Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_05_11_2020

MONDAY 11th May, 2020

No. 105996

‘The skullduggery coming out’ … APNU+AFC says alerting Guyanese, diplomatic community on voting irregularities in PPP/C’s strongholds

… says the party trying to contaminate, rig the elections

PAGE

11

Seven new 15 COVID-19 cases PAGE

…104 persons have now contracted virus

208 ballot boxes counted to date –– 51 ballot boxes counted on Sunday 16 PAGE

NICIL sees Guyana rebounding stronger from COVID-19

… working on economic 18 recovery blueprint PAGE

2

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

National recount not catered for in elections act

… Alexander says in giving clarity to the matter

CONTRARY to positions held by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) and opposition-nominated commissioners, Commissioner Vincent Alexander of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has stated that the national recount is not based on the Representation of the People Act. Alexander provided clarity on the matter on Saturday---Day Four of the recount ---- even as the opposition has been arguing against the need to address discrepancies in ballot boxes and for a simple numerical recount.

On Friday, opposition-nominated Commissioner Sase Gunraj cited Section 89(2) of the Representation of the People

Act, stating that: “…in a recount, there is no need to examine several documents.”

However, Alexander said the next day that the recount is not one originating from the Representation of the People Act as the Act took the commission only up to recounts requested by individual regions in the early days after the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

The commissioner explained that the GECOM has moved beyond this point to Article 162 of the Constitution, which gives the commission wide powers to give instructions pertaining to matters it has to direct.

The commission has also moved on to Section 22

Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Commissioner Vincent Alexander of the Elections (Amendment) Act which gives GECOM powers to deal with difficulties.

“In that context, with those two provisions which themselves do not

specify the count, nor do they specify how the count is done, it’s left up to GECOM to craft how this recount will be in the current circumstance,” Alexander said.

He stated further that GECOM has crafted an outline on how this recount must be conducted which was solidified by an Order --- another legal document --- which has its foundation in the Constitution and Section 22 of the Elections (Amendment) Act. He said that while some of the things that the Order permits can be found in Sections 83, 84, 87 and 89 of the Representation of the People Act, they have not been placed in the Order because of those sections, but because they represent actions the commission wishes to take.

Alexander gave the example that the Order deliberately made no reference to Section 89(2) of the Representation of the People Act, because it prohibits the opening of an envelope that contains the Official List of Electors in a normal recount. Given the fact that the commission has long decided that it will embark on more than just a numerical count but a “credible count”, utilising its range of powers, the commission did not specify the same in its Oder as required.

This, he said, is in keeping with the commission’s decision and understanding that the process is not one originating through the Representation of the People Act. The commissioner said: “We did specify in our Order the contrary, that in fact, we will refer to a balancing of numbers.

So, one has to balance, for example, the number of people who crossed off [on the Official List of Electors/pink list] with the number of ballots in the box…except that in the box you may add ballots for people who came with certificates of employment and in that instance their names are written on the OLE.” The adding of names also caters to the intermixing of ballots from the disciplined services. Altogether, such provisions for the commission to keep an eye out for such irregularities returns to the concept of a “credible count”.

On Friday evening, Commissioner Gunraj engaged in a heated objection with a reporter on the said matter. He maintained that the Representation of the People Act should be used as a guide for the process.

The Order gazetted thereby allowing the commencement of the recount, states: “And whereas the Guyana Elections Commission seeks resource [sic]in Section 22 of the Election Laws (Amendment) Act No 15 of 2000, to remove difficulties connected with the application of the Representation of the People Act, Chapter 1:03 in implementing its decisions relating to the conduct of the aforementioned recount of all ballots cast at the said elections, including the reconciliation of the ballots issued with the ballots cast, destroyed, spoiled, stamped, and as deemed necessary, their counterfoils/stubs; authenticity of the ballots and the number of voters listed and crossed out as having voted; the number of votes cast without ID cards; the number of proxies issued and the number utilised;

statistical anomalies; occurrences recorded in the poll book.”

When repeatedly pressed by the media on his position on the matter in contrast with the Order, Gunraj became heated once again and made final remarks as he stated that he would not speak further on the matter.

“The absence of the Official List of Electors in the box, I believe, does not hinder the process.

What is required is for the votes that are in there to be counted,” he said.

“If there is no OLE in the box, you write it in the Observation Report, plain and simple, move on!”

APNU+AFC Leaders have questioned the PPP/C’s resistance to the highlighting of anomalies and inconsistencies in ballot boxes, noting that a transparent process of a credible recount should be in the interest of all political parties.

The PPP/C has instead labelled the highlighting of such inconsistencies as a delaying tactic and a “waste of time.”

Meanwhile, Alexander has recommended that GECOM establish a “research arm” which engages in examining matters, figures and comparisons after every election to better inform future processes.

He said that such information can also inform the nation of the pattern of voting in Guyana over time, the level of efficiency of polling-day staff and to what extent the elections contribute to democracy.

“We need to do research in an effort to discern if there are problems that we need to resolve, both at the level of GECOM and beyond GECOM,” he said.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

Electoral system dysfunctional

3

––Alexander urges radical reform

… says people need decision-making power

By Lisa Hamilton GUYANA Elections Commission (GECOM) Commissioner Vincent Alexander in his personal capacity believes that Guyana’s electoral system is dysfunctional and needs to be revamped to put decision-making power in the hands of the people.

Speaking to the media on Saturday evening, at the end of Day Four of the national recount, Alexander said that Guyana’s current electoral system allows whichever party represents the majority to impose itself on the minority --- an age-old problem affecting the country.

“This is a view that I express not as a commissioner, but as an individual: our electoral system is dysfunctional. It is dysfunctional,” Alexander set out to first establish.

In his view, the system should allow greater power to be placed in the hands of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) and Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs).

His remarks were informed by the reality of Guyana’s ethnic challenge, whereby the country is always either governed by one of the two main political parties, which are primarily supported by one of the two main ethnic groups.

Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Commissioner Vincent Alexander

“My own view is that the country needs to move in a direction of greater decentralization; that it needs to give more power to local authorities and to regions and develop a sub-system of subsidiarity that

allows for the allocation of funds to those levels of authority, so that people can have real power in their local [districts] and are able to pursue the things that are doable at the local level. I think that would help us a great deal because we live in enclaves and so we have no one to complain about when we do that,” Alexander reasoned.

Alexander is the longest- serving commissioner at GECOM. Giving further examples of his reasoning, he used the community of Foulis/Buxton as reference.

He said that the village is a known African-Guyanese village which has now found itself in a situation whereby ‘Buxtonians’ are outnumbered. The village has therefore come under the administration of persons who are not from the community and may therefore see their opinions and wishes being disregarded if in non-alliance with the majority. Alexander said that such an example can be replicated in Indo-Guyanese villages.

“The point that I am making is that our electoral system, our governing system, given the ethnic configuration of our country and the tendency for ethnic voting, does not represent people’s power; it represents a majority being able to impose itself on a minority and this has been our problem from time immemorial,” he stated.

“Our country has been built that way,

not by us necessarily and we need to wake up to that reality and to address that reality, so that we can then have a society where we are diverse --- but not diverse conflictual --in unison because we feel that we all are a part of the decision making because the decision making will devolve and only things that have to be national will be national.”

Based on the 2012 census, East Indians are the largest ethnic group representing about 39.8 per cent of the population. Persons of African heritage represent some 29.2 per cent of the population.

Giving another example of how decision-making power at the local and regional levels would help to remedy Guyana’s electoral system, Alexander turned his attention to the current COVID-19 health crisis.

He stated that the regional administrations in Regions Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice), have dealt with the crisis and contained the same far better than Region Four, because they possess local power.

He stressed that the country must evolve to system that better allows for these possibilities.

With firm conviction, he stated: “Our politicians that are ranting and raving over winning the elections --- on all sides of the fence --- need to wake up, smell the roses and confront the real problem.”

MMG partners with GBTI and DBL … to facilitate online uploads to MMG wallets MOBILE Money Guyana (MMG) has partnered with The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited (GBTI) and Demerara Bank Limited (DBL) to provide the added convenience of online uploads to MMG wallets.

“MMG users can now load their wallets through online banking as provided by GBTI and DBL. The integration has been successfully tested and is immediately available to the benefit of our shared customers,” said Bobita Ram, General Manager of Mobile Money Guyana.

She said that online banking customers at GBTI and DBL can simply log on to their banking portal and select MMG as a bill payment option. “It is an easy process - the customer would first need to register their MMG account as a biller. Once the account is registered, money can be loaded directly to their MMG wallets,” Ram explained.

Through GBTI, funds would be credited to a customer’s account the next day. Via DBL, credit to MMG accounts will occur four times daily.

These two financial institutions are among the first to

join MMG in supporting the increased use of electronic payments and commerce. The collaboration also adds an additional layer of security for customers through a seamless and cashless bank to wallet facility.

“Electronic payment facilities, including the MMG wallet itself, is no longer the future, it is the present. Now, and especially during a time of pandemic, electronic solutions are vital to our health and safety – it encourages and facilitates mobile payments without the need to physically come to an institution,” noted Deborah

Bobita Ram, General Manager of Mobile Money Guyana

Pamela Binda, GBTI’s Public Relations and Marketing Manager

Sugrim, Chief Operating Manager at DBL, according to the press release.

“Electronic payment fa-

cilities also play a key role in keeping the wheels of our economy turning – and it provides absolute ease of use

to our customers through a very secure exchange. It is our pleasure to join with MMG in providing customers with payment options that support our existing reality of limiting movement. We are in this together – and partnerships such as these are a testimony of corporate Guyana collaborating for the benefit of all,” added Pamela Binda, GBTI’s Public Relations and Marketing Manager.

The release said that the MMG team is working on establishing relationships with other banks to provide its users with a wider range of online options for continued and exceptional ease of use, including adding the option to load wallets via ATM machines in the coming weeks.

4

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday May 11, 2020

Coronavirus: Germany infection rate rises as lockdown eases

(BBC) Coronavirus infections are rising in Germany, official data shows, just days after the country eased its lockdown restrictions.

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the reproduction rate - the estimated number of people a confirmed patient infects - is now above 1.

This means the number of infections is now rising in the country.

The report came as thousands of Germans gathered on Saturday calling for a total end to the lockdown.

Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a broad relaxation of national restrictions on Wednesday after talks with the leaders of Germany’s 16 states.

All shops are allowed to reopen, pupils will gradu-

Germany has introduced a mass testing regime, including drive-through centres like this one in Berlin

ally return to class and the Bundesliga - Germany’s top football league - will restart as soon as next weekend.

But there were protests across the country on Sat-

urday, as some called for measures to be lifted even quicker.

Germany has the seventh-highest number of confirmed cases in the world,

with latest RKI data on Sunday showing the reported infected tally at 169,218 and a reported death toll of 7,395.

What did the report say?

The reproduction number

is a way of rating a disease’s ability to spread. It is not a fixed number because it changes as our behaviour changes or as immunity develops.

It is one of three important measurements for monitoring the outbreak, the others being the severity of symptoms and the number of cases.

The report from the public health agency released on Saturday said the reproduction rate was estimated at 1.1.

While this estimate involves “a degree of uncertainty”, the rise in the number requires “a close monitoring of the situation in the coming days”.

Germany has won praise for its response to the outbreak. Mass testing and effective lockdown restrictions have helped keep the death

toll far lower than in other European countries.

But some have criticised Mrs Merkel’s decision to relax those measures after speaking with the heads of the 16 states on Wednesday.

The chancellor imposed an “emergency brake”, requiring local authorities to reimpose restrictions if cases rise above a threshold of 50 per 100,000 people.

Outbreaks at meat processing plants in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein have already reportedly breached that line, and forced district officials to act.

And one district in the state of Thuringia reportedly recorded more than 80 infections per 100,000 people, thought to be due to outbreaks at care facilities.

Coronavirus: Zambia sex workers praised for contact tracing (BBC) Sex workers in Zambia are helping to trace people who have contracted coronavirus after a surge in new infections at the border town of Nakonde, the health minister has said.

Chitalu Chilufya said 76 of 85 reported new cases in the

northern town were either sex workers or lorry drivers.

“Sex workers have been very co-operative and they are giving us all the leads we want,” Mr Chilufya said.

Zambia has confirmed 267 Covid-19 infections, with seven deaths.

Lorry drivers are known to have multiple sex partners Last week, President Edgar Lungu announced the reopening of restaurants, casinos and gyms after a month-long shutdown to enforce social distancing measures.

What did Zambia’s health minister say?

“The situation in Nakonde remains grave, and the president is concerned,” Mr Chilufya said on Sunday, adding that Mr Lungu had ordered

the border to be “temporarily closed.”

Nakonde streets are usually lined by lorries leaving Zambia or entering from neighbouring Tanzania, the BBC’s Kennedy Gondwe in Lusaka reports.

Lorry drivers are seen as a high-risk group because they stop at several towns along the way and are known to have multiple sex partners, he added.

“They [sex workers] are being very co-operative in our investigations, and we don’t want to stigmatise or discriminate against them. They are being very useful in contact tracing,” Mr Chilufya said.

“We had a case where one of them appeared with symptoms and told us about a client who was a lorry driver of foreign jurisdiction and even gave us a contact number. We

called that number and we were told the person we called had Covid-19,” the minister added.

Health authorities in East Africa have expressed concern that lorry drivers, listed as essential workers, could be spreading coronavirus.

Strict checks, including tests by Ugandan authorities, have caused long tailbacks at its border with Kenya.

5

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday May 11, 2020

Teachers Will Need PsychoSocial Support Post COVID-19 (JAMAICA GLEANER) Education officials across the Caribbean and Latin America have asserted that teachers will be in need of psycho-social support for their return to the classroom, following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Approximately 91,710 teachers and seven million students in the Caribbean have been affected by the temporary closure of educational institutions.

Lecturer of educational leadership at the School of Education, University of West Indies, St Augustine campus, Dr Freddy James, noted that one of the 2030 sustainable development goals is quality education which demands that no student is left behind.

It also means that teachers must be given the requisite support to continue teaching and learning amid the crisis.

“COVID-19 has presented us with some turbulence and, therefore, the approach should be a phased approach

to reopening and an approach that caters to the physical, emotional, social, cultural and spiritual aspects of people,” James said.

She was a panellist on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) webinar on Wednesday, in collaboration with the Regional Education Group for Latin America and the Caribbean.

James found support in Dr Carlos Vargas Tamez, chief, Unit of Teacher Development, UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“There are different consequences of confinement, such as domestic violence and the disengagement from education that can be produced with teachers and learners from a prolonged absence and added to that, the economic and social needs,” he said.

DIFFICULTY COPING Tamez said students may lose caregivers or relatives to

support and it is important that they receive this support from peers or specialised professionals,” Tamez explained.

On Monday, minister with responsibility for education, Karl Samuda, announced that online learning will continue until July 3.

Schools are set to physically reopen on September 7, to coincide with the start of the 2020-2021 academic year.

Deputy chief education officer in Barbados, Dr Roderick Rudder posited that it is important for educators to consider limiting screen time of students as they engage in distance or online learning.

“We have to strike that balance between facilitating

Dr Freddy James

the virus and have difficulty coping even upon returning to school.

“Teachers are key agents

in providing social and emotional support to students and their families, but before that, they themselves require

Prices for roti and doubles may go up (TRINIDAD GUARDIAN) Doubles vendors warn that the price of doubles may well be going up in the next week.

The warning comes in the wake of their complaints that prices for the basic ingredients for T&T’s favourite street food, have shot up in the last 6 weeks.

Popular Couva doubles vendor, Shayam Mohammed, told Guardian Media that the last six weeks have been disastrous for the industry, as the country was under stay-at-home orders for the COVID-19 pandemic. He said many persons involved in the doubles making process remained out of work and are yet to get any unemployment grant.

Shayam Mohammed said returning to serve the public would be difficult, since mobile doubles vendors, who operate out of the back of a van, may have to get their vehicles repaired and mechanics and tyre shops have been closed. He said some vendors have expired insurance and are not able to operate.

The doubles vendor also points out that ingredients such as split peas, chan-

na and flour have seen their prices escalate, and it would be difficult for vendors who retail doubles at $4 to remain afloat.

However, Shayam Mohammed gave assurances that if he comes out to work this week, he would be following the strict protocols set down by the authorities for persons handling food. He said customers who insist on breaking the line or making nuisances of themselves, would not be served.

Meanwhile, roti shop owners say they were not as fortunate as larger establishments to get information that the ban would be lifted on Monday.

Speaking with Guardian Media, Darrien Penco, spokesman for Vanessa’s Kitchen at Cacandee Road in Felicity, said they have moved immediately to start clean-up operations and restocking.

Penco told us that had the announcement been made on Friday, small food vendors would have had ample time to restock and clean up.

The Vanessa’s Kitchen spokesman assured that his facility would be thoroughly sanitized by one crew, while another would be tasked with restocking

the learning and development that is required against the health risks that are potentially there through excessive screen time,” Rudder said.

Educators in Barbados have been guided by a maximum screen time of 20 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for younger children, it is 15 minutes maximum, for any one synchronous session.

The panellists concluded that this crisis presents itself an unprecedented opportunity to transform national education systems into one of resilience.

They also noted the unlikeliness of the region going forward with faceto-face learning as the sole means of educating.

the business.

Like Shayam Mohammed, Darrien Penco told us the last few weeks of stay-at-home orders have dealt a terrible blow to him and the three employees who work at Vanessa’s kitchen.

He revealed that no-one applied for the relief grants because they found the application process challenging.

He also said they received little or no assistance from their local government representatives.

“We held it together and we took it day by day, until now,” Penco told Guardian Media.

The Vanessa’s Kitchen team is expected to offer a limited menu and consumers would have the option of a pick-up service.

Darrien Penco also reports they have seen a hike in food prices: dhal or split peas prices reportedly went up from $280 to just under $600 per 100 pounds; while garlic prices rose from $150 to $280 for a 25 pound bag.

Penco said his business would be operating at a very low profit margin for the foreseeable future.

Monday, May 11, 2020–– 5:00hrs & 06:30

6

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

COVID-19 and the informal economy

A

S nations across the globe continue to tailor responses to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus and its disease, COVID-19, we are only just starting to see the effects that these measures are having on workers in the informal economy. The full or partial lock-down measures implemented in our nation and many others, affecting some five billion people globally, is having a number of detrimental effects on citizens who fall into this category of workers.

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), there are approximately two billion informal workers, with women being over-represented in some of the most affected sectors. In Guyana, informal workers account for approximately 48.2% of the labour force, according to the most recent statistics from The Guyana Bureau of Statistics. With close to half of the nation’s population being informal workers, the COVID-19 epidemic stands to pose a real threat to the livelihoods of thousands of Guyanese workers.

According to the policy brief released by the ILO this week, informal enterprises are also being affected in a similar manner. With eight out of 10 enterprises in the world falling into this category, it is now clear that many more people, including many Guyanese who own informal enterprises, are being severely affected by the COVID-19 lock-down measures. The prevalence of unregistered small-scale enterprises that normally operate with few undeclared and low-skilled workers, including unpaid family members and women, now find themselves in a precarious economic position.

Whilst informal workers do not enjoy certain priv-

ileges such as social protection and health and safety measures taken in more formal enterprises, their goal remains the same: to work in order to provide for themselves and their families. These men and women cannot rely on income replacement or savings, so they must work or risk falling into further poverty. The dilemma has now become “to die from hunger or from the virus,” according to the ILO. Because those in the informal economy need to work, lockdowns and other containment measures are a source of social tension and transgressive practices and behaviour could endanger governments’ efforts to protect the population and fight the pandemic. And without any formal announcement from government on any type of stimulus package for this group of workers, they may further be encouraged to take their chances in order to provide for themselves and their families.

Workers in the accommodation, food service, retail and wholesale trades are among some of the most affected at this time. Additionally, the ILO estimates that some 500 million farmers who produce primarily for the urban market, are also encountering difficulties. In Guyana, informal food markets play a pivotal role in ensuring food security, and if local farmers fall sick because of COVID-19, that could have a dramatic impact on our ability to ensure food security for many of our urban communities.

The consequences for informal workers as a result of the COVID-19 containment measures is that many would have already experienced immediate loss of incomes.

And without any income- replacement stimulus packages, grants, loans or savings to rely on, informal workers are now facing an existential predicament. Do they try

as best they can to adopt the government’s containment measures and continue working in whatever manner is possible, or do they stop working and risk their families falling into greater poverty? Surely, these cannot be their only options.

The ILO predicts that if there could be an expansion of the informal economy if formal mirco- enterprises are forced to close as a result of economic downturn, this could trigger a surge in unemployment and create even more informal workers.

Despite the gloomy outlook for the informal economy and its workers, the ILO has made a number of recommendations to mitigate the negative effects of the COVID-19 containment measures. Among some of the recommendations are: reducing the exposure of workers and their families to the virus; ensuring those affected have access to healthcare and to provide income and food support to individuals and families. The ILO also suggests compensating for the loss and reduction of incomes as a result of the economic downturn.

Despite the widespread adoption of fiscal and monetary policies in other nations affected by COVID-19, we in Guyana are currently unable to rely on such easing measures due to the ongoing electoral process.

However, once matters are concluded, it is hoped that fiscal and monetary policies would take priority, lest all the work we have done to grow our economy over the last few years be lost. Furthermore, government must do all in its capacity to ensure that these workers are not forgotten, as they often escape the purview of the government owing to the nature of their work.

Guyanese will see the PPP for what they are – anti-nationalists

Dear Editor,

E

VER since the March 2, 2020 elections, I have been tempted to write you on issues I considered highly disturbing and “anti-national,” whereby prominent political figures have been calling for sanctions against leading national figures and Guyana. The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has claimed without verifiable evidence that it has won the elections and accused Returning Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo of attempts to manipulate the elections in favour of the APNU+AFC. The PPP/C has made these claims using fabricated SOPs showing increased voter preference for them in polling divisions, which traditionally voted for the APNU+AFC Coalition, such as Sophia and adjoining communities. When it became evident that this strategy was not going to work, they disrupted the proceedings at GECOM during the tabulation of Region Four and progressed to the courts to file motion after motion to either stall the process with frivolities or to coerce the court in overturning the inevitable – the victory of the coalition. From all preliminary tabulations, the APNU+AFC Coalition received a clear vote of confidence from the Guyanese people to retain power. It even appeared as though the coalition has secured enough votes to increase its parliamentary seats in the National Assembly.

The PPP/C and the never-ending list of shenanigans have continued even now during the national recount. They have carried the circus over to the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. I am hoping that Guyanese, irrespective of political persuasion, are paying attention to what is unfolding inside the centre. As the boxes are being counted from Regions One, Two, Three and Four, there is growing evidence that on March 2, tombstones were raided. An increasing number of dead persons voted in the national and regional elections.

In Guyana, as in most other jurisdictions within the region, dead people are not allowed to vote. Their votes in these and any elections would be considered a contaminant to the democratic process. When it was proposed to clean up the list because of the potential for resurrecting the dead, the PPP/C opposed and now the real reason is being unearthed at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre. It is, therefore, not surprising to hear PPP/C Commissioner Sase Gunraj dismissing the discovery of dead people voting as immaterial. How could this be “immaterial” to the verification process? It is very central to the process of verification and authenticity of the elections.

I believe that anywhere it is found that the dead participated, those boxes should be discarded and removed from the tabulation.

It should be the same for those persons who have migrated and were not present in Guyana on March 2, 2020, but cast a ballot. This kind of electoral fraud does not belong in our democracy and those who encourage it should be condemned, and GECOM must be resolute in its ruling to stamp it out. How could these leaders go on camera and argue that the padding of ballot boxes with the votes of migrants and/or dead people is immaterial? There should be a collective outrage that this kind of fraud is being defended by persons who once held political power in our country. In some instances, it was not a single occurrence to be argued as a mistake; it occurred multiple times in one polling station. In my estimation, this electoral fraud scheme signals a deliberate act and should be punishable according to the laws of Guyana.

In the United States, the Heritage Foundation maintains an Election Fraud Database, which presents a wide but not an exhaustive sampling of election fraud across the country. The Heritage Foundation said, “In addition to diluting the votes of legitimate voters, fraud can have an impact in close elections,” It goes on the say, “Preventing, deterring, and prosecuting election fraud is essential to protecting the integrity of our voting

process. Winning elections leads to political power and the incentives to take advantage of security vulnerabilities are great, so it is important that we take reasonable steps to make it hard to cheat while making it easy for legitimate voters to vote.” In one instance in the State of Michigan, altering the vote count either in a precinct or at the central location where votes are counted, attracted a criminal conviction.

The island of Jamaica has had instances of ballot boxes or an entire voting cluster voided due to various elements of fraud.

In the early 2000s, there have also been instances of a re-run in electoral divisions or constituencies due to widespread discrepancies, including cases of fraud, such as tampering with ballot boxes. Guyana has a history of close elections and a few dead people or migrants voting can tilt the results one way or another.

That is why the position taken by the PPP/C that the cases of outright fraud being uncovered is immaterial and should be rejected. In fact, in addition to cleaning the list for the next election, there should also be an effort to tighten the penalties for such action against the perpetrators. The emerging evidence thus far at the national recount has vindicated the call of the coalition that the process should not simply be the summation of votes for the contending parties, but a complete verification of the entire process, including the number of electors on the list versus those who voted, how they voted, and who voted without IDs, etc. The PPP/C’s standard-bearers of Sase Gunraj, Anil Nandlall, Irfaan Ali and Bharrat Jagdeo can protest all they want; at the end of the recount, the Guyanese people will see them for what they are – anti-nationalists, who want to punish Guyana because we dared to demand that our votes be counted.

Regards Nazeema Mohamed

7

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

Brian Lara’s astonishing 400 not out

Dear Editor

R

ECENTLY I wrote an article on the 300+ Club. Since then I have been bombarded with requests to comment on Brian Lara’s astonishing 400 not out. As a Brian Charles Lara to the bone fan, I pondered whether or not I should do so. After much thought, a bit of research and analysis I decided to yield to the requests. Please permit me to share my views with your readers.

Here we go. The West Indies under the captaincy of Brian Lara were facing a unprecedented whitewash at home. England destroyed the West Indies in the first three test matches at Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago to retain the Wisden Trophy, the symbol of cricketing supremacy between the two cricketing nations since 1963. The West Indies were dismissed for 47 at Sabina Park, Jamaica, their lowest test score and 94 at Kensington Oval, Barbados. It is interesting to note that Chris Gayle and Ramnarace Sarwan were criticised for sporting with spectators in the pavilion shortly after the West Indies were dismissed for 47 runs and Matthew Hoggard got a hat-trick at the Oval. Surprisingly, Brian Lara scored only 100 runs in the six innings he batted in the previous test matches. He recorded two ducks in consecutive test matches.

Steve Harmison dismissed him four times in those six innings. Harmison was selected to play in the final test. Lara’s credibility and

captaincy were in jeopardy. The cricket-crazy Caribbean people were plunged into deep depression as if hit by a corona- virus. It was Easter time and some posited that the Englishmen would crucify the West Indies. It was against this background that on Saturday, April 10, 2004, the day after Good Friday, a day Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ that captain Brian Lara won the toss and elected to bat. It was on the same strip at the Antigua Recreation Ground ( ARG), where 10 years previously he broke Gary Sobers’ s world record by scoring an amazing 375 runs.

In the fourth test match the Prince of Port of Spain batted for 12 hours and scored an unbelievable 400 runs not out. In the process he achieved many records, including: the first to score a quadruple century in a test match; most 500-runs series aggregates (7), equalling Don Bradman’s record; most 350 + aggregates in a test match (3) times; most runs in any 12-month period--1,949 between April 19, 2003 and April 14, 2004; highest score, 400 by a test captain and the only batsman to regain the world record. His score included 139 singles, 24 twos, 4 threes, 43 fours, 1 five and 4 sixes off 215 scoring strokes. Lara gave one possible chance at 293, which nearly took off Gareth Batty’s head. According to cricket author Vijay P. Kumar, at the end of the day’s play he met Batty relaxing at the Jolly Beach Resort and approached him. Batty confined, “ It was a top spinner. When he hit it I thought

of catching it but it was coming too fast. All I could do is duck. It clipped my right thumb.

I wouldn’t say it was a chance. “ What would you say?

Lara’s magnificent quadruple ensured that there was no crucifixion and no whitewash. In fact, West Indian supporters in the stands boldly displayed their placards during the match: “ No whitewash in Antigua, no whitewash.” The match ended in a draw.

It is apposite to note that Brian Lara achieved the following milestones off the bowling of off-spinner Gareth Batty: 200, 250, 300, 350 and 380, when he equalled Matthew Hayden’s world record with a six in dramatic fashion. The ball went deep into the the Viv Richards’ pavillon. It was high drama during the after- lunch session on Monday, April 12, 2004 at the ARG, Antigua. Here is how Vijay P Kumar described the next record-breaking shot, “ He moved across his stumps, then backwards, leaned forward to get his head over the ball and turned his wrists as bat connected to ball. The timing was precise and the execution was perfect. The ball raced to fine leg as he ran for that precious single, which turned out to be a four. Lara had regained his record.” Shortly afterwards Lara swept Batty to fine leg to record his 400 runs. In the history of cricket no batsman had gone there before.

He moved from a Prince to a King. Wow! So many significant records facilitated by Batty.

During my groundings with my Jamaican brothers in Jamaica and when discussing

Lara’s 400, one quipped, “ Him like Gareth Batty. Him ah Batty Boy. “ No pun intended.

After the record-breaking achievement, Michael Holding interviewed Brian Lara.

This is what Lara said, “ Back in June of 1994 when I scored 501, I did wonder what it would be like to score 400 in Test cricket. To get it today was really special.” Sachin Tendulkar remarked, “ A great achievement, a fantastic feat. One can’t plan an innings like this from the start. It just comes as you go along. It is certainly an inspiration for all modern batsmen.”

A limited few were a bit critical of Lara’s masterpiece. They said that it was achieved against a weak bowling attack on a batsman’s paradise. Geoffrey Boycott aptly cleared the air, “People may say that it was a modest England side, a flat pitch, a sunny day. But, we have all had good pitches to bat on and we all had nice sunny days and haven’t done what he has done.”

Many more titillating facts can be gleaned on Lara’s inning by checking out Cricinfo, reading “ 400 Not Out-- A History of The World Record “ by Guyanese Vijay P Kumar and perusing “ Lara -- The Untamed Spirit,” written by his countryman Clifford Narinesingh. Anyway, I think that this is a good point for me to close my inning, virus or no virus.

increases of 3.5% in the 1950s down to 0.5% now, with periods of negative growth in the 1980s and 1990s. In the same period Guyana’s migration has gone from 0.6% to 2.0% of the population; the bulk (82.5% in 2015) of the migrants are in the 20-64 age group.

As a result, there have been over 650,000 Guyanese migrants since 1960. In 2018, New York city estimated they were 138,000 Guyana-born residents (www.nyc.gov/immigrants/moia_annual_report_2018).

Vezzoli dis-aggregated Guyana’s migration pattern into three episodes: 1) the pre-independence period: 1953 to 1965, 2) the early experiments with independence period: 1965 to 1085, and 3) the persistent instability period: 1985 to 2013. Vezzoli’s seminal dissertation effort was to expand extant push-pull migration constructs, for colonies contemplating or in the process of transitioning to independent states. She did this by refining our understanding of the push influences in colonies/new states by going further than prior analyses, which focused more on the pull influences of colonisers’ states. What I gleaned from this very well-conceived and diligently executed effort is in accord with my many conversations with Guyanese, both at home and abroad, whose families have migrated en masse.

Initially, Guyanese trickled into the UK during the 1950s for education and some stayed. Those numbers swelled as electoral tensions rose in Guyana and Britain began

closing its border to colonial migrants; this was the first shuffling of Guyanese feet. A more concerted rush followed in the 1960s when both the US and Canada relaxed some of their discriminatory migration laws. A significant number of these Guyanese emigrants were people deeply scarred by the racial violence and the authoritarian (communist/ socialist) rhetoric of the two major parties in the pre-independence years.

The initial panic briefly abated in the immediate post-independence period when Guyanese were lured by remigration initiatives, independence fervour, and homesicknes.

However, soon thereafter, the government’s intemperate policies: nationalisation of 80% of the economic activity; militarisation (over 100,000 in uniforms); paramountcy of the party; violent and coercive restrictions on freedom of thought, expression and movement; and rigged elections, led to a stampede of Guyanese into North America, the Caribbean, Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, and the far reaches of the earth.

In the late 1980s, the mellowing influences of a shift to a more open economy, an improving sense of personal security, and the turn to external multi-lateral support slowed, but did not quite corral the stampede. Instead, migration was now family consolidation abroad as political uncertainty and the decline in quality of life sustained the local push, as families pulled from abroad. A change of government in the early 1990s had a post-in-

dependence-like effect as remigration initiatives, homesickness, and nationalistic fervour drew some back into the fold. However, the return of election tensions and violence, as well as narrowing doors across the USA and Canadian borders, kept families stumbling into these destinations.

Vezzoli’s effort has given me pause to think about our preoccupation with these current elections and their results.It crystallized the connection between elections and spikes in Guyanese migration over the past 60 years.

I was reminded of the instability, elevated distrust and general uncertainty around the time of elections that pushed so many into escaping their homeland. I found myself asking the question, “Are these elections a foreshadow of another stampede, of voting feet?”

As we await the result of the recount I will remain optimistic, because; 1) the 2064 year olds seem to be engaged in a fight to stay; and 2) the clamour for electoral and constitutional reforms is rising, and 3) some excellent solutions to these protracted and contentious electoral disputes are being advanced. I recommend “Electoral System Reform for a Diverse Nation: The Case of Guyana” (Kindle Books, Amazon. com) as an example of a very thoughtful contribution to understanding and addressing our electoral conundrum.

Yours faithfully Clinton Conway

Electoral reforms and a unified Guyana Dear Editor

T

HE preoccupation of Guyanese, both resident and abroad, with the recently held elections are rooted in much more than idle curiosity. Many at home are concerned about their freedom to speak and to have their voices heard, as in voting and having their votes counted and accounted for. Most of those abroad, having voted with their feet, are also concerned about their freedom to visit the homeland to connect with their familles, start a business, vacation and/or retire without the fears from which they ran.

I realise that these are bold claims, but I hope you will stay with me as I present the argument that “over the last 65 years, Guyanese have always voted in large numbers for either the restricted local options available or with their feet.” I offer two primary pieces of information: Guyana’s population and migration(UN International Migration Stock, 2019) and the rationally objective assessment of Simona Vezzoli, a non-Guyanese who presented her research findings at the National Library which was reported in the April 15, 2014 edition of Kaieteur News under the caption, “Oxford University researcher examines Guyana’s migration trend.” A 2015 overview of this research is available on Youtube (Simona Vezzoli - Unpacking the ‘colonial dummy’).

Guyana’s population growth rate has been in a downward spiral since 1960, from annual

Sincerely Rory Fraser

8

OP-ED

By Joel K. Richards

T

INTRODUCTION H E c u r re n t n o v el coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis which originated in China, and which has severely disrupted China-centric value and supply chains, has laid bare the limits of countries having outsourced their industrial policy to China.

According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the slowdown of manufacturing in China due to the COVID-19 outbreak is disrupting world trade and could result in a USD 50 billion decrease in exports across global value chains (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 2020).

For most if not all Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, we are likely to be harder hit than any other region because we control fewer resources and stages of the supply chain.

Furthermore, we are also net importers, meaning that our imports exceed our exports.

For instance, in 2019, CARICOM imported over USD 31.8 billion dollars’ worth of goods whilst exporting USD 16.9 billion, representing a trade deficit of over USD 14.8 billion.

In a scenario where CARICOM countries import nearly twice as much as they export, disruptions to global supply and value chains, particularly prolonged disruptions, are likely to have devastating consequences for food and

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

An Opportunity to Reclaim Industrial Policy in CARICOM

livelihood security. This places an obligation on the region to revisit the role of industrial policy in supporting its economic and social well-being.

Of course, the implicit assumption here is that the region has lost ground in terms of the pursuit and execution of industrial policy measures.

The COVID-19 pandemic suggests that we are living in extraordinary times which require extraordinary imagination and re-imagination.

While it is important to keep one eye on the current pandemic, it is equally important to keep another eye on our preferred future. Part of this preferred future should be a commitment to emerge from the crisis better, stronger, smarter and more prosperous than we were before. In this context that a re-examination of the role of industrial policy is being proposed.

What is Industrial Policy Industrial policy is a coherent set of actions that focus on industrial transformation, with the goal of sustainable and competitive production of goods and services. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) refers to industrial policy as a process which promotes ‘high-road competitiveness’, understood as the ability of an economy to achieve ‘Beyond-GDP’ Goals. In essence, ‘high-road’ strategies are based on advanced skills, innovation, supporting institutions, environmental goals and social policy (Aiginger, 2014).

Why Industrial Policy?

The most successful examples of late developers, particularly in East Asia, have all had targeted industrial policies. Productivity growth and technological advancement lie at the heart of economic development and this reality underscores the value of industrial policy to the economic fortunes of countries. Industrial policy can be a major source of technology-driven productivity growth in modern economies. For example, the world’s most productive farms use the most advanced machinery while the most industrious services utilise state-of-the-art transport equipment and computers.

This suggests that an industrial policy which promotes these kinds of outcomes is important in the context of national productivity, innovation, jobs and the overall welfare of the state.

There are also several developments taking place around which a modern and progressive industrial policy should be built. Mobile Supercomputing. Intelligent Robots. 3D Printing. Many economists, political and business leaders from around the world are convinced that we are on the cusp of a new industrial revolution that is fundamentally changing the way we live and work. These developments are disrupting the traditional ways of doing business and those who fail to adapt will be left behind.

As the new industrial revolution unfolds, many more innovations are in store. Ad-

vances in computing power, artificial intelligence, robotics and material science can hasten the shift toward more environmentally friendly products of all types. Digital fabrication techniques, such as 3D printing, can bring manufacturing closer to customers. New energy technologies can create lowcost, abundant and sustainable sources of power and power storage to rid us of our over-reliance on fossil fuels. These innovations are revolutionizing manufacturing, production and business around the world and countries need an industrial policy that can be responsive to and promote advances in these areas.

A Ten-Point Plan for Industrial Policy The following industrial policy blueprint is being proposed for the consideration of the CARICOM region: i. Business climate improvement in areas such as access to credit; ease of access to government services; improved inter-agency and inter-ministerial coordination; and the establishment of good regulatory practices in areas such as access to laws and regulations, and efficient mechanisms for grievances and complaints for the private sector. These measures could support increased competition and boost investor confidence. ii. Exploitation of economic niches in areas such as the ocean’s economy to secure sustainable outcomes

with respect to fisheries, energy, water and electricity. iii. Set tax incentives to encourage investments and innovations with respect to energy efficiency and new and emerging technologies. iv. Encourage a climate of cooperation between government, the private sector and the academic community on matters relating to innovation and industrial transformation. v. Develop policies and programs that promote economic and export diversification. vi. Strengthen links between the agricultural and manufacturing sectors to encourage value-added food production. vii. Improve connectivity by building digital infrastructure and capacities and improving the affordability of and access to worldclass information technology goods and services. viii. Reform the education system to be more aligned to the needs of the business community. ix. Create green growth policies considering the potential of the green economy to accelerate economic transformation. x. Redefine the role of the state in the economy whereby the state transitions out of areas that are better served by private investments while acting as an incubator for areas of economic activity that remain underdeveloped with the goal of transitioning when the desired level of maturity is achieved.

Conclusion The measures enunciated above are not a panacea for some CARICOM’s structural problems, but they can assist in helping the region to become more competitive, even if they do not allow it to have full control of its supply chains. They can also help to cushion the blow from exogenous shocks like what such as what COVID-19 has brought about. Furthermore, the current COVID-19 crisis has exposed and reinforced vulnerabilities in the economies of some CARICOM countries that need to be addressed. Some of these countries remain vulnerable to disruptions in global supply and value chains partly because of the decimation of their industrial capabilities. Therefore, to build and strengthen economic and social resilience, the region should encourage policies that lead to industrial development and economic diversification. The region now has a once in a generation opportunity to re-format its social and economic models for future prosperity. Finally, as bad as the current crisis is, it does present opportunities for thoughtful conversations about how things can be done differently, including things that should have been done already. We should not waste this moment!

(DISCLAIMER: The author remains solely responsible for any errors or omissions. The views expressed are solely those of the author.)

Forest loss slows globally as …FAO says in new report sustainable management grows Globally deforestation continues, albeit at a slower rate, with 10 million hectares a year being converted to other uses since 2015, down from 12 million hectares a year in the previous five years, according to the key findings of a flagship report that is conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) every five years.

The key findings of the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 (FRA 2020) have been released today together with an interactive publication called “A Fresh Perspective: Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020.” The full FRA2020 report, with country data, will be released at a later date.

According to the report, today there are 4.06 billion hectares of forest, equal to 0.52 hectare for each person on Earth.

On a net basis, including forest expansions, the world’s forest area declined by 4.7 million hectares a year since 2010. Almost a third of the world’s land surface is covered by forests, which provide a slew of materials, services, aesthetic comfort and supporting millions of livelihoods.

“Forests are a big part of our lives, and can be seen in our food, household furniture and felt in the cleaner air we breathe thanks to their presence, so we must work harder and work together across forestry and agriculture sectors, to slow down deforestation faster” said Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy

Director-General, Climate and Natural Resources. “It’s very welcome to learn that more and more forest areas are subject to long-term management plans, which are essential to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 15.”

SDG 15 calls for protecting, restoring and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, that is fostering “life on land”. The Global Forest Resources Assessment is an essential component of FAO’s custodianship of key SDG 15 indicators as it collects and reports authoritative data on the trends in percentage of forest area and progress on sustainable forest management. Today, 2.05 billion hectares of forests, more than half the total, are subject to management plans.

“The Global Forest Resources Assessment is a comprehensive view of the world’s forests and a critical tool in formulating sound policies, practices and investments,” said Mette Wilkie, Director, Forestry Policy and Resources Division.

She hailed the outstanding collaboration between FAO and a global network of over 700 experts who together harmonized methods and examined more than 60 factors in 236 countries and territories to produce the assessment.

TANGIBLE PROGRESS One notable upside captured by the new assessment is that the area of forest in protected areas globally has increased by

191 million hectares since 1990 and now 18 percent of the world’s forests are located within protected areas, with South America home to the highest share of these.

That means that the world has met and surpassed, for forests, the Aichi Biodiversity Target to protect at least 17 percent of terrestrial area by 2020, said FAO Senior Forestry Officer Anssi Pekkarinen, who coordinated the assessment.

SOME KEY FINDINGS -The world’s forest area has shrunk since 1990 by 178 million hectares, roughly the size of Libya.

-During the last decade Forest area has increased in Asia, Oceania and Europe, while the highest rate of net forest losses were recorded in Africa, followed by South America.

-Primary forests account for some 1.11 billion hectares -About 30 percent of all forests is used primarily for production of wood and non-wood forest products.

-The share of forests designated primarily for soil and water protection is increasing.

-Most forest areas - 93 percent of the total - consist of naturally regenerating forests, while the remainder is planted.

-Total forest carbon stock is decreasing with declining forest area although the carbon stock density has slightly increased within the last three decades.

9

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

PPP/C says recount futile if GECOM uses previous declarations

THE People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has warned that the Guyana Elections Commission should not return to the previous declarations of the March 2, 2020 polls saying any such move would render the recount exercise futile.

The party still claims that it has won the elections by some 15,000 votes contrary to the two separate declarations of Mingo which put the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) in the lead.

They also make the claim even as over 2,000 ballot boxes are yet to be tabulated in the recount process.

PPP/C Executive, Anil Nandlall coming out of the recount process on Sunday, stated: “Today alone, several boxes that were counted vividly illustrated and demonstrated the fraud that Mingo perpetrated in those declarations.” Earlier, when questioned by the press, GECOM Public Relations Officer (PRO), Yolanda Ward said she was unaware that any formal complaint had been made to the Commission regarding an objection to Mingo’s declaration.

However, Nandlall later told the media that on March 13, 2020, he wrote to the Chair of GECOM, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh, on behalf of his party, objecting to the second tabulation exercise resumed by Mingo and requesting that he be

PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali prevented from making any declaration based upon a “flawed tabulation methodology which he employed”.

Later Ward, after being able to check the Commission’s records, corrected her previous statements confirming that the PPP/C did send a letter to the Chair. However, Ward could not confirm, at the time, whether the Chair had formally responded to the letter.

Nonetheless, both PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Irfaan Ali and Nandlall called on GECOM to release a comparison of the election SOPs, Mingo’s declaration and the SORs for public confirmation on what may have transpired. “In the interest of transparency, we would love for GECOM to publish these three so that the public can have it,” Ali said. They also objected to the possible use of the Mingo’s second declaration stating that the

GECOM Commissioner, Desmond Trotman mere fact that a recount is being conducted means that the RO’s declaration would not have been seen as valid.

The position somewhat clashes with the remarks of Justice Singh back in April 2020 that the declaration of the results for District Four or any other district cannot be nullified at this stage of the electoral process. “The declarations are in abeyance, we put them in abeyance because I cannot replace them until after the recount.

They only can be replaced by a new declaration from the recount,” the GECOM chair explained. However, Nandlall said on Sunday: “For all intent and purposes, those declarations cannot be acted upon because they have been overtaken by the recount itself being undertaken by GECOM. So, holding it in abeyance for me is a very sterile, ceremonial act.”

He said that he can-

PPP/C Executive, Anil Nandlall not imagine that GECOM would have reason to fall back on the previous declaration of Mingo and, if so, the entire recount would be rendered futile. The need for the national recount dates back to repeated disruptions during the tabulation of the Region Four SOPs by Mingo. In court documents filed in the High Court, Mingo noted that his attempt to execute his mandate was met with repeated objections and disruptions by the Opposition.

Notwithstanding loud screams of “no” in the Command Centre at High and Hadfield Streets, Mingo declared the results for the Region on Thursday, March 5, 2020 placing the APNU/ AFC in the lead. The centre immediately descended into chaos with representatives from the PPP/C and a number of small political parties clashing with the police in

their attempt to break open the door of an office, the GECOM Chair was operating in. By the end of that day, international observers flagged the electoral process as lacking transparency.

That same day, the PPP/C secured an injunction from the High Court blocking the declaration of the results of the elections on the grounds that Mingo did not comply with the Electoral Laws during the tabulation process.

On March 11, Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire ruled that the declaration of the results for District Four was in breach of Section 84:1 of the Representation of the Peoples Act highlighting that a large percentage of the SOPs were tabulated in the absence of those entitled to be there.

But by March 13, the PPP/C moved to the High Court again, this time filing contempt proceedings against Mingo, the GECOM Chair and the Elections Commission.

In hearing the contempt case, Chief Justice (ag) said the Returning Officer must produce the SOPs during the tabulation of votes for his electoral district. Mingo, according to the Chief Elections Officer (CEO), for a second time, tabulated the Region Four SOPs in accordance with the Laws and Ruling of the Court on March 13, and declared the results.

However, the results were not accepted by the PPP/C.

On March 14, the contempt proceedings came up in the Court but was shelved after the Chairman of CARICOM, Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, announced that President Granger and the Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, had agreed to a National Recount under the supervision of a CARICOM high-level team.

An Aid Memoire was subsequently signed by the two leaders, and GECOM had agreed to a recount and an Order drafted. However,

by March 17, a challenge was made to the legality of the recount which saw the High Court granting four injunctions, bringing the electoral process to a halt once again.

On March 31, the Full Court ruled that the Court had no jurisdiction to hear the case on the grounds that the issues raised could only be dealt with by way of an Elections Petition.

This was appealed and, though the Appellate Court did not grant all the orders sought, it ruled, on April 5, that agreement that usurps the powers of GECOM to supervise elections in Guyana would be unconstitutional.

On April 3, two days before the ruling of the Appellate Court, the Elections Commission took a decision to proceed with the National Recount but under the supervision of GECOM, with the integral involvement of CARICOM.

IDB, World Bank sign the first Framework Agreement for mutual reliance in procurement THE Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the World Bank have signed a Framework Agreement for mutual reliance in public procurement matters related to co-financed projects in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

This Agreement is consistent with international good practices, is based on both institutions’ common project procurement principles and brings forth a range of opportunities for the LAC Region.

The Agreement will allow the IDB and the World Bank to leverage each other’s capacities and move in a more expeditious manner, to prepare and implement projects in countries and channel much needed resources to address the needs of the Region. Both institutions recognize the importance of fostering cooperation, to achieve synergies and acknowledge the need to increase the development impact of their projects for the benefit of their borrowing member countries, within

their jurisdictions.

Furthermore, this Agreement signals a coordinated and unified approach to public procurement, which is anticipated to result in increased efficiencies and the prevention of duplication of efforts in jointly financed projects. Since both banks already employ a similar Procurement Framework that is consistent with international good practices that promote economy, efficiency, equality, fairness, integrity, transparency, quality, value for money and fitness for

purpose, execution of the Agreement in co-financed projects should be seamless.

In addition, implementation of the Agreement should substantially reduce transaction costs for borrowers as well as the banks, in relation to project procurement preparation, execution and monitoring.

A lead co-financier will be designated and whose procurement policies will govern the project while the other co-financier will rely on the lead’s work.

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

CHILD ABUSE- Malik’s story (names have been changed to protect identity) ‘IS wha’ wrong with this child?’ My mother pushed me and I fell to the floor. ‘Get up!’ she yelled, as she hastily got out of the chair where she was sitting, grabbing at my throat, pulling me close.

My heart pounded with fear; my body felt weak. I felt her breath on my face as her wide, piercing eyes met mine, ‘If… I…say… yuh going by Trevor and May that is where yuh going, yuh hear me?’. And with a final shove she pushed passed me and went to gather her things for work.

It took a lot of courage for me to tell her that I didn’t like going to Trevor and May, I knew she would get angry, but I had to tell someone. At ten years old I didn’t have many friends and we had no relatives living nearby so Uncle Trevor and Aunty May, as I was told to call them, were the people my mother left me with, while she worked at the weekends.

This had been going on for 4 months and I was feeling unsafe and unhappy at their home. Every Friday, I would begin to feel sad. This made me argue with the children at school and get in trouble with the Teachers; that was my pattern. Then I would take my time going home because I knew tomorrow was Saturday and mum would take me to Uncle Trevor and Aunty May’s house again and I hated it.

My mum was an overpowering woman who never listened to me or asked me important questions. She got on well with all her friends on her cell phone but as far as I could tell she never understood how I felt. I used to think she doesn’t understand because we are different, she is a woman and I am a boy, but as I grew older I realised, it wasn’t the difference in our sexes. The fact was mum just looked at me as her son, who simply had to do as he was told. She never thought about looking inside of me and checking me out as a person. For instance, she never checked out what I was thinking or feeling about anything or even if I had an opinion about different situations.

Our relationship consisted of me saying mostly…’No mummy, yes mummy, alright mummy’. Punctuated by her pushing me or slapping me; making some threats; shouting a few cuss words and sometimes bullying me. You might question, how can an adult bully a child? She is the adult and the child must do as he is told. Yes, children should do as they are told, within reason. But my mother forced me to do things against my better judgement. I had plucked up enough courage to say… I don’t like going to Trevor and May’s house… and still she bullied me into going; she failed me. She failed me because true to her character, she didn’t even have the notion to ask me why.

I grew up suppressing what I felt inside instead of expressing what I was going through. And what I was going through felt wrong, it made me uncomfortable, sad and angry. It was too much for a little boy to deal with and yet I carried it around with me every day. You see when I first stayed at Trevor and May they were kind and everything was alright. I could watch as much television as I liked and they fed me well. Trevor liked playing computer games and football so we played indoors and sometimes outside in the yard. May made channa for us and we watched movies in the evenings. Sometimes mum would pick me up late about 10 o clock or sometimes I would sleep over if she worked an extra shift.

One night while sleeping over in their spare room I woke up with a stomach ache. Trevor and May were watching television in their room and I went to tell them. The door was slightly opened and I was about to knock when May saw me. I told her what was wrong and she called me into the room. When I saw what they were watching I knew straight away that it was not a programme for children so I kept my back to the television. Somehow my stomach ache felt better and I wanted to leave. But they insisted that I get into bed with them and allow Trevor to rub my stomach. After that, whenever I slept over, it became a regular thing for me to visit their room and watch ‘big people’ movies with May looking on, as Trevor touched me in different places. I hated it, it felt wrong but I had no one to tell, and no one to turn to.

One particular Friday at school I was being disruptive in class and was sent to the deputy headmaster as a punishment and it was he, Mr. Trotman who spoke to me sensitively, and worked out that something was wrong. He could see that I was trying to communicate to someone, anyone who could hear me; he picked up on my dilemma and was able to get me some help.

I am now in my twenties, at UG, studying social work and communications; I want to help children to be expressive and free. EVERY CHILD NEEDS SOMEONE THAT THEY CAN TRUST AND TALK TO; and I am saying that from personal experience.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@ gmail.com A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY,MINISTRY OF SOCIAL PROTECTION

11

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

‘The skullduggery coming out’ … APNU+AFC alerts, Guyanese, diplomatic community about voting irregularities in PPP/C’s strongholds

… says the party trying to contaminate, rig the elections THE APNU+AFC Coalition, on Sunday, said, as the fifth day of the recount process has been completed, clear and unmistakable patterns of irregularities, discrepancies and worse have emerged.

The recount process has uncovered, among other things: countless instances of dead persons being recorded as voting, exclusively, in PPP/C’s strongholds; countless instances of persons who have long migrated from Guyana and who were not in Guyana on Election Day being recorded as voting; countless instances of persons who did not uplift their ID cards from GECOM for many years being recorded as voting in PPP/C’s stronghold areas but with no corresponding Oaths of Identity being found in the ballot boxes; countless instances of unsigned Oaths of Identity in PPP/C’s stronghold areas; numerous instances of votes for other parties being recorded for the PPP/C; numerous instances of missing poll books and numerous instances of ballots clearly cast for the APNU+AFC Coalition deemed as spoilt.

According to the coalition, what is emerging, even at this early stage, is that there was a systematic effort by the PPP/C, on Election Day, to corrupt the electoral process and to fraudulently cause votes to be registered for that party while

seeking to disqualify votes for the APNU+AFC Coalition. “This is an attack on the credibility of the electoral process by a single political party - the PPP - and its agents and co-conspirators,” the release by the coalition stated. “The APNU+AFC reaffirms its commitment to the recount process as it is unmasking the PPP/C’s attempts to contaminate and rig the March 2, 2020 elections.

The nation and the whole world are witnesses to this, in real time, via the livestreams. The APNU+AFC is concerned that PPP/C officials, who are likely to have been involved in this rigging process on Election Day, are now presenting themselves to the media, conducting interviews and updates in a last gasp effort to ‘spin’, cover up and mislead the Guyanese public. We urge all stakeholders, including the diplomatic community and the observers to call on the PPP/C’s agents to desist from bold-facedly lying to the Guyanese people.”

Further, the coalition is calling on the diplomatic community, particularly the ABCE countries, to begin addressing their minds to revoking the visas of persons from the opposition PPP/C who are being exposed as the true riggers of the March 2nd election. “This is especially relevant, given that in the case where persons who have long

APNU General Secretary, Joseph Harmon migrated from Guyana are listed as having voted, many of these persons live in and are citizens of ABCE countries.”

“We call on all Guyanese to remain alert and not to succumb to the non-stop flow of PPP/C’s lies, spin and propaganda to which they have resorted in an attempt to mask their electioneering shenanigans.”

EAGLE’S EYE Only on Saturday, General Secretary of the A Partnership for

National Unity (APNU), Joseph Harmon, said counting agents of the APNU+AFC coalition are using their extensive training to closely scrutinise the ongoing national recount of the March 2, General and Regional Elections.

He said “Operation Eagle Eye” will bring to the fore discrepancies that might have been missed or overlooked during the closing count of polls on March 2. “We have given a name to our operation here, operation eagle eye. All of our agents here have gone through an extensive period of training, so they know what to look for. So it is that eagle eye they are bringing to this process,” he told journalists on Saturday. He continued, “We had polling agents across this country and you are likely to have persons who are not as efficient as they should be. This recount is taking place in one location so they can lookout. Some things might have slipped through on March 2, but we should be able to catch those things here.”

Harmon had cause to also denounce the position by the opposition calling for a mere numerical count of the ballots. “Here you have the integrity of the process and the numbers that are actually processed.

I see (them) saying that all we need to do is count the numbers. If it

were so simple, we wouldn’t need an entire CARICOM observation team here to scrutinise all that is taking place.”

Harmon noted that some credibility issues have to be addressed and those issues cannot be addressed by a mere numerical calculation. He said there are questions concerning persons who are dead and whose names surfaced during the elections, as well as persons who were not around on elections day, but “voted as well.”

Such discrepancies Harmon said are not a true reflection of the will of the Guyanese people and remain the ultimate questions that have to be answered. “What has happened to the will of the Guyanese people and this is why we have laid great store in the recount itself and have gone to great lengths to ensure that everything that needs to be done to ensure this process is completed, is done.” He said complaints of the process “taking too long,” have to be looked at closely, and posited that “when you are hurry you tend to overlook things and this is what is happening here.”

Meanwhile, Harmon said the coalition has raised some issues with the elections commission and is awaiting a response.

Man with COVID-19 symptoms quarantined at Lethem Hospital A MAN who made frequent trips across the border from the town of Lethem to Brazil as recent as Friday has been quarantined at the hospital in the Rupununi town after he showed up at the public medical facility displaying symptoms of coronavirus infection Medical sources in the region noted that the man was diagnosed with malaria by officials at the Brazilian town of BonFim last week. However, his condition reportedly deteriorated and several days ago, he turned up at the Lethem hospital for treatment. He was placed in isolation while samples were taken from him and dispatched to the city for testing.

Reports are that the staff of the hospital who were treating the man, have also been quarantined.

According to reports in the Brazilian media, 1,202 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the neighbouring state of Roraima and 18 deaths have been attributed to the virus.

Last week, Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud urged residents of Region Nine to be vigilant in order to stem the spread of the coronavirus.It has been reported that although emergency measures have been in effect , including a curfew and a lockdown of the Takutu Bridge crossing, persons were still making their way across the border via illegal river crossings.

“I want to draw your attention to Brazil, which has 107, 780 cases with 7,321 deaths.

For Guyana, this simply means that our bordering regions with Brazil are at additional risk of contracting the coronavirus disease, and so all residents, especially of Region Nine, are asked to be extremely vigilant and comply with all control measures”, Dr Persaud noted last week.

Although Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has downplayed the seriousness of the pandemic, the Portuguese-speaking country has recorded over 156,000 cases of the virus and more than 10,600 deaths have been attributed to COVID-19.

A section of the town of Lethem close to the Brazil border.

‘Return to the farms’ 12

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday May 11, 2020

…Region 10 farmers urged to get back into business

REGIONAL Agricultural Officer for Region 10, Deryck Collins has called on farmers and residents within the region to get back into farming warning that it is important in building food security, said a press release from the RDC. Collins was at the time speaking to members of the Regional Health and Emergency Committee. He told the members that increasing food production is pivotally important if the region is to be secure as it relates to adequate food.

“This is very important as while we have a number of farmers, we still must recognize that this situation should allow us to be cognizant that returning to farming is very important.

Years ago every household had its own kitchen garden and now is the time to return to those days so as to ensure that we can sustain ourselves adequately and properly,” Collins said.

The Agricultural Officer

stressed that the region food production is not very high now. He stressed that local farmers do not have adequate food to sustain a lockdown.

“As it is right now farmers are doing what they have to do but we must be cognizant that it takes personnel to operate their farms because of the social distancing and other curfew measures implemented. Also, some of the farmers are not going out to work owing to transportation difficulties among other things. If we continue with that trend we will have a curve going down for food production range, but as it stands right now we don’t have enough food should there be a lock down,” he said.

Giving an estimate regarding the current food production, Collins said that the region farmers can only supply residents’ food for a month and half to two months. He said that this is because there is an urgent need for more persons to return to farming. “Cur-

Regional Agricultural Officer for Region Ten, Deryck Collins

rently with the current food production the food that we have can only last about a month and half to two months if there was to be a lockdown. We must remember that most of our planting materials come from out of the region,” he said.

He added, “farmers are currently stocking up right now but the reality is that should there be a lockdown

Caricom’s trade and economic council approves strategy for the re-opening of regional economies Caricom’s trade and economic council approves strategy for the re-opening of regional economies The fiftieth meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) last week approved a strategy for the re-opening of economies in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

The Caricom Secretariat said in a release that the Council which is made up of Trade Ministers and officials agreed to a framework centered on the development and adherence to defined metrics related to the Covid-19 virus, which will guide in the reopening process.

The strategy recommends a graduated model which sees governments relaxing restrictions in a deliberate, phased and incremental manner based on the transmission risk profile of the pandemic in specified geographical locations, sectors or businesses.

The framework suggests establishing a national public private consultative mechanism to govern the relaunch of economic activity at the Member State level; minimum standards which must be attained before relaxation of restrictions and communications to build public trust.

There is also the proposal for Certificates of Operation

to be issued to businesses that have been verified to be compliant in the protocols established for the industry.

The fiftieth meeting of COTED held virtually yesterday, 6 May 2020 was chaired by the Grenada Minister of Economic Development, Trade, Planning and Labour, the Honourable Oliver Joseph; with Ministerial representation from most CARICOM Member States. The Premier of Montserrat, the Honourable Joseph E. Farrell also attended the meeting as well as representatives from the public and private sectors.

for about three months we cannot survive as most of what we use have to be sourced from out of the region.”

Collins disclosed thar the RDC has embarked to get several farmers into seedling production, stating it is to secure the region.

He said that a seedling production being put in place allows anyone to always

have access to seedlings and other materials in continuing food production.

He made an appeal to get back to planting in their backyards and other available spaces, declaring that it’s very important. “We need to utilize what we always know and that is to utilize the yard spaces that you have to grow food.

We have been reaching out long before this situation urging persons to grow their food, unfortunately its now people are beginning to see the important benefits of a kitchen garden,” he said.

He continued, “we are trying to do is to break the mindset that many have adopted over the years that kitchen garden isn’t important. I want farmers and residents to know that nothing is wrong with having just one crop, planting one crop you are guaranteed that of a crop in your house so you don’t have to buy that particular crop as you don’t have to go to the market for it”.

He said that its critically important to plant as it helps us in maintaining social distancing urging that the various MOPH warnings is pertinent for all to follow.

“I will continue to urge persons to start their kitchen gardens and if you haven’t now is the best time to start as whatever crop you plant you are guaranteed of that food, thus ensuring you are protected from visiting the markets among other places during these times,” he warned.

Responding to fears of not having enough mold and other materials, he said that on a daily basis, a lot of waste is generated from the kitchen, which he said can be used. “It was estimated that on a daily basis ten tons are thrown away by residents and we can look at the waste that comes from your kitchen can be used to advance your crop/s as the waste can be converted into fertilizers, thus ensuring that you secure some of the best crops,” he said.

German’s Soup NY branch moving to new location Guyanese-owned German’s Soup is moving its Brooklyn, New York store to a bigger and more convenient location in mid-June 2020, the business entity said in a release.

According to the release the current location will close at the end of May 2020 and the restaurant will be relocated to 410 Utica Avenue, Brooklyn (approximately half mile from current location).

“The move was necessary since we have outgrown the current location with space constraints inhibiting the timely preparation of meals, so when the opportunity presented itself to purchase a property not too far from our current store we jumped at it. It just so happens it coincides with our 2nd year anniversary of doing business in New York, which makes it a momentous occasion,” says Clinton Urling, the Owner.

The new location occupies a large, bright space on the busy intersection of Utica Avenue and Montgomery Street in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

The stylish space will offer predominantly takeout meals. The restaurant will be opened daily, serving Monday – Friday 10:30am – 8:30pm, and Saturday – Sunday 10am - 9pm. Takeout, catering and delivery are also offered.

No reservations are taken. In May 2018, German’s Restaurant opened its first United States store at 793 Utica Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, USA. The famous German’s Restaurant first opened in 1960 in Guyana’s capital city of Georgetown. Family-owned for all its 58-year history, the restaurant has become one of the most popular and most influential restaurants in the country.

13

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

Guyana among countries that increase tax-to-GDP ratios … even as IDB predicts fall in tax revenue for Caribbean

TAX revenues in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) increased to 23.1% of GDP on average in 2018, according to the new edition of Revenue Statistics in Latin America in the Caribbean published last week.

However, these gains are now under threat as a result of the region’s deteriorating fiscal outlook, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the global economic crisis. The increase of 0.4 percentage points (p.p.) from their level in 2017 is the highest level of tax revenues ever recorded in the region. However, LAC tax revenues remain far below the OECD average (34.3% in 2018).

Against this background, the capacity to finance public goods and services and to cushion economic shocks in the region remains limited.

Revenue Statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean 2020 is a joint publication by the Inter-American Centre of Tax Administrations (CIAT), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Centre for Tax Policy and Administration and the OECD Development Centre. This is the ninth edi-

tion in the series and the second produced through the European Union’s Regional Facility for Development in Transition for Latin America and the Caribbean. This year’s edition covers 26 countries, including Saint Lucia for the first time.

Tax-to-GDP ratios (measured as tax revenues, including social security contributions paid to general government, as a proportion of GDP) continued to vary widely across the region in 2018, from 12.1% in Guatemala and 13.2% in the Dominican Republic to 33.1% in Brazil and Barbados and 42.3% in Cuba. Fifteen countries reported an increase in their tax-to-GDP ratios between 2017 and 2018, while seven recorded a decrease and three remained at the same level. Three Caribbean countries (Trinidad and Tobago (up 3.3 p.p.) Belize (up 1.4 p.p) and Guyana (1.3 p.p.) recorded the largest increases while the largest decreases were in Argentina (down by 1.3 p.p.) and Nicaragua (0.8 p.p.).

Although revenue performance improved across the LAC economies in 2018, the region has subsequently faced major headwinds, which have intensified as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While stronger domestic and external demand underpinned the

increase in tax-to-GDP ratios in 2018, economic conditions across the region deteriorated in 2019, in large part due to a decline in commodity prices. According to a special feature in the new report, hydrocarbon revenues across the region’s main producers increased from 2.0% in GDP in 2017 to 2.7% in 2018 but are estimated to have fallen to 2.5% in 2019. Hydrocarbon revenues are declining precipitously in 2020 as a result of collapsing oil prices.

LAC’s relatively low levels of revenue-generation constrain spending on public services - including health - and raise questions about how countries will finance the emergency social protection measures they are introducing to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moreover, weaker administrative systems for managing taxes and transfers relative to those in OECD countries reduce the range of tools available to the region in effectively responding to the crisis. Looking ahead, in the wake of COVID-19, it will be necessary for LAC economies to strengthen the role of tax systems to stimulate inclusive economic development and, in the longer term, to restore their public finances onto a more sustainable footing.

Although the region’s tax structure has moved closer to that of OECD

countries as a result of higher revenues from direct taxes and lower trade taxes, persistently low revenues from key taxes, such as personal income taxes (PIT), remain a constraint on revenue generation and a source of vulnerability. At just 2.2% of GDP, the region’s revenues from PIT in 2017 were far below the level in OECD countries (8.3%), while social security contributions amounted to 4.0% of GDP in 2017 compared to 9.1% in the OECD. At the same time, the region is far more reliant on taxes on consumption than OECD countries. Together, this reduces the potential for redistribution and tackling vulnerabilities in a context where persistent inequalities have been an important factor behind social unrest across the region in recent times.

Other highlights from the new report include a special feature on equivalent fiscal pressure (EFP) in the LAC region. EFP tracks a broader range of fiscal revenues than taxes collected by governments, including non-tax revenues from natural resources and mandatory contributions to private social security schemes.

In 2018, EFP averaged 25.0% of GDP across the region, up from 24.4% in 2017 and 17.4% in 1990.

CARICOM foreign ministers meet to coordinate foreign policy amid COVID-19 pandemic CARICOM Foreign Ministers were reminded of the importance of regional foreign policy coordination in the current uncertain times, as they opened the 23rd Meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) via videoconference last Wednesday.

CARICOM Secretariat’s Assistant Secretary-General, Ambassador Colin Granderson in reminding the meeting of the global health, social and economic crisis in the form of the novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, noted that the unity of the Region is being put to the test in a very crucial way. The fast approaching 2020 Atlantic Hurricane sea-

son also looms large, he added.

“The climate experts forecast that the 2020 season will be above average in the number and magnitude of the predicted hurricanes. These twin threats will certainly test the resilience of our Community,” he stated in remarks delivered on behalf of Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque.

According to a release by the secretariat, Ambassador Granderson urged CARICOM Foreign Ministers to speak “with one voice” as they continually and actively engage with international development partners. Of significance in this regard, he said, was action required to advance the initiative undertaken by the Chair of CARICOM, Prime

CARICOM Secretariat’s Assistant Secretary-General, Ambassador Colin Granderson

Minister the Hon. Mia Mottley of Barbados, who has written

to global leaders and financial institutions seeking their support for CARICOM’s position on access to concessional financing based on vulnerability and not on GDP per capita.

Ambassador Granderson said the Community welcomes support from countries like the UK and the US, and others like the Kingdom of Norway which have supported CARICOM’s efforts to keep issues of importance to it on the international agenda where it is not represented. “Issues such as climate change and the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been raised at the Joint Ministerial Committee of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank and the IMF in Oslo in April by Norway’s Minister of

International Development. We look forward to exploring further co-operation when we interface with the Foreign Minister of Norway, Her Excellency Ine Eriksen Søreide, during this meeting,” Ambassador Granderson stated.

“A weakened multilateral system, and the impulse of individual countries to rush to look inwards during these unprecedented times, are all the more reason for the Community to continue to reach out to its existing partners while expanding its relations with new partners,” Ambassador Granderson added.

The meeting was chaired

by His Excellency Dr. Claude Joseph, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Haiti.

14

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday May 11, 2020

She may be 100 but she’s no slouch --she still keeps abreast of what’s ‘going down’, and crotchets up a storm

By Jeune Bailey Van Keric BORN and bred in Stanl e y t o w n , N e w A m s t e rdam, Maude Olga Williams, known simply as ‘Cousin Maude’ , ‘Miss Williams’, and ‘Neighb’, fervently believes that in order for one to adequately maintain one’s family, they must be able to supplement their income. And, over the years, she has been busy practising what she preaches by supplementing her husband’s modest income by doing a bit of crotcheting and sewing here and there, raising a few hens, and planting her own kitchen garden.

Of late, gardening has been fast becoming the in’ thing in various communities across the country in light of COVID 19, which forces one to address the nutritional content of their diet. Moreover,

Former New Amsterdam Town Clerk Angela Collins doing her bit to honour her neighbour’s turning ‘The Big 100’

Still chic in spite of hitting that elusive century on Friday

kitchen gardeners are more gravitating towards organic farming, rather than regular farming which tends to rely heavily on pesticides and genetic modifiers.

And though she’s not into gardening much these days, ‘Cousin Maude’ would admire her fruit trees from her

windows, and can tell when they’re in need of special care.

Born to Antonita Lyken and Samuel Ellis on May 8, 1920, ‘Cousin Maude’ initially attended All Saints Anglican School, but was later sent to ‘learn sewing’, as being apprenticed to a seamstress was called back

Busy as the proverbial bee, fashioning yet another ‘chair-back’ perhaps

in the day. She also learnt to crotchet, which she does even to this day, and likes to while away the time by keeping abreast of what’s happening around the world by reading the daily newspapers and watching the various newscasts on television.

It was this love of current affairs that made her call to mind the day the famed American aviator, the late Art Williams, who became known as the father of local aviation, came to these shores.

As she recalled, her eyes lighting up at the memory, “It was in the 1930s that he flew his plane over New Amsterdam; it was a sight for all to see, as he was doing aerial stunts which captured the breath of the viewers.”

She also likes to indulge in a game or two of Checkers with her neighbour, Shirley Adams, and ‘talk a li’l name’ with former caregiver,

wasting their lives.

“There must be something they can do,” she said. “They can learn a trade; it is always good to earn an honest living…”

And although the planned celebrations to mark the milestone have had to be shelved because of the coronavirus, the day was well spent, as Cousin Maude was able to talk to those of her seven children and their families who reside overseas either by telephone, or the Internet, and she even had a relative travel all the way from the Essequibo Coast just to spend the day with her.

Her neighbour, Ms Angela Collins, a former Town

Taking a well-earned breather

Yvonne Lambert.

The mother of seven, ‘Cousin Maude’ is worried about what is to become of the youths of today, particularly those that are not so academically inclined, and are seemingly

Clerk of New Amsterdam, marked the occasion by decorating Cousin Maude’s gate so everyone in the village would know it was a special day for her that day

15

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

Seven new COVID-19 cases …104 persons have now contracted virus

THERE continues to be a consistent increase in the number of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, with the latest statistics showing that seven more persons were tested positive for the disease over the past 24 hours, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 104.

Public Health authorities have so far tested 914 persons, and, although 810 of those persons were negative, the reality remains that the cases rise almost every time a batch of tests are conducted.

The level of concern related to the increasing cases is compounded by the fact that ten Guyanese have lost their lives to the dreaded COVID-19 disease, while six persons are battling for their lives in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Additionally, there are 59 persons in isolation and just one person in institutional quarantine, a relatively good sign compared to previous figures. Other positive signs include the recovery of 35 of the infected persons.

As the battle against COVID-19 continues, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, had reminded persons that Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) remains the epicentre of the disease, and

there are a number of communities, outside of Georgetown, which have recorded cases.

Among communities on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) where cases were recorded are: Atlantic Gardens, Friendship, Golden Grove, Good Hope, Lusignan, Plaisance, and Strathsphey.

Among communities on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) where there were cases are: Diamond, Grove, Land of Canaan, Providence, and Timehri.

Just recently, in an effort to improve the response to the pandemic, the Public Health Ministry had launched its mobile unit at the East La Penitence Health Centre, as well as at the community COVID-19 facilities of Region Four at Herstelling, on the EBD, and at Paradise, on the ECD. The disease, however, remains a serious issue, not just in Guyana, but globally. And, according to global statistics, there are over 3.7 million cases of COVID-19, with over 265,000 deaths.

And with no approved treatment or cure, there is no assurance that persons will survive after contracting the disease. In the absence of approved medications, governments and authorities across the

CCJ takes lead in assisting justice sector to adapt to COVID-19 pandemic THE Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) last week convened a meeting of key personnel in judiciaries, prosecutorial services, state agencies and bar associations throughout the Caribbean in an effort to assess challenges and needs arising from the new paradigm produced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Co-sponsoring the meeting were the JURIST Project, the CCJ Academy for Law and the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers, CCJ said in a release. The virtual meeting was attended by more than 100 participants across 22 countries and was hailed as a success by attendees. Many of the participants expressed a desire for follow-up regional collaborations. President of the CCJ, the Honourable Mr. Justice Adrian Saunders, opened the meeting by welcoming the gathering that included seven regional Heads of Judiciary, six Directors of Public Prosecutions and several Court Registrars, Bar Association Presidents and other legal and technical professionals.

The conference was co-facilitated by the CCJ President and Mr. Peter Bracegirdle of Global Affairs Canada (GAC), a consultant with the Canadian-funded JURIST project.

A significant role in organising the event was also played by APEX, a non-profit agency established by the CCJ in 2017 to provide technology-enabled solutions and training to improve the region’s justice delivery sector. In the first session, the attendees engaged in a discussion of the chal-

lenges faced in their jurisdictions by judicial officers, court staff, attorneys and other court users. Issues discussed included health challenges, particularly of court staff but also of court users who are not able to conduct their affairs remotely, either owing to the nature of the services required or the absence or unavailability of desired technology.

The gathering noted the challenges in ensuring a) efficient, accessible and effective justice for all court customers; and b) the health and safety of all who work in and use the services provided by the justice sector.

The latter two sessions focused on solutions that have been implemented in various jurisdictions and the lessons learned from these, as well as the needs that have become apparent in addressing the uncertainty that lies ahead. Participants benefited from hearing measures that have been implemented in other jurisdictions, such as those enabling the conduct of trials in Magistrates’ or Parish courts.

The meeting served as a significant first step in combining ideas and efforts across the Caribbean to meet the needs of those working in the justice sector and those seeking to avail themselves of its services.

Going forward, the CCJ intends to continue working with its partners and the stakeholders in each of these jurisdictions to ensure that we are all stronger and better positioned to serve our constituents, even when COVID-19 is in our rear view.

world have employed a number of preventative measures to contain the spread of the disease.

Dr. Persaud said the Ministry of Public Health continues to work with the residents in the border communities to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease.

Additionally, the government has extended its emergency measures to combat the dreaded disease, with the imposition of a 12-hour curfew on citizens.

These emergency measures were taken pursuant to Paragraphs (1) and (2) (b) of the directive issued by the President, in accordance with the Public Health Ordinance, Cap. 145, and published in the Official Gazette, Legal Supplement B, on March 16, 2020. These measures have been extended to June 3, 2020.

As the country wages war against the

deadly disease, President David Granger is on record as saying that the efforts of the country’s frontline workers, in particular those within the medical field, should not go unnoticed.

“I ask you… to think tenderly of our public health professionals and service providers; that is to say, our doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and all other supporting staff, medical and non-medical, who are providing the required care for those in distress,” President Granger said, adding: “Public health practitioners are on the frontline of protecting those stricken by the disease; they have been working tirelessly, through this very difficult situation, to provide quality healthcare to those who have been infected and afflicted. Everyone in the public health system has played a vital part in the fight against this disease.”

16

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

208 Ballot Boxes counted to date –– 51 ballot boxes counted on Sunday –– GECOM makes new decisions on sequential counting, observation reports, cellphone use

By Lisa Hamilton A TOTAL of 208 ballot boxes have been counted as of Sunday, day five of the national recount process, with an additional 51 ballot boxes counted --- the highest number thus far.

The process generally went smoothly yesterday as reported by Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Public Relations

Officer (PRO) Yolanda Ward; GECOM Commissioners and representatives of various political parties.

The breakdown of ballot boxes counted by region is: Region One –11; Region Two – 10; Region Three --17 and Region Four --- 13.

Ward catered for an additional box which was not included on Saturday, thus bringing the total to 208.

On Saturday, 48 ballot boxes were counted which

means that three additional boxes have been added to this previous record. The current record of 51 also represents an increase of over 50 per cent when compared to the first count of 25 ballot boxes on day one.

Meanwhile 190 ballot boxes have thus far been tabulated for the General Elections and 180 for the Regional Elections, thereby narrowing the gap between the two by 10 ballot boxes.

GECOM’s Public Relations Officer (PRO),Yolanda Ward Apart from the largely smooth process, coming out of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Ward said that a series of new decisions have been made by the Commission relating to observation reports, the sequential counting of ballot boxes, cell phone use and more.

Henceforth, workstations will be allowed to choose a ballot box with a small number of ballots when the curfew period is approaching to make use of what little time may be left.

Previously, the Commission had decided that the last ballot box of any workstation would be allowed to be retrieved from a container no later than 17:00 hours, to ensure that the ballot count would be completed, in keeping with the established curfew of 19:00 hours.

The Commission has decided that it would be difficult to complete a ballot box within a two-hour timeframe, due to the number of ballots that may be in a box, and given that the recount was solely being conducted in sequential order.

“One of the decisions of the Commission coming out from today is that, while we will try to stick

with that same five o’clock mark, we will narrow it down to ensure that we select a box that may have a small number of ballots, hence the sequential aspect, at that particular juncture, will not be applicable,” Ward said.

Another issue that the Commission deliberated on was the language choice on Observation Reports. Ward said some persons felt that the language used in some cases stated complaints/observations as factual rather that what they were ---- allegations.

The decision will now be filtered down to all workstations, particularly GECOM staff, that those crafting the Observation Reports are to use words such as “alleged” or “allegation” especially when there is no evidence to substantiate the claim.

When it comes to the actual counting process, the Commission has also decided, that in the cases where it can be logically discerned where an elector intended to vote, even if he/ she placed the ‘X’ on a party symbol, or near the box, the ballot will be counted as a vote for the intended party.

The PRO stated: “I’ve been seeing conflicting reports in the press about the need to go to the other envelopes such as those containing spoiled, valid and rejected ballots. So, hence, you now see why there is a critical reason why that is very important; you now have rejected ballots that now become valid. Once the intention is clear, that ballot is valid.”

Although the People’s Progressive Party/PPP/C has been vehemently arguing against the conduct of more than a simple numerical count, PPP/C Executive, Anil Nandlall, had reason to note, yesterday, that his party had gained some 10

additional votes based on ballots which were previously deemed spoiled.

“Some votes that were deemed spoilt votes, when you examined the ballots… they were PPP votes that were unlawfully deemed spoilt,” he said.

Added to this, GECOM has decided that the previously implemented cell phone use restriction at workstations in the Centre has been lifted. Ward said that, as it relates to the counting exercise, cell phone use will be permitted for the taking of photographs of ballot boxes when they arrive at workstations to prove that they are sealed and of the completed Statement of Recount (SOR), after it is signed by all necessary party representatives.

“No streaming of the process is permitted but persons are allowed to take those photographs during that exercise,” Ward clarified.

She also noted the Commission’s decision to allow three party agents per party to attend the tabulation process at the end of each day which remains from 16:00 to 18:30 hours.

The Commission has not yet deliberated on an extension of the 25-day timeframe set out for the recount, although it is expected a decision will be made this week.

Observation Reports made on SORs were read out loud as last agreed by the Commission, even as it is working to acquire personnel to provide sign language services in short order.

Meanwhile, today, the full Commission is expected to meet with representatives from some six small parties which have made such request to deliberate on issues they believe are affecting the recount process.

17

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

UN launches US$29.7M fund appeal to combat COVID-19 in the Eastern Caribbean

AHEAD of next month’s start to the hurricane season, United Nations Resident Coordinator Didier Trebucq and the UN Sub-regional Team for Barbados and the OECS, launched a joint COVID-19 Multi-sectoral Response Plan (MRP) and US$29.7 million Fund Appeal on Wednesday 6 May to help mitigate the staggering socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 on Eastern Caribbean SIDS. Addressing an international online audience, Mr. Trebucq said that through its integrated recovery strategy, the UN would mobilize financial resources to meet the region’s most pressing needs over the next eight months. The MRP, he explained, aims to contain the spread of COVID-19, minimize its socio-economic impacts, ensure resilient recovery and protect the most vulnerable including women, children and persons with disabilities. It will be implemented across eight pillars: health and wellness, food nutrition security, economic recovery, education, social protection, gender-based violence and violence against children, human rights, and logistics and supply chain management.

While Mr. Trebucq lauded Caribbean countries for their efficient health response to reduce the spread of the virus, he remained concerned about the socio-economic impact of COVID -19, given the high vulnerability of SIDS. The closure of borders and grounding of commercial

travel, for example, threatened the region’s vital service industries, including tourism, which contributes as much as 50 per cent of GDP in some countries and provides jobs for one half of the region’s labour force. “It cannot be business as usual” he stressed, and he made an urgent appeal for “international solidarity for the needs of Eastern Caribbean SIDS to be given the highest priority.” Mr. Trebucq also pledged the UN would stand with CARICOM countries to amplify their call for urgent debt restructuring or forgiveness. “Please count on the UN to help garner wider support,” he said.

The launch was co-hosted by UN Under-Secretary-General and UN High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS), Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, with interventions from the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, the Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados.

Under-Secretary-General ‘Utoikamanu called for immediate global action for SIDS and solidarity with the most vulnerable countries.

If their need for funding support was not met with urgency, she said, “the likely result will be longer term poverty and hardship for many….

We cannot allow for this to happen. [The] time to act is now!”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados, Senator Jerome Walcott, said the region’s already fragile economies were regularly disadvantaged by their inability to qualify for grant funding and limited fiscal space, as well as the challenges of climate change as manifested in hurricanes. “So, as we battle with all of these, we are now faced with the COVID-19 pandemic,” he lamented, and he thanked the UN for its well-analyzed response to the region’s needs at this time.

Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Allen Chastanet told the launch that COVID-19, unlike previous disasters, had adversely impacted all sectors, leaving the Government with a 60 per cent drop in revenue, and struggling to pay salaries and meet its debts, even at the regional level.

SIDS, the Prime Minister said, “are simply not fitting in appropriately into the global economic architecture. It is really about the inability of Government to continue funding business as usual.”

Criticizing the use of per capita GDP as a measure to determine the level of support made available to SIDS, Prime Minister Chastanet said COVID-19 had left them to battle the pandemic on two sides - the health side and the economic side. “The developed world showed us what the solution was, which was to create liquidity.

Sadly, for us, we are not in a position to create that level of liquidity,” he said. Mr. Chastanet

praised the UN’s multi-sectoral approach, while calling for an urgent meeting for SIDS to discuss their place within the new global architecture.

Chairman of the OECS and Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, also welcomed the UN funding appeal but hoped for the target to be increased significantly to more adequately meet the region’s post-COVID-19 stabilization needs. Mr. Browne also called on the UN to support Antigua and Barbuda’s request to the Paris Club for debt forgiveness of over US$100 million.

“If the international community cannot assist us at a time when we are seeing the worst crisis, when are they going to assist us? When are they going to be able to assist these micro-states?”

Prime Minister Browne said. “Forcing us to carry high debt loads and then to find monies to stimulate and to stabilize, [will mean] we are not going to be able to achieve the SDGs.” Embracing the spirit of global solidarity, representatives of the Consulates of Japan and India, and of the Department for International Development (DFID) and the European Union Delegation to Barbados and Eastern Caribbean delivered informal interventions.

The UN Resident Coordinator is the highest-ranking representative of the UN at the country level and leads the UN Sub-regional Team comprising the Heads of UN Agencies for Barbados and Eastern Caribbean states.

18

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

NICIL sees Guyana rebounding stronger from COVID-19 … working on economic recovery blueprint GUYANA will rebound stronger from the COVID-19 epidemic, according to Colvin Health-London, acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).

“We as a country and more so as a people can rebound in a significant way after the passage of COVID-19,” said Heath-London in a release from the agency.

It said that last month, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, warned that the coronavirus pandemic could eat away three percent of the global economy, the steepest fall since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Georgieva’s pessimistic global economic forecast could miss the mark however, because of the erratic nature and behaviour of the contagious and deadly COVID-19 virus, which the IMF official said is proving difficult to predict, the release said.

The release noted too that the online version of the Guardian recently quoted the top IMF executive as saying: “With no immediate medical solutions, more adverse scenarios might unfortunately materialise for some economies.”

Georgieva noted that “it is the unknown about the behaviour of this virus that is clouding the horizon for projections.”

The release said that locally, NICIL is providing financial assistance and is pursuing a wide range of economic projects, without fanfare, to help counter economic hardships on Guyanese which are directly tied to the COVID-19 epidemic.

Even though finances have slowed to a trickle into NICIL’s coffers, the government-owned agency remains resolute, Heath-London said.

“Recognising that many individuals and organisations will need assistance during this time [of hardship] we [are] playing our part too,” the CEO (ag) said.

“It’s evident that several persons are experiencing difficult times and NIICIL hopes that the resources that we are making available, especially to those who are quarantined and

are in isolation centres, will demonstrate that the Government of Guyana remains committed, dedicated and cognisant that people need help and we at NICIL are providing that help,” Heath-London continued.

According to rhe release, NICIL has already drafted a post COVID-19 economic recovery blueprint and the CEO and other executives are upbeat that the country “will bounce back again [and] in a bigger way.”

The release said that for now, NICIL will not disclose the nature nor cost of the recovery projects, but Heath-London reiterated that “we as a country…can rebound in a significant way after the passage of COVID-19.”

NICIL said that almost US$3 trillion is needed in external financing to manage the twin economic and health crisis resulting from COVID-19.

IMF chief economist, Gita Gopinath, commented on the worsening hardships triggered by the contagious disease and noted that nascent markets and developing countries would need $2.5 trillion to manage the health and economic crises.

“This crisis is likely to last longer… and so the needs will go up, even above that number,” Gopinath predicted.

NICIL lauded the Ministry of Public Health, which has the lead role in strategising the national response to combat COVID-19, for refusing to buckle under the daily pressure to respond adequately, appropriately and in a timely manner.

“NICIL recognises that the work being done by the Ministry of Public Health is of a high standard and we would also like to use this opportunity to express congratulations and thanks to all frontline workers throughout Guyana and to remind them that irrespective of the challenges and difficulties that they experience in the execution of their workm that NICIL, its board of directors, management and staff and by extension all of Guyana salute them in a big way,” Heath-London said.

Teen kickstarts NGO to tackle rape, sexual assault –– sparking conversations about Guyana’s rape culture IT started out as a single post on Facebook, creating a much-needed conversation among young men and women to address the gross rape culture in Guyana.

Led by a 19-year-old, Nasha Hackett, the ‘rape is rape’ Facebook page and the United Care Corps Organisation was created after a series of rape stories shared by young teens in Guyana went viral; however, much to their dismay, the victims who were brave enough to share their stories suffered serious backlash and victim- blaming, instead of support and encouragement.

This spawned an idea for Hackett, hence, she created the now popular Facebook group as a safe space for everyone to share their stories of rape and sexual assault.

Hackett added that she decided to go public with the stories, since many of the perpetrators have not yet suffered consequences for their actions.

In the group, Hackett would feature screenshots of

detailed messages of women and girls who were raped.

Hackett, who currently resides in the United States of America, noted that she has managed to assist, roughly, 40 young girls in having their stories heard, along with making several reports to the Guyana Police Force.

“It all depends on what the victims want to do: someone would rather tell their stories just so people could know and others would want something to be done For the ones that {sic} would want something to be done, since I’m in the US, one or two of the admins would assist them to the station so they can make a report,” she stated.

After seeing a tremendous response from victims and supporters alike, Hackett moved along to create the United Care Corps Organisation, which now includes six members, including herself.

She noted that while the Facebook page is still continually active, she wanted to

Nineteen-year-old Nasha Hackett, founder and creator of the infamous ‘Rape is Rape Facebook page and the United Care Corps Organisation create a more organised environment to assist the young women who come to her with their stories.

Hence, she opted to create the NGO, which she hopes in the future will bring more than just a voice for those who cannot speak out, but also security, compassion and counselling.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

19

20

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

Crystal Palace chairman says Project Restart may fail (BBC) – CRYSTAL Palace chairman, Steve Parish, says that unless Premier League clubs can find a way to stage matches soon, it may be a “very, very extended period” before the top flight returns.

Speaking on BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show, Parish said that initial plans for league matches to be staged again from June may prove unfeasible.

“We would be derelict in our duty if we didn’t find a way to try and bring the game back,” he said.

“It may prove beyond us.”

At least three clubs – Watford, Brighton and Aston Villa – are opposed to the plan to stage matches at neutral venues under ‘Project Restart’, while club doctors have raised concerns over aspects of the proposals.

Parish will be part of a meeting of Premier League club officials on Monday where discussions will continue over how they could get their teams back on the pitch.

In Germany, where the top two divisions are set to restart on 16 May, second-tier side Dinamo Dresden have placed their entire squad and coaching staff into isolation for two weeks after two players tested positive for coronavirus.

A previous wave of 1,724 tests carried out last week by the Bundesliga returned 10 positive results.

“The German example

could provide a blueprint for us and clearly we can see some of the early challenges,” added Parish.

“They may prove insurmountable, but the concern for us is that if they prove insurmountable now then we may be in for a very, very extended period of not being able to play and that has huge ramifications for the game.”

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has previously predicted a loss of “at least £1bn” if the Premier League fails to complete the 2019-20 campaign.

Parish believes that deciding the final league positions on the pitch, rather than relying on points per game or taking the current table as the final outcome, is preferable, even if conditions are far from ideal.

“Deciding it competitively would be best, obviously if we can play in our own stadiums that would be preferable for everybody, but for the moment that situation is with government and the authorities and not with us,” he said.

“The police have made it clear that they don’t think they can police every ground.

“I have enormous sympathy with [Watford chief executive ] Scott Duxbury’s position. Having said that, I think it may well prove to be the least worst option.

“There are no easy answers, we have to work through it as a collective and I think we will come out with a consensus in the end.”

Parish also underlined that he and his colleagues are keeping football in perspective during an outbreak in which, as of 11:30 BST on 10 May, at least 31,587 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in the United Kingdom.

“Football is entirely unimportant in the context of the public health crisis, that has to come first,” he said.

“We will want assurances as clubs that we are not taking resources away from anyone. We simply can’t take tests away from anyone who is more needful than us.

“We have been told so far that these are private facilities that are not being utilised for this particular public health crisis. We will all want more clarity on that, it is essential that that is the case.”

21

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

Brathwaite tipped to become the next Test

CMC – Well-travelled Barbadian umpire, Gregory Brathwaite, has been tipped to become the next Test umpire from the region.

West Indies Cricket Umpires Association secretary, Vivian Johnson, said the 50-year-old Brathwaite was currently among a group of officials on an “emerging panel” of international umpires soon expected to graduate to the longest format.

“Based on reports, Gregory is in what we would call the ‘emerging panel’ of the international panel of umpires,” Johnson said.

“We have four members on that panel – the international panel – and he is integrated into the emerging

panel. That means he is being earmarked for Test cricket in the future. That’s where they move from; it is on that level.

“The ICC competitions that are held internationally like the women’s tournaments and T20 tournaments, some of our umpires are asked to go to those tournaments, and Gregory has been going to them and getting a lot of finals and semi-finals.”

Brathwaite has already stood in 44 One-Day Internationals, the last coming on England’s high profile tour of South Africa last February, and has also officiated in 28 T20 Internationals.

Recently, he was third television umpire for the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup in Melbourne last

March, and was also good enough to stand in the final of the women’s 50-overs World Cup three years ago in England.

Brathwaite is one of four Caribbean umpires on the ICC International Panel, alongside fellow countryman Leslie Reifer, Guyanese Nigel Duguid and Jamaican Patrick Gustard.

Currently, Trinidadian Joel Wilson is the only regional official on the ICC’s Elite Panel, having already stood in 19 Tests, including two of the five high profile Ashes Tests last summer.

Johnson said Gustard, Duguid and Reifer were also making strides, along with woman umpire Jacqueline Williams – a 44-year-old

Jamaican who made her international debut last year and had already stood in five ODIs involving associate nations.

“Jacqueline Williams has been doing exceedingly well so she’d been recognised worldwide,” Johnson pointed out.

“Cricket umpiring is a long game – it takes time.

Since 2010 when we formed a [new] regional panel, it took nine years for one of those to be elevated to the Elite Panel which we are grateful for, so it’s a long game.

“There are countries who don’t have representatives there so we’re hoping that over time we’ll get two, we’ll get three but we have

to continue the training and we have to make sure the umpires remain sharp, are doing the games that will get them to that level and keep them at that level.”

Johnson said WICUA, in association with Cricket West Indies, had been collaborating to ensure the region produced high quality officials.

“We’re working hard.

The board (CWI) has been putting in a lot of training and a lot of programmes for the umpires to succeed at the highest level and it is paying off,” said Johnson.

“As a matter of fact, I will go back as far as 2010 when we had a meeting at the board level in Antigua and we decided we were going

to be fast-forwarding and using a lot of young umpires to give them the requisite training and experience so that within a requisite number of years, they would be advancing to that [international] level.

“For many years we’ve had exchange programmes with Bangladesh and England so many of these umpires we’re speaking about, they went on these training programmes to sharpen their skills, to see what other cultures were all about.”

Jamaican Steve Bucknor remains the most successful umpire to emerge from the region, having stood in 128 Tests and 181 ODIs before quitting in 2009.

UFC returns behind closed doors as Gaethje finishes Ferguson (BBC) - JUSTIN Gaethje produced the best performance of his career to finish Tony Ferguson and win the UFC interim lightweight title at UFC 249.

The event was held behind closed doors in Jacksonville, Florida, after the global coronavirus pandemic forced several changes to the card and venue.

halted after broadcast partner ESPN and parent company Disney intervened.

Eventually, it was moved to the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, where it became the first major US sporting event to take place since March.

More than 77,000 people have now died with Covid-19 in the United States and there

strict health and safety protocols in place. The referees, commentators and event staff wore face masks and only one cornerman per fighter was allowed into the cage between rounds.

Without the crowd, fighters said they could hear the commentators.

Heavyweight Greg Hardy said he was able to take the

changer.”

Carla Esparza, who beat Michelle Waterson, said she heard Cormier’s criticism of her and changed her strategy during the fight.

Fans watching at home commented on how noisy and “terrifying” the punches sounded in an empty arena.

While the night saw a host of thrilling fights, all eyes were on the main event between Americans Gaethje and Ferguson, with the winner set to move on to Nurmagomedov later this year.

Gaethje, 31, stepped in to face Ferguson at the start of April, and took his chance with a calm, composed display to win the belt and set himself

up for a shot at the Russian champion.

Gaethje started superbly and settled into his work in the first two rounds, but was dropped by a huge Ferguson uppercut in the final seconds of round two.

Undeterred, Gaethje continued to connect with powerful shots as Ferguson maintained his forward pressure and put the former interim champion on wobbly legs with a big punch early in round four.

By that point, Gaethje’s solid, accurate punches had started to take their toll on a bloodied and bruised Ferguson, and when a stiff jab forced Ferguson backwards,

midway through the fifth and final round, referee Herb Dean stepped in to end the contest.

It saw Gaethje awarded the interim lightweight belt, but he waved it away, saying he’s waiting for the “real thing”, as he laid out his wish to take on Nurmagomedov in a title unification bout in his next outing.

“Khabib is the best in the world,” he said.

“I’ve been working since I was four for challenges like this, and I’m happy to represent the United States of America against Dagestan (Khabib’s home region), or Russia’s best. He’s 28-0, and there’s no other challenge I want right now. I want to fight him.”

NER Monday, May 11, 2020 R O C UIZ Q COMPLIMENTS OF KET C I THE XTRA ENERGY DRINK CR – STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LT -83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158)

Justin Gaethje (left) on his way to beating Tony Ferguson at UFC 249

Undisputed champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, was originally set to face Ferguson on 18 April in Brooklyn, but the coronavirus outbreak forced the event to be moved, and the UFC’s attempt to hold the show on tribal land in Lemoore, California, was

are 1.2 million confirmed cases - both figures the highest in the world.

Brazilian middleweight Jacare Souza and his two cornermen tested positive for coronavirus on the eve of the event and were withdrawn.

On the night there were

advice of commentator Daniel Cormier as he beat Yorgan de Castro.

“Thank God for not having the crowd,” Hardy said in his post-fight interview. “Shout out to DC. I heard him tell me to check him, so I started trying to check him. Game

ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S QUIZ:

(1) Tatenda Taibu-(10 dismissals: 8 catches/2 stumpings) (2) Ridley Jacobs (16 dismissals: 16 catches)

TODAY’S QUIZ:

(1) Who is the first Zimbabwe player to hit a century on his Test debut?

(2) What are the best bowling figures in a Test innings by a WI on his debut?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

22

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

Emrit brushes off retirement talk

CMC – FORMER West Indies all-rounder Rayad Emrit has conceded he will be “restricted” but dismissed talk of retirement, despite applying for the vacant post of Trinidad and Tobago Red Force head coach.

“I have no intentions of retiring from playing cricket,” the Express newspaper here quoted the 39-year-old Trinidadian as saying.

“I am very keen on playing still, so if given the job, I will have to make certain decisions. But obviously, I will be restricted.”

Emrit was one of 18 applicants for the post along with the incumbent, Mervyn Dillon, former champion Windies leg-spinner, Samuel Badree and Test left-arm spinner, Sulieman Benn.

Sri Lanka’s Pasindu

Liyanaarachchi, Afghanistan’s Asadullah Khan along with Heinrich Malan of South Africa and Pakistani Atiq-Uz-Zaman, have also applied.

Emrit, a former Red Force captain, has forged a successful career as a Twenty20 specialist, and was recently appointed captain of the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots for the upcoming Caribbean Premier League season.

However, he said he decided to put his name up for consideration after being encouraged to do so by several former Red Force teammates.

“I seriously considered it, knowing that I’ve played with most of the guys in the team and I think I have a lot of respect from them and some of them asked me to put my

name forward when they saw that the job was being advertised,” Emrit said.

“It is a decision I made based on what I think is my best move, going forward, and obviously having the respect of the guys in the team.”

Under Dillon, Red Force achieved their best ever finish in the six-year professional era of the first class championship, when they ended second behind champions Barbados Pride earlier this year.

They managed only a single win from the first five rounds of the competition but hit back to win two of the last three matches, before the tournament was aborted following the eighth round due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus

JFF president ‘relaxed’ ...

spective, it will be the same teams in the hex but getting to Qatar 2022, the format will be a little different.”

Football, like most of world sport, has been brought to a grinding halt by the outbreak of COVID-19 which has already caused 4.1 million infections and 281,000 deaths globally.

CONCACAF competitions have not been spared with the confederation already forced to postpone the Champions League, the Caribbean Club Championship, the 2021 Gold Cup qualifiers and the Nations League finals.

Montagliani said last week that “on the balance of probabilities in terms of what has happened so far, and what likely will continue to happen, the current World Cup format will have to be changed, which means that ultimately the ‘Hex’ will have to be changed into some other form”.

He did say, however, the ‘Hex’ would be a “bigger

pandemic.

Nevertheless, Emrit said he possessed the ability to further develop the abundance of talent that lay in the Red Force rankings.

“There are a lot of talent in our country but I still think the talent is not being treated the way it should be treated and I don’t want the talent to go to waste so hopefully, if I get in a position to work with these guys I can make a change for this talented bunch of guys,” said Emrit, who played two One-Day Internationals and four T20 Internationals but has not suited up in two years.

“Whoever gets the job, it’s an important job and I wish everyone all the best.

Once I’m selected I will do my best to move TT cricket forward.”

FROM PAGE 23

competition” but could not elaborate on the structure until FIFA established new windows, once football was able to resume.

The Reggae Boyz are currently ranked fourth in CONCACAF, automatically qualifying them for the ‘Hex’, and Ricketts said he hoped any changes in format would not result in the home-and-away structure being affected.

“I really would’ve loved to have that original format where Jamaica, for example, would have five home games … the Mexicos, the Costa Ricas, the US playing in Jamaica and then of course that would be reversed and then you visit those countries,” the administrator said.

“I would be very supportive of that kind of format.

Now I have no idea what the new proposals will be so I’m just prepared to wait and see.

Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman Shafaq banned for six years

Shafiqullah Shafaq has played 24 one-day internationals and 46 Twenty20s for Afghanistan

(BBC) - AFGHANISTAN wicketkeeper-batsman, Shafiqullah Shafaq, has been banned for six years from all forms of cricket after breaching anti-corruption rules.

Shafaq admitted to four charges while playing for Afghan club, Nangarhar Leopards, in 2018 and Sylhet Thunder in last year’s Bangladesh Premier League.

The 30-year-old has played 24 one-day internationals and 46 Twenty20s.

The Afghanistan Cricket Board’s senior anti-corruption manager said the ban was a warning for all players.

“This is a very serious offence where a senior national player is involved in the corruption of a high-profile domestic game in the 2018 Afghanistan Premier League T20,” said Sayed Anwar Shah Quraishi.

“The player had also attempted but failed to get one of his team-mates to engage in corruption in another high-profile game during the Bangladesh Premier League 2019.

“It is an alert for all those players who think their illegal activities concerning the game of cricket will not be disclosed to the ACB. “Our coverage is vaster than what is perceived.”

F1 Bosses in talks with UK government (BBC) - FORMULA 1 bosses are in talks with the UK government as to whether new measures to control coronavirus affect plans to re-start the season.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced, on Sunday, that air travellers into the UK would soon be forced to self-isolate for a 14-day period after arrival.

On paper, that could scupper F1’s plans to hold two races in Austria and two at Silverstone on consecutive weekends.

But F1 has detailed plans to ensure its activities will be coronavirus-safe.

It is to set up a rigorous testing procedure for all staff attending races, including Covid-19 tests before travel and further tests for everyone every two days.

And a series of isolation

measures will be imposed on travelling staff, including keeping teams separate from one another at the track, at hotels and travel in between.

Ten grand prix have so far been postponed or cancelled this year as the coronavirus outbreak has played havoc with the sea-

son.

Johnson has not yet revealed the full detail of the government’s plans with regard to quarantining inter-

More than 140,000 fans were at Silverstone to watch the British Grand Prix last year

national arrivals, including when they will be imposed and for how long they are expected to last.

BBC Sport understands F1 bosses have been involved in detailed discussion with the government at all levels regarding the testing and isolation plans it will have in place.

Those talks will continue this week as more detail emerges.

F1 boss Chase Carey said last week that he was “increasingly confident” the season would be able to get off the ground at the Red Bull Ring in Austria on the weekend of 3-5 July.

F1 is planning a second race at the same track on 12 July, before two races in the UK on 19 and 26 July, although plans for the Austrian events are much further advanced than those

at Silverstone, with which financial details are yet to be agreed.

F1 then plans to move on to a further four races in Europe, at a yet-to-be confirmed selection of the tracks in Spain, Hungary, France, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. There is also a possibility of a race in Germany at the Hockenheim track, even though that was not on the original 2020 schedule.

All these events would be held behind closed doors, with no spectators and likely no media either.

F1 hopes to confirm the European portion of the calendar in the next two to three weeks.

After that, F1 hopes to head off around the world to Eurasia, Asia, the Americas and end the season in the Middle East in December.

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, May 11, 2020

Pross trumps Bremner 3-1 to claim inaugural iBET Supreme ‘League of Champions’ -Hutson claims third place IN a clash of the best vying for the inaugural iBET Supreme ‘League of Champions’ eSports FIFA 20 title, Emuwnah Pross and his Real Madrid CF team triumphed over Tevin Bremner (Liverpool) in a close encounter on Friday night which the final 3-1 scoreline did not reflect.

Meanwhile, Jonathon Hutson (Manchester City) had an emphatic 7-1 win over Pernell Cummings (Manchester United) to clinch third place.

The eventual champion, Pross took an early 2-0 lead in the final and never relinquished the lead despite Bremner cutting the deficit in half in the 50th minute after going close on several occasions, Pross however showed composure to seal the deal with his third goal of the game in the 80th minute to cart off the winner’s prizes; $50,000, a case of Monster Energy drinks, two pennyweights of Gold and a special Churchs’ Chicken meal along with a trophy

Pross speaking after his victory, revealed that he was excited and pleased to be able to claim the title; “I just played the tournament game by game, never tried to look too far ahead because you never know the kind of player or team you could come up against, I took my time and I kept banging it in my head that I would win the tournament, it happened and I am very happy”.

He also noted that the initiative is a great one and he looks forward to more tournaments in the f u ture; “it

and thankfully I was able to be a part of the first eSports tournament in Guyana, I met new people and made some new friends and it was a great experience overall”.

Bremner who disclosed that he was not satisfied with his performance promised to come back even stronger in the future; for his efforts he claimed $25,000 and a case of Monster Energy drinks along with a special Churchs’ Chicken meal.

In the third-place playoff, Cummings suffered another heavy loss conceding a 1-7 defeat to a rampant Hutson who secured the $15,000 cash prize along with a case of Monster Energy drinks and a special Churchs’ Chicken meal.

Bremner and Pross had Jonathon Hutson contrasting paths to the fiwas something that I had al- nals with the former pulling ways wanted to take part in off a victory for the ages in

his semi-final encounter with night Emuwnah Pross eased Hutson on Thursday night. his way to the final with reTheir semi-final produced sounding victories over Pera goal glut over the two legs nell Cummings ending on with Bremner eventually win- a 12-3 aggregate scoreline. ning 8-7 on aggregate; in Cummings who had looked his first leg, playing away ominous in the earlier stages Bremner came from 2-0 down of the tournament concedto draw 3-3 at full time. Huted a 2-6 loss son who was one of the fain the first vourites to go all the way, leg before once again went toe to toe Pross with Bremner in the return played fixture and the duo prohis reduced easily the best game turn fixof the tournament thus far, ture and Bremner took an early 1-0 won 6-1. lead but Hutson equalized Meanalmost immediately, Hutw h i l e , son would go on to take the Business lead three more times, but Bremner proved his quality by levelling each time and eventualTevin Bremner ly netting the winner in the 80th minute to seal his spot Development and Marin the final. keting Coordinator of iBET Meanwhile, earlier in the Supreme, Dustanni Barrow

Real doubts’ over CAS’ fitness in FIFA case: lawyers CMC – LAWYERS for embattled former football president, David Wallace, have questioned whether the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland is fit to preside over the dispute with football’s world governing body, FIFA. Reacting to CAS’s request for 40,000 Swiss francs (US$41 000) in order for the case against FIFA to be opened, legal counsel for Wallace and fellow disgruntled Trinidad and Tobago Football Association executives, Dr Emir Crowne and Matthew Gayle, accused the Switzerland-based organisation of “institutional bias”, arguing that the latest move created “real doubts” about its ability to fairly adjudicate the matter.

In a letter dated April 30, CAS told Crowne and Gayle that as “a general rule, FIFA does not pay any arbitration costs in advance when it acts as a Respondent in a procedure before CAS”, meaning that Wallace and his TTFA colleagues needed to “pay the entirety of the advance of costs”.

Further, FIFA also wrote CAS requesting that its deadline for submissions be suspended until Wallace was able to pay the associated costs to kickstart the trial.

In a strongly-worded response, however, Crowne and Gayle slammed the fee as “exorbitant”, pointing out CAS had provided no breakdown especially since the usual associated travel costs would be eliminated in the current environment of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

“To that end, we are genuinely unsure how the CAS facilitates access to justice with such extravagant fees. The Appellants (TTFA) are not from the developed world, nor are they as well-financed as the Respondent,” Wallace’s lawyers wrote to CAS. They added: “We note, with concern, that the Respondent did not give any indication as to its position on the advance costs, but instead it was the purportedly independent tribunal administrators who took it upon itself to inform the Appellants that ‘as general rule, FIFA does not pay any arbitration costs in

advance’.

“To be clear, even if our clients applied to the CAS for legal aid, it would still not remedy the apparent institutional bias that has arisen. As it stands, there are very real doubts that the CAS remains an appropriate and fair forum for the resolution of this dispute.”

Crowne and Gayle also said CAS’ participation in FIFA’s “ gamesmanship” had led to a tripling of arbitration fees.

“To sum up, the Respondent and the CAS caused the arbitration fees to triple. The arbitration fees themselves are excessive per se, especially since the proceedings were likely to take place by video conferencing due to the CAS’ Emergency Guidelines,” they argued.

“On its face, therefore, the CAS appears to be a willing participant in the Respondent’s gamesmanship, especially if the CAS had institutional knowledge that the Respondent – an entity with immeasurable financial resources – would not be advancing their share of the arbitration costs, and especially since it was the Respondent themselves who asked that the matter be heard before a three person panel thereby tripling the cost of the proceedings.

The latest hiccup threatens to derail the challenge to FIFA’s move to forcefully remove Wallace and his executive last March and install a normalisation committee to run the affairs of the TTFA. Wallace, who has maintained that FIFA lacks the authority to remove a duly elected executive, said he and the ousted executives members were mulling over their next move.

“We are meeting and we will decide what is the next step,” the Express here quoted him as saying.

Ousted TTFA president, William Wallace

expressed delight at the successful completion of the tournament; “it was a real joy to witness the birth of something new, at least here in Guyana, the level of competition throughout the tournament was exceptional along with the camaraderie of the competitors. I can safely say Guyana and the gaming community at large can look forward to more tournaments from us here at iBET and we will be looking to make improvements.”

“We had a few hundred people viewing the matches in the latter stages of the tournament and I’m sure that the numbers will only increase as we go along” Barrow noted.

He also commended the sponsors; Banks DIH through their Monster Energy drink Brand, Churchs’ Chicken, Smoke Shack, A&A Game Spot and NCN, for their contribution in making the tournament a success.

JFF president ‘relaxed’ about hexagonal World cup qualifying CMC – JAMAICA Football Federation president, Michael Ricketts, is relaxed about possible changes to the “hexagonal” qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, and says he will adopt a “wait and see” approach to planned deliberations within continental governing body, CONCACAF. While conceding he had “no idea” what changes would be implemented in coming months, Ricketts said he believed because of the disruption caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic, the format may have to be adjusted in order to accommodate the condensed schedule.

Last week, CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani said in an interview that the structure of the confederation’s hexagonal round would likely have to be altered, though he did not go into detail.

The ‘Hex’ is a qualifying round featuring the six topranked sides in CONCACAF playing in a round-robin, home-and-away format where the top three teams qualify directly for the finals, and the fourth-place team enters a playoff for the final spot.

Ricketts said he understood that a task force would first be set up to look at the ‘hex’ set to get underway in August.

“Having been pressed for time now [because of the halt in football], a new process would be in place,” Ricketts told CNC3 TV. “Which, from my own interpretation, would mean that the same teams would be in the hexagonal round but, how these six teams would play and how many times they would play, that’s where the changes could very well be.

“So, I still think that the six teams presently in the hex will remain the same six.

Normally, these six teams would play each other twice on a home-and-away basis.

For example, Jamaica would five home games and five away games which certainly would spread over maybe a six, seven or eight-month period.

“Now I think the proposal would be that there will be a different format. I have no idea what this new format will be but from my own perTURN TO PAGE 22

Emrit brushes off retirement talk

All-rounder Rayad Emrit

PAGE 22

Barbadian umpire Gregory Brathwaite

PAGE 21

Emuwnah Pross

Brathwaite tipped to become the next Test PAGE 23

JFF president ‘relaxed’ about hexagonal World cup qualifying

PAGE 23

Pross trumps Bremner 3-1 to claim inaugural iBET Supreme ‘League of Champions’

Jamaica Football Federation president, Michael Ricketts

PAGE 23

Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman Shafaq banned for six years

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limi ted, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 2 2 6- 3243-9 (General); Editorial: 2 2 7- 5204, 2 2 7- 5216. Fax:2 2 7- 5208

|

MONDAY, MAY 11, 2020