Guyana Chronicle E-paper 3-8-2020

8th March, 2020

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‘All eyes on CJ’ No.105933

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Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire

…Chief Justice to rule today on court’s jurisdiction to hear ongoing elections matters

…GECOM's lawyer says challenge to declaration of results by opposition must come by way of elections petition Ramjattan: Precedence in elections related matter already set

“I thought I was going to die”

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Sergeant Punit Ibaran suffered injuries to several parts of his body

Bath Settlement gang beats youths, torches motor cycle

-says Police Sergeant who was brutally beaten and chopped by PPP protesters

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Final report of elections prepared …chief elections officer writes chair for meeting before declaration

Belongings left behind by police officers as they sought cover

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 8, 2020

‘All eyes on CJ’

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 8, 2020

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…Chief Justice to rule today on court’s jurisdiction to hear ongoing election matters

…GECOM's lawyer says challenge to declaration of results by opposition must come by way of elections petition

By Svetlana Marshall Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire, will, today, rule whether the High Court has jurisdiction to hear an application intended to block the declaration of the results for the 2020 General and Regional Elections until the Region Four votes are completely verified.

Justice George-Wiltshire made the announcement on Saturday after hearing preliminary arguments in the case which was brought by People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), through a private citizen Reeaz Holladar. Earlier the party had secured an injunction to block the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from declaring the results for last Monday’s General and Regional Elections on the grounds that the votes declared for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) were not completely verified.

The case was brought against the Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo; the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield; and the Guyana Elections Commission.

Holladar, who is also being represented by Anil Nandlall, is seeking a number of remedies including an order from the High Court that the declaration of the Region Four votes by the Returning Officer is in breach of the provisions of the Representation of the People’s Act and as such it is unconstitutional; and a declaration that GECOM cannot legally or constitutionally declare the results of the General and Regional Elections unless and until the Returning Officer or the Deputy Returning Officer for Region Four, complies with the process set out in Section 84 of the Representation of the People’s Act. On Saturday, after a more than two-hour-long adjournment to allow for the filing of additional affidavits, the court case recommenced at 13:30hrs before Justice George-Wiltshire, under heightened security, with ranks of the Guyana Police Force stationed at strategic locations around the High Court in downtown Georgetown.

Engaging in a legal battle of words, Senior Counsel Neil Boston – the attorney repre-

senting GECOM, the Chief Elections Officer and the Region Four Returning Officer – argued that the High Court has no jurisdiction to hear the application which seeks to block the declaration of the

Constitution and the National Assembly Validity Elections Act. According to Article 163 (1) of the Constitution, the High Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction to determine

the General and Regional Elections results, Boston drew to the court’s attention the fact that the Elections Commission to date has not declared the results for the General and Regional Elections.

In support of his arguments, the Senior Counsel referenced the case of N. P Punaswammy vs the Returning Officer in the state of Madras in 1952 and V. Sreekumar vs The Chief Electoral

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire

GECOM’s Attorney, Senior Counsel Neil Boston, speaking with journalists on his position put before the court.

Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall and Trinidad’s Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes proceeding to the courtroom on Saturday to make their case

Members of the International Electoral Observation Missions at the High Court

results for the General and Regional Elections. Such a declaration has not been made but Trinidad’s Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes, who is among attorneys representing Holladar, argued that the court has jurisdiction to hear the case, emphasising that it is a matter of procedure and not the result. “That question can only be cited by an election petition, that is an election court and Justice Navindra Singh’s Court nor Madame Chief Justice’s Court is not an election court so they do not have jurisdiction to deal with it,” Boston submitted to the High Court.

In defending GECOM’s position, Boston argued that the application should have been brought before the High Court by way of an Election Petition within 28 days of the declaration of the overall results of the General and Regional Elections in keeping with Article 163 (1) of

any question regarding the qualification of any person to be elected as a member of the National Assembly. Article 163 (1) (b) also grants the High Court exclusive jurisdiction to determine whether “(i) either generally or in any particular place, an election has been lawfully conducted or the result thereof has been or may have been, affected by any unlawful act or omission.”

The Senior Counsel submitted to Justice George-Wiltshire that the issues brought before the High Court fall “squarely” within Article 163 (1)(B)(i). An Election Petition, he stated, is mandated

by Section 3 of the National Assembly Validity Elections Act. But while the National Assembly Validity Elections Act provides for an Election Petition to be brought before the High Court within 28 days of the official declaration of

He argued that Holladar by questioning the process through which the results for Region 4 were arrived made the case, elections in nature, and as such should have awaited the official declaration before moving to the High Court. The Senior Counsel told the court that the Constitution and Elections Laws only envisage a one-stage process and not a two-stage process.

Holladar has argued that the process of verifying the Statements of Poll in the presence of party agents and observers were never completed, and as such the purported declaration of the votes by the Returning Officer is unlawful and of no effect. “[He is alleging] that the result for Georgetown which has been declared is affected by an unlawful act or omission and that falls within the teeth of the 163 (1) (B),” the Senior Counsel submitted to the Court.

Officer on 24 March 2009 in Kerala, with similar grounds.

Among the local cases referred to was Gladys Petrie and others vs the Attorney General and others in 1968 and most recently the case involving recalled Member of Parliament Charrandass Persaud whose seat in the National Assembly became the subject of a court matter on the grounds that he had breached the Constitution having sat in the Parliament as a Dual Citizen.

ELECTIONS PETITION Meanwhile, Mendes, in his oral submissions, told the Court that the questions raised in Holladar’s application do not fall within Article 163 (1) of Constitution nor the National Assembly Validity Elections Act, and as such an election petition is not required.

“We respectfully submit that the questions raised do not fall within that class; the

questions raised do not challenge the results of the elections because the results of the elections are not yet known; the questions raised do not challenge the election itself.

What these proceedings seek to do is to progress the elections, to facilitate the elections in accordance with the law, irrespective of what the result might be,” Mendes submitted to the High Court.

He said his client’s application surrounds the electoral procedure to be followed and not the result of the General and Regional Elections. In making his case, the Trinidadian Senior Counsel referenced to Representation of the People Act, Section 83, sub section (9) (a). According to Section 83(1), “The presiding officer, as soon as practicable after the closing of the poll, in the presence of such of the persons entitled under section 79 (1) (b) to be present.

Further to that, subsection 9, states “After the completion of the counting, the presiding officer shall complete the ballot paper account and tendered ballot paper account in Form 23, the Statement of Poll in Form 23 A, and prepare and certify a sufficient number of copies of the same for distribution as follows (a) to the returning officer; (b) to the assistant presiding officer; (c) to such of the duly appointed candidates or the polling agents as are present; (d) to the Chief Election Officer.”

Added to that, he said there is evidence that the process employed by the Returning Officer in tabulating 458 Statements of Poll (a percentage of the more than 800 SOPs) was flawed. “The process was not followed and it appears that the declaration was made under 84 (1) despite the fact that process was not followed. And what the applicant is asking this court to do; is direct that that process be followed. It is as simple as that,” Mendes said. The preliminary arguments in the case were heard in the presence of a number of International Observers including those from the Commonwealth, Carter Center, Organisation of American States and European Union Electoral Observation Missions.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 8, 2020

Min. Broomes visits school children hit during Bath protests MINISTER within the Ministry of the Presidency with responsibility for youth affairs, Simona Broomes, on Saturday, visited the four school children and two police officers who were injured on Friday, following protests at Bath Settlement West Coast Berbice.

The Minister of Youth Affairs stopped at several homes along the West Coast of Berbice where the children and their parents reside. Among them was 14-year-old, Orissa Noble. Noble was among several students returning from school on a David ‘G’ School bus plying the route along the West Coast Berbice Public Road when disgruntled protestors threw glass bottles and other objects at the bus.

The Fort Wellington Secondary School student told the minister she never expected the bus to come under attack and was traumatised. “I don’t want to remember what happened yesterday,” Orissa said.

Moriah Jaque, another student in the bus, remembered hiding under the seat and fainting. “We are innocent. No child in Guyana should go through this,” she shakenly recalled. Reon Mobb also of Fort Wellington Secondary School suffered a gash to his head after a glass or glass bottle, he believed, struck his head. By the time he sought to secure himself, he realised he was already bleeding.

He recounted, “I looked at my colleagues running

Sunday, March 08, 04:00hrs - 05:30hrs

Orissa Noble shows Minister Broomes a minor injury she suffered

Minister Broomes interacts with Reon Mobb who suffered a severe head injury under the seat to hide. If they did not get under the seat to hide, so many things would have happened.” Christopher Srikishun of Blairmont, Jaguar Philander of Ithaca Village and Beyoncé Noble of Belladrum were also students on board who received visits from Minister Broomes. After visiting homes of the children, the minister noted that the actions of the protesters have been condemned. “You have children ... why would you attack a bus carrying children?

They should be ashamed,” she said Sergeant Punit Nauth Ibaran of the Blairmont Police Station was one of the officers injured when the ranks attempted to quell the protests. He was visited by the minister at the New Amsterdam Regional Hospital where he is currently recovering. Ibaran said he was doing his job which is to provide service and protection. Instead, he was met with a slew of insults and was then attacked, “I am a police officer to serve and protect. But they felt that I am against them,” he said.

Region Five Commander, Yonnett Stephen, who accompanied the minister granted Sergeant Ibaran’s request to be transferred.

Also visited by Minister Broomes was Tissie Wallerson, a Riot Unit officer on Number 30 village, West Coast Berbice. Wallerson is recovering from a severe injury to her foot after trying to flee the crowd.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 8, 2020

Ramjattan: Precedence in elections related matter already set

WEIGHING in on the elections related case currently before the High Court, Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan said precedence was set in 2006 when AFC was advised by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to file an Election Petition after it had raised concerns over the tabulation of the votes in Region 10, which resulted in the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) receiving a geographic seat that should have gone to the alliance.

It was AFC Walter Melville, who had filed the Election Petition shortly after the 2006 General and Regional Elections.

AFC had argued that it had won more votes than the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in Region 10, and as such, it should have gotten one of the two geographic seats in that District.

In an interview with Guyana Chronicle on Sun-

day, Ramjattan who is also the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Prime Ministerial Candidate, explained that after the Returning Officer declared the votes for Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), the AFC detected an error in the tabulation which short changed it of a geographic seat.

Ramjattan, who was the Leader of the AFC at the time, along with David Patterson and Shiela Holder approached the then Chief Elections Officer, Gocool Boodhoo for a recount before the declaration of the national results but was told that the RO’s declaration was final.

“He then as CEO declared the national results, computed on that basis a seat for the PPP instead, and PM Sam Hinds sat on it. AFC then filed an elections petition which was heard some 5 years after,” Ramjattan recalled.

Today, Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire

will determine whether the High Court has jurisdiction to hear an electoral related case even as the elections process remains active. The case stemmed from an allegation by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) the Returning Officer for Region Four Clairmont Mingo failed to complete the verification process before making a declaration on the votes in the District.

A private citizen is asking the country to block the declaration of the National Results unless and until the verification process is completed in full view of the party agents and observers.

When asked about the decision in making, Ramjattan indicated that “administrative bodies, whether they be constitutional or statutory, must be consistent in their decisions, even if they are headed by different persons. You cannot have when the circumstances are square on exact, a dif-

ferent result for AFC in 2006 and now for another party. That is capricious and arbitrary. It was the PPP which had stoutly gone along with the elections petition route then.

Their Prime Minister Candidate, S Hinds, benefitted then.”

It is likely that whether or not the declarations sought is granted, either side would move to appeal the decision. “Indeed you cannot deny that right. So if the Applicant loses he may want to go right up to the CCJ. Similarly, the CEO and GECOM can do the same. That is an unsavoury situation. What happens to the country in the meantime? It is for this reason I took the approach in 2006 when I decided to act on the presumption of regularity of the RO’s results, and proceeded with the Elections petition.”

Like GECOM, he believes that the Election Petition should be filed after the declaration of the results, in accordance with the

COVID-19 risk raised to very high (TRINIDAD GUARDIAN) The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) yesterday raised the region’s COVID-19 risk level from moderate to high to very high.

In its 19th situational report, the agency cited recent reports of COVID-9 cases in at least three countries in the French West Indies sub-region, including one country sharing land borders with a CARPHA member state.

It also cited “sustained transmission of disease in countries with direct flights into the Caribbean Region.” CAPHA said another factor was “multiple countries outside the epicentre of the outbreak reporting secondary cases linked to imported cases, including an increasing number of countries reporting confirmed cases; and significantly more new cases reported from countries outside of China than from within

China.”

At a news conference yesterday, Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) director Dr Carissa Etienne said the region is likely to have several cases of COVID-19 but it is important not to overreact to any cases. “The likelihood is that we would have a mosaic of COVID-19 situations occurring throughout the region at any one time,” she said.

Dr Etienne said three specific situations that could arise are where there is no transmission even when surveillance is adequate; there are outbreaks in closed environments such as nursing homes, prisons, boarding schools, etc; or there is widespread community transmission.” In these instances, not only is it important to contain and isolate cases but also to “avoid overreacting.”

She said next week PAHO

Dr Carissa Etienne teams will visit countries in the region with weaker health systems to provide support.

Constitution and Elections Laws if there is a concern over the result. “Its lawful conduct can only be questioned by petition, never injunctions,” the AFC Leader emphasized.

Ramjattan, who listened to the live recording of arguments put forward in the elections case before Justice George-Wiltshire, said he was impressed with the submissions from both Senior Counsel Neil Boston and Douglas Mendes, but maintained that an election petition must be filed after the declaration of the results of the elections during a 28 day period.

“You know I miss the Courts badly. But I should tell you I know both Counsel. Douglas Mendes and me were at Cave Hill Campus and Law School together in 1980s. Good friends. Use to tell me I read too much Marxism.

Boston too although he was a year ahead with Carl and Basil. I thought they argued their cases very well indeed. Like

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan

true pros. They will make law here,” he said.

Like the rest of Guyana and the world at large, the AFC Leader is anxiously awaiting the Chief Justice’s ruling in the matter brought before the court by a private citizen on behalf of the PPP/C.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 8, 2020

The campaign of discord and hate must stop IT’s now six days since the Guyanese people cast their votes to determine who would govern the country over the next five years. Since then we have had an abject lesson on how to frustrate the will of the people. As it became obvious that the coalition would be returned to power, the PPP in consort with its allies in the media and civil society went into top gear to prevent President David Granger and his coalition from taking office.

It is noteworthy how sections of the local media and other supposedly non-partisan organisations have turned a blind eye to the naked bullying, threat of extreme violence and actual acts of violence by the PPP. Yet these very agencies have joined the PPP in a blatant attack on the person of the president and the office itself.

One of our sister newspapers went overboard in that regard. In a front-page comment in its Friday, March 6 edition, it proclaimed the PPP’s narrative of rigged elections and used the occasion to personalise the attacks on the President. He was accused of having no respect for the law

and of standing to benefit from the so-called fraudulent election. Here is part of that nasty front page comment: “Throughout his tenure in office, President Granger has presented himself as beyond reproach while flagrantly breaching the constitution of the Republic of Guyana in a selfish bid to remain in power to empower him and his constituency.”

That quotation tells the story of a brazen campaign aimed at inciting public resentment of the president with the distinct intention of delegitimising his entire tenure in office. This publication has on more than one occasion had to correct that narrative and put in perspective the unblemished record of the president and his government as far as the rule of law and the constitution is concerned. The record speaks for itself, but these destructive forces are bent on fanning the flames of discord and division that could only lead to mindless violence.

That front page comment completely ignores the fact that PPP gunmen invaded the GECOM building and that the PPP has done everything in its power to take over the GECOM operations. They call for

verification while ignoring the fact that the SOPs which the PPP is holding up as the instruments of accuracy are riddled with inaccuracies. They ignore the fact that the actions of the PPP are aimed at intimidating an entire country and put us on a path of dangerous collision.

In fact, on the very day of that newspaper comment, there were several protests across the country with the outcome in some instances crossing the line that demarcates peaceful protest from intentional violent excursions. Police officers were physically attacked, innocent citizens were abused, and similarly attacked and public property was destroyed. Public protest is a constitutional right that must be preserved, but when it is used to further narrow partisan ends, it loses its legitimacy. The ethnic insults and hatred that emanated from some of those protests shake the very foundation of our multi-racial society.

It is not out of place to make the linkage between the rhetoric of the PPP and those emanating from some media houses, such as the one cited above and the kind of public

performances we saw in some communities.

We are being very careful not to condemn the communities as it is reasonable to understand how many citizens have been duped into believing the rhetoric that is being fed to them. The manipulation of the emotions of our citizens has long been a tool in the hands of gutless politicians.

Elections have always been times of stress and strife for our nation. We are yet to find a way to compete in harmony.

Perhaps there is too much at stake. But that by itself cannot excuse the venom and hate that are planted in the consciousness of the Guyanese people. Those who traffic in that kind of politics do not deserve to occupy the seat of government. Further, those media outfits which act as cheerleaders for those backward forces are letting down the profession and betraying the public trust in them as upstanding umpires. Perhaps it is asking too much, but it must be asked. Can we tone down the campaign of discord and hate?

GECOM didn’t deny credible, transparent process-- it was interrupted in completing same Dear Editor EVIDENTLY, GECOM did not seek to deny a credible and transparent process. It was violently interrupted in its effort to complete same. Guyana is a country governed by laws which empower GECOM to conduct electoral proceedings without interference by internal and /or external forces (invited or uninvited) disrupting the smooth flow and conclusion of this process.

The Laws of Guyana, Representation of the People Act (Cap 1:03), Section 84 (1) ‘Counting of votes polled’ expressly states: “As soon as practicable after the receipt of all ballot boxes and the

envelopes and packets delivered to him in presence of section 83(10), the Returning Officer shall, in the presence of such persons entailed under section 86(1) to be present as attend, ascertain the total votes cast in favour of each list in the district by adding up the votes recorded in favour of the list in accordance with the Statements of Poll, and thereupon publicly declare the votes recorded for each list of candidates.”

86(1) ‘Attendance at count’ expressly states, “No person shall be present at the counting of the votes except(a) The returning officer and such other election officers as he may appoint to assist him in the counting;

(b) members of the Commission; (c) duly appointed candidates; (d) counting agents; (e) such other person as, in the opinion of the returning officer, have [sic] good reason to be present.”

Claims by members of the opposition that they want Statements of Poll (SoP) to be counted in their presence at the national tabulation process is not in keeping with the extant Act which has been in effect under the PPP government since 25th September 1964 and has had amendments over the years. They are asking the Returning Officer (RO) to do what the Act has not asked of him and are seemingly sup-

ported by an international observer group whom they have been able to convince that they have a just claim of attempts by GECOM to thwart the will of the people.

What has transpired over the past days with an invasion of GECOM, acts of violence, physical attack on law enforcement, damage to property, a most heinous assault on school buses transporting young children to and from schools, and followed by erroneous statements made by sections of the international observer group is cause for serious concern and deserving of widespread condemnation.

When combined, these behaviours (responses and non-responses) overshadow the goodwill

expected from the international community to not only be impartial and professional, but not to be suckered in by misinformation peddled by some disinterested in upholding the law as its stands. The result of this is a vengeful effort to sway public opinion to undermine the credibility of GECOM, sow public terror and confusion to effectively derail the process from reaching a credible conclusion and announcement of which party will form the next government of Guyana.

It is clear that an attack has been unleashed on our democratic process and our national sovereignty is being compromised by foreigners TURN TO PAGE

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 8, 2020

District Three General and Regional Elections results not verified and declared by examining SOPs DEAR EDITOR, MANY persons, including the international community, are saying that the respective Returning Officers of the electoral districts, except District Four, had verified their declared results by comparing their Statements of Poll with the copies of the respective political parties’ Statements of Poll. I wish to say categorically that this is untrue.

I am a candidate for the APNU+AFC political movement and was deeply involved in the election process. I wish to state exactly what occurred as it relates to the declaration of District Three General and Regional elections results.

To begin with, at approximately 02:00hrs, Tuesday, March 3, myself along with three other candidates from the APNU+AFC went to the Pouderoyen tarmac on the West Bank of Demerara where we examined and verified ballot boxes in the presence of GECOM staff and PPP/C representatives. At the end of that exercise, the container was locked with padlocks from GECOM, PPP/C and the APNU+AFC. We then proceeded to the office of the Returning Officer which is located at Novelle Flanders on the West Coast of Demerara next to the recently constructed stateof-the-art Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission Region Three Office.

Upon our arrival, the PPP/C representatives were already seated and so too were the observers (local and international). A lady whom I don’t know assembled a table with three chairs and said only three of us are allowed to sit there. My fourth comrade sat with the observers. The Returning Officer after about 20 minutes or so said that he is ready to start the announcement

of results and subsequent declaration.

I vividly remember him saying ‘announcement’ and not ‘verification.’ He then started to call out numbers for the respective ballot boxes. My colleagues and I then noticed that on the walls of the office was a blown-up spreadsheet and we assumed it was for recording the numbers he was calling, so Mr. John Adams who was sitting with me interjected while he was calling and requested a miniature of the spreadsheet that was mounted on the wall. The Returning Officer stopped calling numbers and proceeded to print the spreadsheet. At this point the PPP/C reps also requested same. It took the Returning Officer about 15 minutes to get the spreadsheet.

His excuse was that the printer was slow. The observers were not in receipt of the spreadsheet. They only enjoyed the luxury of listening to the voice of the Returning Officer. The Returning Officer recommenced calling numbers for ballot boxes from the beginning and I started to record the numbers on the spreadsheet.

At the end of this process, the Returning Officer made his declaration without the APNU+AFC verifying those numbers with their copy of the Statements of Poll. I highly doubt the PPP/C had the chance of verifying the results, but I guess they accepted it on the basis that the tabulated numbers favoured them. His declaration was ANUG 310 votes, APNU+AFC 23 811 votes, CG 318 votes, PPP/C 47 855 votes, TCI 80 votes, TNM 56 votes and URP 43 votes.

He further said that the number of valid votes for all parties lists of candidates was 72 608, number of spoilt ballot papers 125, number of destroyed ballot papers nine and total number of tendered ballots five. He called out some other

numbers.

Editor, I have chronicled this to make the point that District Three General and Regional Elections results were never verified and declared by examining the Statements of Poll by Statements of Poll. It was only the Returning Officer who was calling numbers and the party candidates/agents were recording on a spreadsheet. It is a figment of one’s imagination to say otherwise and I find it strange that our friends from the international community have not yet said anything, given that the perception is out there that all other regions declared their results by examining SOPs by SOPs. May I add that I made contact with my Region Two colleague and he said to me that the very way the declaration was done in Region Three is the way it was done in his region.

Notwithstanding the already declared results, we from the APNU+AFC side went back to our operation centre and cross-examined the numbers called out by the Returning Officer with those on our SOPs. We recognised discrepancies and began the process of requesting a recount which is catered for. I am guided that our request was denied and I cannot assume why.

Editor, I must say that the Returning Officer maintained that only three political persons per side were allowed to sit at the respective tables, not 25. I trust that persons will now understand that not all the districts did it the way they are saying it was done.

Yours faithfully, Ganesh Mahipaul APNU+AFC candidate

Guyana’s democracy and sovereignty under threat by domestic extremists and foreign enablers

Dear Editor

THE events that have unfolded over the past four days at GECOM is nothing short of an assault on Guyana’s democracy and sovereignty. It is tantamount to treason that the People’s Progressive Party’s presidential candidate, general-secretary and accompanied by men with guns barged into GECOM in the wee hours of the morning. On March 4, 2020, at approximately 2:30am, the presidential candidate of the PPP, accompanied by several representatives on the party’s list of candidates and men with guns, descended on the GECOM Command Centre on Hadfield Street and Avenue of the Republic.

Following this, during the afternoon hours of March 5th, 2020, representatives and candidates of the PPP again accompanied by men with guns barged into the GECOM Command Centre while the results for Region Four were being counted. There are pictures and video evidence showing exactly what transpired. On both occasions GECOM staff and leadership were threatened with violence. In the case of the early-morning assault on the Command Centre, an official involved in the counting of votes for Region Four was threatened. Added to this, GECOM’s Chairperson was also threatened and falsely imprisoned in her office on the afternoon of March 5, 2020.

Undoubtedly, these attacks are by design and orchestrated in no short measure by Mercury Public Affairs, the same company that Donald Trump used to suppress and influence the votes of minority groups in the USA, in particular African Americans, and to undermine the integrity of the electoral process there as well; recall the Russian meddling in the 2016 elections in the USA. The U.S. State Department noted that the Russian Government interfered in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election with the goal of harming the campaign of Hillary Clinton, boosting the candidacy of Donald Trump and increasing political and social discord in the United States. There are several illegalities that took place on March 4 and 5, 2020. These are but a few that have been noted. Never in the history of Guyana have we seen a political party descend to such depravity and criminality against the State. I do hope the international community, CARICOM, as well the component authorities are paying keen attention.

Regards R. Chung-A-On

GECOM didn’t deny credible, transparent ... seeking to dictate our responses outside of the law even as attempts are made to confuse the electoral process for public consumption. This is a serious violation of our sovereignty supported by persons Guyana has invited here to observe and freely comment on the process at completion, not rewrite our law as part of the process. Any concern could be noted in the report as recommendation(s) to be best addressed through legal amendments of the Act for future elections.

The intent to disrupt became evident after the opposition condemned the spreadsheet tabulation of SoPs for Region Four, citing transcription irregularities. To ensure credibility GECOM CEO Keith Lowenfield suggested an administrative mechanism where all can bring their statements and do the verification, and “If, at the end of the day, that doesn’t work, the CEO will be involved with his statement to have a resolution to the issue” (Demerara Waves, March 4, 2020- GECOM resolves vote padding concerns, resume verification on Region Four).

The suggested corrective administrative process (i.e. counting of the SoPs) was however not allowed to be implemented because an environment which was volatile deteriorated to the extent that GECOM could no longer continue the process of verification. It was in this environment the RO declared preliminary results consistent with Section 84(1) as per “votes recorded for each list of candidates.”

The international community was present to observe but later failed to pronounce on the disruption as a threat to GECOM and the democratic process.

Specific international observers and others, fully armed with opposition ‘facts,’ chose to publicly pronounce on what GECOM’s/ Guyana Government’s next move ought to be whilst remaining silent on the opposition’s behaviour which sought to stymie the process through intimidation and disruptions. That the pronouncements made by these observers was used to further the opposition’s agenda has not gone unnoticed by Guyanese seeking clear and credible results of their

voting efforts.

All sections of Guyana, all groups are entitled to have this process conducted by GECOM and GECOM only without interference. Any dissatisfied party has the means of peaceful resolution using the judicial system which allows any and all parties to seek recourse to the highest Caribbean Court of Appeal.

Notably, the government has also requested a recount of Region Three votes which that RO admitted denying, saying that the request did not come from the counting agent, a charge denied by the government (Guyana Chronicle, March 7, 2020 'RO denies coalition's request for recount on Region Three') Those who seek to derail this process through public opinion must know that democracy is not merely about the right to freedom of speech, but also the responsibility of speech; the right of all, that includes GECOM to carry out duties unhindered, and the right of all to due process in a court of law. The

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process must be continued, consistent with the extant Act, regardless of who likes the law or not and let the chips fall where they may.

We are witnessing the effect of a misinformation campaign on the nation’s political fabric. The international community must seek not to further reward such disruption but must instead encourage peaceful resolution guided by the Laws of Guyana. The regional and international law-abiding communities are being called on to stand with Guyana at this point in time when our democracy is under threat and our sovereignty at risk as GECOM seeks to operate within the confines of the Representation of the People Act. No more and no less is requested of you.

Lincoln Lewis General-Secretary Guyana Trades Union Congress

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 8, 2020

THE SIEGE OF GECOM:

THE ASSAULT ON DEMOCRACY

LEST we forget, the nation is being subjected to the wrath of arguably the most dangerous and venomous politico-mafia to have ever assembled within the confines of this polity. When Bharrat Jagdeo emerged as President of the Republic in 1997, he skillfully and diabolically used the Presidency to create a La Cosa nostra that spawn civil society, the business class, political parties and the streets. Those affiliated became filthy rich at the expense of the poor. It was a system where those who were in the clique, enjoyed a bonanza. The term limits kicked in, it continued through a proxy and it came to an end in

2015. Ever since there was a determination to ensure that there will be a return to the good old days at any cost. The no-confidence motion plan was hatched and failed. The 2020 elections provided another opportunity. It was decided that power must come at all costs via these elections.

THE PLAN It began with the creation of numerous inorganic political movements and civil society organizations. These were created to serve as satellites and to give the appearance of a national movement months before the mother of elections. Some members of the business class were stra-

tegically placed at the helm of some key organizations.

Once the elections season began, they applied for accreditation to be observers.

Their feet were in the door and well ready for the mission at hand. It was decided that once the elections internal counts were in and they were not over the line, there would be hell to bear. It started at the GECOM office and spilled into the streets. It was all planned. A mad grab for power at the expense of the country.

Verification Process The question is being asked: if the coalition won the elections, why was the verification process suspended. The siege of GECOM produced an

These double standards speak volumes Dear Editor, THE recent organised protest activities by the opposition PPP/C and its supporters, with its lawful and unlawful methods, have not received condemnation by the array of organisations and individuals both at home and abroad who in the past had done so when Africans engaged in similar protest actions. These double standards speak volumes.

I used the opportunity to reiterate my position that people and their leadership have the right to resort to protest action to advance their interests, whether social or political.

And as a political realist, I take the position that at times protest action oversteps the legal threshold and sometimes gets violent. This has been the universally human experience which is often conveniently denied by many when discussing public protest. In previous polemics on this matter, I have pointed out that often we argue for levels of human behaviour that as a society we cannot maintain, even with our best efforts and in doing so distort the political culture of the nation.

I hope that the PPP/C supporters note the restraint demonstrated by the police under the APNU+AFC administration when compared with what took place when their party was in government. I do so as a person who along with comrade Edward Collins (former GDF

Chief of Staff) was shot with pellets while leading a peaceful APNU protest on Hadfield Street in 2011 in Georgetown. On another occasion in Linden, I and comrades from Georgetown had to navigate unfamiliar terrain to avoid been hit by lethal gunfire by police who were carrying out instructions of the PPP/C regime.

Unlike my detractors who at the time of African protest call on the police to uphold law and order at any cost, with my African humanity, and a survivor of African enslavement, I appeal to the APNU+AFC administration with which I am associated, and the police, to continue to show restraint in dealing with these political, organised protests.

To achieve its political objectives, the PPP/C’s leadership is seeking to force the security forces into actions that will advance their cause.

I suspect that Jagdeo and the PPP/C leadership, realising that they have lost the elections, have now resorted to Plan “B”: and to achieve this, they are willing to see the demise of some of their supporters.

In closing, I have no difficulties understanding the inherent logic of the PPP/C leadership’s attitude to the election results, since this election was the “mother” of elections in Guyana.

Regards Tacuma Ogunseye

environment that cannot be properly grasped by pictures and videos, even though they exist in abundance. It is evident, the Officer could not conduct the necessary processes in an ambience free from fear and recourse to a declaration with verification. The Representation of the People Act 1964 does mention the words ‘spreadsheets’ or ‘verification’. These administrative processes that have been the practice, not statute. An administrative call was made to declare based on the exigencies of the situation. The siege of GECOM killed the chances for complete verification.

Phagwah greetings from Haji Dr Roshan Khan

DRENCHED in the vibrant colours of Phagwah, everybody comes to resemble each other. And, this is one of the beautiful aspects of this auspicious occasion, whereby all ethnicities, religious backgrounds and differences are cast aside and everyone is treated at par.

We, the Guyana Islamic Forum for Education, Peace and Religious Solidarity, in association with the Electric Mosque's Presentation of the Teachings of Islam and the Universal Peace Federation -- Guyana, take this opportunity to extend Phagwah greetings to the nation of Guyana, our politicians and our Hindu brothers and sisters.

Phagwah is meant to celebrate the pure happiness and joy of the victory of good over evil. Inspired by the values of this festival, we pray that the political tensions that have engulfed our nation dissolve in the coloured waters of this Holy season.

We urge our fellow brothers and sisters not to be disheartened by these unfortunate political events that have plagued this beautiful festival, but to celebrate the new season with the same fervour, playfulness, happiness, love and harmony.

While most people will take to the streets to play Phagwah, we wish to advise everyone to be vigilant and stick with your group during the celebrations, especially when in large crowds. May the joy and love of this auspicious occasion rekindle our hope that more prosperous days lie ahead. And, that we can all overcome our differences and coexist peacefully as "One Human Family under God." Regards Haji Dr. Roshan Khan

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 8, 2020

CONFIDENCE AND CRISIS

LAST week I was full of confidence when I wrote that the APNU+AFC coalition was heading for a Triple Crown, having taken majority votes in two previous elections – 2011 and 2015.

On March 2 everything seemed to have gone well, and everyone was hailing our national and regional elections as nothing but free and fair, and free from fear.

Except for a few requests for recounts, polling and declaration of results in nine out of the ten electoral districts were free from any major hiccups.

At that point, the preliminary results showed that the opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had a handsome lead. Those results also showed that the PPP/C had repeated its 2015 performance by winning six of the Regional Democratic Councils.

REGION 4 VOTES By that time no declaration was made of the votes in Region 4, which has the single largest number of electors, and spans the vast geographical area between Mahaica and Timehri, and includes the capital, Georgetown.

This Region has always favoured the People’s National Congress (PNC), which is the major force in the six-party A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC). It was anticipated that when the results were in, APNU+AFC would comfortably over-take the PPP/C’s lead, and would

go on to win the 2020 elections with a slim majority.

But certain administrative humbugs were delaying this process.

Then someone dramatically disclosed that the PPP/C had claimed victory. Its backers in Trinidad were popping champagne on the basis of that leak. What happened next was a calculated campaign by the PPP to sabotage the verification and announcement of polling statistics by the Region 4 Returning Officer. The PPP unlawfully occupied the Region 4 Command Centre, and intimidated and threatened staffers.

With disclosures that “the Russians were here”, three of whom were arrested and deported after they were found with “cyber” equipment, news quickly spread that someone was accosted in the Command Centre for suspiciously having in his possession a flash-drive and a computer. The inference was clear: GECOM’s command centre was being hacked!

VIRTUAL DURESS For two continuous days the PPP occupied the Centre as the Returning Officer tried to ascertain the total votes cast for each of the contesting parties in his District by adding the numbers from the Statements of Poll (SOPs).

It might have appeared to the Returning Officer that there were no material errors in those SOPs, and he received and admitted them as credible. In a situation of virtual duress, he subsequent-

ly declared inter alia that the APNU+AFC won 136,458 votes and the PPP/C 77,329.

With an anticipated increase in the number of electors in East Demerara, those numbers were not spectacular, compared to 2015 when the APNU+AFC polled 113,856 votes as against 70,241 for the PPP/C. Overall, when the Region 4 votes were factored in, it showed that in the 2020 elections 473,352 persons voted, as against 412,012 in 2015.

From those numbers, the APNU+AFC polled 237,004 votes and the PPP/C 229,344, which gives the former a narrow lead of 7,660 votes.

Again, it was a narrow margin as in 2015. And when computed, the unofficial projection is that the Coalition would again have a one-seat majority in the National Assembly.

MANDATORY INJUNCTIONS At that point the PPP/C obtained mandatory injunctions against the Region 4 Returning Officer and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). In effect the court orders would prevent GECOM from advancing and completing the electoral process. That would fly in the face of the constitutional mandate of GECOM to control and supervise national elections.

Hearing into the PPP’s application took place yesterday before the Chief Justice, who will give her decision later today.

The announcement of the

Region 4 results was an occasion for the PPP to declare war on GECOM. It organized and financed protests that were intended to be violent.

Roads were blocked, and set on fire. Commuters were attacked, including in one instance innocent children in their school bus and in another, a traumatized nurse going home from work. Police ranks were stoned, and they were forced to retreat under hot pursuit. Then, on Friday evening when ranks were attacked and wounded, one protester was shot. The Opposition had won its first “pro-democracy martyr”.

POLITICAL SOLUTION Those unlawful activities, in an ethnically-charged situation, were tantamount to pouring fuel on fire. But this situation does not require an outcome through terrorism, arson, violence and civil conflicts.

Today as I write, our governance system, which rests shakily on winner-takes-all

is mired in crisis. Winnertakes-all has exhausted its potential to bring about political reconciliation, much less healing of our ethnic wounds. Given political will, this situation opens the door to a peaceful and inclusive national solution.

Last week I had this to say: “This is my 12th elections, and I am not worried about the outcome. I would be worried though if the losers were to see the results only as a defeat, and not as a challenge to rise above partisan, ethnic-driven obsession for power.

“The post-election agenda must include inclusive politics, and bi-partisan cooperation to achieve in Guyana genuine national unity.

Towards that strategic goal, I re-commit myself”.

PRECIPITOUS STATEMENTS From my contact with them, I know that regional and international observers

and certain envoys who were accredited for these elections are all acutely aware of the potential for ethnic fragmentation and social implosion in Guyana. For this reason, it is unfortunate that they have made apparent precipitous statements about “fraud” that could fuel the fury in Guyana.

If there is any such fraud, then our friends should encourage recourse to peaceful, legal and constitutional remedies. But the Opposition has taken the pronouncements of observers and envoys to the streets, and they are boasting at the barricades: “THEY” are on OUR side!

This is the time for restraint and responsibility on all sides. It may be too late to pull back from the precipice, but we have a duty to try. We should try to talk our way out of what I fear would be, from what we have all seen so far, an unprecedented period of social turmoil.

CARICOM stands ready to mediate in political impasse -PM Mottley says stakeholders must work together to achieve peaceful, lawful completion of electoral process AMDIST growing concerns and tension over the 2020 General and Regional Elections, Chairman of CARICOM, Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, has said the community stands ready to facilitate dialogue between Guyana’s main political leaders and take other necessary actions to aid in the process.

“I have spoken to both the President and the leader of the opposition and indicated that CARICOM stands ready to be able to be there to facilitate further dialogue and any actions that are necessary,” said Mottley in a press statement on Saturday.

According to Mottley, CARICOM has done this on many occasions in the past, including in Guyana, when elections have been highly contentious and when social

order and the rule of law has been threatened across the Region.

Speaking more about CARICOM’s willingness, she said: “We are family and this is what happens when there are disputes in families.

We will work together to create the space for dialogue and resolution once there is an acceptance on the part of all parties that there is a higher interest beyond simply the result in this election.”

Over 600,000 Guyanese were eligible to vote in the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections on Monday and there were some 2,339 polling stations across the 10 administrative regions.

Nine political parties contested the general elections and 11, the regional elections.

There has since been civil unrest and political tension

Chairman of CARICOM, Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley

following the declaration of results for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), on Thursday, by the region’s Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo. According to those results, the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity

and Alliance For Chance (APNU+AFC) Coalition received 136,458 votes and the PPP/C received 77,329 votes.

“The Caribbean Community calls on the electoral officials in Guyana and the representative political

parties to work together to achieve a peaceful and lawful completion of the electoral process in Guyana by ensuring the tabulation of the results in all regions using the Statements of polls in a transparent manner in the presence of the representatives of the political parties and the electoral observers,” said Mottley, noting that every vote must be made to count; and transparently so.

The CARICOM Chair has noted that all sides of the political divide have been making “serious allegations” against each other, but believes that it is critical that good sense prevails.

“The preservation of law and order is paramount and all parties must work hard to ensure that there is peace on the roads and in the communities across Guyana. There

has already been one death reported overnight (Friday).

That is one death too many,” Mottley asserted.

In breaking her message down further, she said: “In simple language, we ask the parties to recognise that the primary consideration must not only be who will be President but, more so, who will be alive come next week or next month, for there cannot be a tolerance for any further loss of life.”

CARICOM had issued a statement on Thursday night and one was also issued from the Chief of the independent CARICOM Electoral Observation team, Cynthia Combie-Martyr, on Friday. And, both statements called on GECOM to complete the electoral process.

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Book reviews:

The President glimpses at social life

A REVIEW of David Granger’s – Guyana’s Coinage: A Brief Survey of Coinage, 1808-2008; Guyana’s Independence 1966; Guyana’s Periodicals: A Brief Survey of the Periodical Press 17962008; and, The City of Georgetown, Guyana’s cosmopolitan capital.

David Granger’s four-book collection recounts important elements of Guyana’s cultural heritage, specifically the history of its coinage, its capital city, periodicals and Independence struggles. The collection contributes to the ongoing preservation of the nation’s collective memory in no small measure.

Guyana’s Coinage: A Brief Survey of Coinage, 1808-2008 is an unrivalled publication. The book is a rare chronicle of Guyanese coinage dating back to the era of Dutch occupation in the early 19th century.

Coins are not simply instruments of economic exchange; they tell, also, a much larger story about the peculiar political and economic circumstances in given historical periods. The book is of value to understanding the country’s political economy especially during the 19th century and the first six decades of the 20th century.

David Granger approached the task of writing this book with the keen eye of a student of history and the mind of a numismatist. The book’s mainly descriptive format, however, deprives the reader of a richer understanding of the country’s commercial exchanges, particularly in the pre-Independence period.

Inflation has since rendered coins obsolete. The President’s book will ensure, however, that their role in the country’s economic evolution is not forgotten.

Guyana’s Independence, 1966 is an enlightening excursion into a complex and confusing period of this country’s political history. Granger, now the country’s President, has demonstrated academic integrity in writing this book by providing a most balanced treatment of the country’s path to political Independence. It is a commendable achievement by a man who has refused to be either partisan or revisionist in treating with Guyana’s Independence struggle.

Granger explains the meaning of Independence and its legal instrument. He details the main protagonists in the country’s Independence struggle, offering a fair treatment to all sides of the political divide.

The book provides an account, replete with illustrations, of the last night of colonization, including the historic moment when the newly-Independent state of Guyana hoisted its national flag. Symbols of statehood – including the country’s national emblems and songs – are included in the book.

The book is written with the young reader in mind. It is hoped that the country’s fractured politics one day, will allow for this excellent and richly-illustrated book to become required reading in the country’s primary schools.

Teaching school children about the country’s history is a challenging task for educators. The country’s political divisions inevitably boil over towards misrepresentations and bias in presenting aspects of its his-

Guyana’s Periodicals: A Brief Survey of the Periodical Press, 1798-2006, is a delightful publication that lifts the lid off of the rich history of the press that started with the publication of the Courant en Essequibo en Demerary in 1793.

Guyana once enjoyed a rich trove of periodicals which, invariably, have had short shelf lives. Their emergence and

tory. Independence, for example, has always presented a dilemma. Many texts and articles on this subject tend to reflect the biases and emphases of the dominant narratives – the roles ascribed to either Cheddi Jagan, the country’s first Premier or Forbes Burnham, the country’s first Prime Minister.

David Granger, better than most persons, would appreciate that history is not simply an escape from the past but a compass towards the future. Guyana’s path towards a common future will depend on its people embodying a shared understanding and acceptance of the country’s diverse cultural heritage.

development have been plagued by setbacks.

Political authorities have contributed, in no small measure, to the absence of longevity of most local periodicals, through censorship and other forms of suppression.

The chief cause of the demise of the country’s periodicals, however, has been the lack of financial support so vital in a country in which there is a limited market for the circulation of journals, magazines and newspapers.

David Granger preserves an important aspect of the country’s written heritage with this well-researched publication which takes the reader on a fast, fascinating journey into the past.

It examines the rise and, apparently inevitable, decline of Guyana’s periodicals. The book is a most precious resource about the country’s literary history, one that is likely to endure much longer than the publications which it takes as its subjects.

The City of Georgetown: Guyana’s cosmopolitan capital, is timely reminder of the City’s demography, geography, origins, development, and architectural heritage. The names of the City’s wards recall its emergence from a simple, solitary signal station – a brandwacht – on the bank of the eastern estuary of the Demerara River to its expansion to incorporate parts of cluster of sugar plantations and, eventually, to the capital’s cosmopolitan character.

The book is a most concise history of Guyana’s capital city.

It offers a simple and readable guide to the essential elements of city’s development. It may help to stem, hopefully, the tendency to neglect the capital’s rich architectural heritage. That heritage has to be passed on from generation to generation. It can survive only if it is transmitted to present and future generations.

The architectural heritage of Georgetown, the country’s capital city, was once renowned for its profusion of architectural styles – ranging from the Gothic to the semi-Tudor, Romanesque to Italian Renaissance” – most edifices of styles were erected exclusively with local timbers. Many of its once magnificent buildings have deteriorated to the point of having to be demolished. Others have been replaced by more modern concrete and glass structures.

It was once observed by Mahatma Gandhi that “A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and souls of its peoples.” A nation’s culture, however, must be refreshed, continuously, lest important aspects fade into oblivion due to misunderstanding and misuse.

This four book collection, on aspects of the country’s social life, will keep the flame of this hope alight.

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US$1.1B invested locally so far for 2020 ----NICIL says Guyana continues to attract investors despite political situation

EVEN as the country goes through its electoral season, investors have continued to signal their interest in the local economy, which has so far seen US$1.1B in investments for this year.

This was according to Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Industrial & Commercial Investments Ltd (NICIL), Colvin Heath-London, in a press statement, on Saturday.

Interest in the local economy has grown significantly and continues to grow, said Heath-London, noting that a number of investors are turning their attention to Guyana as confidence in the business climate is at an “alltime high.”

He said that his team at NICIL intends to continue where they left off before the elections. He said that even though the results of the elections have not been announced, several investors, both locally and foreign, are seeking to push ahead with their investment plans.

Several foreign investors have been seeking to have their investment plans reviewed and accepted by NICIL as they remain confident that Guyana is inclined to business.

“There are continued interest being shown as more and more persons are seeking to do business in Guyana and we at NICIL are prepared to continue the work that we were doing prior to elections, as its evident that the interest continues to grow,” Heath-London said.

The NICIL head promised that government is keen on ensuring that economic growth continues, noting that the fear of locals not benefitting in a significant way should be dismissed.

He said that all the investments earmarked for Guyana will have 100 per cent local content in the pre-construction stage, and after completion of the projects a significant percentage of locals will be employed.

“This is not a case where an investment is coming but the construction stage will see foreign workers as the fear among some are.

We have ensured that the investors recognise that part of their responsibility is to ensure that locals are fully

employed in the construction stage, while upon completion, a significant percentage of Guyanese must be given permanent employment as we seek to aid in reducing unemployment. The objective is to create significant opportunities that locals can access,” said Heath-London.

He also noted that each project being executed will see the investors contributing in a meaningful way to a number of social programmes and projects in Guyana. This, he stressed will aid in assisting the government in its attempt to reduce social ills.

“Each investment will see the investor contributing in some way or the other to several social projects and programmes and this has been done so as to ensure that we can assist in addressing the social ills plaguing our country,” he said.

Heath-London said that with the investment portfolio in Guyana increasing, Guyana will benefit in a significant way.

“The contribution of investors to a number of social programmes will complement the government’s vision in helping to reduce some of the social ills currently experienced by Guyanese.

This important note is certainly a testimony that we at NICIL are not only seeking investments but also ensuring that the investors give back significantly to assisting with social programmes in further advancing Guyana,” Heath-London explained.

He cautioned those who fear that investors are securing most of the land, dismissing this as myth. He said some persons feel that NICIL should not be selling land for major investments, but believe that those lands could have been distributed as house lots for Guyanese desperate to own their own homes.

“It is important to understand that under the law, NICIL cannot sell house lots to Guyanese. The government’s holding company owned lands are exclusively for major investment purposes,” he said.

He continued: “I have heard the grumblings of those who gripe about investors gaining lands. We review

each application for land from investors and based on their generational vision is what determines the number of acres that they receive.

NICIL will pursue investments aggressively, but only

in the country’s interest”.

Heath-London stressed that his team ensures that all legal requirements are followed, noting that no investor will be allowed to come in and roam without being cog-

nisant of their responsibility to the government and people of Guyana.

“Our legal standards will not be compromised, or our regulations sidestepped in the effort. The

covenant we have brokered to guarantee that Guyanese are majority employees in the construction and other phases of these projects must be honoured,” he said.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 8, 2020

‘I thought I was going to die’

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-says police sergeant who was brutally beaten and chopped by PPP Protesters

By Nafeeza Yahya POLICE Sergeant, Punit Ibaran, 42, of East Berbice Corentyne and stationed at the Blairmont Police Station in West Berbice, is thankful for being alive following a life-threatening experience withprotesters in the village of Cotton Tree Friday evening.

Ibaran and a group of his fellow lawmen were attacked by an unruly mob of PPP supporters that left him with both his arms broken, a chop wound to the back of his head, a chop wound to his arm, a cut to the ear as well as several bruises and lacerations about the body.

Speaking from his bed in the New Amsterdam Hospital, Sergeant Ibaran told the Guyana Chronicle that he was on duty as was all the other ranks trying to maintain law and order, when the angry mob turned their attention to the police and started a brutal onslaught on the lawmen with cutlasses and other missiles that were hurled at them.

This, he said started on the public road and he along with others ran into the streets hoping to seek refuge in the yards of residents, but the mob followed him and started to hit him about the body with cutlasses, iron bars and pieces of wood. Ibaran who joined the force some 25 years ago, related that he and the other ranks were unarmed at the time and were at the mercy of the mob that dealt them “tremendous blows”.

DRUNK PROTESTERS “They were drinking and

started to behave lawlessly and started to attack us, we ran and jumped over fences to escape them but they followed and started to broadside and chop me. We were unarmed and all we could do

else and I begged a man to let me in his yard or they were going to kill me.”

The father of two continued, stating that he hid in the yard, praying and trying to bear the excruciating pains

Sergeant Ibaran suffered injuries to the ear, head and arms Minister of Youth Affairs Simona Broomes visited another injured police rank

Deputy Commissioner, Maxine Graham, and other senior officers visited Sergeant Ibaran

Belongings left behind by police officers as they sought cover

was block with our hands and try to avoid being hit in the head…I thought I was going to die and they suddenly left me and turned to someone

about his body, until the mob left. He finally came out bloodied, and saw a detective passing that he shouted out to. The rank and a public

citizen took him on a bicycle to his car which was parked nearby and eventually to the hospital along with other injured ranks and a protester.

Reflecting on the events of the day, he described the scene as one of “lawlessness” where the protestors were

uncontrollable and setting alight pretty much everything insight while using bottles, bricks and any piece of debris as missiles to attack the police and others including students, nurses and even members of the media.

In the aftermath, two oth-

er officers were seriously injured: Roy Grant and Jefta Fraser, both traffic officers from Division Five, while three students were treated and sent away after the protestors attacked a David ‘G’ school bus they were in. A protestor was shot dead by police as he was attacking and chopping an unarmed rank in a street that was trying to get to safety. The two traffic ranks were treated and discharged a little after noon on Saturday, while Ibaran remains hospitalised.

Meanwhile, there were three ranks in East Berbice Corentyne, including Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and a sergeant, who suffered a fractured foot while the constable received injuries after he was stoned by protesters at Tain. Both ranks had to seek medical attention. The injured lawmen and students were visited by Minister of Youth Affairs Simona Broomes; Deputy Police Commissioner, Maxine Graham; Division Six Commander, Calvin Brutus, and Division Five Commander, Yonette Stephens. On Saturday, a number of Ibaran’s colleagues also paid a visit to show solidarity and offer comfort. A stranger, who was visiting a relative in the said ward, after realising that the injured sergeant was in the ward, went over to him and thanked him for his service as well as wishing him a speedy recovery.

On Saturday, communities along the Corentyne Coast were calm as majority of stores opened for business.

GECOM urged to fulfill legal, statutory obligations -as NGOs, Catholic Bishop condemn violence, call for peace

NON-GOVERNMENTAL Organisations (NGOs), social activists and even the Roman Catholic Bishop, Francis Alleyne, have called on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to fulfill their “legal and statutory” obligations to ensure that a transparent and credible electoral process is held.

Over 600,000 Guyanese were eligible to vote in the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections on Monday and there were some 2,339 polling stations across the 10 administrative regions. Nine political parties contested the general elections and 11 in the regional elections.

There has since been civil unrest and political tension following the declaration of results for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), on Thursday, by the region’s Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo. According to those results, the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Chance (APNU+AFC) Coalition received 136,458

votes and the PPP/C received 77,329 votes.

NGOs such as Read Thread, Child Link, Help and Shelter and a number of social activists including Vidyaratha Kissoon; Akola Thompson; Krysta Bisnauth; Vanda Radzik; Abbyssinian Carto; and Sabine Mcintosh among others, have jointly called for GECOM to conduct a transparent and credible process for counting, recounting and verifying all votes.

“We urge that all relevant processes as set out in the Representation of the People’s Act be carried out in the presence of accredited national, regional and international observers.

We condemn in the strongest terms any and all attempts to undermine the electoral process in Guyana,” said the organisations and activists in a joint press statement.

They said Guyanese have fought and struggled for too long to have their fundamental rights to free and fair elections and elections free from fear, “trampled on” in 2020.

“We are alarmed at the acts of intimida-

tion, the threats, and verbal attacks including sexual threats to women and girls, the physical violence, the reports of property invasion by groups, attacks on police officers and schoolchildren and ethnicity-based attacks being reported in several communities,” said the stakeholders, adding that recent reports of the loss of life of one young person, points to escalating violence which must cease immediately.

The stakeholders further said: “We condemn and call on all Guyanese to condemn and refrain from all racial and ethnic slurs and actions, to respect the rule of law and keep the peace. We call on all political parties to abstain from provocative statements, ensure that their supporters do not violate the fundamental rights of any citizen and keep all protest action free from any kind of violence or intimidation.

“We call on the police and security forces to protect the rights of ALL Guyanese and carry out their duties without bias in accor-

dance with the laws of Guyana.”

They called on Guyanese of all ethnicities and from all regions, to resist attempts to promote violence and hostility and to allow the Guyana Police Force to perform its duties.

The stakeholders said history has shown, that it is always women, children and the vulnerable, particularly poor women and children, who are most affected when ethnic hostility and violence flare up. “People are dying, people are being wounded, children are being traumatized, property is being destroyed, and the nation is gripped in fear. This is much too high a cost for a national election and for a nation at any time. There are no words strong enough to express the gravity of the situation and the urgency for it to end,” said Bishop Alleyne in a separate statement.

To all accounts, he believes that the way forward for the restoration of peace and hope rests with a small group of persons who have been tasked with managing the whole election process.

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The Powers of the Returning Officer to Ascertain, Verify and Declare the Votes Section 84 (1) of the Representation of the People Act (RPA) (Cap1:03) states that“(1) As soon as practicable after the receipt of all the ballot boxes and the envelopes and packets delivered to him in pursuance of section 83 (10), the Returning Officer shall, in the presence of such of the persons entitled under section 86 (1) to be present as attend, ascertain the total votes cast in favour of each list in the district by adding up the votes recorded in favour of the list in accordance with the Statements of Poll, and thereupon publicly declare the votes recorded for each list of candidates.”

Based on the above, the procedure mandated by law that the Returning Officer should follow is1. Ascertain the total votes cast in favour of each list; and 2. Declare the votes recorded for each list of candidates.

Ascertain the total votes cast in favour of each list According to section 84 (1) of the RPA, the Returning Officer as soon as practicable (i.e. in a timely manner and without delay) after the receipt of all the ballot boxes and the envelopes and packets delivered to him/her ascertain the votes. This ascertaining shall be done in the presence of the persons entitled under section 86 (1) of the RPA. Section 86 (1) states that“ (1) No person shall be present at the counting of the votes except(a) the returning officer and such other election officers as he may appoint to assist him in the counting; (b) members of the Commission; (c) duly appointed candidates; (d) counting agents; (e) such other persons as, in the opinion of the returning officer, have good reason to be present.”

Section 84(1) also sets out the method of ascertaining. It states that the Returning Officer shall ascertain the total votes recorded in favour of each list in the district by adding up the votes recorded in favour of the list in accordance with the Statements of Poll. However, the true meaning in the context of this section must be determined by the words that follow ascertain. Subsection (1) states that the “Returning Officer shall… ascertain the total votes cast…by adding up the votes recorded in favour of the list in accordance with the Statements of Poll”.

Therefore, ascertaining the votes shall only be done by ‘by adding up the votes’ and not by verifying the votes.

Moreover, the Statements of Poll that should be used to add up the votes would be those in the possession of the Returning Officer. Pursuant to section 83(1) (c) the presiding officer shall“deliver the sealed ballot box, the sealed packets referred to in paragraph (b), and together with an envelope containing the key of the ballot box and a Statement of the Poll in Form 23A placed in one envelope sealed in the manner referred to in paragraph (b), to the returning officer of the district in which the polling place is situated.”

There is nothing is law that mandates ascertaining the votes with Statements of Poll in the possession of any of the persons required to be present pursuant to section 86(1).

Adding up the votes is done in accordance with section 87(1) which deals with method of counting. The method outlined is that in the presence of those required to attend the Returning Officer shall(a) open each ballot box; (b) take out the ballot papers; (c) count and record the number of ballot papers taken from each ballot box; (d) count the votes recorded for each list of candidates.

Mistake on Statement of Poll/Verification Subsection (1A) of section 84 deals with the issue of mistake on the Statement of Polls and sets out two distinct scenarios.

Scenario 1-Where the Statement of Poll is not in the possession of the Returning Officer “(1A) (a)Where an election officer for a polling district discovers a material error on the Statement of Poll from a polling station for that polling district, he shall inform the presiding officer for that polling station forthwith, and the presiding officer, if the Statement of Poll has not yet been sent to the Returning Officer, in the presence of the persons who signed the original Statement of Poll, shall prepare a corrected Statement of Poll, signed by himself and the original signatories present and the corrected Statement of Poll shall be sent to the Returning Officer;” In this scenario a corrected Statement of Poll is done and then sent to the

Returning Officer. Then section 84(1) will be activated.

Scenario 2- Where the Statement of Poll is in the possession of the Returning Officer “(1A (b) Where the mistake is discovered when the Statement of Poll is in the possession of the Returning Officer, the presiding officer shall be informed of the mistake and the Returning Officer shall summon the presiding officer and the persons who signed the original Statement of Poll, for the purpose of effecting the necessary correction to the Statement of Poll by the presiding officer in the presence of the other persons mentioned in this paragraph, as attend.”

In this scenario the presiding officer will inform the Returning Officer of the mistake and the mistake shall be corrected in the presence of the presiding officer and the persons who sign the original statement of poll. Then section 84(1) will be activated.

Section 84 (1A) (c) applies to both scenarios and states what happens to the corrected Statement of Poll. This provision outlines that“The presiding officer shall post the corrected Statement of Poll next to the original incorrect Statement of Poll at his polling station and the Returning Officer shall use the corrected Statement of Poll in making the public declaration under subsection (1).”

Having posted the corrected Statement of Poll, this statement of Poll is then used to make the declaration mandated to be made under section 84(1). This means that the corrected Statement of the Poll will be used to ascertain and factored into the tally of the votes, the Returning Officer will then do his/her declaration.

Verification Section 89 of the RPA deals with what the procedure when counting is completed and mentions verification. This means that verification comes after ascertaining. The section states“89.(1) Upon the conclusion of the final counting, under section 84, of the votes the returning officer, in the presence of such of the persons entitled under section 86(1) to be present as attend, shall(a) seal in separate packets the counted and rejected ballot papers; (b) verify the ballot papers account given by each presiding officer by comparing it with(i) the number of ballot papers recorded under section 87(1)(c); (ii) the unused and spoiled ballot papers in his possession; and (iii) the record of tendered votes contained in the poll book; (c) reseal the packets of unused and spoiled ballot papers; (d) prepare a written statement as to the result of the verification of the ballot papers account and on request allow any counting agent present to make a copy thereof; (e) publicly declare the result of the final counting; (f) deliver to the Chief Election Officer a return in writing in respect of the final counting in Form 24 which shall set out the number of— (i) valid votes cast for each list of candidates as aforesaid; (ii) rejected ballot papers together with, in each case, the reason for rejection; (iii) spoiled ballot papers delivered to him; (iv) tendered ballot papers; (v) persons who appear to have voted.”

Based on the above after counting the votes the Returning Officer is mandated by law to do several things including conducting verification. However, verification is done when the counting is completed not during the count or before the count. Further, based on paragraph (b) nothing is mentioned about verifying by comparison with the Statement of Polls. Comparison is to be done between the Ballot Paper Account (which is distinct from the Statement of Polls (see section 83(9)) with the number of ballot papers recorded, the unused and spoiled ballots in the possession of the Returning Officer and the record of tendered votes contained in the poll book.

Declare the votes recorded for each list of candidates Based on section 84 (1) of the RPA after the Returning Officer ascertains the votes he/she shall publicly declare the votes recorded for each list of candidates.

Public declaration is mandated and like ascertainment of the votes must also be done in the presence of the persons listed in section 86(1) of the RPA. Accordingly, once the Returning Officer ascertains the votes (by counting) in the presence of the persons required and then declares he/she would have complied with the law.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 8, 2020

ERC chairman celebrates 75th birth anniversary

President David Granger (seated) shares a light moment with an attendee

President David Granger on Saturday attended the 75th birth anniversary celebration for Bishop John Smith, CCH of the Central Assembly of God Church.

Bishop Smith is also the chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission. The event was held at the Ramada Princess Hotel, Providence, East Bank Demerara.

President David Granger with Bishop John Smith upon arrival at the Ramada Princess Hotel, Providence, East Bank Demerara

President David Granger greets this little girl who was eager to meet him, as Bishop John Smith, CCH and others look on

Protestor who attacked police shot dead A PEOPLE’s Progressive Party (PPP) protester at Cotton Tree Public Road, West Coast Berbice (WCB), was shot dead by police after he was seen chopping two other policemen who fled after their ammunition was finished while trying to disperse party supporters angered at the declaration of results for Region Four before verification.

Dead is Sewdat Hansraj, 18, of Cotton Tree Village, WCB. According to the Guyana Police Force (GPF), at about 19:40hrs on March 6, 2020, police ranks while performing duty on the Cotton Tree Public Road, WCB,

free passage along the corridor “The ranks were then attacked by a group of men armed with cutlasses, wood, iron, etc and were forced to discharge their weapons into the air to disperse the very hostile and aggressive crowd and after expending their ammunition, the Dead: Sewdat Hansraj ranks including Sergeant came under attack by Ibaran, Corporal Wilprotesters which resulted liams, Constable Grant, in several ranks being and Constable Fraser hospitalised and their were forced to seek refuge in nearby yards and attacker dead.

Enquiries revealed during that process, it that shortly before the was alleged that one of attack, a gazetted officer the protesters who was and ranks cleared the later identified as Seesaid road of protesters dat ‘Devon' Hansraj, 18 and debris, leaving Ser- years, unemployed of geant Ibaran with sev- Back Street Cotton Tree eral ranks to maintain Village, WCB, chopped

Sgt Ibaran and Constable Fraser and as he was attempting to deal the latter another chop, was shot once by one of two ranks who arrived at the scene and witnessed their colleagues being attacked and wounded,” the GPF said.

Sewdat Hansraj and the injured ranks (Sergeant Ibaran and Constable Fraser) and Constable Grant who was reportedly assaulted by protesters were rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.

Hansraj was pronounced dead on arrival while the ranks received medical attention and were admitted. Their condition has been listed as stable.

Bath Settlement gang beats youths, torches motor cycle Four young men from # 11 Village West Coast Berbice who visited a motorcycle mechanic at neighbouring #12 Village were attacked by a gang of about 20 youths from Bath Settlement beaten and one of their motorcycles set on fire.

The incident occurred around 15:00hrs Saturday and the youths were rescued by a passing Police patrol. They were treated at the Fort Wellington Hospital for minor injuries and sent home. The Police are investigating.

The torched motorcycle

Final report of elections prepared …chief elections officer writes chair for meeting before declaration Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield has prepared the final report of last week’s general and regional elections and has invited the commission to meet to discuss it before a declaration is made.

Sase Gunraj a PPP commissioner at GECOM released an email sent to commissioners by Lowenfield on the issue. The email was addressed to the chair of the commission, Justice Claudette Singh and copied to all Commissioners of GECOM. It reads “Dear Madam Chair, I have received declarations from Returning Officers for General and Regional Elections 2020 from Districts 1 – 10. In accordance with Cap 1: 03 Section 99, I have prepared the final report for submission to the Commission. In this regard, a request is made for a meeting of the Commission at your earliest convenience.”

Campaign Manager of the APNU+AFC, Joseph Harmon said on Friday that the numbers show clearly that the APNU+AFC are well ahead of any of the other political parties following the elections. He said the next step should be for a declaration to be made by the Chief Elections Officer, followed by a meeting of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and confirmation of the results by the commission. Thereafter, the chair of GECOM sends a statement to the Chancellor of the Judiciary who will act to have the President sworn in.

He said the Commission should have met on Friday to conclude the process when the PPP/C served an injunction on it. Harmon said the Chair of the Commission, Retired

Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield

Justice Claudette Singh decided she will follow what the court says, and agreed that the procedure for swearing-in will be put on hold and the parties will go to court this morning where the injunction will be heard.

He said the APNU+AFC expects the situation to be treated with some amount of speed.

The total results declared by Returning Officers (ROs) for all 10 Administrative Regions in the Regional Elections show that the coalition government has won the elections by over 7,600 votes. With Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) being the last set of results to be declared, APNU+AFC jumped ahead on Thursday with 237,140 votes to the PPP’s 229,450.

The long-awaited results for the single outstanding Region was declared on Thursday, indicating that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) gained 77,258 votes in Region Four, while the A Partnership For National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) gained 136,335. This represents a 59,097 lead in the Region, which is known to be an APNU+AFC stronghold.

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Police deploy riot vehicle

THE Guyana Police Force has deployed a new vehicle recently acquired under the public order equipment to deal with riots.

Police said this is in light of recent situations across the administrative divisions which resulted in the death of a civilian, injury to several police ranks and infrastructural damage.

Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan, noted that the force takes this opportunity to remind the general public of its Mission Statement which states: “The mission of the Guyana Police Force and its auxiliaries is to serve all the citizens and communities of Guyana in a professional, proactive and accountable manner. To achieve this,

The new vehicle and equipment that police will use

we will work in partnership with communities, public agencies and pri-

vate bodies to enhance and support an environment where all people

are preventing crime and building a safer and secure Guyana.”

Canefield fire was maliciously set, says fire officer THE fire which destroyed portions of the Providence canefields on Thursday night, was maliciously set, Berbice Divisional Fire Officer, Dwayne Scotland, has confirmed.

As investigations continue, Scotland noted that arson was committed by one or more persons at the East Bank Berbice location.

Fire swept through the Providence Canefields, East Bank Berbice, just after

Berbice Divisional Fire Officer, Dwayne Scotland

19:30hrs on Thursday evening.

Several acres of sugar cane were destroyed, in addition to the cultivation plots supplying the Albion Factory, the lone East Berbice Sugar Estate, just over two miles away.

The blaze was seen some half mile away and while the Guyana Fire Service responded in a timely manner, their limited access to water forced them to leave the

scene, prematurely, without fully extinguishing the blaze.

Nearby residents who were threatened by the billowing smoke expressed concern over the arson, in the light of election-related incidents.

Meanwhile, during last year, 217 malicious fires were set in the Ancient County.

Youth organisation slams chaos at GECOM command centre …applauds staff for professional conduct, despite disruption

LOCAL NGO, Youth Challenge Guyana (YCG), believes that it is important for the leaders of Guyana to urge their supporters to remain composed at this time while they await an official declaration of the winner of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections from the Guyana Elections Commission.

In a statement, the organization, which was one of the accredited local observer mission said: “It is our position after continuous observation, since the close of polls and commencement of counting at the Returning Office and Command Centre, that there have been activities which have heightened public insecurity and reduced public trust in the electoral systems of Guyana.”

“We wish to acknowledge that the staff of the Returning Office and Command Centre have as far as practicable, executed their roles professionally. GECOM, within its right, established the rules of engagement on the night of March 2, 2020 informing all stakeholders of the process and their roles and responsibilities which was agreed to be understood by all.”

The body said what is important to note however, is that while the staff were professional in the execution of their duties, GECOM failed to maintain the prescribed rules of engagement and allowed the counting office to become overrun by political agents and then later on the Command Centre which affected the safety for the

staff and all involved. “The secretariat failed to act decisively at the first infraction of the rules and allowed a major political party to have as many as 22 representatives in the counting office.

Notwithstanding this breach, most of the political parties engaged in the counting exercise became continually disruptive to the process rather than following the required regulation to lead to the completion of the count

by GECOM which, at some points, became threatening to the safety of GECOM’s staff and this further delayed the process,” Youth Challenge said.

According to the organization, one political party had as many as 25 representatives in one form or the other staging vigorous

protests about the process without recognising the hindrance they had become to the process, thus the process was stalled and the secretariat became silent on the actions forward without a transparent view of the remaining counts for District Four. “Be that as it may, YCG was not able to witness a complete count of District Four following great concern for the safety of our observers. We would like to recommend that GECOM put better systems in place to complete the tabulation process and prevent future breaches of the rules by all involved.”

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 8, 2020

As Guyana observes IWD…

GAWL calls for women’s rights to be preserved THE Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL) has called for the realisation of women’s rights as the world observes International Women’s Day today.

“Today is International Women’s Day under the theme: “GENERATION EQUALITY: REALISING WOMEN’S RIGHTS,” and the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers lauds all women in Guyana and our wider community,” said the association in a press release.

“Women’s rights are human rights and we are all agreed that human rights ought to be observed for and by all,” the release said.

It said that Generation Equality therefore means that for this generation and all those to come, “equality” must be a common thread in all actions and words.

“In every respect, women must be treated in equal manner to men. Their status and stature are of no less importance than those for men. Their roles and contributions to all spheres of society’s functioning and life in general, ought not to in any way be diminished,” the release said.

It noted that in terms of the law, and the provisions in Guyana’s constitution and laws, the term “equality” should be naturally and seamlessly applied.

“There is a number of constitutional provisions and domestic laws that guarantee equality (Article 149E – Equality of Status and 149F – Equality for women), which are intended to ensure women’s rights. We are also reminded of provisions of the Equal Rights Act 1990. We must also be informed about Article 29 of the constitution which provides for women’s participation in decision-making and section 11B (5) of the Representation of the People Act, Chapter 1:03, which was zealously fought for to ensure that a minimum of one-third (1/3) of the composition of representative lists for political parties comprise women, with a similar formula expected to be applied for representation in the National Assembly (Parliament),” the release said.

The association noted that additionally, through constitutional amendment, there is the establishment and thereafter functioning of the Women and Gender Equality Commission (W&GEC), which is part of several human rights commissions intended to oversee the realisation of women’s rights. It noted that at the same time, the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was made a part of Guyana’s constitution, thus solidifying this country’s obligations to realise the rights of women.

“Previous generations fought for formal recognition of the principle that ‘women’s rights are human rights’ and therefore equality for women and men. This generation MUST insist on tangible adherence to these principles and not accept tokenism. Therefore, women’s rights must be realised in all spheres: fair access to jobs and job opportunities; salaries and wages commensurate with duties and responsibilities only i.e. equal pay for work of equal value; membership on boards of directors in the public and private sectors; and training opportunities in all areas of endeavour at the professional, technical or vocational levels, among others. In ensuring equality, there must not be any gender discrimination,” the association said.

It said this is the time for women to “step up” even more, support and champion each other, be consistent in forthrightly and confidently saying that “WE are capable of doing and we must be allowed to do.” “Importantly, we must ensure that girls are equally equipped to be ‘Generation Equality.’ It is time for a full realisation of our rights. GAWL will do its part to ensure this. We urge the W&GEC and all women’s organisations to continue to do their part,” the release said.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 8, 2020

UN reviewing developments in women’s rights since Beijing Platform for Action GLOBALLY, more girls are now in school than ever before, fewer women are dying in childbirth and the proportion of women in parliaments has doubled across the world, showing major advances in women’s and girls’ rights since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action some 25 years ago.

Created in 1995 at the fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, the “Beijing Platform for Action” is a framework that covers 12 areas of concern in advancing women's rights.

Ahead of International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8, the UN Women on Thursday launched “Women's Rights in Review 25 years after Beijing”, a report analysing the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, which remains the most comprehensive agenda for gender equality ever agreed on.

The report flags the lack of effective action to boost women’s representation at the tables of power and warns that the vision of the Beijing Platform for Action will never be realised if the most excluded women and girls are not acknowledged and prioritised.

UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, said, “The review of women’s rights shows that, despite some progress, no country has achieved gender equality. This is not an inclusive and equal world and we need to take action now to

create one that does not discriminate against women. Only half is an equal share and only equal is enough”.

Despite unprecedented global challenges, the report also proves that positive change is possible, as shown by the success of women’s collective action to obtain accountability for crimes against them. The report showcases successful initiatives in scaling up public services to meet women’s rights, from increasing access to contraception and childcare, to reducing domestic violence and increasing women’s participation in politics and peacebuilding.

The report is based on the UN Secretary-General’s Report, ‘A comprehensive exercise on women’s rights with contributions from 170 Member States’.

The report reveals that there have been advances in women’s and girls’ rights since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action with 131 countries having passed laws to support women’s equality over the past decade.

However, much work still remains to be done. Globally, progress on women’s access to paid work has ground to a halt over the past 20 years. Less than two thirds of women (62 per cent) ages 25-54 are in the labour force, compared to more than nine out of 10 (93 per cent) men.

Women continue to shoulder the bulk of

UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

unpaid care and domestic work, moreover nearly one in five women (18 per cent) have faced violence from an intimate partner in the past year, and 32 million girls are still not in school.

UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, said, “2020 presents an unprecedented opportunity to turn things around for current and future generations of women and girls, to accelerate progress during the UN Decade of Action.

The UN Women has initiated six Action Coalitions that will mobilise governments, civil society, UN agencies, and the private sector to deliver game-changing results to advance equality for women and girls.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE, March 8, 2020

Major breakthrough in murder of Corentyne businessman …safe found, four arrested, cash recovered on suspects FOUR persons have been arrested for the murder of Corentyne businessman Lomenzo Jhonny, whose lifeless body was found, last Thursday, at Portuguese Quarter, Port Mourant.

According to reliable information reaching the Guyana Chronicle, a safe that was stolen from the businessman’s home was also recovered and a sum

of approximately $2M was found on two of the suspects.

The arrests were made late Thursday afternoon.

The popular businessman operated a grocery shop at Lot 11, East Side Line Dam, Portuguese Quarter, Port Mourant. He was discovered in a clump of bushes on a farm at area ‘AA’, Portuguese Quarter, Port Mourant, a short distance from his home.

The 49-year-old was last seen alive at around 19:30hrs on the night of February 26, as he went out for his usual evening jog.

His remains were discovered around 07:45hrs the following morning, with his feet tied with a black lace, severe wounds to his head, injuries to the left eye and strangulation marks on the neck. Wounds were also seen

on his back and bruises to the hands.

About four feet away from his body, a red and black sneakers, a pair of scissors and a piece of wood, about three feet in length, were found. After committing the act, the killer/s took the key to Johnny’s home and ransacked the premises and carried away a safe.

His cellphones and an electronic tablet device were left untouched. Police subsequently found a .25 auto pistol with 28 live rounds of ammunition in a bedroom of the home.

As news spread of the incident, residents of the neighbouring Rose Hall Town flocked to the scene, expressing shock while others broke down in tears

The safe which the police recovered.

(Inset of Lomenzo Jhonny)

as they described Johnny as a calm, caring and quiet

individual. Investigations are currently ongoing.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 8, 2020

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 8, 2020

Bangladesh team-mates laud outgoing ODI captain Mortaza MASHRAFE Mortaza earned glowing praise from Bangladesh team-mates after captaining his country for the final time in ODIs. Bangladesh thrashed Zimbabwe by 123 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in Sylhet, sealing a 3-0 series triumph and making it 50 ODI wins from 88 matches as skipper for Mortaza.

The 36-year-old was then showered with effusive tributes from the likes of Liton Das, who scored a stunning 176 to set a new national record in the format.

“He’s got a very special place in my heart,” Das said of Mortaza. “I made my debut under him. He’s always supported me. Having a captain like that is always rare.

“We will miss him, because when he leads, there’s no distinction between seniors and juniors. It’s a lot of fun.”

Mortaza gave credit to his players, saying: “This is a great honour. My boys have been fantastic. They have given everything for the team. I’d like to say my thanks to all the boys.”

Adding to the kind words, Mahmudullah cited Mortaza’s overall impact on the game in Bangladesh.

“He’s been a brother and a friend, and he’s done so much for Bangladesh cricket,” he said. “We have operated in a very nice way. When he took over, we were floundering a little bit.”

They were sentiments echoed by Tamim Iqbal, who shared a 292-run opening stand with Das on Friday.

“When he took over in 2014, we were nowhere,” said Tamim, after making an unbeaten 128. “From 2014 to 2019, he took us to a stage where we were taken seriously all over the world.

“There were people who wanted me dropped, but he backed me all the way.” (Omnisport)

SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS Greyville 08:25 hrs True To Life 09:00 hrs Brigade 09:35 hrs Moodies Well 10:10 hrs Marchingontogether 10:45 hrs Master Of Destiny ENGLISH RACING TIPS Southwell 09:50 hrs Glorious Boru 10:20 hrs Big Time Maybe 10:50 hrs Éclair De Guye 11:25 hrs Three C’S 11:55 HRS Lord Roccoco 12:30 hrs Highland Dress 13:00 hrs Dublin Four

13:30 hrs Londonia Warwick 10:00 hrs Nickolson 10:30 hrs Litterale Ci 11:05 hrs Steal A March 11:35 hrs Echo Watt 12:10 hrs Detached 12:40 hrs Supreme Escape 13:10 hrs Your Darling IRISH RACING TIPS Naas 10:10 hrs Capuccimix 10:40 hrs Gallant John Joe 11:15 hrs Choungaya 11:45 hrs Beacon Edge 12:20 hrs The Very Man 12:50 hrs Ificudiwud 13:30 hrs Lady Heath

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 8, 2020

Labuschagne ton in vain as South Africa sweep ODI series 3-0 (REUTERS) - Australian Marnus Labuschagne’s first one-day international century proved to be in vain as South Africa breezed to a six-wicket victory in Potchefstroom yesterday and a clean sweep of the three-match series.

After being sent in to bat, Australia posted a below-par 254 for seven in their 50 overs, with South African-born Labuschagne hitting a run-a-ball 108 to bolster an otherwise mediocre effort from the visitors.

The home side always looked in control of their chase, JJ Smuts playing the anchor role with a career-best 84 and ably supported by other new faces Kyle Verreynne (50) and Heinrich Klaasen (68 not out) as they romped to victory with 27 balls remaining.

South Africa continued their recent dominance of Australia in this format having won 11 of their last 12 ODI meetings dating back to 2016.

“We have not been at our best, we have been good in patches and then let our foot

their attack, Lungi Ngidi.

Labuschagne set about rebuilding the innings, though, as he put on 81 for the fourth wicket with D’Arcy Short (36) and 53 for the fifth with Mitchell Marsh (32).

He reached his maiden ODI century off exactly 100 balls, much to his delight and that of a sizeable group of family and friends in the stands.

South Africa’s chase came at a good rate, with Smuts’s 84 coming off 98 balls, including 12 fours, before he fell with his hundred, and victory, in Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne celebrates his sight.

He added 96 with Vercentury against South Africa at Senwes Park in reynne for the third wicket, Potchefstroom yesterday. (Reuters) a partnership that laid the off the gas,” Australia captain first 10 overs for the loss of platform for a comfortable Aaron Finch said at the post- David Warner (4), and were victory as man-of-the-series three down for the addition Klaasen smashed the winning match presentation.

“Credit to South Africa, of another 16 runs as South runs with a six to take his tally they put us under pressure Africa picked up the key in the three matches to 242.

South Africa now emwith bat and ball. We only wickets of Steve Smith (20) bark on a three-game ODI took 12 wickets in the series, and Finch (22).

Finch was a debut wicket tour of India starting on but all-round we have not been for South African seamer Thursday, while Australia at our best.”

Australia struggled to Daryn Dupavillon (1-21), who return home to host New get going in their innings, was in the team after the home Zealand in a limited-overs managing just 39 in the side rested the spearhead of tour beginning on Friday.

Liverpool get back on track as Wolves top-four bid stalls

LONDON, England (Reuters) - Liverpool emerged from their recent mini-slump to get their Premier League title procession back on track with a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth at Anfield yesterday.

Their 22nd successive topflight win at home, breaking the English record set by Bill Shankly’s side in 1972, was sealed by goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane after Callum Wilson had given Bournemouth a shock lead.

It restored their 25-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table, and three more wins are all that are now required to rubber-stamp Liverpool’s first title for 30 years.

Goals were in short supply elsewhere, especially at Molineux where Wolverhampton Wanderers spurned a golden chance to move above Chelsea and into the top four, as they were held 0-0 at home by relegation scrappers Brighton and Hove Albion.

Brighton’s point was all the more precious as the other sides in the relegation mire lost.

They have 29 points in 15th place, two points ahead of a trio of sides immediately

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah scores their first goal at Anfield, Liverpool, Britain. (Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine) below them. up to sixth place, level on 43 Alexandre Lacazette’s late points with Wolves. Norwich goal gave Arsenal a 1-0 win are still only six points from over West Ham United, put- the safety zone but time is ting them level on 40 points running out. with Tottenham Hotspur who Newcastle United’s relare away at Burnley later yes- egation fears look all but terday. over, though, after a 1-0 win West Ham remain above secured at Southampton by 18th-placed Bournemouth on Allan Saint-Maximin’s late goal difference. goal. Southampton played Watford, like West Ham a large chunk of the match and Bournemouth, have 27 with 10 men after Moussa points after they came back Djenepo was sent off afto earth with a bump, follow- ter via a VAR review for a ing their 3-0 win over Liver- stamp on Isaac Hayden. pool last weekend - Jordan Liverpool were far from Ayew scoring the only goal in their best but midfielder James a 1-0 win for Crystal Palace. Milner said it was important Bottom club Norwich to respond from three defeats City’s hopes of survival took in their last four games in all another hit as they lost 1-0 at competitions, especially as Sheffield United who moved they face Atletico Madrid next

week seeking to overturn a 1-0 deficit in the Champions League last 16.

“It was important that the boys showed great attitude to come back after some iffy results,” Milner said.

“It’s impossible to go through a season without an iffy spell, but it’s about how you are going to come through that and the boys are working hard.”

They made the worst possible start when, after nine minutes, Wilson slotted home for Bournemouth although he appeared to get away with a shove on Joe Gomez in the build-up.

Juergen Klopp was furious and celebrated like a man possessed when his side were gifted a 25th-minute equaliser when Jack Simpson lost possession just outside his penalty area and Mane played in Salah to finish lethally for his 70th goal in his 100th Premier League start.

Mane then fired Liverpool ahead after racing on to Virgil van Dijk’s through ball. Mane also hit the woodwork in the second half and although the hosts laboured at times they stretched their unbeaten league run at Anfield to 55.

Scoreboard AUSTRALIA innings David Warner c Quinton de Kock b Anrich Nortje 4 Aaron Finch c David Miller b Daryn Dupavillion 22 Steven Smith lbw Andile Phehlukwayo 20 Marnus Labuschagne b Anrich Nortje 108 D’Arcy Short c Heinrich Klaasen b JJ Smuts 36 Mitchell Marsh run-out David Miller 32 Alex Carey b JJ Smuts 0 Jhye Richardson not out 24 Kane Richardson not out 0 Extras: (b-1, lb-2, w-5) 8 Total: (seven wkts, 50.0 overs) 254 Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-43, 3-55, 4-136, 5-189, 7-253.

Bowling: Anrich Nortje 7- 0-35-2, Lutho Sipamla 8-040-0 (w-1), Daryn Dupavillion 6- 0-21-1 (w-1), Andile Phehlukwayo 7-0-49-1 (w-3), Keshav Maharaj 10-045-0, Heinrich Klaasen 3-0-19- 0, JJ Smuts 9-1-42-2.

SOUTH AFRICA innings Janneman Malan c Alex Carey b Josh Hazlewood 23 Quinton de Kock b Josh Hazlewood 26 JJ Smuts c David Warner b Kane Richardson 84 Kyle Verreynne c Marnus Labuschagne b Adam Zampa 50 Heinrich Klaasen not out 68 David Miller not out 3 Extras: (lb-3, w-1) 4 Total: (four wkts, 45.3 overs) 258 Fall of wickets: 1-47, 2-4, 3-150, 4-229.

Bowling: Jhye Richardson 10-1-58-0 (w-1), Josh Hazlewood 10-1-37-2, Kane Richardson 9-0-63-1, Adam Zampa 10-0-45-1, Mitchell Marsh 1.3-0-21- 0, Aaron Finch 2-0-11-0, D’Arcy Short 3-0-20-0.

Buttler & Root score fifties in warm-up JOS Buttler and Joe Root scored half-centuries as England made 316 on day one of their opening warm-up match in Sri Lanka.

Captain Root hit 78 before Buttler, who averaged 17.50 with the bat over the winter, top-scored with 79 against a Sri Lanka Cricket XI in Katunayake.

Opener Zak Crawley made 43, with England dismissed shortly before the scheduled close of play.

England face Sri Lanka in a two-Test series starting on 19 March.

Those matches in Galle and Colombo are expected to be dominated spin, but on Saturday seven of the 10 wickets fell to seam bowling Skipper Joe Root on a green pitch. scored 78 Crawley batted fluently before he was bowled by Lahiru Samarakoon, while fellow opener Dom Sibley was lbw to Kavishka Anjula for 12.

Joe Denly, who made 32, Ben Stokes and Ollie Pope fell in quick succession before Root and Buttler added 55 from 142-5.

Buttler was the more patient, hitting five fours and a six in his 159-ball innings.

The 29-year-old has not scored a Test fifty since last summer’s Ashes. His place as wicketkeeper could come under threat from Ben Foakes, who made 27 not out.

“It will have brought Jos some confidence, how well he has played today, and he’ll take that forward,” coach Chris Silverwood said.

“It’s great to see him out there doing well.”(BBC Sport)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 8, 2020

Women’s T20 World Cup final

World record crowd expected as Australia defend title against India

AUSTRALIA will defend their Women’s T20 World Cup title against India today,, with organisers aiming to break the record for the biggest crowd at a women’s sporting event.

The four-time champions are the heavy favourites going into the final, which is being held on International Women’s Day, with India making their maiden appearance.

However, India were the only team to beat Australia in the group stages, claiming a superb 17-run victory on the opening night of the tournament.

More than 75 000 tickets have already been sold for the finale at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The record for a wom-

en’s sporting event is 90 185, achieved at the Football World Cup final between United States and China in Pasadena, California in 1999.

The MCG is one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world and can hold 100 024 persons.

The final, which is bookended by a performance from Katy Perry, begins at 07:00 GMT, with commentary available on 5 Live Sports Extra and the BBC Sport website from 06:00 GMT. “We’re not coming just to put on a good show,” said Australia captain Meg Lanning. “We’re coming here to win.

“It’s been a long time coming and the build-up to the game is something I

Archer on track for May comeback ahead of West Indies series JOFRA Archer is “progressing as expected” as he recovers from a stress fracture in his right elbow and is set to make a return to action for Sussex in May. The pace bowler suffered the injury during England’s tour of South Africa, featuring in just the first of four Test matches before withdrawing from the Twenty20 series against the Proteas.

In a statement released on its website, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Archer has undergone a repeat MRI scan

London, Jofra Archer has been reviewed by the ECB medical team and is progressing as expected from the stress fracture to his right elbow sustained during the South Africa tour in January,” the statement read.

“He will have a further scan in mid-April before a return to competitive cricket.

“Archer’s focus will be playing for England, starting with the West Indies Test series, which commences in early June.

“He will play County Championship cricket in May for Sussex to ensure

England fast bowler Jofra Archer

and, following a review by the medical team, is focussed on being fit for the first Test against West Indies in June.

The 24-year-old, who will again be assessed in April, had hinted at potentially being fit in time to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Rajasthan Royals, but will instead make his comeback in the County Championship.

“Following a repeat MRI scan undertaken this week in

his preparation is optimal for Test cricket.”

Archer helped England win the Cricket World Cup last year and has played in seven Tests so far in his international career, taking 30 wickets in the longest format at an average of 27.40.

He recently signed a two-year contract extension with Sussex, saying: “I am very happy to commit longterm to the club.” (Omnisport)

Meg Lanning (left) and Harmanpreet Kaur will captain the teams in today’s final. haven’t experienced before.

“It will be the biggest moment of my career.”

Australia began the tournament as favourites, having appeared in every final of the competition since 2010.

They have lost the final just once in that time - against an inspired West Indies in 2016 - but they are more experienced in crunch situations than India.

However, it has not been

straightforward for Australia.

They were undone by India’s bowling attack in the first game and they have since lost star all-rounder Ellyse Perry to injury.

Pace bowler Megan Schutt excelled in the semi-final against South Africa, while captain Meg Lanning has been an immovable rock, scoring 116 runs in four innings.

But India are probably the most improved side in

women’s cricket, with their bowling attack spearheaded by diminutive spinner Poonam Yadav.

They have an explosive opening partnership in 16-year-old Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, while pace bowler Shikha Pandy returned to form at the start of the tournament.

India have appeared in a global final before, when they lost to England in the 50-over World Cup at Lord’s in 2017, but the MCG atmosphere will be a new test for them to deal with.

The record stands in Australia’s favour - the hosts have won 13 of their 19 T20 meetings - but India will take heart from their opening night performance.

“Sunday is a fresh day, a fresh start,” said India captain Harmanpreet Kaur. “We have to start from ball one.

“We are used to playing when a lot of crowd is around us. Sometimes there’s no noise going around in the stadium so we need to keep an eye on each other.

“Rather than thinking about what is going to trouble us, it’s only about being there, enjoying the moment and giving our best.”

Australia opener Beth Mooney has been the bedrock for the hosts so far, scoring 181 runs in five innings, including two half-centuries.

With Alyssa Healy struggling for consistency, Mooney and her patient play will be important for Australia. She is also one of only two batters in the side to average above 30 against India’s spinners.

No Australia bowler has taken more T20 wickets against India than Perry’s 22. Left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux, recalled in Perry’s absence, will have to play a containing role during the middle overs.

For India, it is hard to look beyond Shafali Verma. While the teenager has yet to score a half-century in the tournament, her aggressive strokeplay and the ease with which she hits sixes will be crucial to getting India off to a strong start.

It was leg-spinner Yadav who put the brakes on Australia in the opening match.

Her short stature and extra flight behind the ball makes her tricky to attack, and she enters the match as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with nine from four innings. (BBC Sport)

Messi and VAR hand Barca victory over Sociedad

By Richard Martin

BARCELONA, Spain (Reuters) - Lionel Messi kept his nerve from the penalty spot to give Barcelona a 1-0 win over Real Sociedad in La Liga yesterday and return his side to the top of the table.

Barca’s all-time top scorer calmly chipped the ball into the net in the 81st minute after Sociedad defender Robin Le Normand had been penalised following a VAR review for hitting the ball with his arm as he contested a cross.

The penalty was awarded at a time when Barca were struggling to cope with Sociedad’s flowing counterattacks, with the Basques missing several chances to take the lead at the Camp Nou in a bold second-half display.

Sociedad’s frustration at conceding the penalty was heightened when their former player Antoine Griezmann appeared to push over defender Nacho Monreal in the area but no foul was awarded.

Barca looked to have scored a second goal deep in injury time when Jordi Alba

slotted in a cross from substitute Ansu Fati but another VAR review determined that the teenage forward had been narrowly offside when he received the ball from Messi.

The victory took Barca back to the top of the standings on 58 points after 27 games although Real Madrid, on 56, can restore their place at the league summit by beating Real Betis today. “We won the game with the narrowest of margins but it keeps our hopes of winning the title alive,” said Barca defender Gerard Pique, who also defended the decision to award his side the crucial penalty.

“We have seen several similar situations punished with a penalty recently so as soon as I saw it I thought it was handball,” he added.

Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino was encouraged by his side’s performance but was frustrated by the result.

“We feel a mixture of feelings as we played really good football, had chances and dominated phases of the game but we lost due to a handball which was very questionable,” he said.

Barca were under extra pressure to win after losing

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their first goal. (REUTERS/ Albert Gea) last week’s ‘Clasico’ 2-0 away to Madrid and surrendering top spot to their rivals, and were up against a Sociedad side on a run of six straight victories in all competitions.

Sociedad travelled to Barcelona in jubilant mood after booking their place in the Copa del Rey final for the first time in 32 years by seeing off Mirandes on Wednesday and coach Imanol Alguacil made a series of changes to his starting

line-up.

Barca’s latest arrival Martin Braithwaite made his first start for the home side and was their most lively player in the first half, combining well with Messi and twice forcing saves from visiting keeper Alex Remiro.

Messi missed the target with his only effort before the interval and also looked rusty in the second half until he placed the ball on the spot and coolly dispatched it into the net.

46

Johnson appointed West Indies Over-50s head coach CAPE TOWN, South Africa - Former Barbadian First Class player, Allison Johnson, has accepted the added responsibility bestowed on him for the upcoming Over-50s Cricket World Cup in South Africa.

The 56-year-old, who was initially picked as a fast bowling all-rounder was recently appointed head coach of the Regional side, a role Johnson is excited to take up.

“With my local knowledge of cricket in South Africa I can be an asset to the West Indies team and it’s quite obvious that we can go places. With seven matches in 14 days it will be a challenge but we will work on the basics to ensure the guys are fit and build a good team spirit because it will take us through at the end of the day, Johnson said.

The all-rounder is no stranger to the role of player/coach especially in South Africa where he has been living, coaching and playing since Former Barbados player Allison Johnson 1990. The very fit and active Barbadian also runs the Allison Johnson All-Stars Academy which has been successfully turning out young South African players since 2005.

During his playing days, Johnson featured in two First Class and three List A matches for Barbados and 13 seasons of professional cricket in England before qualifying himself as a coach.

However, to coach the West Indies Over-50s in such a major tournament is going to be a test for Johnson but he said he is excited to fill the role.

“It will be challenging but I am looking forward to it. I am honoured and at the same time excited, I am looking for us to make the West Indies proud, the coach echoed.

West Indies Over-50s will look to hit the ground running in Cape Town today when they take on hosts South Africa in a warm-up match. The Caribbean side will also warm up against India the following day before opening the tournament with a Group A clash with New Zealand on Tuesday, March 11.

West Indies, who are being led by Guyanese Zamin Amin, are in Group A with New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Australia, Sri Lanka and Canada while the Group B teams are India, Pakistan, Wales, South Africa, Namibia and England.

The final is set for March 24 at Cape Town’s international cricket venue at Newlands.

West Indies Over-50 Squad reads; Zamin Amin (captain), Ishwar Maraj (vice-captain), Imtiaz Rick Ali, Mark Audain, Narine Bidhesi, Julian Charles, Sudesh Dhaniram, Kenny Girdharry, Krishna Harricharan, Fareed Hosein, Howard Jodhan, Hafiz Mohamed, Azad Mohammed, Rajendra Sadeo, Balwant Roy Singh, Allison Johnson (player/coach), Raj Singh (manager), Dave Narine (assistant-manager) and John Ramsingh (media manager).

SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 8, 2020

Scorpions slump to record low 60 but Volcanoes struggle in run chase ST GEORGE’S, Grenada,(CMC) – Jamaica Scorpions were rocked for their third lowest total ever in the Regional Four-Day Championship but then hit back through left-arm spinner Patrick Harty, to leave their seventh round contest against Windward Islands Volcanoes delicately balanced heading into today’s final day.

Having secured a healthy lead of 164 runs after Volcanoes collapsed to 217 all out in their first innings, Scorpions then inexplicably crashed to 60 all out in their second innings with two single batsmen – number eight Jamie Merchant (19) and number nine Marquino Mindley (10) – reaching double figures.

Fast bowlers Ryan John (4-26) and Preston McSween (3-23) then ripped through the top order to reduce Scorpions to 15 for four, and there was no recovery as off-spinner Kenneth Dember then cleaned up the lower order with a spell of three for nine.

Left with 225 for victory, Volcanoes dramatically lost veteran left-hander Devon Smith to the first ball of the innings when he was bowled by fast bowler Marquino Mindley, as they stumbled to the close on 51 for three.

Captain Kavem Hodge (21) and

Fast bowler Preston McSween opener Kimani Melius (11) put on 34 for the second wicket to stabilise the innings but Harty intervened to remove both, and tilt the balance in the visitors’ favour.

First, Harty hit Melius in front with a straight ball and then had Hodge cheekily stumped down the leg-side by Grenadian Denis Smith.

On a day when 21 wickets tumbled

at the National Stadium, Volcanoes lost their last eight wickets for 85 runs in a rapid decline that saw Mindley grab four for 48 and off-spinner Jamie Merchant finish three for 46.

Devon Smith, unbeaten on 67, added just five before falling to a catch at the wicket off Mindley and Andre Fletcher, resuming on 22, reached 33 before he was bowled by Mindley.

In between, West Indies batsman Sunil Ambris perished for one, also bowled by the fired up Mindley.

Keron Cottoy, batting at number seven, resisted with an unbeaten 48 off 83 balls with six fours, to push his side beyond the 200-run mark.

In a nightmare start to their innings, John trapped Alwyn Williams for seven in the fourth over with 12 runs on the board before McSween removed Jermaine Blackwood (2) and Nkrumah Bonner (0) in successive deliveries in the next over.

John then got the prized wicket of captain John Campbell, caught at the wicket for six, leaving the Scorpions innings in strife.

Merchant and Denis Smith (3) came together at 25 for six to stage the best stand of the innings with 20 for the seventh wicket but once Smith turned Dember into Melius’s hands at short leg, the slide continued.

Mohammed hits unbeaten113 as Red Force take command on day 3

TAROUBA, Trinidad (CMC) – Jason Mohammed’s 11th first-class hundred put Barbados Pride’s fivegame winning streak under threat as Trinidad and Tobago Red Force took command of their seventh round encounter here yesterday.

Trailing by 21 runs on first innings after Pride were dismissed for 260 early in yesterday’s penultimate day, Red Force produced one of their best batting efforts of the Regional FourDay campaign to pile up 343 for nine in their second innings, with Mohammed hammering a classy unbeaten 113.

Barbadian Kyle Hope chipped in with 67 at the top of the order and Akeal Hosein stroked a better than run-a-ball 55, as the hosts pressed home their advantage to take a 322-run lead into today’s final day at Brian Lara Stadium.

Red Force have not won in the championship since they beat Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the second round, suffering two defeats and stalemates in the last four fixtures.

Seeking to break that poor run of form, they needed just 10 balls to wrap up the Pride innings as the visitors added only six runs to their overnight 254

Jason Mohammed struck an unbeaten 113 for Red Force for nine.

Fast bowler Anderson Phillip added the wicket to fall to his tally to end with six for 59.

Hope then provided the early impetus for Red Force in an innings requiring 126 balls in just over 2-½ hours and including 11 fours.

He put on 45 for the first wicket with debutant Cephas Cooper (14) and then added a further 34 for the second with Isaiah Rajah who spent nearly 50 minutes over three, as Red Force reached

lunch on 88 for two.

Cooper fell softly after facing 37 balls in an hour at the crease, clipping an ordinary full-length delivery from medium pacer Kyle Mayers to short mid-wicket while the left-handed Rajah played down the wrong line to off-spinner Ashley Nurse (4-70) and was trapped lbw.

After the break, Hope extended his third-wicket stand with Mohammed to 45 before finally perishing in the seventh over, following the resumption, bowled by one from left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican (2-69) that spun past his defensive prod and rocked off-stump.

Unbeaten on nine at lunch Mohammed, took charge for Red Force, punching 15 fours off 221 balls in 4-½ hours at the crease.

He posted significant partnerships of 46 for the fifth wicket with Jyd Goolie (16) and 86 for the seventh with Hosein, who belted seven fours in a 52-ball cameo.

On 62 at tea with Red Force on 200 for five, Mohammed reached his landmark in the final hour when he drove fast bowler Chemar Holder crisply to the straight boundary.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 8, 2020

Sherwin Moore: ‘A consummate professional signing off on a rewarding career’

By Elroy Stephney AFTER seven years of a clinically rewarding career, the affable and dapper Sherwin Moore has now muted the sound of his trademark whistle.

In an exclusive interview with Chronicle Sport recently, an emotional Moore conceded that he felt it was the right time to chart a different course despite enjoying every step of the way.

“My passion for the game is still burning deep, just as the first day I fell in love with it. I believe though that the time has come for me to step off the field and see what the future holds.”

“When I became a FIFA Referee I had some set goals, among them being ranked among CONCACAF’s best. I am happy to say that I have achieved most of those goals based on what time has afforded me,” concluded Moore on calling it a day.

Though it was a tough call, Moore acknowledged that a number of factors, including the daily evolving of the game and the rigorous physical requirements were key determinants to walk

Former FIFA referee Sherwin Moore away. Ironically too, his attraction towards refereeing was awkward, and with a smile he reminisced that “it was by mere coincidence that I was told to attend a course that couldn’t gather enough participants back in 2006”.

With precision and a great deal of commitment though, he became studiously engrossed in every aspect of the gruelling task, including his introduction to official duty by Mark Young. He didn’t regret the baptism and made quite an indelible mark in Guyana,

the Caribbean and further afield..

His greatest joy came from meeting, interacting and creating lasting friendships, memories of which he is to cherish both locally and internationally. A round-table discussion with Pierluigi Collina, widely regarded as one of the all-time refereeing greats, was a defining moment for Moore.

Such inspiration and intellectual grasp would then propel Moore to seamlessly and successfully officiate in Russia, the Caribbean, Latin America as well as North and South America.

His exemplary skill, application of the laws, decisive rule and fitness were the hall-marks of his career. The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) in recognition of his outstanding ability had nominated him to FIFA for seven consecutive years so that he was always up for selection.

He was also favourably and fittingly recognised by CONCACAF and CFU to officiate in high-profile matches. Among them were the Pan American Games in Canada 2015, Olympic Qualifiers (Under-23) in Brazil 2016,

CONCACAF Champions League matches from 2013 to 2018, World Cup Qualifying matches in Russia 2018 and CFU Caribbean Cup Groups and Finals, among others.

At the time of his retirement, he was ranked as a Tier 3 Referee and among the top 30 in the Region.

His exemplary performance on the field accorded him the honour of being the recipient of the Male Refereeof-the-Year Award by the Guyana Football Referees Council (GFRC) in 2016.

He also had the distinct privilege of attending a number of CONCACAF courses that enabled him to remain on top of his game. Conversely, he accepted that being a ‘part-timer’ as a referee due to his Engineering career meant that focussing consistently on the game was a challenge especially since he had to compete for tournaments against fulltime professional referees, particularly from the USA and Mexico.

“The year 2019 definitely did not go down according to script and so this can be seen as a low point for me,” he conceded. “Notwithstanding, I am certainly open to

You’re off! Moore in action in a CONCACAF match. sharing the knowledge I have ing his greatest supporters.

He has since expressed acquired over the years as it relates to training regimen, gratitude and thanks to GFF, law interpretation, analysis of CONCACAF, CFU, GFRC match incidents and explana- and the wider football fration and interpretation of law ternity for their continuous and affectionate support changes”.

“Refereeing is a techni- during what he described as cal skill that needs careful a rewarding and enjoyable nurturing and teaching career.

Not yet finished, Moore which was badly lacking locally and to a degree still encourages young, footis,” he reflected. Moore ball-passionate persons to formerly hailed from Dev- join refereeing and emonshire Castle on the Esse- bark on a journey that quibo Coast. He is married will be pleasantly unforto Coretta Moore and has gettable, as it has been for two adorable children; his the elegantly consummate family he attributes as be- professional.

Ramdin and Dillon make peace THE rift that developed between former T&T Red Force skipper Denesh Ramdin and current coach Mervyn Dillon has been resolved and both parties have given the commitment that they will work together for the betterment of T&T’s cricket.

President of the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) Azim Bassarath met with Ramdin, Dillon, and chairman of the T&T national selection pan­el, Anthony Gray, last Wednesday at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Balmain, Couva to address issues that have

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday March 08, 2020)

Former T&T Red Force captain Denesh Ramdin

Head coach Mervyn Dillon

needed 140 runs from 15 overs and I was bat- bago; so it is now up to the selec­tors to make ting at the time. I called off the game because their choice. What we have done at the board the next three batsmen to come after me were is to clear the way for better relations and we very young and it would have been difficult all hope it works out well.” to get that score. I was told he left the ground Ramdin went back to local cricket on and called the chairman of selectors (Anthony the weekend and played for Preysal against Gray) and the president of the board (Azim QPCC II in the TTCB Premiership scoring Bassarath) to get me fired.”

67 in his team’s victory. (Reprinted form Dillon responded by saying he was not Trinidad Guardian) getting the required commitment from the West Indies player.

Bassarath speaking to Guardian Media Sports on Thursday said: “We met and all is well with both play­ers.

We called them together with the chairman of selectors An- COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK thony Gray and they have all – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500)\ CUMtalked and in the end they have MINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 decided to work together for Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: the betterment of cricket in this 225-6158) country.

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: “The guys were really mature during the discussions (1) AUST 2; SA 1 and they all said that T&T’s (2) Aaron Finch (AUST) cricket must come first and as a result, they have put aside their differences and will continue to make their contribution in taking the game (1)Who are the ICC Women’s T20 World forward.

Champions 2020?

“Ramdin will be available (2)Who was declared Player of the Series? for selection from the next match against the Windwards Answers in tomorrow’s issue right here in Trinidad and To-

been making the rounds in the media for the past two weeks between Ramdin and Dillon.

Recently Ramdin went public saying that Dillon does not want him on the team. Ramdin was dropped from the Red Force team for the Leeward Islands Hurricanes clash after the team’s massive loss to Barbados, where he scored a ‘pair’ of ducks.

Speaking about the snub by the national selectors Ramdin said: “The coach does not want me on the team. We don’t talk, probably a good morning here or there but we don’t communicate.

“It all started last year in St Kitts when we

Today’s Quiz:

Leeward Hurricanes opener Montcin Hodge and middle-order batsman Amir Jangoo dominated the greater part of day 3 (Adrian Narine photo)

PCL Regional 4-Day Tournament Round 7 Day 3

Hodge, Jangoo miss tons as Hurricanes fight back to end on 355-7

By Clifton Ross

Hodge top-scored with 98 (9x4) and should have got to a century after facing some 368 balls.

He shared an important 171-run third-wicket partnership with Jangoo, who also missed the chance of recording his first century at this level, but nevertheless oozed class, as he found the ropes on 10 occasions to go along with his lone six.

After putting on some 88 runs in the morning session, with Hodge resuming on 60 and Jangoo 62, Hurricanes went to lunch firmly placed on 161-2.

The pair of half-centurions maintained their

LEEWARDS Hurricanes batsmen Montcin Hodge and Amir Jangoo narrowly missed out on centuries as the visitors gained a 94-run lead over Guyana Jaguars heading into the final day of action at Providence.

Despite facing a deficit, the defending champions will fancy their chances with one day of play left as the Hurricanes ended day 3 on 355 for 7 with a lead of 94 and Rakeem Cornwall (1*) and Jerimiah Louis (6*) the pair to resume on today’s final day.

Windies peaking at right time

Shimron Hetmyer and Andre Russell celebrate Windies victory in Pallekele Stadium on Friday.

– Russell

BIG-hitting Windies all-rounder Andre Russell believes the team is set to peak at just the right time, with the ICC T20 World Cup just on the horizon.

Russell played a starring role as the Windies closed out its T20 series against Sri Lanka, with a convincing 7-wicket win at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Friday. The 2-0 win triumph for the West Indies was the team’s first series win against an opponent since Bangladesh in 2019.

For a re-tooled Windies team looking to win an unprecedented third world title, the all-rounder believes that while the team

have a long way to go, the victory is timely encouragement.

“We are peaking at the right time but we still have some areas to work on as a team,” Russell, who was named man-of-the-series, said.

“We have a new set of guys who have the professional mindset and we know what we have to do to better what we have been doing. I just hope everyone is tuned in and ready to make the sacrifices moving forward to work on our cricket.”

Russell ended the series with a decisive 75 runs and one wicket.

disciplined approach which rewarded them with runs and continuing to expose the Jaguars bowlers who were picked off for the occasional boundary now and then.

Smith could have made a breakthrough but Hodge was given a life when he was dropped on 68 as the Windwards continued to press on with their wiping off the deficit.

Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (388), had other ideas as he broke the century partnership by trapping Jangoo lbw, prior to tea as the Leewards went in on 251-4.

Hodge shrugged off his partner’s loss and

Barbadian umpire Gregory Brathwaite

Brathwaite to act as TV umpire in Women’s T20 World Cup final

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Barbadian umpire Gregory Brathwaite has been named among the match officials for today’s final of the Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia.

The 50-year-old will act as television umpire for the match between defending champions Australia and unbeaten India, which will be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground tonight (03:00hrs Sunday Eastern Caribbean time).

One of the most experienced match officials in the West Indies, Brathwaite is officiating in his sixth global event, after having been involved at the regional level for over a decade.

“On behalf of Cricket West Indies (CWI) we want to congratulate Gregory on his appointment as television umpire for the final of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup,” said Roland Holder, CWI senior operations

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continued to play his shots but just when it seemed like the West Indies-A batsman would reach his milestone, left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer (270), broke the opener’s edge which sailed into the gloves of a waiting Anthony Bramble behind the stumps.

Wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton (67) carried the Hurricanes charge for the final session of day 3 smashing 10 fours and a six in his way to a rather brisk fifty which further added to the visitors’ small lead.

The final day’s action starts today at 10:00hrs.

manager.

“He is a dedicated and committed umpire who has made progress on the international stage. We are confident that he will equip himself very well.

“This tournament is a major event on the global cricket stage. To have one of our umpires participate in the final along with the fact that we just had Jacqueline Williams as the first female umpire in a men’s T20I are signs of the improving standards.”Brathwaite made his international breakthrough in 2011 in an One-Day International between Canada and Afghanistan and has so far stood in 44 ODI and 28 T20 Internationals.

In today’s final, Hasan Raza of Pakistan and Kim Cotton of New Zealand will serve as the standing umpires while the fourth official will be Langton Rusere of Zimbabwe.

SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2020