration. So we have gone past the issue of clarifying between the two parties’ costs. We have a dispute over $214M that should not be part of the cost bank.” On August 24, 2024, this publication reported that the Government of Guyana has written ExxonMobil for its response to the final audit report for the first audit which shows charges amounting to some US$214M that were not used for activities directly related to exploration and production in the Stabroek Block offshore. However, Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat at his mid-year press conference revealed that the oil company has not yet responded to the inquiries, but there is a timeframe attached for them to do so. He did not specify the timeframe. The first audit examined expenses incurred by the oil company from 1999-2017. “In terms of the audits, the first audit as you know that has been well…very much ventilated in the media and elsewhere, we have closed that at the $214 figure, I would have…based on advice we would have written Exxon saying that this is the final report,” Minister Bharrat told reporters. He explained that while the government is awaiting the oil company’s response to know the next step there is a timeframe attached for them to provide the answers. “We are awaiting the response. I think there is a time period for that response and then we will take it forward from there, but from the government’s perspective and our position is that the final report is being closed off at the $214 I think $214.6M,” he said. Related Similar Articles

Our roads are killing fields Sep 14, 2024 Dem Boys Seh, Features / Columnists, News Kaieteur News – Once upon a time, every other road accident was a minibus story. It was like a horror show on wheels—minibus jump corner, minibus jump lane, minibus end up in trench. If yuh wasn’t ducking from a bus flying past yuh, yuh was watching it trying fuh out-speed a jet plane. But now? Not so much. Dem minibus gone underground like they in witness protection. These days, yuh hearing less ‘bout them and more ‘bout private cars. Everybody get big and bad with they own ride now. Everybody is Schumacher on the road, and the rest of us like spectators at a Grand Prix—dodging death left, right, and center. But the thing is, while we dodging, the funeral parlours smiling. Business brisk! Dem boys seh, the problem bigger than the drivers. The road itself tired. It wasn’t built fuh this much traffic. Back in the day, one donkey cart used to pass and the road would get a break till de next few minues. Now? The road don’t even get time fuh catch a breath. Cars piling up like sardines, and the condition of the road as bad as some of the drivers. Dem drivers behaving like the road belong to them alone—double lane, single lane, no lane—any lane is a good lane fuh them. And wha de people getting fuh this? Wakes! So what we doing ‘bout this crisis? Well, everybody waiting on de promised consultations. Dem boys seh them consultations taking so long, it might happen after the world ends. Maybe it gon be just like the education sector—plenty interventions but no study of de problem. At de end, nobody remember what was being fixed in the first place. But maybe, dem boys seh, we gon wait till every driver on the road write off they car, and the last man standing gon declare de consultations complete. Till then, funeral parlours gon keep counting they profits. Talk half. Leff half Related Similar Articles

Table-leaders Guyana looking to maintain number 1 spot, with Royals lurking closely  Sep 14, 2024 Sports Fast-bowler Dwaine Pretorius and Warriors leading wicket-taker Gudakesh Motie will have their hands full tonight. 2024 Caribbean Premier League… GAW vs. BR Kaieteur Sports – Tonight’s battle between respective table-leaders, Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Royals, will be a high-octane clash for the number one spot with the winner gaining additional confidence as well as points, with the tournament heating up. To date, the Warriors have been spot on and thanks to their key batsmen in Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shimron Hetmyer new man Tim Robinson and Shai Hope now finding his rhythm, it could be a repeat of another strong batting performance from the champs. Additional firepower in Keemo Paul, Dwaine Pretorius, Kevin Sinclair and others and utility players, will add further ammunition to the Warriors cache. One worry is Azam Khan, the burly wicketkeeper-batsman is a match winner but as misfired to date and could make amends tonight against Barbados, should he make the XI. Alick Athanaze and Quinton de Kock could be the X-Factors for the Royals. Gudakesh Motie has been Guyana’s Champion with the ball alongside skipper Imran Tahir; the duo could share another tag-team 5-fer should the Kings come out the blocks sloppy. Barbados were on top prior to the Warriors stealing their number one spot, despite being tied on six points, while also looking to preserve their undefeated streak. But with South African star Quinton de Kock in cracking form, along with Alick Athanaze, Captain Rovman Powell, David Miller and the unpredictable Rakeem Cornwall, the Kings will favor their chances against the Warriors star-studded bowling attack. Kings bowling unit will match that of the Warriors, especially with stars like Jason Holder, Naveen-ul-Haq, Obed McCoy and South African spinner Keshav Maharaj in wicket-taking form with the home-field advantage. Tonight’s winner will seal the number one spot heading into the next rounds, with action getting underway tonight from 19:00h at the Kensington Oval, Barbados. (C.R) Related Similar Articles

Courts Optical reaffirms commitment to support Pee Wee U11 Football tournament Sep 14, 2024 Sports Petra’s Nafeza Latif-Boston (left) receiving sponsorship from Courts Sales Director, Malissa Sylvester in the presences of other key stakeholders yesterday at Courts Main Street. Kaieteur News – In a deliberated effort to bolster grassroots football in schools, Courts Optical has partnered with the Petra Organisation to launch the 11th annual Pee Wee Under-11 Schools Football Tournament. The event kicked off yesterday at Courts, Main Street location. This highly anticipated and well-organised tournament is the premier U11 football competition in the country. It will feature 32 schools from nine administrative regions and is scheduled to begin on September 21 at the Ministry of Education grounds on Carifesta Avenue. Both Petra Organisation and Unicomer Guyana Incorporated, through its Courts Optical brand, are enthusiastic about starting the 2024 U11 Pee Wee tournament. The aim is to foster and develop future football talent. Last year, St. Pius Primary from Region Four emerged as the champions in a thrilling final. What sets this tournament apart is its impressive track record of producing national players. Currently, six players in the national programme began their football journey through the Pee Wee Football Programme. Optical Chain Manager of Courts Guyana, Richard Simpson speaking during yesterday’s launch. According to Troy Mendonca, Co-Director of Petra Organisation, the tournament will run for six weeks, from September 21 to November 2. The tournament will follow a round-robin format with teams divided into groups of eight. Following this phase, the tournament will advance to the round of 16 and then to the final eight teams. Teams finishing in the top eight will be recognized for their effort and perseverance. Nicholas Fraser, Administrator of Allied Arts at the Ministry of Education, expressed the Ministry’s pleasure in supporting another school football tournament. He stated, “On behalf of the Ministry and the Allied Arts unit, we are pleased to continue our collaboration with the Petra Organisation. This U11 Football tournament aligns perfectly with the Ministry’s structure and policies.” Malissa Sylvester, Director of Sales at Unicomer Inc, and Richard Simpson, Optical Chain Manager, also expressed their excitement about the 11th edition of the Pee Wee Football Tournament. Sylvester remarked, “This collaboration aligns perfectly with our commitment to social good. It continues the work of the recently concluded Courts Optical Brighter View Programme, which provided free eye care and glasses to over 1,000 children in the past three years.” “We are thrilled to see the tournament’s continued growth and success, and we are proud to celebrate its 11th year,” added Sylvester. The sponsorship by Courts Optical for this year’s Pee Wee tournament goes beyond supporting football; it is about nurturing dreams, shaping futures, and developing the talent of tomorrow. Related Similar Articles

Alves resigns as GFF General Secretary Sep 14, 2024 Sports Kaieteur Sports – The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) announced yesterday that General Secretary Ian Alves has stepped down from his position with immediate effect. Former GFF General Secretary, Ian Alves In a communiqué to its affiliated members, GFF President Wayne Forde stated, “The GFF Council has accepted the resignation of Mr. Ian Alves from his role as General Secretary, effective today, September 13, 2024. Until further notice, Ms. Vanetta Sampson will manage the Office of the General Secretary.” “On behalf of everyone at the GFF, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr. Alves for his contributions to the Federation,” Forde added. Alves previously served as Competitions Director under the Clinton Urling-led Normalisation Committee before being appointed General Secretary following the resignation of Renella Bourne in August 2019. Related Similar Articles