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Alcohol-drinking young men, main cause of road accidents- Min. Benn Aug 05, 2024 News Kaieteur News – Most road accidents, deaths occurring among the younger population are males who visit bars and other places to indulge in alcohol consumption, Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn has said. Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn speaks at Guyana’s Road Safety Stakeholders’ Forum 2024 and Road Safety Campaign launch He said too that keen assessments and stern responsive actions are needed to track the traffic statistics within the country, as part of addressing the drastic increase in road accidents and deaths. Benn made the comments last Friday at Guyana’s Road Safety Stakeholders’ Forum 2024 and Road Safety Campaign launch, at the Police Officers’ Mess Annex, in Eve Leary, Georgetown.  “It behooves us to pay particular attention to a better discernment of what those statistics tell us and respond with measures to deal with the phenomenon which the statistics tell us about,” Minister Benn posited. Highlighting that between 2021 and 2022 road deaths decreased to below 100, the minister said last year’s statistics has now jumped to around 179. He noted that this has created a problem where Guyana is now internationally ranked at number 63, in terms of road deaths. The minister further disclosed that in 2020, 5,699 cars were registered, with more already being in operation on the roadways. By 2023, this number increased, averaging over 15,000 vehicles. The traversing of lorries, minibuses, and pick-ups along the roadways also saw a drastic increase. According to the Home Affairs Minister, more attention will be placed on traffic during the weekends, and in the evenings. Minister Benn plans to consult the Attorney General (AG) to increase traffic fines three times more than it is presently, to bring the situation under control. “We have to strengthen the amount of sanctions, strengthen the amount of public awareness effort, strengthen the meetings and visits that we make to people…Strengthen our public-private partnership,” the minister stated. Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police (ag), Clifton Hicken urged Guyanese to be more responsible when using the roadways, noting that the Force is working on a comprehensive ticket and fine system. “There is a ticketing system that is in its advanced stage of completion and that will be linked to other organisations that are relevant to us. In terms of tickets and fines, we will have the impact which will be taken on persons,” Hicken said. At the end of the one-day forum, new programmes and policies are expected to be implemented to aid in the reduction of road accidents and deaths. It saw the participation of private entities such as ANSA McAL Distributors Inc, and Unicomer. Chairman of the National Road Safety Council, Earl Lambert was also present at the ceremony. The campaign was launched under the theme ‘Do The Right Thing.’ (DPI) Related Similar Articles

Hooper wins Big Star Youth and Sports Club Emancipation race Aug 05, 2024 Sports The winners’ row: Athletes and officials after the presentation Kaieteur Sports – Former district six national athlete Esan Hopper took the top spot in the Big Star Youth and Sports Club Emancipation 10k road race. Locals flocked the roadways in numbers as Hopper stopped the clock at 43 minutes, and two seconds. The race was held on Sunday morning from Number 35 Village to Ulverston Village Corentyne Berbice and close to 30 athletes were in high completion on the roadways. Esan Hooper was all alone in his dominant victory in the 10k race In addition to Hopper, Arvin Valenzuela won the 5K road race while Princes Wong won the female category in the 5K race which started at Bush Lot Village. Lasandra Davis emerged as the winner in the female category of the 10k race. As Hopper took the early lead, he left Anton Wright in second while AssanyMcPhoy finished third. Shaquail Smith came in fourth to round out the top finishers in the male 10k race. After Valenzuela took top honors in the 5k male race, Javier Henry had to settle for second while Joseph Rahaman came third. Amari Gibbs finished fourth. Leander Bennette, Princes Butcher and Torremica Dick were the other finishers in that order at the female 5k race. BertyRahaman took the brave step to run the over-50 category solo, and he finished in style. Veteran coach Patrick Gray, one of the founding fathers of the club, was presented a special award for his services over the years. The race was successfully organized by Tyrone Smith and the Big Star Committee members while sponsors came from AAllys and Sons, Courts, Republic Bank, Banks DIH, Sparkle Supermarket and Athletics Guyana. In addition to the companies, locals from the area supported the event financially. Big Star Youth and Sport Club was founded in 1991. The club is known for producing cricketers, with Melroy Barkley being the club’s first National youth cricketer while current Guyana Harpy Eagles selectee, Sylus Tyndall started his career at the Ulverston-based club, Big Star. Related Similar Articles

Easy Time gets outside 12-gate Aug 05, 2024 Sports Guyana Cup 2024… Members of the head table; from left Nasrudeen Mohamed Jr, Promoter and trainer, Mortimer George Special Events Manager at Banks DIH, Steve Ninvalle Director of Sport, Dr Dwight Waldron CEO of Guyana Livestock and Development Authority and Glen Mohammed Steward. Kaieteur News – DEFENDING CHAMPION, Easy Time will leave from the outside 12-gate in Sunday’s 1,600-metre Bank DIH-sponsored Guyana Cup which will be run off, at Rising Sun Turf Club (RSTC), Rising Sun, West Berbice on Sunday August 11, 2024. While his newly imported USA-bred, stablemate, Stat will leave from the inside one-gate in the prestigious event which carries a record purse of US$53, 819.500. The Master Z-owned six-year-old Kentucky-bred Easy Time, a son of Not Time/Rushing Falls will be partnered by regular Colin Ross for trainer Nasrudeen Mohamed Jr. Mortimer George of Banks DIH displays a number during the Guyana Cup Press Conference draw The 32-year-old Mohamed could become the first trainer since the first running of this event in 2007 to record the first hat-trick in this marquee event. Mohamed asked about the inside and outside post positions draw one-gate for newcomer Stat, and 12-gate for Easy Time said, “I saw the jockey, (Colin Ross) had a different look. Stat got a good draw. He has the speed. It is a very competitive race, as the horses entered in this race, are Stakes or Graded placed. This year’s running is the most competitive Guyana Cup ever run off. I wish every owner of horses entered in the race the best of luck.” Young Jayden Jagdeo, whose dad, Therbhuwan won the inaugural event with Ice Follies in 2007 asked about his dad’s two runners, Loyal Company (gate 3) and Oy Vey (10) said “They are exercising good so far. They have settled in well. The competition is good. The defending champion, Easy Time will be the horse I think, but I am confident about our horses.” No trainer has ever recorded a hat-trick of wins in this event.  Senior trainers, Colin Elcock scored back-to-back successes, but never the hat-trick. Similarly veteran trainer, Fazal Habibulla horses won on three occasions, but never the hat-trick. Therbhuwan Jagdeo, who holds the unbreakable record as recorded the first win in 2007 with TNT-bred Ice Follies. Dennis Deeroop asked, ” The draw is not bad. I prefer the outside, because if you miss. You get closed, as it is a full gate of 12.  The competition a lot of newly imported very good horses. I still believe the horses that are here, and have acclimatized, are the one. I think Easy Time is the horse, and recently won at Port Mourant and as I said the horses that settled in, like Bossalina. The track conditions are different for them (the imported horses). Apart from the weather the horses are okay. Deleep Esreepersaud owner/trainer of Bossalina, the queen of Mahaica Creek sharing his candid opinion on the on the draw, and the competition said, “The competition is going to be very tight. The draw gate two is fine. I do not see any threat. It will be a gate to wire win.” The 2024 Guyana Cup will start at 12:00h local time at Rising Sun Turf Club, West Coast Berbice. This year’s event will be th biggest in the history, with over 40 million dollars in cash and prizes. The Jumbo Jet Thorughbred Racing Committee will also attract more families at the event with a kids fun park, and the biggest DJ competition will take center stage. Related Similar Articles

Opposition urges Govt. to go after ExxonM for oil money illegally spent in Canje, Kaieteur blocks Aug 05, 2024 News …says Jagdeo, PPP/C have no interest in recovering oil funds Kaieteur News – The People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) is of the view that the Government of Guyana and Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo have no interest in recovering the oil funds Exxon used from the Stabroek Block to offset expenses in Kaieteur and Canje. Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo Economist and advisor on the oil sector to the party, Elson Low told this publication in an invited comment on Saturday evening that his party has been urging the government to engage the operator (Exxon) and make it clear that the monies spent in other blocks should not be charged to Stabroek.  “We have previously urged the government to urgently engage the Operator to make it clear that expenses which carry across blocks should not be included in the Stabroek Block cost recovery bank as this is a wide-ranging issue. Drill ships used for the Kaieteur and Canje Oil blocks are just another example of this problem,” he said. The PNC is of the belief that had Exxon been engaged in a timely manner, the dispute would have already been resolved and the funds recovered or the costs removed altogether. Low stressed that the opposition “can only conclude that the PPP has no interest in recovering these costs. This has been their attitude towards cost oil audits from the inception, and the chaos that came from the disputed $214m USD, which the country has still not recovered funds from, is an example of their attitude.” Economist and Advisor on Oil and Gas to the PNC, Elson Low Furthermore, “We believe through proactive action on issues of legitimate confusion, we can avoid escalating disputes. Where disagreement remains, however, robust audits that are enforced is vital to ensure Guyanese get the money they deserve.” Late last year, an audit report—drafted by a local consortium Ramdihal & Haynes Inc., Eclisar Financial, and Vitality Accounting & Consultancy Inc. and bolstered by the international support of SGS and Martindale Consultants—gave a meticulous breakdown of five instances where the Stabroek Block’s financial resources were used for Kaieteur –a block Exxon walked away from as well as Canje. Audit findings Kaieteur News had reported that as a result of the five instances in which the oil companies acted in violation of the contract, auditors insisted that the Stabroek Block account be reimbursed with US$3,812,653. In the first instance, the report states that Exxon used the Stabroek Block revenues to cover a permit fee for a Kaieteur Geotechnical and Geophysical Survey. When auditors made this discovery and roasted Exxon for such a flagrant violation of international best practices, Exxon agreed that it should not have occurred. As a result, auditors asked that the US$16,039 used to cover that survey be returned to the Stabroek Block cost bank. Auditors said this was done in October 2022. In the second instance, auditors found that Exxon included its cost recovery statement for the Stabroek Block, 100% of the costs associated with an Emergency Response Study for oil spills from Guyana wells. Auditors said the Stabroek Block revenues should not have been used to cover 100 percent of this activity since the study looked at wells in the Kaieteur and Canje blocks. Auditors said Stabroek’s share should have been 50% of the cost or US$ 32,575 while Canje’s share should have been 25% or US$16,287.64 and Kaieteur’s share 25% or US$16,287. Exxon was therefore asked to return US$ 32,575 to the Stabroek Block’s account. In the third case, auditors said Exxon charged the Stabroek Block’s producing projects, 100 percent of the cost for various vehicles. The auditors contended that since the vehicles are also used to support activities related to the Kaieteur and Canje blocks, Exxon must return US$404,285 to the Stabroek Block account. In the fourth case, the auditors said Exxon charged the account of producing Stabroek Block projects, 100 percent of the renovation costs for Exxon’s Duke Street office, including upgrades, furniture, and setup costs. Auditors reasoned that Exxon operates all of its Guyana operations out of the Duke Street office, so charging 100% of the more than US$6 million of renovation costs entirely to the Stabroek Block’s account “is patently inequitable.” In the fifth case, auditors found that Exxon charged the account of producing Stabroek Block projects 100% of the costs from Environmental Resources Management, ERM Guyana, and RPS Group for various studies on the impact of oil and gas operations on fish, bird, and turtle migrations, habitats, and survival. Auditors urged Exxon to return US$1,391,902 to the Stabroek Block account. Meanwhile, the second audit report on ExxonMobil Guyana Limited’s expenses totalling US$7.3B has exposed how the company brazenly used Stabroek Block profits to pay for drill ship expenses related to two separate and distinct blocks—Kaieteur and Canje. In this case, the auditing team found that Exxon had four drill ships from Noble Corporation working during early 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic made staffing all four vessels challenging. Auditors were informed that Exxon took the decision to suspend the services of the Stena Carron drillship and the Noble Tom Madden and move them closer to shore into a “hot standby” (idle but still operational) mode until the staffing issues could be alleviated. In the case of the Stena Carron, auditors said records show Exxon had Stena on standby to execute works for Stabroek as well as Canje and Kaieteur which it walked away from this year. Records show that Exxon had the Stena Carron drill ship drill the Tanager-1 well in the Kaieteur Block beginning September 9, 2020 and ending November 23, 2020. Stena was then moved to the adjacent Canje Block where it worked on the Bulletwood-1 well which began December 31, 2020 and ended March 2, 2021. Stena was also used to drill the second well in Canje called Jabillo-1 which began on March 12, 2021 and ended March 20, 2021. Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo at one of his press conferences last October though maintaining that the company had committed illegalities by using Stabroek’s oil funds to pay for works in other blocks, had said that they will face no punishment for it. Addressing the media at his October 26, 2023 press conference, the VP said that the oil company will face consequences. When he was asked by this publication to expound on the issue, he stated that according to the contract signed with Guyana, the expenses would not be included in the cost bank for the Stabroek Block. “I maintain my position that it would be illegal and I repeat that. The audits would have revealed that now and as I said before, there will be consequences. If you did unauthorized work, you don’t go to jail according to PSA it just doesn’t form part of the cost bank,” the VP said. Fast forward to August 2024, the VP was asked by this publication to give an update on the progress so far by the government to recover the monies Exxon misused, but was met with blunt refusal by the VP to answer on the matter. Last Wednesday, he was asked by Kaieteur News to say if there were “Any developments to recover the money the auditors discovered Exxon spent in the Kaieteur and Canje oil blocks?”  Jagdeo responded: “So the last time you said that the minister doesn’t want to answer some of your questions. So he will have a press conference and all of these routine things, that are not policy-based, you can find out there.” He instead directed Kaieteur News to the oil minister who rarely responds and also dodges questions on key aspects of the sector. Related Similar Articles

Karran scores 100 not out as Cool Runningz registers ORSCA T20 win Aug 05, 2024 Sports Kaieteur Sports – Young, talented opening batsman Kyle Karran hit an attractive, unbeaten 100 to lead Cool Runningz to an exciting, 23-run triumph over 4040 WIBS in an Ontario Round-Arm Softball Cricket Association (ORSCA) Regular Season T20 competition fixture. Kyle Karran Playing last Sunday at the Hanover Public School ground in Brampton, the right-handed Karran helped his team total up a sufficient 199-6 from the allotted 20 overs. 4040 WIBS, in reply, threatened the target momentarily before they ended at 176-5 when proceedings came to a conclusion. Despite the loss of a few wickets, Karran kept his composure to hit 11 sixes and three fours from 58 balls. He and his dad the Canada-based Guyanese Muniram Karran, a veteran player in the softball circuit in Ontario, collaborated in a match-defining 156-run, third-wicket stand. Muniram is also a right-hander and he struck 9 sixes and four fours during his 44-ball 83. Ravindra Sukhu churned out an impressive bowling performance for 4040 WIBS by bagging 3-27 from his allotted four overs while Aseeb Khan was expensive having conceded 39 runs in his two overs but ably took two wickets. For 4040 WIBS, the inform and former Canadian player and Berbice-born Aftab Shamshudeen knocked a top-score of 55 while Khan proved his all-round capability by making a steady 37. Ex-Guyana youth player Kevin George once again with a promising 28 and simultaneously displayed his consistency after several scores in the 40s this season so far. Mitch Bacchus, the experienced, left-arm bowler, grabbed 3-30 from his maximum four overs to play an instrumental role in the winning combination. Kyle, the 19-year-old, was selected as the Most Valuable Player for his excellent batting effort. Kyle has gained tremendous prominence in softball cricket in the last two consecutive seasons for his consistency with the bat along with his twin-brother Kristopher. Both of them play hard-ball cricket also in the popular Toronto and District Cricket Association tournaments. They represented Ontario at the youth level in Provincial cricket competition which firmly indicated their natural batting talent. Kyle has two centuries so far in ORSCA cricket and Kristopher registered two as well. Related Similar Articles

Labour has relevance in a country’s development even when it comes to protecting democracy, rights and the rule of law Aug 05, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, The United States presidential race as it unfolds continues to present lessons for us in Guyana.  What we are witnessing is two diametrically opposed forces, where one wants to corrupt and remove the pillars of democracy, fundamental rights and freedoms that have made the society, even in its imperfection, a beacon for others to follow. One presidential candidate announced during his campaign that he would relish the opportunity to be a dictator for one day, should he win the election there would be need for another election, and is threatening to further erode women’s reproductive rights and other gains the society made through struggle.  He signalled his willingness to appoint justices to the Supreme Court that will rule in his favour and undermine fundamental principles upon which the society has been built. The other candidate is campaigning on freedom and democracy which can be peacefully achieved through protection of rights and the rule of law. She is unlike her competitor who fostered an environment of election victory denial and encouraged an insurrection on Congress, the law-making arm of government. Insurrectionists invaded Capitol Hill on 6th January 2021, calling for the hanging of Vice President Mike Pence who was not prepared to go with the illegalities of overturning the will of the people. The distinction could not be starker the choice the American people must make come November 5, of electing a woman who represents the upholding of law and order. One cannot help but ignore the comparison also made of the election being between Kamala Harris, the prosecutor versus Donald Trump, the felon given his criminal convictions. Again, there is a stark reminder of Irfaan Ali, himself facing 19 fraud charges, but these being dropped when he was elected President. Trump, on the other hand, faces many other charges, even sentencing on the recent convictions, and is utilizing various tactics to delay sentencing and the execution of justice.  He sees his election as critical to this. Guyana is a country fraught with corruption and executive lawlessness with a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) regime that has greatly succeeded in taking control over, undermining, corrupting and dismantling structures of democracy. Whether we look at the Guyana Police Force where the small man faces the brunt of the law, even as the top brass is ensnared in corrupt practices, and the connected are allowed to walk free. For GECOM and Judiciary their independence is being eroded. There is the undermining of the Opposition functioning in Parliament and parliamentary committees being disabled, no respect for financial management and accountability. The very structures to support and boost our democratic advances are being destroyed. The Opposition has been rendered helpless and ineffective. People are losing hope. The vote is being corrupted where persons are financially rewarded for voting in a particular way but must show proof by taking a photograph. The Opposition is deemed powerless, people are marginalised, and the trade union’s struggle to preserve and advance workers’ gain has become a major task. Businesses face termination and harassment if they do not support the PPP regime. Media, as the fourth estate, sees many forced to carry a government line, attack the opposition, and remain silent or skew information that would bring enlightenment to the Guyanese people. The current Leader of the Opposition has been rendered inept as many in society believe he is failing in his duties to hold the PPP accountable for their excesses and violations. He is camouflaging his ineptitude on claims of employing strategy that when his party gets into office things will be better. He is also quoted as saying he cannot govern unless he is in charge of the executive, thus, he negating the role ought to be played by the Opposition Leader as prescribed by the Constitution of Guyana. He is accepting that indeed he is not doing anything. On the issue of labour, the PPP has regard for the trade union community but only when they can manipulate labour leaders to serve their purpose. Both the Government and Opposition, in current times, have acted in ways inimical to the interest of labour with the Government seeking to undermine and fragment independent labour and present the impression that labour has no place in society. They should take a lesson from both the Republican and Democratic parties that still revere the role of labour as a social partner and importance of respecting workers’ rights in their democracy. Even Trump who has enacted policies unfavourable to labour sees the importance of labour to achieve his agenda. The Teamster Union president was seen as a valuable supporter standing on the platform of the Republican Party’s Convention. President Joe Biden, always considered pro-labour, walked the picket line with USA workers. He has committed to make his administration the most pro-labour, and in his advocacy of improving the lot and expanding the middle class stated that this can only be through union jobs. Vice President Kamala Harris, and presidential candidate, speaking a few days ago at the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) convention said, “One of the best ways to keep our nation moving forward is to give workers a voice to protect the freedom to organise, to defend the freedom to collectively bargain, to end union busting.” Labour has relevance in a country’s development even when it comes to protecting democracy, rights and the rule of law. Biden, Harris and even the disgraced Trump get it. RegardsLincoln Lewis Related Similar Articles

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