Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_04_07_2020

TUESDAY 7th April, 2020

' No.105963

Drag-racer ‘Mad Dog’ 5th COVID death …Eight patients recovered; three of them relatives of first patient who died

…several moved to ICU; two new cases recorded LOCAL Drag Racer, Deryck Jaisingh called ‘Mad Dog’

SEE PAGES 02 & 03

GLOBAL Summary UK PM Boris Johnson is moved to intensive care in a London hospital He has been suffering from coronavirus symptoms for 10 days, went to hospital on Sunday World leaders and British politicians wish him a speedy recovery Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to deputise in his absence US President Donald Trump wishes his "good friend" Boris Johnson well Nearly 1.3 million cases have now been confirmed worldwide with deaths over 70,000 New infections have fallen in Spain and Italy in recent days - suggesting lockdowns are working In Asia, Japan is braced for a lockdown due to be announced by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today

Timely relief’

PAGE

08

-Residents of communities along Region Five welcome social relief

Cattle farmer murdered

...body buried in shallow 10 grave at Belle West PAGE

Lowenfield to craft plan for 03 national recount PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Local drag racer dies from COVID-19 complications

By Navendra Seoraj LOCAL Drag Racer, Deryck Jaisingh, called ‘Mad Dog’ has died from COVID-19 complications, becoming the fifth Guyanese to lose the battle against the dreaded disease.

Reports are that Jaisingh tested positive for the coronavirus a week ago and on Monday evening, he succumbed while being treated for complications in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Jaisingh was also being treated for malaria and reports are that he was diabetic. According to reports, the man’s family members are also in quarantine.

The Ministry of Public Health has since pleaded with Guyanese to take note of the effects of the disease and to intensify efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, on Monday, had noted that eight persons were in the COVID-19 ICU, with one being in a critical state. Prior to Jaisingh’s death, a male had succumbed at the COVID-19 facility at the Diamond Hospital, due to complications from the COVID-19 disease.

Additionally, OSA Collins, a 78-year-old resident of New Amsterdam, had succumbed after

contracting the disease. Collins was considered an ‘imported case’ as she had recently travelled to the United States of America. Guyana had confirmed its first imported case of COVID-19 in Georgetown on Wednesday, March 11, 2020.

That patient, a 52-year-old Guyanese woman who had travelled from the United States of America to Guyana on March 5, 2020, was presented to the public health system on March 10. She died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation on March 11. Since then, three of the woman’s relatives and 27 others have tested positive for the virus.

Jermaine Ifill, an emergency medical technician (EMT) had also succumbed to the dreaded COVID-19 disease. Government, on Friday, had extended its emergency measures to combat the dreaded coronavirus with the implementation of a 12-hour curfew on citizens. These emergency measures were made pursuant to the paraLOCAL Drag Racer, graphs (1) and (2) (b) of the Direc- Deryck Jaisingh called ‘Mad Dog’ tion by the President, given under the 3rd April, 2020 and will last for the Public Health Ordinance, Cap. one month unless earlier terminated, 145, and published in the Gazette, Legal Supplement B, 16th March extended or amended by notice of 2020, government said in a notice the Minister of Public Health, after an assessment of the prevailing Friday evening.

The measures took effect from public health conditions.

Speaking about the curfew, Minister Lawrence said: “The curfew was established with the aim of stopping the transmission, yet it is evident that persons do not understand the seriousness of the situation and they continue to congregate in groups. “Your co-operation is critical. I am begging you, stay at home…during the day, if you must go out ensure nose and mouth are covered…protect yourselves from these droplets that infect persons with the disease.”

The ministry, and, by extension, government, has already employed a number of measures to curb the spread of the virus. The existing efforts, such as the COVID-19 hotline will be supplemented after the ministry rolls out a self-test APP. Through the app, persons will be able to self-test and upload their information which will go directly to the ministry’s surveillance team.

Persons will then be contacted by the team if deemed necessary.

Guyana has so far recorded 31 confirmed cases of the dreaded global pandemic. Thus far, three persons, who are close relatives of the country’s first victim and who were tested positive for COVID-19, have tested negative following further tests.

According to the World Health

Organisation (WHO), COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus.

WHO said most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older persons and those with underlying medical problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.

WHO believes that the best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads.

“Protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently and not touching your face. The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, so it’s important that you also practise respiratory etiquette (for example, by coughing into a flexed elbow),” WHO advised.

3

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Eight COVID patients recovered …three of whom include relatives of first patient who died …Min Lawrence says eight patients moved to ICU; two new cases recorded

By Navendra Seoraj EIGHT persons, who had tested positive for the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), have recovered after spending a few weeks in isolation.

This was confirmed by Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, during a virtual update on the COVID-19 pandemic, on Monday.

Guyana had confirmed its first imported case of COVID-19 in Georgetown, on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. That patient, a 52-yearold Guyanese woman who had travelled from the United States of America to Guyana on March 5, 2020, was presented to the public health system on March 10. She died at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation on March 11. Since then, three of the woman’s relatives and twenty-seven others have tested positive for the disease.

“Three families of the index case, who had tested positive and had two post isolation tests, have tested negative for the disease,” said Minister Lawrence, adding that a total of eight persons,

who were associated with the first case and had tested positive for the disease, have recovered.

While those persons have recovered, the ministry has recorded two new cases of COVID-19, taking the number of confirmed cases to 31. The total deaths remain at four.

So far, the ministry has tested 115 persons of which 31 were positive, 84 were negative and the one inconclusive case has since tested negative after being quarantined for 14 days.

As it is now, Minister Lawrence said eight persons are in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Of those persons in the ICU, the minister said one of them is critical.

In addition to those persons in the ICU, 23 persons from Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Seven, are in institutional isolation.

Additionally, 35 persons from Regions Three, Four and Six are in institutional quarantine. Twenty-two of those persons are from Region Four alone.

“In light of these developments, I would like to em-

phasise that adherence to the health advisories and social

curfew on citizens. These emergency measures were

Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence

distancing are paramount in our fight against this disease.

“I cannot stress enough the need to protect yourselves and follow guidelines. If we are to keep numbers down, you must follow guidelines… this disease does not pick and choose who it will affect, so you will not escape if you are laid back. If you do not adhere, it is likely you will contract the disease and even die,” said Minister Lawrence.

Government, on Friday, had extended its emergency measures to combat the dreaded coronavirus with the implementation of a 12-hour

made pursuant to the paragraphs (1) and (2) (b) of the Direction by the President, given under the Public Health Ordinance, Cap. 145, and published in the Gazette, Legal Supplement B, 16th March 2020, government said in a notice Friday evening.

The measures took effect from the 3rd April, 2020 and will last for one month unless earlier terminated, extended or amended by notice of the Minister of Public Health, after an assessment of the prevailing public health conditions.

Speaking about the curfew, Minister Lawrence said: “The curfew was established with the aim of stopping the transmission, yet it is evident that persons do not understand the seriousness of the situation and they continue to congregate in groups.

“Your co-operation is critical. I am begging you, stay at home…during the day, if you must go out ensure nose and mouth are covered…protect yourselves from these droplets that infect persons with the disease.”

The ministry, and, by extension, government, has already employed a number of measures to curb the spread of the virus. The existing efforts, such as the COVID-19 hotline will be supplemented after the ministry rolls out a self-test APP. Through the app, persons will be able to self-test and upload their information which will go directly to the ministry’s surveillance team.

Persons will then be contacted by the team if deemed necessary.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a new-

ly-discovered coronavirus.

WHO said most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older persons and those with underlying medical problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.

WHO believes that the best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads.

“Protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently and not touching your face. The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, so it’s important that you also practise respiratory etiquette (for example, by coughing into a flexed elbow),” WHO advised.

Lowenfield to craft plan for national recount …modalities worked out GUYANA’s Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, has been given less than 48 hours to draft an operational plan that will guide the execution of a national recount of all the votes cast at the March 2 General and Regional Elections. That plan will be the subject of major discussion when the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) meets on Wednesday.

The Chief Elections Officer was given clearance to draft the plan on Monday after receiving much-needed clarity from the Elections Commission on the National Recount.

Moments after exiting the meeting, which was led

by Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh-- the Chair of GECOM-- government nominated Commissioner, Vincent Alexander, disclosed that the modalities of the recount were discussed extensively with the intention of providing clarity to the Chief Elections Officer. Last

Friday, when GECOM took the decision to proceed with the national recount, Lowenfield had asked for clear directions on the process to be employed. According to Alexander, those clear directions were provided, and it is expected that a draft operational plan would be placed before the Commission on Wednesday at 11:00hrs for its consideration.

Opposition-nominated Commissioner, Sase Gunraj, confirmed that the Commission addressed the issues raised by Lowenfield – the majority being operational in nature. “It took us quite a while to go through each and every one of them to provide guidance in as explicit a manner that we can to him so that he can operationalize the process by providing a plan to us,” Gunraj told reporters.

According to him, some of the core issues included the conduct of the recount, the extent at which it will be carried out and the role of the Commission in the resolution

of disputes arising out of the process. The Commission, he noted, also considered the reporting mechanism that would be employed following the tabulation of votes at the level of the Polling Station. In normal circumstances, information generated is recorded on Statements of Poll (SOPs) following the tabulation of the ballots; however, in this case, the information would be recorded on a document with features similar to that of an SOP. “All of those things, we went through; each and every one of the concerns the CEO had and, like I said, attempted as best as we could to provide as much clarity to him,” Gunraj said.

It is Gunraj’s hope that the draft operational plan will be available to the Election Commissioners ahead of Wednesday’s meeting, so that they could effectively discuss it when they meet.

At this stage, it is unclear when GECOM will commence the recount, however, last Friday it indicated that the recount of the votes cast would be conducted in

chronological order, that is, from Region One to Region 10.

It is also unclear whether GECOM will use the same set of Returning Officers, who had played leading roles at the end of the polls, given the controversy that surrounded the Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo. It was under Mingo’s watch the tabulation of Statements of Poll for District 4 went downhill.

After the process was repeatedly disrupted by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic and a number of other small parties, Mingo had moved to declare the votes cast in favour of each List of Candidate for his Electoral District on March 5, but by March 11, the High Court ruled that he had breached Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act. He was ordered to tabulate the SOPs in the presence of persons entitled to be there, such as party agents and observers, and though he proceeded to adhere to the ruling of the Court, his second declaration, on March 13, was still

deemed to be flawed by the PPP/C and others.

According to Gunraj, a proposal is now on the table to have the Region 4 Returning Officer removed from the process. “It is a proposal, it has not reached finality.

As you are aware as well, it was only in District Four that issues arose, in the other nine Districts there were no issues that were reported to us, that would warrant the request for the removal of those persons,” Gunraj told reporters.

The Elections Commission took a decision to proceed with the national recount after the Full Court discharged four injunctions, which had initially blocked GECOM from executing its plan.

The National Recount, Justice Singh has said, is in keeping with Article 162 (1) (b) of the Constitution of Guyana, which mandates the Commission to “take such action as appear to it necessary or expedient to ensure impartiality, fairness and compliance with the provisions of the Constitution.”

Ahead of the decision,

Justice Singh told the Commissioners that she was in no position to backpedal on her commitment to the High Court to facilitate the national recount. “…Justice Claudette Singh explained that she would be unable to renege on her undertaking to the Chief Justice [Roxane George-Wiltshire] to facilitate a recount of the votes cast in the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections,” GECOM’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward, had explained in a statement on Friday.

The GECOM Chair had given an undertaking to the High Court on March 13 after the PPP/C, through its associate, had filed contempt proceedings against GECOM over an alleged failure by the Region 4 Returning Officer to tabulate the votes cast in his Electoral District in accordance with Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act. This case was shelved, and as such no Contempt Order was issued.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, April 7, 2020

CARICOM to be invited to validate recount

– GECOM Commissioners say THE Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Monday reportedly agreed that it would be prudent to have the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) involved in the planned National Recount, not to supervise as previously approved, but to validate the process.

On March 17, 2020, the Elections Commission approved a CARICOM- supervised recount, but the Court of Appeal on Sunday made it clear that it would be unconstitutional for CARICOM or any other authority, besides GECOM, to supervise any aspect of the Elections in Guyana. Prior to that ruling, GECOM on Friday agreed to proceed with the recount, but under the supervision of the Elections Commission.

‘A HIGH PREFERENCE’ At the conclusion of Monday’s meeting of the Commission, Government-nominated Commissioner, Vincent Alexander told reporters that the Elections Commission has a high preference for CARICOM’s involvement in the electoral process. “We have decided today that our preference, in terms of an external body to give some validation, is CARICOM,” Alexander told reporters.

According to him, the CARICOM arrangement would differ significantly from the observatory roles of Elections Observation Missions.

“The others were never for validation; the others were observers. CARICOM came into the process with a particular role,” Alexander said.

He posited that it is likely

that GECOM will soon extend a formal invitation to CARICOM. Opposition-nominated Commissioner Sase Gunraj expressed similar expectations.

“I have no doubt that in very short order, an approach will be made to the CARICOM Secretary-General, with the view of reengaging that team. But I believe that we need to have some sort of finality, from our end, as to when we will begin, and so on, to pass that information,” Gunraj told reporters.

BEGS TO DIFFER Gunraj, however, disagreed with the Appeal Court’s interpretation that the agreement between President Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo would have led to CARICOM supervising the recount. According to him, the word “supervised” was used loosely. “It was always that they will observe the process, in keeping with the laws and the Constitution of Guyana,” he emphasised.

And while Alexander did not address the issue of the

The high-level CARICOM team which came here last month to oversee the elections recount

presence of observers during the recount, Gunraj said that, in principle, the Commission agreed that observers would be present. According to Gunraj, the Commission also agreed to issue a statement, inviting observers to signal their willingness to participate in the process. This, he said, is important, given the prevailing challenges posed as a result of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

On the instruction of CARICOM Chairman, Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, a high-level CARICOM team had arrived in Guyana

Commissioner Vincent Alexander

on March 15 to supervise a planned national recounting of the ballots cast in the March 2 Elections, which had stemmed from an agreement with the President and Opposition Leader.

STUMBLING BLOCKS However, on March 17, 2020, the high-level team withdrew from the process, after it was beset by several stumbling blocks. A private citizen, Ulita Moore, secured four injunctions from the High Court to block the recount, on the grounds that it was unconstitutional. Added to that, though President Granger and the Opposition Leader had signed an Aide Memoire, agreeing to the recount, CARICOM had requested a legal cover, in the form of a gazzetted order, however, Guyana’s Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Charles Fung-a-Fat advised against it. According to him, to do so would be to supersede electoral laws, and infringe on the rights of electors.

The independent high-lev-

Commissioner Sase Gunraj

el team was chaired by former Attorney-General and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Dominica, Ms. Francine Baron, and comprised former Minister of Finance of Grenada, Mr. Anthony Boatswain; Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government of UWI Ms. Cynthia Barrow-Giles; Chief Electoral Officer of Barbados Ms. Angela Taylor; and Chief Elections Officer of Trinidad and Tobago Ms. Fern Narcis-Scope.

Weighing in on the issue on Monday, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley, while expressing deep concern over the electoral challenges facing Guyana, said CARICOM stands committed to assist GECOM in the execution of the recount.

He had formed part of a team of CARICOM Heads of Government that had met with President Granger and the Opposition Leader in the lead up to the agreement, after the tabulation of the votes in District Four had encountered challenges.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, April 7, 2020

CARICOM ready to assist in recount process - Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley

NOTWITHSTANDING Sunday’s court ruling in relation to the role of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in supervising a recount of the ballots cast in the March 2, 2020 regional and general elections, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago says the regional body is ready to assist in the process, once called upon.

Rowley, along with chair of CARICOM, Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Ministers Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, and Keith Mitchell of Grenada, visited Guyana several days after the March 2, 2020 elections, with the aim of assisting at the arrival at a resolution to the impasse that resulted from the polls.

Thereafter, an agreement was signed by President David Granger and Opposition Leader as well as CARICOM Secretary General, Irwin La Rocque for a recount of the ballots cast at the polls. A technical team from CARICOM arrived to supervise the process; however, based on legal advice the team’s visit was cut-short. In addition, the process was hampered by an injunction which was filed in the courts, blocking the recount.

Rowley told the Trinidad media, on Monday, that in the agreement signed between Jagdeo and President Granger and the Secretary General of CARICOM, there was “opportunity for misrepresentation” and according to him, persons seized that opportunity.

Rowley said that the wording of the document speaks “loosely” about CARICOM supervising the recount process. He said in the second-to-last paragraph of the document, it says that the role of the high-level team that the two leaders requested to visit Guyana would be to supervise the recount under the auspices of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and would not engage themselves in the actual counting of ballots. Their presence was to ensure that the recount is done in a free, fair and transparent manner.

“It specifically said that CARICOM would not engage themselves in the actual counting of ballots,” he said, noting that because the word “supervise” was used in the document, while in the court it was argued that CARICOM had acted illegally.

He said CARICOM is looking on and will await the outcome of any decision the electoral body here makes. He said that if the authorities here request assistance from CARICOM, that presence should be provided and he noted that it would be the same technical team which was here earlier in March.

He said he has not heard any request for any CARICOM’s presence, as he reiterated that the team will in no way interfere with the counting of ballots.

The results of the elections have been hooked-up in the courts with a ruling by the Court of Appeal on Sunday, placing CARICOM’s role on the back-burner.

“Any arrangement or agreement to relinquish supervision of any aspect of the elections, whether the recount or any other aspect – any arrangement to relinquish that supervision and authority – would be an unlawful arrangement. GECOM must at all times remain the body constitutionally mandated to supervise [elections],” Justice of Appeal Dawn Gregory said as she handed down the ruling on Sunday in the in the case brought

by Ulita Moore, challenging the decision of GECOM to conduct a national recount under the supervision of the CARICOM. GECOM has made a decision for a recount of the ballots cast in all 10 administrative regions, in a chronological order.

Prior to the departure of the high-level CARICOM team, GECOM commissioner, Vincent Alexander, had noted that the team had not given up on the process and was willing to return if called up. GECOM is set to iron out the modalities relevant to the recount process.

Shame on the PPP and Mercury Public Affairs!

--for the mudslinging of fabricated propaganda Dear Editor, CAN someone explain why is Mercury Public Relations LLC disseminating unofficial election results to various members of the American government? Isn't this a form of electoral misconduct on behalf of the PPP? This is the link: https://s3.amazonaws. com/fara2.opensecrets.org/6170-Informational-Materials-20200307-311.pdf Open Secrets have released documents which disclose that Mercury LLC is behind the scenes to side with the PPP and use propaganda against the current government. Mercury is being paid to influence the elections.

This doesn't look like a business promotional campaign; it reeks of the putrid smell of foreign meddling!

Correspondence has shown that Mercury is liaising with members of the OAS and United States government to vouch for the PPP, while using excuses such as: “Guyana is near Venezuela” to vilify the current government. This makes me wonder if journalists are being compromised by Mercury LLC; whether they are being bribed or being indirectly influenced by the propaganda. One baffling revelation is that of the ramblings of

Mr. Freddie Kissoon. He is a journalist who suffered physical violence under the PPP during a wave of assassinations of political dissidents.

But recently, Mr. Kissoon has lamented that those who resist the lies, propaganda and bullying from the PPP do not love their country. He has also written in a way more angrier tone in his past articles, though no one in the current government has attacked him or his family. Wouldn't it be foolish to assume that one should love Guyana by way of the PPP "democracy" when Bharrat Jagdeo is pleading for international sanctions? Isn't that an oxymoron of stratospheric proportions?

People who love Guyana should be vigilant against the lies, propaganda and falsehoods that the PPP is doling out through Mercury Public Affairs LLC. There might be a political scandal in the making, and the PPP might be shown as the Emperor with no clothes when their sweet tides of lies evaporate in the heat of public scrutiny of God-fearing people. Shame on the PPP and Mercury Public Affairs for the mudslinging of fabricated propaganda!

Regards, Riaz Hamid

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 7, 2020

President Granger has been vindicated

THE Guyana Court of Appeal on Sunday handed down its ruling in the case brought by Ulita Moore regarding the decision to invite CARICOM to participate in a recount of the ballots cast at the March 2, 2020 elections.

Understandably, the parties involved have all spun the ruling to suit their political agendas. However, in the final analysis, it was a blow to the PPP’s attempt to interfere in GECOM’s conduct of the election. That party has tried its utmost to commandeer the process by smearing GECOM officials, and, on one occasion, went as far as storming the Agency’s command centre. The court has made it abundantly clear that only GECOM can supervise a recount of the votes; that to do otherwise would be a violation of the Constitution.

Now that the court has ruled, and from all indications has paved the way for a recount to be supervised by GECOM, President Granger has been vindicated. First, it was he who has always contended that GECOM is an independent agency whose operations he stoutly refused to interfere with. From as far back as the fight over the No-Confidence Vote, the President refused to bow to pressures from the PPP and its acolytes to impose an election date on GECOM. He stood his ground, even as he was called all kinds of nasty names, and charged with operating a dictatorship. Now, the court has proven that he was correct in taking that stance.

Second, once the PPP moved to the courts to challenge GECOM’s handling of the tabulation of the votes, Mr. Grang-

er took the position that he would not circumvent the legal process. He repeatedly said that the courts must decide, and vowed to obey their findings and rulings. Even as he expressed his disappointment that the recount did not get off the ground, he held firm to the position that he would wait for the court to have its say. This attitude was quite the opposite of the PPP’s.

While the PPP has been selective in its respect for the court’s rulings, the President and his ‘Coalition’ have been respectful of that co-equal branch of government, even when decisions have gone against them. This is indeed an example to be emulated, whereby the judicial branch of government is granted the respect it deserves. President Granger has been a tower of strength in that regard.

We pause to lend our voice to saluting the courts for their conduct these past few weeks. And while we do not agree with some of the rulings, our respect for the professionalism of our judiciary is profound. No democratic society could be sustained without an independent judiciary, free from the tyranny of the executive, and pressures from other political forces.

From the No- Confidence Vote to the present, the judiciary has had to fend off repeated attempts by the PPP to pressure it into becoming entangled with partisan politics. In the end, the Guyanese legal system is intact, and our country is stable, amidst attempts at destabilisation.

The recent ruling by the Appeal Court regarding CARICOM’s participation has caused more than passing debate.

There is some confusion over the precise role of the CAR-

ICOM team which came to Guyana when the recount was first agreed. Even Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley has weighed in on the matter. He correctly argued that CARICOM never understood its role, in supervisory terms. The team, according to him, was in Guyana as scrutineers rather than as supervisors.

This is precisely the position of President Granger, the author of the CARICOM initiative, and a staunch supporter of GECOM’s independence. He could not have invited CARICOM to usurp GECOM’s authority after being the chief defender of the independence of the latter. The invitation to CARICOM was born of a deep desire to prove to the world that the ‘Coalition’ had nothing to hide, and was confident that it had prevailed at the elections. It was never meant to take away GECOM’s constitutional mandate; but again, the mischief was planted by the PPP. It was they who, as part of their plan to undermine GECOM, told the world that CARICOM had come to Guyana to count the votes and declare the PPP the winner. The Court of Appeal has correctly rebuked them. The recklessness of the PPP continues to embarrass Guyana. Their fabrications and downright lies are being exposed daily. All their attempts to smear the reputation of President Granger have failed miserably. This latest ruling by the Court of Appeal has vindicated the president; his respect for the rule of law and the autonomy and independence of our constitutional bodies remains a central plank of his approach to statecraft.

Wake up or suffer the consequences Dear Editor,

THE global COVID-19 pandemic is the moral, social, cultural, religious, economic, health, political and financial crisis of our times, and will be with us for quite a while.

Today, we are in a life-and- death battle with the disease. The facts are startling: There is a global lockdown of economies, and many new pandemics are on the way.

Life, as we know it, has fundamentally changed.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed the global political, social and economic orders. It has also raised serious questions about the established models of sustainable economic development. New questions about the “limits to growth” in a world of increasing population growth and diminishing natural resources are again being discussed.

Fossil fuels have driven growth; fossil fuels have also become our environmental nemesis.

Rampant and unmitigated capitalism has led to the destruction of Mother Earth. Climate change is the next pandemic. Greed has distorted global human values, and has promoted racism and religious fundamentalism. Politically,

the world has drifted towards nationalism versus multilateralism. The new “America First” philosophy has triggered reactions from China and Russia among other countries. The lack of help to Italy as it struggled with its COVID-19 crisis illustrated that even neighbours bound by common goals focused on themselves first.

Rampant capitalism has also encouraged political fundamentalism, despotic authoritarianism under the guise of democracy. More so, rampant and unmitigated capitalism has resulted in the global economic pandemic of stark inequality.

The world’s 2,153 billionaires have more wealth than the 4.6 billion people who make up 60 per cent of the planet’s population, reveals a new report from Oxfam. Women and girls put in 12.5 billion hours of unpaid care work every day, which is a contribution to the global economy of at least $10.8 trillion a year, more than three times the size of the global ‘tech’ industry. A simple act of humanity by the rich paying just another 0.5% of their wealth over the next 10 years would equal the investment needed to create 117 million jobs in sectors such as elderly and childcare, education and health. History has repeated itself. The West

became wealthy through US$7 trillion of free African labour during slavery in the Caribbean.

As the “Fight Inequality Alliance” has stated: “Rising inequality is hurting us all, holding up poverty reduction, harming the environment, hurting the economy, destabilising society, and undermining democracy.”

COVID-19 has revealed global fault lines.

As Arundhati Roy, in her brilliant Financial Times article, ‘The pandemic is a portal’ has stated: “We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world, and ready to fight for it.”

Meanwhile in Guyana, a colonially- designed and inherited winner-take-all electoral system has revealed the deep racial fault lines that permanently exist. The threat of racial domination and genocide on Facebook has forever changed the lives of Guyanese.

The intellectually and emotionally barren in Guyana seem to be convinced that electoral superiority is democracy; their intellects are

too barren to understand that “winner take-all electoral systems” are inherently anti-human rights and pernicious.

A winner-take-all system that promotes racism goes completely against the 30 Human Rights of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR) agreed upon by over 200 countries. Whereas the UNDHR is clearly defined, democracy isn’t. Are democracy and racism compatible? I rather think not.

In Guyana today, we hear the constant chant about “fighting for democracy”. What nonsense! This theoretical fight is about “domination”; racial domination.

Dr. Kean Gibson correctly defined “racism is itself a political system, a particular power structure of formal and informal rule, socioeconomic privilege, and norms for the differential distribution of material wealth and opportunities, benefits and burdens, rights and duties.”

We in Guyana, like everywhere else on the planet, live by a “social contract”. Today, in Guyana, the primary deformity in our social contract lies in a winner-take-all Constitution that imposes a ruling “ethnic minority”. The essence of this deformity is that we have been See page 7

OP-ED GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 7, 2020

By Gary Best (Retired Rear Admiral and Attorney)

Editor, having regard to the recent decisions of the Guyana Full Court and the Guyana Court of Appeal in the Ulita Moore matter, GECOM ought not to rely on its own decision to do a national recount. To be clear, the writer accepts that part of the Court of Appeal’s decision which held that it was unlawful for GECOM to have decided to do a national recount under the “supervision” of CARICOM. We therefore speak here of a national recount simpliciter. And for the purpose of this submission, a national recount is what remains from GECOM’s unlawful decision to conduct a supervised national recount. We also observe that the Court of Appeal, in holding, in part, for Ulita Moore, separated the question of jurisdiction from that of constitutionality.

It is in that vein that we render to further examination GECOM’s decision to do a national recount since it touches on its constitutionality as argued by Ulita Moore. Consequently, we are of the view that Ulita Moore enjoys an unfettered constitutional right to challenge the constitutionality of GECOM’s decision and, more particularly, that her matter be heard expeditiously.

To date, the question of the constitutionality of GECOM’s decision on a national recount has not been heard. Both the Full Court and the Court of Appeal ruled that that is a matter for an elections petition.

Juxtaposing the decision of these two courts with Ulita Moore’s right to be heard and GECOM’s decision to do a national recount present a quagmire for GECOM that becomes readily apparent.

Recount/ Count Editor, there are many reasons why GECOM should not rely on its own decision to do a national recount.

In the first instance, the Court of Appeal’s decision has justified the nation-

GECOM ought not to rely on its own decision to do a national recount

ally held position by HE the President to abide by the constitution and the rulings of the court. In this regard, it is important that GECOM’s does not act precipitously thereby preventing current and future court proceedings.

In other words, GECOM must act in a manner that does not stymie the elections petition process which the courts have supervision over in order to bring finality to elections challenges. As alluded above, the matter whether or not GECOM acted constitutionally in agreeing to conduct a national recount is still to be heard and therefore not determined. Consequently, GECOM ought not to rely on its decision to conduct a national recount of any or all electoral districts since its constitutionality is yet to be determined via an elections petition. In any event, a national recount is properly done during an elections petition, having regard to the fact that this matter has moved beyond whether the RO of Electoral District #4 followed Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act in his tabulation, to a dispute of the entire 2020 Elections. For the avoidance of doubt, GECOM has a completed tabulated result that shows the APNU+AFC as victorious. This is disputed by the PPP. In this regard, the Full Court and the Court of Appeal have ruled that Art 163 (1) (b) (i) and (ii) of the Constitution of Guyana provides for disputed elections to be settled by an Elections Petition.

Secondly, GECOM’s supervisory and intervention powers under Article 162 of the Constitution to ensure impartiality, fairness and compliance with elections matters must be seen as operating within the ambit of the law, in particular, the Representation of the People Act where there is provision for counts and recounts and which have already been statutorily performed by the various Returning Officers. To conduct a recount under the Representation of the People Act is to do a thing that has already been done. To attempt to conduct a recount outside of the Representation of the People Act is to act unconstitutionally.

This is quite different from an elec-

tions audit which was done in the post 1997 National and General Elections and examined in the elections petition filed by Esther Perreira. We submit, that notwithstanding the good intentions of parties, in this case, HE the President, CARICOM and GECOM, parties cannot come together and intentionally or unintentionally breach the law.

Thirdly, a similar circumstance was examined in the Ether Perreira case of 1998 where that court vitiated the 1997 Guyana General and Regional Elections. Madame Justice Claudette Singh, as she then was, held, on the issue of the effect of Act 22 of 1977 which introduced the concept of “no card, no vote”, held that “[t] here is nothing wrong with Parliament enacting such legislation, but any such law ought not to be inconsistent with the Constitution”. The distinguished Judge went on the hold that “...no political party can arrogate unto itself the power to barter away ... the constitutional rights of the electorate”.

Similarly, we now have a case of “no national recount, no declaration”. In this regard, we submit that the political parties, CARICOM and GECOM cannot come together and breach the constitution of Guyana. Keep in mind that a recount is grounded in law as per the Representation of the People Act and is a procedure governed by the Returning Officer. To be clear, a national recount, yes, but via an elections petition.

Would GECOM deny Ulita Moore her right to challenge its decision in an elections petition?

Editor, how then would Ulita Moore be able to have her matter heard via an elections petition as ruled by both the Guyana Full Court and the Guyana Court of Appeal? For there to be an action for an elections petition there must be a completion of the electoral process. For there to be a completion of the electoral process

Wake up or suffer...

From Page 6

brainwashed to believe that democracy means the ‘rule of the majority.’ But what is democracy? And why have we been so brainwashed to believe that majority rights are more important than minority rights in a democracy?

India is the largest so-called democracy, but Prime Minister Modi’s authoritarian beliefs, behaviour and indifference to the plight of millions of Muslims show the folly of calling democracy a fair system. And India has a caste system of inbuilt inequality. More than 165 million Dalits in India are condemned to a lifetime of abuse, simply because of their caste. Is this democracy?

If democracy is so good, then let people of similar religions, races and cultures rule themselves. Isn’t this what rule “by the people and of the people” mean.

This is a time to reflect on a new global order; this is a time for Guyanese to wake up to the reality that it is better to find solutions that benefit all, or to find separate ways for each ethnic group.

Racism or racial domination in a society of two large minorities will lead to a pandemic of resistance.

Social distancing is now a “new normal”; separation or mutual accommodation are both forms of social distancing.

COVID-19 is a great equaliser and a reset of the global economies. And more importantly, an opportunity to change our ruthless capitalist economic models which nurture, promote and reward “Economies of Death”.

The New Global World Order should create “Economies of Life” (see São Paulo State-

there must be a declaration of the winner and a declaration and swearing in of the President. In support of this statutory process, the Full Court ruled that “The elections process must swiftly and efficiently take its course so as to enable elections results to be declared”. To be clear, we submit that in order for Ulita Moore to be able to have her matter heard GECOM must complete the electoral process. Since speed and finality are of the essence, the Full Court also held that “Finality does not mean lawfulness. Lawfulness can always be challenged by way of an Elections Petition”. Swift completion of the electoral process is therefore the desire of both courts. This is now a matter for GECOM to deal with expeditiously.

For the avoidance of doubt, GECOM has a completed tabulated result that shows the APNU+AFC as victorious. This is disputed by the PPP. In this regard, the Full Court has ruled that Art 163 (1) (b) (i) and (ii) of the Constitution of Guyana provides for disputed elections to be settled by an elections petition. Further, Ulita Moore is not disputing the 2020 elections results. She is challenging GECOM to declare that her political party won the 2020 elections and therefore no recount is necessary.

Herein lies the quagmire. In order for Ulita Moore to file an elections petition GECOM must complete the electoral process by declaring a winner. And in order for GECOM to proceed with a national recount, it has to deny Ulita Moore her constitutional right to have her matter heard before it operationalises that decision. We submit that, in the interests of justice, GECOM needs to receive the CEO’s report and complete the elections process now. To rely simply on an undertaking given to do a national recount as a reason for not considering that report falls short of any statutory foundation since such an undertaking has none in law.

To be clear, GECOM cannot perfect its decision to do a national recount by actually doing a national recount and then pave the way for

ment: International Financial Transformation for the Economy of Life, World Council of Churches, 2012) Mahatma Gandhi said that seven things will destroy Mankind: (1) Wealth Without Work; (2) Pleasure Without Conscience; (3) Knowledge Without Character; (4) Commerce (Business) Without Morality (Ethics); (5) Science Without Humanity; (6) Religion Without Sacrifice; and (7) Politics Without Principle.

Each of these seven “deadly sins” has to do with social and political conditions. And the antidote of each of these “deadly sins” is an explicit external standard or something that is based on natural principles and laws, not on social values.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were several warnings. Climate Change was one of them. Even Artificial Intelligence and some say 5G. Prof Stephen Hawking, one of Britain’s pre-eminent scientists warned the world about

7

Ulita Moore to challenge afterwards.

Finally, on this point, for GECOM to conduct a national recount and possibly introduce different or the said results would create further dispute, exacerbate the post-election tension and ultimately such matters would still require the hearing of elections petition in the High Court to resolve them.

Any national recount by GECOM would be precipitous.

PPP Double Speak and Open Threats It is clear from earlier and more recent uttering from the PPP that nothing short of a decision that results in a victory for it would suffice.

The PPP’s most recent attack on GECOM came from its leader a few days ago when he said that his Party doesn’t trust GECOM. The PPP is also saying that they do not trust the statutorily appointed RO of Region 4 and now demands that he not be part of GECOM’s electoral process.

Editor, how more sinister can the PPP become? GECOM needs to stand its ground and reject, in a public manner, these inferences and open attack on its integrity as a constitutional body.

Having regard to the Guyana Court of Appeal’s decision, how can GECOM even conduct a national recount when the Leader of the PPP has declared a no confidence in GECOM? The PPP doesn’t want a national recount. The PPP wants to set the stage for national electoral confusion. We remind our readers that when refer to a national recount, we see such a recount occurring in a post-election petition.

The nation has, on record, HE President Granger declaring on numerous occasions that he will abide by the decisions of the Courts. We are yet to hear such an undertaking coming from the Leader of the Opposition.

Finally, the decisions of the Full Court and the Court of Appeal pave the way for GECOM to expeditiously complete the 2020 Elections process explained above and leave all other matters for an Elections Petition.

Artificial Intelligence. On a BBC interview, he stated that “efforts to create thinking machines pose a threat to our very existence. The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”

Yet, we were speeding with insatiable capitalist surge into this global madness in the name of “profits” for the greedy few.

COVID-19 will rebalance the earth, our values and our economic models. It will hopefully bring back our common “humanity”.

Perhaps, the COVID-19 crisis is a dry run, to the emotionally deaf and blind, to an even more disastrous world, a world of climate disasters as we madly rush to the 3 degree Celsius precipice of man-made natural and unnatural disasters.

Perhaps, it is also a dry run for Guyana.

Wake up or suffer the consequences.

Regards, Eric Phillips

‘Timely relief’ 8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, April 7, 2020

-Residents of communities along Region Five welcome social relief

By Navendra Seoraj THE Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to devastate parts of the world, with Guyana being no exception to the effects of the disease, but while there has been challenges locally, government has employed a number of containment and relief efforts, including the provision of social relief to vulnerable Guyanese.

The distribution of social relief, which is being coordinated by the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), reached the doors/gates of residents of communities along the coast of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), on Monday.

Hundreds of residents from between the communities of Dantzig and Fairfield received hampers containing essential food items.

These communities were specifically chosen because residents have suffered a lot and even lost their livelihood because of flooding caused by a breach in the sea defence at Dantzig, last year. While the water has significantly receded, land, which was used for farming, was destroyed by salt water. In other cases, persons were afraid to farm and even practise livestock farming because they believed another disaster could happen at any time.

The existing challenges, compounded by the current challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, have financially ‘crippled’ some persons. Considering those challenges, the social relief was openly welcomed and appreciated by those residents.

“I think is a very good initiative…since the pandemic start everything changed,” said one of the beneficiaries, Nalini Maschado in a “physically distanced” interview with the Guyana Chronicle, on Monday.

In talking about her struggles, Maschado said: “Things have changed a lot because we usually have a bus working and now it cannot work and we have installments to pay.

I am now the breadwinner of the house because I take up a security job but is not a lot of money, so this hamper will really do well for us.”

Another beneficiary,

Soldiers packing the supplies prior to the distribution exercise (Carl Croker photo)

Social distancing remained a priority as the CDC delivers hampers to residents of communities along the coast of Region Five (Carl Croker photo)

A representative of the CDC (first from right) delivers hampers to some residents and explains what the initiative is about (Carl Croker photo)

Donna, a resident of Dantzig, said she is facing similar struggles because her main income earner, a farm, is not operating because she told her workers to stay home and stay safe from the COVID-19 disease.

“We stopped working because we don’t want anyone coming to work…I may know the right thing about how to avoid it but my workers might not; so to be ‘No one left out!’ Representatives of the CDC ensured that they distributed on the safe side, I told hampers to persons who live not just next to the public road, but to those them to stay home,” who lived through alleyways and on dams (Carl Croker photo) said the beneficiary. said the social relief is wel- in sustaining her family for a In this regard, she noting comed and will go a far way little while.

Another resident of Dantzig, Andre Smith, commended the CDC and other stakeholders for taking the effort to “vulnerable” communities first.

“It is a good idea helping out, not really poor people but vulnerable people who cannot come out…if you want to contain the virus, this is the right thing…I have a car and I work taxi but I am afraid to go out because I don’t know who will come in; so the best idea is to stay home,” said Smith, that the provision of

social relief will go a far way in ensuring that persons stay home.

Director-General of the CDC, Lt Col Kester Craig, in a report on Monday, had said citizens across the country require assistance in these challenging times.

“Personnel from the CDC, the Rotary and Rotaract clubs, several other organisations and the military were mobilised to ensure that we provide relief supplies to those in need,” said Craig.

Lt Col Craig further noted that focus is being first placed on the most vulnerable population and then other communities so that everyone receives their supplies.

Craig noted that this being the first such exercise of this nature conducted in Guyana, it will be evaluated to ensure that, going forward, the distribution process will continue to flow smoothly.

The CDC heads the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) which was activated on March 31, 2020, and aims to ensure the highest level of collaboration among all stakeholders to further prevent the spread of the coronavirus, enhance preparation and strengthen the local response to this global pandemic.

Some of the agencies working along with the NEOC include the Ministry of Communities, Food For the Poor, the Private Sector Commission, the United Nations, the National Commission on Disabilities Guyana, the National Bureau of Statistics and the Guyana Defence Force.

The Director-General said the commission welcomes any assistance and donations from any company or individual who is willing to join the cause. Donations can be made in food supplies, personal care and sanitation supplies and financing.

Supplies can be delivered to the CDC’s headquarters, Thomas Road, Thomas Lands; cash or cheque deposits can be made to the commission’s Republic Bank account number 962356519938.

Food and hygiene supplies can be dropped off at the Thomas Lands location daily between 09:00 hrs and 15:00hrs.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 7, 2020

Bartica Health Centre moved from Hospital compound to safeguard mothers and babies from COVID-19

The new building that Bartica Health Centre will be operating from.

AS a result of on-going modification to the facilities of the Bartica Regional Hospital to withstand the threat of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) to the township, the MCH Clinic (Bartica Health Centre) has been removed from its original building in the Bartica Hospital Compound, and is now housed at the Bartica Special Needs School Building, located at Seventh Avenue.

Superintendent of the

Bartica Regional Hospital, Dr. Jillian Jardine, said that the building located in the hospital compound is better suited to be transformed into an isolation facility, in the event of COVID-19 infections at Bartica.

The idea of having pregnant women, babies and toddlers attend clinic away from the hospital environs is a great one, in the interest of safeguarding them from the possibility of exposure

to infectious diseases.

The new Health Centre will be operational, effective from Wednesday, April 8, 2020.

In addition to the movement of the Health Centre, the Regional Health Emergency Committee of the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region, which includes Bartica, met on Monday, April 6, 2020, at the Regional Democratic Council Boardroom, for its scheduled meeting.

Submissions Closed for the Inaugural CARICOM Competition Commission (CCC) Secondary School Essay Competition ~winner to be announced by month end THE CARICOM Competition Commission (CCC), on Monday, announced that entry for the submission of essays for its inaugural regional secondary school essay competition is official closed.

This was revealed by the chairman, Mr. Justice Christopher Blackman who expressed gratitude to all stakeholders who made the competition possible, “At this time, the CCC would like to thank the sponsors of the competition who made it possible for us to sensitise students across the region on competition law and consumer protection – UNICEF (Suriname), the Caribbean Examinations Council, and the Barbados Fair Trading Commission.”

The chairman also thanked all national competition authorities in the CSME, Ministries of Education in each participating Member State and the

Chairman of The CARICOM Competition Commission (CCC), Mr. Justice Christopher Blackman

teachers for their support in ensuring that as many students as possible participated in this inaugural competition.

Additionally, he expressed immense pleasure with the students who showed interest in the competition.

“We wish to express our appreciation to all the students who submitted

their essays and made this competition a success.

We specially congratulate them for showing an interest as well as making the effort to explore new frontiers and expand their knowledge-base,” he stated.

The public is advised that the winners of the age categories will be announced on the CCC website on 30 April 2020.

9

The Regional Health Emergency Committee of Region Seven

The agenda discussed included: the project to create a number of re-usable face masks for public distribution; the enforcement of national public orders at Bartica, especially for speedboats, buses and businesses; traffic restrictions at some points of entry at Bartica; doctors to be deployed to interior locations namely Iteringbang and Puruni; preparation of building for medical quarantine and isolation; national order

for public servants work schedule; hospital protocols for the handling of persons deceased due to suspected COVID-19 infection; educational outreaches to other communities across the region; and the list of pensioners and other vulnerable groups to be sent to the CDC. The committee meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so the next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 8, 2020.

Mayor of the town, Gifford Marshall, has said, on countless occasions, that the council and the committee’s main agenda at present is keeping the people safe, and the township, virus free.

The Regional Chairman, Gordon Bradford, said too that the team is committed to ensuring that the virus stays out of the entire region, by taking every precaution, and doing what is necessary.

Cyclist dies in road accident A CYCLIST is the country’s latest road fatality after he was struck down, on Monday afternoon, near Rahaman’s Park, Houston, East Bank Demerara.

The man identified as ‘Rudy’, a fish scraper at the Meadow Bank Wharf, was riding his pedal cycle when he was struck by a route 42 minibus which was heading to Georgetown, at around 16:00hrs.

The cyclist was allegedly in the process of crossing the road when he was struck down by minibus bearing registration BYY 1311.

The driver of the bus was allegedly speeding.

As a result of the impact, the cyclist sustained severe injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to reports, there was very light traffic on the road at the time but the man was driving recklessly, and switching lanes.

The driver only recently started working on the minibus and previously worked as a minibus conductor.

Reports are that the minibus driver was assaulted by persons at the scene.

The minibus driver is in police custody and is as-

sisting police with their investigation.

The bus is currently lodged at the Ruimveldt Police Station.

The minibus involved in the accident (Adrian Narine Photo)

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, April 7, 2020

City markets to open from 7am-2pm

AS opposed to an order from the Ministry of Public Health permitting markets to operate between 06:00hrs and 17:00hrs, the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) has fixed its own timing for the opening of the markets and all street vending, at 07:00hrs to 14:00hrs.

The announcement was made on Monday by Mayor, Ubraj Narine, during a live briefing on the M&CC’s Facebook Page. Narine sought to clarify issues surrounding the operations of the municipal markets, saying that while the city council is committed to working along with the government, some of the markets will remain closed until possibly the end of this week.

The purpose of the closure, according to him, is to ensure that all of the markets are sanitised. “We temporarily closed our markets in the interest of vendors, custom-

ers,” he remarked.

The Bourda and Stabroek Markets will be reopened to the public today (Tuesday), while the other markets will

in combatting the coronavirus disease and will abide by the curfew and measures outlined in government’s emergency measures. The

Mayor Ubraj Narine

be opened before the end of this week, providing all systems are in place, Narine stated.

Meanwhile, he said the M&CC stands resolute with the Government of Guyana

issue of controlling the number of persons entering the markets is currently being addressed, he informed, and anyone who fails to comply with the measures in place is liable to a penalty.

Vendors at the Albouystown Market on Sunday morning, had their items seized and were ordered to desist from vending, even as the Public Health Ministry’s order permitted the opening of markets during the period 06:00hrs to 17:00hrs. The removal of the vendors resulted in hefty losses to the vendors, who complained that there is no one to refund them for the purchases they had made to do business on Sunday morning. Most of the vendors at this particular market sell perishable items.

Chief Constable (ag), Peter Livingstone, told the Guyana Chronicle, at the scene,

that the vendors were being removed in keeping with the mayor’s announcement of the closure of all markets last Friday. He said he was unaware of the subsequent order by the Ministry of Public Health, permitting the vendors to operate.

FACE MASK MANDATORY The mayor also announced that wearing a face mask is mandatory to entering any of the municipal markets. He urged that produce be stored six inches above the ground, and for vendors to ensure that social and physical distancing is practiced

at their stall/caravan. “For caravan operators, please ensure that a system is in place for persons to be sanitised, whereby a sink equipped with potable water and soap [be utilised], before they access your goods,” he advised, adding that all meats being sold must be packaged and not be left out in open air.

“In conclusion, any person who fails to comply with any of these measures commits an offence under section 152 of the Public Health Ordinance and is liable on summary conviction to the penalty provided under that section,” the mayor said.

Cattle farmer murdered ...body buried in shallow grave at Belle West

THE body of a 67-year-old cattle farmer was discovered last Monday morning in a shallow grave in the backlands of Belle West, Phase One Housing Scheme, on the West Bank of Demerara.

husband. “He does just go milk he cow and come back; he and nobody nah got story,” his wife said.

Alarmed by her husband’s absence, early Monday John alerted her three children who mobilised others and launched a search party for Ramdial. Padmini said they immediately knew all was not right when they reached the area where their father kept his cows. “When we go, the milk bucket is there with the cow tie-up in milking position. Me, me two brothers and a next lil boy, we go and search and by the time that, couple more persons come out and we spread out and search,” Padmini explained.

Good Hope Cremation Ground New arrangements as a result of COVID – 19 curfew

Please be advised that in keeping with the guidelines Re Closure of Public Spaces to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 the following will be implemented with immediate effect:

Cremations will be restricted to a maximum of FIVE persons ONLY (ie close family members).

It has been agreed that three cremation would be held each day at two hourly intervals commencing at 10am, 12noon and 2pm respectively with effect from 8th April 2020.

Payments usually made to the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha should be made to the Burn Man (Chait) at his residence.

Please note that the Central Board of Health will be open from 8am to 12:noon Monday to Friday.

WE LOOK FORWARD FOR YOUR COOPERATION AS WE SEEK TO EMPLOY THE NECESSARY MEASURES TO COMBAT THE SPREAD OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

Sohan Ramdial (right) with his daughter Padmini Ramdial (right) and one of her brothers in happier times

The family of Sohan Ramdial is unsure of why anyone would have wanted to murder the farmer, while neighbours were left in disbelief at the discovery in their quiet farming community.

“I never expected that my father would’ve died in this way. I mean everybody got to die but not in this way, he didn’t deserve this death,” cried Ramdial’s daughter, Padmini.

Ramdial was last seen alive by his wife and others around 06:00hrs on Sunday when he left his Lot 69 Claybrick Road, Canal No. 2, home to tend to his cattle in the backdam.

“He gone and seh he ah go see cow and milk cow fuh give them people, and when he nah come back me seh he must be guh wait ‘til late off and then come back. So, last night me open the door fuh see if he deh pon the bed, and he nah deh,” wife of the deceased, Lynette John, explained amidst tears, moments after her husband’s body was taken away.

John affirmed that she does not know of anyone who would have wanted to harm her

Wife of the deceased, Lynette John, with one of their grandchildren (Tamica Garnett photo)

After searching for some time, it was when they were on their way out of the backdam that they discovered the body, at around 10:30hrs. “When we coming out back we see the ground look dig up fresh, so meh two brothers dig up and we see a part of a body, so we go to the station-- Wales Police Station-and make a report,” she said.

Padmini described her father as someone who kept to himself. “I can’t say if he had problems with anybody, but normally he doesn’t trouble anybody; he comes, looks his cow, and goes home. He doesn’t have problems but apparently somebody and he got problem; but I don’t know, I can’t say,” she said.

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Food imported from Brazil being sanitised

By Lisa Hamilton ESSENTIAL food items needed to sustain businesses and consumption in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) are being transported over the Guyana-Brazil border and are thoroughly sanitised by authorities prior to collection.

The sanitisation efforts are being conducted by the Ministry of Public Health, in collaboration with the Region Nine Agriculture and Environmental Health Departments.

On Monday, Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr. Naail Uthman said the Regional Task Force has decided to allow the entrance of food items critical to businesses, only on Thursdays, from 08.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs.

Previously, business owners would facilitate their own transport at any time that is most suitable to them.

Now, the process is overseen by the police and immigration officers, along with the health authorities.

The trucks of goods cross the border and stop at the port health area, some two minutes away from a Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA)

used for vehicles coming in to the region.

“All protocols are observed. People wear their goggles, their suits, face masks, long boots, everything,” he said. Business owners stand nearby awaiting with their own trucks for the collection of the goods.

The items coming across include fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat, beverages, salt and more. There is no limit to the number of vehicles which can transport the goods. Those involved must simply stick to the time limit.

Meanwhile, Dr. Uthman said that efforts have gone out to the sanitisation of public places such as the Lethem Hospital, the Amerindian Hostel, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC)

organisations, banks etcetera and they have implemented, not only social distancing, but putting up handwashing bays and hand sanitisers within their institutions or organisations.”

He said that for the majority of days Lethem remains traffic-free, as most persons are staying indoors while persons breaking the guidelines for social distancing are being dealt with by the police.

Apart from this, the main Lethem-Guyana border aside, the Regional Health Officer (RHO) said that there has been some trouble with persons traversing other lesser-known borders in the Rupununi to Brazil and Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).

“We have over 20 bor-

Region Nine Regional Health Officer (RHO), Dr. Naail Uthman (DPI photo)

Eggs and salt coming from Brazil to Guyana being sanitised (Stefan Hilken photo)

A number of watermelons being sanitised (Stefan Hilken photo)

location there.

Goods must be off-loaded on wooden pallets and employees, in protective gear, utilising mist blowers with a bleach solution, sanitise the items. Prior to the close of the borders, an alcohol-based solution was

with Bom Fin being closed to traffic. Brazil has over 10,000 cases of covid-19 and over 400 deaths.

buildings, police stations, markets and more.

Regarding social distancing measures in place, he stated: “We don’t have a 100 per cent compliance at this point but, for the most part, yes. We’ve been able to visit some of the businesses,

ders and we have several that persons are capitalising on now that it’s dry season,” he said.

“Some persons are utilising unconventional times to cross those borders so that remains a challenge. The police are doing their best; we’re asking the military to assist as well and we continue to sensitize.”

Dr. Uthman said that the involved stakeholders are also utilising PA systems and other media to disseminate information on how persons can protect themselves from the deadly coronavirus.

The government of Brazil closed its border with several countries including Guyana earlier in March.

It saw the gate along the highway linking Lethem

A sanitation worker sanitizes a number of fruits, vegetables and beverages (Stefan Hilken photo)

12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Businesses commended for fight against COVID-19 PUBLIC ADVISORY Project Takedown v1

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects in Guyana, we have changed the way we conduct business.

Orders can be called in on +592 226-1188 or +592 225-3908 or emailed to toucan@ewirelessgy.com.

All orders must be done with the provision of a full name and contact information.

Orders need to be picked up between 8am and 3pm, Mondays to Fridays and between 8am and 12pm, Saturdays

From Mondays to Fridays, orders that are made before 11am are available for same day pick up. Orders made after 11am will be available for pick up the following day.

Toucan Poultry will be open from 8am - 3pm Mondays to Fridays and 8am - 12pm, Saturdays. This is limited to one customer at a time.

THE Private Sector Commission (PSC) has commended businesses that made donations in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 and is encouraging others to give generously.

On April 2, the PSC set up a COVID-19 Fund through which monetary donations can be deposited using a specific account number. The commission has also opened itself to donations in the form of food items and basic household essentials.

The money will be used to purchase medical equipment and supplies, ventilators and Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) and, along with other donations, will go to persons authorised to use same.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle on Monday, PSC executive member, Ramesh Dookhoo, said that persons have been responding positively. He noted that the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has also been raising donations for the same cause.

Meanwhile, a relief/assistance application form has been made available for those in need, to fill out. It collects details on rent payments, mortgage payments, insurances, personal loans, hire purchase payments and more.

A signature placed will give the PSC the go-ahead to validate the information on the form.

Apart from this effort, Dookhoo noted that a lot of

businesses have been giving back and one may not know the full magnitude as some prefer to remain anonymous.

“People who can help,

for as long as possible, keep their employees partially employed just to make sure that their families don’t starve,” he said.

PSC Chairman, Captain Gerry Gouveia

PSC Executive member, Ramesh Dookhoo

need to help as much as they could. I think that is what is happening. There is a lot of social conscience going on in the country. A lot of people are trying to help with masks; trying to get protective gear for medical workers and so on. It’s an obligation by every citizen that can help to help,” PSC Chairman, Captain Gerry Gouveia, told this newspaper.

Even so, Dookhoo acknowledged that it is a difficult period, too, for businesses and it is therefore commendable when they make it their duty to assist citizens in this time of a global crisis.

“I would encourage every business at this time to be humanitarian towards their employees. I would encourage every business to understand the human crisis of vast proportion. I would encourage every business to give wherever possible and

He added: “Businesses cannot sustain doing that for too long given the pressures and the drop in revenue. So those businesses that are really applying a humanitarian posture towards this is commendable but the reality will kick in sooner than later.”

He noted that the PSC has made recommendations to the government that a stimulus package be put in place for citizens to ease the financial burden. Dookhoo said that in countries where total lockdowns are in effect, this usually comes along with some form of financial alleviation measures for citizens.

He said: “We also believe that the government needs to announce some kind of economic stimulus for those people who have started to suffer because they’ve lost their jobs or their company is [adhering] to the curfew.”

FITUG recommends social, economic relief package The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has called on the government to implement a comprehensive social and economic package for persons affected as a result of the nationwide lockdown.

In a release on Monday, FITUG called for the approval of direct financial support to the self-employed and jobless to ensure they are able to sustain their obligations and maintain their families.

They also urged the government to ensure that its workers suffer no loss of pay and to advocate for the same from private employers. When it comes to debt and other financial arrears, FITUG pushed for a suspension of payments for six months and rescheduling of debt obligations of workers.

This would see the formulation of arrangements

with hire purchase, commercial banks and other lending institutions, and a debt write-off for the unemployed.

“Today, we have too many Guyanese who are without work and are finding it even more difficult by the day to feed their families. To sound fanciful is one thing, but when people’s lives and wellbeing are at stake it is a completely different situation,” the body stated.

Overall it wants the assurance that the rights of workers are safeguarded and that no worker is exploited during the period. Other measures recommended by FITUG include an extension of the deadline for submission of income and other tax returns; exemption from duties and other fees and taxes of items critical to wellbeing and the fight against COVID-19, TURN TO PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Regional task force implementing several measures to ensure safety of entire Region Seven IN light of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, the regional task force formed in Bartica to protect the people of the entire Cuyuni Mazaruni region, have been implementing several strategies to keep COVID-19 out of the region.

This task force comprising of regional officials and police officers, is headed

by Regional Health Officer, Dr. Edward Sagala, with the support of Deputy Regional Health Officer, Dr. Julian Clementson; Bartica Hospital Superintendent, Dr. Gillian Jardine; Regional Chairman, Gordon Bradford; and Regional Executive Officer, Kerwin Ward, among others.

Thus far, the task force has been able to keep the virus out of the region by educating its people on its dangers and preventative measures.

Bradford told the Guyana Chronicle that this has not been an easy task, due to the magnitude of this virus.

He said that the team meets every 48 hours to work

out ways in which they can continue keeping the people safe.

Highlighting that they have since sent a team to Upper and Middle Mazaruni villages such as Iteringbang, Kaikan, Issano, Kurupung and others, and have been educating these indigenous communities about this worldwide threat, and giving medical services.

Bradford also mentioned that these teams are working assiduously and putting the people first. In fact, he said, the team sent to Middle Mazaruni has not returned to Bartica, and the government, on Wednesday ordered closure of the airstrip so the team will be stuck in that part of the region until they can source alternative transportation down the rough Cuyuni River.

As it relates to the protection of the people of Bartica, in addition to the ‘stay home’ mandate implemented by the town council, screening of incoming passgengers is now mandatory.

The Department of Health, with support from the Regional Health Emergency Committee, has established a medical screening unit at the Bartica Stelling as part of its efforts in the fight to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in

(From left) Regional Health Officer, Dr. Edward Sagala, Regional Chairman, Gordon Bradford; and Regional Executive Officer, Kerwin Ward

Screening unit at the Bartica Stelling

the region.

The screening unit will monitor persons arriving by boats at the Stelling. All will be subject to such screening.

Bradford said that they are urging all boats to offload at the stelling for screening and then they can go to drop off at other neighbouring villages like Iteballi and so

FITUG recommends social, ... and a complete waiver of income and value-added taxes for at least six months to cushion the hike in the cost-of-living.

It also requested a suspension of electricity, water, phone and internet tariffs for all households for the next six months.

Already, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has deferred the payment of corporate and individual advance taxes and PAYE for busi-

forth.

There are also a number of wash sinks installed at the landing facility for use by the travelling public.

Similar facilities are now being considered for other points of entry to the town.

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nesses such as airline and tourism and associated industries.

GTT has offered free mobile services for healthcare workers during the pandemic and the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) has suspended disconnections and several other services temporarily.

FITUG acknowledged the marked reduction in fuel cost and the distribution of food hampers

Additionally, Chairman shared that preparatory work has started at the Bartica Community Centre to transform the facility into a temporary quarantine centre.

“We are doing as much as we can to protect our people and it is just on them now to comply for their own safety. I must applaud

Sanitisation at Bartica stelling

some businesses for cooperating and taking it upon themselves to institute some measures for the safety of the people. I still believe that the ordinary residents seem not to understand the nature of this disease

through the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) but noted that the latter requires effective criteria to identify the needy.

It also noted that the best-case scenario should see the hampers benefitting all Guyanese. Even so, the body said that the aforementioned efforts will not be enough to meet the needs of Guyanese The body called for the distribution of masks, gloves and other necessary items to the wider populace; the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the provision of free trans-

because a lot of them still aren’t practising social distancing, and staying home.

But we are not giving up.

We will continue to do all that is necessary to ensure that COVID-19 stays out of Region Seven,” he said.

portation to all frontline workers, especially those in the hospitals who are providing yeoman service.

FITUG also recommended wide scale testing --- beginning with the most likely to be exposed --- as a means to get a better handle of the situation and overcome the crisis in a shorter period.

Regarding the elections period, the body requested that the recount of votes cast, set to commence soon, to be concluded in short order so that the country can move on to better address the COVID-19 issues.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, April 7, 2020

One month on…

‘Mother of all elections’ still to be declared

IT is over one month since Guyanese took to the polls on March 2, to cast their ballots in the 2020 General and Regional Elections. However, the country has not yet had its overall elections results declared and no new administration has been sworn in.

The elections were set into motion by the passage of a no-confidence motion against the current government back in December 2018. Following several court battles in relation to the valid passage of the motion, the same was upheld by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ); the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) indicated the time frame of its readiness for the elections to the President and the President set the date.

While there were minor disputes just days before E-Day regarding the location of polling places, the elections were hailed by all stakeholders involved as largely “free and fair”. “GECOM has delivered free, fair and credible elections,” GECOM Chair, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh said at a press conference following the close of poll.

GECOM’s first set of results for the various Regions began to trickle in by March 3, 2020. Eligible voters came from an Official List of Electors (OLE) of 660,998 persons, while there were 2,339 polling stations across the country.

By March 4, more Returning Officers (ROs) of the various regions began to declare their total results but, on the said day, things took a turn for the worse when Region Four RO, Clairmont Mingo, fell ill at the Region Four RO Office at High and Hadfield Streets.

The office is also home to GECOM’s Command Centre and Mingo was seen being rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) in an ambulance. The same day that he was hospitilised, efforts were made to restart the process more than once, but a summarised spreadsheet being used by a GECOM Clerk to tally the region’s Statements of Poll (SoPs), did not find favour with several opposition political parties.

There were complaints that discrepancies were noticed during the said process and although efforts seemed positive by the commission to restart the tabulation process, the agreement fell apart. Region Four holds 879 polling stations and 285,618 electors. It is still the deciding factor for which party wins the election. On March 5, supporters of the coalition government celebrated when Mingo returned to the centre and subsequently declared the results which showed that the current administration had won the region. If the overall decla-

ration was to be made by the commission, it would mean that the government would remain in power. However, the oppo-

the police in attempts to invade an office in which Singh was in. Several political party affiliates were taken into custody.

government supporters.

SEVERAL ARRESTED Several persons were ar-

On March 11, she ruled that the Mingo erred during the process of tabulating the SoPs; nullified the declaration made

(From left) Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit; Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr. Keith Mitchell; Prime Minister of Barbados and current Chairman of CARICOM, Mia Mottley; Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley and Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, during the press conference (DPI photo)

Chairman of GECOM, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh leaving the High Court in the presence of GECOM’s Attorneys-at-Law – Senior Counsel Neil Boston (left) and Attorney Robin Hunte (right)

District Four Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo, falls ill

sition was not having this, as they believed that the tabulation process was not legitimate and done according to law.

That same afternoon, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Executive and Attorney-at-Law, Anil Nandlall, secured three injunctions in the High Court to block the release and declaration of the results for the general and regional elections.

Pandemonium broke out at the command entre in the evening when agents attached to the PPP/C and smaller opposition parties clashed with

PPP/C supporters blocking the main access road at Bush Lot

Joshua Kanhai, the founding member of The New Movement (TNM), being taken into police custody after attempting to bulldoze way into GECOM Chair’s Office

Election Observer Missions (EOMs) agreed that the process of the counting of the SoPs was flawed as Chair of The Carter Center Mission to Guyana, Jason Carter said: “The fact that there was no transparency of the results that were ultimately announced today means that those results lack credibility.”

The next day, PPP/C supporters participated in violent protests in stronghold regions of the country which resulted in attacks on police personnel, injury to school children, terrorism against commuters, arson of state property, looting and widespread intimidation of

Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

Plans went fairly well up until March 17, when the CARICOM team pulled out from Guyana after they requested that the agreement of the leaders be solidified by an order but Chief Parliamentary Counsel advised GECOM that such an order would be in contravention of the Constitution of Guyana and the Representation of the People Act. Around the same period that the commission was receiving this advice, an interim injunction was moved to the High Court to prevent the recount on the basis that final declarations were made by the ROs from all 10 regions and those declarations are final. On March 27, High Court Judge, Franklin Holder, ruled that the High Court had jurisdiction to

rested, some injured and one man has died following the protests. These actions, along with the acts which took place at the command centre, have since been roundly condemned.

When the matters were taken to the High Court, Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George-Wiltshire, ruled on March 8 that the court has jurisdiction to hear the application intended to block the declaration of the results for the general and regional Elections until the Region Four votes were completely verified.

COURT RULING

Sergeant Punit Ibaran expresses thankfulness for his life following a life-threatening experience with protesters in the village of Cotton Tree

on March 5, and ordered that the process recommence. On March 13, the votes for District Four were declared by the RO but the PPP/C, for a second time, alleged that the electoral process was flawed. The next day, lifting the spirits of many Guyanese, it was announced that CARICOM would field an independent high-level team to the country to observe a recount of all votes cast in the general and regional elections as agreed upon by President David Granger and Opposition

review the actions of GECOM in light of allegations that it may have acted outside of its constitutional powers when it opted to facilitate a national recount under the supervision of the high-level CARICOM team.

However, on March 31, the Full Court overruled a decision

by Judge Holder, and said that the court has no jurisdiction to hear the aforementioned case on the grounds that the issues raised could only be dealt with by way of an elections petition.

The matter was then taken to the Appeal Court which allowed partial jurisdiction against the Full Court’s decision to challenge the decision of GECOM to conduct a national recount under the supervision of the CARICOM. It stated that any agreement that usurps the powers of GECOM to supervise elections in Guyana is unconstitutional. Meanwhile, GECOM deliberated on the court’s ruling and has decided that a recount will take place in the order of Regions 1-10. Following consequential orders, it hopes to act on a detailed plan which is to be presented at the commission’s next meeting on Wednesday, March 8, 2020.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Magistrate’s courts go online in bid to arrest coronavirus THE Supreme Court of Judicature have ordered that magistrates hold court utilising electronic means – Zoom, Skype or Whatsapp Video with immediate effect in light of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic .

These directions are in relation to Practice Directions COVID-19 Emergency Directions Gazetted on March 23, 2020 and updated on April 3, 2020.

Additionally, magistrates’ courts offices will be open to the public on the following days from 08:30hrs – 12:30hrs.

Filing of all urgent court matters must be on the dates the court offices will be open. In the event that urgent matters need to be filed on the days when the court offices are not open, contact can be made with the clerks of court for the particular

magisterial districts. Notices with contact information are posted at each court office.

Operations at the Supreme Court Registry in Georgetown, Demerara and the Sub-registries at New Amsterdam, Berbice and Suddie, Essequibo are suspended until April 30, 2020.

Unless otherwise advised, these registries will reopen to the public on Monday, May 4, 2020.

Filing of urgent matters, or pleadings for the Court of Appeal and High Courts as directed by the court, until May 3, 2020, must be done by email in accordance with paragraphs 30 – 33 of the Emergency Practice Directions to the following email addresses. These are Judicial Registry, High Court, Georgetown, Demerara – supremecourtguyana@gmail. com; Sub-Registry, New

The seating arrangements at magistrate's courts across Guyana

Amsterdam, Berbice High Court - subregistryberbice@gmail.com; Sub-Registry, Suddie, Essequibo High Court – subregessequibo@gmail.com; Family Court Registry, High Court, Georgetown – registryfamilycourt@gmail.com; Land Court, High Court, Georgetown - landcourtgy@yahoo.com: and Probate Registry, High Court, Georgetown – probatereg-

Bisram to face trial for murder …after magistrate fulfils directions of DPP Marcus Bisram was, on Monday, committed to stand trial at the High Court for the alleged murder of Berbice carpenter, Faiyaz Narinedatt, back in November 2016.

The 27-year-old father of two was beaten to death and had his murder staged as a hitand-run accident in November 2016. Monday’s ruling comes on the heels of the direction given by the Director of Public Prosecutions on Monday March 30, after Bisram was freed of the murder charge when the Magistrate upheld a no-case submission by his attorneys.

The DPP, in a statement on Monday last, stated that there was sufficient evidence for Magistrate Renita Singh to have committed Bisram.

“The DPP, in compliance with the law, requested the court documents from the Magistrate and, having been satisfied that there was enough evidence contained therein for him to have been committed, redirected the magistrate to re-open the Preliminary Inquiry”.

However, On April 2, the magistrate re-opened the case but adjourned the matter to seek further guidance on the order from the DPP. Having

been satisfied with the DPP’s instructions on Monday, Magistrate Singh committed Bis-

Muder accused, Marcus Bisram

ram to face trial. “I am clear with the instructions now and I shall follow these instructions. Marcus, you are hereby committed to stand trial in the High Court at the next practical sitting…” Magistrate Singh said.

The defence team for Bisram, led by Attorney-at-law Sanjeev Datadin, sought to persuade the court for a stay of order and despite his lengthy submissions, the magistrate reiterated that the only direction she had was that from the DPP, and the ruling to commit stands.

Meanwhile, Datadin told the media they have advanced to the High Court to have

the orders quashed since he argued that it was unlawful.

Datadin explained that they are seeking to have the first letter that was sent to the magistrate to have the matter reopened thrown out in the High Court as well as the second letter that gave directions to commit their client.

He stated that affidavits have been filed in the High Court to stop the proceedings; however, due to the DPP’s office being closed and the protocols in place for COVID-19, they were unable to get same done prior to Monday’s hearing. Bisram was extradited from the United States of America on November 1, 2019 and, hours later, was charged with murder. He is accused of orchestrating the murder of Narinedatt, whose body was found around 03:30hrs on Tuesday, November 01, 2016, on the Number 70 Public Road, East Corentyne, Berbice. His death was initially reported to be the result of a hit-and-run accident. It was later reported that Bisram allegedly made sexual advances to Narinedatt who objected.

Five other persons were charged and are currently on remand.

istrygy@gmail.com.

Litigants and/or their counsel must file an undertaking to present hard

copies of their matters and pay the requisite filing fees on the date designated by the Registry, which shall

be on or after May 4, 2020.

(NB May 1 and May 5, 2020 should be national holidays.)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 7, 2020

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 7, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 7, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 7, 2020

Stranded National...

CONTINUED FROM BACKPAGE to Guyana on a Caribbean Airlines flight with a stop-over in TT. The Trinidad- bound flight was only taking natives on board and this was on the eve of the two International Airports here being closed to incoming flights. The two are being housed and fed at a hotel in Miami. Their expences are being covered by the Guyana Consulate.

The Amateur Boxers also met their unexpected circumstances on the eve of the Timehri and Ogle Airports being shut down and at the end of their stint which lasted just over two months.

The four National and Caribbean Champions – Kevin Allicock (Bantamweight), Colin Lewis (Light Welterweight), Desmond Amsterdam (Middle Weight) and Dennis Thomas (Light Heavyweight) – departed Guyana for Cuba on January 4th, to fine-tune preparation training for the Olympic qualifiers, compliments of a tri-partite effort among the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), The Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) and the Guyana Government.

In an invited comment, President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle expressed appreciation for the Government of Guyana for readily coming to the assistance of the pugilists and concurred with the pronouncement of the Director of Sport.

“We are happy and most thankful that the Government of Guyana has quickly come to the assistance of the Boxers and we feel more at ease knowing that they are comfortable and in good care in Havana after being safely removed from Santa Clara where they were in training.

Of course, nothing is more comforting than being at home with your family. It is going on four months these guys have been away, but the uncertainty of the current situation globally, it might be a blessing they are in Cuba.

I am in constant communication with them on a daily basis and am happy to report that they are all in good health and comfortable”.

Director of Sport, Jones added that ‘the Guyana Embassy in Cuba is working closely with officials at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana with regards to getting the boxers out on the earliest flight back home, but that is also dependent on when the International Airports are opened again here in Guyana’.

Skerritt, Shallow laud...

CONTINUED FROM BACKPAGE basic and specialized coaching resources. (Fortunately, some member territories are already moving in this direction to establish their own academies).

The review also said that all cricketers from U-15, U-17, U-19, Men’s and Women’s National and international retained players would benefit from such a system.

“CWI, with outsourcing support from the UWI, would then help oversee a network of HPCs which would be also be used by international players during off-tour periods, to participate in structured individualised programmes.

“CWI and UWI Faculty of Sport leadership understand what needs to be done; have held useful discussions with the UWI Faculty of Sport about the technical requirements for the way

forward; and are actively looking for much-needed funding,” the review disclosed.

The review also pointed out that “an appropriate blend of long-term and working capital financing is being sought to help CWI further transform this 16acre facility to become the central hub of an effective regional High Performance Network and System.

“An appropriate master plan is being designed for the future development of CCG to become a ‘Cricket Heritage and Events Centre’, with an emphasis on HP. A significantly increased number of short-term HP events were held in the past year at CCG while a small, but action-oriented management team has been put in place at CCG, which is already being operated as a multi-purpose events centre.” (Frederick Halley).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 7, 2020

Players and clubs lack common ground in wage-cut talks

By Simon Evans MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - With the best paid footballers in the world, billionaire club owners, under-pressure politicians and even a millionaire trade union leader involved, it is perhaps hardly surprising that talks on a blanket wage cut in the world’s richest league have yet to reach an amicable conclusion.

But what is worrying for those hoping to find an end to the deadlock in negotiations is that the two main sides — the clubs and the players, appear to be talking about two entirely separate issues.

The gulf is so wide that while talks are expected to continue, the most likely outcome, sources tell Reuters, is a series of individual club deals with players rather than a nation-wide pact.

In the talks, the Premier League clubs have asked for a “combination of conditional reductions and deferrals amounting to 30% of total annual remuneration.”

The clubs say they need to reduce their wage-bill, tempo-

rarily, to help them cover their outgoings at a time when they have massively reduced income.

It is almost a month since a ball has been kicked in the Premier League, four weeks without a broadcast game or matchday revenue and with the risk that if the season is not completed, broadcasters could reclaim up to 760 million pounds in payments to the clubs.

The clubs say they want the players to help limit the damage by taking a hit to their pay-packet.

Premier League clubs spend an average of around 60% of their income on salaries.

The average monthly salary of a Premier League player is around 240,000 pounds with the top-earner, Manchester United’s Spanish goalkeeper David De Gea, making a reported 1.5 million a month.

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), who represent players at all levels of the game, including low-paid lower league footballers, say that the players are willing to give up some of their income — but not to let club owners keep it.

“It’s not that they (the players) don’t appreciate the seriousness of what we are in,” union chief Gordon Taylor said on Monday.

“It’s that if their money is being affected, they want to know what’s happening with it, and they would like to have the choice of where it goes to.”

The clubs have been surprised by this response as they were not asking players to make donations, but to defer or cut their income.

The league has agreed to make a 20 million pound donation to the NHS and local communities.

LACK OF CONSULTATION For their part, the union were upset that the league went public with that demand without, they say, enough consultation with the players.

They feel like they are being bounced into something,” said one source.

The stance of the players has hardened since comments from Health Minister Matt Hancock, that players needed to take a pay cut and “play their part”, words which

clearly struck a nerve.

The players — and former players in the media — have been quick to point out that they are indeed “playing their part” through individually supporting charities and the NHS. After the most recent round of talks, the PFA even argued that a pay-cut for the players would actually harm the NHS as it would reduce their tax contributions.

If all of this appears unseemly to the public, at a time when Britain is battling a pandemic which has so far claimed 4,897 lives and dealing with a lockdown which has wounded the economy, the decision of some clubs, including Premier League leaders Liverpool, to seek public funds to pay their non-playing staff has done little to help.

Some of the players see such furloughing of staff as a way of putting pressure on them.

On the other side, there is frustration with the PFA from some clubs. The union draws the bulk of its income from a share

PFA chief Gordon Taylor

in the leagues’ television deals and the 75-year-old Taylor is reported to be Britain’s best paid union leader with an annual salary of 2.3 million pounds.

The options for the clubs are limited, however — unilateral imposition of pay-cuts runs the risk of players suing clubs at some stage for breach of contract and even becoming free agents.

There appears to be more willingness from the players to accept wage deferrals but, union sources say they would need to see financial information from clubs and guarantees that the withheld wages would be made up later.

Localised deals have already

begun to be made at lower-league levels where the salaries, turnovers and profit-margins are much lower and the risk of clubs not surviving an extended delay to the season is much higher.

Whatever the eventual outcome, the public wrangling over money has done little to enhance the image of the game.

“Leaving the public purse to pick up the cost of furloughing low paid workers, whilst players earn millions and billionaire owners go untouched is something I know the public will rightly take a very dim view of,” wrote Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden.

England managers Southgate and Neville to take 30% pay cut

Southgate and Neville were England team-mates during their playing careers.

England men’s manager Gareth Southgate and women’s boss Phil Neville are to take a 30% pay cut to their salaries as two of the Football Association’s highest earning employees.

Southgate earns £3m a year while Neville reportedly earns up to £300,000 as head coach of the Lionesses.

Chief executive Mark Bullingham said it was “challenging times” and did not “take these decisions lightly.”

The government’s furlough scheme is being looked at as a contingency plan.

The FA said employees earning £50,000 or more a year will take a temporary pay reduction of 7.5%, while senior management agreed a 15% cut. \Bullingham also said the financial impact of postponements including England international fixtures, FA Cup matches and Wembley events will contribute to a loss of about £100m, but it

could increase to £150m depending on “the government’s necessary medical measures.”

Bullingham, who earns about £800,000 a year, added: “Along with many other organisations across the country, we are currently reviewing our financial model during this challenging period.

“We want to take prudent and appropriate steps to help protect and support the FA and our employees during this unpredictable time.”

Meanwhile, West Ham boss David Moyes has told the Premier League club he is willing to a take a pay cut due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe and Brighton’s Graham Potter have already volunteered for a cut in salary as clubs try to find a way of limiting their losses amid games being suspended.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 7, 2020

‘It ate me up’:

Kohli reveals the lowest point of his career VIRAT Kohli has revealed the depths of his despair during his horror tour of England in 2014, and how he vowed to do everything in his power to never slump to such lows ever again.

Kohli spoke openly this week during an Instagram conversation with former England skipper Kevin Pietersen, detailing just how much he struggled mentally during India’s tour of the UK almost six years ago.

One of the world’s leading batsmen endured one of his worst ever series on that tour, averaging just 13.40 from 10 innings with a top score of 39.

In series consisting of three or more Tests, it’s statistically the second-worst batting cam-

paign of his decorated career, behind the 2017 home series against Australia when he averaged just 9.20 from five innings.

Kohli said the England tour was “the lowest point in my career”.

“I felt like … as a batsman, you know you are going to get out in the morning when you wake up,” Kohli told Pietersen.

“That was the time I felt like that: that there is no chance I am getting runs.

And still to get out of bed and just get dressed for the game and to go out there and go through that, knowing that you will fail, was something that ate me up.

“It just demolished me completely. And I promised myself I am never going to allow myself to feel like

ever again in life.”

Kohli made a triumphant return to the UK four years later, banishing his demons with a century in the opening Test and finishing the series as the leading run-scorer from both teams, averaging a touch under 60.

He said the lessons learned from that 2014 campaign have always stayed with him.

“That (2014 series) happened, for all the younger guys listening, because I was too focused on doing well from a personal point of view,” he said.

“I wanted to get runs. I could never think of ‘what does the team want me to do in this situation?’.

“I just got too engulfed with England tour - if I per-

Waqar wants Pakistan policy to stop abrupt format-dropping LAHORE (Reuters) - Bowling coach Waqar Younis wants Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to formulate a policy to stop players from abruptly dropping the test format, the former captain said on Monday.

Experienced quicks Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz quit test cricket last year to focus on the short formats and Pakistan’s bowling frailties were subsequently exposed in Australia where they lost both the test and Twenty20 series.

“Of course you can’t stop anyone or force anyone. But there should be a policy by the

fiting from their experience.”

Waqar felt Pakistan needed a bigger pool of fast bowlers to cope with the demand of limited-overs cricket and was optimistic he could help create one.

“The way cricket has expanded, having fourfive fast bowlers is not enough,” he said.

“You probably need four-five mature bowlers for test cricket. But for the shorter formats, you need a bigger pool of bowlers, who can share the massive workload.

“Naseem (Shah), Musa (Khan), Haris (Rauf),

Pakistan’s bowling coach Waqar Younis during nets Action Images via Reuters / Jason O’Brien

board,” Waqar said in a video conference with reporters.

“If a star player suddenly leaves, or drops a format, it’s a massive setback for the team.

You’re forced to fast-track rookies, which is a big problem and we faced it in absence of Amir and Wahab.

“I’m not saying we’d have won in Australia with them, but we could have done better, bene-

Dilbar (Hussain)... if we can harness them with Amir, Wahab and (Mohammad) Abbas, I think we can have a battery of 8-10 fast bowlers.

“And once we have that, we’d never be affected by anyone quitting abruptly and can rotate them.

“Bench strength is crucial. You need to create a pool, which even those on the bench are match-winners themselves.”

India’s skipper Virat Kohli reflects on his 2014 Test tour of England and the lessons learned from one of the worst campaigns of his career

form here, Test cricket, in my mind I’m going to feel established and all that crap on the outside, which is not important at all.

“It just ate me up. I just kept going into a downward

spiral and I just couldn’t get out of it. Horrible.”

“If you are too personal in your approach, if you are too self-centred, you are just thinking about yourself, then you are just

looking for ways to get out eventually because people are going to find you out.

“You are not getting out of your comfort zone because you don’t want to fail.” (Cricket Network)

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 7, 2020

Dillon ‘disappointed’ over TTCB move but confident of holding onto job PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC) – Trinidad and Tobago head coach, Mervyn Dillon, says it was “disappointing” he was not formally notified that his job was being advertised by the T&T Cricket Board, but believes he still has an excellent chance of retaining the post.

The former West Indies fast bowler’s contract expires at the end of April but earlier last week, the TTCB posted an advertisement for the position.

“I am quite confident.

I think I am probably in a better position than anybody else to retain the job,” he told the NewsDay here.

“Funny enough I heard about it (advertisement) after one of the [media] guys called me [last Thurs-

day] morning. That’s when I found out about it, which was kind of disappointing because even if it is being advertised I would think I would be one of the first people to be notified.”

He added: “I spoke to the president (Azim Bassarath) and Mr (Dudnath) Ramkissoon (cricket operations officer). The president insisted that I was told that the job was going to be advertised, but I don’t think I am losing my memory.

“That was not the case as far as I am concerned. I did not have that conversation.”

In response, Ramkissoon conceded while Dillon had not been informed when the position was being advertised, he should have known based on the terms

of his contract renewal last November.

“The executive met recently and decided to send out the ad. He is correct, we did not tell him it was going out,” explained Ramkissoon.

“But in November he knew because the letter he got advising him that his contract was extended until the end of April clearly stated at the end of one of the paragraphs ‘while your tenure will end in April you are free to apply for the job of head coach of the Red Force’.”

The move to advertise the post comes on the heels of T&T Red Force’s best ever finish in the six-year professional era of the first championship, when they ended second behind champions Barbados Pride.

With a single win after the first five rounds of the competition, Red Force rebounded to win two of the last three matches, before the tournament was abandoned following the eighth round due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Red Force finished on 94.6 points from three wins, two defeats and three draws but were adrift of perennial bitter rivals Pride by a whopping 40 points, and only marginally ahead of joint third place finishers Guyana Jaguars and Jamaica Scorpions on 91.8.Dillon, who took over mid-season in the 2018-19 campaign, led Red Force to a fourth place finish then before guiding them to a semi-final spot in the Super50 Cup later

T&T Red Force head coach, Mervyn Dillon.

that year.

But tensions between Dillon and former West Indies and Red Force captain, Denesh Ramdin, boiled over during the just concluded season, leading to a public spat between the two.

Ramdin, dropped after just two matches, accused Dillon of not wanting him around and disrespecting senior players, while revealing they hardly communicated with each other.

Dillon, who played 38

Tests for West Indies between 1998 and 2004, responded by accusing Ramdin of telling “blatant lies”.

Ramkissoon, who said the TTCB hoped to close the hiring process by next month, also made it clear Dillon would have to apply in order to be considered.

“Once he applies [he is in contention]. I don’t know how many other people will apply, but you want the process to be transparent and fair.”

Liverpool reverse decision to furlough staff, apologise to fans (REUTERS) - Premier League leaders Liverpool have reversed their decision to furlough some of their non-playing staff and club CEO Peter Moore apologised to fans on Monday after the decision drew sharp criticism from the British government and supporters.The club said over the weekend they had furloughed some of their non-playing staff due to the COVID-19 pandemic and were

holding talks about the prospect of salary deductions for players and senior staff.

The decision was made after the Premier League was suspended last month and, with no clear date for when it can resume, the club said they intended to apply to the British government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to reclaim a percentage of the wages.”We

believe we came to the wrong conclusion last week to announce that we intended to apply to the Coronavirus Retention Scheme and furlough staff due to the suspension of the Premier League football calendar, and are truly sorry for that,” Moore said in a statement here “Our intentions were, and still are, to ensure the entire workforce

is given as much protection as possible from redundancy and/or loss of earnings during this unprecedented period.

“We are therefore committed to finding alternative ways to operate while there are no football matches being played that ensures we are not applying for the government relief scheme.”

Premier League players and managers have been criticised

for not taking pay cuts during the league’s suspension while the clubs’ staff, who earn a fraction of their wages, are furloughed.

The players’ union, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), has yet to agree to a cut and argued after a meeting with the Premier League on Saturday that reduced wages would lower tax revenue for the National Health Service.

Phelps urges athletes to take care of mental health after Games delay

W YORK (Reuters) Olympic great Michael Phelps has voiced his con-

cerns over the negative impact on athletes’ mental health of the Tokyo Games

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Tuesday April 07, 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) 302-Brendon Mc Cullum (vs IND, Wellington, 2014) (2) 365*-Gary Sobers (vs PAK, Jamaica, 1958) Today’s Quiz: (1) When and where did the WI and IND contest a Test match for the first time?

(2) When and where did IND defeat the WI in a Test match for the first time?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

postponement prompted by the new coronavirus pandemic.

Last month the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to delay the Tokyo Games for a year as the global health crisis prompted by the COVID-19 outbreak hit the professional sports calendar and brought daily life to a grinding halt for millions.

“You go through something for four years and we kind of know exactly when it’s going to come and our bodies are ready for it, then we have to wait,” the retired swimmer, who won 28 Olympic medals, told NBC in an interview on Monday.

The 34-year-old American urged athletes to use

US Olympic great Michael Phelps

the downtime as an opportunity to further hone their skills.

Phelps added that he had enormous empathy for athletes grappling with the delay, with the Olympics now scheduled to be held from July 23-Aug. 8 2021, and said it was imperative they were “taking care of their mental health.”

He raised his concerns just days after compatriot and four-times Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles said she had cried at news of the postponement.

“It’s our life,” said Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time.

“I’ve tried to replay what I would be going through emotionally at this very time if I was still competing – it’s hard to really comprehend it.”

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Tuesday April 7, 2020

JFF keeping Reggae Boyz ready despite COVID-19 disruption

Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) – Jamaica’s Football Federation has devised programmes for its players to ensure they remain in shape, as the regional and international calendar remains on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic outbreak.

The governing body’s president, Michael Ricketts, said there had been coordination between trainers and head coach Theodore Whitmore on developing plans for players.

“Our technical team has been having

constant meetings. The last one was last week Thursday, and they have been looking at ways and means, keeping players fit,” Ricketts told the Gleaner newspaper here.

“So the physical trainers – Jason Henry and Lamar Morgan – along with coach Theodore Whitmore, have worked out a programme for the locally based players in order to keep them ready.

“We are just hoping that when CONCACAF give us the green light, we will be in a position to hit the track running.”

CONCACAF, the continental govern-

ing body for football in the hemisphere, has been forced to postpone several tournaments due to the threat of COVID-19, leaving the Caribbean without any ongoing tournaments.

The first and second rounds of the Nations League have already been scrapped along with the quarter-finals of the Champions League and the Caribbean Club Championship and Club Shield.

Of importance are the qualifiers for the 2020 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which are set for late August and early September.

Ricketts said while the future remained unclear because of the virus outbreak, it was important the JFF kept the national side at the ready.

“There are great levels of uncertainty, and nobody knows what will happen. It all depends on how best the virus is brought under control,” he said.

“We have not heard from CONCACAF as it relates to the World Cup qualifiers, which are scheduled for late August, but we want to ensure that we are ready if we are called upon.”

Former media Najjar gives TTFA challenge little chance of success executives indicted

Former national coach Dr Hannibal Najjar.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC) – Former Trinidad and Tobago head coach, Dr Hannibal Najjar, has held out little hope for the Trinidad and Tobago FA’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for sport, against FIFA’s sudden take-over of the organisation.

“I don’t think they have a chance in hell or heaven to be represented because I don’t think we’ve gotten ourselves strong enough,” Dr Najjar told CNC3

TV here.

“They don’t have enough experience in them and enough contacts to see who they would be able to call to get some kind of assistance on what they could do.

“To come in and move them out in the first place … means they were the wrong choice. You never thought they would’ve won.”

In a sudden move last month, football’s governing body announced it was replacing the William Wallace-led TTFA executive with a normalisation committee, just four months after being elected.

This followed an assessment of the TTFA finances carried out by FIFA which revealed “extremely low overall financial management methods, combined with a massive debt”.

With the TTFA “facing a very real risk of insolvency and illiquidity”, FIFA said it would take charge of the daily operations of the organisation for the next two years so that “corrective measures [could] be applied urgently”.

However, Wallace pushed back against the decision, announcing the TTFA had retained legal counsel and would “oppose FIFA’s injustice” at the CAS in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Dr Najjar, who led T&T in a handful of matches before quitting in 2003, said he had been left “traumatized” by FIFA’s actions.

“It’s a mess, not only the last few weeks, but it (TTFA) has been running as a messy affair for the last few years,” said Dr Najjar.

“But over the last few weeks given what I’ve seen, heard, understood, didn’t understand but estimated from my own judgement … like the current regime that has been ousted, I’m somewhat traumatized by the quick action and I think maybe hasty assessment of whatever it is that made them (FIFA) feel that they could come in and normalise things.”

Last month, Caribbean Football Union (CFU) boss, Randy Harris, said the TTFA challenge at the level of CAS would be “very difficult to win”.

in U.S. FIFA probe

By Brendan Pierson

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors on Monday announced new criminal charges against two former executives of 21st Century Fox Inc and others stemming from a long-running investigation of corruption surrounding FIFA, soccer’s world governing body.

The former Fox executives, Hernan Lopez and Carlos Martinez, were indicted in Brooklyn federal court on wire fraud and money laundering along with Gerard Romy, former co-CEO of Spanish media company Imagina Media Audiovisual SL, and Full Play Group SA, an Uruguayan sports marketing company.

Lawyers for the defendants could not immediately be identified.

Prosecutors said the defendants bribed soccer officials to secure media and marketing rights to lucrative soccer tournaments, using shell companies, sham consulting contracts and other methods to conceal the scheme.

The U.S. investigation into corruption in the world of soccer became public in 2015 with the announcement of criminal charges against a slew of officials and others.

Juan Angel Napout of Paraguay, former head of South American governing body CONMEBOL, and former Brazilian soccer chief Jose Maria Marin, were convicted in 2017 after a trial. Many other defendants have pleaded guilty.

By Ras Wadada

Stranded National boxers and footballers in care of Government….

..says Director of Sport, Christopher Jones

THE plight of two national footballers and four amateur boxers, stranded in the USA and Cuba respectively, have been comforted by the timely intervention and assistance of the Government of Guyana, according to the Director of Sport of the National Sports Commission, Christopher Jones.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport, Jones related that, “The welfare and protection of the two footballers and four boxers are being adequately taken care of by the Government through the direct involvement of the Guyana Consulate in Miami as it relates to footballers; and in Havana, the Ambassador has made available to the boxers the Villa used by the Guyana Embassy to house visitors”.

“I can safely say that the athletes are under the care of the Guyana Government and that they and their families have been informed as it relates to the current situation, and I am in contact on a daily basis. As soon as the present situation is improved and our airports are opened again, they will be returned home safely, but rest assured they are in good care even as it relates to the present global pandemic Director COVID-19”, Jones assured. of Sport, Footballers-- Jeremy Garrett and Curtis Christopher Kellman-- on football scholarships in the US Jones became stranded in Miami when they were denied boarding their confirmed booked flights

From left: Keevin Allicock, Colin Lewis, Desmond Amsterdam and Dennis Thomas are the four boxers stranded in Cuba after Guyana announced the two-week closure of its airports.

Skerritt, Shallow laud revamping

of system of team selections

See story on page 19 Ann BrowneJohn became the first woman to be appointed a selector.

…High-Performance Centres to be decentralised

CRICKET West Indies (CWI) President Ricky Skerritt and Vice-President Dr Kishore Shallow have lauded the revamping of the system of team selections since the assumption to their respective posts just over a year ago.

In their one-year review, released recently, the top CWI executives said they have established a successful selection system review task force, led competently by VicePresident Shallow, which produced the most

modern and detailed West Indies selection policy and system in CWI history. It was based on an accountable and transparent research and consultative process.”

Among other changes, this review resulted in specialized, but collaborative, selection panels for senior Men’s, Women’s and Development teams. It also appointed a woman for the first time, Ann Browne-John, as Lead Selector for Women’s cricket.

The review pointed out that the re-design and implementation of this new selection system has already begun to return fan and player confidence.

“Confidence in the previous selection system had been badly eroded.”

The review also touched on the Coolidge Cricket Facility (CCG), describing it as the hub, pointing out that the long-term plan is to establish academies/HPCs in the various territories to allow for more players to access CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Pep Guardiola’s mother dies after coronavirus infection BARCELONA (Reuters) - The mother of Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has died after being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, the English Premier League champions said on Monday.

“The Manchester City family are devastated to report the death today of Pep’s mother Dolors Sala Carrió in Manresa, Barcelona after contracting coronavirus. She was 82-years-old,” City said in a post on their official Twitter account.

“Everyone associated with the club sends their most heartfelt sympathy at this most distressing time to Pep, his family and all their friends.”

Guardiola, who has also coached Barcelona and Bayern Munich and spent most of his playing career with Barca, donated one million euros ($1.08 million) last month to fight against the virus, contributing to a campaign launched by the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation and Medical College of Barcelona

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Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola

TUESDAY, APRIL 07, 2020