Guyana_Chronicle_Epaper_09_03_2020

THURSDAY 3rd September, 2020

' No.106111

No more high-handed approach

–– sugar workers and other stakeholders will be treated with respect, says agri minister

‘We will put back money in your pockets’

-- President Ali tells Soesdyke-Linden Highway residents SEE PAGES 14&15

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, interacting with residents, on Wednesday, during an outreach to Soesdyke-Linden Highway communities where 1,100 hampers were distributed (DPI photo)

First batch of patients shifted to COVID-19 hospital PAGE

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Over a dozen

homeless after 16 separate fires PAGE

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

Reckless and irresponsible

-- Minister Anthony reacts to COVID-19 positive Duncan and Jones turning up for Parliament HEALTH Minister Dr Frank Anthony said coalition parliamentari ans, Sherod Duncan and Christopher Jones, both COVID-19 positive, acted recklessly and irresponsibly when the attended Parliament on Tuesday even though they were advised against doing so.

The Health Ministry in a release reported that despite the warning, Dr Anthony to his “utter disbelief” saw both men in the House mingling with a number of persons outside the Parliament chamber.

“In so doing, both Messrs. Jones and Duncan have recklessly, irresponsibly and intentionally exposed the entire National Assembly, all parliamentary staff present, the press corps, the catering and janitorial staff, the security personnel and all other persons present at and within the precincts of the sitting, to the danger of being infected with Covid-19,” the ministry noted.

The ministry also noted that both Jones and Duncan have violated the COVID-19 guidelines currently in force and Section 34 of the Public Health Ordinance.

Jones’s positive test was done more than 15 days ago and he underwent the recommended period of self-isolation, observed all protocols established by the Ministry of Health and his private health care professional, a claim the Health Ministry said is not

This letter was sent to each Member of Parliament, and as such, Jones also received a copy, the ministry noted.

“It was while participating physically in the proceedings that it was brought to the Dr. Anthony’s attention that Messrs Jones and Sherod Duncan, another Member of Parliament in attendance, both underwent COVID-19 tests, the results for which were made available to them

Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony

That section states that: “(1), If any person knows that he is suffering from an infectious disease, he shall not engage in any occupation or carry on any trade or business unless he can do so without risk of spreading the infectious disease, and (2), If any person acts in contravention of this section, he shall be guilty of an offence.”

The minister’s comments came in the wake of a statement issued by the

APNU+AFC on Tuesday.

The coalition in its statement said it has seen quotes attributed to the newly elected Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir as confirming that Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony indicated to him that Jones “tested positive for COVID 19 -- the dreaded disease.”

The coalition also said that it believes the news reports were true.

It went on say that

APNU+AFC parliamentarian Sherod Duncan

entirely true.

The ministry in a release explained that on August 31, the minister received a letter from Parliament Office, requesting that persons who tested positive for COVID-19 do not appear in person in Parliament, but that they instead appear remotely via video conference.

APNU+AFC parliamentarian Christopher Jones

on August 23 and 26, respectively.

“At no time did the minister indicate to anyone that Mr. Jones had tested positive for COVID-19, nor did

he describe the disease as “dreaded” at any time,” the ministry clarified.

According to the release, since both Messrs Jones and Duncan, who also received a copy of the letter from Parliament Office, were found to be positive, they were strictly advised to self-isolate -- starting from the date they received their test results -for at least 13 days, and the last of these must be symptom-free, before discharge from quarantine.

In relation to Jones, the ministry explained that his self-isolation period would come to an end on September 4, while for Duncan, his last day in self-isolation would be on September 7, assuming the last three days for both of them are symptom-free.

“It would be remiss of me in the performance of my duties as minister of health, were I not to convey this information to you,” the release quoted Minister Anthony as saying and added: “It is therefore out of respect for the lawful execution of his duties as minister of health that this information is being made public.”

The minister has also communicated likewise in a letter to Parliament Office, the release concluded.

Panama owes Guyana $1.9B in rice payments –– President Ali to intervene in matter PRESIDENT Dr Irfaan Ali and President of Panama Laurentino Cortizo are expected to speak directly on outstanding payments for rice shipments to the Spanish-speaking country, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha said.

Panama owes Guyana GY$ 1.9 billion.

In an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, the minister explained that the Government of Panama has not paid Guyana since 2019 and Cabinet after meeting last week, decided that both heads of state should speak directly on the matter.

Expressing optimism that

an agreement will be met soon, Minister Mustapha said the previous government had no interest in the resolution of payments to millers.

He explained that there were two contracts with Panama, one in 2018 and another in 2019.

“In the 2018 contract only a part payment was received and the second contract in 2019, not a cent was received; so the additional funds from the first, along with the last, are owed to the millers,” he explained.

Underscoring that the Foreign Affairs Ministry also dispatched a note to Panama to address the issue, the agri-

culture minister said Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud is following up the matter.

“Our President will be speaking shortly with his counterpart in Panama to get the matter resolved and I am very optimistic,” Minister Mustapha said.

He said government is also hoping that the deal can be resuscitated, but the immediate priority is settlement of the outstanding payments.

Further, he said government will be looking at the Caribbean markets, especially those countries that have indicated their willingness to explore options.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

No more high-handed approach

-- sugar workers and other stakeholders will be treated with respect, says agri minister

By Rabindra Rooplall and Nafeeza Yahya-Sakur THE management of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) going forward will not be allowed to use a high-handed approach when dealing with sugar workers and other stakeholders in the industry, said Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha.

He gave the assurance to stakeholders during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday, in which he disclosed that a new board of directors will be installed soon and there will be a total re-organising and revamping of GuySuCo’s management.

“In 2015 sugar worker felt they would have had increases in wages and salaries, but 7,500 of them lost their jobs, they were even unable to come out and protest; as such, GuySuCo will not be allowed to take high-handed decisions.

They will have to talk with the farmers,” he said.

Management, the minister said, must also take a lot of blame for their actions and inaction in dealing with workers and their representatives.

“We have to ensure that we have cordial relations between the union and the corporation and we have to have managers who are responsive to the needs of the workers and I think we will resolve those issues,” he said.

He also reiterated that the government remains committed to reopening the closed sugar estates. President Dr Irfaan Ali speaking to a group of East Canje, East Berbice residents on Tuesday, also reaffirmed government’s commitment in this regard.

“In our manifesto we said we will address the issues of

sugar, the issues of employment, the issues of livelihood and living conditions at the household level and I want to assure you that those commit-

lematic case.

“I can confirm with you that all the estates except Wales where the asset [sic] has been completely destroyed and

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha

ments are as strong today as the day we would have made them. And we are going to ensure we make the necessary investment to bring back the jobs that were lost in these communities,” the President said.

He continued: “We are committed to the sugar industry; we are committed to the recreation of those jobs that were lost; we are committed to spending in these communities, improving economic prospects, improving living conditions and importantly, in the coming days, I will be announcing a set of measures that would bring back more spending on the community level that would put back more money in the pockets of people and that will be delivering some of the commitments of our manifesto.”

In an invited comment, he told the Guyana Chronicle that all the estates will be reopened, but the Wales Estate is a prob-

sold out, in the case of Wales, we are now working on the Wales Development Authority to have the Wales Estate come under a development authority so that we can create opportunity, create employment for the people in Wales. In relation to the other estates, we have already commenced work; we are talking to management in having a thorough understanding of the state of the assets so we will know what level of investment in relation to the asset is required. But the commitment is that these estates will be brought back into operation,” he said On Wednesday, Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU), General-Secretary, Seepaul Narine, along with other officials from that union and the National Association for Agricultural Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), also met with Minister Mustapha.

During their discussion, Minister Mustapha indicated that the government remains committed to its manifesto promise of re-

at in the future is to engage the Indian government to acquire equipment to assemble factories at these estates. The factories do not have to be as big

GAWU General-Secretary Seepaul Narine

opening the estates.

WORKING ASSIDUOUSLY “We are working assiduously to reopen the estates.

There is a task force currently working to assess the current state of the closed estates.

I’ve also engaged the Indian high commissioner and he has expressed his government’s willingness to assist with this.

We recognise the economic and social benefits of having the estates open and we will be putting all of our efforts forward to ensure everyone who benefited from those estates will soon be able to enjoy those benefits once more,” Minister Mustapha said.

GAWU General-Secretary Seepaul Narine said diversification is needed if the industry is to become profitable.

“I’m happy you spoke about your dialogue with the Indian government, because one of the things we can look

as the ones that were closed,” he said.

In fact, Narine said the project can be more about making an entire complex, where government can set up a distillery and explore the production of other feasible products from the sugarcane such as animal feed and organic compost, among others.

“You can also look at the packaging, branding and marketing of molasses. There is a favourable market for it, especially in Europe, since people are cooking with cane sugar molasses rather than casreep.

These are all ways in which the industry can diversify and become profitable,” Narine said.

EXPLORE OTHER AREAS He also advised that government explore areas such as cogeneration and the use of bagasse and other bi-products of sugar cane that are usually discarded after the production

Panama owes Guyana $1.9B in ...

Noting that rice production is expected to increase tremendously, Minister Mustapha said largescale farmers have acknowledged that Mexico is interested in purchasing rice and that will be explored.

He said that value-added

products will also be needed to boost the industry, contending that “If we don’t have value-added products there is no survival in the industry.”

Currently, he said rice cereals are being made and paddy husk is being used to generate energy,

but what was lacking over the year was the sharing of knowledge with farmers on how they should add value to the supply chain.

For the past five year, Mustapha said there was no cohesive policy or aim to propel the min-

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istry in a developmental pathway and direction.

“Agriculture is one of the major sectors in our country and we have to have certain clear objectives before we go there; as such, value-added products, diversification and modernisation is [sic]

of sugar.

Minister Mustapha informed the officials that as a result of his meeting with India’s high commissioner, two technical officers from India will be coming to Guyana to assist government with the diversification process.

“As a matter of fact, I recently submitted the Terms of Reference (ToR) and they (the Government of India) will be sending two specialists to assist with the re-organisation of the industry. This is the first step. I’ve also discussed acquiring the equipment necessary to assemble factories at estates that were closed. Many of the factories were left as empty shells and in order for us to reopen those estates we need to replace all of the equipment.

The high commissioner was very interested and we will have further discussions on it soon,” Minister Mustapha said.

He also assured the officials that he is looking forward to working with GAWU to revamp the entire sugar industry.

“Rest assured I am willing to work with the union. I need your help and guidance as stakeholders and together we will revamp the entire sugar industry. I think that we are in exciting times and with the vision we have, we can manage these estates and get people back to having gainful employment. The first goal is to ensure that we reopen, re-employ people and we come to a breakeven point,” Minister Mustapha said.

As it relates to issues of management in GuySuCo, Minister Mustapha assured the officials that the ‘topheavy’ attitude and improper dissemination of information to workers will soon be a thing of the past.

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needed, in order to survive in the global market and economy,” the agriculture minister said.

The Panama rice market was secured under then Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy back in 2014.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

Alexei Navalny: Russia opposition leader poisoned with Novichok – Germany (BBC) There is “unequivocal proof” that Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent, Germany has said.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said he was a victim of attempted murder and the world would look to Russia for answers.

Mr Navalny was flown to Berlin after falling ill on a flight in Siberia last month, and remains in a coma.

His team says he was poisoned on President Vladimir Putin’s orders. The Kremlin has dismissed the allegation.

The Kremlin spokesman called on Germany for a full exchange of information

and foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova complained the Novichok allegations were not backed up by evidence. “Where are the facts, where are the formulas, at least some kind of information?” she asked.

A Novichok nerve agent was used to poison former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the UK in 2018. While they survived, a British woman later died in hospital. The UK accused Russia’s military intelligence of carrying out that attack.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the latest attack as “outrageous”.

“The Russian government must now explain what hap-

Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny

pened to Mr Navalny - we will work with international partners to ensure justice is done,” he tweeted.

What has Germany said?

After the government in Berlin released results of toxicology tests carried out at a military laboratory, Chancellor Merkel said there were

now “serious questions that only the Russian government can and must answer”.

“Someone tried to silence [Mr Navalny] and in the name of the whole German government I condemn that in the strongest terms.”

Chancellor Merkel said Germany’s Nato and EU partners had been informed of the results of the investigation and they would decide on a common and appropriate response based on Russia’s reaction.

Mr Navalny’s wife Yulia Navalnaya and Russia’s ambassador to Germany would also be informed of the findings, the Berlin government said.

The European Union has demanded a “transparent” investigation by the Russian government. “Those responsible must be brought to justice,” a statement read.

Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also called for an inquiry in a tweet, while the US National Security Council (NSC) said the suspected poisoning was “completely reprehensible”.

“We will work with allies and the international community to hold those in Russia accountable, wherever the evidence leads, and restrict funds for their malign activities,” an NSC spokesman said.

International Criminal Court officials sanctioned by US (BBC) The US has imposed sanctions on senior officials in the International Criminal Court (ICC), including chief

prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused the court of “illegitimate attempts to subject

Thursday, September 3, 2020–– 05:00hrs & 06:30hrs

Americans to its jurisdiction”.

The Hague-based ICC is currently investigating whether US forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan.

The US has criticised the court since its foundation and is one of a dozen states which have not signed up.

Balkees Jarrah, senior counsel at the non-governmental organisation Human Rights Watch, condemned the sanctions as a “shameful new low for US commitments to justice for victims of the worst crimes”.

Mr Pompeo’s move marked a “stunning perversion of US

sanctions, devised to penalize rights abusers and kleptocrats, to target those prosecuting war crimes”, she tweeted.

Created by a UN treaty in 2002, the ICC investigates and brings to justice those responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, intervening when national authorities cannot or will not prosecute.

The treaty has been ratified by 123 countries, including the UK. But the US - along with China, India and Russia - has refused to join, while some African nations have accused the body of being unfairly focused

on Africans.

What are the sanctions?

President Donald Trump issued an executive order in June, which allows the US to block the assets of ICC employees and stop them entering the country.

Addressing reporters on Wednesday, Mr Pompeo said Ms Bensouda and Phakiso Mochochoko, the head of the Jurisdiction, Complementarity and Cooperation Division, were to be sanctioned under this order.

Dismissing the ICC as a “thoroughly broken and corrupted institution”, he said those who continued to “materially support those individuals risk exposure to sanctions as well”.

The US state department has also restricted the issuance of visas for ICC staff involved in “efforts to investigate US personnel”.

When President Trump issued his executive order in June, the ICC denounced what it called “further threats and coercive actions” against it.

“An attack on the ICC also represents an attack against the interests of victims of atrocity crimes, for many of whom the Court represents the last hope for justice,” its statement read.

Who is Fatou Bensouda?

As a former justice minister in The Gambia, her home country, Ms Bensouda was ideally placed to succeed Luis Moreno-Ocampo as ICC chief prosecutor, as she had been his deputy throughout his term.

She had also previously been a senior legal adviser at a UN-backed tribunal which prosecuted the alleged ringleaders in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

While she broadened ICC investigations to look at conflicts elsewhere, which has now earned her the wrath of the

US, Africa remained her major focus. All ICC trials have so far focused only on Africans - and a militia leader from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Thomas Lubanga, became the first person to be sentenced for war crimes by the ICC in 2012.

But Ms Bensouda also faced a string of defeats, including the acquittal of Ivory Coast’s ex-President Laurent Gbagbo on war crimes charges in 2019 and the dropping of crimes against humanity charges against Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2014.

What is the ICC investigating?

The ICC began investigating alleged war crimes committed by the US and others in the Afghan conflict earlier this year.

According to the ICC’s legal process, the court can issue arrest warrants or a summons to appear once prosecutors have gathered sufficient evidence and identified suspects. From there, they will decided if there is enough evidence for a case to go to trial.

At the time, Mr Pompeo vowed to protect Americans from the probe, calling it “a truly breathtaking action by an unaccountable, political institution masquerading as a legal body”.

A 2016 report from the ICC said there was a reasonable basis to believe the US military had committed torture at secret detention sites operated by the CIA. The actions of the Taliban, the Afghan government and US troops since May 2003 are expected to be examined by the court.

Afghanistan is a member of the court but officials there have also expressed opposition to the inquiry.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

IDB Study: COVID-19 deepened income inequality and can stunt future growth (TRINIDAD GUARDIAN) A household survey of 230,540 respondents conducted by the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) in 17 developing countries (T&T included) documented that the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been concentrated among those with lower incomes prior to the pandemic.

The IDB contended that this finding is important from both social and economic perspectives, noting that inequality is an important social outcome in itself and also has important economic implications.

It argued, “Although further research is needed, several studies have found that current inequality is negatively correlated with future economic growth, and in particular, inequality driven by the lower tail of the income distribution stunts economic growth.”

The findings of the survey implied that the unequal economic impacts of this shortterm public health pandemic could have long-term implications for economic growth.

In addition, the IDB’s analysis of the survey indicates that country-level rates of informality in labour markets are linked to stronger negative

impacts and low resilience, suggesting that prompt policy responses are needed to protect informal workers.

The study also found that the relationship between job loss and business closure is always decreasing and never increasing with income prior to the pandemic, which worsens and deepens existing inequality.

These unequal labour market impacts, according to the IDB, lead to unequal impacts beyond income, including food security and nutrition. It added that Cross-country comparisons suggest that the impacts of the pandemic are stronger

Barbados moves to digital ID cards

(NATIONNEWS) The Barbados Digital ID and National ID Card Replacement Project officially started with the signing of a contract between the Ministry of Innovation Science and Smart Technology (MIST) and Productive Business Solutions (PBS) (Barbados) Ltd. The signing took place recently, at the Ministry’s office at Baobab Tower, Warrens, St Michael.

PBS will be the supplier of software, ID cards, printers and professional services for the project, which is estimated to last four months.

The Digital ID and National ID Card Replacement Project is a major transformational initiative of Government that will

be executed by MIST and the Electoral Department. On completion of this project, the Digital Identity System will provide user authentication in online transactions and facilitate the signing of documents electronically.

The system will also facilitate the secure electronic transfer of information for a range of activities, such as e-commerce, Internet banking and e-communications.

It will use new smart card technology (plastic cards with embedded computer chips) as well as mobile phone technology to enhance the security and integrity of Barbados’ National ID system and support a wide range of public and private sector services. (MIST)

in countries with higher rates of informality.

The IDB disclosed, “Not only are households from high-informality countries losing their livelihoods at higher rates, but they are also less resilient to those negative shocks.”

The study reported that in order to slow the spread of COVID-19, governments have implemented regulations that require social distancing, close non-essential businesses, restrict travel, and in many cases require residents to remain in their homes.

The IBD authors noted that the human interactions

that drive the economy, such as working together in enclosed areas and enjoying entertainment activities, have been discouraged, restricted, or banned.

The report added that residents are complying with the restrictive measures, report strong support for these regulations and actively seek out information. It continued to note that although these measures are necessary for public health, recent evidence from developed countries suggests that they have negative economic impacts in the short run, and that they can

potentially deepen pre-existing gaps.

Furthermore, the study argued that labour market impacts affect policy preferences, as support for policies to contain the coronavirus is weaker among those experiencing job loss or business closure.

The IDB noted that its results are among the first and only estimates of the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on households outside of developed nations. It also stated that it found “impacts that are larger than those reported in developed countries.”

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

An unchanging habit

GUYANA seems perennially to be held under siege by the PNC and its affiliates – past and present-- especially pre, during and post elections.

The world saw key players in GECOM blatantly attempting to circumnavigate Guyana’s constitutional diktats in every conceivable way to give the APNU+AFC victory over the People’s Progressive Party and its civic partner (PPP/C), which both Statements of Poll (SoPs and Statements of Recount (SoRs) showed had won the General and Regional elections of March 2, 2020 with a significant majority.

However, the PNC-led coalition was not prepared to accept those results and the world saw GECOM’s management and staffers begin a series of machinations intended to deny the PPP/C its electoral victory and illegally re-install the coalition parties in government, with Granger as de facto president; and it all began with Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, who reconfigured the numbers on the Region Four SoPs to give the APNU+AFC success by inflating the coalition’s numbers and decreasing the PPP/C’s numbers.

The tragi-comedy farce enacted over five months subsequent to the elections as PNC leaders held private meetings with GECOM heads and great latitude was allowed GECOM CEO Keith Lowenfield as he delivered one erroneous report after the other and questionable protracted delays in the process, opening windows for PNC members filing a series of frivolous and vexatious cases, while coalition supporters ran amok in intimidating scenarios, all caught on camera; even as the deadly COVID-19 epidemic was sweeping the country and people were going hungry all over the country.

Eventually, the GECOM chair was backed into a corner after the world powers and CARICOM took a firm stance – uphold democracy, or else.

During the five months preceding Dr Irfaan Ali’s swearing-in as President, the nation endured an unrelenting agony; even coalition supporters who were being fed lies and being hyped-up into violent modes and aggressive moods by their leaders.

And the nation demanded of their new government that the open electoral fraud that made citizens of every community suffer so much be brought to justice; so, in accordance with the law, the Guyana Police Force (GPF), acting within their remit, began arresting perpetrators, including Mingo.

This apparently terrified the intellectual authors behind the multiplicity of electoral frauds by GECOM managers and staffers, videos of which were widely circulated on social media; so they are seemingly attempting to obfuscate their criminal actions by rallying their supporters into their usual post-elections violence and destruction, trying to blackmail government into withdrawing the charges brought against Mingo.

It is quite likely that the intellectual authors are afraid that Mingo will expose their complicity in the schemes designed to derail the elections and allow a swearing-in of Granger. Hence, this rallying of their troops to create mayhem in the country.

The protest action on the East Coast highway by coalition supporters greatly endangered protesters who are vulnerable to coronavirus infection and affected the social and commercial life of commuters who traverse that highway.

This action was reminiscent of when the PNC lost the elections in 1992: they set fires, destroyed infrastructure and attacked

and robbed individuals and businesses.

They did the same in 1997, in 2001, and again in 2020 after they tried unsuccessfully to steal the elections. Citizens are fearful that the violence and destruction will escalate.

Post-1992 elections, the new government invested all its time, energies and resources into trying to put Guyana back on its socio-economic track, because the needs of the people were paramount and extant in urgent ways in every sector.

It was a Herculean task to even put a dent in the then countrywide devastation that the PNC had left in this country; but their destructive rampages, through Hoyte’s “slo’fiah, mo’ fiah” strategy, that razed dozens of businesses, destroyed private and public properties, with innocent citizens, especially entrepreneurs, and policemen being wantonly robbed and slaughtered, forced the government to curtail developmental imperatives and bend to the opposition’s will, as Dr. Cheddi Jagan was forced to do with Duncan Sandys when the nefarious ‘X-13 Plan’ was unleashed on his people.

Member states of CARICOM which had shared a ‘cordial relationship at headsof-state level with Forbes Burnham, and at the governmental level with the PNC — although it was widely known that the PNC was keeping itself in power through rigged elections, combined with internal terrorism — never once, during that legendary and infamous 28 years of despotic PNC rule, intercede to provide support to Dr. Jagan’s just cause; but their intercession when the PNC was on its “slo’ fiah, mo’ fiah” rampage was mainly on the PNC’s behalf, and forced concessions inimical to the PPP/C administration, which, again, as in the Duncan Sandys farce, was forced to

make concessions inimical to its own interests, such as truncating its term in office by two years.

Consequent to these concessions, the 1999-2001 broad-based Constitutional Reform Commission and the resulting constitutional reforms were unanimously agreed by the parliamentary political parties through an extensive, inclusive consultative process that included communities across the 10 administrative regions, and civil society.

This was then followed by an intensive parliamentary reform process (2002-2006) which created an expanded committee system, and enhanced oversight of all facets of government, supported by revised Standing Orders in both 2006 and 2011. Thus was created one of the best parliamentary models in the world, which gave the parliamentary opposition great sway and great say in the governance of the country, especially in its economic affairs, through the Public Accounts Committee, the permanent chair of which the government conceded to the opposition, even when the PPP/C had the majority in parliament.

However, the current CARICOM construct, headed by the courageous, impartial ethical Madame Mia Motley, stood up and strongly rallied behind the Guyanese faction fighting for democracy to prevail in Guyana and AG Anil Nandlall is adamant that the current PPP/C government will not allow itself to be blackmailed; and that those who collaborated in attempts to steal the 2020 elections will have to face the full brunt of the law.

Supporting diversity in the State media Dear Editor, IN my studies, under the previous government, there was a complete lack of diversity in the state media.

People of Indian, African, Amerindian and other background were marginalised in state media coverage as well as in employment and promotion. Also, reporting and commentaries tended to overwhelmingly favour one side when dealing with political and social issues. Concerns about cov-

erage were made. The new administration must move to correct ethnic imbalance in the composition of the board, in recruitment of managers, directors, columnists, reporters, et al., and in reporting. There must be diversity and fair representation of all groups.

My studies showed that between 1993 and 2015, there was ethnic diversity representing at state media. After May 2015, almost all columnists, anchors, photographers and reporters were of one

ethnicity. Indians and Amerindians were ‘peripheralised’ at state units. The services of the Dean of Caribbean Journalists, Rickey Singh, were terminated; others who were in management and held executive posts were fired for wanting to be non-political.

The media reported on the effort to terminate Moshamie Ramotar who never delved in politics or had any political inclination and who performed professionally in her job. I recall the respected Ruel Johnson resigning

from Chronicle’s board on principles over the effort to terminate Moshamie and to keep Sherrod Duncan who was embroiled in financial mismanagement.

The regime replaced professional managers, objective reporters, editor, director, adviser, consultant, and columnists with ideologues such as Joan Cambridge, Ronald Austin Jr., Lincoln Lewis, Nigel Williams, David Hinds, Sherrod Duncan, Barrington Braithwaite, Akola Thompson (now with

SN), Rawle Lucas, among many others. I don’t remember if Karen Cummings and Mark Benschop (now on internet radio) were also in state media. There was no serious effort at ethnic balance or diversity or to recruit Amerindians who are underrepresented in every sector. There were no appointments of Chinese and Portuguese. Barrington Braithwaite (of ACDA) got a column. A request for a balance from the IAC (Neaz Subhan) was declined.

Scholars like Dr. Baytoram Ramharack and Ryhaan Shah were not offered a column.

Cries demanding diversity and inclusiveness in State media fell on deaf ears. I brought it to the attention of Moses Nagamootoo but there was no redress. I wrote several responses to columns and even penned reports on religious and cultural events among Indo-Guyanese in New York; none was published.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

Open letter to the APNU Leadership

Dear Editor,

I WISH to make it pellucid that a person who gives open advice must not be labelled as a source of bad news, but as a person providing sound guidance. Therefore, I am writing this missive, not as a political antagonist but as an Ambassador for Peace. As an Ambassador for Peace; peace is all that I am interested in, along with justice and fairness to all citizens, whether they voted for a government or not. These citizens must be protected and cared for. Additionally, caring for those who did not support you is a hallmark of not only goodwill but that of excellent governance.

You may note that I did not say ANPU+AFC in my caption; this was intentional. I think the PNC/APNU was extremely kind to the AFC to give them nine seats. It is my view, and that of most ‘political pundits,’ that the AFC did not even bring a single seat to the PNC/APNU. And, as time progresses, they will go into disintegration unless the PNC/APNU clings to them. In all honesty, the undersigned has little respect for the leadership of the AFC, except maybe for Kathy Hughes and Mr. Dominic Gaskin.

Allow me to express my opinions as to why I think the APNU/PNC lost the 2020 general election. My thoughts are as follows:

1. You lost because you isolated yourselves from the masses. In my opinion, an impenetrable golden barrier separated the people from the leadership of the APNU/PNC. 2. You forgot that the people are the true bosses of the country, and that the people can bring down any government they want; they can bring the government out of power anytime they wish and particularly at the end of their term.

3 . T h e p r o m i s es you made were left unfulfilled. As one who travelled the land, I heard the cries and lamentations of the people. Since taking the reins of power, following the elections of 2015, instead of putting the people first, you boosted the salaries of ministers and parliamentarians even as the

economy broke. This was a bitter pill for the electorate.

Something should have been done for the people first! And to add salt to the wounds of the citizens, the words of one of your official which followed, were harsh to the people’s ears: “We have no apologies to make.”

4. You failed to see the message of your supporters in the 2018 Local Government Elections, where you received a very sound thrashing from the electorate.

5. No housing schemes were established, although credit was used for the housing schemes of the former administration and now the Government of Guyana. The few core homes were neither here nor there.

6. Rice, sugar, bauxite, gold, and other significant foreign exchange-earners went under.

7. People were very bitter about the blatant effort by your coalition to cover the US$18 million signing bonus from ExxonMobil. When your government was forced to talk on the subject, it was as though the effort was to pull the wool over the eyes of the people. Never underestimate the intelligence of the ‘man in the streets’.

is to master the technique of winning friends and influencing people. I wrote letters about this to senior government officials, and recommended Dale Carnegie’s book of the same title, “How to win friends and influence people.” I have advised that the purpose must not only be to look out for whoever you consider your own, even though I, the undersigned, felt that you sometimes forgot your own. This Stalinist/Burnamite technique of aggressively pulling the feathers off of a chicken, leaving it bloody and frail, cold and thirsty, but when you throw a few bits of crumbs at it, it will still follow you everywhere you go because you keep throwing crumbs.

Well this time, this technique could not have succeeded.

In my view, it was social media that disrupted your Stalinist strategy of power and dominance.

8. You alienated friends and supporters by behaving as if they did not exist.

12. I believe that you, the PNC/APNU, isolated yourselves from your own supporters and did not attract any of the supporters of the then opposition and now the government. If you observe well, you would see that the new government and its President, with his team, are travelling most generously to areas that are not normally their stronghold. This, dear APNU+AFC, is the mastery of the art of winning friends and influencing others.

9. You had some boisterous party activists, one of them a minister, acting ridiculously and most vulgarly in the streets, counting of the votes, and many times thereafter. This led to disrepute and a severe decline in the PNC faction.

13. The closure of the sugar estates was the most terrible decision affecting tens of thousands of lives and the nation, indirectly and directly.

It affected the lives of at least ten thousand workers and their families. This was a huge mistake that the APNU+AFC have paid for dearly.

10. You denied appointments and recognitions to the positive and credible persons in society, as if these instruments were the personal purview/property of the ‘Bigger Boys’ in your political domain.

11. You failed to win friends and influence people.

I wrote openly in the media and made commentaries on TV programs and social media about how important it

The sudden closure of the sugar estates in Berbice highlighted many areas of concern. Some of which are as follows: a. The sudden closure of the sugar estates in Berbice to those affected was a kind of hatred or vengeance, because it is known that these people are a major support block of the PPP/C. They felt hated and betrayed, especially from the AFC faction of the coalition. The fact that not

even government officials or AFC leaders in the Region Six areas were informed was quite disheartening. He only knew from the newspapers for which his life was later threatened and which later led him to find a way to eke vengeance on the APNU+AFC. I am speaking of Mr. Charrandass Persaud. The few seats gained by the coalition through the AFC: Moses Nagamootoo and Ramjattan,

caused the supporters of the AFC in the region to regret that they had ever voted for a party that had little power in the coalition.

b. There were no plans in place to educate people on alternative occupations.

The fact remained that there was no medium developed to provide reasonable plots of land for independence and/or prior education in the princi-

ples of co-operativism. c. These workers were annoyed because they had to fight to get their severance.

Please note, severance is very different from compensation. Severance is what they have earned. Compensation or a gift would have demonstrated gratitude for their decades of service to the industry that kept this country alive and well.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

Supporting diversity in the ...

The private media carried several reports on events pertaining to Indians and Amerindians. A press release on conference on indentureship in March 2017 was also not carried although it appeared in other papers.

Such behaviour at the State media ought to have been condemned. At least the then Editor-in- Chief, Nigel Williams, should have given some semblance of equity to other groups and political parties.

The lack of media diversity under APNU+AFC is reminiscent of lack of

diversity in American media which I fought against. Black Americans and other minorities were underrepresented in the private and state media.

There was rampant discrimination against Blacks, Indians, Asians, and others in the media even in the college I attended in Harlem. When I was a student at City College of NY (late 1970s and 1980s), I fought for greater representation of minorities in various positions and programmes in the media in America and on campus.

An organisation called SAME (Students for Arts

& Media Exchange) was launched at CCNY, training youngsters of diverse backgrounds in media and in speaking out against discrimination in American media. Also, CCNY had a licensed community radio and TV station that allowed students to obtain experience in broadcasting. (Virtually all campuses had a radio station). It was through the effort of Indo-Caribbean involvement in student government in 1978 and thereafter at CCNY that organisations got block time to host ethnic-related programmes on

the college’s media. I hosted the first ever Indian-related musical programme. The student government instructed the radio station to grant air time to student clubs. Black American students opposed allotment of time to immigrant groups including for Caribbean Blacks, Africans, and Hispanics.

But the student government controlled its purse and influenced allotment of media programmes to student organisations. Blacks and Hispanics took advantage of college training and practicum experience on radio and

Open letter to the APNU ... d. The fact that, after taking power, the government abandoned the rice farmers. Instead of getting the price hikes that were promised, they were left with the millers: with the need to find their own markets.

e. Sugar workers and rice

farmers believed that they were being exploited by the AFC and deceived by the coalition. They were left to wander in the wilderness, in depression and suffering, in suicides and darkness. No efforts were made to include depression counselling or grant scholarships to the chil-

dren of these workers.

f. I wrote in the media that the industry should be kept alive before the factories and the fields deteriorate, carbonise, and sell off to convert these lands, or part thereof, to rear cattle for dairy and meat.

Black belly sheep; a delicacy

in the world could have been reared, or produce fish using the canals that were cleverly built by the British Colonial Masters. With the support of friendly countries, such as Holland, Australia, New Zealand, we could have started manufacturing canned, condensed, and evaporated milk products for local and foreign consumption. But your government at that time did not see what people like me saw. If the government did not want to be involved in these productions, it could have provided the necessary support and trade with the people to make these products. The same factories left to rot could still have produced some sugar with alternative goods stated in the aforementioned. The factory, one or part thereof, may have been used to dehydrate fruit and vegetables. Canning of fruit and vegetables and, as I said earlier, canning of meat in a number of ways. This also included canning of fish products while at the same time, complying with the regulations of the USA and the Europeans, so that we can export frozen or processed fish, such as tilapia, catfish, and armored catfish, aka hassar.

14. INFRASTRUCTURE: Your government has forgotten that infrastructure, such as roads and canals, is important not only in the areas of its supporters, but for all of Guyana.

15. THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: It is known that the Indigenous Peoples were and are the most discriminated, exploited, and abused by the conquistadors and left to wander with little support from the various governments, in particular the APNU+AFC coalition. Hundreds of them were terminated from their jobs when your government took office in 2015. The backlash was seen in the 2020 elections

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TV. Few Indians, Asians, and Arabs were interested in journalism. The effort of Guyanese, Trinis, and Caribbean nationals in student government and the struggle of others, speaking out against marginalisation of minorities (Africans, Indians, Hispanics), contributed to ethnic diversity in CCNY and American media today. Steps have been taken by ‘Whites’ to provide equitable diversity in the American media. The same kind of measures ought to be undertaken in Guyana to bring about diversity.

The imbalance of the

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6

last five years in Guyana State media must be corrected to reflect our rainbow nation. Also, there must be fair coverage. The media is very critical in constricting the life chances of young people. Youngsters should be encouraged to pursue a career in media, and the State must provide training to them. And there must also be mentorship for advancement opportunities.

Yours truly, Dr Vishnu Bisram

7

by the Indigenous Community against the APNU+AFC coalition. The last-minute attempts for bribery were seen for what it was.

I know it is a very painful time for the APNU+AFC camp, and I have always said openly that I have friends with both the PPP/C and the PNC. And, everybody knows that even if I disagree with a point of view and/or a political entity; my ethos, moral upbringing, and my spiritual compunction would always be just for all institutions and others.

I will always be impartial and fair, whether I disagree or agree with a certain point.

I have no bias towards a particular institution, and I speak about what I see is right and true. As my Creator states in the Holy Quran: “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted.” (Quran 4:135) Of course; some weak-minded political adherents will think I do not like their party. If any, I simply have little respect for the AFC, but even if I have to sit in an authority to judge something - for or against them - it will always be a matter of compunctions of true justice.

My message to you, to the coalition, to all politicians, to all humanity, but firstly to myself, is that our successes or our failures come from our own mind. Eventually, the seeds you plant will bear fruit or not. Either you could not get fruits because the seeds did not grow, or you got fruits but they were bitter and useless, or fruits that were succulent,

wholesome, and nutritious. I write this in the form of intellectual metaphorical wisdom.

From the moment the coalition took office, you started to put things in place to secure yourselves. You, the coalition, began at GECOM when you were obviously trying to put who you wanted in office.

You eliminated people who were qualified for political appointments. One could have seen that your plans were for manipulation.

Instead of offering service to the people and winning the hearts and minds of the people, you began to fortify the compound of the Ministry of the Presidency and fortify it as if you wanted to keep revolutionary fighters away. Too many people were terminated, and then you started to disaffect some of the people you suspected might not have been on your side — people who were independent, mostly, and who made independent comments and spoke fairly. So, in my opinion, you planted these seeds of desperation, and everything you did was as if you were trying to use the situation, including the political parties.

My point is that we, as human beings, are creating our destiny through our thoughts and our hearts.

If the intent of the heart is good, then things turn out to be good. But when you try to fortify yourself and put yourself in a clandestine way, people will know, and then the universe knows, then Divine retribution is effected by the universe. As you tried to affect and conspire to disaffect others, you were actually conspiring against yourselves. This is a simple procedure to teach us that we are the creators of our own futures. So do please blame yourselves for the loss of the 2020 elections.

Sincerely, Hajji Dr. Roshan Khan

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

First batch of patients shifted to COVID-19 hospital –– work ongoing to establish ICU facility at the hospital within a month GUYANA’S capacity to isolate and quarantine novel coronavirus (COVID-19) patients has been boosted as the Health Ministry activated the $1.6 billion infectious diseases hospital by transferring patients from the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to the new facility.

The Guyana Chronicle was reliably informed that six COVID-19 patients from GPHC’s Maternity Unit were transferred to the new facility, which is located at the site of the former Ocean View Hotel.

A critical element in the fight against COVID-19 has been isolation and quarantining facilities, and before the activation of the new facility, GPHC and the Diamond Hospital have been bearing the brunt, in this regard.

While only six patients have been transferred to the infectious diseases hospital so far, work is ongoing to get the facility ready to house more patients. The facility is being manned by staff of the GPHC. Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, had told this publication that the facility, which was built under the former APNU+AFC administration, was just a “shell”, so a lot of adjustments had to be made before patients could be housed there.

Although work is still ongoing to get the facility fully-equipped, the minister said the focus will be on transferring patients who show mild signs of the disease. Most

patients are expected to be transferred from GPHC’s “transition ward”- the ward housing patients who show

And, although 80 per cent of the persons who contract COVID-19 recover from the disease without needing hos-

an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) there to treat with patients who are seriously ill.

Dr. Anthony foresees an

(GPHC) and the regional and district hospitals.

It was reported that the facility has a capacity for

The Guyana Chronicle was reliably informed that six COVID-19 patients from GPHC’s Maternity Unit were transferred to the new facility, which is located at the site of the former Ocean View Hotel

only the mild symptoms of COVID-19.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Other symptoms that are less common and may affect some patients include aches and pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes.

These symptoms, WHO said, are usually mild and progress gradually. Some people become infected but only have very mild symptoms.

pital treatment, around one in every five person who gets this disease becomes seriously ill and develop difficulty breathing.

ICU facility being established at the new hospital within a month’s time, given the magnitude of work to be done.

It was reported that the hospital, which was comHIGHER RISK missioned by the former Older people, and those APNU+AFC administration, with underlying medical has glaring inefficiencies, problems like high blood but Vice-President, Bharrat pressure, heart and lung Jagdeo, had said taxpayers’ problems, diabetes, or can- money cannot be wasted. cer, are at higher risk of The former government developing serious illness. had said the new facility, However, anyone can con- which was established at tract COVID-19 and become the site of the former Ocean seriously ill.

View Hotel, will serve as the While the new infectious first all-inclusive infectious diseases hospital only caters diseases facility, and would for mild patients right now, eventually remove the conMinister Anthony had said straints from the Georgetown there are plans to establish Public Hospital Corporation

190 beds and also caters for laboratories, a pharmacy, an ICU, an operating theatre and even a mortuary. A section of the facility was also set to house the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC), a surveillance centre, a research centre and administrative offices.

MAJOR I NEFFICIENCIES A closer examination of the facility by the new People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government revealed major inefficiencies in not just the physical aspect of the project, but also the deal between the former government

and the owner of the former hotel, Jacob Rambarran.

Government has since been working to rectify those issues, but it is certain that the facility will not be “wasted”.

The idea to establish a special COVID-19 facility was put to government by the Pan American Health Organisation / World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) after a new study found that Guyana could have as many as 20,000 COVID-19 cases in a month.

The Ministry of Health, using the PAHO/WHO method, had initially projected 1,400 cases, but a recent study done by PAHO/WHO found that, with every case, another 2.5 persons will be affected within five days, if there is no partial lockdown, and if persons do not exercise effective social distancing.

“That 2.5, if I infect you, you infect 2.5 others and they infect another 2.5. Within a month we will get over 20,000; it’s a simple model but it makes a lot of sense,” said PAHO/WHO Resident Representative, Dr. William Adu-Krow, in a previous News Room report.

And should this happen, Dr. Adu-Krow said five per cent or 1,000 of those infected would need intensive care, and Guyana simply does not have the capacity for this.

Former Republic Bank manager is new CH&PA chief THE Ministry of Housing and Water (MoHW), announced Tuesday that former Republic Bank Guyana manager, Sherwyn Greaves, is the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).

Greaves will be replacing Lelon Saul, whose contract with the Agency was terminated on August 25. According to a statement from MoHW, Greaves’ banking career

spans over 27 years, during the course of which he has held key managerial positions throughout the country.

“The newly-appointed CEO brings with him a wealth of knowledge in the areas of effective leadership and communication, as he holds a Master in Business Administration from the Australia Institute of Business; a diploma in banking from the Associate Institute of Canadian Bankers, as well

CH&PA’s new CEO, Mr. Sherwyn Greaves

as a certificate in People and Team Management from the Canadian Securities Institute,” the MoHW said.

Greaves was a consultant for the current governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) while it was in opposition.

The statement went on to note that Greaves is also trained in the areas of Change Management, Security and Fraud Awareness, High-performance Management,

and Business Continuity Planning among others.

“The Management and Staff look forward to working with Mr. Greaves, as he furthers the agenda of the agency,” the ministry said.

Greaves’ appointment comes just days after the ministry announced the appointment of Mr. Shaik Baksh as the Guyana Water Inc (GWI)’s new Chief Executive Officer.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

India supports Guyana's fight against COVID-19

India’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr. K.J. Srinivasa, handing over the medical supplies and medicines to Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, on Wednesday (India High Commission photo)

INDIA on Wednesday extended assistance of US$ 1 million to Guyana to improve health infrastructure and capacities so as to enable locals receiving more COVID-19-related medical care and health services.

The Indian High Com-

mission in Georgetown in a release said the Government of India also offered the same level of assistance, i.e. US$ 1 million, to each CARICOM country.

The assistance of US$ 1 million from India will be used for improving medical

and health care in Guyana, for procurement of life-saving medical supplies and equipment.

Under this assistance, 29 ventilators, 4800 PPE-clothing coverall, 4,799 masks, 4,366 face shields, 70 examination gloves, and various

other supplies will be procured.

Besides these, the Government of India has provided 30,000 hydroxychloroquine tablets to the Government of Guyana as a gesture of goodwill in support of its fight against COVID-19.

On Wednesday, India’s High Commissioner to Guyana Dr. K.J. Srinivasa handed over the medical supplies and medicine to Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony, in the presence of PAHO/WHO Guyana Representative Dr. William Adu-Krow.

“The Government of Guyana’s proposal for assistance and collaboration for fighting the coronavirus pandemic was processed under India-UNDP Fund managed by UNOSSC and the guidelines of the Sustainable Development Goals. The implementation of this funding assistance for procurement of medical supplies and equipment was done by the UNDP, and Ministry of Public Health of Guyana, UNDP, PAHO, etc. partnered in it. The modalities for implementing the project were followed as per the guidelines of the India-UNDP Fund,” the release said.

It also noted that trials of COVID-19 vaccines are progressing well in India and currently there are several vaccines in different phases of trials.

Oxford University-AstraZeneca’s Covishield vaccine developed by Serum Institute of India is in the Phase-III trials. India’s first indigenous vaccine against the novel coronavirus, Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Insti-

tute of Virology, Pune, is in the second phase of clinical trials.

Others such as ZyCOV-D developed by Zydus Cadilla in Ahmedabad, and Novavax’s protein subunit vaccine, are also undergoing trials in various stages. An approved vaccine is likely to hit the Indian market by the first quarter of 2021.

WELCOME STEP “India’s efforts and Prime Minister Modi’s initiative at containing the coronavirus pandemic is appreciated world over as a positive and welcome step. This pandemic has strained the capacity of the world to assist others.

Therefore, international cooperation is imperative. It is in this context that India has reached out to its friendly countries across the world.

Following the prime minister’s discussions with various heads of state/governments, India has since assisted over 100 countries with medical supplies and equipment to combat COVID-19. Essential medicines such as Paracetamol, hydroxychloroquine, emergency medicines, PPEs, etc. to fight the pandemic are being supplied on a priority basis when the world is facing acute shortage of these medicines. As part of its commitment to train healthcare professionals and experts across the world, the Ministry of External Affairs of India has since conducted a series of e-ITEC short training live webinars for healthcare professionals on COVID19 Management Strategies and related aspects,” the release from the Indian High Commission said.

During his meeting with

CARICOM leaders in September 2019, Prime Minister Modi had put forward three offers of assistance to CARICOM countries: (i) US$ 14 million Grant (US$ 1million per CARICOM member state) for quick- impact community development projects in CARICOM countries; (ii) a US$150 million Line of Credit (US$ 10 million per CARICOM member state) for CARICOM countries for solar energy and climate change-related projects; and special capacity building courses, training and deputation of experts based on the needs and requirements of the CARICOM countries.

“We encourage the Government of Guyana to avail the assistance of Line of Credit funding to the tune of US$ 10 million for solar energy related projects, as the country needs solar energy projects, given its abundance in [sic] sunlight and the requirement of power for rural areas, hinterland areas, Amerindian regions, etc. Similarly, the people of Guyana are invited to utilise more and more ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation) training slots for the benefit of the people and to make a pool of skilled manpower resources in the country. The Government of India and the High Commission of India would be happy to increase this number if there is additional requirement from the Government and people of Guyana. Special-capacity building courses, training and deputation of experts could also be taken up based on the requirements,” the Indian High Commission said.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

CDC working on improving COVID-19 public assistance programme --in bid to make Phase 2, and beyond even more successful THE Civil Defence Commission (CDC) on Wednesday concluded a two-day “SWOT Analysis Workshop” to review Phase One of the COVID-19 Public Assistance Programme (PAP), and evaluate what improvements could be made as provisions begin for Phase Two of the programme.

Councils (RDCs), as well as Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) to be armed with the relevant information, so that they can play a more useful role in the programme, in collaboration with non-governmental organisations and faith-based organisations.

The need for greater cooperation and coordination

Ministry of Amerindian Affairs (MoAA), with the CDC providing critical support.

Over 22,000 applications have been received so by the programme since it was initiated, with Phase One seeing some 1,754 households being shortlisted for vouchers in coastal communities and townships, while 5,101 hinterland

Among basic food items being distributed among the country’s most vulnerable in this time of near-crisis

The workshop was conducted with the aim of enhancing the effectiveness of the COVID-19 assistance programme, so as to improve understanding of roles and responsibilities among implementing partners and key stakeholders, and to conduct a review of the current measures, so that the next steps could be identified.

A SWOT Analysis is a study undertaken by an organisation to identify its internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as its external opportunities and threats.

The need for greater involvement and more sensitisation of local-government organs, and the implementation of a more comprehensive public relations campaign to properly sensitise the public were some of the recommendations that came out of the workshop.

There was also a call for the Regional Democratic

between the public and private sectors to ensure the timely reimbursements to suppliers who need to cash their vouchers received, were also highlighted.

Also identified was the need for more robust marketing, encouraging greater submissions of Expression of Interest from a larger number of suppliers across a wider area, while there is also the suggestion for the establishment of a help desk to deal with inquiries both by applicants and suppliers.

The workshop was attended by representatives from all of the collaborating agencies that are partnering to carry out the programme.

Phase One of the programme was led by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MoHSSS) and the Ministry of Finance (MoF), and involved the National Data Management Authority (NDMA); Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development (MoLG&RD); and

households were shortlisted for direct food hampers.

Eligible persons living on the coastland received the vouchers via the Post Office’s registered mail system and were required to sign upon receiving them.

The vouchers were used at several supermarkets across the country whereby the recipients are provided with fresh foods, dry ration and sanitation items. Eligible hinterland residents received packaged hampers, which cater to their Indigenous diets.

To date, 1,645 vouchers have been en-cashed by beneficiaries, while 2,315 care packages have been distributed to hinterland communities in Regions One (Barima-Waini); Eight (Potaro-Siparuni); and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).

It was back in May that the government of the day launched a data collection mechanism, which is aimed

Shot Lombard Street businessman in critical state A SEVENTY-year-old businessman is now in serious condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, after he was shot by two bandits in front of his store on Lombard and Drysdale Streets, Georgetown on Wednesday.

Reports indicate that the businessman operates the Robinson’s General Store.

At the time of the shooting, the businessman was sitting on a chair in front of the business establishment when, at around 12:10 hours, he was confronted by two men on a bicycle.

Police said an argument quickly ensued between the men, which escalated into a physical altercation.

During the conflict, the businessman, who is a li-

censed firearm holder, was relieved of his gun and shot by one of the suspects who later escaped with the weapon.

After being shot, the businessman collapsed. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he had to undergo surgery.

No arrest has been made as investigations continue.

at identifying and providing tangible support for vulnerable households affected by the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 here.

The Online process commenced on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, and the manual submissions were scheduled to begin by May 27, 2020.

Following the submission of an application, shortlisted applicants were contacted following a verification process before the support was released. Only eligible applicants will receive the assistance.

The assistance is being rendered on a needs basis, thereby ensuring that the most affected persons are reached and supported.

The initiative targets single-parent households; households in which one or more persons suffered a loss of income due to COVID-19; and households that are managed by elderly persons, or persons living with disabilities.

A beneficiary and her child with some of the items they received via the COVID-19 assistance programme

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

‘Ponzi’ couple makes bail again –– but more court appearances just around the corner

By Clestine Juan ACCELERATED Capital Firm Inc (ACFI)’s Yuri Garcia Dominguez and Ateeka Ishmael were on Wednesday hauled before the courts again to answer 11 more fraud-related charges.

This time around, the pair appeared before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where they were charged jointly but not required to plead to allegations that between May and July, 2020, with intent to commit a felony, they conspired, with persons known and unknown, to obtain a total of over $75M

from 11 victims of their alleged ‘scam’ under false pretence.

The Cuban national and his Guyanese wife are represented by Attorneys-at-Law Glen Hanoman and Dexter Todd.

The pair was released on $3.3M bail each, and the case adjourned until September 7.

Just the day before, Tuesday, September 1, 2020, the couple had appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, where they were charged jointly, but not required to plead, to the allegation that between May and July, 2020, with intent to commit a felony, they con-

ACFI Financial Adviser, Yuri Garcia Dominguez

spired with persons known and unknown to obtain a total of over $30M from 12 persons, again under false pretence.

They were released on $3.6M bail each, and that particular matter has been adjourned until September 21.

When they appeared before Magistrate Leron Daly at the said Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Monday, August 31, 2020, it was to answer to 10 charges, the particulars of which state that between the months of May and July 2020, they, with intent to commit a felony, conspired with persons known and unknown to obtain a total sum of over $60M from 10 victims under false pretence.

They were released on $1M bail each, and the case was adjourned until October 5, 2020.

Dominguez and his wife, ACFI Director, Ateeka Ishmael

The couple had first appeared on Thursday August 27, 2020 before Magistrate Marissa Mittelholzer at the Vigilance Magistrate’s Court, where the charges against them were that between May and July 2020, they, with intent to commit fraud, obtained a total of $24.7M from 13 persons by false pretence.

At the time, the couple, was not required to plead to the charges, and was granted $3.9 million bail each. That matter was adjourned until September 18, 2020.

The couple had also made a virtual appearance before Magistrate Alisha George at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court, where a total of six similar charges were read against them, alleging that they’d obtained in excess of $1M unlawfully, For those charges, the couple was remanded to prison until September 21, 2020.

Thus far, a total of 57 persons have come forward and lodged complaints against them with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), claiming to have invested millions of dollars in ACFI, and not seeing a blind cent in return, as promised.

The duo was first held by the police one week ago following an investigation into widespread rumours that they were running a “Ponzi Scheme”.

A Ponzi Scheme is a form of fraud in which investors are made to believe

in the success of a non-existent enterprise, and encouraged to invest because of the payment of quick returns.

However, the first investors are only being paid from money invested by successive investors, a charge that both Dominguez and Ishmael have since vehemently denied, via a statement, saying: “The funds necessary to refund our clients are ready to be disbursed.”

The police here have listed Dominguez, a naturalised Guyanese of Cuban origin, and his wife, who’s Guyanese by birth, as grave flight risks, given that they have no assets in the country.

The pair is said to have been operating their investment company, ACFI, here in Guyana from as far back as 2017, but have never been licensed to do so by the Guyana Securities Council (GSC) as is required.

According to reports, some 17,000 Guyanese are said to have collectively invested approximately US$20 million in the company, which first came to the limelight earlier this month, when several persons came forward, claiming to have not received any returns as promised.

ACFI has been attributing its failure to remit payments to clients to its lack of a bank account, as several local commercial banks have closed whatever accounts they’d held with them.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

La Grange ‘hit-and-run’ leaves one dead THE family members of a 25-year-old mason are still reeling from shock at news of his passing during the course of a ‘hit-andrun’ accident late Tuesday night, not far from where he lived.

Dead is Imran Abdul of Unity Street, La Grange, West Bank Demerara, who, according to reports, was walking along the La Grange Public Road on his way home, around 2100hrs, when the accident occurred.

He’d reportedly just left his brother's house at Goed Fortuin Squatting Area, a few villages away, and was making good time when he was struck from behind by a speeding vehicle, the driver of which made good his escape after realising what had occurred.

Word is that by the time Abdul, who’d been rendered unconscious by the impact, was picked up by the police and taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital at Vreed-en-Hoop, he was

Imran Abdul (left) and his mother

pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor on duty.

His eldest brother, Fazal Khan, with whom he’d spent his last few hours on this earth, told the Guyana Chronicle that he believes that his death was solely due to reckless driving, as his brother did not have any personal issues with anyone.

Recalling the last time he saw his brother alive, Fazal said: “He come by me like around 5:30, and we did watchin’ de cricket. We had a few drinks, and he tell me he goin’ home. That was around 8:30 at night.”

He said that after Abdul left him, he did not go straight home, but made a short stop at a friend’s. He

MARAD gets new Director-General –– as it repositions to meet the demands of emerging oil-and-gas sector FORMER Harbour Master, Mr. Stephen Thomas was on Wednesday appointed as the new Director General of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), replacing Ms. Claudette Rogers, who has been repositioned as Adviser on Maritime affairs.

The appointments were reportedly announced by Minister of Public Works (MoPW), Bishop Juan Edghill, during meetings

Newly-appointed MARAD Director-General, Mr. Stephen Thomas

sues throughout Guyana and the major stakeholders.

The new MARAD administration has been tasked with conducting a review of all its systems and functions, and to assess the capacity and skillsets of its employees within the next 10 days.

“The announcement of the new appointments, as well as the policy directions that were given were warmly received by both the management and rank- and-file workers,” the MoPW said,

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill (right) during a recent meeting with MARAD senior staff

with MARAD senior management and staff at the Department’s headoffice and boat house According to a statement issued by the ministry on Wednesday, Thomas is well positioned to facilitate a new policy direction that comes

with the portfolio, as he possesses key experiences and educational background, including an intimate knowledge of the various maritime and riparian communities, as well as their culture and economic activities. He is also credited with being familiar with Port and Maritime is-

adding: “Various members of staff expressed gratitude for the role Ms. Claudette Rogers played, and wished her well in her new role as Adviser, TURN TO PAGE

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said that it was after leaving the friend’s house that his brother was struck down.

Fazal said the first he knew of what had befallen his brother was when he got a call from their mother saying he was at the hospital.

By the time he made it to the hospital, he was already dead.

Meanwhile, the Police, acting upon information received, were able to locate the vehicle suspected to have been the one that struck Imran down at a body-work shop at Belle West, Canal #2, West Bank Demerara.

They were also able to locate and arrest its driver, reportedly a 32-year-old male of Stanleytown, also

Imran’s father, Shazamudeen Aziz (left), and along his brother, Fazal (Photos by Delano Williams)

on the West Bank Demerara, and two other persons. The trio is in police

custody, where they are currently assisting with investigations.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

‘We will put back mo

-- says President Ali, distributes 1,100 hampers to Soesdyke-Linden H PRESIDENT, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, on Wednesday, visited the communities of Adventure/Silver Hill, Kairuni, Loo Creek, Tigerbone Banakari, Swan, Kuru Kuru College and Kuru Kururu, all located along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway where he distributed 1,100 hampers containing food and hygiene supplies.

The communities of Laluni, St.

Cuthbert’s Mission/Pakuri and River’s View (Demerara River) are also beneficiaries of the hampers.

The President, in his remarks to the residents, said that his action was just one of the initiatives that the government had taken to reduce the adverse effects of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) on citizens.

“We have brought help for you and

for the families in these communities, but this isn’t all there is to it. We intend to announce some other household measures by the end of the week, which can bring back some vibrancy to the economy and put back money in peoples’ pockets and in the communities,” President Ali said.

The head of state said that while he desires to visit every community

President, Dr Irfaan Ali speaking at the distr

President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, interacts with this boy during an communities where 1,100 hampe

Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Nigel Dharamlall, was part of the distribution team (DPI photo)

across the country, he wanted, particularly, to return to the lesser-known villages, as they too were enduring numerous challenges which require attention.

Meanwhile, residents were

eager to meet with the President and many of them noted that it was the first time that a sitting Head of State had visited. The villagers also applauded the Government’s approach to grassroot engagements so

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

oney in your pockets’

Highway communities

ribution exercise on Wednesday (DPI photo)

n outreach, on Wednesday, to Soesdyke-Linden Highway ers were distributed (DPI photo)

This recipient was happy to receive her hamper from Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Hugh Todd (DPI photo)

soon after taking office.

Glenis Prescott, a resident of Silver Hill, was emotional, as she noted that it was the first time the community had seen a President ‘on the ground’ interacting with res-

idents. Prescott said too that the COVID-19 pandemic had severely affected her family and the President’s assurances, as well as the hampers, were most welcomed.

“This will be a real great

help to me and my family. I have a husband and four kids and it has been really tough for us during this period,” she said.

Kavita Ramdial also warmly welcomed the President, saying that she had spent all her life at Silver Hill but had never before been fortunate enough to witness a President visiting the village.

“I am happy to meet the President, take a picture with him and being able to be so close to a President. I cannot truly express how I feel today. I am just happy,” Ms. Ramdial said.

Jacklyn Williams of Kairuni also noted that it was the first time a President had set foot in that village. She, however, noted that it was even more significant for villagers since the President took along members of his Cabinet to address their concerns.

“This is the first time someone from Government came here and did anything for us. I am 53 years of age and I never saw a President here. Nobody ever did such a thing or came here and brought things for our community so I feel very happy about this. We are happy to see

15

him doing something for our community,” she said.

Susan Samaroo of Tigerbone Banakari commended President Ali, noting that he has demonstrated that he is a man of the people and has their best interests at heart.

“To me, he seems to be a down-toearth man and we are grateful that he is here with us today to lend some assistance and to also listen to the concerns of the people. The residents are pleased and we look forward to seeing action from him,” she said. (DPI)

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Over a dozen homeless after separate fires

OVER a dozen persons are now homeless as a result of separate fires that occurred in North Melanie,

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

East Coast Demerara and Central Amelia's Ward, Linden, on Wednesday.

A 77-year-old retired The remains of the North Melanie, East Coast Demerara house that was gutted by fire

teacher and several members of her family are displaced after a fire of unknown origin destroyed her Lot 21, North Melanie, East Coast Demerara residence.

Reports indicated that she was living in a two-storey wooden and concrete structure. The upper flat consisted of three bedrooms while the bottom flat consisted of two bedrooms, all of which are situated to the eastern side of the house.

One of the occupants of the house disclosed that, at approximately 16:30 hours, she was on the verandah preparing to do an online lesson when she smelled something burning and she visited the last bedroom and saw the entire room engulfed in flames.

She then raised an alarm and public-spirited citizens went to her assistance and helped in pushing her motorcar PEE 3076 out of the yard.

However, she was unable to save her household articles and personal documents from the blaze. The firefighters from the Mahaica Fire Station managed to contain the blaze from spreading to

nearby buildings.

The house was completely gutted but no one was injured.

Meanwhile, at approximately 15:30 hours, a 44-year-old security guard from the Kalibur Security Service, attached to the Amelia's Ward Nursery School lost her home while she was at work.

Enquiries disclosed that the victim is the mother of seven children, five of whom were living with her in the one-storey wooden house.

Reports indicated that she left two of her teenaged children at home, a male and a female, and went to work.

Later in the day her son left his sister at home, went at a friend's home, and, about 14:00 hours, his sister secured the house and left to visit her mother's work place.

During this time the victim ( the mother ) received information that her house was completely burnt. The Linden Fire Service is investigating the cause of the fire.

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MARAD gets ... while remaining a member of the Senior Management Division at the Administration. Similarly, words of welcome were offered to the incoming Director- General at every engagement held.�

Thomas has reportedly served over three decades in the ports and maritime sector, with the majority of it being as a senior officer with the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) and MARAD, the MoPW said, adding that as Harbour Master, he was responsible for the management of all

the country’s harbours in accordance with the Transport and Harbours Act, and assisted the T&HD in such areas as surveying their vessels, investigations, training of shipboard crews, and generally advising management on an ad hoc basis.

Thomas reportedly has a Master of Science Degree in Ports & Shipping Administration, and a host of other qualifications that make him eligible to fill the post to which he has been appointed.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

EU keen on building strong partnership with Guyana ambassador.

Minister Edghill thanked the EU for its assistance over the years, and expressed particular interest in the need for EU’s expertise and technology, as well as EU’s business presence in infrastructur-

Ambassador Fernando Ponz Cantó and Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill greet each other during their meeting on Wednesday

AMBASSADOR of the EU to Guyana, Fernando Ponz Cantó, and Public Works Minister, Bishop

Juan Edghill, on Wednesday, discussed matters on the partnership between the EU and Guyana, as it relates

to the Ministry of Public Works.

The discussion was held during a courtesy call by the

‘Reflection and Reaffirmation’

–– is the theme of Guyana Folk Festival 2020

THIS year, the Guyana Cultural Association of New York, the organisation that hosts the annual Guyana Folk Festival in Brooklyn, New York will celebrate its 20th anniversary.

Typically, four of the season’s signature events are held during the week leading up to Labour Day, the first Monday in September.

Over the past 20 years, the Guyana Folk Festival has emerged as the largest Guyanese summer festival in New York. Each year, Guyanese in Brooklyn welcome Guyanese from home and across the diaspora to this celebration of Guyana’s multi-ethnic heritage and creativity.

According to a release, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Guyana

Folk Festival season will be different. It will be virtual and the 2020 theme is “Reflection & Reaffirmation”.

This focus has informed two of the season’s recently concluded signature events, namely the Summer Workshop Series (July 4–August 4, 2020) and the Literary Hang and Symposium (August 22, 2020).

“In both of those events, using Zoom and Facebook, we were able to widen the scope to include participants from Guyana and across the Guyanese diaspora. The same is expected for the upcoming signature events: The annual Awards Ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, September 2 at 18:00 hours. The GCA Annual Awards will bestowed, the Godfrey Chin Prizes for Heritage Journalism will be awarded, and two new

prizes for 2021 will be announced. The event will be live streamed on the GCA Facebook page,” the organisers said.

A ‘Queh Queh’ night is also on schedule.

“We will draw upon our archives to showcase this distinctive Guyanese premarital tradition. In addition, we will explore the similarities between ‘Queh queh’ and other premarital traditions, such as ‘matticore’, in Guyana and our continental African and Indian root cultures. Family Fun Day, which is scheduled for Sunday, September 6 from 15:00 hours, will showcase global Guyana,” the release concluded.

al works.

Ambassador Ponz Cantó explained that the EU Delegation is working to increase European business interest and presence in Guyana, while reiterating that the EU is keen to continue and further develop its strong

partnership and cooperation with Guyana.

Ambassador Ponz Cantó also congratulated the minister on his appointment and wished him a successful tenure.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

Novel candlelight concert on for Sept. 8

–– to help drown suicidal thoughts with positive vibes The Caribbean Voice will be pushing for more research on the mental health situation in Guyana, even as it calls on all Guyanese to take part in its virtual candlelight vigil at 20:00hrs on September 8 in observance of World Suicide Prevention Day. The vigil will be held

alongside a virtual suicide prevention programme, which will be aired on all the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs) social-media pages. The event will be held under the theme “Working Together to Prevent Suicide”.

“We will also be talking about suicide, because it’s everybody’s business. It’s

about bringing awareness and counselling persons here in Guyana and further afield, and one of the things we want to advocate for is a comprehensive study of mental health,” TCV Managing Director and Secretary, Bibi Ahmad said.

The event is organised to support suicide prevention

efforts; remember suicide victims; offer support to persons left behind to deal with the hurt of losing someone from suicide; and to show support for persons who have attempted suicide but were lucky enough to survive.

The TCV vigil is held annually on September 8 since the establishment of the Guyana Chapter in 2014. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the programme will be held virtually.

It is expected to include performances by a number of singers, dancers, spoken-word artistes, poets, drummers, and comedians. A number of officials are also expected to make remarks during the programme.

“It’s a virtual programme where we will have key remarks by the minister of health and some key personnel will also be there. And we are hoping that civil society could send us some short videos that we can play,” Ahmad explained.

LAUNCH HERE TCV was formed in Guyana following the country’s rise as having the highest suicide rate in the world.

Aside from focusing on suicide awareness, the organisation also does work that focuses on other social ills such as child abuse, sexual abuse, and gender-based violence.

“We reach approximately 500,000 people every month. We focus on suicide, sexual abuse, child abuse and gender-based violence. We have a team of professional counsellors, all of them have either their masters or doctorate and have years of experience,” shared TCV President, Annan Boodram.

Earlier this year the organisation partner with various U.S. universities to provide much-needed access to free study materials for students who were preparing for the National Grade Six Assessment.

The NGO had hoped to have two national campaigns across Guyana this year involving a counsellor training programme and a

TCV President, Annan Boodram

TCV Managing Director, Bibi Ahmad

domestic violence awareness campaign that would include focus groups with males; however, due to the COVID-19, that had to be postponed.

The NGO is also involved in Project Turnaround, a collaboration with the Buxton Youth Developers, an institution established for students who dropped out of school or never attended school.

It has also been working with other donors to improve the infrastructure, both internal and external, and to boost the academic and co and extra-curricula programmes at the institution.

In August 2015, the organisation held a National Conference on Suicide and Abuse, which was attended by over 75 organisations across Guyana.

TCV has conducted numerous workshops in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam); Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara); Four (Demerara-Mahaica); Five (Mahaica-Berbice); Six (East

Berbice-Corentyne); and Seven, (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), reaching over 5,000 persons from all walks of life.

In 2016, the TCV launched its community outreach and students’ self-esteem workshop in Demerara, which was geared towards reaching out to communities from where suicide emanates and within which suicide potential is potent, and investing in sessions that enable such communities to voice their fears, concerns, experiences and suggestions.

The outreach provided the communities with strategies and information that will help them to be proactive first-responders for their respective communities.

Over the years, the organisation has also been continuously advocating for the government to establish a registry of sex offenders, and raise the age of consent to 18 years.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

Arresting COVID-19, making communities safer –– big on agenda of Reg. 1 commander

By Rabindra Rooplall SUPERINTENDENT Jairam Ramlakhan will focus on capacity-building and implementation of best practices in dealing with COVID-19 as he gets down to business as commander of Region One (Barima-Waini).

Commander Ramlakhan said police stations in Region One will also have new or dormant station management committees activated to ensure that the interest of the ranks and stations are acted upon.

In policing the large terrain, the commander personally visited the stations under his jurisdiction. These include the Mabaruma Police Station, Acquera Police Station, Arakaka Police Station, Baramita Police Station, Imbotero Police Station, Matthew’s Ridge Police Station, Port Kaituma Police Station, Yarakita Police Station, Tamakay Floating Base, Whitewater Police Outpost and Santa Cruz Police Station.

The commander said after visiting all the stations in person, decisions were taken after consultation with stakeholders to improve policing in various communi-

interacting and communicating with communities take on a new form in maintaining law and order, especially in the hinterland regions.

However, he noted this requires policing to be sensitive to the local context, with greater situational awareness by police officers on the

Region One Commander Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan

ties, along with the transferal of ranks.

The superintendent noted that he spoke with toshaos, business persons, residents, community leaders and regional official and got a great understanding of the needs of the various communities.

He explained that as the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the globe, the police forces have been thrust into new roles as they engage and enforce new policies and laws governing societal behaviours.

He explained that responding to the impact of the

pandemic has changed the nature of criminal activity.

“Since many people have had to stay at home, some aspects of criminal activity have proliferated indoors.

Domestic violence and child abuse have been areas in which increases have been noted. With less social interaction outside the closest family, these kinds of crime become more difficult to identify and intervene in,” the commander noted.

As huge numbers of people move to digital platforms for work and social interaction, the superintendent said

Free childcare for frontline workers THE Human Services and Social Security Ministry will be expanding its childcare assistance programme to provide free child care to frontline workers who are providing an essential service or key public services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud, during a virtual press conference on Monday, revealed that assistance will be available to the frontline workers in the both private and public sectors.

Dr. Persaud noted that, in the first phase, the programme will be piloted to benefit healthcare workers, police officers, prison officers, fire service officers, security officers and army officers, with children who are below the age of seven.

Through the programme, the ministry will make direct payment for services to childcare facilities.

Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr. Vindhya Persaud

Minister Persaud was emphatic that the “direct payment will only be made to licenced childcare facilities”.

Further, Minister Persaud highlighted how those workers mentioned can access this service.

“Forms will be sent to the employers of all of these essential workers and will be available on the ministry’s web-page, which will be up very shortly,” Dr. Persaud explained.

Minister Persaud said the ministry will review the programme with a view to expanding it to other categories of workers before the end of the year.

The Human Services and Social Security Ministry has been partnering with the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and other government agencies to offer COVID-19 relief packages to the public on the basis of need. (DPI)

ground and more effective communication campaigns and dialogue with the public and businesses.

He said that during his command all avenues will be explored to ensure the safety, security and partnership with communities in Region One are done in accordance with best practices.

Further, the commander explained that he will also be implementing capaci-

ty-building measures that include established priorities; analysing police tasks and identifying standards; identifying gaps in the performance of the police; selecting design and delivery systems and evaluation of all systems.

The commander said he is receiving the support of the regional administration in the execution of his duties.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

Yates takes over...

FROM PAGE 24

1. Wout van Aert (Bel/ Jumbo-Visma) 4hrs 21mins 22secs 2. Cees Bol (Ned/Team Sunweb) Same time 3. Sam Bennett (Ire/Deceuninck-Quick-Step) 4. Peter Sagan (Svk/Bora-Hansgrohe) 5. Jasper Stuyven (Bel/ Trek-Segafredo) 6. Luka Mezgec (Slo/ Mitchelton-Scott) 7. Bryan Coquard (Fra/ B&B Hotels-Vital Concept) 8. Caleb Ewan (Aus/Lotto Soudal) 9. Clement Venturini (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale) 10. Hugo Hofstetter (Fra/ Israel Start-up Nation) General classification after stage five 1. Adam Yates (GB/ Mitchelton-Scott) 22hrs 28mins 30secs 2. Primoz Roglic (Slo/ Jumbo-Visma) +3secs 3. Tadej Pogacar (Slo/ UAE Team Emirates) +7secs 4. Guillaume Martin (Fra/Cofidis) +9secs 5. Egan Bernal (Col/Ineos Grenadiers) +13secs 6. Tom Dumoulin (Ned/ Jumbo-Visma) Same time 7. Nairo Quintana (Col/ Arkea-Samsic) 8. Esteban Chaves (Col/ Mitchelton-Scott) 9. Miguel Angel Lopez (Col/Astana) 10. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R La Mondiale)

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

United sign Ajax midfielder van de Beek (BBC) - Manchester United have signed Netherlands midfielder Donny van de Beek from Ajax for £35M, plus £5M in add-ons, on a five-year contract. van de Beek, 23, played 175 first-team games for

Ajax, scoring 41 goals and helping them make a surprise run to the 2018-19 Champions League semi-finals.

He will be available for United’s opening game of the 2020-21 season against Crystal Palace on September 19.

van de Beek is the Premier League club’s first summer signing.

“I cannot begin to explain how incredible an opportunity it is to join a club with such an amazing history,” he said.

“I am now ready to take the next step in my career and perform at the highest level and there is no higher standard than Manchester United.

“This team has some of the best midfielders in the world and I know that I can learn from them and also bring my own strengths to the group.

“Having spoken to the manager about his vision for this team, the direction that the club is going in is hugely

exciting and I cannot wait to be a part of that.”

Boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer added: “Donny has all of the technical attributes needed to perform in this team and has the personality required to succeed at Manchester United.

“His ability to see space, time his movements and read the game will really complement the qualities that we have in midfield and his arrival really strengthens the

depth of talent we have in that position.”

United confirmed van de Beek will wear the number 34 shirt in tribute to his former Ajax team-mate Abdelhak Nouri, who suffered brain damage after a heart attack during a pre-season friendly game in 2017.

Borussia Dortmund’s England winger Jadon Sancho is also a target for Solskjaer but a deal has stalled over the size of the fee.

Donny van de Beek has won 10 caps for the Netherlands.

Yates takes over...

FROM PAGE 25

behind Belgium’s Van Aert and Dutchman Cees Bol to take the green jersey off Peter Sagan, who was fourth.

Bennett is the first Irishman to lead any classification in the Tour since 1989, when the great Sean Kelly won the last of his four green jerseys.

By also beating Sagan in the intermediate sprint, Bennett showed his intent to challenge Sagan in the points classification, which the Slovakian is attempting to win for a record-extending eighth time.

“I’ve never had such mixed feelings in my career,” said Bennett.

“I’m really happy to have green but sad to have lost the stage.”

Van Aert shows off all-round skills Until a fast-paced finale and the confusion of Alaphilippe’s penalty, it had been an unremarkable day, with unusually no breakaway forming.

Sunweb were the only team able to form a lead-out for their sprinter Bol during the run-in, but

Van Aert shrewdly latched on to the end of Sunweb’s train and powered past Bol in the final 50m.

A day after helping to pace Jumbo-Visma team-mate Roglic up the final climb to win stage four, Van Aert had beaten the best sprinters in the race - underlining why he is one of the most talented all-round riders in the world.

The 25-year-old, who now has two Tour stage wins after victory on debut last year, has also won Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianche and a stage of the Criterium du Dauphine this season.

“It was the easiest stage I’ve ever done in a cycling race before that finish,” he said.

“I knew it was a stage that suited me and I’m just so happy I got the opportunity from the team to go for it. From now on I will support the team even more.”

Stage five results 1. Wout van Aert (Bel/Jumbo-Visma) 4hrs 21mins 22secs

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

Brazil’s male and female players to earn equal pay Brazil reached the last 16 at the 2019 World Cup.

(BBC) - Brazil’s women’s national players will be paid the same as male players for representing their country, Brazil’s football association (CBF) has said.

All players will be granted the same daily and prize amounts for taking part in preparation periods and games.

CBF president Rogerio Caboclo says the measures were put in place in March.

“Since March of this year, CBF has made an equal value in terms of prizes and daily rates between men’s and women’s football,” he said.

“That is, the players earn the same thing as the players during the calls. What they receive by daily call, women also receive.”

Caboclo says it also applies to perfor-

mances at international tournaments such as the World Cup and Olympics.

“There is no more gender difference, as the CBF is treating men and women equally,” he said.

“What they will gain by conquering or by staging the Olympics next year will be the same as the men will have.”

Australia, Norway and New Zealand are among the nations to previously decide to pay their men and women internationals the same amount.

Brazil’s women’s team have not played since March, when many competitions around the world were postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Yates takes over Tour de France lead

Adam Yates finished fourth in the 2016 Tour and has not worn the yellow jersey before.

(BBC) - Britain’s Adam Yates moved into the lead of the Tour de France after Julian Alaphilippe was given a 20-second penalty on stage five, which was won by Wout van Aert.

France’s Alaphilippe, who is now 16th overall, was penalised for taking a bottle from a team support member inside the final 20km.

Yates leads Primoz Roglic by three seconds in the yellow jersey.

“This is not the way I’d imagined taking the yellow jersey,” said Yates.

“If I’m honest, no one wants to take the jersey like this.

“I was looking to take the jersey on stage six anyway so I’ll go in with the same tactic - try to win the stage and see what happens.”

Yates is the ninth different British rider to lead the Tour and first since Geraint Thomas won in 2018.

Alaphilippe had led Yates by four seconds

and looked to have retained the yellow jersey after finishing safely in the bunch in Privas.

But television images showed him being given a water bottle with 17.8km to go - under the rules of world governing body, the UCI, riders are not allowed to take on food or drink in the final 20km of a stage.

It was a bizarre way for the Frenchman to lose the jersey he had taken by winning stage two, especially after Deceuninck-Quick-Step had ridden on the front of the peloton for most of the day to protect Alaphilippe and set up sprinter Sam Bennett.

“I didn’t realise at all that it was unauthorised,” said Alaphilippe.

“It’s not a problem - I’ll pick myself up again and we’ll forget about it.”

Ireland’s Bennett was able to finish third

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WICB presidency terms limited following AGM

WICB president Dr Kishore Shallow CRICKET West Indies (CWI) member, Windward Islands Cricket Board (WICB), introduced term-limits for presidency at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held via Zoom on Saturday, August 22, 2020.

This constitution change of the newly renamed WICB (formerly the Windward Islands Cricket Board of Control) follows the public disclosure of the ‘Wehby report’ to stakeholders around the Caribbean, which had governance improvement recommendations for both CWI and the territorial boards (TBs).

WICB president Dr Kishore Shallow said, “It was a productive meeting; we had a fruitful meeting with some significant strides as a board, none more important than the adoption of a revised constitution.”

Dr Shallow further expressed, “Sincerest gratitude to Patrick Felix and Michael Findlay for conducting a prudent exercise to revise the constitution. My esteemed colleagues on the board also deserve commendations for being so forward-thinking with their positive reception to the proposed changes.”

The directors from the four

Member States - St Vincent & the Grenadines Cricket Association, Dominica Cricket Association, Grenada Cricket Association and Saint Lucia National Cricket Association - participated in the meeting, which was constitutionally due in May 2020. The meeting had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A critical outcome of the fivehour long meeting was the adoption of a proposed revised constitution.

The revision was led by former WICB director, Saint Lucian Patrick Felix and current CWI Independent Director, HE Michael Findlay.

Other items included a selection policy which was given precedence for selections of all Windward Islands teams as well as Developing a WICB Strategic Plan for 2021-2025.

Treasurer Dougal James confirmed that the two Windwards bodies, WICB and Windwards Cricket Inc. (Volcanoes) are in the best financial state for at least the last five (5) years, with savings in both accounts and no outstanding payables

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 03, 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) Sunil Narine (TKR)

(2) Krishmar Santokie-2013 (16 wickets-9 matches-GAW)

Today’s Quiz:

(1) What is the highest number of wickets ever taken by a bowler in a single CPL season?

(2) Who is the first Warriors player to cop the Man of the Match Award in Hero CPL 2020?

Answers in tomorrow’s issue

GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

Hetmyer; bowlers put GAW into semi’s Shimron Hetmyer followed another good Guyana Amazon Warriors bowling performance with an unbeaten half-century to take the perennial finalists to the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) knockout stages. Bar an early burst from Rakheem Cornwall, the St Lucia Zouks never got going with the bat as the Amazon Warriors mixed seam and spin to good effect, and Hetmyer made the total and the ground look far too small.

Cornwall smashed sixes off both Chris Green and Kevin Sinclair, but Andre Fletcher fell early, leading-edging Sinclair to short third man. Naveen-ul-Haq started with a wicket-maiden, Leniko Boucher pulling straight to captain Green at mid-on.

Imran Tahir also started with a maiden, leaving the Zouks 15/2 after four overs.

Cornwall hit two fours off Naveen, driving him over his head then pulling him, but when the opener mistimed a Romario Shepherd cutter Naveen pulled off an excellent catch diving forward. Cornwall had hit 20 in four shots, but the Zouks only scored off six other deliveries to end the Powerplay at 27/3.

Green raced through an over for just two, and Tahir was unlucky not to get a wicket in an over that yielded only four. Najibullah Zadran attempted to reverse sweep Green to little effect, and

Sinclair was unlucky a Najibullah top-edge fell safely. Najibullah at last middled one, pulling Sinclair hard for a Hero Maximum, and at halfway the Zouks were 47/3.

Najibullah and Kavem Hodge managed to hustle eight off Green’s last over, but Hodge soon got stuck which put pressure on Najibullah, who tried to attack Tahir but under-edged a googly to keeper Nicholas Pooran.

Keemo Paul bookended his first over with wickets, starting with Hodge under-edging through to Pooran and ending with Zouks captain Daren Sammy falling LBW for another low score.

At 59/6 off 13, the Zouks were in need of a rescue mission.

Mohammad Nabi and Javelle Glen survived Tahir’s last over, Paul’s second over like his first went for just two, and while Nabi clubbed Shepherd for four through cover that was the first boundary in 34 balls. Entering the last four overs, the Zouks were 72/6.

Nabi steered Naveen past point for four, but Naveen foxed him with a pair of slower balls to put the onus on Nabi to attack.

Nabi mistimed his drive and holed out to Sinclair at deep cover. Glenn got his first boundaries, both edged past short third man off Paul, as the Zouks finally managed a double-figure over to reach 89/7 off 18.

Naveen dropped short and

was pulled for four to go for 11 off the last over of an otherwise excellent spell, and Glenn smoked a cover drive in the last over. But Paul recovered well to ensure that was the only boundary off the 20th, and the Zouks total felt some way under par.

Scott Kuggeleijn sprayed wides both sides of the wicket in a nine-ball first over that somehow only went for five. The Amazon Warriors’ intention to attack the Powerplay was clear, as Chandrapaul Hemraj started Nabi’s first over by smashing a Hero Maximum and King closed it by square driving for four.

Brandon King was bowled attempting a ramp over fine leg, but the aggression continued with Hetmyer slashing for four.

Hemraj ruined a potential Nabi maiden with a Hero Maximum over long-off, and Hetmyer dismissed a Kuggeleijn longhop through point for four.

Cornwall closed the Powerplay tidily, but after six overs the Warriors were comfortable at 38/1.

Hemraj clipped Kesrick Williams fine for four to take the required run rate below five an over. Hetmyer seized on Cornwall’s first poor ball, hammering a Hero Maximum over midwicket, and the Amazon Warriors ticked along to 55/1 off eight overs but soon after Hemraj was bowled by Nabi off both pads.

Hetmyer attacked Chemar Holder mercilessly, pulling his first two balls for Hero Maximums and following up with three fours in a row - a majestic cover drive on the up, a rasping square cut and a punch over mid-off - to rocket the Warriors to 82/2 and himself to 46 after 10 overs. A 24 run over had reduced an already simple chase to a stroll.

Nabi finished his spell tidily, but while Sammy showed faith in Holder, Pooran continued where Hetmyer had left off with a glorious check-driven four. Hetmyer followed suit to bring up a third fifty of Hero CPL 2020 off just 33 balls, and after 12 overs the Amazon Warriors were 94/2 and needed just 16 to win.

Pooran walloped Glen through midwicket for four but fell next ball reverse-slapping to cover where Boucher took a good low catch. The winning moment was a bye, but the job had been done by the bowlers and Hetymer, and with three straight wins the Amazon Warriors look to be gathering steam.

The Zouks had already qualified for the semis, but the top order will need to step up if they are to win Hero CPL for the first time. Such was the margin of victory that the Amazon Warriors jumped into second place, and who knows how important that could be come the semi-finals.

Pliskova booted from US Open by Garcia.

(BBC) - Top seed Karolina Pliskova was knocked out of the US Open in the second round with a heavy defeat

by France’s Caroline Garcia.

Pliskova, runner-up in 2016, lost 6-1 7-6 (7-2) to the world number 50.

Czech world number three Pliskova was the highest ranked player here in the absence of Australian Ashleigh Barty and Romania’s Simona Halep.

Meanwhile, other seeds to tumble were Elena Rybakina (11), Marketa Vondrousova (12) and Alison Riske (13).

But there were victories for sixth seed Petra Kvitova, eighth seed Petra Martic and Estonian 14th seed Anett Kontaveit.

‘I am not a robot’ - Pliskova Six of the world’s top 10 players were already absent from the behindclosed-doors tournament amid the coro-

navirus pandemic.

And Pliskova’s exit may further improve Serena Williams’ chances of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title in an open women’s draw.

Pliskova hit just one winner in a poor first-set performance and fell a break down early in the second - smashing a racquet in frustration - before improving her level to carve out two set points.

But she failed to convert them and Garcia went on to take it to a tie-break, which she dominated.

“I thought she played great tennis in the first set,” Pliskova said. “She was just playing super aggressive, going for her shots.

“I maybe didn’t play my best. But that’s how it is sometimes. I’m not a robot, so I don’t have to play every day amazing.”

Garcia, who has won seven tour titles, will face American world number 41 Jennifer Brady in the next round.

Kvitova & Kerber through but other seeds tumble Two-time Grand Slam champion Kvitova came back from a break down in the first set and saved a set point to beat Ukrainian Kateryna Kozlova 7-6 (7-3) 6-2.

Former champion Angelique Kerber also came through a tough encounter, winning 6-3 7-6 (8-6) against fellow German Anna-Lena Friedsam.

But Kvitova’s Czech compatriot Vondrousova - the 2019 French Open runner-up - lost 6-1 6-2 to Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

Later on Wednesday Japanese fourth seed and 2018 champion Naomi Osaka takes on Italy’s Camila Giorgi.

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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, September 3, 2020

Simmons finds form as Pollardless TKR trump Patriots

THE Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) are a formidable squad, not just a starting XI, as Kieron Pollard rested both himself and Sunil Narine from an experimental lineup that was still far too good for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.

Lendl Simmons found form, Sikandar Raza and Pravin Tambe were excellent with the ball, and Patriots are all but out of Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) semi-final contention.

Patriots paired Sheldon Cottrell and Alzarri Joseph with the new ball, but they leaked boundaries to Simmons and Amir Jangoo. But Jangoo’s senior T20 debut was cut short by an excellent pick-up and throw off Cottrell’s own bowling to run him out.

Joseph hit Colin Munro on the hand, and when play resumed after a short shower Munro was unable to continue. Simmons took 11 off Rayad Emrit including a Hero Maximum, and then lofted Jon-Russ Jaggesar over midwicket. He followed up with a cut for four, and Knight Riders were well set at 52-1 off the Powerplay.

Jaggesar and Dominic

Drakes kept Knight Riders boundary-less between the Powerplay and drinks, and Darren Bravo edged just short of Chris Lynn at short third man. At halfway Knight Riders had only progressed to 68-1.

Simmons and Darren Bravo managed only singles off Emrit.

Joseph hit Darren Bravo in the head, but all was well, and Bravo ended a 35-ball streak without a boundary with a pull for four.

Simmons too broke free, pulling Emrit for another Hero Maximum, before bringing up 50 off 42 balls with a single.

Simmons hitting Jaggesar straight over his head for his fourth Hero Maximum to bring up the Knight Riders hundred then cut for four as Knight Riders took 15 off the over. Emrit went to Cottrell, but he went for 17 as Darren Bravo lofted a Hero Maximum and Simmons picked up two fours. After 15 overs, TKR were 125-1.

Darren Bravo also hit Drakes for six, bringing up the 100-partnership off just 66 balls. Simmons pulled another Hero Maximum and Bravo creamed a four through extra-cover, making the

16th over another productive one.

Emrit went for just four off his last, and Joseph started the 18th well, but Simmons bludgeoned two Hero Maximums to take himself into the 90s and Knight Riders past 150.

A Patriots bowler finally got a wicket, Cottrell getting Darren Bravo caught down the leg-side in a good 19th over that went for just 3. Drakes got two wickets in two balls, as Simmons pulled Cottrell to fall short of a century and Tim Seifert’s leading-edge was well caught

by Lynn. Raza survived the hattrick ball, and stand-in captain DJ Bravo smashed the last ball of the innings for a Hero Maximum.

Akeal Hosein and Khary Pierre took the new ball for Knight Riders, and the latter picked up the dangerous Lewis, Tambe, belying his 48 years, took an athletic catch. Lynn and Joshua da Silva broke free off Pierre, each hitting a Hero Maximum with Da Silva also sweeping for four. But even an over of 18 took the Patriots to only 34-1 after six.

Tambe and Anderson Phillip put the squeeze back on, with only one boundary between

the Powerplay and drinks, and at halfway the Patriots needed almost 12 an over. A Tambe maiden pushed that above 13, and with Da Silva going at barely a run-a-ball and Lynn going at well under four an over there had to be an acceleration soon.

It didn’t come off DJ Bravo, and while Da Silva drove Tambe for four, he was deceived by the Indian leg-spinner and drove a catch back to the bowler. At the end of Tambe’s outstanding spell, Patriots were 67-2 off 13 and needed well over 15 an over.

Lynn climbed into a DJ Bravo full toss, but then sliced high in the air and was well caught

by Raza to end a disappointing innings. Ben Dunk smashed Raza’s first ball for four but off his second got a reverse sweep all wrong and popped up a simple catch to Seifert. With five overs left, Drakes and Ramdin were staring at a required run rate of 18.

That figure jumped above 20 as Pierre’s last over went for just seven, and Ramdin could only find midwicket when he tried to take on Raza, who did the work himself to pick up his third,

Lendl Simmons of TKR hits 6 during the Hero CPL match 23 vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots at Brian Lara Cricket Academy yesterday in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago.

(Photo by Randy Brooks - CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images) taking a good diving caughtand-bowled as Drakes toe-ended an attempted straight hit. After 17, Raza had figures of 3-8 and Patriots needed 27 an over.

Hosein picked up a deserved wicket late in his spell, getting Joseph stumped with one flung wide of off-stump. He celebrated by running to hug his childhood friend Khary Pierre. Imran found

himself with three slips for company as Hosein finished off the 18th over, and the game was now officially unwinnable.

Emrit added to the Hero Maximum charity fund off Phillip’s 20th, but Patriots didn’t come close to winning this one, and the Knight Riders had made it eight wins from eight without breaking sweat.

Pollard, a shoo-in for Captain of 2020 CPL … Only skipper in ‘bubble’ with most games, runs in T20s

By Clifton Ross

TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) commander Kieron Pollard has stood out as the best captain in the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to date, having led his team to 8 consecutive wins inside the ‘bubble’, as other franchises struggle to get their footing.

This season has now entered its crunch stages and while TKR’s future with regard to how they will finish is still uncertain, Pollard deserves his dues as one of the premier franchise leaders on show to date, with an unblemished win ratio after 8 games.

Pollard has already tasted victory having won back in 2014 with Barbados Tridents. A younger, less tactical Pollard at that time, still managed to sheriff his troops to a title and came even closer in 2015 when they narrowly missed out on winning back-to-back title; finishing as runners-up.

Such experience has been on display this year and while the 33-yearold is currently engaged in battles with a few other credible franchise captains, his genius as a tactical leader and ability to utilise the familiarity of the home conditions in the bubble has further buffed his rank.

Coming up against the likes of Darren Sammy, with whom Pollard has won T20 World Cup titles in the past, and his St Lucia Zouks current-

ly trailing TKR in 2nd spot by mere 4 points; TKR have seemingly put a stranglehold on the competition.

It could be argued that alleged rumours of TKR training and practising outside of the bubble, which occurred when other franchises were kept in their hotels, abiding by the bio-secure measures, if true, could be another key reason why they have been so ruthless.

However, advantage or not, the team’s number of stars are either homegrown or have been with the franchise for a few seasons now, adding to their familiarity with the culture and inevitably the conditions of being encamped in Trinidad & Tobago during past editions of the tournament.

Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, his younger brother Darren, Lendl Simmons, Sunil Narine, Amir Jangoo, Akeal Hosein, Kharry Pierre and Anderson Phillips are all Trinidadians and either played/play club, regional franchise cricket or international cricket at some point or the other with one another over the years. The stars like the Bravo brothers, especially Dwayne along with Pollard, Simmons, Narine are all highly-accredited world-class T20 stars with good chemistry among themselves.

Pollard alone has represented franchises around the globe like Adelaide Strikers, Australian Cricketers Association All-Stars, Barbados Tridents, Cape Cobras, Deccan

Kieron Pollard’s excellent T20 record has helped him to become an even better captain these days.

Gladiators, Dhaka Dynamites, Dhaka Gladiators Karachi Kings, Kerala Kings, Melbourne Renegades, Multan Sultans, Mumbai Indians and more with huge success.

With more than 10 000 T20 runs and over 500 appearances in T20s alone, it is no wonder Pollard has been leaps and bounds ahead of the competition, as his worldwide wealth of knowledge in T20 cricket sticks out even among a bevy of decorated leaders.

Captain Sammy, who has played

more than 300 T20s and has more than 3 500 runs, is arguably the next best leader in the bubble this season.

St Kitts Patriots skipper Rayad Emrit is another T20 gun-for-hire and has played for a long list a franchises, but even he only managed to clip the 140-plus game mark while his runs column is thousands of runs behind his countryman Pollard’s.

Defending champs boss Jason Holder is another player who had been exposed primarily to T20 cricket in his younger days, being

MS Dohni’s go-to fast-bowler back in the days of the mighty Chennai Super Kings IPL reign.

With representation of more than 10 franchises under his belt, the Windies Test skipper is still considerably far away from reaching Pollard’s numbers, having barely gone past the 100-game mark with close to 1 000 runs while hovering close to the 100-wicket mark.

All-rounder Rovman Powell, Jamaica Tallawahs captain with more than 1 000 runs but yet to play 100 matches and Guyana Amazon Warriors Chris Green who is new to his role are probably the least experienced of the six franchise captains and are nowhere close to Pollard’s overwhelming numbers.

Even overseas imports like Colin Munro and Ali Khan have found a home with TKR over the years and despite this season being Pollard’s first run as skipper; the current team record and the brand of cricket they have been playing is a reflection of the captain’s presence, coupled with his immense wealth of T20 know-how.

In the end, it will be left to witness if TKR under their new, yet seemingly not-new leadership of Pollard, along with the huge plus of playing all their games at home, can continue on their unbeaten run and go all the way and capture the title this year.

Hetmyer; bowlers put GAW into semi’s

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Shimron Hetmyer (C) of Guyana Amazon Warriors hits 6 as Andre Fletcher (L) and Rahkeem Cornwall (R) of St Lucia Zouks watch during the Hero Caribbean Premier League match 24 between St Lucia Zouks and Guyana Amazon Warriors at Brian Lara Cricket Academy on September 2, 2020 in Tarouba, Trinidad And Tobago. (Photo by Randy Brooks - CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images) Naveen ul Haq (3L) and Romario Shepherd (2L) of Guyana Amazon Warriors celebrate the dismissal of Leniko Boucher (L) of St Lucia Zouks during the Hero Caribbean Premier League match 24 between St Lucia Zouks and Guyana Amazon Warriors at Brian Lara Cricket Academy on September 2, 2020 in Tarouba, Trinidad And Tobago.

(Photo by Randy Brooks - CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images)

Pliskova booted from US Open by Garcia.

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Caroline Garcia hit 30 winners to Karolina Pliskova’s 13

Brazil’s male and female players to earn equal pay

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Brazil reached the last 16 at the 2019 World Cup.

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THURSDAY,SEPTEMBER 3, 2020