Guyana Post Newspaper

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Keeping you updated on current events...

ONLINE DAILY NEWSPAPER

Saturday January 23, 2021

The Supreme Court Was Complicit In Donald Trump’s Execution Spree Pg2

Women fined for racial social David Patterson media posts replies to attacks Pg2

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COVID-19 UPDATE JANUARY 23 Pg2

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PHIL ALLSOPP ANSWERS THE FINAL CALL Pg3

Tucville, Georgetown, Guyana, Tel: 592-623-9971

Guyana Post, Saturday January 23, 2021

David Patterson replies to attacks

The Supreme Court Was Complicit In Donald Trump’s Execution Spree

David Patterson, Member of Parliament and General Secretary of the Alliance For Change says recent reports regarding gifts presented to him as Minister are misleading, mischievous and designed to seek political advantage by either embarrassment or distraction.

He said the plan, which is being orchestrated by government sympathisers within the broad spectrum of the media, is designed to malign and tarnish his good character but he reaffirmed that such a plan is doomed to failure.

Mr. Patterson said that the practice of giving memorabilia and other gifts to Ministers is not new, and Ministers from both sides of the political divide have been presented with gifts and other memorabilia on numerous special occasions.

“In my case, at no time did I ever request, solicit or influence in any way the action of any agency in relation to the presentation of gifts to me or other officials of the government,” Mr. Patterson explained.

“I believe it is also necessary to state that I had no prior knowledge of any decision or details relating to the purchase or presentation of gifts to anyone, including

At 1:23 a.m. on Saturday, the Trump administration finished its 13th and final execution.

Dustin Higgs, a Black man who had been scheduled to die on Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, was put to death while suffering from COVID-19.

Like those who had been executed before him, there were extensive unresolved legal problems with Higgs’ case. But like the previous executions, on the day the federal government wanted Higgs to die, the Supreme Court quickly dispensed with those issues and allowed the killing to proceed, only a few hours behind schedule.

The justices didn’t explain why. There was no apparent reason, other than submitting to thenPresident Donald Trump’s desire to execute as many people as possible before leaving office.

It was an extraordinary and irreversible miscarriage of justice that capped a historically unprecedented six-month killing spree. From the Trump administration’s first executions in July 2020 to the final ones last week, the Supreme Court sided with the government every time, repeatedly allowing the rushed killings of people with outstanding legal claims.

myself,” he added.

He further stated that he assumed that gifts presented to him during his incumbency were fully compliant with the procurement guidelines of the giving agency.

The standard policy directives stipulate how such matters should be handled as directed by Cabinet decision, by circular from the Ministry of Finance or by Board policy.

He further said he was not blinded or frightened by accusations and he rejects and repudiates the veiled attempt at racial stereotyping in some of the comments circulating in the media space.

Mr Patterson added, “It has also come to my attention that it is further alleged that I received a number of electronic items, such as phones, iPads and laptops. This is absolutely untrue, and I categorically deny it.

“Whoever fabricated this lie obviously does not know that, for security and other reasons, I do not accept electronics of any kind from any agency, including the government, and I have always personally selected and purchased all electronic items I own.

“For instance, for this reason, I did not accept a mobile telephone offered

by the Parliament to Ministers”.

Mr Patterson said that the lies and the so-called revelation of the gifts are a deliberate and blatant attempt at character assassination for political purposes, which will not succeed in derailing his objective of overseeing the government’s expenditure and procurement practices through his chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and representation of the Guyanese people in Parliament.

“It would have precisely the opposite effect, as I will be guided by the oversight rules, laws and policies to relentlessly ensure good governance, including proper expenditure according to best practice,” Mr Patterson stated.

He has assured the public of his continued commitment to serving the people of Guyana without fear or favour and that he will not be sidetracked by political attacks or red herring accusations by partisan sycophants who have little or nothing to contribute to the public good and welfare.

“I will resist these baseless attacks from whichever quarters they emanate”.

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Some of those who faced the death penalty had future hearings scheduled before lower courts, wiped away by the Supreme Court so their execution could proceed on schedule before Trump left office.

“This unprecedented rush of federal executions has predictably given rise to many difficult legal disputes,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a fiery dissent last Friday night in Higgs’ case.

“Against this backdrop of deep legal uncertainty, the [Department of Justice] did not tread carefully,” Sotomayor continued, detailing the government’s efforts to fast-track the killings “before courts had meaningful opportunities to determine if the executions were legal.”

At a time when the Supreme Court should have served as a check on the executive branch’s zealous pursuit of capital punishment, it instead rubber-stamped the killings, lending a false sense of legitimacy to the process.

“Throughout this expedited spree of executions, this Court has consistently rejected inmates’ credible claims for relief. The Court has even intervened to lift stays of execution that lower courts put in place,

thereby ensuring those prisoners’ challenges would never receive a meaningful airing,” Sotomayor wrote.

The Supreme Court often made these lifeor-death decisions in a matter of hours, with no public explanation of the court’s reasoning. “This is not justice,” Sotomayor wrote. “After waiting almost two decades to resume federal executions, the Government should have proceeded with some measure of restraint to ensure it did so lawfully.

When it did not, this Court should have. It has not.”

One-third of the justices on the high court were nominated to their lifetime posts by a president who was elected by a minority of voters and who was impeached twice, most recently for inciting a violent riot against the U.S. Capitol to protest his reelection loss.

The views of those justices may have sealed the fate of many of the 13 people put to death since July — and could impact other people on federal death row for decades to come.

The issues the Supreme Court sidestepped in allowing executions to proceed are fundamental to the legality of the death penalty as practiced. There

Tucville, Georgetown, Guyana, Tel: 592-623-9971

Guyana Post, Saturday January 23, 2021

PHIL ALLSOPP ANSWERS THE FINAL CALL The People’s National Congress Reform expresses condolences on death of Philip Anderson Desmond Allsopp, AA, 1926-2021 The People’s National Congress Reform has expressed condolences on the death of Philip Anderson Desmond Allsopp on Wednesday 20th January.

Philip Allsopp, as a civil engineer, played key roles in advising, designing or overseeing works on several roadways and highways – including the GeorgetownTimehri; SoesdykeLinden; Linden-Mabura; Mahaica-Rosignol and within the Mahaica-

Mahaicony-Abary Development Project – and in the negotiations for the construction of the Guyana-Brazil international bridge and in talks for the GuyanaSuriname ferry.

Philip Allsopp was born on 8 April 1926 in Charlestown, Georgetown. He attended Queen’s College, and after leaving school, joined the Public Works Department in colonial British Guiana.

He was awarded an Engineering Scholarship in 1949 to pursue civil engineering studies at the Imperial College of Science and Technology in London, UK. Philip Allsopp was

Desmond Allsopp, AA, 1926-2021

appointed Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil in 1990 and was awarded the Golden Arrow of Achievement (AA) for his public

service.

The People’s National Congress Reform extends sincere condolences to Philip Allsopp’s children.

Alvin Jones, also known as ‘Hot skull’, has been hospitalized after being attacked by another inmate of the Lusignan Prison and receiving a stab wound to his neck.

The prisoner who allegedly attacked Jones is a 49-year-old serving a three-year sentence for robbery and possession of a firearm and ammunition.

It was reported that on Sunday an argument ensued between the two men after Jones touched the other inmate inappropriately. The other inmate was allegedly taunted about that throughout the day.

On Monday around 08:30 a.m., the 49-yearold attacked Jones from behind while he was showering and stabbed him in the left side of his neck.

Jones was transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) and admitted in stable condition. The other inmate was place into solitary confinement at the

Lusignan prison and the incident was reported to the Police.

In December 2020, Jones was sentenced to over 43 years’ imprisonment for the murder of amateur footballer, Paul Daniels.

Daniels was killed following a robbery at his fiancée’s Independence Boulevard, Georgetown home.

It was reported that two armed men entered the home through an open door on the northern side of the building. After they entered the building the men held Daniels and his fiancée at gunpoint and relieved him of a gold chain and an undisclosed sum of cash and then left the house.

Daniels attempted to chase after the men and was hit in his stomach and chest by several rounds fired at him by the suspects. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival

Man sentenced to 16 Lusignan prisoner years for killing teen hospitalized after attack by another inmate girl

Ryan Singh

LakhpaL called “Roseanna”

Ryan Singh has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for killing his teenage girlfriend by slitting her throat in July 2017.

Singh was sentenced

by Justice Simone MorrisRamlall after pleading guilty to the charge of manslaughter at the High Court in Berbice.

In August 2017, Singh, who was 29 at the time, was charged with murdering Parbattie Lakhpal, 16, of Lot 369 Number Two Village, East Canje, Berbice.

The body of Lakhpal,

called “Roseanna”, was discovered at her Number Two Village, East Canje, home on July 22, 2017 only minutes after an altercation between herself and Singh.

The teen was reportedly ending their relationship when Singh slit her throat during the ensuing argument and fled the scene.

Singh was held in Nickerie, Suriname eleven days after the murder and was then handed over to authorities in Guyana.

He was then charged and remanded to prison.

COVID-19 UPDATE JANUARY 23

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The Ministry of Health recorded 76 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday January 22.

Four cases were recorded in Region One, five in Region Three, 56 in Region Four, one in Region Five, six in Region Six, one in Region Eight, one in Region Nine and two in Region Ten. The total number of recorded cases in Guyana is now 7,143.

The COVID-19 death toll is currently at 170.

AS of January 22 there have been 45,865 persons tested for the virus. 6,328 persons have recovered leaving 645 active cases in the country.

The Ministry of Health received two solar fridges and 50 vaccine carriers on Friday from UNICEF Representative, Nicolas Pron. These items will be used to support the Ministry’s Expanded Programme of Immunization and strengthen its cold chain capacity.

The solar fridges will be deployed to Regions Seven and Eight and the vaccine carriers

will be distributed to all administrative regions.

The equipment was provided following a request from the health ministry.

The solar fridges each have a 99-liter storage capacity and do not require a battery to store energy. The vaccine carriers are capable of keeping vaccines at the correct temperature for over 40 hours while travelling.

Minister of Health, Frank Anthony said that it comes at an opportune time as Guyana’s National COVID-19 Vaccine Taskforce is examining the options for vaccines and preparations are ongoing for the roll out of the programme.

“This has been a very timely donation because once we start doing that, we will be able to utilize these pieces of equipment to administer the vaccine,” said the Minister.

Tucville, Georgetown, Guyana, Tel: 592-623-9971

Guyana Post, Saturday January 23, 2021

DUI case against Gary Best Women fined to be decided in February for racial social

Mr. Gary Best

February 9 is the date that has been set by Senior Magistrate Clive Nurse to rule on whether a case has been made out against former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chiefof-Staff, Rear Admiral Gary Best for the offence of driving under the influence (DUI).

Police Prosecutor, Sanj

Singh, laid over a written submission to the court on Wednesday in response to a submission of no case to answer presented

by Best’s lawyers, Nigel Hughes, Ronald Daniels, and Sophia Findlay. The lawyers are contending the prosecution has failed to prove the elements of the offence and therefore the charge should be dismissed.

On December 3, 2020, Magistrate Rondel Weever dismissed the causing death by dangerous driving charge against Best. That charge alleged that on February 8, 2020, Best drove Land Cruiser PRR 8182 in a

manner dangerous to the public, causing the death of former national cyclist Jude Bentley.

Magistrate Weever said that the prosecution’s case contained many gaps that the court could not fill without speculation. The Magistrate added that whether Best was driving dangerously or not- the crucial element of the prosecution’s case- was not established.

It was reported that Bentley was struck down and run over by the vehicle driven by Best on Clive Lloyd Drive near the Russian Embassy at around 04:00 a.m.

Both Best and Bentley

James was the regional candidate for the party in the last elections and was submitted to be the party’s representative for the Region 8 Democratic Council.

The LJP initially claimed that the nominee was no longer in good health to perform his duties, noting their COVID-19 diagnosis last year. However, James has since made a full recovery and has accused officials of his party of telling lies about him and his health.

James had indicated his intention to support the APNU+AFC’s nominee for Chairman

of the Council since that party gained the most votes in the region, with its marginal win over the PPP. Shuman does not agree with the candidate’s position and the LJP has been making requests to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to recall the nomination.

Shuman also accused GECOM of deliberately ignoring their requests.

The Elections Commission has not commented on the issue, but the situation has led to the many delays in the swearing in of the Region 8 Council.

LJP loses confidence in regional candidate

Mr. Jimmy James

The Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) has disowned Jimmy James, one of its own regional candidates, as according to LJP Leader, Lenox Shuman, the party no longer has confidence in the candidate.

Police Force destroys 12 acres of marijuana

Around 400,000 marijuana plants were destroyed on Wednesday by ranks of the Guyana Police Force.

The marijuana was being cultivated across 12 farms taking up approximately 12 acres of land.

The plants were discovered during a drug

eradication exercise between Ekura and Sand Landing in the Canje River. They were all destroyed by fire.

Police also said that several other items were discovered on the farms.

There were 11 makeshift camps with six water pumps, two generators,

two ploughing machine, an outboard 15-horsepower engine, two grass-cutting machines, a shotgun with 95 spent shells and a number of cannabis seeds.

The items have been lodged at a police station and investigations are ongoing

media posts

were travelling East when Bentley, allegedly, suddenly appeared in front of Best’s vehicle. Best claimed that he applied brakes but the right side of the front of his vehicle collided with Bentley, who was knocked onto the roadway. Police also reported that Best was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time.

L-R: Stacy Smarte and Glynis Gibson

Four women appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on Wednesday and charged for inciting racial tension during the March 2020 elections period.

The women were identified as Tiffany Greene, Lashona Chester, Stacy Smarte, and Glynis Gibson.

The charges were brought against the women by the Ethnic Relations Commission

(ERC) and stated that during the month of March 2020, on their Facebook pages, they caused racial or ethnic violence or hatred and excited hostility or ill-will on the basis of race.

The women pleaded guilty but asked for leniency, noting that they were first-time offenders.

They were each fined $100,000 and given a stern warning by Chief Magistrate McLennan.

COVID-19 Update January 22

The Ministry of Health recorded 52 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday January 21.

Two cases were recorded in Region One, seven in Region Three, 29 in Region Four, 2 in Region Five, one in Region Six, two in Region Seven, two in Region Nine and seven in Region Ten. The total number of cases recorded in Guyana

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is now 7,067.

The COVID-19 death toll is currently at 170.

As of January 21 there have been 45,427 persons tested for the virus. 6,277 persons have recovered leaving 620 active cases in the country.

Minister of Health, Frank Anthony, has issued a warning to bars and hangout spots that have been flouting the COVID-19 gazetted order

which prohibits them from opening for business.

“Bars are not permitted to be open. A lot of people have been lobbying for us to open bars but this is prohibited by the order that was issued. I hope people can abide by the law because if you don’t, you will suffer the consequences”, the Minister said.

Tucville, Georgetown, Guyana, Tel: 592-623-9971

Man arrested for Man found guilty of impersonating murdering 13-year-old CANU officer

Guyana Post, Saturday January 23, 2021

Mr. Kevin McDonald

Kevin McDonald, also known as “Brother Fraud”,was arrested on Wednesday for claiming to be an employee of the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU).

McDonald is currently in police custody at the Brickdam Police Station as investigators look into the allegations that he attempted to arrest a young man while pretending to be a CANU officer.

This incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon in the vicinity of Thomas and Middle Streets, Georgetown. According to Raj Persaud, a friend of the man, who has been identified only as Dameon, McDonald presented

himself to the friend while neatly dressed and wearing a body camera and attempted to handcuff him and place him into a tinted Toyota Premio he was driving.

McDonald reportedly claimed that Dameon was wanted on narcoticsrelated charges and that he was going to take him to the Brickdam Police Station.

Persaud said that that while Dameon was resisting the arrest and demanding that McDonald properly identify himself, two police ranks on bike patrol approached the scene.

McDonald then fled the scene in his car but was

pursued by the ranks and cornered. When he could not provide identification to support his claims of being a CANU officer, he was arrested and taken to the Brickdam Police Station.

McDonald was also charged in 2016 with four counts of forgery and later found guilty. He was arraigned on July 21, 2016 on charges that he forged receipts showing payments made to him

by Universal Machinery and knowingly uttered forged receipts to Yohini Latchman, Principal Assistant Secretary (Finance), at the former Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

L-R: Hillary Edwards and Leonard Archibald

On Wednesday a mixed jury at the Berbice Assizes found Hillary Edwards, a 31-year-old resident of Kortberaadt, East Bank Berbice, guilty of murdering 13-yearold Leonard Archibald in September 2017.

The trial was conducted

by Justice Simone MorrisRamlall and the case was prosecuted by State Attorney Tuana Hardy.

During the trial, Hardy called 16 witnesses to prove her case that

The Supreme Court Was Complicit.......

Man robbed at gunpoint after bandit asks for water

Kaya Dover, 26, of East Ruimveldt, Georgetown was robbed at gunpoint on Thursday morning of over $500,000 worth of items.

The incident occurred at around 04:45 a.m.

According to a statement from Police, the suspect

was staggering by and asked the victim for a glass of water. The suspect then placed a handgun against the victim’s chest and proceeded to take several items from him, which included jewellery, documents and gadgets.

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Police also said that the robbery was committed by a “known individual”.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing and several persons are being questioned.

Restaurant owner robbed at gunpoint

Bing Tao Su, a 51-yearold businessman, was robbed at gunpoint of $45,000 in cash on Thursday by four men at

his Thomas Street, South Cummingsburg home.

The businessman lives with his 49-year-old wife and 17-year-old daughter and operates a restaurant at the location. He was robbed.

Su said he was closing a shutter on the eastern side of the lower flat when he was confronted by the four suspects who

between September 17, and September 24, 2017, Edwards sodomised the 13-year-old and in the process killed him.

Archibald was last seen by relatives after riding ahead of three of his sisters, who were returning home from a birthday party. His body was discovered off the Berbice river bank at Korthberaadt Village, six days after he was reported missing on September 17.

Edwards claimed that he was innocent, saying

that he last saw Archibald at the birthday party.

However, Detective Constable Beharry Jaigopaul, told the jury that Edwards confessed to luring the child to his home, committing the act and later throwing him into the Berbice River with his hands and feet bound along with the boy’s bicycle.

Jaigopaul also told the court that it was Edwards who took investigators to the location where the bicycle was dumped.

After deliberating for almost three hours the jury reached a unanimous guilty verdict. February 11 was set as the date for sentencing by Justice Morris-Ramlall.

entered the restaurant and pointed a handgun at him.

The bandits took the cash which was secured in a drawer on the counter of the restaurant and then fled from the scene.

Police were called and a search of the area was done but they could not locate the suspects.

Investigations are still ongoing.

is ongoing litigation about the federal government’s current method of execution, a lethal overdose of pentobarbital.

Autopsies show that the process often causes pulmonary edema, a medical condition that induces the sensation of drowning or suffocating.

The federal district court in Washington, D.C., has issued multiple preliminary injunctions, including one stating that death row prisoners had demonstrated they were likely to succeed in proving the execution protocol violates the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. But

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each time the issue made it to the Supreme Court, the justices allowed the executions to proceed.

“A layperson might say, ‘If you don’t know whether it’s legal, can you go ahead and do it?’ And most people would say, ‘Of course not,’” Robert Dunham, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said in an interview. “But that’s not the path the Supreme Court has taken.”

Wesley Purkey and Lisa Montgomery were killed despite credible evidence that neither of them was mentally competent to be executed.

Brandon Bernard was

killed without getting the chance to present evidence that the government had secured his death sentence by withholding exculpatory information.

Alfred Bourgeois and Corey Johnson were killed despite credible evidence that they had intellectual disabilities that made them ineligible for the death penalty.

Johnson and Higgs were killed even though there was credible medical evidence that lung damage from their bouts with COVID-19 could make their executions torturously and unconstitutionally painful.

Tucville, Georgetown, Guyana, Tel: 592-623-9971

Guyana Post, Wednesday January 20, 2021

AFTER BEING SWORN IN… PRES. BIDEN CALLS ON AMERICANS TO ‘END THIS UNCIVI WAR” OF POLITICAL DIVISION! Amid a devastating pandemic and the threat of domestic terrorism, Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States shortly before noon on Wednesday, January 20 pledging to unite the country and calling on Americans to end the “uncivil war” that has fractured the nation.

In a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol that kept with tradition while being unlike any other inauguration in U.S. history, Biden took his oath of office before a small, socially-distanced audience in a city that has been locked down because of the dual threats of Covid-19, which has killed over 400,000 people in the U.S., and worries over another attack just two weeks after the deadly riot at the Capitol.

In an impassioned address, Biden repeatedly stressed the need for unity, calling it the only “path forward.” Con’t on pg8

By Adam Edelman and Lauren Egan (NBC)

Kamala Devi Harris is sworn in as the US first female, Black, Asian American Vice President! primary before joining Biden’s ticket. Her record as a prosecutor at times sparked criticism from progressive advocates for criminal justice reform, though Harris has said she sought reform from within those roles. Harris clashed with Biden during first Democratic debate, criticizing his record o n racial

By Hannah Miao@HANNAHMIAO_

Kamala Harris is sworn in as Vice President

Kamala Harris was sworn in Wednesday, January 20 as the nation’s first female, Black and South Asian American vice president. A daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, Harris has made history throughout her career.

After her own inauguration, Harris was set to swear in three barrier-

breaking senators in her new role as President of the upper chamber. She took her oath moments before Joe Biden was set to be sworn in as the nation’s 46th President.

Sonia Sotomayor, America’s first Latina Supreme Court Justice, administered the vice presidential oath of office to Harris. Both Harris and

Biden, on Inauguration Day, inherit a country facing the Covid-19 crisis, an economic downturn and demands for racial justice.

A daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, Harris has made history throughout her career.

As a U.S. senator for California, Harris, 56, was the second Black

woman and first South Asian American to serve in the upper chamber.

Before her Senate tenure, Harris was the first female, Black and South Asian American Attorney General of California.

Harris also served as District Attorney of San Francisco.

Harris ran for President in the 2020 Democratic

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justice issues.

An alumna of Howard University and member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Harris is also the first Vice President to have graduated from a historically Black college and to be in a historically Black Greek letter organization.

After her own inauguration, Harris is set

to swear in three barrierbreaking senators in her new role as president of the upper chamber. Alex Padilla, appointed by California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom as Harris’ successor, will be the first Latino Senator from the state. Following a competitive January runoff elections, the Rev. Raphael Warnock will be the first Black Senator from Georgia and Jon Ossoff will be the first Jewish Senator from the Peach State.

The new Democratic Senators will create a 50-50 split between the two party caucuses in the Senate, giving Democrats a slim majority with Harris as the tie-breaking vote. On the campaign trail, Harris often recalled a message her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, told her, “You may be the first to do many things, but make sure you are not the last.”

Tucville, Georgetown, Guyana, Tel: 592-623-9971

President Ali thanks Qatar for Covid field hospital

Guyana Post, Wednesday January 20, 2021

by Felecia Valenzuela

– mobile hospital arrives in Guyana His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Tuesday evening, expressed his gratitude to the Government and People of Qatar for their generosity and support in donating a Covid field hospital to Guyana. The field hospital arrived Tuesday evening at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).

President Ali, in a Facebook post, recalled that it was soon after his inauguration in August that he held discussions with Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani via telephone, where he pledged to provide the facility to aid Guyana’s Covid fight.

“I thank the Emir and people of Qatar for their love and support. Weeks after my inauguration the Emir and I spoke and he promised to fly in a field hospital and accessories.

Today, he delivered on that

promise. Soon, we will be establishing our embassy in Qatar, and together we will accomplish lots more for the people of our two countries,” President Ali said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony travelled to the CJIA to receive the mobile hospital which arrived on a Boeing C-17 Globemaster jet from Qatar. The field hospital will be set up in the compound of the West Demerara Regional

Hospital at Best village to treat critical Covid patients.

Altogether it comprises 60 beds, 60 mattresses, 12 air-conditioners, 60 pillows, 60 blankets, eight carpets, one generator, 20 respirators, 20,000 types of small and large medical equipment and one diesel tank. Presidential Advisor on National Security Captain Gerry Gouveia also formed part of the Minister of Health - Hon. Dr. Frank Anthony and a delegation including Presidential Advisor on delegation which received National Security - Captain Gerry Gouveia and Army Chief of Staff - Brigadier Godfrey Bess, the mobile hospital received the field hospital at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport.

Equipment for the field hospital donated by the Government of Qatar to the Government of Guyana, on board the Boeing C-17 Globemaster jet from Qatar Tuesday afternoon at the airport.

The Boeing C-17 Globemaster jet from Qatar which brought the field hospital.

PM thanks outgoing Chinese Ambassador for his contribution to Guyana’s development

Prime Minister Phillips thanked the ambassador for his service and said that he is optimistic about continued cooperation between the two countries.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips Tuesday praised the work done by outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Cui Jianchun, during a courtesy visit.

Guyana was the first country in the Englishspeaking Caribbean to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. The historic event took place on June 27, 1972 “On behalf of the people of Guyana, I want to thank the Ambassador for four years of service that has benefited the Guyanese people. During those years the Ambassador would

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have spearheaded many initiatives that contributed immensely to the development of Guyana.

Those projects would have been in the health sector, infrastructure, ICT, assistance to the police and assistance to the Guyana Defence Force and we look forward to continued cooperation with his successor”.

The Chinese Ambassador praised Guyana for its unique culture and said that he is optimistic about the development of the country over the next decade.

“I thank the Guyanese

people and the Government for their warm welcome and hospitality… I am really moved by the culture here, Guyana is a melting pot and I am proud that Chinese is of one of the six ethnic groups. Not many countries have such an advantage and I am very proud that the country’s first President was Chinese.”

Ambassador Cui, who is scheduled to return home at the end of the month, was accompanied by the Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Mr Chen Xilai.

Tucville, Georgetown, Guyana, Tel: 592-623-9971

Guyana Post, Wednesday January 20, 2021

AFTER BEING SWORN IN… PRES. Con’t from pg6

“I know speaking of unity can sound to some like a foolish fantasy these days, I know the forces that divide are deep and they are real,” he said.

“Our history has been a constant struggle between the American ideal that we’re all created equal and the harsh ugly reality of racism, nativism, fear, demonization.”

“This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge - and unity is the path forward,” he said. “The answer is not to turn inward, to retreat into competing factions, distrusting those who don’t look like you or worship the way you do, or don’t get their news from the same sources you do,” the President added a moment later.

“We must end this uncivil war that pits red against blue, rural versus urban, conservative versus

liberal. We can do this if we open our souls instead of hardening our hearts - if we show a little tolerance and humility, and if we’re willing to stand in the other person’s shoes,” he continued.

Biden vowed to move quickly to address the pandemic, the subsequent economic collapse, racial justice, climate change and political extremism.

He also repudiated the mob that had attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6 and promised he would be president for all Americans, including those who didn’t vote for him.

“With unity we can do great things, important things. We can right wrongs. We can put people to work in good jobs, we can teach our children in safe schools, we can overcome the deadly virus,” he said. “We can

deliver racial justice and we can make America once again a leading force for good in the world.”

Temperatures were in the low 40s in the nation’s capital, with strong winds.

Snow flurries dotted the air as Biden took to the lectern. While Biden did not once mention Donald Trump by name, his 21-minute speech served as a powerful rebuttal of his predecessor.

Biden’s refutation of Trump was especially apparent when he, in the opening words of his speech, reflected on the fragility of democracy, and indirectly referred to how Trump’s efforts to subvert the results of the 2020 election nearly shattered the country.

“Today we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, the cause of democracy,” he said.

“We’ve learned again that

democracy is precious.

Democracy is fragile, and, at this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.”

As is tradition, the Chief Justice of the United States - John Roberts administered the oath of office to Biden just before the clock struck 12. Biden took the oath with his hand on top of his 127-yearold, 5-inch-thick family Bible, which was held by his wife, Jill Biden.

Moments earlier, Kamala Harris was sworn in as the first woman, the first Black American and the first South Asian American Vice President by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina member of the Supreme Court.

At 78, Biden is the oldest President to take office. And with his inauguration coming just two weeks to the day after a violent mob of Trump

supporters stormed the Capitol, the stakes for his inaugural address couldn’t have been much higher.

His swearing-in cemented Democratic control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.

That, however, isn’t likely to make Biden’s job any easier. Democrats hold a razor-thin majority in the House, and their control of the 50-50 Senate is only thanks to Harris’ ability to cast a tie-breaking vote as Vice President.

In attendance at the scaled-down ceremony were most members of Congress and the Supreme Court and former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and their spouses, as well as Vice President Mike Pence.

Among those who were not present was Trump, making him the

first President to skip his successor’s inauguration in more than 150 years. As he left the White House on Wednesday morning, he told reporters that serving as President was “the honor of a lifetime” and claimed that “we’ve accomplished a lot.”

Trump and his wife, Melania, then participated in a send-off ceremony before a small group at Joint Base Andrews, in Maryland, where the outgoing President said about his exit, “hopefully, it’s not a long-term goodbye.”

“We will be back in some form,” Trump said before boarding Air Force One for the last time to fly to his private club in Palm Beach, Florida.

“We were not a regular administration!”

Minister of Housing and Water - Hon. Collin D Croal on Wednesday announced the injection of $2 billion for infrastructural works in Region Six in Budget 2021.The Minister also announced the construction of 200 houses in the region. The Minister was at the time engaging residents of

New Amsterdam, Region Six at an outreach.

Minister Croal was accompanied by Regional Executive Officer Narindra Persaud and Vice Chairman - Zamal Hussain, along with personnel from the Central Housing and Planning Authority and the Guyana Water Incorporated.

Injection of G$2 billion for infrastructural works in Region Six in Budget 2021

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Tucville, Georgetown, Guyana, Tel: 592-623-9971

Guyana Post, Wednesday January 20, 2021

Donald Trump leaves the White House for the last time before Biden’s inauguration

The departing President leaves the White House for the final time this morning (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

After four chaotic years in the White House disgraced ex-President Donald Trump has been booted out by the American public - but now faces several fraught legal battles. Wednesday morning he departed the White House for the final time of his failed Presidency as he headed off to Florida to sulk.

The desperate Republican attended a farewell rally on the outskirts of Washington DC before boarding Air Force One with wife

Melania. As he walked out onto the White House lawn for the last time, he told reporters: “It has been a great honor and an amazing four years.”

Trump, 74, gave a fist bump as he walked alongside the First Lady, before climbing onto helicopter Marine One. He will become the first living outgoing President to snub his successor’s swearing in for more than 150 years. A removal truck was pictured outside the White House at dawn.

Vice President Mike

Pence did not visit before Trump’s departure as tensions mount between the two.

Disgraced ex-President Trump could face court for many “crimes”!

Until the bitter end the 74-year-old refused to acknowledge that he legitimately lost the 2020 Presidential election. The 45th President’s reign has been one of chaos and division, although Trump ominously says he is not done yet, telling supporters his time in office is “just the beginning”.

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania leave the White House (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania depart the White House to board Marine One (Image: REUTERS)

Before flying to his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump attended a farewell event at Joint Base Andrews, which has been snubbed

by Republican allies, including Vice President Mike Pence.

Hours before being booted from office Trump issued 73 pardons and 70

commutations, including of political ally Stephen Bannon who was facing trial for fraud.

The first ever US President to be twice impeached and now banned from Twitter the business mogul now faces a string of potential legal battles. The US

convention is that former Presidents are immune from prosecution to guard against the criminalization of politics. Any federal prosecution of Trump would be political dynamite.

Supporters of Trump stormed the US Capitol (Image: AFP via Getty Images) The Trump “klan” (Image: REUTERS)

But many believe he should be prosecuted if there is evidence he broke the law as a private citizen, such as in his financial dealings and allegations

of sexual assault. There’s also concern he may face an investigation for inciting the insurrection in Washington earlier this month. On January 6 pro-

There has also been reporting that wife Trump rioters stormed Melania is set to leave the US Capitol DC in him, with Trump accused an attempt to stop the of an affair with the democratic process. adult actress Stormy Daniels during their marriage (although

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prior to his ascending to the presidency). With a significant portion of Americans, and specifically Republicans, still supporting Trump it is thought he’ll continue have a significant

influence over the party in the years to come.

Ivanka or even son Donald have both been tipped for a run at the White House in four years’ time!

Tucville, Georgetown, Guyana, Tel: 592-623-9971

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