Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_06_12_2020

FRIDAY 12th June, 2020

' No.106027

‘Ralph jumps the gun’

–– APNU+AFC, PNCR slam St. Vincent’s PM for seeking to direct GECOM –– remind him four-stage recount process still ongoing SEE PAGE 03

Over US$90M in Natural Resource Fund ---Guyana receives payment for second crude shipment

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Rice rakes in US$99M for first crop -Over 242,000 tonnes exported

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‘This is unacceptable’ PAGE

…Chief Justice tells Nandlall after he admitted 02 withdrawing contempt case against GECOM officials

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‘This is unacceptable’

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

…Chief Justice tells Nandlall after he withdrew contempt case against GECOM officials

-admits he had no evidence against Mingo, others

By Svetlana Marshall ONE day before the court was set to rule in the contempt case - Reeaz Holladar v. Returning Officer for Region Four Clairmont Mingo and others, Anil Nandlall – the applicant’s attorney – filed a notice of withdrawal due to lack of sufficient evidence.

That last minute decision, which came three months after the case was initiated, did not sit well with Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George-Wiltshire, who chided Nandlall for wasting the court’s time when he was well aware that the application, as filed, did not meet the threshold for a contempt

of court proceeding.

“I am very sorry Mr. Nandlall, this is most unacceptable,” the Chief Justice told the attorney, during the hearing of the High Court case on Thursday (June 11) via Zoom, even as he attempted to justify his decision. The Notice of Withdrawal and Discontinuance was filed on Wednesday (June 10) by Nandlall.

Though not handing down her ruling in the matter, Justice George-Wiltshire said that “the evidence is very, very deficient,” and in effect, Nandlall would have wasted the court’s time.

THE APPLICATION The contempt of court case was filed by a private citizen – the late Reeaz Holladar – over an alleged failure, by the returning officer, to adhere to the orders handed down by the High Court on March 11, 2020.

The Chief Justice had ruled that the declaration of votes made by the Region Four Returning Officer, on March 5, was unlawful, on the grounds that there was substantial non-compliance with Section 84 (1) of the Representation of the People Act when the Statements of Poll (SOPs) for District Four were tabulated. She then ordered that the verification process, which was interrupted, be resumed or restarted, and that the SOPs be tabulated and projected in the presence of persons entitled to be there under the law.

One day after (March 12), Nandlall, on behalf of Holladar, filed Contempt of Court proceedings against Mingo; the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield; and the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice Claudette Singh, among others, though cognisant that there was insufficient evidence to prove his case. The case was first heard on March 13 in the High Court, and during

its hearing, the Chief Justice made her orders pellucid. A second declaration was later made that day (March 13),

by Mingo.

NO EVIDENCE When the matter came up on Thursday (June 11), Nandllall, who appeared virtually in association with Attorney-at-Law Davindra Kissoon on behalf of the applicant, apologised for his actions.

He explained that the Contempt of Court proceeding was filed under exigent circumstances on March 12.

“Your Honour, our application to file a supplementary Affidavit was not favourably considered, and we felt it best your Honour, in the better interest in the administration of justice, that we get an opportunity to put before the court, very relevant evidence, which would not have been available to us, at the time when we filed the application,” Nandlall explained.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

‘Ralph jumps the gun’ ---APNU+AFC calls out St. Vincent’s PM for seeking to direct GECOM --- remind him four-stage recount process still ongoing

THE APNU+AFC Coalition has expressed surprise and disappointment at the remarks of incoming CARICOM Chair and Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who put a limitation on the actions the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) could take in dealing with the ongoing elections.

On Wednesday’s Edition of “Your Morning Cup with Colvin Harry”, aired on State-owned NBC Radio in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Gonsalves stated: “We expect the CARICOM observer mission to deliver its report, and we expect that what is the recount would be honoured, and the Guyana Elections Commission will honour that recount and declare the winner in accordance with this recount. And anybody who then wants to challenge anything afterwards can go to court, but you have to declare the winner in accordance with the recount… I know a lot of opposition parties when they lose, or anybody who loses they say, ‘Oh, so and so thief.’ It’s almost a boring repetition; we get the reports, follow the law and who wins, wins.”

PM Gonsalves’ remarks comes as GECOM is preparing to receive a report from Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield on the summary of a number of observation reports taken during the recount, and the

recount figures themselves.

The presentation of the report only marks Phase Two of a

uments from one Polling Station being found in the ballot boxes of another; and

Incoming CARICOM Chair and Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves

four-phase process, which must next see deliberation on the report, and a decision on whether the information should be used for a declaration.

IRREGULARITIES The deliberation aspect will take into consideration irregularities pinpointed during the elections, such as counterfoils and ballots carrying the same number; ballots for one region cast in another; ballots cast for the dead and persons who have migrated; persons voting without proper identification; persons voting outside of their districts without employment documents; large numbers of improperly-stamped ballots at locations where Disciplined Services members voted; missing Poll Books and doc-

Ballot Boxes with no statutory documents.

Data generated from GECOM’s Statements of Recount (SOR) and the accompanying Observation Reports indicate some 7,929 instances of irregularities, which many believe directly affects the validity of 257,173 votes.

The act of deliberation was outlined in the gazetted Order, which gave way to the national recount, and which found favour with CARICOM, which later sent a three-member team to scrutinise the process.

PM Gonsalves was amongst CARICOM Heads, others being Prime Ministers Mia Mottley of Barbados; Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica; Dr. Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago; and Dr. Keith Mitchell of Grenada, who visited Guyana several

days after the March 2, 2020 elections, with the aim of assisting in the arrival at a reso-

taken a public position that is prejudicial to the integrity of the process and its eventual

APNU+AFC Election Agent, Joseph Harmon

lution within the Order which was subsequently crafted.

In a release on Thursday, APNU+AFC Election Agent, Joseph Harmon stated: “The APNU+AFC is therefore concerned that as the incoming Chair of the CARICOM, Dr. Gonsalves, has chosen to pronounce on a process that is still ongoing, and proposes to direct a constitutional body in another CARICOM Member State, in the execution of its duties… Further, the CARICOM Scrutineering Team has not yet submitted a report of its findings to GECOM, as it is mandated to do in keeping with the gazetted Order. Given these circumstances, it is most unfortunate that Dr. Gonsalves, who is himself currently embroiled in an Elections Petition in his own country, has

outcome.”

Social media is now abuzz with concerns about how PM Gonsalves’ remarks could affect the actions of the member of the CARICOM Scrutinising Team who hails from St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the crafting of the outstanding report. The APNU+AFC reminded that the ongoing recount process is significant and important, not only for democracy in Guyana, but the wider CARICOM. It said that it is therefore expected that CARICOM leaders would refrain from any actions or utterances that could undermine the legitimacy of the process and its credible conclusion.

OVERSTEPPING Meanwhile, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), in a separate state-

ment, also categorically rejected the utterances by Gonsalves, urging the Guyana Elections Commission to ignore its gazetted Order and declare the People Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) the winner of the March 2020 General and Regional Elections.

“The PNCR views this statement as a direct interference into the affairs of a sovereign nation, and more particularly the work of an independent Constitutional agency, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Further, Mr. Gonsalves’s direct appeal to influence the CARICOM Observation Team, whose report will form part of documents for GECOM’s consideration, is a blatant attack on the integrity of the CARICOM team; highly prejudicial, and serves only to undermine CARICOM’s efforts at being professional in arriving at a final credible process.”

“The People’s National Congress Reform, therefore, calls on the sitting Chairman of CARICOM, the Right Honourable Mia Motley, to issue a clear statement, distancing CARICOM from Prime Minister Gonsalves’ statement, lest it be interpreted as CARICOM’s intention to scuttle the entire process of arriving at a final credible process. We sincerely hope that there is no irreparable damage to our relations with CARICOM consequently,” the statement added.

APNU+AFC draws Mottley’s attention to PPP/C victory celebration

--- says such action interferes with integrity of recount process THE APNU+AFC coalition has written to CARICOM Chair, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley indicating its concern about action taken by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) to celebrate victory prior to completion of the recount process.

The letter was penned on behalf of the party by APNU+AFC elections agent Joseph Harmon on June 8, 2020 and copied to CARICOM Secretary-General, Irwin LaRocque. “We have observed that even before the end of

the first stage of the process – the recount of ballots --- the PPP/C has initiated events and activities purported to be a part of a victory celebration and, in the process, has violated the letter and spirit of the agreement. It has also disregarded the role of the CARICOM Scrutinizing Team which will provide a report to the commission. In the absence of completion of the election recount process, these actions can be seen as a blatant misrepresentation of the sequencing of the process and in violation of the con-

CARICOM Chair, Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley

stitutional authority vested in the Guyana Elections Commission,” the APNU+AFC stated.

In the letter, Harmon reminded that the recount process is based on a March 15, 2020 agreement between President David Granger and Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo which would involve the CARICOM Scrutinising Team.

He said that it is known by all that there are four stages which guide the process and it is only at the fourth stage that the declaration of the Chairman of the Elections Commission comes in.

Harmon said that the AP-

NU+AFC values the important contribution of the CARICOM Scrutinising Team, but believes that its work has been cast aside by the PPP/C and this could lead to a loss of confidence in the process.

It therefore stated: “We further request that all parties be advised that there has been no declaration by the Guyana Elections Commission and, until such time, any attempt to declaring the results of the elections will interfere with the integrity of the process and the constitutional authority of the Guyana Elections Commission.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

George Floyd death: Gen Mark Milley sorry for joining Trump walk to church (BBC) The top US military officer says he was wrong to have joined President Donald Trump during his controversial walk to a damaged church near the White House.

The 1 June event created "a perception of the military involved in domestic politics", Gen Mark Milley said.

Mr Trump walked to the church and held up a Bible after a peaceful protest at the death of African American George Floyd was forcibly dispersed.

The use of troops to tackle the protests has provoked fierce US debate.

Mr Trump has regularly referred to "law and order",

calling in the National Guard to the US capital, vowing to deploy the military to other cities and condemning violent protests.

Some of the mostly peaceful initial protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month did turn violent with looting in several cities.

But since four police officers were charged in connection with the death, the protests have been more peaceful, spawning an international movement against police brutality and racial inequality.

Video footage of the death in Minneapolis shows a white officer kneeling on

Gen Milley (R) was on the walk with the president, as was Defence Secretary Mark Esper (C)

Mr Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes.

What did Gen Milley say?

The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff was speaking in a video for a National De-

fense University commencement ceremony.

He said: "I should not have been there. My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military

involved in domestic politics.

"As a commissioned uniformed officer, it was a mistake that I have learned from, and I sincerely hope we all can learn from it."

Gen Milley added: "We must hold dear the principle of an apolitical military that is so deeply rooted in the very essence of our republic."

He also said he was outraged at the "senseless, brutal killing" of George Floyd.

Gen Milley said: "The protests that have ensued not only speak to his killing but also to centuries of injustice toward African Americans."

The general was wearing battle uniform as he walked with the president and crit-

ics said this suggested his support for the deployment of the military against protesters.

Defence Secretary Mark Esper was also on the walk and, although he has not said he was wrong to be there, suggested in a news conference that he thought the walk was for a different purpose of mingling with troops and inspecting damage.

Senior officials told US media that Mr Trump had yelled at Mr Esper after the conference.

Syria war: Assad sacks PM as economic crisis sparks protests

(BBC) Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has sacked Prime Minister Imad Khamis, as he struggles with a worsening economic crisis that has triggered protests.

State media did not give a reason for the decision to replace Mr Khamis, who had been prime minister since

2016.

But it came after days of rare anti-government demonstrations in the mainly Druze city of Suweida, at which people called for the overthrow of Mr Assad.

Syria's currency has plummeted in value recently, leading to soaring prices.

Friday, June 12, 2020 - 10:00 hrs

The government, whose supporters have staged a counter-demonstration in Suweida, has blamed Western sanctions and exchange rate "manipulation".

Next week, new US measures will target individuals supporting Mr Assad and his allies in the nine-year civil war, which has left more than 380,000 people dead.

Suweida has largely been spared the horrors of the war.

Most Druze - who are adherents of a secretive, breakaway sect of Islam - have stayed loyal to Mr Assad, fearing that religious minorities would be targeted if he was overthrown, and the city has remained in government hands.

The anti-government pro-

tests there began on Sunday "with calls for improved living conditions before demands became more political", according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group.

Video broadcast by local news outlet Suwayda24 showed crowds chanting "the people want the fall of the regime" and "down with Bashar al-Assad", echoing the chants heard at the start of the uprising against the president in 2011.

The demonstrators have also called for an end to corruption and the withdrawal of Iran-backed militiamen and Russian troops, who have helped the government regain control of most of the country.

The SOHR said there also

had been talk in the government strongholds of Latakia, Tartous and Homs about "the departure of Assad as an option to improve the situation".

That would have been "prohibited" in the past, it added.

There are 7.9 million people inside Syria unable to meet their food needs and a further 1.9 million people at risk of food insecurity, according to the World Food Programme.

Last month, the UN agency said the price of the national average food basket in Syria had risen by 111% year-onyear, reaching the highest levels since the start of the war.

Since then, the value of the Syrian pound has collapsed on the black market, hitting a record low of 3,000 to the US dollar this week - more

than four times the official exchange rate of 700. Before the war, the Syrian pound traded at 47 to the dollar.

Analysts say the economic crisis in neighbouring Lebanon has had ripple effects in Syria in recent months, with the decision by Lebanese banks to restrict the release of money from bank accounts greatly reducing the supply of US dollars in Syria and causing the black market exchange rate to skyrocket.

There are also fears over tough new US sanctions that will go into effect on 17 June under a law known as the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Permission to protest denied

(NATIONNEWS) The Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration’s attempt to hold a second protest tomorrow has hit a snag.

The Movement’s general secretary David Denny this morning confirmed that the application sent to the Royal Barbados Police Force was denied on Wednesday when Commissioner of Police Tyrone Griffith had indicated by letter that permission would not be granted because the proposed protest would be in contravention of Section 10 E of the country’s Emergency Directive for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Denny, in a video post on You Tube, said the plan for the second march tomorrow was to protest from Kensington Oval on Fontabelle, St Michael, then march to Independence Square in the heart of the City, where speeches would be held, and a number of local artistes would be highlighted.

Deny revealed that in light of the denial he had written an email to Attorney General, Dale Marshall, for

clarification on the matter, but had not yet received a response.

The social activist said that should it become necessary, he would also write a letter of concern to Prime Minister, Mia Mottley on the matter.

Last Saturday, the Movement had planned a protest of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States, where heated protests have been held since George Floyd, an African American in Minneapolis, died on the street at the hands of four police officers, all of whom have since been fired, and charged in relation to his death.

The Movement’s protest at Wildey, outside the offices of the US Embassy, was halted by police, however, because it had exceeded the ten people allowed to congregate under the new COVID-19 protocols.

In his video yesterday, Denny said the Movement would continue to push for the protest, since the freedom of association remains a “God-given right.” (BA)

Brazil governors accused of COVID corruption (BBC) Two Brazilian state governors have been accused of corruption related to spending on medical equipment in the fight against Covid-19.

In Rio de Janeiro the legislative assembly voted to open impeachment proceedings against the governor, Wilson Witzel, for alleged corruption.

In the northern state of Pará, federal police raided offices and the home of the governor, Helder Barbalho.

Both governors deny any wrongdoing and both have clashed with President Jair Bolsonaro over his handling of the pandemic and his opposition to introducing lockdowns.

Brazil is the epicentre of the pandemic in Latin America with more than 770,000 confirmed cases and almost 40,000 fatalities.

Weapons seized,16 arrested in police exercise

The illegal weapons seized by police during the anti-crime exercise in Northern Division, on Thursday 11 June 2020. (Image: TTPS)

(TRINIDAD GUARDIAN) Sixteen persons were arrested for various offences—including murder and rape—during an anti-crime exercise in the Northern Division this morning.

In addition to murder, the other offences of those arrested included: possession of firearms and ammunition; possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking; gang-related enquiries; and

an outstanding warrant for rape.

Official police reports indicate that three firearms and a quantity of ammunition were seized after the execution of several search warrants, namely: • One (1) AR rifle with one (1) magazine containing 53 rounds of 5.56 ammunition; • One (1) Taurus Pistol with six (6) rounds of .45 ammunition and six (6)

rounds of 9mm ammunition; and • One (1) Glock 19 pistol with one (1) drop barrel magazine and one (1) selector together with 27 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

A quantity of cocaine and cannabis also was seized.

The anti-crime initiative was led by Snr Supt Sheldon David, and coordinated by ASP Gyan and Insp Pitt. It was spearheaded by Sgt La Pierre, Ag/Cpl Forde, Ag/ Cpl Superville, PCs John, Ramdass, Gaffoor, Cordrington, and Persad.

The operation included other members of the Northern Division Task Force (NDTF) West; and personnel from the St Joseph Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headed by Insp Hernandez and Sgt Thomas, as well as Constable Persad from the Tunapuna Process Section and Canine Branch.

Investigations are ongoing.

St Catherine pastor charged with rape, fraud (JAMAICA GLEANER) St Catherine pastor 56-year-old Winston Campbell has been charged with three counts of rape and obtaining money by false pretence.

Campbell was charged by detectives assigned to the St Catherine Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse after three alleged victims came forward and reported incidents to the Spanish Town Police in May. The police report that between 2014 and 2018, the alleged victims, who were members of his church located in Point Hill, St Catherine, spoke to Campbell on separate occasions about various ailments they were experiencing.

One of the complainants was allegedly told by the pastor to pay over more than $200,000 for supplies and rituals needed to cure her illness, which he allegedly claimed was as a result of evil spirits.

The pastor then allegedly had sexual intercourse with her.

The two other com-

plainants, who are related, also went to the pastor on separate occasions.

One of the alleged victims was reportedly ill and the other was allegedly told by the pastor that she was being attacked by evil spirits.

They reportedly paid over cash to Campbell and were then told to have sexual intercourse with him to be cured.

The police report that Campbell was taken into custody on May 26 in relation to one of the reports filed against him and was later granted bail.

On June 5, he turned himself in to the police accompanied by his attorney in relation to the other reports made against him.

Campbell is to appear before the St Catherine Parish Court on Friday, July 31.

Meanwhile, the police are appealing to anyone who may have information to contact the Spanish Town Police at 876-9842305, Crime Stop at 311 or police 119 emergency number.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Remembering Walter Rodney JUNE 13, 2020 marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr Walter Rodney, the renowned Guyanese scholar/ activist. While his name has recently been conveniently used to propagate certain political views, the general public is not as aware as they should of the breadth of his contributions to Guyana and the rest of the world.

Today we remember him with a short profile of his life and work. When Walter Rodney was born, the Anglophone Caribbean had just experienced a decade of protests which highlighted the miserable conditions under which the majority of people lived.

These protests forced the British government to send a commission to investigate the causes and to make recommendations for a solution. The commission’s report led to the granting of limited self-government to the region, which speeded up the decolonisation process. Rodney, therefore, grew up with the decolonisation movement. His father was an active member of the colony’s nationalist party, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), which brought Rodney into contact with radical politics while he was still in primary school. Rodney won a scholarship to attend the elite Queens College (QC), an opportunity made possible because of changes made to the education system by the PPP government which won the country’s first elections held under universal adult suffrage. While at QC, he excelled in

academics and athletics, but he maintained a keen interest in politics. His years at QC coincided with the split of the PPP into two ethnic factions in 1955. However, he traced his interest and receptiveness to Marxism back to this period. He explained that the PPP’s openness on the issue was an advantage which he and other Guyanese noticed when they arrived at the University of the West Indies. Rodney entered the UWI in Jamaica in 1960 to study history at a time of growing Caribbean nationalist sentiments.

The region was in the middle of the Federation experiment and the imminence of independence excited Rodney’s generation. He had left a Guyana which had begun to show signs of ethnic confrontation and would not return permanently for 14 years.

It was during his undergraduate years in Jamaica that he became interested in African history. He recounted how when given an assignment on the relevance of Africa and Europe to the Caribbean, he could articulate the relevance of Europe but could not do the same for Africa. It was at that point that he decided to study Africa. As he puts it, “I couldn’t articulate why Africa was relevant. So eventually it was necessary to move in that direction.” (Rodney 1990:14).

It was also while at the UWI that he became closely acquainted with the work of CLR James, particularly through his book: The Black Jacobins. James’s use of Marxist methodology to explain the Haitian revolu-

tion had a big impact on the young Rodney and helped to crystallise his attraction to Marxism. He also credited his travels to the USSR and particularly Cuba with helping in some small way to propel him in the direction of Marxism. So, as he left to pursue graduate Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies in England in 1963, he was already armed with an interest in African history and Marxism -- one the subject, the other the methodology--which would form the basis of his intellectual work. He quickly completed his PhD within three years; his dissertation was on the slave trade on the upper Guinea Coast in West Africa.

While in England, he sharpened his political consciousness and moved closer to an embrace of Marxism. He attended a study group conducted by CLR James and his wife Selma, who had returned to England following CLR’s falling out with Trinidad’s Prime Minister, Dr Eric Williams. His first teaching assignment was at the University of Dar Es Salam in Tanzania. Although his preference was West Africa, given his academic specialisation, he felt the unstable politics of Nigeria and Ghana at that juncture would not have facilitated his quest to effectively learn the African society and its politics. He also ruled out Guinea, because of the language difference. After spending two years in Tanzania, he returned to the University of the West Indies. But after just one

term he was banned from Jamaica. The government considered him a security risk on account of public lectures he had been giving off campus to Rastafarians and the urban youth. There were huge demonstrations following his expulsion that came to be known as the “Rodney Riots.” After a short visit to Cuba, he returned to Tanzania in 1969 where he taught for the next five years. In 1974, he left for Guyana expecting to get a job he had applied for at the University of Guyana. But the government overruled the decision of the Academic Board and denied him the job. Contrary to the government’s expectations, Rodney decided to stay in Guyana. He joined the newly-formed Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and became immersed in the political struggle. Within six years, he had inspired a broad-based mass movement that put the government on the defensive.

On June 13, 1980, he was assassinated in Georgetown, bringing the physical end to a life that shone so brightly while it lasted.

We salute this acclaimed Guyanese who, through his scholarship and activism, made Guyana proud. There was a time in the 1970s when he inspired a multi-ethnic solidarity movement in Guyana that inspired hope for a cohesive nation. Perhaps our country may be inspired again if we reach for his example in this regard.

Elections perhaps were free but certainly not fair

Dear Editor,

I NOTE with interest the robust reply to a letter by Dr. David Hinds, in which he argued that these elections could not be considered credible with all that has come to light during examination of the ballot boxes.

All the concerned entities and

individuals, including your newspaper, have crowned to the main issue, which is the credibility of the process which took place on March 2, 2020.

Evidence available during the recount points to either gross incompetence or rascality. Whichever, the figures that show up if all the ballots were counted as they were,

it means ballots that were certified, or if you wish to say good and valid, were also counted with those that are tainted and could not be good.

At this point, I am not prepared, or are we competent to say who are the perpetrators of alleged fraud, incompetence and rascality.

For me, the issue is that something is wrong. How could you use

the word credible and therefore acceptable to the nation?

While I am preparing this letter, I noticed an interesting statement by Professor Duke Pollard which, in brief, poses the same question: Can GECOM, as they have been asked to, say a Regional and National Elections 2020 were free and fair?

Perhaps free but certainly not

fair.

Dear Editor, I hope that with consistent expectations of credible journalism that you publish this letter.

Yours, Eric Moseley

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Ralph Gonsalves has some nerve!

--he’s no right to interfere in Guyana’s elections

Dear Editor, DR. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is brazenly attempting to preempt the CARICOM elections recount Observer Mission in Guyana.

In a radio interview on Wednesday, he attempted to dictate to GECOM how it

should execute its functions as prescribed by the Guyana Constitution. GECOM is currently assessing recount results, as well as allegations of fraud. Dr. Gonsalves, a foreign head of government is attempting to undermine this process on behalf of the PPP/C. CGID doesn't know how Dr. Gonsalves conducts elections in his country, but

Guyanese will not accept an elections results that's riddled with fraudulent ballots.

Dr. Gonsalves is advocating that Guyanese must accept a vote tabulation that includes ballots which a Police investigation has established contains fraudulent votes.

GECOM is currently following a process set out in its May 4, 2020 Order, in

accordance with the laws of Guyana. It is disgraceful and repugnant to the CARICOM Treaty for Dr. Ralph Gonsalves to interject himself into this process, and attempt to interfere in Guyana's elections. Dr. Gonsalves's statements also demonstrates contempt for the Courts and State institutions in Guyana.

He should focus on el-

evating the standard of living in his small island, rather than act as the bagman and water-boy for his friend, Bharrat Jagdeo and Guyana’s Opposition PPP/C. Mr. Gonsalves' party has itself been accused of electoral fraud and rigging the past five elections. It’s no wonder that he finds himself in the company of the PPP/C. We urge the Prime Minister to address the myriad of alle-

gations he faces at home; to keep out of Guyana’s business, and stop making a mockery of CARICOM's non-intervention policy.

Regards, Richard Millington Director of Communications Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID)

Can we tear down the statue I continue to admire the grace and dignity of Justice Singh of Queen Victoria now?

Dear Editor, IN light of the Black Lives Matter protests happening across the world, and the reevaluation, revision, and removal of statues and other monuments that celebrate and pay homage to political figures who were notorious for advocating for, advancing, and establishing colonialism and all of its offshoots, which include enslavement and racism, I think that it is vital that the people of Guyana are also allowed to be a part of this rising global conversation and this movement that seeks to reshape and refocus elements of national pride, heroes, and the personalities from history that we pay homage to, through the removal of contentious statues and monuments.

Specifically, the statue of Victoria that currently stands in the compound of the High Court of Guyana, is a monument that is representative of Guyana’s colonialist past. Colonialism has shaped much of Guyana’s bloody history (through the suppression of the Indigenous Peoples, the enslavement of Africans, the indentureship of East Indians, and other forms of oppression). Additionally, the legacy of colonialism is one that remains stamped on

the psyche of the Guyanese people, and continuously manifests itself in harmful ways, as a single cursory glance of our post-Independence history will no doubt reveal, particularly if focus is placed on the racial tensions that continue to be the bane of the Guyanese experience.

To continue to award symbols of colonialism places of honour within our society, is to continue to give value to the ideals that were espoused by colonialism. It is imperative that Guyana is on the right side of the current political movements in the world, and one way of achieving this is to have the relevant authorities begin by committing to the immediate removal of the Victoria statue, which is a symbol of colonialist ideologies, which include oppression, enslavement, and genocide. The act of stripping the names and demolishing the idols of colonisers should extend to all other domains that continue to, intentionally or unintentionally, celebrate the proponents of colonisation.

There are a number of Guyanese politicians, artists, writers, activists, public servants, martyrs, actors, musicians, rebels, farmers, athletes, and people from other occupations, all throughout our history, who have contributed to this country in

meaningful and extremely positive ways; people whom many Guyanese remain unaware of, because most of us are denied knowledge of them due to the emphasis being placed on individuals like Victoria every time her statue is seen or mentioned. It is time to refocus the attention of our people and shift the emphasis and conversation to those in our history who represent the very best of humanity.

This is something that is long overdue, and many others have already spoken about this in the past, but now is the time to take precise, decisive, action.

In closing, I reiterate that the statue of Victoria, along with other elements of colonialism that are allotted positions of prominence and power within Guyanese society, should be immediately removed/demolished, in the same way that statues of Christopher Columbus, Cecil Rhodes, Edward Colston, Leopold II, and others have been reevaluated and found to be unworthy of such positions within societies across the world. Thank you for your consideration.

Regards, Subraj Singh

Dear Editor, I WOULD like Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo to know he can fool some of the people some of the time, but he cannot fool all the people all the time. I had to blink more than once, because I couldn't believe what I was reading in the newspapers.

I read that Mr. Jagdeo was calling off his Dogs of War, telling them to stop attacking Justice Claudette Singh, the Chairperson of GECOM. Some would say better late than never; some find it hard to forget how nasty and ugly were those attacks against Justice Singh. One daily newspaper columnist called her the worst person in the whole world. There have been daily hate mail in the newspapers and some articles. Never see so much hate.

On social media, PPP/C supporters called her "claw death", which was liked and shared by many more supporters. Another used the picture of the Minneapolis police who had his knee on George Floyd's neck, kneeling the life out of him.

President David Granger's face was placed on the po-

liceman's head, and Justice Singh's head was placed on Mr. Floyd's. How disgusting and gruesome, but the picture received a lot of likes, love, laughter and shares.

Some on social media had also placed a price on Justice Singh's head. She responded to this threat with class and dignity, saying she is not afraid to die. Another created a picture of the devil with horns, and put Justice Singh's face on it.

PPP/C supporters couldn't get enough of the attacks; they were loving and sharing them with glee.

Mr. Jagdeo never before condemned the hate and cruelty, but now finds his voice. I see that in calling off the Dogs of War, he has also accused Coalition supporters of attacking Justice Singh. Some Coalition supporters have expressed disagreement now and again with decisions Justice Singh made. This is free speech, and enjoying the right to dissent; I think the Chairperson would respect that. Those supporters were expressing their views, but never called Justice Singh out of her name; never made hateful and unkind photos of her, or made personal hate-filled

statements about her.

That is the big difference, Mr. Jagdeo; please acknowledge it. I am happy the Dogs of War are being called off. I doubt they can accept they would now be leashed or penned. They were having too much fun with their hatred, and glowed in the ‘Likes’ they received from Party comrades. The genie has already left the bottle, and cannot go back in. They say too late too late shall be the cry.

I continue to admire the grace and dignity with which Justice Singh goes about her business. She seems not to be disturbed by the haters and the disrespect shown to her. I am not in her shoes, but I know it cannot be easy to put a smile on your face when you are being unfairly attacked, and so often.

This opportunity is taken to tell Justice Singh that prayers are being offered for her daily. God is watching over, and He will never leave her nor forsake her.

Yours Sincerely, B. Beniprashad Rayman

City Hall announces amnesty on interest on rates Dear Editor,

IN light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Georgetown is offering amnesty on interest on general rates for the year 2020.

The Council has recognised that many of its citizens are experiencing financial constraints, and it is imperative that financial assistance be provided. The Council is encouraging rate-payers who have outstanding rates for

2020 to make use of this offer.

The City Treasure’s Department will be opened to the public for the payment of rates and taxes from Mondays to Fridays.

This service is available from 08:30 hours to 13:30 hours dai-

ly. Persons who wish to make payments must observe these precautionary guidelines: Handwashing, wearing of face mask, and social distancing. Due to COVID-19, the Council has not provided a cut-off point for the

Amnesty. For more information, please call telephone numbers 226-7963 or 226-1228.

Regards, Debra Lewis Public Relations Officer

8

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

I wish all students the best of luck with their examinations Dear Editor, THE year 2020 has brought with it several challenges for Guyana and the world at large. The greatest challenge thus far has to be the spread of the COVID-19 virus, which has infected millions globally, and caused the death of thousands.

With this pandemic, several sectors have been affected, including education.

Universities, colleges and schools worldwide were forced to close until further

notice, so as to reduce large gatherings of humans to stem the spread of the virus.

With education delivery affected, governments and teachers were forced to come up with creative ways to still achieve some level of teaching and instruction to keep students engaged while at home.

In Guyana, despite leaps in improving connectivity and access to information countrywide, we faced a challenge to reach our pupils in the hinterland regions.

We know that the hinterland

communities are usually at a disadvantage in this regard.

However, with the several community Internet hubs established over the last few years, Online assistance would have been possible in some way, as learning material is available on the Ministry’s website for all grades.

Despite this, I could imagine the pressure the Ministry was under to ensure all of its hinterland students could be reached. I was happy to learn that the Ministry had also moved to distribute

workbooks and past papers, and that lessons were aired on the radio stations for the children in these communities to continue learning at home.

It shows that the MoE was cognisant of the challenges faced in these communities, whereby access to the Internet is an issue, whether through a hub or mobile data. In some communities, mobile service is non-existent.

The Ministry of Educa-

tion should be commended for ensuring that they did not leave out the children in the hinterland communities in this regard. I do hope that these materials were taken advantage of, and used efficiently.

As I alluded earlier, these times are different and more challenging. In fact, it is new territory. We have never had such an experience before. I believe this year will serve as a lesson learnt on how important it

is to ensure we can always reach our children living in far-flung communities.

I implore parents, particularly those in the hinterland communities, to understand the difficult situation that we are in, and the circumstances that led to the decisions that were made. I wish all students the best of luck with their examinations.

Respectfully, Kevin Jones

Annul this process that has its knee on the necks of our people and this nation Dear Editor, ELECTORAL fraud has been committed; the people Guyana know it; all those who colluded for it to happen, know it and the world also knows.

Only the Commission, and, more specifically, the Chairman, JUustice Claudette Singh can let Guyana and the "Will of the people" breathe. It is extremely difficult for any reasonable thinking person to accept or believe that with all of the glaring evidence of electoral fraud, that more than half of Guyana's population will accept a declaration of a winner.

Thousands of votes are in question, inclusive of the Disciplined Services votes.

Men and women who put their lives on the line every day to ensure that Guyana and its people are safe were disgracefully and intentionally disenfranchised, because some of the GECOM's staff, agents of a political interest, didn't place the official six-digit stamp on their ballots, making those ballots legally invalid.

How could one who is trained, sworn on the Holy Bible, the Holy Quran or the Bhagavad Gita to do the honourable thing that they are paid with taxpayers money to do, blatantly leave out all of the statutory documents of 41 boxes that had to be placed in, at the end of the process on Elections Day; boxes with more than ten thousand ballots.

How could an important

document as a poll book be missing; a book that contains a record of evidence that says what took place on Elections Day at each station. Are we to accept the simplistic view that it just got misplaced?

A book that says how many persons were eligible to vote at a specific polling station, how many ballots were issued, spoilt, damaged, how many proxies were entertained etc.

Mr. Editor, how is it that those trained and paid staff could have allowed thousands of persons without certificates of employment or oaths of identity to cast their ballots? Were they paid or promised something for such a bidding, to disenfranchise the "true will" of the Guyanese people?

Mr. Editor, no contender of a process will accept an intentional and unjust act committed against them, especially when the evidence is insurmountable. It’s pellucid and clear as day. The world has been witness to the treatment of African-Americans and said nothing for far too long; it took the "Law" on the knee of an innocent black man, a father, a brother, an uncle, a friend's neck, who cried for help, who called out to this mother with his last breath, "I can't breathe". This is what it took for America and the world to respond to the glaring evidence of injustice to a people by a fraudulent system that perpetuated systematic oppression and injustice on a selected people of the human race.

America, their mantra,

"In GOD we Trust" and "All men are created equal…"

Really!!

Mr. Editor, I put it to your readers: Who will accept that the substantive evidence discovered in these elections, were they exposed to this magnitude in any of the ABCE countries, their people who pride their democracies, would not allow the "Will of their people" to be trampled on by imposing tainted results from a fraudulent process that disenfranchised their Disciplined Services men and women, and moreover, hard-working taxpayers, the truest and unquestioned expectation of the people's will. So why should we accept anything less?

Mr. Editor, Guyanese are victims of a fraudulent electoral system that the evidence of the March 2, 2020 elections’ national recount shows without doubt.

A tainted result is the fruits of this now known and confirmed vividly-flawed system. The gazetted Order is clear: To deliver a "final credible count", that count is not credible. I know it, the evidence knows it, and even those who want not to accept this truth, knows it as well. No fancy rhetoric is needed to persuade any right thinking Guyanese to do the right thing and annul this process that has its knee on our people and this nation's neck.

Regards, Jermaine Figueira

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

The opposition-inspired fraud will boomerang Dear Editor, A PROBLEM that turns our midwifery into infanticide needs an urgent and thorough solution. I submit that curing, reversing, repairing of the flagrant, and blatant, rampant and pervasive fraud, dishonesty and statutory illegalities that the National Recount has unearthed and exposed is the historic challenge of GECOM/CEO in delivery of a valid and fair 2020 GREs, lest midwifery becomes infanticide. Below I elucidate how and why, curing, reversing, repairing is a constitutional imperative.

Editor, there are two types of evidence: Direct and circumstantial. Most lawyers know that circumstantial evidence can be more weighty, reliable and probative than direct evidence, as circumstantial evidence, unlike the direct evidence of a human testifier witness, is not susceptible to misperceptions lies, and half-truths. And so, in the absence of direct evidence, the law entitiles us to make findings of facts by drawing reasonable interferences, using, of course, our commonsense.

It is this drawing of reasonable inference that has made an alibi a most potent and unassailable defence. So, if an elector, on the credible, reliable and uncontradicted evidence of the Chief Immigration Officer’s (CIO) statement was not in Guyana on March 2, 2020, that elector could not have voted.

He/she has an alibi, (that potent defence) were you, ex hypothesi, to be accused of the offence of plural voting at a poll station in Guyana.

By parity of reasoning, by that alibi, the only reasonable inference of fact that can be drawn is that that elector was not in Guyana, did not vote, accordingly that vote is a FRAUD; it is not, and cannot be, a valid vote.

This illustration of fraud is, of course, not exhaustive.

But I turn to the real crux of my letter: One, the utter, sheer lies and misrepresentation by the opposition that any Court challenge now can only be by Election Petition; the other, that any dec-

laration can only be in strict compliance with the fourstage process prescribed in the National Recount Order No. 60/2020.

As regards the four-stage process, the reader is referred to a published press release by the Learned Attorney-General for further and better particulars. (GC, Wednesday May 10 under the caption, “Don’t stray from your order”, suffice to say that I concur entirely with the learned Attorney-General.

Editor, there can be no greater nonsense than the pious view of the Opposition that any Court challenge now has to be by Election Petition (EP). I have commented/written, ad nauseum, that until and unless there has been a declaration by the GECOM Chairman, the court would have no jurisdiction to hear an Election Petition.

The matter would be, without hesitation, struck out. So, the obvious question is: Why is the PPP/C so much in fear of the CEO/GECOM exhausting the constitutional/statutory procedures where upon, ex hypothesi, EP then comes into the pictures? I will articulate below the reason. In the events which have happened, a question of an interpretation of some provisions of the Constitution (particularly Articles 1, 9, 162 and 177) as regards the PENDING declaration, seems to have arisen. The CEO/GECPM, as the decision-maker, has by necessary implication a jurisdiction to determine for himself/itself what that interpretation is (subject, as always, to review and correction by the court, if wrong).

I mention Articles 1 and 9, as those questions of interpretation would bring into very sharp focus the very questions the PPP/C seems mortally afraid of a determination: What is “valid votes” for the purposes of the “validity of an election of the president” within Article 177, because Articles 1 and 9 are the provisions in our Constitution (entrenched at the deepest level possible, and so invested with the highest constitutional value in our constitutional jurisprudence), which speaks of a “ democratic, Sovereign

State”, and so by necessary implication of constitutional law, must require that one of the hallmarks, the cornerstone of this democratic state, i.e. the Presidency, be attained ONLY by the democratic ONLY means of VALID VOTES .

Democracy, and Democratic State does not, and cannot, mean Presidency by fraudulent votes. Every lawyer, every Judge, every academic knows that fraud is the antithesis of valid. And the adjective, “valid”, as per “valid votes”, is surely not merely tautologous. I can write volumes with ample, persuasive, compelling, illuminating and instructive supporting case law authorities on this matter.

But my learned friend, B. Mayo Robertson has eloquently, yet with readable simplicity presented a compelling case that it would be a timorous GECOM/CEO that would condone by giving imprimatur to such pervasive, substantial occurrences of fraud and anti-democratic practices that the National Recount has so transparently and clearly exposed (‘Is GECOM legitimising Fraud” Guyana Chronicle , Tuesday June 9, 2020).

I turn to my point about constitutional imperative.

It begins with a recognition that, as my learned friend B. Mayo Robertson has argued, there has been fraud by election officers of a type that substantially affect the results of the election.

Those miscreant election officers, more particularly some POs, can, on the evidence, be reasonably suspected of committing the Common Law indictable offence of Misfeasance in public office (MIPO). Abusing their office, so critical in the context of delivery of a democratic election, they misused the trust reposed in them by the CEO. They have caused harm; they have, in the events of the acts/ omissions which have been discovered (but unknowing to the officious by stander-observers) made the 2020 GREs into virtual SHAM AND TRAVESTY. That is heresy.

Yet, the damage and material harm done to the

authentic, genuine winner is not irreversible, incurable, irreparable. Let me be clear, I hold no brief for the three Government-appointed Commissioners in GECOM, nor the Chair, nor the CEO; but I make this public-interest comment: Constitutional law principles gives the CEO/GECOM he right, I say duty, to reverse, cure and repair the material harm and damage done.

This constitutional principle finds expression in the Latin maxim, ‘Ut res magis valeat quam pereat’, (It is better the thing be valid, than perish) and analogous constitutional law cases (Shrimpton (1945) 69 CLR 613, De Freitas (1995) 49 WIR 70) tells us that the reversal, cure, repair and saving of the 2020 GREs is effected by doing that what is permissible, and necessary to bring the 2020 GREs to

what, but for the fraud, it ought to be-in conformity with the Constitution and election legislations. And the obvious question is: How is the conformity achieved in this instant matter of a palpable non-confirmaties?

And the obvious answer is: By, and under the election legislations (more particularly Section 96 of ROPA, and Order 60/2020). The CEO is required to, and has a duty, to TABULATE ONLY VALID VOTES. This is a constitutional imperative.

The Constitution has to be purposefully interpreted to give content and character to the phrase, “validity of an election” in the context to a “democratic state”. Being (one must emphasize this point) entrenched at the deepest level, the framers could never have intended the tenet of “democratic” to

be some hollow, pious aspiration only.

I end with this: It is of the essence of our Democratic State that its government must be, by, of, and for the people. The Constitution framers could never have countenanced, nor could they have remotely intended to permit Presidency by fraud CEO/GECOM’s loyalty is to the Constitution.

It is for the Judges of the Court of Appeal to, finally and authoritatively, if called upon, in their interpretation, define the content and character of the concept “democratic” as in Democratic State”.

The Opposition-inspired fraud will boomerang.

And further I say not.

Regards, Maxwell E. Edwards

10

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Let us remember this day and date in 1964, Friday, June 12 Dear Editor, THE news reached us that the Abraham family had perished in their Hadfield Street home. They were burnt to death; obviously, the work of arsonists.

The nation was shocked.

On this day, I ask that we pause to reflect on the significance of this horrible incident, and turn away, determined that as a people, we ensure that this and succeeding generations do not experience a repeat of this kind of occurrence.

Further, as we imagine

the burning of human flesh, and the suffocation of the innocent, let us also regard the Abraham family as martyrs of that period. There is no Monument for the Abraham Family, and I offer for consideration that a plaque or marker be placed at the spot on Hadfield Street to remember their martyrdom.

Next, I also ask that special prayers be offered at the Brickdam Cathedral, or that the Roman Catholic Bishop Allen recognise this anniversary in some form. The Abrahams were staunch Roman Catholics. Further, this

date be placed in our National Calendar as another Black Friday. Arthur Alexander Abraham was a dedicated son of Guyana; a man of unquestionable integrity, and a public servant of competence, highly respected by one and all.

Arthur Abraham lived in a comfortable three-storied colonial-styled wooden building on the southern side of Hadfield Street. Arthur Abraham was a graduate of St. Stanislaus College, and made his career in the Public Service.

He rose to the highest level within the administration of the Public Service when he

became Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Premier.

On his return from vacation leave in Brazil, he teamed up with the likes of A.J. Seymour, of the Guyana Information Services (GIS) to produce leaflets to inform citizens about the upcoming National Elections due later that year. In early 1964, there was a lateral transfer of Mr. Abraham from the Office of the Premier to the Ministry of Works and Hydraulics.

At that time, Peter D’Aguiar and the United Force Party had gained popularity as a viable third political force in the country. Peter D’Aguiar was a staunch Roman Catholic.

In certain quarters, it was suggested that Mr. Abraham may have been passing sensitive information to Mr. D’Aguiar. Other reports said certain documents disappeared from Mr. Abraham’s desk. In mid-1964, what with General Elections to be held soon, it was a testing time in the country.

To paint a picture of the environment at that time, I quote from Pages 95 & 96 - From Pain to Peace (19531964): “In May 1964, Trinidad’s Prime Minister, Dr. Eric Williams tried to help find a solution to our problems. He invited delegations from Guyana’s political parties to Port of Spain to discuss ways to help Guyana get over its political impasse. The PNC team consisted of Forbes Burnham, Winifred Gaskin, David DeGroot, H.M.E. Chomondeley and Hamilton Green.

“The PPP team was led

by Dr. Jagan, and consisted of Brindley Benn and Dr. Fenton Ramsahoye. The UF Team was led by Peter D’Aguiar, and consisted of Randolph Cheeks and Hariprashad.

“Dr. Eric Williams met with the delegations separately. In spite of his efforts, he failed to break the deadlock existing between the three political parties.

“The delegations returned

home empty- handed. Seeming to coincide with our return to Guyana, an Afro-Guyanese, Joslyn John, of Meten-Meer Zorg was blasted to death on his way to board a train at De Kinderen.

“Later, a young Afro-Guyanese Buxtonian was hacked to death.

At Wismar, there was an outbreak of racial violence; Indo-Guyanese were killed, and hundreds of business places and homes demolished.

Sadhoo, an Indo-Guyanese selling his stockfeed ventured into Casbah, a predominantly Afro-Guyanese village, and was killed.

“Of significance was that five persons were charged for the seditious writing of an article headed, ‘Attention Indians’. These were Gool Khan, Shakoor Manraj, Balwant Singh, Doodnauth Hetram, and Janki Persaud.

“The language of the publication was inflammatory, and tended to worsen an already racially-divided nation.

“June 12, 1964: In the early hours of the morning, an incendiary device was thrown into the Hadfield Street home of Mr. A.A. Abraham, former Permanent Secretary to Dr. Jagan, and Permanent Secretary of Works.

Mr. Abraham and seven children perished in the fire, which engulfed his home.

Mrs. Abraham and his daughter, Ann, jumped through a window and escaped. The only survivors of a beautiful family.”

After this incident, several persons were detained.

Let us use this anniversary of the Abraham martyrdom to call upon our political and business leadership to avoid the beating of war-drums.

We must remain optimistic, even though we live in a world where leaders everywhere, east, west, north and south of every epoch make decisions and initiate actions, not necessarily in their own best interest and the promo-

tion of a nicer world.

Why did the Americans wage a fruitless war in Asia?

Why did Chiang Kai-shek not realise that the voices for reform ought not to be ignored?

Why did the Trojans pull a suspicious- looking wooden horse into their city, breeching their formidable defences?

Why did the Trojan leaders not recognise that the huge wooden horse was a Greek trick?

Why did Hitler not recognise the resilience of the Russians when he launched a surprise attack this month in Russia in 1941, losing one of the fiercest battles in modern history, as he tried to capture and control Stalingrad?

Why could our leaders in Guyana not appreciate the intensity and significance of the 20th Century Cold War, thereby allowing for the manipulation by these super-powers, a condition which, unhappily, may still be extant?

Why do some of our leaders appear to have great faith in foreign concepts and personality, all alien to our culture? Our leaders on both sides of the political divide would be well advised to devote their time and efforts to working together to release the creative energies of our young people, and push the older ones to the limit of their physical and mental capabilities.

On this day, June 12, 2020, we hope that all of our leaders recognise that the challenge of democracy requires maturity, integrity and a passion to ensure that the welfare of Guyanese must be of primary importance.

Regards, Hamilton Green

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Man charged for rape of Corentyne woman

TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAROLD Grafton Clarke of Kildonan, East Berbice Corentyne, was, on Thursday, charged with the rape of a 23-year-old woman and subsequently placed on $100,000 bail when he appeared at the Whim Magistrate’s Court.

The labourer was

charged under Section 3(3) of the Sexual Offences Act Chapter 8:03, when he appeared before Magistrate Renita Singh.

According to the facts of the case, at approximately 20:00hrs on June 4, 2020, a 23-year-old woman was imbibing with a friend, who then asked her to accompany

him to a foreshore on the Corentyne, where two other males were waiting. It is alleged that as they arrived, one of the men placed a knife at the woman’s neck, while Clarke allegedly raped her.

The woman’s reputed husband, after learning what transpired, confronted the alleged rapist and dealt

him a chop to the head and hand. He, along with the male friend with whom the woman was imbibing, were arrested but subsequently released. The husband is also expected to face a wounding charge soon.

The matter has been postponed until the June 29, 2020.

Rape accused: Grafton Clarke

‘This is unacceptable...

Nandlall conceded that when he was repeatedly asked whether or not he was proceeding with the case in its current form, he responded in the affirmative. “Your Honour, we are dealing here with a situation that is very fluid and things can change at any moment, and I felt it unsafe to withdraw the matter prematurely,” he told the court, while noting that he was awaiting the completion of the recount of the ballots cast at the General and Regional Elections. In an apologetic tone, Nandlall asked that the matter be withdrawn.

But Senior Counsel Neil Boston, who appeared virtually on behalf of Mingo, the CEO and Chair of GECOM, objected, arguing that Nandlall is attempting to go through a “side door” after making damning allegations against the GECOM officials.

Nandlall, he said, could not have substantiate the allegations in his submissions to the High Court, as there was no evidence.

Notwithstanding the clear lack of evidence, Boston said, Nandlall, on behalf of his client, by filing the contempt proceedings, sought to have the GECOM Chair, the Chief Elections Officer, and the Returning Officer, together with the three government-nominated commissioners – Vincent Alexander, Desmond Trotman and Charles Corbin – committed to prison.

“At the time when he made the application, there was no evidence to support the application for the declaration that Ms. Claudette Singh, Mr. Keith Lowenfield, Mr. Clairmont Mingo, Mr. Vincent Alexander, Mr. Charles Corbin as well as Mr. Desmond Trotman should be committed to prison. Obviously, from day one on the March 12, this proceeding

was not proceeded in good faith. It was not proceeded in good faith,” Boston argued.

Further to that, days after

ter, the Chief Justice reminded that Nandlall was, on more than one occasion, asked whether there was sufficient

Attorney-at-Law Anil Nandlall

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire

Senior Counsel Neil Boston

Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo

the application was filed, the applicant died on March 28, and Nandlall, Boston explained, filed another application, on April 7, seeking to have the late Holladar substituted by Padmini Bhiro as the respondent. He submitted that Nandlall did not have the authority to withdraw the matter because Holladar is now deceased, and therefore asked the court to hand down its decision.

Nandlall, in response, admitted that he erred by failing to withdraw the application earlier.

evidence to pursue the case.

“I raised whether the affidavits as filed, from very early, whether the affidavits as filed met the threshold for contempt proceedings. I have my notes, where you said you appreciated the court’s concerns in this regard but yet you proceeded,” the Chief Justice reminded. Submissions were made, inclusive of authorities, during the course of the case. Justice George-Wiltshire said it was only after she announced the date for ruling, that Nandlall signalled his intention to withdraw the matter.

“I am sorry Mr. Nandlall, this is most unacceptable,

UNACCEPTABLE In deliberating on the mat-

most unacceptable,” the Chief Justice said, as she reprimanded the Attorney. Justice George-Wiltshire said that from the “get-go”, Nandlall should have known that there was insufficient evidence, as she dismissed his explanation that the situation was fluid.

The Chief Justice, before granting permission for the case to be withdrawn, substituted Bhiro as administrix of Holladar’s Estate for the purpose of the contempt pro-

ceedings.

Justice George-Wiltshire then awarded the cost of $150,000 each to Mingo, the CEO and the GECOM Chair – a total of $450,000 - from the Estate of Holladar. Initially, the Chief Justice had signalled her intention to impose “wasted cost” on Nandlall, but Kissoon intervened, begging for the court’s mercy, even as he too admitted that the evidence against Mingo and the other GECOM offi-

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cials was “thin.” “I will show some mercy on Mr. Nandlall on this occasion. You have been well represented by Mr. Kissoon but really and truly, you should have paid the wasted cost order,” she said.

The case was heard via zoom as a result of emergency measures instituted to prevent the press of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

DPP files appeal against Bisram in wrong court … forced to withdraw matter and refile in Court of Appeal

THE Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Senior Counsel (SC) Shalimar AliHack, on Thursday, withdrew her appeal at the Full Court against the ruling of High Court Judge, Simone Morris-Ramlall, who ruled that the incarceration of Guyanese-American businessman, Marcus Bisram, was unlawful and ordered that he be released from prison.

On Thursday, 11 June 2020, when the case was called before Justices Jo Ann Barlow and Sandil Kissoon, via video conference, the DPP withdrew her application after realising that she filed the application in the wrong court which did not have jurisdiction to hear and determine the matter.

The application is expected to be filed at the Court of Appeal. Bisram was represented by a team of lawyers comprising of Dexter Todd, Arudranauth Gossai, Murseline Bacchus and Sanjeev Datadin.

On June 1, 2020, Justice Morris-Ramlall granted a total of eight orders which led to the release of Bisram.

The first order granted by the trial judge was for the quashing of the decision of the DPP made on or about March, 30, 2020, directing

DEAD: Faiyaz Narinedatt Magistrate Renita Singh to re-open the preliminary inquiry into the charge against Bisram, with a view of committing him for the said charge on the ground that the decision of the DPP was unreasonable, unlawful, and made by ignoring relevant considerations and ultra vires. The second was an order of certiorari for the quashing the decision of the DPP made on or about April 3, 2020, directing Magistrate Renita Singh to commit Bisram for trial in the High Court for the offence of murder, on the ground that the said decision was unreasonable, unlawful, and made by ignoring relevant considerations and ultra vires. “An order of certiorari be and is hereby granted quashing the

Guyanese-American businessman, Marcus Bisram, and his attorneys decision of the said Magistrate made on or about April 6, 2020 at the Whim Magistrates’ Court, committing Marcus Bisram to stand trial in the High Court for the offence of murder,” one of the orders read.

Additionally, the judge granted an order which prohibited the DPP from proffering an indictment in the High Court charging Bisram. Ramlall also ordered that the March 30, 2020 arrest of Bisram was unlawful, along with his incarceration since March 30, 2020.

Finally, the judge ordered the respondents to release Bisram from custody forthwith. Following the judge’s order, Bisram walked out of the Camp

Street Prison, on Tuesday, April 2, 2020, after the final documents were signed. His attorneys also contended that they will soon be filing a lawsuit against the respondents for the unlawful arrest and imprisonment of their client.

However, On June 5, the DPP filed an appeal, contending that there was sufficient evidence for a lawful committal of Bisram and the Judge’s ruling must be set aside. “… the Learned Judge erred in law in finding that there was not sufficient evidence for the DPP to direct the Magistrate to reopen the committal proceedings and commit the accused person, based on the evidence

The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Senior Counsel (SC) Shalimar Ali-Hack of the prosecution’s star witness, Chaman Chunilall, recantation of his version of the facts, but accepting that recantation of evidence does not automatically affect prosecutability” the document stated.

Another ground claimed that that Justice Morris-Ramlall erred in law and was misconceived in law in finding that the recantation does not automatically affect prosecutability but yet found that the arresting of the Applicant by the Commissioner of Police was unlawful.

During trial at the Magistrate’s Court, Magistrate Singh had initially freed Bis-

ram after she found that the evidence given by the star witness for the prosecution was “unreliable” under cross examination. However, DPP ordered the magistrate to commit Bisram to the High Court to stand trial for the indictment. Bisram was accused of orchestrating the murder of Narinedatt, a twenty-sevenyear-old father of two, who was killed on November 01, 2016. Narinedatt’s body was found around 03:30 hours on Tuesday, November 01, 2016, on the Number 70 Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice.

His death was initially reported to be the result of a hit-and-run accident. It was later reported that Bisram allegedly made sexual advances to Narinedatt, who objected to the advances. Bisram was initially charged here in absentia, while five others Orlando Dickie, Radesh Motie, Diodath Datt, Harri Paul Parsram, and Niran Yacoob - have also been committed to stand trial for the murder of Narinedatt.

Bisram, who holds dual citizenship, was extradited from the United State of America on November 21, 2019. He was charged with murder hours after his extradition and placed on remand at the Camp Street Prison.

Guyana records two new cases of COVID-19

CASES of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continue to trickle in, as the country recorded two new cases of the disease within the past 24 hours, after going two days without a new case.

The two cases were detected after health authorities tested 44 persons between Wednesday and Thursday. To date, the total number of persons tested is 1, 920 with the number of negative cases being 1,762 and 158 positive cases.

Of the total number of cases, 92 persons have recovered and 12 persons have died, but there are 55 active cases, of which 54 are in institutional isolation and one person is being treated in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The detection of new cases prove that Guyana is not “out of the woods” when it comes to reducing the spread of COVID-19, and the need for surveillance will be most important as students return to school to prepare for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). Children will be heading back to school from June 15, 2020 to prepare themselves for the NGSA which will be done on July 1 and 2, 2020.

“Parents, I wish to remind you that you must have the conversation with your young ones about the health guidelines that must be followed during the time they will be at school so that they can be safe from

contracting the coronavirus disease,” said Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, during a virtual COVID-19 update, on Thursday.

He advised parents to show their children, step by step, how to put on the mask and to wear it appropriately. Parents must also remind their children not to touch the front of the mask, and to use the straps to remove it when taking a snack.

Dr. Persaud said children should take a plastic or a zip lock bag and place the mask there until they are finished eating. Parents also need to remind their children to wash their hands properly, and as soon as they have finished, to put on the mask again.

“Parents, you can give them an extra mask, just in case the one they are wearing falls or becomes soiled. Remind them to wash hands after using the restroom and not to play around that area but to return immediately to their classroom,” the CMO advised.

Parents can also provide children with their own hand sanitiser and alcohol-based wipes, which they can use as often as possible.

“Most importantly, let them understand that things are going to be different at school because of the virus; you have to give them the mental support because you know how challenging preparing for the Grade Six Assessment can be,” said Dr. Persaud.

Health authorities here continue to work towards strengthening the healthcare system to respond to COVID-19 on a long-term basis.

The potential and existing activities are part of a plan to have a comprehensive COVID-19 health network, whereby patients across the country’s 10 administrative regions will be able to access these services.

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 Demerara (ECD) where cases have been recorded are: Atlantic Gardens, Friendship, Golden Grove, Good Hope, Lusignan, Plaisance, and Strathspey. Among communities on the East Bank Demerara (EBD) where there were cases are: Diamond, Grove, Land of Canaan, Providence, and Timehri.

Health authorities are also placing emphasis on the four hinterland regions, especially now that three of them have recorded cases of COVID-19.

NEED FOR SURVEILLANCE The need for surveillance in those regions is also important, because Guyana’s South American neighbour, Brazil, is now rated as the COVID-19 epicentre of the Americas.

“We continue to plead with the residents

of Regions One, Six, Seven, Eight and Nine to remain on high alert, recognising that our neighbours, Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname, are reporting new cases,” said Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Karen Boyle, in her update last Friday.

“Residents of Region Seven, with the new cases in Venezuela, and the upsurge in your region, your vulnerability is increased. We are calling on the Toshaos and other authorities to ensure that residents do not cross borders, and that persons from those other countries are not entering your community. Community members must report any migrant entering your community and anyone who has signs and symptoms, and immediately bring this to the attention of the health authorities,” Dr. Boyle advised.

As is evident, COVID-19 remains a serious issue, not just here in Guyana, but globally as well; and, according to global statistics, there are 7.1 million cases of COVID-19, with over 408,000 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 world have employed a number of preventive measures to contain the spread of the disease.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Over US$90M in Natural Resource Fund

---Guyana receives payment for second crude shipment Guyana has received payment for its second lift of crude at the tune of US$35,063,582.06. This payment from came from Shell Western Supply and Trading Limited which has been contracted Guyana’s first three cargoes.

Receipt of payment was confirmed by the Ministry of Finance on Thursday. Meanwhile, the sum has been deposited into the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) bringing its total, thus far, to US$94, 921,803.00 or over 19 billion Guyanese dollars.

Guyana sold its first million barrels of oil on February 19, 2020, raking in nearly US$55M. Then, from its first quarter gross production, the country received US$4.9M in royalties. It has now received payment for its second ship-

ment which was lifted on Shell would have received country can market its crude Recent report states that May 21, 2020 its three cargoes by July, the to another company/location. the ‘light sweet’ Liza Crude During a media has been well rebriefing earlier in ceived despite it beMay, Director of the ing new to the marDepartment of Enket and despite the ergy (DE), Dr. Mark drop in global oil deBynoe, had rightfulmand. Updates from ly projected that the Shell indicate that country’s second lift the crude oil assay would be expected [testing of the propby the third week of erties and composiMay. He also protion of crude oils] is jected that the third performing consislift to Shell Western tent with samples put could be possible by out over a year ago.

July 2020.

Meanwhile, the DE Despite the globhas been strategic al crisis which has in its initial search posed delays in oil for International Oil and gas operations, Companies (IOCs) the projection that to buy Guyana’s Guyana is entitled to crude as it wanted five cargoes for this to ensure that many year has not changed. Flashback- The fuel hose leads from the Liza Destiny to the Cap Philippe potential refineries This means that after for the transfer of Guyana’s first million barrels of crude (MOTP photo) come into contact

with the crude for the creation of a “global footprint”.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister, Winston Jordan has stated that he is pleased that there can be no distrust about whether these finances are being managed well as the Ministry of Finance, and government by extension, has remained transparent in its dealings.

He stated in May: “Everything has been to the book, by the book and transparent and accountable. All the monies that we have earned so far, as people can see, is going into the account and they can see the interest being earned.”

He reminded that Guyana can begin to use these resources to address critical areas of need as soon as a new Parliament begins.

Regional banks must take bolder measures to help countries …ECLAC urges

To cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, international cooperation and multilateral financial assistance is needed. However, the liquidity available is not enough to meet financing needs on a global level. That is why subregional development banks in Latin America should take bolder measures, since they play a critical role in this area of work, Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, indicated on Thursday at a high-level event organised by CAF Development Bank of Latin America in the context of its 50th anniversary.

Participants in the event, entitled Rethinking the Present and Future of Latin America and the Caribbean, included Luis Carranza, Executive President of CAF; Joseph E. Stiglitz, Columbia University Professor and Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics 2001; Ángel Gurría, Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); and Enrique Iglesias, former Ibero-American Secretary General (SEGIB), former president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and former Executive Secre-

tary of ECLAC (1972-1985).

In her presentation, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) indicated that COVID-19 is hitting Latin America and the Caribbean hard. She said that while countries in East Asia and Europe are gradually planning the reopening of their economies, here in the region, we are wondering if the worst of the pandemic has yet to come.

She recalled that COVID-19 is giving rise to the worst recession in the last century, with a contraction in GDP of at least -5.3% and the main social effects pointing to 29 million more people living in poverty (16 million in extreme poverty) and increased unemployment that will affect at least 12 million workers.

“We do not want another lost decade. This crisis can take our region backwards by 13 years. We are facing the commodification of services, a total fragmentation in health services. We are before the peak of the pandemic. It has exposed a situation of major structural challenges and we are worried that the region may come out of this crisis poorer, with more

unemployment, and angrier,” Bárcena stated.

In particular, Alicia Bárcena stressed that the international community has not adequately understood the situation of middle-income countries, which include the majority of nations in Latin America and the Caribbean. “These countries have reoriented their budgets to confront the crisis, but that is not going to be enough because not all of them have the financial wherewithal.

That is why the role of development banks is critical,” she insisted.

COVID-19 has intensified the weakening of international cooperation and multilateralism that had been observed over the past few years. In that scenario, regional integration must perform a key role in the strategies for Latin America and the Caribbean to emerge from this crisis, Bárcena explained. A more integrated market of 650 million inhabitants would constitute an important insurance policy against supply or demand shocks produced outside the region, such as COVID-19, she indicated.

She added that this crisis strikes at a production and business structure that has many weaknesses, with a structural heterogeneity that has been terrible for the

region. As an example, she indicated that approximately 2.6 million formal companies will likely close in Latin America and the Caribbean, a region with a labor informality rate of 54%.

In terms of financing, Bárcena noted that many of our countries do not have the resources for a post-pandemic reactivation; fiscal space is limited by a low tax burden (18% of GDP) and high tax evasion (around 6.3% of GDP), and debt levels limit access to sources of financing.

In this context, the multilateral system – and the multilateral financial system in particular – play a critical role. Bolder measures should be taken through international financial institutions, she said. “Development banks provide resources in a countercyclical fashion, they serve population segments that are not covered by the private financial sector, and they can help implement medium-term strategies. These are characteristics that must be strengthened,” the senior United Nations official stated.

It is necessary to put modalities into effect for debt relief and, in some cases, debt forgiveness in relation to middle-income countries as well, given that they include the majority of Latin Ameri-

can and Caribbean countries, she added.

“To confront the crisis, we at ECLAC are proposing five concrete actions. The first is to establish a basic emergency income for six months to cover the poorest households’ income. It should be equivalent to one poverty line (approximately $140 dollars per month), which would cost 2.1% of regional GDP. That is not so much, it can be done.

Along with that, we are proposing temporary subsidies for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. And we think that development banks should open a special window for the reactivation and reorientation of companies’ production activities,” Bárcena specified.

“Second, we must develop a welfare system. We have to place our bets on the infrastructure of life, meaning health, nutrition and education. Third, we have to prevent the economic impacts of the crisis from deepening inequalities and discrimination against women and other population groups. Fourth, we are proposing a big push for sustainability that is based on new ways of producing, with an urgent energy transition, investing in digital infrastructure, food security strategies, and fostering more cost-effective and sustainable

urban mobility. And fifth, we have to go back to presenting regional integration as something critical, because the economic geography of the future is going to be different, big companies are seeking resilience and not efficiency. So, integration plays a key role here,” she stressed.

Alicia Bárcena also highlighted that the State has played a leading role in this crisis, which has been very important. “But we don’t want an authoritarian State, we want a social one. We need to advance a social, political and intergenerational compact. We need a system for governance and transparency,” she emphasized. Finally, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary called on CAF and development banks more generally to take bolder steps in support of middle-income countries that so sorely need it, so they can have low-cost facilities and lower interest rates.

“We have to bring about a future that is less unequal.

We are the most unequal region in the world and inequalities continue to deepen. I put ECLAC at the disposal of CAF, and all of you, to work together for a better future,” she stated.

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‘Allow our working people to breathe’ –PM Nagamootoo tells Bishop Edghill for threatening public servants

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

PPP/C bringing spirit of fear on young people, public servants - As threats issued to relinquish jobs - Coalition government assures of job security

Prime Minister, the Hon. Moses Nagamootoo

PRIME Minister, Moses Nagamootoo, has deemed statements made by People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) member, Bishop Juan Edghill, as the “most diabolical threat” to public servants.

The Prime Minister was, at the time, addressing the comments made by the opposition member regarding job security of persons who were contracted under the coalition during their time in office. “I am appalled that a politician can come forward and threaten public servants in such a crass and crude way,” Prime Minister Nagamootoo stated.

He posited that the comments made by the opposition member were directed to those contractual agreements made after December 2018. The Prime Minister added that this is a threat to “the livelihood of the people of this country and should not be taken lightly.” Prime

Minister Nagamootoo also pointed to the fact that Edgehill, in his comments, also sought to attack recently-appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Dr. Paloma Mohamed, the country’s first female to hold the position.

“Bishop Edgehill should immediately withdraw those remarks which are not only an attack against the University’s Vice-Chancellor, but all women of Guyana who have aspired to break the glass ceiling and have emerged as we have seen in Guyana right now,” he remarked, citing other women who hold high-level offices in the country such as the Chief Justice and the Chief Magistrate.

He called on the opposition member to desist from making such remarks and “allow our working people to breathe.”

THE current political atmosphere has been causing and raising tension in the country as everyone awaits the final outcome of the national recount. Although no winner has as yet been declared or even hinted by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), which is the official, legal body governing the process, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has presumed victory and has been bombarding their way into governing the people of this country.

On Wednesday evening, a video started circulating on social media of the PPP/C’s Bishop Juan Edghill, threatening the jobs of current public servants and persons who were granted contracts to perform duties on behalf of the government, wishing sleepless nights on them.

His sentiments were aired via a Facebook live programme, hosted by his own political party. On the programme Edghill said that anything that was awarded after the no-confidence motion that was passed since December 21, 2018, and

more particularly after Parliament was dissolved and the country was in elections mode, “and more so after March 2 when you had an election and people are still getting lands awarded to them, and contracts awarded and now people are being employed by way of employment contracts, which is putting us in a very difficult position. All of those persons need to be put on notice because that’s not the way a government operates; that’s not the way democracies operate.”

He went on to ventilate that he saw the news of a newly appointed vice-chancellor at the University of Guyana, deeming that action illegal and threatening to have all that removed.

“In this context of an administration being voted out and a new administration coming in, permanent secretaries, heads of budget agencies, people who are appointed as a result of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA), need to take notice that you have to act in a certain way because you are awaiting

a new political directorate who will set new priorities, who will have a specific agenda, and will give new policy direction. And to act contrary to that, will have serious consequences, and that’s the reality. Whoever are involved in that and whoever are beneficiaries of such skulduggery, you gonna have sleepless nights starting tonight, because you are hearing from the PPP/C by way of this programme.

Don’t believe that you are going to walk away and smile and say you have a legal contract. You know fully well you should not have been going in that direction and you will have to face the consequence,” Edghill said.

In this regard, A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) members have been doing damage control and repairing the damage that these threats would have evoked on innocent people of the country.

Via a digital press conference, APNU+AFC executive member Joseph Harmon, assured of job security.

“The statements by Juan Edghill reflect the real PPP/C and their true position. And these statements made by him, have a tendency to, and has created anxiety among hard working public servants whose loyalty is not to a political party, but to the government of the day.

That is the contract in which they signed. But Edghill who seems to be the voice of PPP/C to address certain ethnic issues, is adding fuel to an already charged political environment. Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali and the leadership of the party must recognise that Edghill is doing them a disservice.

If this is his way of making known his displeasure of being bypassed [for] the position of prime ministerial candidate in the PPP, Edghill must choose some other pulpit to vent his frustration,” Harmon said.

Further expressing his assertion that “the APNU+AFC coalition wishes to give all public servants the assurance that they will be fully protected and Edghill’s threat will remain but an empty promise by an angry man.”

In fact, citing a strand of history from the last elections in Guyana, APNU’s, Jaipaul Sharman expressed on his Facebook page that the stance of Edghill is quite hypocritical.

“A few months prior to

the May 11th, 2015 General and Regional Elections in Guyana, the PPP/C government gave their party political elites a GOLDEN HANDSHAKE which caused the APNU+AFC GOVERNMENT much delay in executing their planned activities. Also, it was very costly to remove the PPP/C elite from the APNU+AFC GOVERNMENT. Lo and behold, today Bishop Juan Edghill was on the air threatening persons that had their contracts renewed under the APNU+AFC Government, saying that their services will be terminated without compensation. In addition, he threatened that people [who] received lands that it would be taken back, but again Bishop Juan Edghill forget [sic] to mention that in 2015 the PPP/C ‘s presidential candidate transferred lands to housing developers one day after the May 11th, 2015 General and Regional Elections in Guyana. It is clear as day that Bishop Juan Edghill deliberately failed to mention that the PPP/C was guilty of what he was accusing the APNU+AFC of doing,” Sharma’s post outlined.

Citing further a case in point, when the APNU+AFC government was ordered by the court in October 2018 to pay Harry Narine Nawbatt, the former Guyana High Commissioner to Canada some $25 million in court costs for unfair dismissal.

Nawbatt’s appointment to that post commenced under the then People’s Progressive Party/Civic government on February 9, 2015, three months before the May 2015 General and Regional Elections.

Minister Simona Broomes in her personal capacity, by way of a Facebook interview with Kester Deane, spoke briefly about the threats.

She said that with her interactions with youths in the streets she has sensed fear.

Broomes said that the current demeanour of the PPP/C, purporting this victory narrative through ‘bullyism’, is bringing a spirit of fear on the young people of the country, who are gravely concerned about their future and the future of Guyana.

The coalition, she said, has been working to ensure that a sense of calmness remains among the people of Guyana, especially the youths, as the results are being deliberated upon.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Rice rakes in US$99M for first crop -Over 242,000 tonnes exported

THE local rice industry has remained resilient against the damning effects of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), and has raked in US$99 million through exports, for the first half of the year (first crop).

“We’ve done 242,812 tonnes of export valued at US$99,000,000 compared to 215,330 tonnes valued at US$87,000,000 USD for the corresponding period in 2019,” said General Manager of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Nizam Hassan, in a press statement which was released, on Thursday.

The export earnings from the first crop reflected a 13 per cent increase when compared to corresponding period last year.

Hassan said there has been an increase in the export of packaged rice, signaling a greater sale of value added products. This means that Guyana is earning more revenue for its rice and indicates a greater demand for our retail ready packaged rice.

“With regards to Packaged Parboiled Rice we exported 3,705 tonnes in 2019 compared to 5,535 tonnes in 2020 and with regards to Packaged White Rice, which has really shown an astronomical jump, it has moved from 6,316 tonnes in 2019 to 47,484 tonnes in 2020,” he said, adding that rice production has been on a steady upward trajectory over the last few years.

According to a report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: “The improvement of extension services of the GRDB and the expansion of Public Agricultural Investments supported crop yields.”

It is expected that annual production will increase for the fourth consecutive year and reach 1.1 million tonnes, roughly 15 per cent higher than the five-year average.

Guyana Chronicle reported in January that GRDB has recorded the second highest local rice production ever, with over one million tonnes of paddy being produced in 2019.

According to a press statement from the Ministry of Agriculture, some 1,049,874 metric tonnes of paddy was produced in 2019, 8,254 tonnes short of the record 2015 production of 1,058,128 tonnes.

“2019 stands as the second highest rice-producing year to date,” said the ministry, adding that Guyana managed to produce a record amount of rice despite the plethora of challenges the industry faced throughout the year. Among the challenges

that the rice industry faced were “extremely unfavourable” weather conditions and some level of pest infestation.

“These challenges were taken head on by the GRDB, which spared no effort in ensuring that the extension

and support services meted out to their rice farmers were superior,” said the agriculture ministry. Not only was production in 2019 close to surpassing the 2015 national record, but production has increased 28 per cent since

2016. This is possible not only by the efforts extended by the GRDB, but also by the “hard work” of farmers.

Nationally, some 16,526,024 bags of paddy or 682,418 metric tonnes of rice was produced. 178,628 hectares were sown, thereby equating to 93 bags of rice per hectare or 38 bags of rice per acre.

General Manager of GRDB, Nizam Hassan

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Guyana can tap US$5.3M Canadian-funded PAHO initiative

The Government of Canada has agreed to contribute 7.5 M Canadian dollars (about USD$5.3 million) to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for the response to COVID-19 in 23 countries of the Americas.

The contribution will benefit a total of fifteen Caribbean countries - Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago and eight countries in Central and South America - Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, and Paraguay.

In a release PAHO said

…to help fight COVID-19

the collaboration will primarily support increased access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other critical supplies to assist countries in their efforts to save lives and limit the human-to-human transmission of the COVID-19 diseases, focusing on populations experiencing marginalization or vulnerability including health care workers. PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne said, “We are grateful to the Government of Canada for its contribution to the Pan American response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the region. This outbreak has caused large upheavals in the health systems of our region, and our countries need

all the support they can get.

Canadian backing for health protection measures in the Caribbean, Central and South America will help their health workers deal more effectively with these challenges.”

Canada’s contribution comes in addition to a previous allocation of 1.5M CAD made to PAHO earlier this year to support the overall regional response to COVID-19, in response to priorities outlined in the donor appeal published by PAHO. Canada’s Minister of International Development, Karina Gould, said, “The COVID-19 virus knows no borders and cooperation with international partners such as PAHO

has been key to fighting this global pandemic and minimizing its impact on health systems. Canada recognizes the essential role that PAHO plays in responding to health challenges and emergencies in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

In the spirit of the ongoing collaboration with the Canadian government, Dr. Etienne and Minister Gould met today to further discuss

how to address the immediate needs and impact of the pandemic in the Region of the Americas. PAHO launched a Donor Appeal in March 2020 to support and scale-up COVID-19 preparedness and response efforts in the Region of the Americas, seeking US$94.8 million for six months. So far, it has received US$52.7 million for urgent preparedness and response activities

in response to COVID-19, including US$23.2 million channeled through the World Health Organization (WHO) and US$29.5 million directly to PAHO. PAHO, as the specialized health agency in the Americas and the Regional Office of is WHO providing critical leadership, coordination and assistance to fight the spread of COVID-19, save lives, and protect the most vulnerable peoples in all 52 countries and territories of the Americas.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Let’s address ‘the elephant in the room’– Eddy Grant on reparations

IN the wake of the killing of George Floyd, protests around the globe have accelerated, but these will not change the course of history if the “elephant in the room” is not addressed.

That issue, according to Guyanese international recording artiste, Eddy Grant, is reparations.

During a half-hour-long impromptu discourse on the ongoing protests in the United States and Britain, as well as other nations, such as Australia, Grant said on his YouTube account that, while protesting in the streets is “alright”, it does not take away from the fact that it has never changed the course of history as he noted that “black people” are still being beaten. ”They are beating them everywhere, from Australia to the United States of America,” he said.

He clarified the school of thought which states “we are not black, we are Africans”. He said persons “have been made black,” noting that they are the descendants of Africans.

THE PROTESTS AND REPARATIONS Grant, who is known for hits such as “Gimme hope Joanna” said thousands are marching based on the fact that they want to change particular social conditions in their own countries.

He said there is “no change” adding if there has to be one, “let there be a change of significant proportions.”

He said the white man, who benefitted from the slave trade, should use their conscience and address the issue of reparations.

He said hundreds of millions of people were killed, and punished wantonly, all in the name of slavery.

“Tell me that you are in the streets to force your governments to look at the issue of reparations for Africans, the descendants

Guyanese international recording artiste, Eddy Grant of Africans,” he said.

Grant said the protests ongoing worldwide are like a “fashion” noting persons have walked past the heinous crime of slavery. ”African enslavement and that which came with it and white empowerment, is the last unresolved issue in the world today,” he said.

The “Electric Avenue “ superstar noted that incidents will recur, as he recalled that Rodney King was a victim of the police brutality which has continued throughout time since that incident.

ALL LIVES MATTER He said what he wrote about the issue of reparations over the years , noting that ”it’s just like you marching through the streets,” and added that, when Africans are financed through reparations, they will be able to have better opportunities such as nations which have managed to have states within states.

“This is not just about America and Britain. This is about a world that has made impoverished a set of people, who are equally, if not more valuable, because history tells us, that they created you.”

He said walking in the streets saying

Black Lives Matter “it will not cure” the issues. According to Grant, black lives “have always mattered.”

As he opined the personal interests by those on the protest line, he said that persons can now hang their own personal grouses along with the black people who have genuine grouses. ”You are walking in the streets because you want to get rid of your President; this is your president, Donald Trump,” he said. Grant said persons should go to their governments and say “we don’t want to be fighting black people in the future,” noting that the minority group should be taken to the table to be a part of the conversation.

SOCIAL CHANGE Grant said that he wrote songs on reparation issues, many of which have not been played by the powers that be. He said his music has brought out many fans including White South Africans.

He said “white people have already messed up this world,” noting that black people do not make guns. He said all the killings and murders have occurred because the majority have made the ammunition as well as the elements which have destroyed

the environment.

“When are you going to do that,” he asked of the white man as regards taking responsibility for actions aimed at destroying the earth.

Grant said Africans have been made poor. “Africans are not poor, Africans have every single thing that God has put on this earth for the benefit of all mankind,” he said.

He said in the US there is no “Black Media” adding that this is why there is so much “black ignorance” in that country where black youth are killing each other in the ghettos. “Withdraw your vote from all these elections and nonsense, they are not from you,” he said adding that even the person seeking one’s vote who is black, is being used.

MANDELA AND PEACE He said that society has been ostracized. “You had Mandela waiting in prison to be killed.

Today he is like God, how come? “ he questioned, noting that the “right” that Mandela and other black South Africans fought for is there.

He said the world is much less of a world because the white man who engaged in African slavery refuses to deal with the matter “fairly” and “equitably”.

“Let’s decide that we are going live in peace and the only way to peace is that we look after “the outstanding matter, that is the elephant in the room, that is causing the room to stink,” Grant added.

Grant had a message for the protestors.

“Now is the time for you, all of you who are in the streets. I know you are not there for us; if you had been there for us, you would be there for the major crime, which has made you careless, arrogant in the world, that would be reparation,” he said.

Linden robbery suspect nabbed with bloody clothing KEON Harlequin, one of two suspects allegedly involved in a robbery in the mining town of Linden on Wednesday is currently in police custody, after being found with a bag containing an unlicenced pistol with ammunition and several pieces of garments with suspected blood stains.

According to police report, investigations revealed that, at about 14:30 hours, the two suspects approached Herbert Campbell, a Linden businessman, who was outside of his hardware store, ordered a rake and was determined to pay before the item was delivered.

However, during the process, the now dead suspect, Kevin Batson, allegedly drew a handgun, struck Campbell on his head and relieved him of the several items and cash with the help of Harlequin. The

Dead: Kevin Orin Batson

two suspects then reportedly discharged a round in the air before fleeing the scene.

The alleged suspects were shortly after chased and confronted in a nearby street by the businessman and another individual. It is alleged that the armed suspects began firing at the victim who drew his licensed pistol and returned fire, hitting Batson, who, along with Harlequin managed to escape.

Arriving on the scene were police officers who carried out a search in the area.

In the process, Batson, the alleged armed suspect who was reportedly shot by the victim, suddenly emerged from the bushes while pointing his right hand which was wrapped with a red bandana at the police.

Twenty-two-year-old Batson was reportedly shot once in his right hip by a police officer.

A search was carried out on Batson and the victim’s cellphone, a sum of cash, among several other items belonging to the victim were found on him. A small quantity of suspected cannabis was also found in his possession. Batson was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex where he was pronounced dead. Reports noted that the body which bore several suspected gunshot wounds is awaiting post mortem.

In the meantime, acting on intelligence, investigators visited a house at Victory Valley, Wismar, Linden, and detained the suspect, Harlequin, who was found with a bag containing an unlicenced pistol with two live ammunition, a toque, gloves, dove spray and several pieces of garments with suspected blood stains. Further investigations are currently being carried out.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Ankerville fire renders family of five homeless

AN East Berbice, Corentyne family of five is in a state of shock and disbelief, after being forced to watch helplessly as their life’s savings went up in flames on Thursday.

The Jaundoos, of Ankerville, Port Mourant, were rendered speechless as their residence, from which they also did business, was reduced to a rubble following a fire of unknown origin a little after noon on Thursday.

According to Tejpattie Jaundoo, the proprietor, she was downstairs when she heard a strange noise coming from the upper flat of

the two-storey wooden and concrete building.

“I was downstairs and meh hear a crackling sound then like something popping,” she said. “Suh meh run upstairs to see what was happenin’, and when me reach, is one big ball ah fire by de bedroom.”

The woman, who seemed to be still in a daze as she spoke, recalled freezing momentarily before grabbing the three children that were home at the time, two of whom are toddlers, and screaming for help as she ran out of the house, without even stopping to grab any-

Tejpattie Jaundoo, owner of the property

Pensioner dies after falling from step A 67-year-old pensioner is now dead after he, allegedly, fell off the steps of his Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara home.

Dead is Ramnaresh Ramgolum, ‘called’ Bristol, who was last seen alive on Wednesday, June 10 around 17:00 hours by his 15-year-old nephew.

According to reports, Ramgolum lived alone in a one-flat wooden Cottage, which rested on five-foot wooden posts.

The building has one main access door which faces west and a fleet of stairs facing south. It was reported that the pensioner was considered an alcoholic.

On Wednesday, Ramgolum’s nephew went to his home to take food. Ramgolum was alive and well.

However, when the nephew returned the next day, around 09:00 hours, he saw Ramgolum lying motionless on his back under the steps.

The police was summoned and an investigation was launched.

According to investigators, Ramgolum was seated on a bench on the platform of the said step, consuming alcohol, when he fell.

The body was examined but no marks of violence were found. Persons in the area were questioned and statements were obtained.

The body was taken to the Jerrick Funeral Home and awaits a post-mortem.

thing of value.

Luckily for her, neighbours and kind passersby rushed to her aid by forming a bucket brigade to help quell the blaze, that had by then become a raging inferno, fuelled no doubt by the many flammable items housed in the grocery store on the lower flat.

Everyone would breathe a sigh of relief when the fire tender from the Rose Hall Fire Station arrived, but that relief was short-lived, as the firemen would encounter several problems, the first of which was accessing water from the nearby trench.

And when that little problem seemed to have been resolved, the water pump refused to start, thus necessitating the use of a secondary pump, which had to be powered by a generator that suddenly experienced mechanical failure.

Residents, however, were very cooperative and industrious, and managed to use their own pumps, pressure washers and buckets to help stop the fire from spreading to two neighbouring houses.

A short while later, a fire tender from New Amsterdam arrived, followed by a smaller one from the Albion Estate, but by then the entire building was already

The fire in all its glory

Some members of the ‘bucket brigade’ flattened.

Speaking briefly with the media at the scene was the Divisional Commander of the Guyana Fire Service, Hemchandra Persaud, who commended the residents

for saving the neighbouring houses. He noted that while the cause of the fire was unknown, from all indications, it appeared to have originated in a bedroom on the upper flat.

The building, which was powered entirely by solar energy, is valued over $22M. The grocery business was added to the lower flat a little over a year ago.

Investigations are ongoing.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

COVID-19 could cause a significant increase in child labour in Caribbean

THE devastating impact of COVID-19 as seen in the reduction of incomes and high levels of economic insecurity in families could generate a significant increase in the number of children and adolescents in child labour in Latin America and the Caribbean. This warning comes from an analysis

by ECLAC and ILO that considers it imperative to take measures to prevent this situation.

The Technical Note from the two organizations, published in the framework of the commemoration of the International Day against Child Labour this June 12 states, "The slowdown in production, unemployment, low social protection coverage, lack of access to social security and higher levels of poverty are conditions that

favour the increase in child labour."

The document adds, "The indicators of child labour and hazardous adolescent work could increase significantly if measures and strategies are not implemented to reduce the impact." An analysis that initially covered three countries (Mexico, Peru and Costa Rica), based on the results of the Child Labour Risk Identification Model (CLRISK) developed by ECLAC and ILO, estimates that child labour could increase by 1 and 3 percentage points in the region.

According to the analysis, "this would imply that at least between 109,000 and 326,000 children and adolescents could enter the labour market, adding to the 10.5 million that are already in child labour at present."

The document recalls that the percentage of children and adolescents between 5 and 17 years of age in child labour in Latin America and the Caribbean fell from 10.8% in 2008 to 7.3% in 2016, which is equivalent to a decrease of 3.7 million children in that situation, up to the current indicator of 10.5 million.

The ECLAC and ILO Technical Note forecasts that, "the increase in unemployment and poverty will severely affect the well-being of families, particularly those in conditions of extreme poverty who tend to live in inadequate housing."

Furthermore, “one of the main factors of insecurity and economic instability in households is that the head of the household works in informal conditions, where social protection is minimal

and employment contracts are non-existent, so child labour becomes an important component of how households handle economic insecurity.”

It goes on to warn that the temporary closure of schools is another factor that has the potential to increase child labour. The analysis emphasises that “Now more than ever, children and adolescents must be at the centre of action priorities that, as a whole and through tripartite social dialogue, offer answers to consolidate progress in reducing child labour, especially in its worst forms.” It argues that, in a situation where there is reduction of the fiscal space of the states, the prevention approach continues to be the most cost-efficient. Once the

child is in child labour, it is much more complex and expensive to withdraw them from the activity or intervene to restore their rights.

The Technical Note proposes interventions for: - Effective prevention.

- Identification and location of working children and adolescents.

- Restitution of the rights of working children and adolescents and their families.

The analysis also proposes the establishment of cash transfers, in line with ECLAC's proposal to implement a basic emergency income for six months for all persons in poverty during 2020, including children and adolescents. Data from the countries indicate that in a large part of Latin Ameri-

ca and the Caribbean cases of coronavirus continue to rise, and therefore the pandemic containment measures recommended

by PAHO/WHO in public health, such as hand washing, respiratory etiquette, social distancing, avoiding interpersonal contact and staying home, remain in effect. The ILO and ECLAC, together with other organizations, are collaborating with the Regional Initiative for Latin America and the Caribbean Free of Child Labour , to generate knowledge that will inform and provide evidence that contributes to policy decision-making for the sustained prevention and eradication of child labour in the region.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

CEO’s report must reflect irregularities --to do otherwise would be a miscarriage of justice, says APNU+AFC tabulation agent AS Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield prepares to submit his report on the first phase of the National Recount of the March 2, 2020 National and Regional Elections, the perception abroad is that all the anomalies highlighted during the course of the exercise will be

irregularities move from just minor irregularities to statistical anomalies, and then they went from statistical anomalies to some huge discrepancies, which all graduated to the level of where we are right now, of systematic fraud.”

In summary, the APNU+AFC has pinpointed

Former Army Captain and APNU+AFC Candidate, Daniel Seeram

taken on board.

One proponent of the foregoing position is Former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Captain and APNU+AFC Candidate, Daniel Seeram, who said as much during a sit down on the Guyana Chronicle’s Vantage Point on Thursday to talk about a number of issues, inter alia the recently-concluded first phase of the Electoral Process.

With CEO Lowenfield expected to present his report to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on or before June 13, 2020, Seeram said: “The CEO, in his wisdom, I don’t think if he’s doing a comprehensive report, has the right to leave out any of this information from his report, because this is information that would have been reported by his staff and documented in those observation reports.

Each and every act that was recorded to have been committed during the recount process would have to be put into that report, and placed before the Commission for deliberation.”

Having served as a tabulation agent during the recount, Seeram was amongst those persons who listened to every single observation report and Statement of Recount (SOR) being read out loud as GECOM recorded the information daily.

“We started to open the ballot boxes, and, at first, there were irregularities, and then we realised that Guyanese people were cheated,” he said, adding: “We started to see these

some 7,929 instances of irregularities, which they believe directly affects the validity of 257,173 votes.

Those anomalies include counterfoils and ballots carrying the same number; ballots for one region being cast in another; ballots cast for the dead and persons who have migrated; persons voting without proper identification; persons voting outside of their districts without employment documents; large numbers of improperly stamped ballots at locations where disciplined services members voted; missing poll books and documents from one polling station being found in the ballot boxes of another and a ballot boxes with no statutory documents.

As a former high-ranking officer of the Army, Seeram said that members of the Disciplined Services have shared with him their concern about what took place with their ballots, which were amongst those that were improperly stamped.

And, as it relates to the issue of those who were out of the jurisdiction on Election Day but yet voted, Seeram said: “We were asked by GECOM to supply the evidence for this; and we did.

Over 90 per cent of that evidence came back approved and corrupt, and we’re still awaiting GECOM to tell us about this evidence.”

He believes that the number of irregularities that have been brought to light is enough to impact the outcome of the

Elections, and therefore must be acted upon and taken seriously by the Commission responsible for credible elections in Guyana.

He said that everyone present at the recount, including all Party representatives, as well as local and international observers, bore witness to the

host of missing documents or ballots affected by the acts or inaction of GECOM staff, and no one can deny this.

“We didn’t bring these issues up because we made them up in any way,” Seeram said. “These are issues that came directly from the ballot boxes; these are

issues of great concern, and give great bearing upon the credibility of these elections, and they have the utmost importance to be taken into consideration by GECOM when they deliberate, and then further decide on a declaration in the coming days. For someone to say

that these Observation Reports are being made more than they are, that person is stifling their conscience, and ultimately doesn’t have the betterment of Guyana at heart.”

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‘Pageant Zone’, Understanding pageantry

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Kristal Inshan, Miss India Guyana 2019

Local franchise holders bring clarity to the industry

S

INCE the COVID – 19 Pandemic began, the big move for business schools and organizations has been to online and Virtual Communication and many organisations in Guyana have also followed this trend and have moved to create original online content to keep their supporters entertained.

‘Pageant Zone’, one of the newest virtual forms of entertainment, is a segment produced by the Ms., Mrs., Teen & Mr. India Worldwide Guyana franchise, and is making a stir in the local pageantry and beauty world. The first episode of Pageant Zone was aired on May 16, 2020, on the Organisation’s Instagram page.

The Buzz spoke with the National Director of the Ms., Mrs., Teen & Mr. India Worldwide Guyana,

Hashim Alli who explained that since the COVID-19 virus had hijacked the timeline for the local pageant, he decided that the organisation can use its platform to share knowledge on the pageantry world through the eyes of some local and international pageant titleholders.

He stated that they knew that presently women are at home and they have that inspiration to become a role model and want to be a part of pageantry. He added that he saw that avenue and decided to be there to guide these girls who are interested in pageantry and be a part of their daily activities.

“We decided to use our online platform to allow women who have been able to represent See page 23

Shree Saini - Miss India Worldwide 2018 & Regning Miss World Washington

Shivanie Latchman Persaud Mrs India Guyana 2018

23

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020 Yashmini Sarjoo - Miss India Guyana 2019

Local franchise holders ...

From page 22

Guyana to share their experiences at international pageants.

We thought we could give the viewers an insight on the challenges that they would’ve had to endure, and more so insight on them as a person,” he said.

Alli stated that the segments are being hosted by Melicia Partab- Alli and Mrs. India Guyana 2019, Kristal Inshan, who both have experience in the pageantry world and would bring a level of cohesiveness and information based on their experiences being a part in the pageantry world.

He highlighted that some of the Guests of Pageant Zone include Miss India Worldwide 2018, Shree Saini.

He added that next week’s segment will feature Ms. India worldwide 2019 Tanishq Sharma, as well as Ms. Kenya worldwide.

In addition, Alli stated that the organisation is currently having online sessions for the contenders of the first staging for the Mr. India Guyana Pageant.

“We have started virtually meeting, so we meet and we discussed avenues and we even got into the practice sessions for the various segments of the competition while they are not detailed sessions, the initial competition has started virtually and depending on how COVID-19 goes we will start actual training sessions virtually with these guys,” he said.

Some of the delegates for Mr. India Guyana

Eesha Jobanputra Miss India Kenya 2018-2019

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Local musician turns to virtual concerts, gardening

Gavin playing the guitar in his garden

L

OCAL musician Gavin Mendonca, even in lockdown, continues to fan the flames of his passion for music and the arts. Conceding his inability to be stuck in one place, the lockdown certainly took its toll until Gavin realised that he needed to take full advantage of the network he has developed over the years and begin participating in virtual concerts that were being organised worldwide.

His latest virtual 30-minute international performance was on the Muzikstan Festival, where he performed with other artistes from the United States and the United Kingdom.

The concert streamed live on Facebook.

So far, Gavin has participated in a number of virtual concerts locally, and Muzikstan was his second international one. “It’s been strange. Definitely not the same as a live audience but while the energy of people in the same space is missing, it’s nice to know that now even more persons can tune into live virtual concerts from anywhere in the world,” he commented during an interview with The Buzz.

He spoke about his continued interest in the preservation of traditional music. “In many cases, world music and folk music are always left on the back burner in terms of being appreciated, but hopefully, more and more digital platforms can help increase the presence of traditional music and garner more appreciation from the masses.”

Muzikstan promotes and manages a once-monthly music platform embracing performers from the UK, Kurdistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, India, Ukraine, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Guyana, Egypt, Ethiopia, etc. It also works to support organisations that promote peace and support refugees and migrants.

Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, Muzikstan is running its sessions globally online biweekly.

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

- In dealing with COVID-19 lockdown On March 1, Gavin came home from a six-week tour that saw him taking Guyanese Folk Music to Folk Alliance International’s 32nd annual conference in New Orleans, where he was the first Guyanese to participate.

He then made his way to Full Sail University in Orlando where he made several presentations on the importance of cultural preservation. Finally, he went to New York City where he celebrated Guyana’s 50th Republic anniversary with the Guyanese Consulate and the Guyana Cultural Association of New York.

“So many doors were opened during that time, that I had already made arrangements to do a ‘Folk Up Yuh Summer Tour’... starting at a folk festival in Michigan, and

In coping with lockdown measures, Gavin has been participating in virtual concerts, both locally and internationally

leading me to Caribana in Toronto. I had so many plans and ideas to think about and implement, at home and abroad,” he said.

But the pandemic got in the way of it all. “March 2nd was elections; the country’s morale started to decline. Just a few days later, the corona pandemic made its way to our part of the world.

Slowly but surely, lockdown measures started to kick in.”

GARDENING The reality of the lockdown started to kick in, and at first, Gavin felt drained and depressed.

“In my mental turmoil, I realise that it is actually the perfect opportunity to just let go; to start anew. So I immediately turned

to gardening in my backyard. And now, 10 weeks later, I harvest my own pakchoi, ochro, corilla, pumpkin, bora, ginger and a whole lot more coming like tomato, cucumber, squash, passion fruit, peppers, etc.”

“I have since started to feel a lot more motivated and instead of forcing myself to produce content, I have taken a very laid back approach. Now I can sit with my guitar for hours (in my garden) and just play. My guitar skills and techniques have improved exponentially,” Gavin expressed.

He was also inspired to begin creating videos called the ‘LackDung Sessions’ where he plays folk songs in his garden.

These videos can be viewed on his Youtube Page (@CreoleRock).

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

From pencils to portrait

A young artist’s journey to perfection FOR many the phrase “practice makes perfect” is just a proverb said by older folks, however, 19-year-old Roxanne Austin bears testament as the evolution of her artwork is an example

of why the phrase should never be under looked.

The self-taught artist told The Buzz that s her interest in art sparked in primary school and in her spare time she would always find herself

doodling and drawing in her schoolbooks.

“I always loved drawing.

I could remember from when I was younger, in primary school, I was just making funny sketches in the back

of my book. And then I saw a cartoon spider on this storybook, and I drew it. And I loved it. The image stuck with me ever since. Ever since then, I have been drawing. Just random little people

A timeline of Austin’s artwork

19-year-old Roxanne Austin with some of her artwork in my books,” Austin stated.

She added that it was not until she began secondary school that she took an interest in drawing more complex things like portraits of persons and adding shadowing

and other techniques to her drawings.

“It’s one of my dreams that one day my art won’t only just be portrayed all over Guyana, but it would be recognised internationally,” the teen stated.

However, she noted that Guyana does not have a lot of opportunities available when it comes to art, but she intends to further her skills and attend the E. R. Burrowes School of Art in the new year to develop her skills.

“I am hoping to start art school, so that I can develop myself more, and have more knowledge about how the Art industry works, how to manage my time, getting the work done on time and so forth before I initially make doing portraits a widespread something. I just do a few portraits every now and then,” Austin said.

Recently, Austin had started experimenting with her craft and has managed to draw several portraits adding colour to them expanding her artistry.

One of Austin’s recent artwork shows a drawing of the Guyana flag in what she translates to be the hands of God as Guyana is one of the many countries battling the deadly coronavirus.

The young woman noted that practice indeed makes perfect along while staying focused and committed to her craft has helped her to improve herself and also help others.

“Art is my definition of happy. I constantly enjoy whenever I show my art to someone; they automatically just light up. And I love that; I love that people become genuinely happy when they view something that looks beautiful in their eyes, she stated.

The young artist has also managed to turn her craft into a small business, after receiving some recognition by sharing her work on social media, she noted that persons request portraits and she would frame them.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Bermuda’s Cup Match cancelled for first time in 118 years HAMILTON, Bermuda, (CMC) – Cup Match, Bermuda’s premier domestic cricket fixture between Somerset and St George’s, has been cancelled this year for the first time in its 118-year history, because of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The two clubs, based at each end of the island, made the announcement in a joint release on Wednesday, ending weeks of speculation over the annual game as the island continues to deal with the virus which has killed nine people on the island.

“Somerset Cricket Club and St George’s Cricket Club wish to advise the public that the 2020 Cup Match has been cancelled. This decision has been taken in light of the global pandemic and following consideration of all relevant information and advice from key stakeholders,” they said in their statement.

The clubs said while they

understood the historic and cultural significance of the match, “after much deliberation, it has been concluded that the health and safety of spectators, club officials and players is of greatest significance during these uncertain and unprecedented times”.

The mid-summer classic which began as a friendly match between two lodges had been played each year since 1902 without interruption.

Somerset, the titleholders, had been due to host the two-day game – which has been accompanied by a two-day national holiday since 1947 – on July 30 and 31.

“The classic is one of the most festive times of the year and we encourage all fans of Cup Match to celebrate the two days with friends and family while reflecting on its origins and adhering to any mandated health guidelines,”

ENGLAND will consider joining West Indies if the tourists make an anti-rac-

ism gesture during the forthcoming Test series, says James Anderson.

Windies captain Jason Holder said on Wednesday he will discuss with his team if they will add to the protests seen since the death of George Floyd.

“It’s been a very thought-provoking few weeks for everyone. It’s made me do a lot of thinking,” said Anderson.

“We will have conversations about what we can do as players to make a stand.”

Amid demonstrations around the world, some sports stars have chosen to take a knee.

West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite, who will be part of the BBC commentary team for the threeTest series beginning on 8 July, took part in a protest in London.

Earlier this week, ex-England batsman and Anderson’s former teammate Michael Carberry said cricket is “rife with racism”.

Anderson, England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker, believes all players can play a part in tackling the issue.

“As players and a game, we need to be more active,” he said. “We need

the clubs added.

On Tuesday, organisers of the Eastern Counties Cup, a four-team event, also announced this year’s tournament had been abandoned.

Western Counties and Central Counties, which are less popular than their Eastern counterpart, have yet to make a decision about their tournaments.

Whether any cricket is played in Bermuda this season remains to be seen. The Bermuda Cricket Board, which does not have control over Cup Match or the County matches, is still weighing its options.

While any regular 50-over cricket is unlikely, sources say some Twenty20 games may be played.

The independent Evening Cricket League, which features seven teams in each of two divisions, says it is awaiting government approval to start its season, which normally gets underway in early May.

England may join West Indies in anti-racism protest-Anderson

to actively make this a game for everyone.

“It can’t keep going the way it is. It’s just not OK. That is the sort of thing I’ve been thinking about.

Is there more I can do as a player to help the situation?”

Meanwhile, former West Indies captain Darren Sammy said the death of Floyd, whose neck was kneeled on by a police officer for nearly nine minutes, was a symbol of “people in power suffocating people of lesser means”.

He drew a comparison to the cricketing world, where the ‘big three’ nations of England, Australia and India have held more sway than the rest in the running of the game.

Speaking to BBC Asian Network’s Ankur Desai, Sammy said: “In the last few years we have seen the big three. What is the International Cricket Council doing to help the lesser boards?

“West Indies are in England to tour right now during Coronavirus. If it was in the Caribbean right now and England had to tour, would it be the same thing? How many players would turn up?”(BBC Sport)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Diack tells court he slowed handling of Russian doping cases to save sponsorship PARIS (Reuters) - Lamine Diack, the former head of World Athletics, on Thursday told a French court he had slowed the handling of Russian doping cases between 2011-2013 to save a sponsorship deal with a Russian bank.

Diack, 87, said he had not sought to protect the athletes caught up in the scandal, some of whom later competed in the London 2012 Olympics, but to ensure the cases did not come to public attention all at once. This, he said, would have caused a scandal.

Diack, once one of the most influential men in athletics, faces charges of corruption, money laundering and breach of trust. The charges carry a maximum sentence

of 10 years in jail.

The former long-jumper has consistently denied wrongdoing.

“Who took the decision to spread out the (sanction procedures)? It was me,” Diack told the court’s three judges. “Everyone said I was taking a risk, but it didn’t stop us from quietly working on doping.”

“When the Russian cases arose, we were going through a difficult moment financially,” he continued.

“My duty was to make sure the IAAF got out of it.”

Prosecutors allege Diack solicited bribes totalling 3.45 million euros ($3.9 million) from athletes suspected of doping to cover up

Former President of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Lamine Diack, wearing a face mask, gestures as he arrives for his trial at the Paris courthouse. (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

test results and let them continue competing.

They also say Diack obtained $1.5 million of Russian funds while negotiating sponsorship and television rights to help finance Macky Sall’s campaign for the 2012 Senegal presidential election, in exchange for slowing anti-doping procedures.

Diack told the court the Russian bank renewed its sponsorship contract worth $32 million in February, 2013.

Earlier this week, Habib Cisse, Diack’s former lawyer at the IAAF, renamed as World Athletics, told the court the IAAF could have survived financially without its Russian sponsors.

Pakistan’s Akram warns saliva ban will make bowlers ‘robots’ Karachi (AFP) - Legendary Pakistan paceman Wasim Akram warned Wednesday that bowlers would become “robots” after cricket officials temporarily banned shining the ball with saliva as a coronavirus precaution.

Bowlers traditionally get the ball to move or swing in the air by applying shine to one side using sweat or saliva.

The International Cricket Council, however, has temporarily banned the practise over virus transmis-

sion fears as teams prepare to return to the pitch in the coming weeks.

Players can still apply sweat to the ball.

“It will make bowlers robots, coming and bowling without swing,” Akram told AFP, saying they would have to be patient and wait for the ball to age naturally.

“It’s a quizzical situation for me as I grew up using saliva to shine the ball and to swing it,” he added.

“I am all for precautions in these tough times, so bowlers have to wait for the

ball to get old and rough for them to get swing.

Sweat alone was unlikely to generate swing as in some countries it was too cold, said Akram.

“Sweat is just something of an add-on, a top-up. Too much use of sweat will leave the cricket ball too wet,” he said.

Akram, who took 414 Test and 502 one-day international wickets in a storied career, believes artificial substance could potentially help as he encouraged officials to keep

searching for alternatives.

“I believe that they will need to find a reasonable solution. Artificial substances like vaseline could be used to swing the ball but how much of it?

“Let’s see, we have this England versus the West Indies series to judge how it goes, because I have never experienced this thing.”

International cricket resumes with England hosting the West Indies in a Test series later this month .

Akram said suggestions

Wasim Akram says being unable to polish the ball with saliva could turn bowlers into robots, but that cricketers should live with it (AFP Photo/Ishara S. KODIKARA)

that limited ball-tampering be allowed should also be considered by officials.

“When can you tamper the ball? Right from the first over or after 20-25

overs? They will need to sit down and do brainstorming,” he added.

“The game is already tilted more in favour of the batsmen

No easy job cuts around Australia team, says Richardson MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Fast bowler Kane Richardson voiced concern on Thursday about Cricket Australia’s cost-cutting plans, saying there is little fat to cut around the team’s support staff.

The board furloughed about 80% of its workforce in April due to the novel coronavirus outbreak and slashed the pay of head coach Justin Langer and his assistants.

Cricket Australia (CA) boss Kevin Roberts has flagged further cuts are in store with revenue projected to plunge 48% in

2020.

“Whatever decision will be made we’ll roll with, but every staff member who has been on tour with us has had an important role to play,” Richardson told reporters on a video call.

“Don’t think there’s anyone there who is easy to cut.

“Hopefully, we can find a way to keep everyone all together and moving towards what could still be a World Cup on home soil.”

Limited overs specialist Richardson has returned to pre-season training with

South Australia (SA) state, which laid off 23 staff and contractors in March.

With SA having frozen its search for a replacement for departed head coach Jamie Siddons, Richardson said players needed to improvise.

“The good thing for our group is guys are learning to work it out themselves,” the 29-year-old said.

In better times, Richardson would be savouring the prospect of playing the Twenty20 World Cup on home soil in October but the global tournament is unlikely to go ahead due

Australia’s Kane Richardson catches out England’s David Willey Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

to the coronavirus.

The postponed Indian Premier League (IPL) may end up taking the World Cup’s window in October, which would see a number of contracted Australian players warm up for their home summer in the subcontinent rather than domestically.

Richardson said he would have no hesitation heading to the IPL. “If it clashes with the start of the domestic summer then that’s up for debate and above us players on what decision will be made,” he said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Juve host tense Milan as Italian season finally resumes today MILAN (Reuters) - The Italian season resumes after a three-month suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic today when Juventus, still chasing a possible league, cup and Champions League treble, host AC Milan in the return leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final.

The match, to be played behind closed doors at the Allianz stadium, should have been played on March 4 but was postponed by the Turin city government at 24 hours’ notice as the virus began to spread. The season was sus-

pended altogether one week later.

Juventus are favourites to reach next Wednesday’s final after a 1-1 draw in the first leg on Feb. 13 but coach Maurizio Sarri said that his side were venturing into the unknown after such a long layoff.

“None of the staff at this moment knows where the preparation is because we come off an abnormal interruption,” he said, adding that the stoppage was completely different to the usual close season.

“This is a unique situation, which does not give us any certainty, also because we have obviously not played friendlies. I am satisfied with what I have seen during these days in training, but the response during a game will be different.”

Sarri feared that the risk of injury would be “very high” as the players would have lost muscular strength while their motivation was also an unknown.

“Each player has experienced this period in a different way. Now the point

will be to understand what motivations everyone has within themselves,” he said.

For AC Milan, the past three months have been a turbulent time with incessant speculation that the club wants to dismiss coach Stefano Pioli at the end of the season and replace him with German Ralf Rangnick.

Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo in action

The team will also be missing 38-year-old forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic with a calf injury he suffered in training last month. The Swede has revitalised the team since signing for six months in January.

Gazzetta dello Sport and other media said there was a tense meeting between chief executive Ivan Gazidis and

the players on Wednesday to discuss a wage reduction related to the stoppage.

Ibrahimovic was among those who complained that meeting should have been held much earlier and reportedly told Gazidis: “It’s not the Milan it used to be, there’s too much uncertainty.”

India pull out of Sri Lanka tour over COVID-19 fears

By Amlan Chakraborty NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India have postponed their limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka scheduled later this month over COVID-19 fears, cricket boards of both the countries said on Thursday.

Virat Kohli and his men were scheduled to play three one-day matches and an equal number of Twenty20 internationals but the Indian board (BCCI) has

India`s Rohit Sharma celebrates against Sri Lanka in Headingley, Leeds, Britain on 6 July, 2019. Photo: Reuters

informed Sri Lanka Cricket that the tour “will not be feasible”.

The Indian cricketers, who have not even started training, will follow advice from the Indian government health regulatory authorities before resuming cricket, the SLC has been told.

BCCI treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal said India remained committed to the Future Tours Programme (FTP) and would tour Sri Lanka at a more

opportune time.

“We’re committed to FTP, but given the current situation, it’s not possible for the team to travel, it’s not safe,” Dhumal told Reuters by telephone.

“So we’ll see whenever there is an opportunity, we’ll try and make up for this series.”

A select group of 13 Sri Lankan cricketers are currently undergoing a 12-day residential training camp at the Colombo Cricket Club.

Premier League clubs agree matchday protocols

LONDON (Reuters) All 20 Premier League clubs have approved a range of matchday protocols for next week’s resumption of action after a three-month stoppage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest shareholders meeting on Thursday discussed the details of medical and operational measures, including how many backroom staff will be allowed to attend

away games.

According to media reports clubs will also respect a minute’s silence for those who have died during the pandemic and kits will include a heartshaped badge in honour of NHS and frontline staff during the crisis.

The Premier League’s Project Restart kicks off next Wednesday with the first two of the 92 outstanding fixtures.

Premier League - Manchester United v Watford - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - February 23, 2020 General view of a match ball held by Manchester United’s David de Gea during the warm up before the match.

Manchester City will host Arsenal and Aston Villa welcome Sheffield United.

All the remaining games will be played without fans and a strict limit of 300 people — including broadcast staff, written med ia, c o m m e n t a t o r s, doping officials and scouts — will be allowed in stadiums on matchdays.

Stadiums will be

split into red, amber and green zones with the red zone to include 20 players, 12 coaching and medical staff and a further five “essential staff”.

Other measures include deep cleaning of corner flags, goalposts, substitution boards and match balls.

The measures are a requirement of the government’s green light for a return of competitive sport.

30

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Amir and Sohail withdraw as Pakistan prepare for England tour (REUTERS) - Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir and batsman Haris Sohail have pulled out of the England tour citing personal reasons after the country’s cricket board on Thursday confirmed the national team will travel to play a bilateral series in August and September.

Amir, Pakistan’s most successful bowler at the 50-overs World Cup in England last year, has withdrawn so he can be at the birth of his second child in August, while middle-order batsman Haris will miss the tour for family reasons.

Pakistan will bring a 28man squad plus 14 player support personnel for three tests and three Twenty20 Internationals.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has yet to announce the squad, while the series

Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir celebrates with Haris Sohail after taking the wicket of West Indies’ Chris Gayle Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff/File Photo

schedule will be announced in due course.

Plans to hold a bio-secure national training camp in Lahore ahead of the England trip have been scrapped after

taking into account the rapid growth of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan.

England are scheduled to host the first international series since the nov-

el coronavirus pandemic, when they face West Indies in a three-test series without fans in attendance starting on July 8 at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.

UEFA set to decide on Champions League conclusion next week

BERN (Reuters) - UEFA is set to decide next week on how to conclude this season’s Champions League and Europa League competitions which have been put on hold since March because of the coronavirus pandemic, the European soccer body said Thursday.

UEFA said in a statement that its executive committee would meet in a video conference on June 17 where the agenda would include “round of 16 onwards and related determinations” for both competitions.

The Champions League final was originally scheduled to be played in Istanbul and the Europa League showpiece in Gdansk, Poland, however last month UEFA said “a variety of options” were being looked at for completing the two competitions.

These could include playing the remaining stages of each competition in a single venue and

reducing the quarter-final and semi-final ties to one leg instead of two.

The second legs of four Champions League last-16 ties still need to be played, while Atletico Madrid, Paris St Germain, Atalanta and RB Leipzig have already booked their places in the last eight.

In the Europa League, two round of 16 first leg ties still have to be played plus all the second legs.

The mayor of Madrid said on Tuesday that the Spanish capital was in talks about hosting the Champions League final if it was moved from Istanbul.

The meeting will also discuss the planned schedule and venues for the Euro 2020 tournament, which has been postponed until 2021, and the dates for the playoff ties which were due to be played in March.

The 24-team competition will be held across 12 cities across the continent.

Holder hails ‘smooth’ safety protocols MANCHESTER, England, (CMC) – West Indies captain Jason Holder has praised the England and Wales Cricket Board for the safety protocols implemented for the upcoming Test series, saying Wednesday the Caribbean side felt “safe” after arriving here for the historic tour.

He said having been flown

from the Caribbean by private charter on Monday, the team had experienced a seamless transition from the airport to hotel, with little interaction with the public.

The tour is taking place in the face of a global public health crisis triggered by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that has already caused over

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (FRIDAY JUNE 12, 2020)

COMPLIMENTS OF XTRA ENERGY DRINK - STABROEK BAZAAR (Tel: 683-9500) &CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD-83 Garnett Street, Campbellville, Georgetown (Tel: 225-6158) Answers to yesterday’s quiz (1) Birmingham, 1975 (2)Adelaide, 1981-82 Today’s Quiz: (1) Who is the first Pakistan player to score an

ODI hundred against the WI?

(2)Who is the first WI player to hit an ODI century

against Pakistan?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

Captain Jason Holder (right), along with assistant coach Roddy Estwick, leaves Manchester Airport after arriving from the Caribbean on Tuesday.

4 100 deaths in the United Kingdom.

“I feel pretty safe. I must commend the ECB, they’ve been outstanding so far,” Holder told a media conference conducted via Zoom from Old Trafford here where the entire touring party has been quaran-

tined for the next two weeks.

“Arriving here in Manchester yesterday was pretty smooth. We just transitioned directly from the plane through a VIP arrival hall and then from there straight on the buses and directly to the hotel so we had no real interface with anyone

from the public; obviously just the workers at the airport and here at the hotel as well.”

The three-Test series will be the first of its kind to be played behind closed doors and under strict social distancing, health and sanitisation protocols.

Players will be isolated from the public throughout the seven-week tour, first at the “bio-secure” Old Trafford facility and then at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.

The teams will return to Old Trafford for the final two Tests.

Originally, the series had been carded for May but had to be postponed after the United Kingdom found itself in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Negotiations between the ECB and Cricket West Indies resulted in the proposed series from July 8-28, with West Indies arriving a month prior to undergo the necessary quarantine and preparation.

“Before coming here to England we all knew what was being posed,” Holder pointed out.

“It was a situation of con-

stant dialogue as to what a possible series would look like coming over here to the UK and at no point in time we forced anybody to come.

Everybody had their free will.

“I just think it’s a case where at some point or the other we had to resume some type of normalcy. We have been assured by the ECB that the relevant protocols have been put in place and so far since we’ve got here, everything has been smooth.”

Holder, who oversaw the Windies’ capture of the coveted Wisden Trophy last year, said it was important that players adjusted to the new measures which were unavoidable across most sporting disciplines.

“At the end of the day it’s not going to be the normal bilateral series here in England but at the end of the day this is where we are with the state of world cricket – state of the world per se,” he stressed.

“I’ve been watching other sports on TV and it is different and no doubt it will be different but again, we’ve just got to get on with it and try to make the most of the circumstances in these trying times.”

31

GUYANA CHRONICLE Friday, June 12, 2020

Aliann Pompey focuses on doing the best for athletes NOW should be a joyful time of the year for track and field athletes and their coaches. Collegiate student-athletes would be marking the end of outdoor season and hopefully gearing up for the NCAA Championships.

Those with Olympic aspirations would be readying for qualifying meets. Instead, there is the isolation of sheltering in place and the pain and anguish of racism.

Four-time Olympic sprinter Aliann Pompey, sprints and hurdles coach at St. John’s University, has been in regular contact with Red Storm student-athletes and working to sustain their

motivation for an eventual return to campus.

The track and field athletes and three other St. John’s programmes recently received Division I Public Recognition Awards from the NCAA for outstanding academic achievement.

Heightened racial unrest hit the student-athletes quite hard, and Pompey has worked with them to process what is going on. “I started out having one-on-one [conversations] and realized how deep it went. We decided as a staff to address it as a whole and talk to them, let them know where we as the leadership on the team stand, offer support and offer them the

opportunity to communicate and be heard,” said Pompey.

Pompey, who had to cancel her annual track meet in Georgetown, Guyana, due to the coronavirus, also understands the frustrations of athletes that were anticipating competing in the 2020 Olympic Games (which have been postponed until 2021).

“You have the people that were looking at Tokyo 2020 in 2020…as sort of their last hurrah,” said Pompey, who ended her track career following the 2012 Olympics.

“They invested their time, resources and energy into this last go-around. For some of them, Tokyo 2021 isn’t a possibility.”

Others have processed their disappointment and are finding creative ways to train, which they are sharing with fellow athletes.

International federations have started laying out plans for qualifying and are trying to find ways to get people into competition shape. “This is not a small interruption,” said Pompey. “I tell people, ‘I prepared four years for the Olympics.’ It cuts really deep.”

Pompey was recently acknowledged for her athletic career when she was named to the Times Union’s list of the greatest athletes to come out of the Capital Region

Coach Aliann Pompey. (St John’s Athletics photo)

Area of the State of New York. She attended high school in Albany and her father still lives there. This honour was quite meaningful to her.

As of last year, Pompey is president of the Panam Sports Athletes’ Commission. “We were really as a commission very proactive with the athletes,” she said.

“We took stock of what everyone was feeling early in the pandemic.

We liaised with the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and let them know the athletes’ feedback…so they can figure out…how we can support them in this time.”

(New York Amsterdam News)

FIFA changes transfer window rules

FOOTBALL leagues will be allowed to open transfer windows before the current campaign is concluded under new regulations announced

by FIFA on Thursday.

The world governing body announced the mea-

sures in response to the delays to leagues across the globe caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has already said England’s top flight will not allow

clubs to sign players before 25 July, after the delayed campaign is brought to an end.

Most European leagues have similar plans in place, but Fifa’s new regulations would allow for windows to

open earlier, stating that “associations following a dual-year calendar are permitted to commence the ‘first registration period’ for the 2020-21 season prior to the completion of the 2019-20 season, subject to condi-

tions”.

FIFA also announced that players would be allowed to play for up to three clubs - rather than the usual two - during the same season.

The Premier League

will return on 17 June, with each club having at least nine matches still to play, while the FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League also still have to be completed.(BBC Sport)

CRICKET-TOUR-Financial perks should have accompanied ‘risks’ of tour: Sir Andy

Windies fast bowling legend Andy Roberts

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Jun 10, CMC – Fast bowling legend Sir Andy Roberts has slammed the decision

by Cricket West Indies to allow the tour of England to go ahead amid the COVID-19 pandemic, without ensur-

ing there was financial benefit to be derived from the three-Test series.

The 69-year-old said while he did not have a problem with the series in principle, he did not believe West Indies should have been used as “guinea pigs” for the historic “bio-secure” series without financial reward, especially since the England and Wales Cricket Board stood to save 380 million pounds sterling by convincing teams to honour commitments during the summer.

“I don’t have a problem with them negotiating to go to England,” said Sir Andy, who snatched 202 wickets from 47 Tests between 1974 and 1983.

“What I have a problem with is that there are talks about West Indies are not going to benefit from this tour financially which I think would be a mistake because the chances we’re

going to take I don’t think much more countries are willing to take that chance.

Sir Andy Roberts.

“We’re taking a chance no one else is willing to take and why we’re taking that chance is to save England nearly 380 million pounds because if no one goes to England, they have to pay back that money.

“They are not willing to pay it back so why should we as guinea pigs go and sacrifice ourselves for nothing.”

West Indies were scheduled to tour England last month but the three-Test series was postponed as the United Kingdom wrestled with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a bid to rescue their summer schedule – and hundreds of millions of dollars in television revenue – the ECB proposed staging the series in a radical “bio-secure” environment.

Players will be isolated for the duration of the seven-week tour and play each Test behind closed doors at “bio-secure” venues with hotels on site.

Only recently, CWI chief executive Johnny Grave, said while the ECB had covered the “costs of all the mitigating factors” of the tour, the regional governing body would pick up the tab for player match fees and other allowances.

Further, Grave said the ECB would keep all revenue as was the norm for bilateral tours.

However, Sir Andy reiterated that the “risk” undertaken by West Indies on the tour should have accompanied by some special compensation.

“I think West Indies should have benefitted from this tour financially … because to save England 380 million pounds is a lot of savings,” the icon told Starcom Radio’s Mason and Guest

show here.

“If they’re going to benefit financially from the tour, that’s not a problem but if they’re not going to benefit from it, then I have a problem.

Why take the risk and sacrifice the guys for it.

“At this time, if we’re not going to benefit financially, I don’t think we should be the first to go.”

West Indies arrived in England on Tuesday and will undergo two weeks of quarantine and training at Old Trafford in Manchester ahead of the first Test at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton starting July 8.

The last two Tests will be staged at Old Trafford, starting July 16 and July 24 respectively.

Pakistan are expected to follow behind West Indies and are carded to play three Tests and One-Day Internationals in August.

Swarming uncertainties: scenes such as this, which greeted Janeiro Tucker when he scored a century in his final Cup Match in 2016, will have informed decision-making on the cancellation of the premier sporting and cultural event on the Bermuda calendar as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic (Photograph by Akil Simmons). Photo extracted from The Royal Gazette

Bermuda’s Cup Match cancelled for first time in 118 years PAGE 27

England may join West Indies in anti-racism protestAnderson See story on page 27

GFA president wants system in place for COVID-19 testing among footballers -says GFF, MOPH and GFA should discuss possible blueprint

Georgetown Football Association (GFA) president, Otis James, believes a system should be set in place to test local footballers amid COVID-19 pandemic

By Clifton Ross

James Anderson (right) has taken 82 wickets in 20 Tests against West Indies.

Sir Viv Richards voted county cricket’s greatest overseas player

SIR Viv Richards has been voted as English county cricket’s greatest overseas player by BBC Sport users.

He took 43.2% of the final vote, finishing ahead of another former West Indies captain, Sir Clive Lloyd (9.2%), and ex-New Zealand all-rounder Sir Richard Hadlee (8.5%).

Richards, now 68, represented Somerset and Glamorgan in the English domestic game and was named as the best overseas player at both counties when BBC Sport ran votes for each individual county side in May. The 17 county winners then went through to the overall vote.

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

LOCAL soccer players, much like their international counterparts, remain at risk of contracting COVID-19 once the window of live sports fully opens up and Georgetown Football Association (GFA) president Otis James is advocating for special system to be put in place to test Guyanese footballers.

Chronicle Sport caught up with the GFA head recently and, as part of his future endeavors for the local soccer community, he outlined blueprints of a strong system which should be set up across the country to help monitor, urgently treat and tend to the over well-being of their soccer players; should someone contract COVID-19.

“I think we should be looking at testing kits for players and we should have a team in place in order to facilitate the system.

The GFF (Guyana Football Federation) should come together along with the Ministry of Public Health and the GFA so we can put something in place for our players safety”, said James.

Removing his executive cap, replacing it with that of his old arbitrator’s hat, the 12-year international veteran referee said that he was looking at future safety measures from an international perspective, having been on the road and getting advice from mates in similar positions overseas.

The GFA boss also strongly advocated for trained experts to further work with the medical team in the soccer fraternity, something, he said, will help to better equip the staff with the hands-on experience to deal with persons within the football community specifically, should homeopathic issues arise.

“I was a former international referee, so I keep in touch with other old comrades who are still heavily involved in football and these are some of [the]things we have spoken about.

I hope the GFF can help to put that in place for us to fight the spread because we need systems set up in and out of town for our players with medical coaches and experts who can teach what is required of them”, said James.

Shifting gears to the state of things venue-wise, the GFA head explained that they were keeping track of what has been going on around their facilities such as National Service and Police grounds; during the ongoing lockdown.

“The Police Force Ground is now cutting, Georgetown Football Club (GFC) is going through major rehabilitations and the work is phenomenal thus far. We have been keeping in contact with groundsmen, we maintain corporation with the various ground staff in case they need help”. James pointed out.

With August being a possible return date for football action, James said the GFA will use the month of July to further prepare for a possible return to live sports and as such will utilize the month in order to streamline things with sponsors, players and stakeholders of football.

“July we could clear the pitch and check in with sponsors and shareholders because Covid-19 hit us hard; we had to do some cutting, so we are seeing a little recession. So far we have gotten feedback from almost 16 clubs who keep asking when we can get back out on the field. Every day that question will be asked, we all want to play but we have to be watchful because one bad orange can spoil the entire bunch”, James ended.

FRIDAY,JUNE 12, 2020