Guyana Chronicle E-paper 7-22-2020

WEDNESDAY 22nd July, 2020

’ No. 106068

‘The Rule of Law intact’

… Min. of Foreign Affairs tells OAS Guyanese remain peaceful, patient

… AG posits legal 03 recourse best solution for Guyana PAGE

‘Appeal filed’ 02 PAGE

... 23 instances cited where High Court erred in its judgement

COVID-19 rates highest in Regions 1 and 7 11 PAGE

Ruel Johnson arrested, 17 released on station bail PAGE

Fire, on Tuesday, completely destroyed a Haslington Housing Scheme house leaving a mother and her three children homeless. When Guyana Chronicle arrived at the scene, the house had already been reduced to ashes as seen in this Delano Williams’ photo. See story on page 13

–– Police launch investigation into alleged rape

Sub-Editor of Kaieteur News, Ruel Johnson

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

‘Appeal filed’ ... 23 instances cited where High Court erred in its judgement on the 2020 Elections

By Svetlana Marshall ONE day after the High Court upheld the national recount and simultaneously ruled out the possibility of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) relying on the March Declarations to declare the results of the General and Regional Elections, Misenga Jones – a Tucville, Georgetown voter – has moved to the Court of Appeal to challenge the decision.

Through her Attorney, Mayo Robertson, Jones filed a Notice of Appeal on Tuesday (July 21), in which she laid down 23 grounds on which the Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire erred in her judgment handed down in the High Court on Monday (July 20).

In dismissing the case filed by Jones, the Chief Justice indicated that the majority of the issues highlighted in the application were re judicata, having been addressed by both the Court of Appeal and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Further, she ruled that the CCJ, in its July 8 judgement in the case – Irfaan Ali and Bharrat Jagdeo v Eslyn David – endorsed the National Recount. “…as determined by the CCJ, unless overturned by a court in an election petition, the only data that could be used for

the declaration of the results of the elections would have to be the recount results or data,” Justice George-Wiltshire said in her virtual judgment.

However, Jones, in her Notice of Appeal, said that the Chief Justice erred in her judgment, and it ought to be set aside or reversed.

In laying down the grounds for the appeal, Robertson, on behalf of his client, told the Appellate Court that the Chief Justice erred in law when she ruled that the issue of the constitutionality of Section 22 of the Elections Laws (Amendment) Act was res judicata.

It was Section 22 of the Elections Laws (Amendment) Act that the Elections Commissioned used together with Article 162 of the Constitution to bring the Recount Order (Order No. 60) into effect. Jones together with the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield and the Attorney General, Basil Williams had argued that Section 22 was unconstitutional on the basis that it conferred law-making powers on GECOM - a non-legislative body - in contravention with Article 170 of the Constitution. It was also argued that the Recount Order led to the establishment of a new electoral regime in breach not only of the Constitution but also the Representation of

the People Act. But Justice George-Wiltshire while relying on the decision of the Court of Appeal in the Ulita Moore Case ruled that the legality of Section 22 is a matter to be frontally examined by the court at a full hearing via an elections petition upon the completion of the electoral process. Additionally, she ruled that the matter was res judicata but Robertson told the Appellate Court that the High Court’s decisions were bad in law on the grounds that the Chief Justice misconstrued its judgment in the Ulita Moore v the Guyana Elections Commission case.

Further, Jones wants the Appellate Court to rule that the Chief Justice’s decision that the Chairman of GECOM, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh and or the commission did not act outside of their constitutional and statutory powers was also bad in law. Following the CCJ’s decision in the Ali and Jagdeo Case, the Chairman of GECOM, on July 9, instructed the Chief Elections Officer, to compile an Elections Report in accordance with Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act and Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution but with the use of data generated during the national recount. However, the CEO had expressed concerns that the National

Recount was not done in full compliance with the Representation of the People Act, which stipulates that the Elections Report must be compiled using information from the Returning Officers.

Lowenfield, in reverting to the March Declarations, had relied on paragraph 37 of the written judgment of the CCJ. That paragraph reads: “The Presidential Candidate on the list for which more votes have been cast than any other list is deemed to be elected as President, and the Chairman of GECOM must so declare. Both the allocation of seats in the National Assembly and the identification of the successful Presidential Candidate are determined on the sole basis of votes counted and information furnished by the Returning Officers under the Representation of the People Act.” Jones together with the CEO and the Attorney General had brought attention to the fact that the Returning Officers had not participated in the May-June National Recount, and as such, they had argued that GECOM ought to declare the results of the elections based on the declarations made by the Returning Officers in the 10 Electoral District in accordance with the Representation of the People Act. But the Chief Justice said the interpretation of

the CCJ’s judgment put forward by Jones, the CEO and the Attorney General was “hopelessly flawed.” “The CCJ judgment lends to the ineluctable conclusion that the recount votes are ex facie valid,” the Chief Justice said but Jones is contending that the decisions of the Chief Justice were flawed.

Jones, in laying down her grounds, argued that the Chair of GECOM acted outside of her constitutional powers, and that the Chief Justice failed to properly construe the terms and provisions of Order No. 60.

Such action, Jones told the Appellate Court resulted in a flawed judgment that the validity of the Order was res judicata.

Further, the Tucville voter told the Appellate Court that the High Court failed to consider the “undisputed” affidavit evidence tendered by her and the Chief Elections Officer.

Those evidence, she posited, addressed the important question of the Returning Officers’ involvement in the National Recount, and in addition to the changes made by the Elections Commission in determining the validity of votes cast at the Elections. Jones said that the Chief Justice had also disregarded the evidence tendered by People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary, Bharrat

Attorney-at-Law Mayo Robertson Jagdeo.

“The Honourable Chief Justice (ag) erred in law when she failed to consider affidavit evidence of the seventh named Respondent, Bharrat Jagdeo, which would have allowed her to see what the Order for recount had its genesis in an unconstitutional attempt to challenge the lawfulness in the conduct of an election,” Jones said, through her lawyer.

It was also submitted to the Court of Appeal that “the Honourable Chief Justice (ag) erred in law when she failed to determined that the process and or mechanism for determination of a final credible count under Order 60 of 2020 was predicated on and was inconsistent with the constitutional powers of the Guyana Elections Commission and in excess of the provisions of the Representation of the People Act as it required the application of the reconciliation process set out in Order 60 of 2020.”

The Chief Justice, in upholding the National Recount, ruled that the March Declarations made by the Returning Officers are no longer useful but this too was rejected by Jones.

“The Honourable Chief Justice (ag) erred in law when she held that the Declarations of the Returning Officers made pursuant to Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act had been overtaken by events, were no longer useful and could not be resurrected,” Jones, through her lawyer said.

The case brought against the Guyana Elections Commission, the Chairman of GECOM, the Chief Elections Officer, the Attorney General and others will be heard today (July 22) in the Court of Appeal at 15:00hrs.

The other respondents in the case are Shazam Ally of The Citizenship Initiative; Abedin Kindy Ali of Change Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali of the PPP/C, Dr. Mark France from A New and United Guyana, Leader of the Liberty and Justice Party, Lenox Shuman, Daniel Josh Kanhai of The New Movement and Leader of the United Republican Party Vishnu Bandhu.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

‘The Rule of Law intact’ … Min. of Foreign Affairs tells OAS Guyanese remain peaceful, patient … AG posits legal recourse best solution for Guyana

By Lisa Hamilton

“LET us be clear. The elections process that began on March 2, 2020 has not been completed and its completion rests solely in the hands of the only legal entity that can pronounce on electoral matters in Guyana, that is the Guyana Elections Commission,” Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen

the President and, likewise, the rest of Guyana, awaits a peaceful and legal conclusion to the elections.

She affirmed: “To date, the Chairperson of GECOM has not made a declaration on these elections.

President Granger has repeatedly stated that the Executive branch of Government does not have a role in managing elections.

That role is given by the Constitution exclusively and explicitly to the Elections Commission.”

LEGAL RECOURSE WARRANTED Dr. Cummings did acknowledge that the matter of a final declaration has been through several legal processes due to “serious anomalies” which affected the credibility of the

Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams S.C. Cummings told the Organisation of American States (OAS) on Tuesday during a special meeting held to discuss the country’s electoral situation.

Following the remarks of former Prime Minister of Jamaica and Chief of the OAS Electoral Observer Mission (EOM) to Guyana, Bruce Golding, and OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, the Foreign Affairs Minister stated that Guyana appreciates the concerns shared but an end to the elections rests in the hands of the Elections Commission.

Dr. Cummings noted that while much focus has been placed on the APNU+AFC Administration, President David Granger has long indicated that he will abide by the declaration of the Elections Commission, according to law, once such is made.

Until then, she noted that

She reminded that the delay in Guyana’s electoral process began back in March, 2020 when the Region Four declaration was questioned.

Several court battles, a national recount and several reports later, Dr. Cummings said that the one thing that has been made clear and that is that the rule of law remains sturdy in Guyana.

“There is evidence, throughout all this, that Guyana remains governed by the rule of law with full respect for the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary. There has been no breakdown of the rule of law in Guyana,” Dr. Cummings said.

“Guyana is a democratic nation and intends to remain so… Guyana continues to remain a peaceful, law-abiding state and throughout this lengthy process, which has been guided by several Constitutional provisions, the people of Guyana have remained patient, calm and peaceful.

The international community should therefore also be patient and not seek

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings results. She said that it is the legal challenges, which are catered for as a right of citizens in the law, that has contributed to a delay in the elections.

However, the Foreign Affairs Minister established that while, in the most recent court matter, the High Court ruled that the recount data must be used to declare the elections, a citizen would be in his/her legal right to appeal the said ruling and such has been done.

ana was Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams S.C. In brief remarks, the AG stated that a picture of “doom and gloom” is unjustly being painted internationally about Guyana.

He said that Golding himself can attest to the Guyana’s right standing judicial system and it should not be expected that Guyanese, whom the AG described as “litigious”, would not seek recourse from the Courts in times of perceived or proven injustices.

“In all of what is happening, the Guyanese people have remained calm, because they know they have a system that they could have recourse to. There are winners and there are losers in the system and so, we just have to abide with the outcome of the judicial process,” he urged.

If one were to find fault with the resort of citizens to the Court prior to an election declaration, the AG stated that this must be traced back to the breakdown in the tabulation of Region Four Statement of Polls (SOPs) at which event, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Executive, Anil Nandlall took to the Court to secure injunctions to block the election declaration.

“The first recourse to the CCJ was not made by us, it was made by the Opposition.

They were dissatisfied with

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Executive, Anil Nandlall to influence, unduly, the Constitutional and legal processes which are currently ongoing in Guyana.”

IT’S PREMATURE Also representing Guy-

PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate, Mark Phillips

the decision of the Court of Appeal and so they rightly sought recourse from our apex Court. We don’t have a problem with that. It’s better that we have that type of resolution in Guyana than to have the opposite that you see all over the world,” he said.

The AG too iterated that the President has stated that he will abide by the Constitution, and has done so; that he will abide by the ruling of the Court and has done so and that he will abide by the declaration of the Elections Commission and awaits that declaration to do so.

He stated: “I believe that all of this is premature. There has been no declaration. If there were a declaration we could understand but we haven’t reached that stage and we’re trying to get there.”

Also invited to speak was, PPP/C Executive, Anil Nandlall and PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate, Mark Phillips. Nandlall told the OAS that the recount data is valid and should be used to declare the elections. He

pointed a finger to the APNU+AFC as working to delay the elections during the National Recount and now through the Courts.

“They participated fully and when they realised they were losing the recount, they started to fabricate these allegations of dead and migrant people voting,” he said, noting that the recount was observed by the CARICOM Scrutinising Team.

Meanwhile, Phillips briefly put forward that his party has won the elections and over 140 days later is still awaiting a conclusion.

“I call on the APNU+AFC government, not just to attend this forum, but to respect the will of the people of Guyana, respect the rule of law in Guyana and respect the democratic norms and values of the Organisation of American States and concede that they have lost the elections,” he said.

Following their remarks, comments and observations came from Member States of the OAS.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

US charges Chinese COVID-19 research ‘cyber-spies’ (BBC) The US justice department has accused China of sponsoring hackers who are targeting labs developing Covid-19 vaccines.

Officials have charged two Chinese men who allegedly spied on US companies doing coronavirus research and got help from state agents for other thefts.

The indictment comes amid a US crackdown on Chinese cyber espionage.

The UK, US and Canada last week accused Russia of seeking to steal research related to Covid-19.

The accusations against former electrical engineering students Li Xiaoyu and Dong Jiazhi released on Tuesday include charges of trade secret theft and wire fraud conspiracy.

WHAT ARE THE ACCUSATIONS? Prosecutors said the two men spied on a Massachusetts biotech firm in January which was known to be researching possible cures for Covid-19. They also hacked a Maryland company less than a week after it said it was researching

Covid-19.

Officials called the men private hackers who occasionally received support from Chinese intelligence agents, including an officer from the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS).

They previously stole “hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of trade secrets, intellectual property, and other valuable business

information” beginning in 2009, prosecutors alleged.

The indictment unsealed in Washington state said the two men - who reside in China - recently “researched vulnerabilities in the networks of biotech and other firms publicly known for work on Covid-19 vaccines, treatments, and testing technology”.

Countries where firms

were targeted include Australia, Belgium, Germany, Japan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK. According to the indictment, the hackers were able to infiltrate a British artificial intelligence firm, a Spanish defence contractor, and a Australian solar energy company.

WHY IS CHINA ACCUSED OF SUPPORTING THEM? Prosecutors said the men at times acted in their own self-interest - including one occasion when they demanded a ransom from a company in exchange for not releasing its private information - but at other times “were stealing information of obvious interest” to the Chinese government.

According to the indictment, the hackers “worked with, were assisted by, and operated with the acquiescence of” the MSS.

FBI DIRECTOR: CHINA IS ‘GREATEST THREAT’ TO US They allegedly stole military data and provided the Chinese government with the passwords of a democracy activist in Hong Kong and a former Tiananmen Square protester.

“China has now taken its place, alongside Russia, Iran and North Korea, in that shameful club of nations that provide a safe haven for cybercriminals in exchange for those criminals being ‘on-call’ to work for the benefit of the state, here to feed the Chinese Communist party’s insatiable hunger for American and other non-Chinese companies’ hard-earned intellectual property, including Covid-19 research,” John Demers, assistant attorney general for national security, said on Tuesday.

Chinese officials have yet to comment on the latest allegation, but have previously denied accusations of intellectual property theft.

Earlier this month, FBI Director Christopher Wray accused China of a “whole-of-state effort to become the world’s only superpower by any means necessary”.

“We’ve now reached a point where the FBI is now opening a new China-related counterintelligence case every 10 hours,” Mr Wray said.

“Of the nearly 5,000 active counterintelligence cases currently under way across the country, almost half are related to China.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

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Buenos Aires reopens for business (BBC) Buenos Aires has begun lifting lockdown restrictions as Argentina balances the economic cost of the pandemic against the risk of continued spread.

The social-distancing measures are being eased despite a recent spike in new infections totalling more than 3,000 a day since early July.

A r g e n t i n a ’s P r e s i dent, Alberto Fernandez, announced the phased relaxation of restrictions last week.

As part of the first phase, which runs until 2 August, outdoor exercise will be

permitted and non-essential businesses, such as hairdressers and professional services, will be allowed to

reopen.

Buenos Aires mayor Horacio Rodriguez Larreta urged people to be re-

Restrictions are being relaxed in phases in Argentina

sponsible because “personal contact is by far the largest source of infection”.

In lockdown since 20 March, Buenos Aires has been badly affected by the pandemic, recording a large portion of Argentina’s total infections and deaths.

Last month the Argentine government extended and tightened a lockdown in and around Buenos Aires following a sharp rise in cases.

In tQotal, the country has reported 130,774 infections and 2,373 deaths to date, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

NGC and BHP sign Gas Sales Agreement for Ruby Field (TRINIDAD GUARDIAN) The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC) and BHP today announced the successful completion of negotiations on a Gas Sales Agreement for the Ruby Field, which is located in Block 3(a), off the east coast of Trinidad.

An official statement issued by NGC about the deal notes that expected production from the Ruby project is 16,000 barrels per day of crude oil, along with 85 MMscfd of gas production.

The full text of the release from NGC, follows…

NGC PRESS RELEASE: SIGNING OF A GAS SALES AGREEMENT FOR THE RUBY FIELD The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC) and BHP are pleased to announce the successful completion of negotiations of a Gas Sales Agreement for the Ruby Field. Ruby is located in Block 3(a), off the east coast of Trinidad, and is expected to be commissioned in the fourth quarter of 2021. This is just one step that both NGC and BHP have taken to secure gas supply by continuing to invest in upstream gas development projects.

BHP is the operator of the block, with NGC, through its subsidiary NGC E&P (Netherlands) B.V., and Heritage Petroleum Company Limited,

as partners. This project was sanctioned by BHP in August 2019, culminating from decisions taken after gathering and analyzing data acquired during exploration and appraisal drilling, and state-of-the-art ocean bottom node seismic surveying.

The Ruby project will comprise five development wells and one platform producing from the Ruby and Delaware fields in Block 3(a). Production from this Block will tie-in to adjacent infrastructure in Block 2(c) resulting in synergies for both blocks. The Ruby project’s expected production is 16,000 barrels per day of crude oil along with 85 MMscfd of gas production.

To put this into perspective, the latter is sufficient to supply a large-scale ammonia or methanol plant which would normally use between 40 to 100 MMscfd depending on the plant’s output.

This investment output by BHP demonstrates the company’s continued confidence in our domestic energy industry, while also growing their upstream business. According to Vincent Pereira, President of BHP Trinidad and Tobago, “The signing of this Gas Sales Agreement today with The National Gas Company reflects BHP’s continued commitment to Trinidad and Tobago and to providing a reliable source of gas to NGC. This is another

demonstration of our firm’s commitment to sustainably growing our business in here”.

This project also provides the opportunity for NGC to utilize their equity crude oil volumes to complement NGC’s growing commodity trading business. This is not the company’s first foray into commodity trading as NGC’s upstream subsidiary, NGC E&P Investments (Netherlands) B.V has been marketing and selling its share of crude oil production from Block 2 (c) since 2016.

In 2012, TTLNG, another NGC subsidiary, commenced directly selling its LNG cargoes (produced at Atlantic LNG Train 4) into the global LNG market.

In 2016 TTLNG also conducted its first, 3rd party commodity trade in the LNG market.

ACCORDING TO NGC PRESIDENT, MARK LOQUAN: “NGC continues in its thrust to grow our business and create value for our shareholder by integrating along the gas value chain. These developments are important milestones for NGC as we strive to fulfil our vision to be a recognised global leader in the development of sustainable energy-related businesses by developing strategic partnerships and creating exceptional value.”

All partners are eager to embark on this new journey together, with the intention of further advancing the country’s upstream development.

WEDNESDAY, 22 JULY ― 05:00hrs ~ 06:30hrs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Development through diversity

W

HEN one hears the term ‘diversity’, several images are conjured in one’s mind; but when one is asked how diversity is seen through the individual’s lens, answers evoked can range from beauty to ugliness.

The truth is that some of these answers are informed by perception and prejudice, both of which can influence intolerance for the other; putting up the proverbial wall of discrimination and hindering development.

None of this helps in building a nation when it is recognised that positive human relations are forged and sustained through learning and benefiting from each other. Out of recognition that ours is a nation whose frame has been constructed from different peoples; who, for reasons within or out of their control, have made this land their home, our Constitution calls on us to celebrate our racial and cultural diversity as a process of eliminating discrimination in our pursuit of happiness.

Race, though a physical and not a biological construct, has played a pivotal role in this nation’s formation, development, and inter-relationship. Out of this physical construct, Guyana is seen as a Land of Six Peoples, and each group carries within, its own unique culture. Culture, in this sense, speaks to the experiences that shape the value system, artefacts, actions, progress and challenges of each group. The definition of diversity recorded on the University of Oregon Multicultural

Advocates’ page probably best captures what Guyana is, and what Guyanese strive every day to represent.

The institution advances that “The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognising our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment; it is about understanding each other, and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual.” And where UNESCO declared that “The cultural wealth of the world is its diversity in dialogue,” making it “clear that each individual must acknowledge not only otherness in all its forms, but also the plurality of his or her own identity within societies that are themselves plural,” open, rank and honest conversations on diversity must be had, in keeping with universal principles that uphold human rights and development. As this nation aspires to live up to its motto, “One People, One Nation, One Destiny”, such aspiration has not been without achievements, challenges, optimism and pessimism. An achievement Guyanese can be proud of is that inasmuch as racial conflict and hostility have shaped our experiences, outside of the early 1960s, there

has been no open racial warfare among the ordinary man and woman. What this nation has suffered within recent times, and which ought to remain in the past, is the conceptualisation, development, and execution of national policies and programmes to sustain an environment of racial distrust and hostility to the benefit of a few. This practice not only hinders development, but creates a situation where diversity is loathed and the other despised, posing potential for endless problems, with dire consequences of war and want. Appreciation for development through diversity will respect that though the path to wellness and fulfilment for everyone will be different, it does not have to mean that this difference translates to inferiority or superiority, with attendant treatment.

What it means is that the pursuit of happiness can be had, traversing different paths, in an enabling environment that treats all as equals, and ensures the pursuer of that path is guaranteed his/her dignity. Compared to many nations, Guyana is still a relatively young nation.

But relativity in age ought not to be taken as acceptance that the path of intolerance and disrespect for the other is deserving of pursuit. In this scenario, age ought to mean having experienced bigotry, the country being well positioned to learn from the mistakes of older societies, emulate best practices of other societies, and to have the energy and thirst to push new boundaries and aspire for higher heights that come with youthfulness.

African and Indian views on the elections crisis T Dear Editor,

HIS letter represents my understanding of both the African and Indian masses position on the current election crisis in the country. I have chosen to do so in what I consider as a reader-friendly manner. The points are not listed in any form of preference, importance, or chronological order, and it is not my intention to put any political weight on any point. They also do not represent the full extent of the views from both quarters. I try to present them as I have encountered them over time, and with my own random recall.

THE AFRICAN VIEW: Losing the elections will result in PPP/C and Indian domination as experienced during the 23 years of PPP/C rule, economic, political and social marginalization, and a Coalition victory is the only way to prevent domination. Granger and the APNU+AFC played fair on Election Day, and were not involved in rigging. The PPP/C on Election Day organised massive rigging, and got fraudulent votes in the ballot boxes, and the PPP/C numbers are fraudulent. Mingo’s Region 4 tabulations were an attempt to undo PPP/C rigging; the PPP/C first began the rigging on Election Day; if the PPP/C did not rig, the APNU+AFC would have had more votes. GECOM and CARICOM betrayed the recount/verification process, stabbing Granger and the Coalition in the back by only addressing tabulations and not verification. The array of forces, internal and external against the Coalition is unjustified and one-sided. The ABCE countries, OAS, Commonwealth, UN are doing what the US demands; this situation is as a result of the strong and powerful bullying the weak and powerless. This is an injustice which they, the African masses, and the Coalition must resist; see the PPP/C return to office, as the return of State- sponsored killings of Africans; the return to systematic economic apartheid; the PPP/C’s return to office will lead to African security forces oppressing Africans in the interest of PPP/C and white people. The present role of the

US and its allies is that of regime change, like the Carter intervention in 1992; once the PPP/C gets back into office, the US and the ABCE countries will do as they did post- 1992 and allow the PPP/C to do as it pleases. Indians only want to make money; they don’t join the army to defend the country; Africans are the only group that is committed to the defence of the country, and this is not recognised and compensated. This service deserves a special entitlement. The lessons of nationalisation in the 70s and 80s where 80% of the economy was State-owned property owned collectively by all Guyanese, when de nationalisation took place, the majority of the State assets went to non-Africans; we did not have the money. Africans are more open to power-sharing than Indians; given our weak economic standing, foreign business coming to Guyana have little or no African business enterprises to enter into joint ventures. The oil-and-gas industry and wealth under the PPP/C will worsen the economic disparities between the races; this leaves them with no credible alternative but to fight for a reset of the social contract. Opposed to sanctions; see it as bullyism by the US and its allies (White people), and are prepared to live with the consequences.

THE INDIAN VIEW: A PPP/C victory will enhance their economic and social domination of the country; the continuation of the APNU+AFC rule will put limitations on their economic, social and political aspirations. They feel that the Coalition is hostile to their interests; want the continuation of winner-take-all governance system, since it favours their numbers; feel historically that only the PNC and Africans rig elections; don’t believe that the PPP/C ever rigged an election; that the elections were won by the PPP/C fairly; that the Region Four tabulations were electoral fraud by the APNU+AFC; see the recount as confirmation that the PPP/C won the elections; don’t recognise the evidence of fraud that was exposed in the recount process; at the start of the election process, viewed the GECOM Chair as pro-Coalition; now see her as pro–PPP/C; see GECOM and CARICOM insistence on the use

of the recount tabulations for declaring a winner of the elections as correct, and in keeping with the agreement between the President and the Opposition Leader; welcomes the US and ABCE countries position on the elections; are energised by the local and international support for the PPP/C; see the resorting to the courts by the PPP/C as correct, and the resorting to the courts by the APNU+AFC as wrong; believe that a PPP/C government will reopen closed sugar estates; feel that the Granger administration was closing down the underground economy, cutting off wealth from Indians; see the African presence in the Army and security forces as a danger to their community; consider themselves to be better managers of the economy; a PPP/C government is the best option to control the oil wealth; that the Africans don’t like business, and that is responsible for their poor standing in the economy. African claims for historic justice is not their concern; feel that the PPP/C will protect them from Africans; support sanctions against the government, even to the point of ignoring the possible effects such sanctions will have on them; blame the APNU+AFC for the emergence of the Chinese in the commercial sector as a government policy against their interests, and feel that the large presence of Trinidad/Indian businesses emerging in the country is to their advantage in the oil-and-gas sectors.

In putting together these observations, I am conscious that as an African that I am more aware of the thinking of Africans, and am confident that I adequately represent their views on the elections. However, I can’t claim the same for my observations of the Indian view, since I am outside of that community, and my representations (of the Indian view) in this regard may be inadequate. I hope that Indian comrades and others inside and outside of the WPA may add to our understanding of the Indian view on the elections.

Regards, Tacuma Ogunseye

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

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Clarity, professionalism and national interests Dear Editor,

C

HIEF Justice Roxanne George has been a beacon of fairness, maturity and professionalism whenever she has had to sit and hear matters relating to the almost five-month electoral process in Guyana. She’s heard it all, from ‘substantial compliance’ to ‘alternative positions’, but has remained unbent, and has delivered some astute, clear rulings on each case by applying the law and citing the rulings of higher courts and previous CJs. Madam Chief Justice George, a simple thank you and best wishes for your continued health, happiness and blessings are in order, as democratic Guyana owes you a debt that can possibly never be repaid otherwise.

Notwithstanding the professionalism displayed by our Honourable CJ, it is disappointing to note that in the same

session that Chief Justice George delivered her ruling, lawyers representing the interests of the losing party, APNU+AFC, have already voiced their intention to appeal the matter. Now it looks as though our country will end up at the CCJ to be told essentially the same thing that has already been ruled on. Does no leader in APNU+AFC have any dignity left? Haven’t we wasted the time of our highest courts enough already for one election?

It would be nice to see APNU+AFC surprise me by pulling themselves together, congratulating Irfaan Ali, and allowing Guyana to navigate the troubling international times (COVID-19, economic challenges, oil price fluctuations) with a legitimate president at the helm, and allow parliament to begin its work again. Surely APNU+AFC would be able, as a viable force in Parliament, to hold the PPP to task, and together with the smaller parties which won a seat, represent the interests of the constituents who

bravely voted for them. Perhaps not, hence the current zero-sum game being played in the courts, abusing our legal system and putting the country to shame.

However, I’m not holding my breath on this one.

History’s pen continues to record all, and it is looking as though in the long-run, APNU+AFC will have no credibility left as a political entity. A shame that a once proud party has imploded so publicly and spectacularly because of a few selfish, unfair minds consumed by avarice and vanity. To my fellow citizens, regardless of which party you voted for, take heart and do not let the show bring your spirits down. Relief is in sight, and the forces of democracy will not let you down.

Sincerely, Shazaam Ally The Citizenship Initiative

Democracy has won another battle but the struggle still wages on Dear Editor,

D

EMOCRACY has won another battle but the struggle still wages on. A struggle the incumbent-sanctioned government seems to be enjoying on a daily basis.

These unfortunate events have taken a massive toll on our nation’s identity and economy. We are now on the agenda for discussion in the international community conferences, not because of our vast wealth, but because of our political crisis and impending economic crisis. Our citizens are also affected mentally and economically. Day in, day out, a new person appears on the streets seeking assistance from passersby, and a new person is laid off from their job. The situation at this moment is an extremely depressing, frustrating and a disconsolate feeling to a majority of Guyana’s population.

The APNU/AFC Coalition is to be solely blamed for the local and international outlook of Guyana. Their gross incompetence and mediocre approach to this entire election must come to an end, and their notorious leader, David A. Granger can see to this being done. Mr. Granger needs to come out of the shadows of his oppressors and put this nation and her people first. This selfish behaviour, as The New Movement sees

it, will not aid the current political situation towards completion, but towards the further demise of the Coalition, this country and her people. Therefore, The New Movement reiterates its call that seems to have fallen on deaf ears and blind eyes for the Coalition to concede your defeat with dignity and bring an end to the misinformation and incompetent legal battles peddled under your administration.

I leave this quote by Alexander Pope with you sir, “He who tells a lie is not sensible of how great a risk he undertakes; for he must be forced to invent twenty more to maintain that one.”

In this entire dilemma, the Chairwoman of GECOM stands at the centre, a woman of justice who has shown to be steadfast in her ways with the CEO, and has shown to be a woman of many chances. Madam Chair, we are of the view that once there is no stay of the judgment like that which was granted by the Court of Appeal in the David v. GECOM et al case, or an injunction stopping GECOM from acting like in the Order issued by the CCJ in the case of Jagdeo, Ali v David et al, GECOM can still proceed. Therefore, The New Movement calls on the Chairwoman of GECOM to convene a meeting with the commissioners with the sole agenda to carry out Article 161A (1) upon your rogue

employee, the Chief Election Officer, Mr. Keith Lowenfield.

We ask that you seek out a new, impartial individual over the next few days, since we are of the opinion that the Deputy CEO has shown to be partisan as well. The citizens of this nation want to move on and move forward with their lives. The courts have summarised that these matters to be res judicata, meaning that matters that have been adjudicated by a competent court and therefore may not be pursued further by the same parties and further any other new parties. The recount figures are there to be solely used, and this proves the will of the people with a president elect. Let us not lose hope Guyana, and let us continue to be our brother’s and sister’s keeper. Keep the peace, for our democracy will be restored and our nation will rise to the heavens.

To the youths of this nation and those in the Diaspora, be innovative and be creative in these times, don’t let this crisis dishearten you from our rich, beautiful home. To the elders, you’re young at heart and your experience is much needed in these times, lead by example and continue the good fight. God Bless Guyana.

Regards, The New Movement

8

External forces will seek to capitalise on Guyana’s political situation – Min Allicock warns –– Leaders must work together to unify nation to resist outside inference MINISTER of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock said external forces will seek to capitalise on Guyana’s current situation to interfere in the country’s domestic matters if the country’s political leaders do not lead the charge in unifying the Guyanese people.

In this regard, Minister Allicock underscored that leaders must desist from creating discord amongst the people of this nation.

“Division is not going to help us as a nation, it will weaken our situation and allow external forces to capitalise and eventually take control of our systems to manage our affairs…and that will be our undoing. The leaders must work [together]

for the good of all Guyanese,” he stated.

The Minister made this observation whilst appearing on the television programme Beyond the Surface on Monday evening.

The Indigenous Affairs Minister said that the process of unifying the Guyanese people began under the Coalition administration through the creation of an alliance between six political parties, and once in office, continued through the creation of the Department of Social Cohesion. “Guyana has never been in a better position than under this government,” the Minister said.

He, however, noted that five years are not enough time to undo 23 years of division that existed under the

Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Sydney Allicock previous administration and that there are still “stumbling blocks in our society today” that must be overcome.

Minister Allicock reminded that Guyana is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural state, and “we must respect each other.”

Noting that Guyana has an abundance of natural resources that can benefit all of its people with prudent management, he reiterated his call for Guyanese leaders to build a cohesive nation that can withstand any external interference in the country’s affairs. (DPI)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Enmore alleged hit-and-run possibly rape, murder –– as surviving teen’s parent hold out on foul play allegations WEEKS after a West Coast Berbice Seafield man was released on bail of $575,000, having been accused of causing the death of 16-year-old Sheldon Major and injuring his 14-year-old friend in an alleged hitand-run, the father of the surviving teen, Tracey Browne, is alleging foul play following a private investigation.

Browne who spoke to the Guyana Chronicle during a telephone interview, on Tuesday, revealed that his 14-year-old son was molested and is now in counselling following the incident.

The man related that after the alleged incident which occurred on June, 21, 2020, he visited his son in the hospital and, while he is no doctor, his son’s injuries were not consistent with that of a hit-and-run, hence leading him to believe foul play.

Additionally, the man disclosed that what was even more baffling, when the police responded to the scene Major, the deceased, was found half-naked with no bottom or underwear on, which raised even more suspicions. Browne also revealed that his son’s footwear was found a few feet away from the scene in a muddy ditch, which suggested that the teens were running away from something or someone.

“We questioned why Major (who is now deceased) was found without his clothes on and we asked why the police didn’t check to see if they were molested and so on; the police said that they would have re-examined [him] and then all of a sudden, this guy said that he hit them down and they didn’t bother with it,” Browne told this publication.

After not being satisfied with the probe into the incident, Browne stated that he sought help from a private entity just days after the incident. “We went to somebody to seek help after the police was not really probing this thing. The person took us back to do a medical and the medical showed that [my son] was molested and so at this

point here now we are seeking to open up back the whole case.”

Browne added that he had related the said information to the police but has had no word from them. As such, he was advised to hire a lawyer and he will be pursing justice for his son and his deceased friend when the election impasse is over.

“We just waiting for this election thing to blow over and if we have to take lawyers, we will do it because the police they giving we the cold shoulder,” he said.

The man stated that on the night of the incident the teens were sent to his son’s grandmother to pick up some items, when relatives received word of the alleged hit-and-run.

He noted that, when he arrived at the hospital, Major, who is deceased, was already in a body bag while his son was in a semi-conscious state.

“When I got there, he was in a semi-conscious state. He was talking and responding but he was not making sense. His right side face and head were damaged, his face was terribly disfigured and his head had a deep gash to the right side almost to the middle,” Browne explained.

However, the man noted that his son was not physically he same. “He isn’t acting the same way, he’s talking like he’s seven, eight years younger than his actually age right now and he is still holding his right hand funny; he holding it up like his shoulder is not normal.”

Additionally, the man noted that while his son is strong-willed and is typically jovial on most days, he is cognisant of the fact he suffered trauma and he has been seeing a professional to assist with his mental state, following the tragic incident “The type of person he is, he is very jovial; he is not the type of child that would sulk up and so on but we know things are affecting him so we have him in counselling and so on with a social worker and a child advocate,” Browne said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Elections 2020:

Appeal justifiable … Dr. Hinds says High Court ruling in Elections case has left many questions

By Svetlana Marshall POLITICAL Scientist, Dr. David Hinds, in supporting the move to appeal the High Court’s decision in the latest elections case, said the judgment of Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire failed to adequately address critical issues linked to the national recount and the constitutional and statutory roles and responsibilities of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh and the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield.

In her Monday, July 20 decision in the Misenga Jones case, the Chief Justice ruled that the Recount Order (Order 60) and by extension the national recount cannot be invalidated, and as such the data, generated through that process, must be used for the declaration of the results of the General and Regional Elections held last March. In support of her decision, Justice George-Wiltshire had relied on the judgment of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the case – Irfaan Ali and Bharrat Jagdeo v Eslyn David and others.

But in an interview with Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday, Dr. Hinds said the judgment of the High Court left much to be desired. “As far as the legal proceeding is concerned, the ruling of the High Court [has] left a lot of matters unresolved,” he told this newspaper.

According to the Political Scientist, the High Court was given the golden opportunity to effectively address the constitutionality of the Recount Order, and its impact on the country’s electoral system when considered together with the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act and other Electoral Laws. It was explained that while the CCJ “touched” on the Recount Order, in an effort to determine whether or not the Court of Appeal had jurisdiction to interpret Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution, and whether its interpretation of the Constitution was correct, Order 60 was never the subject of the case.

According to him, the Recount Order was never fully adjudicated upon prior to the filing of the Misenga Jones Case. For him, the Misenga Jones case presented the opportunity for the Court to determine whether Order No. 60, in facilitating the 33-day National Recount, had created a “new electoral regime” in conflict with the Representation of the People Act, and whether it clothed the Elections Commission with powers to determine the validity of the Elections in breach of Article 163 of the Constitution.

The CCJ, in its ruling, had stated that no order could be in tension with the Constitution. “The court also notes that an order issued by GECOM in any particular context can never determine how the Constitution is to be interpreted.

It is a matter of elementary constitutional law that if ordinary legislation is in tension with the Constitution, then the Courts must give precedence to the words of the Constitution and not the other way around. With respect, the notion that Order 60 could either impact interpretation of the Constitution or create a new election regime at variance with the plain words of the Constitution is constitutionally unacceptable,” the CCJ had ruled.

Noting that the recount was not merely numerical, Dr. Hinds pointed to the fact that the recount, in keeping with the order, comprised the tabulation of votes but also the reconciliation of the ballots issued with the ballots cast, destroyed, spoiled and stamped. During the process, the authenticity of the ballots was also determined and the number of voters listed and those crossed out as having voted was also taken into consideration among other things.

Dr. Hinds said clearly the recount encompassed quantitative and qualitative components, and one aspect cannot be validated while the other dismissed.

“We cannot talk about the results of the Recount Order without taking into consideration the qualitative aspect of the report.

Because if one reads the recount order it was very clear that it was engaging not in a numerical recount but a recount to establish the credibility of the [elections] and there is a whole

chapter that talks about the reconciliation of votes in the box with the statutory documents such as the counterfoils,” the Political Scientist said while expressing his disappointment that the court had not addressed both components of the recount.

Justice George-Wiltshire, in her ruling, had said that the CCJ endorsed the national recount. “…as determined by the CCJ, unless overturned by a court in an elections petition, the only data that could be used for the declaration of the results of the elections would have to be the recount results or data,” the Chief Justice ruled.

But the Political Scientist said the courts cannot be selective in their decisions, iterating that the recount must be treated as a whole.

He posited that because the primary objective of the recount was to determine a “final credible count” all the data captured during the exercise must be taken into consideration.

“The Order was very, very clear that it set out to determine the credibility of the vote, and therefore any use of that data, has to be use of all the data. And I think the CCJ did not treat with that adequately, partly because that was not before the CCJ. The CCJ only touched the Recount Order in so far as it used it to overrule the decision of the Court of Appeal and in that sense the legality of the Recount Order was not substantially before the

Uncle freed of manslaughter due to time served FIFTY-six-year-old Kendrick Armogan who had confessed to killing his nephew, in 2018, at Bush lot village, in Region Two, was, on Friday last, freed after he pleaded guilty to a lesser count of manslaughter.

He had allegedly killed his nephew, Naresh Ramdass at his premises, on

April 23, 2018.

On the day in question, Armogan and the deceased had a heated argument in his yard. It is alleged that Armogan followed the deceased and assaulted him with a piece of wood.

A scuffle ensued between the men and during that scuffle Armogan took

out a knife and stabbed Ramdass. After collapsing, Ramass was picked up and rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

During the ruling at the Suddie High Court on Friday, Justice Kissoon started the sentence at the base of the 25 years from which he deducted

Freed: Kendrick Armogan

Political Scientist, Dr. David Hinds

CCJ, so the CCJ just made little reference to it,” Dr. Hinds said.

In its ruling, the CCJ had said that issues such as voter impersonation as raised by the Campaign Manager of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC), Joseph Harmon, and the irregularities cited by the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield must be addressed in an elections petition before the High Court as prescribed by Article 163 and the National Assembly (Validity of Elections) Act. But while acknowledging the ruling of the CCJ, Dr. Hinds pointed out that in that very judgment indicated that the President and Members of the National Assembly could only be elected based on information provided by the Returning Officers in accordance with the Representation of the People Act. That paragraph 37 of the CCJ judgment reads: “The Presidential Candidate on the list for which more votes have been cast than any other list is deemed to be elected as President, and the Chairman of GECOM must so declare. Both the allocation of seats in the National Assembly and the identification of the successful Presidential Candidate are determined on the sole basis of votes counted and information furnished by the Returning Officers under the Representation of the People Act.”

Dr. Hinds drew attention to the fact that the Returning Officers were not part of the National Recount, and concluded that the CCJ, implicitly invalidated the national recount and its Order.

“Although the CCJ did not explicitly invalidate the recount order, it did so implicitly. One can imply from what it did, that the recount Order was invalidated,” Dr. Hinds maintained, nothing withstanding judgement of the High Court that the CCJ had endorsed the recount.

However, he expressed the view that the CCJ’s just contradicted itself.

“If you read the CCJ’s ruling, you would get the impression that the ruling was written in parts and they did not reconcile the parts, and therefore what people are doing, they are going in the ruling and taking out parts of it to use to make their case but that is the CCJ’s fault because it did not reconcile the various parts,” he opined.

He maintained that the High Court had the opportunity to reconcile those tensions within the CCJ ruling but it did not, and on that basis, he said Jones’ appeal is more than justifiable.

“I also think that the Court did not adequately resolve, the tension between the authority of the Commission and the authority of the CEO,” Dr. Hinds said.

The Chief Justice in her ruling had said that the CEO is subject to the directives of the Elections Commission.

one third for Armogon’s guilty plea. Time was also deducted for his pre-trial custody and the fact that Ramdass was the aggressor and his uncle’s actions were considered to be in self- defence. To end it, Justice Kissoon imposed a 27-month prison sentence.

However, Armogan was released because he had already spent the last 27 months on remand. The defendant was represented

by Attorney at Law Ravindra Mohabir.

The state counsel was Lisa Cave who led the prosecution’s team.

Dead: Naresh Ramdass

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Recount either lawful or unlawful – Norton A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Executive Aubrey Norton, in maintaining that the National Recount Order cannot be upheld partially, said that Guyana’s electoral situation will remain disputed unless a resolution comes from the two major political parties.

Norton spoke on these matters on Tuesday while a guest on Trinidad and Tobago’s CCN TV6. With the recent ruling in the Misenga Jones v. The Guyana Elections et al High Court case that the results of the General and Regional Elections must be declared based on the data generated during the National Recount, Norton said that the APNU+AFC will be seeking clarity at the Appeal Court on how an Order could be both

lawful and unlawful at the same time.

The Elections Commission had relied on Article 162 of the Constitution, and Section 22 of the Elections Law (Amendment) Act to bring Order No. 60 into effect, but the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), in its ruling, said the allocation of seats in the National Assembly and the identification of the successful presidential candidate could only be based on the reports of the Returning Officers.

The Court said that Order No.60 had set out to determine the validity of ballots cast beyond “votes that, on their face, are valid”, and this was “in tension with the Constitution”.

Despite the fact, the High Court later ruled that it is the recount data birthed out of Order No.60

that must be used to declare the elections, a ruling that Tucville voter, Misenga Jones has appealed.

“We have to ask the question, ‘How you could look at one element of the Recount, and not look at all elements, particularly the Observation Report?’”

Norton said.

He added that the National Recount itself was more than the determining of “votes that, on their face, are valid” ---- as the CCJ said ought to have been ---- but it was an “audit” as pointed out by the CARICOM Scrutinising Team. It is yet another deviation from the law in the Recount Order, which is still being upheld partially and this should sound bells of alarm, Norton said.

“We need to point out, essentially, that what we were involved in was a petition. And what a petition

does, legally, is somebody believes that there were problems in the election, they file a petition, the boxes are opened and an audit is done. Essentially, that was done, so we have to argue that what should happen is that all elements of the Order should be taken into consideration, or else, what the Court will be doing is to facilitate electoral fraud,” he stated.

Furthermore, Norton stated that if the National Recount was not more than the determining of “votes that, on their face, are valid”, then the Commission would not have in its possession proof of large amounts of irregularities, anomalies and voter impersonation coming out of the process.

He opined that given the fact that this information is in the public domain, the Court should do more than knowingly allow the declaration of an elections, based on results that are not credible.

He contended: “The Court, I think, has the authority to say, the facts are out there, and we should address the facts so that there would be resolution to this issue. It cannot be a case of you saying to us ‘We know what was in the box; we know it was illegal, but just use the recount [data], put your opponents into power, and then you

go to an Elections Petition.’ That doesn’t make any sense, because the data for the elections petition is already out.”

Norton said that Guyanese have lived under the “transgressions” of the PPP/C for 23 years, and are not prepared to rest their futures in the hands of an elections petition which could be brought up years from now. “I know at least for Guyana and for St. Vincent, we’ve had elections petitions, and they’ve taken years to come,” he told the public.

Though at least one foreign Ambassador has come out and stated that his country has a history of speaking out on democracy issues in Guyana and consistently, Norton pegged this as false.

“There is no comfort in ABCE countries saying that they will hold the PPPs feet to the fire, because they didn’t the last time when they [the PPP] were in power. Unfortunately, it is being dealt with in the context of law, and some seem not to want to look at the entire law; they want to be selective in its use,” he said.

Subsequently, when questioned by the programme’s host on whether the APNU+AFC considers itself as an illegitimate government hanging on to power, Norton said:

APNU+AFC Executive, Aubrey Norton “I do not see the government as illegitimate; I’m willing to accept that it’s in caretaker mode, but while you ask me that question, I’m asking myself the other question: Should we stand aside and let another illegitimate government come, using your logic? To me, that doesn’t make sense.

What we need here is a resolution that involves all of us, so that at the end of the process, we all will feel comfortable, as Guyanese, that we have a legitimate government.”

He urged the public not to forget that there was an option for the nullification of the elections due to the significant challenges experienced with regards to the verification of the ballots cast as valid.

However, he said that this option is being opposed by those who care not about the validity of the elections, but simply about regaining power.

GCCI writes President Granger –– PSC calls for GECOM to proceed with declaration IN light of the decision of Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire that the results of the General and Regional Elections must be declared based on the data generated during the National Recount, the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the leading advocate for the private sector in Guyana, and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) are calling for an early end to the electoral process.

In a letter addressed to President David Granger, GCCI President Nicholas Boyer drew attention to the fact that it has been 141 days since elections were conducted here, and to date the results have not been declared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Notwithstanding the fact that GECOM has not declared the results of the highly-controversial elections, the GCCI President suggested that President Granger should concede defeat, and instruct Tucville, Georgetown voter, Misenga Jones to withdraw her appeal filed before the Court of Appeal.

“You also have the power to ask the Attorney-General to not support any appeal from the Government’s side either,” Boyer said in the letter.

He added: “Excellency, I can guarantee there is very little chance of success in the Appeals’ Court, because according to the Chief Justice’s decision, Ms. Jones would be asking the Court of Appeal to overturn their See page 11

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

COVID-19 infection rate highest in Regions One and Seven AS cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to rise, health authorities have warned that while Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) recorded the most cases of the disease so far, persons in Regions One (Barima-Waini) and Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) stand a higher chance of becoming infected.

Region Four, which has a population of 313,429 persons, has recorded 120 cases to date, but recent statistics have shown that Regions One, with a population of 26,941, and Seven, with 20,289 persons, are accumulating most of the new cases, with those regions having 98 and 56 cases respectively.

“Even though the numbers in Region Four are higher, you are on average 9.5 times more likely to be infected in Region One than in Region Four and you are seven times more likely to get infected in Re-

gion Seven than in Region Four,” said Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO), Dr. Karen Boyle, during a virtual COVID-19 update, on Tuesday.

The reason for the high likelihood of infection in those regions is the fact that the concentration of infections by population, is far higher than in Region Four.

So, while government has relaxed some of the control measures, Dr. Boyle said restrictions, such as the initial curfew of 18:00hrs to 6:00hrs, still apply to Regions One and Seven.

In addition to those regions, the DCMO said Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) is also “under the radar,” as cases have been rising consistently there, over the past two weeks.

“It is critical for us to monitor in the coming weeks the evolution of the incidence in all re-

gions, especially Region Nine which shares the border with Brazil, which is now the epicentre in Latin America. It is likely that cross border movement may have taken place, hence the need for intensive case surveillance and case tracking,” said Dr. Boyle.

Locally, authorities have tested 3,769 persons, with 3,498 being negative and 339 testing positive for COVID-19. Of the positive cases, 163 persons have recovered and 19 persons have lost their lives, but authorities are still monitoring 157 active cases. And, two of those persons are being treated in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Considering the prevalence of the disease, Dr. Boyle in advising persons said: “I plead with you not to tire of wearing your mask, washing your hands and staying six feet apart.

These simple activities are

GCCI writes President ...

From page 10

own statements and points raised in the Ulita Moore ruling.”

The letter by GCCI comes as no surprise, as the organisation, which is expected to be impartial, has long thrown its support behind the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), and has joined forces with other organisations such as the Private Sector Commission (PSC) to advocate for the removal of the Granger Administration though the electoral process is incomplete.

Meanwhile, the PSC, in a statement, said it welcomes the comprehensive and detailed decision and rulings of the Chief Justice (ag), particularly on the matter of the validity of the Recount and, most importantly, on the roles and responsibilities of the Chief Elections Officer and the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

It also noted that the Chief Jus-

tice (ag) “has specifically ruled that GECOM must declare the result of the elections only from the data of the Recount and that the view expressed that any irregularities would have to be addressed by an election petition.”

It also expressed satisfaction with the Chief Justice’s decision that the Chief Elections Officer is subject to the direction and control of the Commission in submitting his report to GECOM. Notwithstanding the fact that the GECOM has offered its commitment to await the ruling of the Court of Appeal in the latest elections case, the PSC called on the Elections Commission “to sanction no further delay in arriving at the declaration of the elections result from the Recount,” so as to pave way for the swearing in of the elected President.

the key to protecting ourselves and others.”

She reminded persons that a collective effort is needed in order for Guyana not to be outwitted by the highly-infectious coronavirus disease.

In an effort to encourage persons, she said: “Together we can stop the spread; not some of us but all of us provided we observe the physical distancing and hygiene protocols.

“I am sure that all of us wish to have our loved ones repatriated, we all want to enjoy some level

of normalcy, and we wish above all to ease the burden on all our frontline workers who are selflessly battling COVID-19; they too are deserving of respite from the fight. This can only happen if we all give our full support.”

COVID-19 remains a serious issue not just here in Guyana, but globally as well, and according to global statistics, there are 14.3 million cases of COVID-19, with over 603,000 deaths. And, with no approved treatment or cure, there is no assurance

Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Boyle that persons will survive after contracting the disease.

In the absence of approved medications, governments and authorities across the world have employed a number of preventive measures to contain the spread of the disease.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

The National Recount was ‘impartial’ – OAS

By Lisa Hamilton

AT a Special Meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council on Tuesday, former Prime Minister of Jamaica and Chief of the OAS Electoral Observer Mission (EOM) to Guyana, Bruce Golding defended the National Recount as conducted in an “impartial fashion” and called for an end to Guyana elections “debacle”.

The meeting was specifically requested by OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, to consider the state of the electoral process in Guyana.

However, in his presentation, Golding presented information in contrast to Guyana’s laws and partial with regards to the adherence to the Recount Order No. 60.

In his presentation, Golding commended the National Recount process as he noted that the OAS EOM had observed “irregular oc-

Former Prime Minister of Jamaica and Chief of the OAS Electoral Observer Mission (EOM) to Guyana, Bruce Golding currences” in the tabulation of the Region Four Statement of Polls (SOPs) and, therefore, a recount of all ballots cast was welcomed.

SELECTIVE ADHERENCE He stressed that Order No.60 established the legal, procedural and adminis-

trative guidelines for the recount.

He also highlighted that the Order was birthed out of an agreement between President David Granger and Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, and CARICOM. Though the Elections Commission did not adhere to the aspect of the Order which set out to reconcile ballots issued with ballots cast in accordance to a number of statutory documents for the determination of a “final credible count”, Golding told the Council that: “…the process was conducted in a professional, transparent and impartial fashion.”

It is known, by now, as pointed out by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in the Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali v Eslyn David case, that Order No. 60 is in tension with the Constitution of Guyana.

Therefore, several lawyers are questioning the justification behind the push for the

upholding of Order No. 60 in part.

When this matter was put to the High Court in the recent Misenga Jones v The Guyana Elections Commission et al case, the Court ruled that the recount results, which the APNU+AFC contends includes over 2,000 anomalies and over 4,000 cases of voter impersonation, must be used to declare the elections. The Court’s ruling is now being appealed.

RECOUNT ILLEGAL In his presentation, Golding opined that the irregularities noticed during the process were not significant enough to influence the outcome of the recount.

He said that when the recount results moved to the Elections Commission for deliberation, the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) “went beyond the mandate issued to him in the Recount Order” and invalidated 275,092 votes based on “unsubstantiated allegations”.

“The Council should note that there are only stages at which ballots can be set aside before the results of the election are declared: at the polling station, where the ballots are first counted and during a recount if one is conducted. Beyond that, the invalidation of any ballot is the sole prerogative of the High Court, pursuant to an Elections Petition that can be filed only after the results are officially declared,” Golding said.

However, it is a fact that the National Recount is not one originating from the Representation of the People Act (ROPA) as the Act takes the Elections Commission only up to recounts requested by individual regions in the early days after the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

It directs matters back to the argument of a battery of lawyers that Order No. 60, which triggered the National Recount, was unconstitutional and on that basis, the data generated during that process could not have been relied upon for a declaration of the results of the Elections.

Section 84 (2) of the

UNDOABLE DAMAGE In continuing his presentation, Golding detailed that the CEO, Keith Lowenfield, has thus far produced a recount report and Elections Reports which do not reflect the numerical outcome of the elections. He also highlighted the rulings of the Court of Appeal, the CCJ and the recent ruling of the High Court on matters pertaining to Guyana’s Organization of American elections.

“It is distinctly possible, States (OAS) Secretary I must say, that this matter General, Luis Almagro ROPA states: “Where be- can again traverse all the fore 12 noon of the day fol- way to the CCJ,” Golding lowing the declaration under stated. “The people of Guysubsection (1) any counting ana are not to be blamed. agent for the district does They expressed their will not request the Returning in a commendably peaceOfficer to conduct a final ful and orderly manner on count of the votes counted March 2. But the perniby the presiding officers in cious action of a few have the district under section reeked considerable damage 83, the declaration of votes to Guyana’s image and repobtained by the lists under utation. Even if the debacle is soon and satisfactorily subsection resolved, it will perhaps (1) shall be final...”

The ROPA clearly states take a generation and sigthat declarations made by nificant institutional reform the respective Returning for that damage to be fully Officers (ROs) are final if no repaired.”

Meanwhile, OAS Secrelawful request for a recount was made. In the case of Re- tary General, Luis Almagro, gions Two, Three and Four, in his remarks, thanked requests for recounts in those Golding for his presentadistricts were all denied. Le- tion and underscored his gal luminaries have therefore position that the elections pointed out that there is no process in Guyana has gone legal basis in the Constitu- on for far too long which he tion or Representation of the believes is due to “attempts People Act to conduct the to alter the results” of the elections.

National Recount.

He said that the OAS Since March 13, 2020, the Region Four RO made has witnessed attempts to his declaration on the Re- attack the credibility of the gion Four results, the final National Recount but the reset to be added to the other 9 sults are available today and Regions. It wasn’t until May must be declared. He stated: 6, a total of 54 days later, “Guyana has remained hosthat the National Recount tage of the electoral officials who insist on altered results commenced.

Even the National Re- despite the fact that the CCJ, count Order No.60 notes the maximum legal authorthat requests for recounts ity, has demanded that the in some Regions by the report be prepared using the two main political par- recount results.”

Almagro said that the ties were rejected and the time set out in the ROPA OAS therefore iterates had passed. Order No. 60 its call for the Elections states: “AND WHEREAS Commission to take up the declarations of results the solution of respecting pursuant to Section 84 (1) the results of the National of the Representation of Recount as agreed by the the People Act, Chapter political parties before the 1:03, have been made, but process began. He said requests for recounts in a that the transition of Govnumber of electoral dis- ernment should come in an tricts have been rejected, orderly, peaceful manner aborted, or held in abey- given the global health crisis. ance…”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Fire leaves mother and 3 children homeless

A FIRE at 160 Haslington Housing Scheme has left Rehanna Wright and her three children homeless.

According to reports reaching the Guyana Chronicle, the fire occurred sometime around midday on July 21, 2020.

Wright, the owner of the house, recalled the events leading up to the fire, stating that she was not at home when the fire began, and that she was alerted that there was a fire by one of her neighbours.

Owner of the house, Rehanna Wright

Ranks of the Guyana Fire Service at the scene “My niece came and called me and told me my mother calling me, so I said when I finish my work I gon go. So I leff them chirren on the step to go and see mommy and come back. I stop at the shop fuh get something. While I deh deh a lady at the shop seh is nah fire coming from yuh house, and I look then I see and I run over, by time I get there them children was already downstairs,� stated

Wright.

She stated that by the time she returned to her yard the blaze had already become uncontrollable and that she was not in the position to save any of her belongings. She stated that by the time the fire service was alerted and had arrived the ranks weren’t able to save her house and had to work to keep the fire from spreading to the nearby structures.

Wright stated that when she left her home she did

not have anything cooking, and added that the only appliance that was plugged in was her refrigerator. Wright who said she was unable to save any of her belongings said she welcomes any form of assistance from members of the public.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Fire Service is conducting its investigation to ascertain the origin of the fire.

The remains of the house following the fire. (Delano Williams Photo)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

National security law won’t affect normal operation of Hong Kong’s financial markets: official HONG KONG, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The national security law for Hong Kong will not affect the normal operation of financial markets and legitimate business of financial institutions and market participants, a senior official of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said Sunday.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan said in an online article that the law clearly Hong Kong citizens gather to support the National Security Law for Hong Kong stipulates four offenses struct them from processThe Hong Kong dollar banking system have been endangering national se- ing their own materials has remained strong and on the rise over the past curity and the financial and data, collecting and the stock market has seen months. sector can continue their distributing information, robust trading and initial Many market particinormal operation under doing business researches public offerings, Chan pants said the law will help Hong Kong’s existing le- as well as voicing their said. restore security and order gal framework. opinions, Chan said.

No significant capi- in the business environThe law will neither afChan noted that Hong tal outflows have been ment, which is crucial to fect the common business, Kong’s financial markets reported, and on the con- Hong Kong’s sustainable participation in market have remained in stable trary, more than 11 billion development as a global activities or capital alloca- and orderly operation U.S. dollars went into the financial hub, Chan said. tion of related institutions since the national security market, Chan said, adding Noting that the influand individuals nor ob- law took effect on June 30. that total deposits in the ence of U.S. sanctions on

the Hong Kong economy is limited, Chan expressed firm opposition to U.S. interference, which seriously violates international laws and the basic norms of international relations, and smacks of double standards and hegemonism.

Chan reiterated that the implementation of the law will not affect the rights and freedom of Hong Kong residents under the HKSAR Basic Law and related international conventions applicable to Hong Kong.

The enactment of the law is aimed at safeguarding “one country, two systems,” Chan said, stressing that Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, legal systems including judicial independence, the capitalist system, and the protection of legitimate rights and interests of external investors will not change.

Hong Kong’s currency

and financial system will also stay the same and the financial hub will maintain the linked exchange rate system and continue to allow free capital flows, Chan said.

With the nation’s support, the HKSAR government has the confidence and the capability of maintaining Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability, Chan said.

Hong Kong will continue to provide investors with a world-class business environment and supervisory structure, said the financial secretary.

It will be proved that national security, prosperity and stability, and market vitality can coexist in Hong Kong, which will offer businesses a more solid foundation for their operation and broader development space, Chan said.

Right strategy and policy are the heart and soul of campaign to eliminate poverty POLICY and strategy are the life of the Communist Party of China, Chairman Mao Zedong said in 1948, shortly before the founding of New China and after checking and adjusting the policy and strategy for land reform in the liberated northern part of China. The successful reform won Mao the wholehearted support of the poor farmers, and helped the communists to defeat the stronger Kuomintang troops within a year.

Right policies and strategies have since become an importance part of national governance, especially rural reform aimed at eliminating poverty. The policy in the late 1940s and most part of the 1950s was aimed at allocating every farmer a plot to work on. Before that, many people did not own even an inch of land, and earned their livelihood by working for landlords. The policy not only lifted millions of farmers out of poverty in the 1950s and 1960s but also helped China to recover from the ravages of war.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the policy was to organize rural households into people’s communes, under which farmers worked on collectively owned farmlands and got their proportionate share of the harvest. True, the policy helped more people to get food. But even in the late 1970s, the majority of the people were still poor because the farm yields were low due to the low efficiency of the farmers.

Hence, the policy was readjusted in the late 1970s to return the farmlands to individual households. That policy, which continues to this day, motivated farmers to double and then redouble their output, which helped millions of farmers emerge out of poverty.

Another significant policy change took place on Jan 1, 2006, when agricultural tax, which had been collected for more than 2,000 years, was abolished nationwide. Farmers generally paid the tax with a portion of their harvest. So the

policy reform allowed farmers to keep an extra share of their crop, helping millions of them to overcome poverty.

Later, the government’s farmer-centric policies extended to crop protection price, which farmers used to sell their crops to the State for a fixed price set before they even planted the seeds irrespective of the fluctuations in market price. But many State-run granaries complained that they had to purchase more crops than they could store. As a result, the State built more granaries, which benefited the farmers, especially poor farmers.

When the government noticed that some farmers, after realizing they could earn more money by working in cities, were abandoning their farmlands, it introduced a new policy in many places to compensate farmers who kept cultivating their farmlands.

Such policies not only ensured continuously increasing output but also helped lift innumerable farmers out of poverty. While the right policies can help poor farmers to defeat

poverty, smart strategies produce much better results with half the effort. For many years, the central government has been allocating increasing amounts to poverty-relief funds, which were used among other things to build new schools and hospitals in and improve the outlook of impoverished towns and cities.

But soon it came to light that usually the better-off households, not the really poor families, were benefiting from such support, which prompted the government to improve connectivity in the impoverished areas.

Since the poor villages are mostly located in remote and mountainous areas and poor farmers usually face difficulty in transporting their fresh products to the market, the government built connecting roads to address their problems. The Ministry of Transport had planned to spend about 100 billion yuan ($14.3 billion) on building roads in rural areas?more than 70 percent in impoverished areas?during the 11th FiveYear Plan (2006-10).

These roads have made it easier for farmers to sell their products for a better price and find jobs in cities and towns.

And while the ministry is building more roads, the telecommunications companies are laying optical cables and bringing 4G or 5G technologies to the remote areas, including the grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for the benefit of herdsmen.

As a result, it is not unusual to see a poor farmer on the screen of your smartphone trying to sell his products through livestreaming.

And you could get delivery of the products from even Hainan province or the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region just a day after placing an order thanks to the ever-improving delivery system. (By Kang Bing, former deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

UNICEF donates face shields to MoE

THE United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Guyana donated 1,944 face shields to the Ministry of Education (MoE), on Tuesday.

This gesture forms part of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) project to which the Education Ministry is a part, and in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This donation also came at a time when MoE is in the process of planning the reopening of schools across the country.

The face shields are also part and parcel of a plan for a total of 35,000 pieces, including masks and other protective gears to be handed over to support measures to treat with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The items were handed over to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alfred King, and was done during a simple ceremony in the

Ministry’s 26 Brickdam Compound.

In his remarks, King said he saw the donation as another effort to support continued learning in a safe and secured environment, as the ministry works out plans for the eventual opening of schools.

It has been more than four months of operation in the COVID-19 environment and King expressed the Ministry’s gratitude for the support towards the safety of educators, students and other stakeholders.

Further, while iterating the proactive safety measures employed by the Ministry, King noted that “We have to continue to be very careful to ensure a healthy and safe environment and these shields will assist greatly”.

The evidence of the resolve for continued en-

Face shields being handed over to Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Alfred King, by UNICEF’s Resident Representative, Ms Sylvie Fouet, in the presence of other MoE and UNICEF officials. gagement for National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and the ongoing CSEC and CAPE was also noted.

The PS commended educators for using their own resources to plan and prepare for the major ex-

aminations.

UNICEF Resident Representative, Ms Sylvie Fouet, noted the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the education sector. It is for this reason, according to Fouet, that her organisation saw the

need to assist with the shields.

She said that the provision of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a critical element for the return to a safe and protected environment for students when schools

eventually open.

Additionally, Fouet said that the work the MoE has undertaken so far is commendable. She committed to working ‘side by side’ with the Education Ministry to make the opening of schools safe and a top priority.

UNICEF has been a developmental partner with the Ministry for many years and proposes to continue in the same vein, the Resident Representative assured.

Also in attendance was the MoE’s Chief Planning Officer (CPO) Nicola Johnson, Director of NCERD, Jennifer Cumberbatch, Project Coordinator, Quenita Walrond-Lewis, Technical Officer to the PS, Karen Burchsmith, Unicef Deputy Resident Representative, Irfan Aktar and UNICEF’s Robbie Rambarran.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Ruel Johnson arrested, released on station bail –– Police launch investigation into alleged rape

SUB-EDITOR of Kaieteur News, Ruel Johnson, was, on Tuesday, arrested for an alleged rape report that was filed at the Albertown Police Station.

He was later released on an undisclosed amount of station bail, pending investigation.

Commander of ‘A’ Division, Phillip Azore, told the Guyana Chronicle that the report was made at the Albertown Police Station early Tuesday, and Johnson was subsequently arrested and brought in for questioning.

Following interrogation, Johnson was released and the police have now launched a probe into the matter.

A source told this publication that the report was made by an ex-girlfriend of Johnson.

This matter was made public just about two weeks ago, when Youth Activist and Columnist at Stabroek News, Akola Thompson, gave a detailed recount on her Facebook platform, of her experiences with the alleged rapist, accusing him of sexually exploiting her at a tender age.

Detailing her years of traumatic experiences with Johnson, Thompson had said he manipulated his way into her life, by proposing to be her mentor.

“He would use the pretence of the writing mentor to gain access to me and would coerce me through a steady stream of alcohol (I rarely ever drank) and manipulation. Guidance would be given on my work yes but he would always find some way to make sexual comments and innuendos.

There was always some sexual joke to be made, some secret, some lingering look and touch. Ruel would refer to me as his “Lolita.”

He recommended I read the book. I did. I couldn’t quite gather at the time, or even now, what I was supposed to find endearing about the name,” Thompson said in her post.

She went on to narrate her story; “At 16, I was in a physically abusive relationship with my daughter’s father. I had a history of trauma… Predators who don’t want to deal with pesky grooming laws seek out 16/17 year olds intentionally. They are master planners. “ Thompson said because she was a child raised on trauma, she was more sus-

ceptible to Johnson’s acts.

“He would begin inviting me over to him for our writing sessions. All pretence of the writing mentor falling away to reveal its true ugly nature. He would ply me with alcohol…”

She said that Johnson was both in awe and envious of her talent, intelligence, and desirability. “He was intensely paranoid and possessive. He would try to pressure me to marry him, to have a baby for him, to promise to stay with him forever. He was verbally, emotionally and mentally abusive to me throughout. He would stalk me. He would show up to my home uninvited. He would constantly go through my emails and social media. He would send nasty messages to my friends and try to isolate me from everyone. These are all tactics of abusive and narcissistic psychopaths. He would frequently wake me out of my sleep to question me about another one of his paranoid delusions concerning me.

He would shout, curse. He would punch walls, slam tables and use his bodyweight and size to intimidate me into small corners of myself… One night, on another one of his drunken paranoid benders, he got physical with me. He would lift me up and literally throw me out of his apartment. I knew then I had to leave because things were on a continuous downward slope.”

Sinah Kloß, a German ex-girlfriend of Johnson, also came forward to share her experience with the alleged psycho. “I was his girlfriend for two years. I believe every word Akola has written. Although I was far from being a minor, he managed to manipulate me and slowly decreased my self-esteem, as is common in histories of domestic violence and is a common strategy of people who have a narcissistic personality disorder. I was suffering from a burn-out due to a stressful finishing phase of my PhD dissertation, a phase in which I was completely let down by him, the details of which shall not be discussed here on Facebook. Also, my father was dying of cancer, adding to my stress and depression.

He used this moment of vulnerability to exert power, control me, abuse me verbally, and make himself feel in charge, spit at me. I was called a “miserable c…t” so

many times that in the end it didn’t even hurt anymore,” Kloß posted on her page.

Since the coming out of these women, Johnson was asked to resign from The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) party, which he co-founded,

and several women’s rights organisation, and prominent members of society, blasted him on social media for these vile acts he committed.

Johnson has since denied the allegation of sexual exploitation and violence that

were purported to the public.

He however admitted to having a relationship with the young woman. Johnson also issued somewhat of an apology to his victims, but it did not resonate with the public.

When the investigation

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Sub-Editor of Kaieteur News, Ruel Johnson is completed, the file will be forwarded to the the Police Force’s Legal Advisor and possibly the Office of the DPP for advice on whether or not a case can be formed and charges can be levelled against Johnson.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Mommy’s Corner – a safe haven for single, abused women during the pandemic DURING the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic many non-governmental organisations have stepped up to join the fight against the virus, and to assist families and households who find themselves in troubling situations due to the impact of the health crisis.

Mommy’s Corner, a non-governmental organisation, has been working around the clock to bring relief to the less fortunate and abused women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Secretary of Mommy’s Corner, Tammisyn Johnson-Cameron, said the organisation was established last year with the aim of providing assistance to single mothers and abused women. Due to the negative impact COVID-19 is having on the financial and com-

The Mommy’s Corner team during a recent donation drive in Berbice mercial sectors, the organisation opted to offer some assistance by distributing hampers and facemasks to as many vulnerable families as possible so as to cushion the impact.

According to Johnson-Cameron, over the past month the organisation embarked on several rescue missions, the most recent being one where it was able to remove an elderly woman from an abusive home to a safer residence.

Johnson-Cameron noted that the organisation had received calls about the woman who was severely beaten and was in dire need of medical attention due to the injuries she received. She noted Mommy’s Corner was able to seek medical assistance for the woman as well as remove her from the abusive home she was residing in.

Additionally, the organisation targeted a number of rural communities and squatting areas.

“Some of the areas that we visited were Django Town that was a part of Mon Repos. There are about 50 houses, each house you have from five to seven persons living in there and you would find people living in shacks, some with plastic, some with zinc which is not healthy,” she said.

She added that many of the families in that particular area have suffered some kind of financial strain due to the loss of jobs and work not being available making it difficult to provide for their families.

“They have been out of jobs, some of them [who are vendors] due to COVID-19 haven’t been able to go out and make trips and sell because of being confined to their living quarters so we put together 30 hampers and we went into that area,” she said.

Johnson-Cameron also related that the organisation has managed to make donations in several villages in Berbice, along the East Coast corridor and will be soon heading to the West Coast corridor to assist a number of families.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Three out of 10 people in the Americas are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 … because of underlying conditions, PAHO Director says

IN the Americas, three out of ten people – or nearly 325 million – are at increased risk of developing severe COVID-19 illness due to underlying health conditions, Pan American Health Organization Director (PAHO) Carissa F. Etienne said.

Certain underlying, chronic conditions like diabetes, kidney disease and hypertension, as well as infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, or immunosuppression, place people at increased risk for more severe COVID-19 disease.

“Unfortunately, many of these medical conditions are widespread in the Americas, which leaves our region more vulnerable to severe illness,” Etienne told a media briefing on Tuesday. To help address this, PAHO has developed a new data model in partnership with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that provides a more accurate picture of the prevalence of health conditions in the Americas. “What we see is worrisome,” she noted. “We are talking about 186 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean,” and in the U.S. Canada and Mexico, one in three people are at increased risk of severe COVID-19.

In the Americas, there are 43 million people at high risk, “which means they would require hospitalization due to their underlying health conditions. And within this group, men are twice as likely as women to be at high risk of developing severe COVID-19,” she said. People over the age of 65 are at greater risk of experiencing more severe disease, since the likelihood of developing multiple health conditions increases with age, PAHO’s director said. “But working-age adults – which refers to people from 15-64 – are not immune, as many of them live with one or more underlying health condition. Diabetes and chronic kidney disease, in particular, are especially prevalent among adult populations,” she added.

Strategies to protect people with comorbidities The new tool developed with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine will help countries with specific data “to adapt their COVID-19 responses and better protect vulnerable populations from chronic conditions that threaten their health,” Etienne said. Strategies to protect people with underlying conditions, which range “from self-isolation with assistance, to providing adequate resources and support systems,” can help countries reduce deaths among vulnerable groups, flatten the curve and preserve the capacity of health services, Dr. Etienne added.

“With the surge in COVID-19 patients, many health systems lack the staff, space and supplies to adequately offer routine care. Such disruptions have delayed treatments for cancer patients and dialysis for those with chronic kidney disease. People with diabetes are running out of insulin, and HIV patients have to worry about continuing their treatment,” she said.

“With the new tool, countries can tailor their response to protect vulnerable groups from risk and implement innovative programs to help people safely and more consistently manage their conditions. This includes increasing telemedicine capabilities and establishing surge points for care, which allows people with chronic conditions to be seen by a doctor away from suspected COVID-19 patients. Countries should ensure that vulnerable groups are advised to connect with their health care providers to ensure they have the medications and supplies they need to safely manage their conditions, she said. “This is also the time to rely on their friends and families to run errands so they can minimize trips outside their homes. And as much as possible, people should maintain a healthy routine at home that includes regular exercise and nutritious food,” Etienne added.

The pandemic is not slowing down As of July 20, 7.7 million cases have been reported and more than 311,000 people have died in the Americas.

In the last week alone there were almost 900,000 new cases and some 22,000 deaths, most in Brazil, Mexico, and the United States.

In the Amazon basin, COVID-19 continues to spread with significant surges in localized hot spots in Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia and Pero, she noted, while Central American countries “are reporting their highest weekly increases of COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began.”

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Decision to postpone T20 World Cup in sport’s best interest - ICC

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CMC) – International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Manu Sawhney said the decision to postpone the men’s Twenty20 World Cup had been made in the interest of public health, following intense deliberations among stakeholders.

The tournament, where West Indies were expected to defend the title they won four years ago in India, was scheduled to be staged in Australia from October 18 to November 15 but the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic ended any hope of successfully staging the event.

Globally, the pandemic has resulted in 14.7 million infections and 611 000 deaths, triggering widespread lockdowns, halting travel and forcing a cessation of nearly all sport.

“We have undertaken a comprehensive and complex contingency planning exercise and through this process, our number one priority has been to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in the sport,” said Sawhney.

“The decision to postpone the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup was taken after careful consideration of all of the options available to us and gives us the best possible opportunity of delivering two safe and successful T20 World Cups for fans around the world.

“Our Members now have the clarity they need around event windows to enable them to reschedule lost bilateral and domestic cricket.

Moving the Men’s Cricket World Cup to a later window is a critical element of this and gives us a better chance of maintaining the integrity of the qualification process.

“This additional time will be used to reschedule games that might be lost because of the pandemic ensuring qualification can be decided on the field of play.”

He added: “Through-

out this process we have worked closely with our key stakeholders including governments, members, broadcasters, partners and medical experts to enable us to reach a collective decision for the good of the game and our fans. I would like to thank everyone involved for the commitment to a safe return to cricket.”

The ICC said the tournament would now be played between October and November next year, with another edition fixed for the same period in 2022 Australia has been under lockdown since March but has experienced a surge in cases in recent weeks following breaches in quarantine protocols.

The country has recorded over 12 000 cases and 126 deaths.

Cricket Australia’s interim chief executive, Nick Hockley, said they understood the rationale for the postponement.

“We accept the ICC’s decision to postpone the T20 World Cup in Australia. It was a decision made with the safety and wellbeing of fans, players, officials and staff in mind,” said Hockley, also the chief executive of the ICC T20 World Cup 2020.

“We are confident that with this decision, we will give ourselves the best chance to safely welcome fans into the outstanding venues across the country to enjoy watching the world’s best male cricketers compete in this major global event in either 2021 or 2022.”

Meanwhile, the ICC also said plans for next February’s Women’s 50-over World Cup was proceeding as normal but noted it could “continue to evaluate the situation” as it relates to COVID-19.

Competitive international cricket was halted last March because of the pandemic and the ongoing three-Test series between England and West Indies is the first tournament to be played since then.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

World Cup call paves the way for summer like no other

… CA committed to completing a full international summer, but concedes the schedule could change again given the global uncertainty

By Andrew Ramsey THE International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to postpone this year’s planned men’s T20 World Cup has afforded cricket authorities worldwide greater clarity for scheduling purposes and en-

ables Cricket Australia (CA) to focus fully on delivering its 2020-21 programme.

While the uncertainty that enshrouds all event planning amid the global coronavirus pandemic means it is unknown if Australia will host the showpiece tournament next year or

in 2022, CA’s interim CEO Nick Hockley indicated either outcome would be welcomed.

He reiterated the ICC’s rationale for not yet confirming which of Australia or India would stage the planned T20 World Cups in October-November 2021 and 2022 was to give

both nations the best possible chance to deliver a successful tournament against the backdrop of COVID-19.

“Whether it’s 2021 or 2022 in Australia, we will put on a fantastic event,” Hockley said, adding the current view is the postponed tournament would be rescheduled with the same “footprint”, number of competing teams and matches.

different scenario planning, and as we do real-time monitoring of the health situations and restrictions, that will inform our planning.

“If there’s a change to the current schedule, then we’ll be making announcements in due course.

“Currently we’re planning to go ahead, but there’s a lot to work through and a lot that can

India Test captain Virat Kohli (left) and Australia’s Tim Paine

“If it’s 2021, the plans are really well progressed and we’re really well placed to deliver that event.

“Equally if it’s 2022, it will be a fantastic event and in many ways it gives even more time to create certainty around the health situation because no-one knows how long this is going to last.”

It’s the uncertainty relating to freedom of movement across international and domestic borders as well as the vast costs that accompany the creation and operation of bio-secure environments that led the ICC, as had been widely predicted, to abandon plans for a 16-team tournament in Australia this year.

But with the question of how CA (as the host board) and the local organising committee (that successfully delivered the women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year) might stage such a logistically complex tournament now deferred, planning turns to a no-less-complicated summer schedule.

CA has already released its proposed men’s and women’s international fixtures as well as the BBL and WBBL programme for 2020-21 and, while stressing that a “level of flexibility” will be needed as the health landscape changes, Hockley noted CA plans to deliver the schedule as it stands.

That includes the proposed historic one-off men’s Test against Afghanistan at Perth Stadium beginning on November 21, even though the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to utilise the now vacant October-November window in the international schedule to hold its lucrative IPL. “At the moment, we’re scheduled to play Afghanistan in Perth and we’ll be doing everything we can to get those opening bowlers to the top of their run and get cricket back being played,” Hockley said.

“As we work through all the

happen between now and then.”

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has recently reaffirmed India’s commitment to touring Australia later this year for a four-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series as well as a threegame Gillette ODI campaign.

Earlier this month, Ganguly told an India television show the BCCI would be seeking a reduction in the number of days players might have to serve in quarantine upon entering Australia “because we don’t want the players to go all that far and sit in hotel rooms for two weeks”.

Hockley said yesterday that while those protocols are set by government and health authorities, CA was mindful of ensuring international visitors – and Australia players returning from overseas commitments such as the IPL – have access to “optimal” training facilities while observing quarantine requirements.

CA has been closely liaising with its England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) counterparts to glean information gathered from the current England-West Indies Test series, the first international cricket fixtures since world sport entered lockdown.

Hockley noted the yetto-be-completed hotel at Adelaide Oval drew close parallels to facilities provided at England’s bio-secure Test venues at Southampton and Manchester, and that was one consideration for cricketers entering Australia in coming months.

“It’s unlikely that international travel restrictions will have lifted by time India are due to come into the country, so clearly there will be testing regimes,” he said.

“The reality is we will be able to test people before they get on the plane and then it’s a situation of making sure we’ve got the quarantine arrangements in line with government and health authority protocols.

“What we’re working on is making sure that, even within that quarantine environment, players have got the absolute best training facilities so their preparation for the matches is as optimal as it can possibly be.

“Whether it’s a hotel on site, or whether it’s hotels in close proximity to venues, creating that environment where we’re minimising the risk of infections and creating a bio-secure environment is the absolute priority.

“There’s a huge amount at stake if we’re unable to do that.

“Adelaide Oval has got a hotel (due for completion in September), and we’re obviously in discussion with all venues, but that does provide a facility not dissimilar to Old Trafford (in Manchester) or the Ageas Bowl (Southampton) where a hotel is integrated into the venue.”

Hockley conceded that in the absence of certainty due to the ongoing pandemic, clarity such as that flowing from the ICC’s decision overnight (and with an IPL announcement expected this week) was vital to finalising a full summer schedule.

He said CA was also being regularly informed by codes such as the Australian Football League, National Rugby League and Super Netball that are currently mid-season and dealing with the daily complexities of programming and delivering matches.

But he also noted there were unique challenges in fixing men’s and women’s international and domestic cricket games in an ever-changing environment.

“I think what’s different for cricket is that we’ve got between now and through the summer - an overseas (men’s) tour outbound potentially to England, we’re bringing international teams in both women’s and men’s, we’ve got two domestic leagues in the WBBL and BBL, and then we’ve got all the domestic cricket competitions,” Hockley said.

“So whereas other sports have been focussed on a singular league, we do have this portfolio of cricket across all the different formats and that brings with it its own massive set of complexities.

“What’s clear is we’re going to need to have a level of flexibility, and it’s by no means going to be a normal summer.

“In relation to the T20 World Cup, with international borders currently closed and requiring exemption and the same with some state borders, the prospect of bringing 15 teams in and moving them around the country … the decision to postpone the event was absolutely inevitable.

“But it allows us to focus with real clarity on the summer ahead, and we’ve got a brilliant summer to look forward to. (Cricket.com.aU)

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

By Simon Evans MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - A place in the Premier League is up for grabs today, with three teams in the chase for the second automatic promotion spot from the Championship on the final day of the second-tier season.

Leeds United have already secured a return to the top flight after a 16-year absence. But West Bromwich Albion, Brentford and Fulham all have a chance of grabbing the runners-up spot and the lucrative prize it brings.

The third promotion place is decided via a fourteam playoff, with those slots also to be finalised by today’s action.

Adding to the drama, all three relegation places have yet to be confirmed with Hull City, a Premier League club three years ago, currently bottom.

West Brom are favourites to be holding a socially distanced promotion party, with Slaven Bilic’s side currently occupying second place.

The Baggies know that victory at home to 14thplaced Queens Park Rangers will guarantee them a return to the elite after a two-year

Premier League spot up for grabs on Championship final day

Leeds United’s players huddle up before the match, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) (Action Images/Carl Recine)

absence.

But if the West Midlands side slip up, then the door is open for one of the two London clubs to sneak in on the final day.

Brentford would be back in the top flight for the first time since 1947 if they beat Barnsley at home and West Brom fail to win.

Should neither West Brom nor Brentford win then Fulham, who dropped out of the Premier League last season, would be back if they can win at Wigan

Athletic.

The consolation for the two teams that miss out today will be a second chance via the playoff.

Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City are currently fifth and sixth but must win today to make sure of their place in the two-leg playoff semi-final, and potentially the final itself at Wembley on July 29.

Seventh-placed Swansea are lingering and still in with a slim chance of making it. A win for the Swans at Reading would only be

‘Strong’ de Gea under no extra pressure from Manchester United, says Solskjaer (REUTERS) - Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is mentally strong enough to overcome his errors in their FA Cup semi-final defeat by Chelsea and the club will not put additional pressure on the Spaniard, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said yesterday. de Gea, 29, was at fault for Olivier Giroud’s opene r

in the first half on Sunday and allowed Mason Mount’s shot to squirm through him and into the net after the restart as United lost 3-1 to crash out of the competition.

The mistakes have prompted calls for de Gea to be dropped.

But Solskjaer said United, who are chasing a top four Premier League finish to seal European qualification, had to focus on Wednesd a y ’s c l a s h against West H a m United.

“This isn’t going to become a de Gea press conference; we’re just going Manchester United’s David de Gea to stick together. looks dejected in FA Cup semifinal David is mentally v Chelsea at Wembley Stadium, strong enough to London, Britain - July 19, 2020 know his job is to (Pool via REUTERS/Andy Rain)

perform in training and be ready for games,” Solskjaer told reporters.

“We’ve had setbacks as a club, we’ve lost big games before and turned it round and put a big performance on.

That is what we have to do now..We’re not going to talk about individuals because no one here will feel we put more pressure on them.”

United, who are fifth in the table with 62 points, can go three points ahead of fourth-placed Leicester City before the two teams meet in the final game of the season on Sunday.

But Solskjaer expects a tough test against West Ham under former United boss David Moyes, with the London club looking to win three games in a row.

“David’s a fantastic manager and I know it’s going to be a difficult game, they’ve had some fantastic wins against Norwich, Watford, Chelsea and they’ve secured their place, he’s doing a fantastic job,” Solskjaer added.

“If we can get through unbeaten that’s the Champions League next year, all eyes are on West Ham, we know their threats.”

enough if Cardiff lose at home to bottom club Hull.

Fifth-placed Forest, who are at home to Stoke, have the best goal difference but will be keen to get at least a point to make sure of their place.

Two-time European Cup winners Forest have not been in the top flight since 1999.

Seven teams still have a mathematical chance of being relegated. Barnsley and Luton are currently in the drop-zone along with Hull, while Charlton Athletic, Birmingham City, Middlesbrough and Huddersfield are still not safe.

Only three points separate 22nd-placed Luton from Huddersfield in 18th.

25

Klopp urges Liverpool fans to stay home for Premier League trophy presentation

(REUTERS) - Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has urged the club’s supporters to celebrate at home as the club prepare to lift the Premier League trophy following their clash with Chelsea today.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp

Klopp’s Liverpool secured their first top-flight title in 30 years with seven games to spare and will be presented with the trophy on a special podium built on the Kop stand at Anfield.

The Merseyside police have already warned fans not to repeat the widespread gatherings that took place on the city’s waterfront after the club’s title win last month, amid fears of a fresh spike in COVID-19 infections.

“We don’t want to say it is completely wrong but it is not right. We cannot excuse one wrong thing with another,” Klopp told a news conference yesterday.

“The first chance we get, will have this party, but only when it is appropriate.

“It’s a challenge, but we’ve faced bigger ones at this club. Stay at home with family.”

Today’s opponents Chelsea have already spent big in the transfer market to recruit attackers Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner, as Frank Lampard’s side look to mount a title challenge next season.

But Klopp said he will not use the club’s lack of activity in the transfer market as an excuse if they do not defend the title next season.

“I am happy with my squad 100%. I was here last year when people wanted us to sign him and him,” Klopp added.

“It’s not that we don’t want, we try to make the right decisions, and then COVID-19 came. The situation changed and not for the better.

“We buy if we have the money for it and the need for it. If one of these things is not there, we will not buy and we will go again. And we will not use it as an excuse.”

Leeds announce record-breaking five-year kit deal with Adidas

Leeds United’s Luke Ayling celebrates winning the Championship promotion last Sunday (Action Images/Carl Recine)

(REUTERS) - Leeds United, who earned promotion to the Premier League last week, have signed a fiveyear kit deal with German sportswear firm Adidas starting from the 2020-2021 season.

Leeds ended a 16-year wait to return to the top-flight after second-placed West Bromwich Albion’s defeat at Huddersfield Town on Friday and were crowned champions

of the second-tier Championship the following day when third-placed Brentford lost at Stoke City.

No financial details were disclosed but Leeds confirmed on Tuesday it was a record-breaking kit sponsorship deal for the club.

Adidas will take over from Italian sportswear brand Kappa, whose five-year deal with the club expires at

the end of the current season.”We’re looking forward to our return to the Premier League with anticipation next season and partnering with adidas, who are one of the most recognisable names in sport, represents a new beginning for the club,” said chief executive Angus Kinnear in a club statement here Leeds host 21st-placed Charlton in the final game of the season today.

26

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Australia to ensure India has ‘best’ training facilities in quarantine

People flock to streets of Ashington to bid Charlton farewell

CA interim Chief Executive Nick Hockley

MELBOURNE, Australia (Reuters) - India will have to abide

by Australia’s 14-day quarantine requirement ahead of the Test series starting in December but arrangements will be made to ensure their players can prepare as well as possible, Cricket Australia (CA) said yesterday.

The Indian board’s (BCCI) chief Sourav Ganguly told local media earlier this month he hoped Virat Kohli’s side could have their quarantine “reduced a bit” before the first Test in Brisbane from December 3.

Australia requires international arrivals to isolate in quarantine hotels due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though some have been allowed to pass the period at home due to health reasons.

CA interim chief executive Nick Hockley suggested there was little prospect of India’s players having a shorter quarantine.

“It’s widely known and unlikely international travel restriction will have lifted by the time India are due to come into the country,” he told reporters on a video call.

“I think the two-week quarantine is pretty well defined.

What we’re working on is making sure that within that quarantine environment, the players have got absolutely the best training facilities so that their preparation for the matches is as optimal as it can possibly be.”

Hockley said Australia was closely watching the West Indies tour of England, which has gone off largely without a hitch apart from fast bowler Joffra Archer breach of the team’s biosecurity protocols.

The Adelaide Oval, which has an attached hotel, has been seen as a potential venue for India to train safely while in quarantine.

“Whether it’s a hotel on-site or hotels in close proximity to venues, it’s about certainly creating that environment where we’re minimising the risk of infections,” said Hockley.

“Creating a biosecure environment is the absolute priority because there’s just a huge amount at stake if we’re not able to do that.”

(REUTERS) - Thousands of people poured onto the streets of Ashington, Northumberland to pay tribute to Jack Charlton, England’s 1966 World Cup-winning hero, as his funeral cortege made its way through the northeast town yesterday.

The former Ireland manager and towering Leeds United defender, who helped England beat West Germany to become world champions at Wembley Stadium in 1966, died on July 10, aged 85, following a long-term illness.

polished his soccer skills as a child. It then proceeded to the Newcastle crematorium.

Only 20 relatives were allowed to attend the private service, which included his younger brothers Gordon, 77, and Tommy, 74, due to COVID-19 restrictions.

In a eulogy, grandchildren Emma, Kate and Tom Wilkinson said: “The footballer, the friend, the family man we all knew was forged in Ashington during a happy childhood with the parents and three brothers he always loved

‘In the presence of greatness’ - Root praises Stokes ... Star all-rounder the toast of English cricket once again after starring with bat and ball in victory over West Indies at Old Trafford

ENGLAND skipper Joe Root believes his team is “in the presence of greatness” with star all-rounder Ben Stokes in their side.

Stokes was England’s match-winner in their series-levelling victory over the West Indies in Manchester, becoming the first English player to score more than 250 runs and take more than two wickets in a single Test.

In 16 Tests since the start of 2019, Stokes averages 55 with the bat and 28 with the ball having last year steered his side to a historic World Cup win as well as a memorable Test victory over Australia at Headingley.

After England secured a 113-run win at Old Trafford on Monday, with Stokes starring with both bat and ball on the final day, Root labelled his vice-captain “Mr

Incredible”.

Everyone understands we are watching a player at the peak of his powers, at the peak of world cricket,” Root said.

“Without trying to pump his tyres too much, we are in the presence of greatness.

“He’s a genuinely all-round player, something that you don’t see in world cricket. You see guys who have certain strengths, either batting or bowling. But he’s someone you can turn to in any situation.”

The Old Trafford Test was dominated by Stokes, who was on the field for all but 51 of the 350 overs in the match, playing contrasting innings with the bat and making vital breakthroughs with the ball.

His first-innings 176, the slowest of his 10 Test hun-

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER Wednesday July 22, 2020 COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD- 83 Garnett street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ: (1) Alex Stewart-18 (Trinidad, 1994) (2) Dom Sibley (ENG)

TODAY’S QUIZ:

(1) Name the teams against which ENG played Test cricket before taking on the West Indies?

(2) In what year the WI began playing Test match cricket?

ANSWERS IN TOMORROW’S ISSUE

dreds, was followed by a quick-fire 78 not out from just 57 balls as an opener in the second innings as England chased quick runs, the fastest ever Test half-century by an England opener.

His three wickets in the match all came at crucial junctures, two of them breaking partnerships of 76 and 100 respectively, the highest the Windies enjoyed in the Test.

“He’s got so many different skills that he brings to the team,” Root said.

see such brilliant performances as we have done this week.

“There’s drive to get better.

The sky is the limit. There’s no reason he can’t keep performing so consistently.”

Most importantly for England just days out from the series decider, starting on Friday, Stokes says he’ll be fit to play in the final Test despite pulling up sore partway through his 15th over on the final day.

Stokes gets inventive as En- In 16 Tests since the gland punish Windies start of 2019, Ben “He’s played a Stokes averages 55 role for us this game with the bat and 28 with the ball. You with the ball can use him in a completely different way as well.

“He just seems to get better and better. I think one “I’m thing that this game showed fine,” Stokes told Sky Sports. more than others is his abili- “Just the body started to get ty to read different situations. quite stiff.

He can do so many roles with “I said to Broady (Stuart the bat. You look at the rest Broad), ‘the body’s starting of the game - his impact with to stiffen up, what do you the ball. He made something reckon?’ and he said, ‘just happen when nothing was. stop’. Three or four years “To have such a complete ago against Pakistan I had game in so many different the same thing and I endgears and modes at your dis- ed up blowing my calf so I posal allows you the ability to didn’t want to take that risk. keep getting better. Most im“Obviously, I’ll give evportantly, if he keeps reading erything to the team, whatthe situations as he is, there’s ever is asked of me.” no reason we can’t continue to (Cricket.com.au)

The coffin of Jack Charlton, the former Republic of Ireland soccer team manager, who won the World Cup playing for England, is taken for his funeral in Newcastle, Britain, July 21, 2020 (Peter Byrne/Pool via REUTERS)

Many fans paid little heed to social-distancing guidelines as they gathered in large numbers to remember Charlton, who led Ireland to their first major soccer final at the 1988 European Championship and to the World Cup quarter-finals in 1990.

Flags adorned with pictures of Charlton were on display outside houses in the neighbourhood.

C h a r l t o n ’s b ro t h er, Manchester United great Bobby, now 82, who was his team mate in England’s World Cup triumph, was unable to attend the funeral due to ill health.

The cortege stopped outside the Hirst Welfare Centre, where Charlton had

dearly.

“As they whiled away hours kicking a ball around Hirst Park, grandad could never have imagined how remarkable his life would go on to be.”

The grandchildren said Charlton never expected to be called up by England, his first cap coming shortly before he was 30.

Referencing ‘Wor Jack’ dropping to his knees at the end of the World Cup final, the grandchildren said: “Many have often wondered what he was thinking – Was it pure elation? Was it the gravity of the achievement?

“Was it relief that the hopes of a nation had been realised? Well he always told us he was just bloody knackered.”

GUYANA CHRONICLE Wednesday, July 22, 2020

27

Hope, Campbell in firing line as Simmons mulls batting changes

By Matt Roller

WEST Indies coach Phil Simmons has admitted that he is “concerned” by the form of John Campbell and Shai Hope, and will consider making top-order changes ahead of the third Test.

Campbell and Hope both fell cheaply on the final day of the second Test, and have made 52 and 57 runs respectively in four innings in this series. Speaking at the postmatch press conference, Simmons also bemoaned West Indies’ failure to convert fifties into hundreds throughout the series, and said that changes would have to be discussed. “(Campbell and Hope’s form) is something that we have to discuss over the next couple of days, and make a decision as to which direction we go there,” Simmons said. “You’re right, they haven’t fired, so we’ve got to take that into consideration.

“We’ve had five or six half-centuries (in this Test) and no conversion. It’s something that we’ve been talking about a lot, and no one has taken up that opportunity in this game, yet again. It is disappointing.

“It’s critical that our batsmen carry on and make big hundreds. (Ben) Stokes made 176, what’s-his-name (Dom Sibley) 120-odd. Our batsmen need to make hundreds, because our bowlers have been doing their

job. Now the batsmen need to stand up and do what they have to for West Indies cricket.”

“If I think you’re more concerned about your current form than what you can do for the team, then you can

Coach Phil Simmons admitted he was “concerned” by Shai Hope’s form (Getty Images)

In particular, Simmons said that he was disappointed with Hope’s form. Captain Jason Holder had backed Hope coming into the second Test, saying that he had “all the confidence that Shai Hope will deliver”, but scores of 25 and 7 only extended a miserable run of form that has seen him make 111 runs at 12.33 in his last 10 Test innings.

Ottey loses 150m world record to 2016 sprint hurdles champion McNeal MERLENE Ottey’s long-standing record over 150m was broken by American Brianna Rollins-McNeal on Monday at the AP Ranch High-Performance Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas.

Rollins, 28, the 2016 Olympics 100m hurdles champion, clocked a smart 16.41 to win the event by more than halfa-second over fellow hurdler and 100m hurdles world record-holder Kendra Harrison, who completed the run in 16.92. 400m hurdles world record-holder Dalilah Mohammad was third in 17.07.

The mark shaved 0.08 seconds off the 16.49 set by Merlene Ottey in Trapani, Italy on September 27, 1989. The then 29-year-old Jamaican ran the record into a headwind of -1.5 m/s.

At the meet where many of the athletes competed in multiple events, McNeal the 2013 World Champion, also won the 60m dash in 7.39 over Shacarri Richardson (7.41), fifth in the 100m in 12.32 and was third in the 250m dash Former Jamaicai n 33.49. (Sportsmax) sprinter Merlene Ottey

“Yes, I’m concerned,” Simmons admitted. “He’s gone four innings without a score, in contrast to how he

played over the last five, six months in the other formats.

I am concerned about his form, and we’ll be sitting down and chatting about that over the next couple of days.”

Simmons added that the moment he thought anyone was playing for their place in the side rather than for the team, they would be dropped.

think about your current form on the sideline,” he said. “So far, everyone has been looking to work hard for the team, and if someone changes that train of thought, then he’s not there for the team and we’ll have to think about that very, very seriously.”

While Campbell’s batting is the main concern,

Simmons also criticised his fielding, after he dropped Stokes in the second over of the final day. Stokes was on 29 at the time, and went on to add 48 more runs off his next 34 balls to put England into a commanding position.

“If you go out and drop him (Stokes) within six balls (11) of the start, well then you’ve got problems,” Simmons said. “It’s our doing that, he had the opportunity to go on and show what he’s made of.”

The West Indies management had previously suggested that they would consider adding players from the reserves to the 15-man squad ahead of the third Test of the series, depending on how the series panned out.

The back-up batsman in the main squad is the uncapped Nkrumah Bonner, but the management will discuss alternatives in the coming days. Left-handed Shayne Moseley is the most experienced opener in the reserves, and there may also be a temptation to include the 22-year-old Joshua Da Silva. He made 189 unbeaten runs at the top of the order in the second intra-squad warm-up match.

There may be some workload management for West Indies’ seamers too, after the visitors decided to pick an unchanged XI for the second Test. Shannon Ga-

briel and Kemar Roach have bowled 69.5 and 80 overs respectively in the series so far, and with only three days’ recovery time after back-toback Tests, there may be little choice but to rotate.

“I have no regrets,” Simmons said, when asked about the decision to pick an unchanged team. “We did well, we won the Test match before, and looking at the squad and the team we played in that Test match, we were happy with the team we went in with.”

Simmons also reacted sharply when a journalist described Gabriel - who struggled for rhythm on the first morning and was off the field for some time on the second day - as looking “stiff”.

“I don’t know about Shannon being anything,” he said. “Shannon bowled at good pace in every spell he bowled, even last night.” He did, however, concede that the team would keep an eye on the quick in the lead-up to the third Test. “We’ll have to take things into consideration over the next couple of days, and then make a decision.”

Uncapped Chemar Holder and bowling all-rounder Raymon Reifer are the back-up seamers in the main squad, but West Indies may well include off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall for the third Test. (ESPN Cricinfo)

Stokes overtakes Holder to become top-ranked Test all-rounder (REUTERS) - England vice-captain Ben Stokes’ match-winning

performance in the second Test against West Indies hoisted him above Windies skipper Jason Holder to become the top-ranked all-rounder in the g a m e ’s l o n g e s t format, the International Cricket England’s Ben Stokes celebrates Council (ICC) said after winning the Second Test v yesterday.

West Indies at Emirates Old TrafStokes folford, Manchester, Britain - July 20, lowed up his 2020 (Jon Super/Pool via REUTERS)

176 in w i t h unbeaten in the sec-

the first innings a n 78

o n d and a l s o picked up three wickets in the contest to pull o ff a series-levelling win on Monday, earning the playerofthe-match award.

The 29-year-old overtook Holder in the latest rankings to become the first England player to reach the top spot since Andrew Flintoff in May 2006.

His moving average of 497 rating points, the highest of any Test all-rounder since South Africa great Jacques Kallis racked up 517

in April 2008, ended Holder’s 18-month reign at the top.

Stokes also climbed to a career-best third position among Test batsmen, behind India’s Virat Kohli and Australia’s top-ranked Steve Smith.

Meanwhile, Stokes played down injury concerns ahead of the third Test at Manchester starting on Friday, after he did not finish an over when bowling late on Monday.

“I felt very old this Test match. The body started to feel really stiff,” Stokes told the BBC. “I asked Broady (Stuart Broad) and he said ‘Just stop’.

“I had the same thing against Pakistan three or four years ago and I didn’t want to take the risk. For once, I’ve made the sensible call and listened to my body.”

West Indies are the defending T20 World Cup champions

Decision to postpone T20 World Cup in sport’s best interest - ICC PAGE 23

IPL 2020 to be held in UAE

THE 2020 edition of the IPL will be played in United Aeab Emirates (UAE), Brijesh Patel, the IPL Governing Council chairman, confirmed to ESPNcricinfo yesterday. Patel said that a formal announcement on the matter would be made when the body meets next.

Patel did not confirm the dates for the tournament, but as reported recently, the BCCI has pencilled in the window between September 26 and November 7 for the IPL, which comprises 60 matches. Patel said that the BCCI had been waiting for the ICC to formally postpone the men’s T20 World Cup this year, which has happened now, and freed up a window for the tournament.

“We were waiting for the ICC to officially announce (the postponement),” Patel said.

“We have applied (for permission) with the Indian government. Should get it.”

Patel said Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah would be the three main venues. Asked about whether the tournament would be played behind closed doors, Patel said that “depends on the UAE government”. It is understood that the franchises are yet to be formally informed about the tournament being shifted out of India.

In April, the BCCI had postponed the IPL indefinitely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the BCCI had intended to host the IPL in India, the pandemic’s spread over the last few months has made that unfeasible. With officially more than a million COVID-19 infections confirmed, India ranks third on the list of active cases worldwide.

When the plan was to host the tournament in India, the BCCI wanted to conduct it behind closed doors in limited venues and had singled out

Mumbai as the hub, but India’s commercial capital has a huge number of COVID-19 infections, putting paid to those thoughts.

This would be the second time for the IPL in the UAE, after the first 20 matches of the tournament were staged in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah in 2014 because of the general elections in India. The franchises are likely to set up their bases a month in advance if and when the green light is given - for training and also to abide by any quarantine measures imposed by the UAE government.

It is understood that the main reason for marking November 7 as the date for the IPL final was to ensure Indian players get enough time to travel to Australia for the four-match Test series, set to begin in December.

(ESPN Cricinfo)

IPL Governing Council chairman Brijesh Patel

Hamilton disappointed with past champions’ comments on racism LONDON (Reuters) - Lewis Hamilton has tunately a reality that some of the older hit back at past Formula One champions generation who still have a voice today Mario Andretti and Jackie Stewart for cannot get out of their own way and actheir comments on his anti-racism stance knowledge there is a problem,” Hamilton and push for greater diversity in the sport. said in an Instagram story.

Andretti, who won his title in 1978 and “Again, this is plain ignorance but that is now 80, was quoted by the Chilean will not stop me from continuing to newspaper El Mercurio as saying he push for change,” he said of Andretti’s had a lot of respect for the six times comments. world champion but asked why he “It is never too late to learn and I had ‘become a militant’. hope that this man who I’ve always The American great also had respect for can take the time to spoke, in comments translateducate himself,” added the Mered into Spanish, of “creatcedes driver. ing a problem that doesn’t Of Stewart’s comments, the exist” and added that Briton wrote: “Again, another “in motor racing colour one. Just disappointing.” doesn’t matter; you have Championship leader Hamilton to win your place with has taken a knee before all three results, and that’s the of the season’s races so same for everyfar, wearing a Black one.”.

Lives Matter T-shirt Triple chamand using his platpion Stewart, 81 form to speak out and Britain’s against racial inmost successjustice. ful driver In Hungary until Hamlast weekend, ilton came where the along, had drivers’ pretold ITV’s race anti-racG o o d ism gesture Morning appeared Britain that hurried and he did not think Formula disorganOne had as big a probised, the Formula One F1 - Hungarian Grand lem as it might seem.

35-yearPrix - Hungaroring, Budapest, Hamilton is the old called Hungary - July 19, 2020 Mercedes’ only Black driver in on FormuLewis Hamilton wearing a t-shirt in a sport that is heavily la One in support of the Black Lives Matter white and male. general to do campaign before the race Mark “This is disapmore in the fight Thompson/Pool via REUTERS pointing but unforagainst racism.

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