Tragedy
Two women drown at Feather Beach: Two Region Two families are mourning the deaths of two mothers who drowned last at Feather Beach in Region Two. Dead are Akeesia Tyrell, 24, of La Belle Alliance and Kawattie Lallbachan, 25, of Lot 77 Anna Regina. Tyrell, a mother of three children, who would have celebrated her birthday tomorrow, was on an outing with her family, when she went missing. Cousin of Tyrell, Meeksia Simon, said she was swimming when she realised she could no longer see her cousin. She said that she could not recall the exact time, but knew it was like two hours after they arrived at Feather Beach. “My cousin was having fun with her children and husband. I don’t know what went wrong,” Simon said. Meanwhile, Lallbachan’s brother Sunil Persaud said that his sister had been visiting with him for a few months at his Anna Regina home. Weeping, Persaud said, the mother of three was “from Wales, but she came to live with us. She separated from her child father…” Persaud said he could not believe she was no more. The women were taken to the Suddie Public Hospital where they were pronounced dead on arrival. Their bodies were later taken to the Suddie Mortuary to await post-mortem examinations.
Oil & Gas
Exxon, other oil majors set to smash profit records: ExxonMobil and other major oil and gas companies are poised to report record annual profits, raking in extraordinary revenues following a year of volatile fossil fuel prices, CNBC reported last week. Oil majors Exxon Mobil, Chevron, BP, Shell and TotalEnergies are expected to report a combined profit of US$190 billion for 2022 when their final quarterly results are released in the coming days, according to estimates from analysts collated by Refinitiv. Brimming with cash, the energy giants are expected to use their windfall profits to reward shareholders with higher dividends and share buybacks, CNBC said. U.S. President Joe Biden has previously castigated oil companies for reaping a “windfall of war,” – referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – while simultaneously refusing to help lower gas prices at the pump for American consumers. In June last year, Biden singled out ExxonMobil for making “more money than God.” ExxonMobil spokesperson Erin McGrath told CNBC higher energy prices are “largely as a result of a supply-demand imbalance” and that it is the firm’s investments over the last five years that are driving quarterly results. According to CNBC, McGrath said Exxon sees its success “as an ‘and’ equation, one in which we can produce the energy and products society needs — and — be a leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from our own operations and also those from other companies.” Spokespeople for BP and Shell did not wish to comment ahead of full-year results, while Chevron and TotalEnergies did not respond when contacted by CNBC.
In recent quarters, Big Oil executives have said the significant disruption to global energy markets as a result of the war in Ukraine has reaffirmed the importance of helping to solve “the energy trilemma.” This, according to a statement to investors from BP CEO Bernard Looney late last year, refers to “secure, affordable and lower carbon energy.” “They are profiting from the current increase in oil and gas prices, and they are betting on it. And what you see is actually increased investment in oil and gas,” Agathe Bounfour, oil campaign lead at the NGO Transport & Environment, told CNBC via telephone. “I think given that prices of oil and gas are likely to stay up, it’s important for us to reflect on the fact that these profits are going to stay high at the same time as many households are struggling with energy prices,” Bounfour told CNBC.
Ali defends fossil fuels investment: Highlighting the challenges Caribbean nations face due to reliance on imported energy and high fuel prices, President Irfaan Ali yesterday said close to US$11 billion is required to achieve fundamental targets for energy security in the region. Ali made a case for investment in the energy sector as he addressed the opening of the Trinidad and Tobago Energy Conference last Monday at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain. The President stated that the region’s reliance on fossil fuels and natural gas has a long future ahead as he pointed out that despite ambitious green energy goals by Caribbean nations, only 11.5% renewable energy has been achieved. “It’s not a big scientific analysis that is required. It is based on what is before us. So, the conversation is, how do we take this reality in the context of building a global system and world that moves towards Net Zero? How do we do it? How do we use our revenue to build such a system? How do we reduce our carbon footprint? How do we catalyze the revenue to open up new sectors, greener technology to ensure the viability of our countries and the viability of the people in our countries is also secured whilst we go on the green pathway?” the president questioned as he made the case for investment in the energy sector. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has strongly warned against new investments in fossil fuels. Ali was, however, quick to point out that his argument for energy security through gas exploration must not be taken as a stand against renewable energy infrastructure. “…Let me be very clear, this is not an argument against renewable energy. We must pursue every opportunity of renewable energy and we have tremendous opportunity,” Ali said. While delivering the featured remarks, the Guyanese President reinforced his call for countries with natural gas potential to be allowed to conduct exploration. This move is necessary he pointed out as it will result in energy security for not just a single country but a region. Due to climate change commitments, financing from developed nations and international financial institutions has been tough to secure.
President sidesteps questions about citizens’ share of oil wealth at outreach: After facing questions about Guyana’s oil wealth and the amount given to its people so far, President Irfaan Ali recently shut down a Yarrowkabra woman’s line of questioning and instead, opted to dwell on the improvements his government has ushered in throughout its years in office. The exchange took place during a visit by the President and a few other Ministers to several communities along the Soesdyke\Linden Highway to hear and address the concerns of residents. During the outreach, various questions were raised with the majority of them being discussed, followed by commitments to fix those problems, where possible. However, when a Yarrowkabra woman questioned the President on the oil sector by asking, “…we have oil as a people, billions of dollars’ worth of oil, we get twenty five thousand dollars now, so I just asking why is it that we cannot get better from our government in terms of whatever the payout will be…?”, she was immediately interrupted by him and was told “Don’t listen to the narrative that has no basis and facts, listen to the truth.” He then began to compare the previous coalition government to his and pointed out the numerous achievements and initiatives that his government has implemented in order to better the lives of citizens, while also noting that they have not yet started to receive the major income from the oil sector. “No but I have to give you context,” the visibly irritated President contended, “you don’t come with bluff to me, you have to get context…the last government took away the grant that the school children had, we brought back that grant…we increased old age pension continuously, the last government added VAT on electricity and water, we took out the VAT on electricity and water, that is how we are giving you back, all the increases worldwide on fuel… we removed the taxes so that burden is not passed onto the people, school supplies, test book, the medical centres… we have increased salaries for nurses for the public servants, so we have increased old age pension… that is what is going to make your life better”, he said. He further lectured to the woman who was surrounded by other persons from the village, “And you see this thing about billions of dollar coming from oil that is not true… the major revenue from the oil sector is not coming in as yet… the revenue that is coming in from oil and gas is going into a special account, when that money comes in now it goes through the budgetary process… now the resources that is going into financing the budget that comes out of this fund, that is going to go through the parliamentary process of approval… so we are invested in making your life better…”
Investment
Amaya Milk Company to begin paneer production next week: Dredging along the Pomeroon River should be completed in a month’s time as work on the last two miles is now underway, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gaico Construction and General Services Inc Komal Singh said. “We are in the final two miles, that is where we are working on right now. It will take us way into the Atlantic Ocean. [All work should be completed by the] end of February,” he said. Singh, in a recent interview with this publication, related that the work took longer than expected due to heavy siltation at the mouth of the river. He explained that Gaico had to restructure its work plan after recognising that the dredge to be used was unable to execute work due to the siltation. The company resorted to using long-boom excavators to clear a passageway. Singh explained that the siltation combined with coconut shells that had been dumped in the river and years of no dredging activity resulted in a solidified surface. “You could have walked and the water [would have been] up to your knees… When we thought we could have carried in a big dredge it wasn’t going…,” he explained. Previously, he had said, “We cannot take the hopper there because of the depth. The pontoon which the excavator is on, is floating 2 to 3 feet underwater. We cannot use the hopper there because it is bigger and heavier.” The dredging exercise will allow the river mouth to be open to a depth of three metres. In some parts of the river mouth, the depth is currently between zero and one metre. Other parts of the river, the depth is between 5 and 6 metres. With a track now in place, Singh explained, larger vessels can return to utilising the river, which will result in the channel widening. The project was expected to be completed in August, but Singh explained that the delay resulted from having to use excavators and continuous pauses in the operation to execute maintenance work. The periodic maintenance lasted approximately 2-3 days.
Amaya Milk Company to begin paneer production next week: The $150 million Amaya milk plant in Region Five is set to begin making paneer next week, even as it awaits the end of February importation of its main pasteurizing plant for milk bottling production to commence, founder Omkaar Sharma says. “All major construction at the plant is completed, but the main pasteurizer plant is not scheduled to get here until the end of February. So we will be making paneer in the interim… as a secondary product,” Sharma told Stabroek News last Sunday, as he provided an update on the project. “… We have talked to one of the farmers to next week start supplying milk for a soft start and that process will begin,” he added. He said that the milk collected next week will assist in the company “doing a test run for everything” pertaining to processing before pas-teurization and relating to making the paneer. Paneer, a fresh acid-set cheese, is common in Indian cuisine especially here in Guyana. It is made from full-fat cow’s milk. The Amaya Milk Company CEO said that after next week’s testing and processing, the company hopes that by 2nd February the product will be on shelves throughout the country. And when the main pasteurizing plant equipment is cleared and set up, the company plans to hold an official launch for both products. In April of 2021, Sharma had told this newspaper of plans to establish a milk plant here, as he saw the need not only in Guyana, but throughout the region.
Sheriff Group to build hospital at Palmyra: The Sheriff Group of Companies will soon commence construction of a Specialty Hospital at Palmyra, Region Six – an investment which after completion will open up 400 jobs to Berbicians. Ameir Ahmad, one of the directors of the company, recently told this newspaper that they have acquired some 15 acres of land at the Palmyra location which is currently being surveyed as construction is expected to begin sometime next month. This is the latest investment by the group. A general hospital at Leonora on the West Coast of Demerara is nearing completion and preparatory works have already begun for a major facility at Houston on the East Bank Demerara. Ahmad said the specialty hospital will be a three-storey structure with a total of 150 rooms –which is expected to drastically improve the delivery of health care in the Berbice area. Accommodation for doctors and certain sections of staff will also be built at the location. According to him, the infrastructure itself is expected to cost the company around $5b, while the equipment is estimated to cost between $10 – $15b. According to Ahmad, they are pushing to have the hospital completed in about a year and a half, and once that is done employment will be offered to some 400 persons. He explained that they are looking to hire doctors and nurses as well as management and maintenance staff from the Berbice area in keeping with President Irfaan Ali’s vision to develop the area and offer employment to locals. In October, 2022, President Ali had detailed the massive development slated for Palmyra, on the East Berbice which includes the building of a new International Cricket Council-standard stadium. At that time, he had said that they had already approved private sector investment for a new state-of-the-art mall, a new hotel, a recreational centre, a hospital, a centre for persons with disabilities and a call centre.
Crime
Belfield woman, 47, murdered: Police are investigating the murder of Nazaleen Mohammed, a 47-year-old housewife of Belfield Squatting Area, East Coast Demerara. The killing occurred on January 23rd between 7 am and 3 pm at Hope Low-lands Railway Embankment, ECD. A man she previously shared a relationship with is the prime suspect. The police say that enquiries disclosed that the woman was living with her daughter and reputed husband, who is presently at sea on a fishing boat. At about 7 am on the day of the incident, she was last seen alive by a neighbour as she was leaving her home and heading toward her brother’s residence at Hope Lowlands. At about 8.05 am, the victim’s son received a call from his mother’s cell phone, where he heard a male voice whom he identified as the suspect who had previously shared a relationship with Mohammed. At the time, he also heard his mother’s voice, shouting for her phone. Shortly after, the call ended. At around 3 pm on the said day, the neighbour who had seen her leave but not return, left in search of her. While walking along Hope Lowlands Railway Embankment, the neighbour saw the motionless body of Mohammed in a canal with wounds about her abdomen. The police were summoned, and the body was found floating in the canal, facing upward, with wounds to her head, ear, neck and abdomen. The scene was processed and photographed. The body was escorted to a funeral home for a Post Mortem Examination. Several persons were questioned in the area, and the police say that “certain information” was received. Investigations are ongoing.