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Thursday April 8 , 2021

High Court Entertained Oral Arguments In The March 2020 Election Petition

Coalition meets with US Ambassador

COVID-19 VACCINATION SITES

Guyana Post Thursday April 8, 2021

High Court Entertained Oral Arguments In The March 2020 Election Petition

As the High Court Today entertained oral arguments in the March 2020 ElectionPetition which challenges the declaration, the court is set to make its decision on the case come April 26th.

Election Petition 88 was filed by coalition supporters Claudette Thorne and Heston Bostwick. It challenges the validity of the National Recount Order by the Elections Commission and the

declaration of the final results using that order.

This is said to be an order emanating out of an agreement between thenPresident David Granger and then Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo that saw the PPP/C Party taking Government.

In today’s hearing, it was announced at the end of oral by Chief Justice, Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire after some hours of listening to several arguments from Petitioners and

Respondents in the case.

CJ said that she was hoping to hand down her decision within two weeks but needed additional information and clarification that was provided today, as such, she will now be looking at present her decision on the date given.

In today’s proceedings both sides relied heavily on Order No. 60 of 2020 created by virtue of Article 162 (1) (b) of the Constitution and Section 22, the deals

with the Election Laws (Amendment) Act to resolve irregularities, discrepancies, and anomalies since according Applicants, the manner in which the declaration was made was never followed through normal procedures.

By which, Petitioners Lawyer, Trinidadian Senior Counsel, John Jeremie, in oral arguments contended that there was no full compliance with the law.

This he noted that under the section on the law any dispute but must be a way of an elections petition and not a virtue by the agreement entered.

On, On the other hand, GECOM’s Attorney, Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan contented that was no breach. He said that Section 22 got its constitutional authority and genesis from the Constitution. He added Order 60 is entirely consistent with the

Constitution also and the purpose was transparent, enacted in good faith, and intended to remove the difficulties to allow for a declaration.

Adding to the argument, Attorney for respondents Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali, Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes told the Court that the order which paved the way for the recount did not infringe on the Representation of the People Act which covers elections.

It was argued that there is no question of amending the Representation of the People Act. Order 60 does not propose to do that.

He said that the language of the RPA is the same now as it was before Order 60. Neither did Order 60 modify the RPA because again, the language of the RPA is the same now as it existed before.

With all arguments placed on the table, the Chief Justice has now set her date for the ruling, after she would have analyzed all the evidence.

election of Joseph Biden to the Presidency of the United States of America and acknowledged Ambassador Lynch as a representative of that Administration.

The meeting focused on a number of issues,

in particular, matters relating to governance, parliamentary democracy, and national security.

The Leader of the Opposition shared the Coalition’s views and observations on these issues, and how they broadly affect the Guyanese people, and, specifically, the impact and effect on supporters of the APNU+AFC. Mr. Harmon highlighted the discriminatory practices of the PPP regime, the arbitrary firing of public servants, the distribution of COVID-19 cash grants, politically motivated charges, and

the arbitrary arrests of persons perceived to be Coalition supporters, among other issues.

It was reiterated that a spirit of consensus and collaboration is necessary and this requires putting the good of the country first. There ought to be an effort to engage in meaningful dialogue, with the support of the US, to ensure that the PPP regime does not govern in a manner that marginalizes a large section of the population, Harmon added.

Mr. Harmon requested of Ambassador Lynch that the Opposition be informed of any major

changes on US Policy decisions on Guyana.

Additionally, the Opposition Leader requested that Opposition views are communicated to Washington on a regular basis, having regard to the fact that a large section of the local media landscape is unhelpful to the Opposition.

A copy of the summary report on the PPP regime’s executive lawlessness, political persecution, and ethnicization of Guyana for the period August 2 to December 25, 2020, was shared with the US Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission.

Coalition meets with US Ambassador

Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon MSM, accompanied by Leader of the Alliance For Change, Khemraj Ramjattan, met with US Ambassador Sarah Ann Lynch and the Deputy

Chief of Mission Mr. Mark Cullinane, at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition.

The meeting took place on Tuesday.

Mr. Harmon took the opportunity to once again congratulate the

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COVID-19 VACCINATION SITES

COVID-19 vaccination is being done across the country for persons 40 years and older.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) wishes to reiterate that teachers who are 40 years and older will be administered their vaccine.

Anyone who is eligible for vaccination at this time is required to provide a valid form of identification

(ID) when visiting the site closest to them.

The letter issued by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Regional Education Department is not an exemption nor does it pre-qualify teachers under 40 years of age for the vaccine.

More than 100 fixed vaccination sites and mobile teams will

Matthew’s Ridge Hospital Waramuri Health Centre Manawarin Health Centre Kumaka District Hospital Kwebanna Health Centre Suddie Regional Hospital Charity Hospital Anna Regina Health Centre Supernaam Health Centre Hust Diren Health be administering the Centre first and second doses of the COVID-19 2 Queenstown Health vaccine countrywide. Centre The fixed sites Oscar Joseph Hospital for COVID-19 vaccination are: 3 Parika Health Centre

Region Sites

Goed Intent Health Centre Versailles Health Centre

1 Mabaruma Regional Hospital Port Kaituma District Hospital

Den Amstel Health Centre

Guyana Post Thursay April 8, 2021

West Demerara Hospital 4 Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC ) Enmore Polyclinic Diamond Diagnostic Centre Vaccination Centre (Brickdam) Unity Health Centre Clonbrook Health Centre Herstelling Health Centre Melanie Health Centre BV Health Centre Lusignan Health Centre Eccles Health Centre Soesdyke Health Centre

Mahicony Health Centre High Dam Health Centre Rosignol Health Centre 6 New Amsterdam Hospital Skeldon Hospital No. 47 Village Health Centre Port Mourant Health Centre Bothers Health Centre 7 Bartica Health Centre 8 Mahdia Hospital Kato (Rovering Team)

9 Lethem Hospital Annai Health Centre Private Hospitals Davis Memorial Hospital Aishalton Hospital Sandcreek Health Centre St. Joseph Mercy Hospital 10 Linden Hospital Woodlands Hospital Kwakwani Health Centre One Mile Health Centre 5 Fort Wellington Amelia’s Ward District Hospital Health Centre Bushlot Health Centre

Guyana’s COVID-19 death toll reaches 250 Three more people have died on Tuesday taking the number of COVID-19 deaths in the country to 250.

The latest fatalities are a 57-year-old female from Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), one 78-year-old female from Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice), and a 67-year- old male from Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

Man electrocuted while ironing clothes

A family in the Friendship area is mourning the loss of a 25-year-old man, who was electrocuted after trying to connect an iron into an outlet that was reportedly 240 volts. This happened info@guyanapostonline.com

yesterday, April 6, 2021.

Dead is Shakeel Punch.

Initial reports have suggested that Punch was preparing to head out to a get-together when tragedy struck.

According to a family

member of the dead man, Punch sorted his clothing to iron over at his house.

This the family said was usual since Punch would normally iron his clothes over at her house but this time choose to do it in a house in which they had just moved into.

The family member said that all that was heard were screams. The family quickly rushed over and found Punch lying on the ground motionless.

An investigation has later launched into the matter.

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The month is barely six days old and 17 people have already died. Ten of them died over the Easter weekend. Six died in one day on April 3. Three died on Tuesday, April 6.

The records are showing that 28 people died within the last ten days. In March, 36 people died, the secondlargest number since the outbreak last year March.

Mark Henry appears in court for allegedly killing neighbour

Mark Henry, the brother of one of Henry’s cousins who was brutally murdered and found in the Cotton Tree Village Berbice Backlands, today landed in court, charged for the murder of a former suspect in the murder.

Mark Henry appeared in the courtroom this afternoon and was not required to enter a plea to the murder charge.

The court heard that Mark Henry murdered Sooroojdeo Deochand on March 30, last, at Number

Three Village, West Coast Berbice.

He has been remanded to prison until April 28th.

Deochand was found by his niece in his Number 3 Village, West Coast Berbice home, with multiple chops about his body.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Fort Wellington Hospital.

Deochand was held during the initial stage of the investigation into the murder of the Henry cousins but was later released.

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Guyana Post Thursday April 8, 2021

COVID has people dying by the twos and threes, daily

It is strange that bad things always come just as good things are coming. I remember Pakistan playing West Indies in a Cricket World Cup semifinal. Courtney Walsh refused to run out a tail-ender, the spinner Abdul Qadir, (pronounced Kardar) and West Indies ended up losing the match because the same man, Qadir lashed him for double-figure runs in the final over.

In fact, it was the last pair at the wicket. That was how West Indies failed to advance.

Young men decided to host a fete match. They decide that they will cook and enjoy the day. The next thing that happens is that there is a shower of rain. Everything is shut down. It used to be the same when Test cricket came to Guyana.

People would make all the preparations; some would take leave from work. My mother would often tell me, “Man appoints; God disappoints.” Rain would come and that would be the end of the Test match and all the plans for a good time.

For young children, things could be even worse.

There is a picnic or a party and the parents—mainly the mother—would give permission for the child to attend. Then that child makes one mistake or does

info@guyanapostonline.com

something wrong.

The party date of the picnic comes; the child starts to dress when the mother would announce, “When you think you going? Tek off them clothes.”

coronavirus (COVID-19) has died. This takes the total number of deaths from the pandemic to whatever number.

“The latest fatalities are…”

And the story continues. It was not long before people began to say that the Ministry of Health is killing people in the hospital. “All the time was one- one. Now is two,” people began to say.

So it is that various COVID-19 vaccines have come to Guyana. That should begin the downward trend in infections. Already, more than 11,000 Guyanese have been infected and more The month is barely six than a few have ended up in days old and 17 people hospital. have already died. Ten of The vaccination has begun them died over the Easter and while there are those who weekend. Six died in one are skeptical about being day on April 3. Three died on vaccinated, many are going Tuesday, April 6. to the vaccination centers.

The records are showing They fear COVID, and with that 28 people died within very good reason. the last ten days. In March, The government says that 36 people died, the secondit wants to vaccinate 40,000 largest number since the people within a week. At last outbreak last year March. count about that number has This rapid rise is worrying, been vaccinated. especially since the country But then the death has been bombarded with toll begins to mount at messages about staying safe. an unprecedented rate. People are being advised to Suddenly, from the sedate avoid crowds and to stay at one death almost every day, home unless it is absolutely the Ministry of Health began necessary. to report two deaths every Of course, the government day. This begins toward the encouraged the spread when latter part of March.

People began to take it reduced the curfew hours notice. Every day the Ministry and allowed bars and rum of Health would report, “The shops to reopen. There is Ministry of Health (MOH) a saying that if you give regrettably informs that as of somebody an inch that this date, two persons who person would take a mile. tested positive for the novel That is what is happening.

Someone posted a video about a group somewhere in the city. A man is talking about a COVID party, Masks are absent and the crowd is as thick as a soldout cricket ground. The fact is that people are not afraid anymore.

Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, to come out with a statement explaining what is happening.

Of course, some people believe that the government is listing every death—COVID or not– as a COVID death so that the country could It could be that they see the attract money for COVID vaccine as the cure-for-all. If relief from overseas. Such a we get COVID all we have concept is not farfetched. got to do is go and take the There was a previous vaccine.

Health Minister who jacked In the rural areas, people up the HIV figures to get go about as though COVID funding. He proclaimed that is somebody else’s worry. some four percent of the I suppose the lack of population had been infected. enforcement is encouraging There was a race to place such behavior. In the capital, scarcely anyone ventures Guyana alongside Haiti and out without a mask. They the Bahamas. It was only certainly cannot enter any when one official examined shopping centre without one. the figures that it became clear that the HIV percentage When the number of deaths was just over two percent. increased many expected

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