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AIETEUR NEWS

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April 07, 2020 - Vol. 13 No. 14

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COVID-19 claims drag racer as its 5th victim - confirmed cases now 31

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hamp, Race c ingh g a r D ' Jais Dead: ad Dog 'M k c y r De

Cop disarms p.7 Marcus Bisram Govt. approached multiple woman who points to stand trial p.8 int'l partners for COVID-19p. loaded gun in his face in High Court aid - Finance Minister 7 Govt. no longer p.2 Political parties, local observer pursuing casino for and online petition, call for p.

- NICIL Marriott Hotel CEO recount to be televised 12

GECOM agrees CARICOM should play special role in validating credibility of recount - Commissioner

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Tuesday April 07, 2020

Govt. no longer pursuing casino for Marriott Hotel - NICIL CEO I

n light of the tremendous success the Guyana Marriott Hotel has enjoyed as a result of the nation's budding oil industry, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Colvin Heath-London says that a casino for the hotel is no longer being pursued.

During an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News recently, the official said, “We are not putting any casino there. Casinos are placed at hotels for one main reason - to improve room count...The casino was an excellent idea from the previous administration.

Why? Because with a Marriott coming to Guyana, at the time the project was conceived, there was not

The Guyana Marriott Hotel

NICIL's CEO, Colvin Heath-London much business coming to Guyana, so that was on the table until 2018”.

The CEO added, “But with the oil and gas, the hotel is at 93 to 94 percent occupancy. One day a room rate is US$300 and the next it is US$800… and people are paying for it….Many times you can't get rooms there, so putting a casino adds no benefit.”

London said that instead of a casino, what is needed is another 100 rooms.

“That is why when NICIL did its studies and from that, realized that Guyana is short 2000 rooms, it went out there to find hotels and convince them to come and build in Guyana hence you saw the Hilton, the Hyatt and the Holiday Inn coming.”

Prior to the new decision to scrap the idea of a casino, the coalition administration

had struggled for some time with trying to find an investor to take on the establishment of the entertainment complex for the US$60M Hotel. In the financial plans, the casino was considered a critical component in helping Marriott to repay its debts, which stands at around US$30M. In 2017, after being forced to step in and take over the bank payments, the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited had advertised through its Atlantic Hotel Inc. (AHI), the company that owns Marriott, for operators of the casino.

Several bids came in.

One was reportedly from the Princess Group, which runs the Princess Casino, Providence. Another one reportedly came from Suriname.

Kaieteur News was told that all was going well in the assessment until late 2018 when NICIL and PricewaterhouseCoopers reportedly found out about an issue that raised suspicions about transparency and collusion.

The matter was raised at the government level and a decision was subsequently taken to cancel the tender.

There have been no other calls for interest since then.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday April 07, 2020

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America's deployment of navy ships to Venezuela holds no concealed message for Guyana - Sir Ronald Sanders Organisation of American States (OAS) that fielded an Observer Mission at the elections, responded, “These military exercises have nothing to do with Guyana, and they should not be interpreted as any sort of message.

What is more realistic for Guyana are economic and financial actions on all persons identified as participants in declaring elections results that are not verified as credible by at least representatives of CARICOM”.

By Kiana Wilburg

M

ere days after putting a U S $ 1 5 M bounty on the head of President Nicholas Maduro, the United States of America announced that it would be sending naval ships to Venezuela as part of an antinarcotic operation in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, “in partnership with 22 partner countries”.

M an y o b s e r v e r s i n Guyana have wondered whether this military exercise is a subliminal message to Guyana in the wake of its stalled March 2 general elections.

Strong statements have b e e n m a d e b y representatives of the US government, including Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, who declared that “the individuals who seek to benefit from electoral fraud and form illegitimate governments, regimes will be subject to a variety of serious consequences from the United States”.

These sentiments have been linked to the ramped up “anti-drug” war by the USA in which battleships have been placed in the Caribbean Sea, near Venezuela, with speculation that it is a prelude to an invasion of the Spanish-speaking nation whose leaders have faced years of sanctions from America.

GUYANA'S ELECTIONS AND THE US To d i s c u s s t h e implications of these developments, Kaieteur News contacted veteran diplomat and writer on Caribbean affairs, Sir Ronald Sanders.

Asked about an imminent invasion of Venezuela by the US, Sir Ronald dismissed this possibility, saying, “the United States is not about to invade Venezuela.

No country in the world, including those in Latin America that are opposed to the Maduro government, would approve a US invasion. Further, Venezuela poses no security threat to the US and, therefore, there would be no justification in

Sir Ronald Sanders international law for a “preemptive” strike on Venezuela”.

The Senior Diplomat, who is Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador to the US, explained that drug interdiction exercises, such as this present one, are nothing new.

“They have been occurring for years”. But he added “The US government is probably using the exercise around Venezuela to rattle the Maduro government, but it knows that an invasion would be internationally condemned and would result in the loss of thousands of innocent lives, including US ones”.

Probed on whether the military exercise could be meant to send a subliminal message to Guyanese authorities over the March 2 elections, Sanders, who is also Ambassador to the

FALL OUT WITH THE USA On the matter of sanctions, the Congressional Research Service has noted that the United States has imposed sanctions on members of the Venezuelan government for more than a decade in attempts to push the Nicolás Maduro government into internationally supervised general elections.

As of January 22, 2020, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on at least 1 4 4 Ve n e z u e l a n o r Ve n e z u e l a n - c o n n e c t e d individuals, and the State Department has revoked the visas of hundreds of individuals and their families.

T h e T r u m p Administration also imposed sanctions on Venezuela's state oil company (Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., or PdVSA), government, and central bank. Sanctions have also increased economic pressure

on the Maduro government, accelerating a decline in oil production.

The US government has since made it very clear that its treatment of democratic governments is different from the way it treats undemocratic governments.

The US Assistant Secretary of State, Michael Kozak, underscored this message to the Guyana government when he calledin the country's Ambassador Riyad Insanally in Washington on March 26.

Kozak stated “Any government sworn in based on flawed election results would not be legitimate.

Every vote must be counted”.

Against this background, Kaieteur News asked Sir Ronald if, in his years of experience, Guyana would do better or worse should it fall out with the US government.

In his response, Sanders observed, “Guyana's trading and financial system is intertwined with the US. If economic and financial sanctions are imposed on Guyana by the US, an alternative system could not be established by Guyana without the cooperation of its other major trading partners which are the EU, Britain and Canada, acting together, and that is unlikely to happen”.

He added, “A small economy such as Guyana's would suffer immensely in all sectors should its trading and financial links to the US

be eroded”.

Sanders, who has written extensively on USCaribbean relations for many years, said “In any event, the US is not seeking a confrontation with Guyana, it is trying to urge the authorities in Guyana to count its elections ballots in a transparent manner, overseen by independent bodies to produce a credible result on the basis of which a government can be established, and accepted domestically, regionally and internationally”.

OBLIGATION TO ACT ON CONCERNS OF OBSERVER MISSIONS Kaieteur News put it to Sir Ronald that local observers believe that Guyana's authorities have made a mistake by disparaging the electoral missions that condemned the tabulation of votes in the Guyana elections.

In response, Sanders said, “The Guyana government invited Electoral Observation Missions from the Commonwealth, the Organisation of American States, the European Union, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Carter

Center specifically to verify to the world that the general elections were free and fair and its processes, including counting of the votes, were transparent and credible.

These organizations, representing the majority of nations of the world, did not invite themselves”.

The veteran Caribbean diplomat emphasised that “They were not interfering in Guyana's domestic affairs; they were invited to be involved in the elections process. In this regard, they have an obligation to Guyana as much as to themselves to state clearly any reservations they might have”.

Clearly concerned about a serious rupture of relations between Guyana and nations of the international community, Sir Ronald concluded that “the authorities in Guyana also have an obligation to the people of Guyana to respect, and act on, the findings of these invited Observer missions.

Otherwise, the Guyana authorities create an impression of a lack of irregularity and transparency that encourage the international community to demonstrate its collective concern by salutary actions”.

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Tuesday April 07, 2020

Kaieteur News

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Sharmain Grainger Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

The worst of times At the risk of understatement, it has been a bad year so far - the worst place for any society to be trapped hopelessly. It is the worst of places for citizens to be and the worst of times for Guyanese caught up in yet another unwinnable struggle, with few to no bright spots promised.

We at this publication are forced to this dismal outlook, because even when things are dark and down at the individual level, there is usually some tiny hope that if a certain road is explored, if a few things fall into place, and if there is the will to give a try, then progress and success could come.

Whatever comes may be very minute, it may not happen at all, as more failures and disappointments add further to the pile of what fell short. But it is part of the unconquerable spirit of man that when everything is gone, then something is found somewhere and, that somehow, something is created out of nothing. That is the indomitable spirit of men, and men make up nations, even the most troubled, the most despairing ones.

But as all of this is presented before the public, there is recognition that hope has fled swiftly on powerful wings.

The outlook is that even if there is judicial and electoral finality, that a different round of social malaises, of racial antagonisms, and of divisive defeatism would drag us all down beyond what has been experienced, beyond what may be contemplated and in the works. The same works at the same hands of the same men will not lead to anything or anywhere new. That, too, is now an inherent part of the ugly dreary hopelessness.

The people in this land are taking stock. They do not like the results, which weigh them down further. For, at present, this nation is not dealing with a political crisis alone, but a convergence of crises. In addition to the political crisis, there is a social crisis and a racial crisis, both of which are beyond dispute. Still further, there is a medical crisis, an environmental crisis, a psychological crisis, and a slew of other crises still to be detected or to register. We are, indeed, in the worst of worst places.

This is not helped in any way by the culture of superstition in which we live, and which still has a remorseless stranglehold on this society. Frightened citizens remind themselves and one another that it is that proverbial black cat of a time: it is a Leap Year.

Tell citizens to be careful and sensible about COVID-19 and there are shrugs of disdain and continuing indifference.

In the next instance, tell them that ‘somebody did them something’ and it is alarm bells and off to the believed sanctuary and protective handiwork of spiritualists and the like, who happen to know of and have just the remedy called for by the particular situation.

Taken together, countless Guyanese look back and take the measure of the first quarter of 2020 and shake their heads in the confirmation of indisputable proof: there is the record of the facts and circumstances. And with this in mind and in hand, the same many look ahead and declare that this society has a still harder road ahead for the rest of this year, should the most important, the most relevant, and the most distressing things stay on the same destructive course.

It is the sum of all fears congregating, the aggregate of hopes repeatedly dashed on the jagged rocks of unending disappointments.

Superstitions or not, there has to be acknowledgement, no matter how minimal, that there is some substance to the mindsets that have become ingrained at all levels. It has been powered by the uninterrupted moves and countermoves of quarreling and grappling, of confronting and clashing.

We occupy a no man’s land that points not to hurdles scaled, but of more of the same, if not more barren, territory ahead. Despite the thick hovering gloom, we still must challenge ourselves to dig deep and locate those rare elements that could carry us somewhere, give us a chance.

We cannot give up, for then we would have lost hold of life.

A potential tool of political convenience DEAR EDITOR, I refer to the article titled, “COVID-19 test results go straight to Volda Lawrence from the lab” (KN April 6). I question why this is so; and I question, also, the explanation furnished by the caretaker Minister of Public Health. However, ostensibly protective of the public welfare, the step taken is supposed to appear, it is failing to do so. I repeat: it is not.

I submit this since only the worst could be attributed, given the state of politics and politicians in this country at this time. I think the explanation provided lacks foundation and is rather poor in any confidence-building objective. It lacks credibility and standing.

Having so said, I now encourage all to take a step back and consider the following sequence of events that usually accompanies a medical visit. There is a

consultation with tests ordered, when thought necessary by the medical professional; those tests are conducted in the laboratory; and the results go every time in a straight line from the laboratory to the ordering practitioner.

Instead, according to the news report, all COVID-19 test results, they go straight to the caretaker minister.

Why is this so? Why would any political figure desire to have access to a citizen’s medical records?

Why would he or she be so interested that there is this directive in place for existing medical protocols to be breached and political ones to supersede? These are not clean management ones.

Those are some of the questions that come to me presently. Speaking for myself, I would not want my blood test or my x-ray or my preexisting condition(s) history or my prescriptions to

be made accessible to any minister from any government under any circumstance.

Unless, there is some administrative conflict or pending lawsuit, I am entitled, and so are all citizens, to the privacy laws and standards that prevail.

I think this should be demanded to operate now, and not taken lightly or as business as usual. I say this for there could be nothing of the positive embedded when a minister, even in the best of circumstances, decides arbitrarily for all COVID-19 results to be sent exclusively to her; to be held solely by her (and a possibly handpicked inner circle); and to be analyzed only by herself and her team of inner helpers.

That reeks of the questionable, even the sinister. This is what I suspect could be in the works. I am trying hard, but failing, to put a tempered and balanced weighing to what

was a long whispered public secret but is not so anymore.

Because when a minister under normal circumstances orders that the test results of citizens relative to the raging and frightening coronavirus scourge be channeled to her first, then there are a number of things, which could be employed at that level, and with that panoramic picture of all results in hand. None are good or are in the interests of any particular citizen or the nation as a whole. When a minister, under the worst national circumstances likely, directs that test results for the COVID-19 be transmitted to her and her people alone, then that leaves a lot to be desired, with the unsavoury being contemplated. For what we have here is the paralyzing tragedy-in-waiting of elections compounded by the rampaging pestilence that is COVID-19 first colliding with and then operating in the (Continued on page 6)

Guyana - A Nation in crisis-with limited financial reserves DEAR EDITOR, With life as we know it turned upside down by COVID-19, small states like Guyana face unprecedented disruptions and challenges ranging from public health, political uncertainty, and a looming global economic crisis that will have both direct and indirect impact on life in Guyana.

Recently, Finance Minister Jordan requested US$5million dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund to combat Covid-19.

Prior to that Guyana received $55 million for the first sale of oil. Why are Natural Resource Funds not appropriated for COVID-19 programs rather than applying for an IMF loan?

Unlike countries such as Norway with sovereign wealth funds from oil revenues, Guyana has limited assets to deploy in the COVD-19 war and the ensuing global economic downturn.

Norway’s US$950 billion (S$1.35 trillion) sovereign wealth fund is the world’s biggest. However, Norway faces its worst economic shock in half a century and has less income for crisis measures- which means that it will withdraw substantial sums form it’s SWF (Bloomberg).

As Guyana faces as unprecedented set of negative circumstances and threats the situation can worsen.

Remittances of US$400 million to Guyana represent 17-23% of the Gross

Domestic Product. These numbers are set to drop significantly over the next six months because of the looming business failures, bankruptcies, and unemployment in areas of high concentration of Guyanese such as New York, Atlanta, Toronto, and London due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19effect will undoubtedly drive down remittances to Guyana and affect revenue generation in other sectors for a long time.

Additionally, restrictions on travel and exports will reduce tourism and export revenue to Guyana.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) will take a hit because of slumping global demand and global business downturn. China which is the second largest importer and exporter to the Caribbean and a major contributor of FDI faces a downturn in its economy that will directly impact Guyana.

In 2015, 70 percent of small and medium-sized businesses failed in Guyana when the global economic landscape was normal. The private sector which is the engine of growth in Guyana is expected to undergo a significant downturn because of travel restrictions, reduced global demand and indigenous problems- the result will see the loss of jobs and business downturn.

Impact of the Venezuelan dispute.

Guyana continues to defend its sovereignty in a

battle with Venezuela for twothirds of Guyana’s territory.

The Venzuelan dispute is further compounded by the perception of the international community that the elections results are not valid and credible. Sir Ronald Sanders in a recent articled, noted that if the elections are condemned by the international community, Guyana’s moral standing in its case before the International Court of Justice will be weakened.

Guyana’ national image needs urgent repair.

Guyana’s national image as a law-abiding, selfrespecting nation in the Caribbean community and among the African, Caribbean and Pacific States is in question by the international community.

Political uncertainty reduced investment, business contraction and a tarnished image will have dire consequences on productivity and the economy. One might say that oil revenues will buffer economic shocks in Guyanabut the oil market is also facing over-supply and reduced demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With oil prices down 55%

and oversupply topping 20 percent this year, the expected windfall for Guyana will decrease significantly. Oil prices fell by 25 percent on March 9, and on March 18, prices fell by 24 percent-.the two largest single-day movements for WTI in more than 20 years. Experts in the industry predict that oil demand could fall by more than 25mb/d (million barrels per day) by the third quarter.

However, Guyana also has competition in the neighborhood. On Thursday April 2, the Apache Corporation (NYSE, Nasdaq: APA) and Total S.A. (NYSE: TOT) announced a significant oil discovery at the Sapakara West-1 well drilled offshore Suriname on Block 58- a second for Suriname. Production from these reserves will drive up supply in a low-demand environment and compete directly with Guyana.

It will take strong transformation leadership to extricate Guyana from the myriad of complex problems, restore a favorable national image and navigate a new strategic course in a changing global world order.

Sincerely, Wayne Forde

A Cataract Patient DEAR EDITOR, I have cataract in both eyes. My left eye is completely clouded. I cannot see with the left eye. I was due to do surgery at the public hospital, Georgetown, on 20th March 2020. Due to COVID-19 all patients were

told surgeries are cancelled.

We gave our phone numbers to hospital staff and to date no one has called. I am afraid of going blind. I kindly ask if someone from the Ministry of Health can update us on this matter.

B. Cumberbatch

Tuesday April 07, 2020

Diplomatic Community Applauded in support of democracy DEAR EDITOR, Reference to various statements of diplomats of allies (KN varied dates), Guyanese applauds the position taken by the US and other countries for a full commitment to democracy in the homeland.

The Ambassador demonstrated publicly where the US stood at this critical juncture in the political life of Guyana.

America, like other countries, is against electoral fraud. The world was unfortunately treated to that tawdry public spectacle of electoral fraud on March 4 that denigrates Guyana.

Guyanese want Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch and other diplomats to know they are not alone in the struggle for democratic vote count in Guyana. They salute her behaviour as well as those of the other (BCE) diplomats and international observers extraordinary and exemplary, a model to emulate and have joined the call to count every ballot. All the diplomats have distinguished their behavior in the conduct of diplomacy.

Their diplomacy and words of support of democracy has earned respect and won accolades in Guyana, the diaspora, and around the world (international observers) for her (their) efforts in defending democracy in Guyana. Guyanese extol the diplomats for standing on the side of democracy.

Working in Guyana is not easy especially in dealing with undemocratic retrenchment as well as the seeming quietness of some prominent Guyanese in the face of electoral fraud and display of authoritarian instincts. The diplomats did not stand down.

They have earned their stripes.

Contrary to what some may feel, they are successfully advancing their country’s interests in Guyana by speaking up for good

governance and credible elections.

With regards to Sarah-Ann Lynch, Guyana is fortunate to have her as US Ambassador. In a very short period of time, she has distinguished herself in the country by improving US relationship with Guyana. She offered a smart, reasoned explanation of the US position on democratic elections.

Contrary to what some said, she has a right under international law to express the opinion of her country on affairs in Guyana. She has remained within the norms of diplomacy. She complied with all State Department rules and regulations.

Ambassador Lynch, like other diplomats, spoke candidly and from the heart on her support for democracy.

It is unprecedented for a diplomat to speak so forcefully on that subject in Guyana. As a political scientist, I study international diplomacy. The statement from Her Excellency is a rare wash down of a country by a diplomat in any part of the world. Only Zimbabwe and a few other dictatorships received such scolding by a diplomat.

South Africa also was lectured by the US for not ending apartheid and not giving Blacks equal rights including the right to vote. In Guyana, people have a right to vote but not a right to a count of the vote. Ambassador Lynch’s statement sought to reinforce the right to vote and to its count. Her statement is a pattern issued by those of so many other governments except that hers was lengthy and businesslike. It was penned from the heart.

Guyana government’s criticism of the diplomats’ position on democracy is misguided and unfortunate. Guyana is a major recipient of US aid and goodwill. The criticism of the US on democratic elections will only seek to

harm relations. It is hoped that relations that have been frayed with US over the American demand for a proper elections count would make an easy mend. The US will not close its eye to electoral fraud.

The statement of US commitment to democracy has shone a light on the U.S foreign- service that people are increasingly seeing as being different from the days of supporting dictatorships through the 1980s. The statement heralds the professionalism and courage that U.S foreignservice diplomats exhibit when faced with serious challenges such as violations of human rights and democratic concepts. There is no doubt that Ambassador Lynch and her other diplomatic colleagues went through a lot of stress during the election period, but that did not break down her (their) fortress to stand up to electoral injustice.

Guyanese thank the professionalism and commitment of Ms. Lynch and other diplomats on democracy for Guyana. They pay glowing tribute to their dedication, commitment, and relentless effort in standing up for democracy in Guyana.

The latest US statement has exuded confidence among Guyanese that USGuyana strategic ties will be enhanced when the election fiasco has been resolved with a proper count of ballots.

Guyanese salute the great work of all the diplomats who have now become a promoter of democracy. They thank the US government and other countries for being a beacon of hope for democracy in Guyana. And they especially thank Ms. Lynch for that strong statement and for the professionalism and exceptional skills exhibited in the field of diplomacy.

Yours truly, Dr. Vishnu Bisram

This Episode...

DEAR EDITOR, Guyanese citizens should just stay home and grab their popcorn. This episode of Guyana’s history is directed by the Coen Brothers. In keeping with their trademark narrative and themes, the story is this: An average Joe finds himself in a fortunate circumstance after years of being put upon.

Suddenly, that fortunate circumstance is in endangered by his own hubris and he clumsily seeks some fraudulent way of correcting it.

Because of his incompetence, however, the fraudulent act goes horribly wrong and he comes to the

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Kaieteur News

attention of powerful authorities.

He lies, obfuscates, temporises, schemes, all the while digging himself into a deeper hole than if he had just owned up to the initial consequences of his own hubris.

Just when he believes he has reached a rhythm of evading those powerful authorities and buying himself some time, a sudden, unstoppable force enters the scene, a terrible but neutral evil that seems to work in his favour at first so he seeks to exploit it.

We know how this ends.

The average Joe becomes

irredeemably corrupt in his self-righteousness and criminality.

The consequences he sought to avoid in the beginning are multiplied a hundred fold and visited upon him.

At the end of it, after all the carnage and destruction, he is still vanquished, but perhaps worse, any memory of whatever good he once possessed is erased by the reality of the casualties of his cowardice. He becomes a footnote in history, absurd and tragicomic, a man fated to adhere to the constitution of his unfortunate archetype.

Yours faithfully, Ruel Johnson

Let’s talk about those other sanctions - military sanctions DEAR EDITOR, With all the talk about sanctions, everyone seems to be missing one critical one.

One that must be talked about. Absolutely has to be discussed. Without any doubt. There is a real risk that APNU’s outrageous and barefaced conduct exposes Guyana to Western military intervention. It is hard to ignore the West’s foreign policy history of military intervention where its oil interests are jeopardized.

Right now, APNU is jeopardizing the West’s oil interests.

But it gets worse. APNU has been playing a dangerous game of geopolitical posturing since the election when the West rejected its barefaced thievery. It has been openly rejecting the West on geopolitical and geostrategic fronts to telegraph to Russia and China its need for their support to try to hold onto power. Despite its Lima Group statement, APNU rejected Western-backed Guiado a number of times since the election and in doing so has tacitly endorsed Maduro.

That is a compelling signal to Russia and China, which back Maduro even in the face of recent escalating US efforts against Maduro.

APNU tongue lashed the US after the US summoned its ambassador to warn APNU of dire consequences for an illegal government. Then in clowning glory, Moses Nagamootoo suggested the West is trying to rob APNU of power when even an

unborn child knows APNU lost the election. These signals are unequivocal in what APNU is trying to convey to Russia and China at grave risk to Guyana’s very survival.

The West has been adamant in its rejection of APNU. Just recently, the US ambassador to Guyana made that clear in a public statement. It is but one of many pronouncements from powerful US voices warning this illegal regime. The US is very concerned about growing Russian and Chinese geopolitical and geostrategic influence in the region spanning outward from Venezuela. Last week, the US announced it is massively doubling its military presence in the region and will send Navy ships closer to Venezuela. That puts Guyana in that sphere. This is arguably the news that Guyana should pay the most attention to!

This is why Guyana under an illegitimate APNU administration is at such a huge risk. With Suriname’s strongman (Bouterse) also in anti-West mode, there is palpable fear in Western capitals that almost the entire northern oil-rich face of South America could fall under Russian and Chinese geopolitical and geostrategic control. That is a significant loss of influence and geostrategic power in America’s backyard and an increase of military risk to the US. Throw in Guyana being a very soft target and Trump’s willingness to wag the dog in

the midst of tattered reelection chances due to COVID-19, we must discuss this other kind of sanctions; military ones.

Pushing aside the postelectoral garbage emanating from Nagamootoo, he did say something that must be given attention. Nagamootoo said the West is impatient and it is threatening an undeclared war of terror. We must pay attention to this even if the hard-headed APNU charlatans don’t.

Nagamootoo admitted APNU has been warned about the frightening power of American military might. Yet APNU continues this madness. The GECOM aboutface was a con game to buy time. GECOM is an APNUcontrolled entity and it has no intention of doing a full monitored recount. The constant court cases are yet another time-buying exercise.

Why in the face of such towering consequences is APNU continuing this lunacy?

The answer is simple: APNU is desperately trying to get Russia and China on its side. Time is the only asset it has to engineer such an alliance. With US destroyers now patrolling just offshore, APNU may have run out of time.

The US will not allow another Venezuela in the region. APNU wants another Venezuela in Guyana. Houston, we definitely have a problem here. There are sanctions and then there are sanctions. APNU is definitely inviting the shock and awe of the latter if it continues to play this one badly.

Yours faithfully, M. Maxwell

The present management structure at GECOM is being compromised DEAR EDITOR, GECOM is an autonomous body tasked with ensuring that the March 2020 elections is being managed in a free, fair, transparent,and impartial manner. This autonomous entity has shown that nothing it does is in keeping with transparency or impartiality.

The present management structure at GECOM is being compromised and controlled by APNU/AFC cabal and that was initiated with President Granger unilateral appointment of James Patterson that paved the way in the installation of all the “crooked manipulators” to be appointed, in ensuring that David Granger and his cabal remain in power. The appointment of DCEO, the PRO, etc., and the gifting of

millions to the CEO of GECOM is main reasons why it should be concluded that David Granger is in control of this perceived autonomous body GECOM. The decisions and functions of GECOM over the last few weeks is a testimony that it is closely aligned with APNU/AFC, the signing of the Region Four declaration results by Volda Lawrence, the false declaration of 458 SOPs by RO Mingo, the deliberate

stalling of the recount by CEO Lowenfield, until a court order was granted to APNU/AFC candidate Ulita Moore, the snail pace of the modality for the recount, the refusal of GECOM to make the SOPs public on the website, etc.

The reality of getting credible results in this elections lie in the verification of the 458 SOPs that were left to be verified when Lowenfield and Mingo introduced a fabricated (Continued on page 6)

A thought on the Military DEAR EDITOR, The highest levels of flexibility and adaptability must also be found within the military. It ensures the continual security of the Nation. To be able to move well with enemies and allies,

is to be able to understand ours and theirs capabilities, weaknesses and intent.

Best regards, Mr. Jamil Changlee Chairman The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

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Tuesday April 07, 2020

Kaieteur News

Two government structures, one country, zero existence DEAR EDITOR, I am trying to understand what it is that we have in place, and at work, in Guyana currently. What it is that we really have, for all purposes and intents. As I see it, with my limited awareness, what we really have is two governing structures, one country, zero existence, and no prospects. Zero prospects for the present, or any continuity into the future.

Not too long ago, I think there was this same situation in Afghanistan, where a separate swearing -in ceremony was held for competing presidents. With respect to the Afghans, it reflects their own saga of strife, and where that has brought them, condemned them.

It is a real war over there, not one of sparring words and pugnacious postures, but one where people go down and a country goes up in the flares of differences.

No watching Guyanese, no Guyanese participating in the overheated conversations (if they can be called conversations) from here or any other corner of the world, is in need of any enlightenment as to what that

curious turn of phrase I chose ‘flares of differences’ signify.

For whenever we get past the sharp words and hard lines drawn, and redrawn for emphasis of intent and strength, then matters could flare out of control or concern.

I have always had a problem when matters deteriorate to those irretrievable points, be such in family, community, or country. And that pertains especially to this country, where there is marshalling and conditioning and readying for any plunge that takes us wherever it takes us. That is, if COVID-19 does not lay us low first. I would hope that neither takes hold here: either the manmade political one, or the viral one.

But I think and I sense that I am in a minority of minorities here. For as the relentless creep of a virus extends so, too, is the determined crawl in political minds that is of two governance structures in one country that lead to nowhere and nothing. It is most disconcerting that at this hour when we need all shoulders bent to the same wheel, with all minds fixed on

overcoming, or at least managing sensibly, one target (the virus), we are at this place of two governance apparatuses (or none at all), with no other movement and nothing else in sight, but of clashing, confrontational visions.

At this rate, and with the separate objectives fuelled and refuelled in minds made tough, there can only be further distancing (ironic, present circumstances considered), continued extending of the controversies and impasses, and the inexorable building to the believed ending of nothing (recall the ‘flares’ mentioned earlier). For this cannot end well, that which began poorly, and keeps growing worse by the day.

Recount leads nowhere.

First, there were the deep distrusts; second, there were the embedded animosities; third, there is now the fateful buildup of hatreds; and, last, there is the possibly fatal destinies that await.

I say all of this, for when we hold on to one governance presence with a deathlike grip that is bad and implausible enough; but when a parallel second and clashing

A potential tool of political...

From page 4 same tight, uninhabitable space. What we have is palpable racial hostility and widespread national acrimony strangling any kind of positive conversation; only the worst of negatives are harboured and, given the culture of social media, then the most malicious and scurrilous of motives are attached.

For myself, I have no appreciation for, no reasoning

that I can lend to, this ministerial arrangement that rules.

It is wrong. It could be misused. It could be made a tool of political convenience.

For the numbers could be manipulated-as in held in check or massaged or made to look better than they areas part of a political strategy that is still developing. By this I mean that they could be withheld from a waiting public, as to what is the true

extent of the virus’ presence (positive results) until it is most convenient. That is, to be very specific, if and when political counts do not follow the script that is envisioned, then an emergency is declared.

I do not know how much longer hard elections realitiesa masquerade cum sleight-ofhand aka process crossdressed to appear what it is not, an acceptable resultcould be denied or seen as the way out of our quagmire. I do not think that any elections results lead anywhere that is national.

I think that there is a looming and obvious next disastrous stage of what has been a series of cascading disasters at the end of counting and the rest.

COVID-19 could be a wellthought-out late presence and contributor that adds to the overall dirtiness.

This latest underhanded business of test results heading to the political head of the health ministry points in such a direction.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

arrangement is concocted and given life, then the bad becomes not only unworkable, but unthinkable as to its directions, interferences, and consequences. I detect that there is readiness for such actualities. And this is why there is insistence with not having one conversation around one table about how to probe, like a neurosurgeon for any threads in the head, for quick answers and longerterm solutions. Rather, we are now at where I have always said, and with that which should be more and more apparent with each developing element in our political existence, we are not of one people but two, not of one nation but of any other number, and we certainly don’t have one destiny anymore.

Not with what we have

displayed; not with what we believe in, stand for, and strengthen thoughtlessly.

Not when we cannot stand the thought of the other anymore. I think that the words of Trinidad’s PM Keith Rowley substantiate. And that is why we now haveperhaps, what was inevitablewhich is two governance structures. With this in mind, and given competing plans for coronavirus, I am wondering how long it takes before we end up with two crime-fighting realities, where one is official and recognized, the other is of something more like those vivid memories from around the turn of this century.

To take this where residual right-thinking Guyanese shudder from going, I must be bold enough to go, even though I must tread carefully. Wherever

there is government, an essential element of such is the presence of an army.

Since we have some semblance of two governments, then it is simply a matter of time and events before there are two armies around. Do we really want to get there?

Now it looks as though we are hell bent to get to these passes, virus or no virus. I would hope that I am wrong, terribly wrong on all of this. But when there are two governments supposedly operating in the same place (just like a broken house with two masters), then that could only lead to a destination that is of this: nothing. Nobody wins, everybody loses. Sometimes more than power is lost.

Think about that, all of this.

Sincerely, GHK Lall

Destroying the ballot boxes is not the answer DEAR EDITOR, In his Sunday column, after describing his historical role in the struggle for democracy and the political journey that led to his ethnic awakening, Dr. David Hinds (KN, April 5, 2020), urged Guyanese to “Scrap this election. Destroy those boxes. Install an Interim Government led by Granger as president and the PPP man as Prime Minister. Divide the Cabinet equally between the two sides. Go back to the old parliament. Set up an Independent Commission tasked with structurally overhauling GECOM, changing the governance architecture and the electoral laws to ensure outcomes that are in keeping with power sharing. Give them two years to do that and then go back to elections.”

His proposals for an interim government of National Unity, followed by constitutional and electoral reform must be seen as another earnest attempt by Guyanese to seek a political solution out of this quagmire.

But his suggestion to “scrap this election” and “destroy the ballot boxes” has other implications. One, Dr. Hinds, is a leader of the WPA, which has emerged as an apologist for the ruling Coalition. Dr. Hinds is now accepting what most Guyanese suspected,

namely, that the coalition lost the March 2 elections. Two, Hinds is suggesting that we now ignore the results of the elections and pretend as if it did not happen. Asking the main opposition to negotiate with a losing party means that negotiations for an interim government will take place under a cloud of suspicion, rather than good faith. Three, inherent in Dr. Hinds bold statement is an awareness that the opposition is impotent, when it comes to effectuating change in the current political configuration. The Coalition has entrenched itself militarily and politically, with firm control of the coercive powers of the state. Any power-sharing arrangement, without first acknowledging the electoral results, will see the coalition continuing to exert its bullying tactics to produce a win-lose outcome.

I note that Dr. Hinds has been a champion on powersharing in Guyana (he wrote a book on it), but, like his colleagues Moses Bhagwan and Eusi Kwayana, has abandoned that call since 2015. I suspect that if David truly believed that the Coalition had verifiably won the 2020 election, powersharing would be on the back-burner. I end by reminding David of a pertinent fact. As a university lecturer in the US, he knows full well that many people have died in the struggle to preserve the right to have their votes counted. But more pointedly, as an influential columnist, I fear David is offering a Plan B to the “riggers” – if the verification count shows that we lost, then let’s burn the ballot boxes, regardless of who is watching.

Sincerely, Baytoram Ramharack

The present management...

From page 5 spreadsheet. How can everyone, except the APNU/ AFC, agree that there was fabricated result in Region Four?

Granger APNU/AFC is surviving in power since 21st December 2018 through “judicial bullyism”.

Suzy Kassem said, “Our

freedoms are vanishing. If you do not get active to take a stand now against all that is wrong while we still can then maybe one of your children may elect to do so in the future, when it will be far more risky - and much, much harder”.

Regards, Zamal Hussain

Kaieteur News

Tuesday April 07, 2020

PAGE 07

GECOM agrees CARICOM should play special role in validating credibility of recount

A

s it works out the modalities of a national recount of all votes cast in last month's general and regional elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has agreed that CARICOM should play a role different from the role of a regular observer, where its presence would serve to validate the recount.

This is according to Commissioner Vincent Alexander, who spoke with reporters after the Commission's meeting y e s t e r d a y. A l e x a n d e r explained that the idea is to get CARICOM involvement, but not as supervisors.

The Appeal Court recently stated that it would not be lawful for CARICOM to usurp the authority of GECOM to supervise the electoral process.

Commissioner Alexander, along with his colleague, Sase Gunraj, said that the Commission agreed in principle that all the other observers would be retained for the recount.

The international observers were very much prominent in their involvement in the electoral

- Commissioner

Commissioner Sase Gunraj

Commissioner Vincent Alexander

process. Alexander has said repeatedly that they did not respect the distance from which they should have observed the process.

They were not actually required to give validation to the process, Alexander told reporters. CARICOM had sent a high-level team when GECOM first contemplated a recount. But that plan was obstructed by a series of interim injunctions.

In this case, Alexander said that CARICOM's role would be retained in a modified form.

“We have decided today that our preference in terms of

an external body to give some validation…is CARICOM,” Alexander stated.

Gunraj said that an approach is expected to be made very shortly to CARICOM Secretary General, Ambassador Irwin La Rocque. The CARICOM Chair and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley had expressed disappointment when the last plan for the recount was cut short, and said that it is clear there are forces who do not want to see the votes counted.

Given the obstruction to the previous recount, Gunraj

Govt. approached multiple int'l partners for COVID-19 aid - Finance Minister

R

esponding to concerns that a request to The World Bank for financial aid to combat COVID-19 under its Rapid Response Emergency Facility may have been denied, Finance Minister Winston Jordan yesterday told the stateowned National Communications Network (NCN), in a telephone interview, that the last communication he got from the Bank was that it is “doing the assessment”.

The Minister said that he is not a position to approach the Bank everyday to find out the stage of the assessment, but that it will inform him of any relevant development in due time, and that he will inform the public accordingly.

Nevertheless, Minister Jordan said that “in the meantime”, the Government is not “sitting on [its] laurels”, that it is in talks with every international or

bilateral institution that Guyana has friendly relations with for assistance, such as the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The response by the Minister came after Kaieteur News reported that the Bank had already begun execution of its initial emergency aid operations for 25 key countries, excluding Guyana.

The first aid package of US$1.9B included several of Guyana's regional neighbours.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had reported Guyana as one of the least prepared countries to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak.

It was noted that Argentina, Ecuador and Paraguay, included in this list, are all Guyana's regional neighbours who are included in the IMF's report, and are

not as ill-prepared as Guyana is.

The IMF had said that the top priority is ensuring that frontline health-related spending is available to protect people's well-being, take care of the sick, and slow the spread of the virus.

Guyana could benefit from future disbursements, as the Bank noted that it is prepared to deploy up to US$160B over the next 15 months to support COVID19 measures that will help countries respond to immediate health consequences of the pandemic and bolster economic recovery.

What has been of concern to some is the worry that Guyana's protracted electoral process could have hurt its ability to secure international aid.

But Minister Jordan implored the public not to believe any misinformation or insinuation that the request has been denied.

said that GECOM would have to give the team some level of finality, including when the recount would begin, to have them come back.

As for all of the observers, Gunraj said that they will have to give indications about whether they will return, given the implications of prevailing issues, such as COVID-19.

The Org a n i s a t i o n o f American States (OAS) and the Carter Centre have already indicated that they are committed to observing the remainder of the electoral process. Otherwise, the Commission's meeting yesterday involved giving clarity to Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield on

its intentions for the recount.

He had asked for clarity before he embarked on his production of a plan.

Gunraj said that core issues discussed included the exact conduct of the process, the extent to which it could be carried out, the role of the Commission in resolution of disputes arising out of the process, and the reporting mechanism. He said that there is a proposal on the table to have region four returning officer Clairmont Mingo replaced.

Gunraj explained that the proposal also considers other staffers who “led us to this position that we're in”.

The actions of several

GECOM officials, especially Mingo, have cast doubt on GECOM's integrity. Calls have been made for them to be removed. But Alexander said that it is unclear whether returning officers will be used at all, since Lowenfield has some amount of flexibility in making the determination of the inclusion of staff.

At the end of the discussion, Lowenfield indicated that he had the clarity needed to draft a plan, Gunraj said. The plan is expected to come up for discussion tomorrow morning.

Gunraj said he is happy that GECOM has finally come to a point where it could produce a plan and to get the process “on the road” so as to assuage the anxiety of the Guyanese public.

Cop disarms woman who points loaded gun in his face Despite being off the job, an interdicted policeman was able to use some of his training to disarm a female would-be assassin who pointed a loaded gun in his face, reportedly in an effort to take him out.

Reports are that around 12:30 hrs yesterday, the man was in the vicinity of Chapel Street, New Amsterdam, Berbice, when the woman approached him and raised a gun towards him. He quickly maneuvered and took the loaded firearm away. He then went and reported the matter at the Central Police Station.

The woman, in her persistence to get at the intended victim, inexplicably followed him to

the station, where the man pointed her out as the assailant. She was arrested and placed into custody. The firearm was retrieved and examined, and was found to contain two live rounds of .32 calibre ammunition.

The firearm was examined further and found with serial No TB 10148. It was subsequently marked and lodged, and is expected to be taken for further ballistic tests.

Upon further investigation, the woman told investigators that she sourced the firearm from a barber in New Amsterdam.

The barber was contacted, arrested and taken into custody. A search was conducted at his home, but nothing was found.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 08

Tuesday April 07, 2020

'Don't waste time, GECOM …only District 4 recount necessary' - PSC T

he Private Sector Commission (PSC), while highlighting that it is serving as an Accredited Observer of the country's recent elections, is asking GECOM to make immediate arrangements for the commencement of the recount in District 4, in accordance with its Constitutional authority recognized by the Court The PSC, in a release to the press, stated that it is committed to continue observing this recount, and “believes it essential that the international community and all of the International Observers resume their commitment and active presence” to do the same.

“The PSC, therefore, appeals directly to the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Organization of American States, the European Union, the Carter Center and the Caribbean Community to return to

Guyana for the commencement of the recount by GECOM. GECOM will, of course, have to set definitive timelines for the commencement of the recount to accommodate the travel of International Observers.

It is the considered position of the PSC, after an exhaustive examination of the facts before us, that, it is only in District 4 that the tabulation and declaration of the results by Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, was clearly fraudulent and has no credibility.”

The Commission said that it “maintained a substantial team of Election Observers across the country and found absolutely no evidence to suggest that the declaration of the election results was not credible and in compliance with the electoral laws in all the Districts except District 4.

The PSC is fortified in this view by the fact that none of

the several other international Observer Teams reported any irregular or unlawful conduct in respect of any other aspect of the electoral process other than the tabulation and declaration of the results of District 4 by Returning Officer Mingo.

The PSC is, therefore, convinced that it would be an entire waste of time and wholly unnecessary for GECOM to conduct a recount of the ballots cast in any District other than District 4.

The PSC holds that any request to extend the recount to Districts other than District 4 to be a deliberate, unreasonable and unacceptable attempt to delay the conclusion of the recount and urges GECOM to confine a recount to District 4.

Further, the restrictions to travel now imposed as a result of the COVID-19 virus would make the

implementation of a countrywide recount of the ballots an almost insurmountable exercise which, as we have pointed out, is entirely frivolous and unnecessary.”

The PSC also asserted that it is satisfied, from its own observations, that the involvement of certain officials in the tabulation and verification process in District 4, materially contributed to the fraudulent tabulation and verification of the process and, “it is, therefore, obvious that these O ff i c e r s m u s t n o t b e involved in the process of the recount”.

“In this regard, the PSC notes the reiteration by the Full Court and the Court of Appeal, in their recent pronouncements, of the Courts' recognition of the wide and extraordinary powers of GECOM, conferred by the Constitution and the E l e c t i o n L a w s

(Amendment) Act, to do all things necessary and take such steps that are fair, impartial and expedient.

GECOM is therefore duly empowered to remove these errant officers and replace them with others, so that the public confidence and integrity, which the Chairperson said is so essential for the electoral system, can be restored.

The PSC considers that the reality of the restrictions placed on international travel by the COVID-19 virus pandemic demands

that arrangements are made for the recount proceedings to be broadcast live on radio and television and live streamed for international reception by those Observer teams whom are unable to be physically present at GECOM for the recount proceedings.

The PSC looks forward to the Chairman of GECOM immediately delivering on her Constitutional obligations to the people and nation to ensure fairness and impartiality in completing the conduct of the elections.”

Marcus Bisram to stand trial in High Court

M

arcus Brian Bisram, who was extradited from the United States of America to face a murder charge, was yesterday committed to stand trial in the Berbice High Court by Magistrate Renita Singh at the Whim Magistrate's Court.

The Magistrate had discharged the matter against Bisram for lack of sufficient evidence in the

case two court sessions ago.

However, Bisram was rearrested just a few hours after he was released, by police at Springlands Station, based on orders given by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The orders which were handed down were to rearrest Bisram and have the Preliminary Inquiry reopened by Magistrate Singh, and further, to have him committed to the high court.

Bisram reappeared at the Whim Magistrate's Court last week, but while Singh reopened the PI, she stuck by her ruling that there was insufficient evidence to commit him to the high court and that she would seek further advice from the DPP. When Bisram appeared yesterday before the court with his attorneys, Magistrate Singh related that further directions were given to her to commit the accused

to a High Court trial, since the orders were clear.

Bisram's Attorney Sanjeev Datadin, while addressing the court, stated that they have since filed high court proceedings to quash the orders handed down by the DPP. That, he said, is expected to be heard on April 15th. It was in that regard that a request was made to stay the proceedings until the matter is heard at the High Court.

He further asked the court to adjourn until that matter is heard.

However, State Prosecutrix Stacy Goodings argued that there has been no order made out from any other court to influence the Magistrate to stay the proceedings as requested by the defence. She further reminded the Magistrate that from the commencement of the proceedings, she had already committed Bisram for High Court trial.

The Magistrate then told the court that she has only received orders from the DPP and none other, and as such would follow those orders. She then stuck to her decision and committed Bisram to the High Court.

Marcus Bisram was

Marcus Bisram

charged with counselling, procuring and commanding Harri Paul Parsram, Radesh M o t i e , N i r a n Ya c o o b , Diodath Datt and Orlando Dickie to murder Faiyaz Narinedatt between October

31, 2016 and November 1, 2016. Narinedatt's battered and bloody body was found on the Number 72 Village public road clad in just his trousers, while his body bore apparent marks of violence.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday April 07, 2020

PAGE 09

The battle will be won by the scientists

T

he period just after the Second World War saw the churning out of comic books and movies celebrating Allied forces heroism in the war. Most of the comic books depicted British and American forces successes against German, Italian and Japanese troops in Europe, North Africa and South-East Asia.

Planted firmly in the imagination of the post-war generation was the idea that the war was essentially won on land, battlefields, beaches, jungles and deserts by soldiers and marines. The truth, however, is far different.

What took place in those arenas was the reclaiming and acquisition of territories.

The real war took place secretively and behind closed doors in underground bunkers.

At one stage, England faced almost total obliteration from advancing German armies and that country's airpower. The day was saved for England and for the Allies by the scientific community. Science was the tipping point in the war.

A group of scientists successfully broke the encrypted German communication codes. The breaking of the codes allowed British intelligence to know what the Germans

were planning to do before they did it.

Some of the German operations were allowed to go ahead so as to not raise the suspicions of the Germans that their communication m e s s a g e s w e r e compromised. But others were not. This scientificallydriven intelligence hacking was the tipping point in the course of the war.

The world is now engaged in another war. The enemy this time is invisible.

It is deadlier than a missile.

All of the affected countries have begun to deploy social distancing measures to reduce the spread of the virus.

Social distancing is vital to containing the spread of the virus. People should stay at home and only go out if absolutely necessary. They should comply with the advisories provided about washing hands, staying a safe distance from other persons and sanitizing things which they are likely to touch.

Containment will reduce the spread and save lives, but it will not win the war. This war is going to be won in the laboratories. It is going to be won by the scientists who are working on a vaccine and on treatments.

There is no cure for the coronavirus. But efforts are being accelerated to develop

a vaccine. This is not likely to materialize in less than a year, because vaccines are subject to a series of clinical tests before they are authorized for public use. In the meantime, thousands more will die. The real battle therefore is against the clock.

As such, efforts are being ramped up for possible treatment options. Some of the latest developments should be of keen interest to our local doctors.

There is a drug, which is produced locally, which scientists are looking at. I will not mention the name of the drug, since Guyanese have a penchant for experimenting with both prescription and herbal medications, to their detriment.

D o n a l d Tr u m p h a d named thus drug as a possible “game-changer” in the treatment for the coronavirus. He based his assessment apparently on the results of a small study done in France.

That study has come in for criticisms and some experts have warned against treatments which have not been subject to more extensive clinical tests.

A new study in China, using the same drug, on 62 persons has shown greater promise. The initial results indicate that the drug allows for faster recovery and

Dem boys seh...

Do suh nah like suh

D

em boys seh that Cheddi turnin' in he grave and Burnham laughing at he.

Burnham seh how he gat some of Cheddi boys – Rum Jattan and Na Ga Much To Do dancing to he, Burnham, tune.

Dem boys wan know if Rum Jattan and the man who part the Red Sea ain't gat no shame. Dem boys wandering how dem does face dem wife and pickney after what they doing.

When dem bin with Cheddi dem been fighting fuh certain things. When dem join the Hey Eff See, dem seh dem gan hold the HAPNU to certain things. It looks like the HAPNU is the one who holding dem.

Dem boys seh some of dem ain't gat no shame. Dem condoning the same thing dem condemn long ago. Dem nah standing up fuh wuh dem seh dem gun stand up fuh.

Dem gat to be getting something that gat

dem turning dem face.

The Hey Eff See is a disgrace. Suh dem boys seh. Only Dominic had the guts to stand up fuh what he stand fuh. Dem boys asking wha ever happen to Trotty… and Patto. It gat to be that dem too get nice up.

All of de rest of dem did promise de people to do the right thing. Dem too gat to be doing well fuh tun dem eye.

Dem boys seh de ABC countries watching dem. But dem too tekkin too long fuh act.

Dem boys seh is only one medicine gun put things tight with dem Jezebels in the Hey Eff See. Once dem visa and dem family visa start to get pull, is only den dem gun start to dance to Cheddi tune and cause Burnham fuh roll in he grave.

Talk half and wait on Sarah, Lillie and Greggy to start pulling dem and dem family visa.

protection from the coronavirus. But even this study has its critics.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States, however, has approved of this drug and another related one, for the treatment of critical coronavirus cases. Both of these medications can be manufactured in Guyana in large quantities.

No one expects that the

drugs should be dispensed to mild cases. But if our doctors feel that they will do no harm in critical patients, would they be averse to its use on the very critical cases?

Social distancing will slow spread of the virus. But what will end the threat is science.

Scientists are working assiduously behind the scenes to develop a vaccine and treatment options. They

hold the whole world's expectations in their hands.

Like they did during the Second World War, they will deliver, hopefully, sooner rather than later.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Tuesday April 07, 2020

THE FREDDIE KISSOON COLUMN

Mingo is part of a deep state, conspiratorial labyrinth I

f you take the March 4 breakdown of the post-voting process, there is incontrovertible evidence that the 2020 rigged election is a deep state conspiracy. It is dangerous, and foolishly so, to isolate Clairmont Mingo and make him the centrepiece of the villainy.

From March 4 when Mingo stopped his tabulation and the minds of the international observers were repulsed at what they saw Mingo do from Wednesday March 4, and the conspiratorial behaviour of many GECOM players, it is obvious that the destruction of the election process is not a little act of conniving depravity of some inflexible insignificant actors, but a wider conspiracy including GECOM, the police and state actors.

If the opposition political parties and civil society do not recognize this reality and

allow GECOM unlimited jurisdiction without meticulous observing from stakeholders, the recounting will be indecently rigged.

Here is the proof of the deep state hand that is so graphically emblazoned on the face of the election circus.

1- On March 4, Mingo stopped the tabulation, came back with a spreadsheet to kerfuffle the Region 4 votes.

2- Deliberate confusion was engendered the next day

by GECOM personnel.

Mingo took sick, he appointed an unauthorized person to deputize; the two recounters wanted a rest; two pregnant recounters wanted a rest, but when given, were not seen to be resting. A young man picked up sensitive GECOM data and was found with them in another room. What is the point in the number 2 enumeration? Mingo could not have been directing such

a large operation.

3 – Lowenfield and Claudette Singh were nowhere to be found when the invented confusion was spreading inside the Ashmin's Building. On the contrary, Singh was in a room where the police even stopped persons that she requested to see. She did not intervene to stop the police.

Three weeks after her infamy, she is yet to explain why she was locked up in that room for more than four hours.

4- International observers and opposition agents openly saw L o w e n f i e l d ' s D e p u t y, Roxanne Myers, giving instructions that she had no authority to do.

5 – Lowenfield took Mingo's fictional Region 4 numbers and made up an official declaration of the election and informed Singh to summon a statutory meeting of GECOM to make

a declaration.

6- The police high command removed Assistant Commissioner Edgar Thomas because he refused an unprofessional request to remove GECOM commissioner, Sase Gunraj, who had every right to be inside the GECOM command centre. Who gave the police that order and why did the police adhere to it by removing Thomas?

7- Former Barbados, Prime Minister Owen Arthur, representing the Commonwealth had a confrontation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs at the GECOM command centre, with threats to pull the observers' accreditation.

The Minister said she was instructed. By whom and who facilitated her at the command centre while a GECOM commissioner was not allowed in the building?

8 - The court stopped Lowenfield's final declaration and ordered Mingo to resume Region 4 tabulation with transparency and openness. He earned a contempt of court writ because he did not adhere to

the court's ruling.

9 - He mysteriously moved the action from Ashmin's building to GECOM head office in Kingston, where he openly violated the court's order through the comical use of a p r o j e c t o r, a p i e c e o f cardboard and a dirty bedsheet.

10 - While Mingo was performing the greatest charade game the world ever saw, Lowenfield and Singh remained invisible.

11- The police force was at it again. APNU+AFC supporters were assaulting opposition agents and the media in full view of the police, and some ranks were laughing.

12 - The police were stopping legitimate opposition politicians and media from entering the Kingston office while virtual thugs from APNU+AFC were allowed inside. How do you explain this?

13- The police force was now committed to the deep state conspiracy. Giftland Mall was told to adjust its original cameras that pointed in the direction of the

Frederick Kissoon Convention Centre where the containers with the ballot boxes were stored. Why? Obviously, if you are going to tamper with the locks on the containers, the cameras will pick up the criminals.

14 - Mysteriously when Mingo's contempt of court hearing was to begin at the Chief Justice's court, deep state actors ordered the fumigation of the court house.

14 – Fumigation exercises took over the recounting process while the CARICOM team had to be held up in their hotel. After the fumigation was over, a writ was filed stopping the recount.

15- Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley referred to “forces” that did not want the recount. Did she mean the deep state conspirators?

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

Tuesday April 07, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 11

Kaieteur News

PAGE 12

Tuesday April 07, 2020

Political parties, local observer and online petition, call for recount to be televised

T

wo political parties, a local observer and an online petition are asking Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chair Justice (ret'd) Claudette Singh, to ensure that the recount of all votes cast in the March 2020 elections is broadcast live for the world to see.

The request comes at a time when GECOM is seeking to iron out the modalities of the recount.

Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield has been given the mandate of developing a plan for the

execution of the recount, to present to the Commission tomorrow.

Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) Leader, Lenox Shuman wrote a letter to the Chair highlighting the need for transparency.

Shuman pointed to the role of political parties and their nominees as stated in Article 161B of the Constitution of Guyana: "It is hereby declared that the rol e o f t h e P o l i t i c a l Parties and their nominees in the conduct of elections by the elections commission shall be limited to their

Leader of Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), Lenox Shuman

Chairman of local observer, Private Sector Commission (PSC) Captain Gerry Gouveia

PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo

participation in determining policy, monitoring the electoral process and the conduct of elections, but does not include active management of the elections."

Against this backdrop, and that of the events following March 2, Shuman asked that the media be present so they may provide live broadcast at, and of the recount.

“This provides the absolute greatest degree of transparency that would instill public confidence in the process and the results of these elections.”

The LJP leader further asked that district four returning officer, Clairmont Mingo, and GECOM's Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers, be excluded from the recount, as there have been accusations against them which have cast a shadow of doubt on GECOM's ability to produce free, fair and credible elections.

People's Progressive Party (PPP) general secretary Bharrat Jagdeo also discussed the need for a live stream of the recount during a recent press conference.

He said that it is necessary for the recount to be transparent, and that the presence of observers,

especially CARICOM, is essential.

Kaieteur News spoke with Chairman of the Private Sector Commission ( P S C ) , C ap tain G er r y Gouveia yesterday.

The PSC, as a local observer of the 2020 general and regional elections, has been outspoken about the issues coming out of the electoral process, and has even written to the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to ensure that a watchful eye is kept on the process.

Gouveia said that for GECOM to have the recount televised would be for it to show the utmost symbol of transparency.

An online petition has also been circulating for live video coverage of the recount, with over 8,930 signatures already added in support as of 7:00 pm yesterday.

A note attached to the petition states “We the Guyanese citizens are requesting that GECOM hold a transparent recount of the March 2nd election ballots, specifically a live video broadcast.

This will ensure that all stakehold ers and voters have an opportunity to witness the recount for themselves.”

Tuesday April 07, 2020

Kaieteur News

PAGE 13

Police continue drug fight with major Berbice River operation

E

ven as Guyana and the rest of the world are battling against the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the nation's police - moreso ranks of East Berbice/Corentyne, Region 6 - are not letting up in its fight against the illegal drug trade On Saturday, a narcotics eradication exercise was conducted at Gatetroy in the Berbice River.

After the more than 11-hour operation under the command of a Gazetted Officer,

two camps with more than twenty-seven (27) kilograms of dried cannabis sativa were destroyed by fire.

Also destroyed were approximately five acres of cannabis with over twenty-five thousand plants ranging between two to seven feet in height.

No arrest was made, but efforts are being made to trace ownership of the land with a view of instituting criminal charges. Clothing and other articles were found and also destroyed.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Tuesday April 07, 2020

Tiger in NY Zoo is sick with the other tigers and lions have coronavirus - Several also exhibited symptoms

By Joseph Goldstein (Republished from The New York Times)

A

tiger at the Bronx Zoo has been infected with the coronavirus, in what is believed to be a case of what one official called “ h u m a n - t o - c a t transmission.”

“This is the first instance of a tiger being infected with COVID-19,” according to the federal Agriculture Department, which noted that although only one tiger was tested, the virus appeared to have infected other animals as well.

“Several lions and tigers at the zoo showed symptoms of respiratory illness,” according to a statement by the department. They are expected to recover.

Public health officials believe that the large cats caught COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, from a zoo employee.

“That's the assumption, that one of the keepers who

was asymptomatic or shedding the virus before they were sick was the source of the infection,” Dr. Paul Calle, chief veterinarian at the Bronx Zoo, said in a phone interview.

While the zookeepers generally keep a barrier between themselves and the cats, they do get within a few feet of the animals. “During the course of feeding and doing enrichment they will come within feet of them but on opposite sides of the barrier,” he said.

The tiger, a 4-year-old Malayan tiger named Nadia, appeared visibly sick by March 27.

Her sister Azul and two Amur tigers are also sick.

They live in the zoo's Tiger Mountain enclosure.

Another tiger that lives in the same place has “not exhibited any clinical signs,” according to a statement by the zoo.

“There is no evidence that other animals in other areas of the zoo are showing symptoms,” the Agriculture Department said.

Ly n d s a y M . C o l e , assistant director of public affairs for the department's animal and plant inspection service, said there have been no reports of sickened animals in other zoos in the United States.

The Bronx Zoo, one of the largest in the United States and one of New York's top attractions, houses roughly 6,000 animals.

And zoos, unlike museums or Broadway theaters, cannot entirely shut down. Animals still need to be cared for and checked on.

Penguin chicks might require help after they hatch.

Captive tigers, alligators and grizzly bears probably should not be left to their own devices.

“The animals that we care for rely on us for everything,” Jim Breheny, the director of the Bronx Zoo, told The Times last week before the coronavirus case had been confirmed.

The zoo closed to the public on March 16 and since then about 300 workers of its 700-plus staff were deemed “essential” to care

for animals and maintain the zoo's operations.

They are split in half into two teams, which report on alternating weeks, maintaining social distancing to protect the animals, while providing hay to American bison or offering fish to hungry Magellanic penguins.

“The animals are blissfully unaware of what the rest of us have been going through,” said Mr. Breheny, whose first job at age 14 was staffing the zoo's camel rides.

The tiger was the only animal tested because the procedure involved general anesthesia, the Agriculture Department said. While there were other tigers and lions showing similar symptoms, the veterinarian wanted to limit the potential risks of general anesthesia to one animal, it said.

“We had a sick tiger and we needed to treat the tiger and know what the cause of the illness was so we could care for it,” Dr. Calle said.

A pet cat in Belgium recently tested positive for

Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx Zoo, tested positive for the coronavirus. (Photo Credit: Julie Larsen Maher for the Bronx Zoo) the coronavirus, but the A m e r i c a n Ve t e r i n a r y Medical Association said that not enough was known to change the current view that neither cats nor dogs appear to be able to pass the virus to people.

A scientific study in China, which has not yet been peer reviewed, found that the virus reproduces

“efficiently” in cats and can be transmitted by respiratory droplets, but this was in laboratory conditions. The report did not say what kind of symptoms the cats experienced, if any.

Another report, which has also not yet been peer reviewed, concluded on the basis of blood tests that cats (continued on page 15)

Kaieteur News

Tuesday April 07, 2020

PAGE 15

COVID-19 claims drag racer - confirmed as its 5th victim cases now 31

Dead: Drag Race champ, Deryck 'Mad Dog' Jaisingh

A

38-year-old popular drag racer is the country's latest COVID-19 fatality - its fifth.

Family members last evening confirmed that Deryck Jaisingh, more popularly known by fellow drag racers as 'Mad Dog', passed away in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).

Kaieteur News was told that the businessman, who has an established trucking service located at Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara, and also lives in the village, went to GPHC last Tuesday after being refused by a private hospital. He had been experiencing breathing problems.

He was reportedly admitted the same day, and tested, but the family members did not know until Thursday that he was positive with the coronavirus. He got progressively worse and died last evening just after 19:00hrs in the ICU. DISPLAYING SYMPTOMS But it was the story that is coming out that is angering his friends and family.

Kaieteur News was told that Jaisingh called the COVID-19 hotline several times begging for tests to be conducted. He had been displaying symptoms. However, no one came, although he was promised.

It appears one man who was pushing to have the tests done was a doctor. He leaves to mourn a number of children and employees.

The case would raise serious questions over the follow-up protocols of the hotlines.

There were supposed to be follow-up calls to persons who would have reached out.

Jaisingh's trucks and heavy equipment have been working in the gold and bauxite sector, the newspaper learnt. His death threw the local racing fraternity into mourning.

The Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) in a Facebook post said it is deeply saddened at the news of the passing of Jaisingh.

“The club and the entire motor racing fraternity join his family and friends in the mourning of his passing which has rocked the sport.

He was the reigning unlimited class drag racing champion with his Toyota Supra. He will be missed by members of the racing fraternity and race fans all around.”

Jaisingh, the club said, was described by those who know him as a good and kind-hearted individual. “The GMR&SC wishes that his family will get the strength to get through this tough situation.”

Jaisingh was one of eight individuals who were transferred to the hospital's ICU yesterday.

Health authorities yesterday too confirmed 31 cases of the Coronavirus. The deaths now stands at five.

During her update to the nation yesterday afternoon, Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence, disclosed that from February 26th to April 6th, the total number of persons who have been tested has moved to 115, of whom 31 are positive, 84 are negative and one inconclusive test— which later proved negative after 14 days of isolation. There are 23 individuals

Tiger in NY Zoo is sick with...

From page 14 had been infected in Wuhan.

The World Organisation for Animal Health says that there is no evidence that cats or dogs spread the disease to humans, but that anyone who is sick should take precautions in contact with their animals as they would with people.

There have been no known reports of pets becoming sick

with Covid-19 in the United States. But the Agriculture Department recommended that people who have the virus limit contact with animals.

“If you are sick with Covid19, avoid contact with your pet, including petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked, and sharing food,” the department said.

in institutional isolation who are disseminated across Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Seven, and 35 in institutional quarantine by the Ministry of Public Health.

With regard to the regional breakdown of the latter, the Health Minister stated that there are ten persons in Region Three, 22 in Region Four and three in Region Six. Lawrence was keen to note that three family members of the first index case, all of whom tested positive, had two post-isolation tests conducted on them. With satisfaction, she added that tests for each of the family members came back negative, clearing them as vectors of the disease.

Furthermore, the Health Minister disclosed that eight cases associated with Guyana's first case have recovered after isolation.

Meanwhile, calls to the

COVID-29 hotline totaled 1, 495 as of yesterday. These include calls from Regions Three, Four and Ten. The Health Minister said that “I wish to state that all of the regions are in receipt of the various types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). In Region Three, I wish to acknowledge the efforts of a private citizen for Wakenaam, Victor Wong, who is offering his services to sanitize the Sans Souci Police Station and the Wakenaam Cottage Hospital. Bravo to you, sir!”

Lawrence added, “Also in the East Berbice where the good spirited citizens are volunteering to sanitize the community. The Ministry of Public Health is appreciative of all of your efforts and we salute you.”

Once again, the Minister stressed the need for Guyanese to protect themselves and to follow the guidelines from the Health

Institution.

“You are fully aware that COVID-19 does not choose whom it may affect. You will not escape the Coronavirus disease if you are laid back, so help us to help you in this fight,” she appealed.

She posited that people may not comprehend the seriousness of the Coronavirus, while noting that citizens are still congregating, even though a 6pm to 6am curfew has been established.

“Your cooperation is critical. I am begging you, stay at home,” Minister Lawrence emphasized.

To strengthen the capacity of surveillance for early identification of cases, the Ministry of Public Health will launch an app that will provide individuals with the opportunity of reporting symptoms. The Health Minister asked for citizens to stay tuned for the launch of that application.

PAGE 16

Stabbed, bound body of cattle farmer found in shallow grave

By Shikema Dey

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Kaieteur News

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The community of Belle West on the West Bank of Demerara was rocked when news of an elderly cattle farmer's gruesome demise made its rounds.

The dead man was identified as 68-year-old Sohan Ramdial also called “Nancy.”

His body was discovered buried in a shallow grave on his farm, some hours after he had gone missing. His daughter and other family members made the shocking discovery.

Kaieteur News was informed that his body was found at around 14:30 hrs yesterday. From reports received, the deceased, a pensioner of Lot 69 Canal No. 2 Claybrick Road, West Bank Demerara, left his home on Sunday af-

ternoon for his farm at around 5 o'clock with the intention of milking his cows. However, Monday came and the cattle farmer had not returned.

His daughter told Kaieteur News that this was odd, since her father would always return home by nightfall.

“When I wake up, Mommy seh Daddy ain't come home and normally, he does come home, so me and my brother come here to check if we see him.”

According to her, when they arrived at the farm, the milk bucket her father left home with was on the ground, while the cows were tied at their usual spot, but her father was nowhere to be found.

“The foot for the cows tie and the head (in the milking position) but we ain't see

$250,000 bail each for six men charged in 166kg drug bust

The six men who were allegedly busted with a large quantity of narcotics in a boat on the Berbice River last Wednesday have been granted bail to the tune of $250,000 each.

The men are Shawn Lindie 43, his nephew Shawn Lindie, both of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, Rajesh Munroe, 25, of No. 2 Village, East Canje Berbice; Gladwin WANTED Lindie. 35, of Vryman’s Erven, One Spindle Maker. Kindly New Amsterdam; Ralston contact Jettoo’s Lumberyard Lindie 34 of Fort Ordnance, & Sawmill. Tel# 226-2756/225- East Canje Berbice, and Alphonso Lindie, 56, of Fort 5341 Nassau, Berbice River.

1 Male Bahir to work in the They appeared before Interior, must know to bake as Magistrate Peter Hugh in the well between the ages 30-45. New Amsterdam Magistrates Contact#668-4973 Court and pleaded not guilty

to the charge of possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

The prosecution case, as presented by Corporal Winston Poliah, is that about 15:00 hrs on the day in question, the police were conducting marine patrol in the Berbice River. In the vicinity of Plegt Anker village they intercepted a wooden boat which was being powered by a 75 HP Mercury engine with the six men inside.

A search of the vessel revealed two bulky haversacks and a number of parcels. The contents of the haversacks were emptied. In total, there were one hundred and twenty-four taped parcels of suspected cannabis which when weighed amounted to 166 kilograms of the illegal drugs. They were charged and the boat and engine seized. The case has been adjourned to April 14.

Daddy...so we go home and collect some other relatives and go back to search.”

The man's grieving daughter related that the search team went in different directions, when her brother stumbled upon a patch of upturned soil.

This, she stated, was an odd sight, and appeared to have something buried underneath. Curiosity and fear overcame the relatives and they dug up the patch to reveal a grisly find. Lying beneath was the body of Ramdial, with what appeared to be a rope tied around his neck.

Police were immediately summoned to the scene and the body was removed from the shallow grave.

The grave was said to be

at least two feet deep.

Sources close to the investigations revealed that not only was a rope found around the cattle farmer's neck, he was bound by the hands and feet.

Added to that, he was also found with what appeared to be stab wounds to his chest.

The man's daughter was at a loss as to who would want to harm her father, since he was a well-known and friendly person who had no known grievances.

“He and nobody didn't have no problem, so I don't know why somebody would do this to my father. It is a murder, because they kill him and shallow grave him.”

The body is at the Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting an autopsy. The probe is ongoing.

Duo jailed 18 months, fined $44M each for ganja trafficking

Leroy Lindie

Michael Bobb

Two men who were nabbed with a large cache of narcotics during a police sting operation on Monday, March 30, in the Canje River,

have been jailed for 18 months and fined $44,089,200 each.

Leroy Lindie, 28, of Sand Hills, Berbice River and Michael Bobb called “Mickey”, 24, of Ithaca, West Bank Berbice, were charged for possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking.

They were nabbed after the police conducted a sting operation, intercepted a wooden vessel and arrested them at a location in the Canje River about 21:45hrs on the aforementioned date.

A search of the boat was conducted and twenty-four parcels of Cannabis Sativa were found. The men were taken into custody, along with the substance and boat.

The substance was weighed and tested, and found to be 46,980 grams of the illegal substance.

They appeared last Friday before Magistrate Peter Hugh in the New Amsterdam Magistrates Court where they pleaded guilty and were sentenced and fined.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday April 07, 2020

PAGE 17

Fish vendor struck and killed by minibus at Houston The scene of the fatal accident at Houston yesterday afternoon

A

3 2 - y e a r- o l d f i s h vendor met a horrific death when he was struck and killed by a minibus while on his bicycle on the Houston Public Road, East Bank Demerara.

Dead is Rudy Nurse of 188 Lance Gibbs Street, Queenstown,

Georgetown.

The accident occurred at around 15:45 hrs yesterday.

From police reports, the driver of minibus PYY 1311 was proceeding north on the eastern lane of the Houston Public Road, while Nurse was proceeding south.

It was said that as the driver of the bus was in the vicinity of Rahaman's Park, the pedal cyclist reportedly proceeded to cross from the western side of the road to the eastern side and in the process of doing so, he ended up in the path of the bus and collided with the left

front.

As a result of the collision, Nurse fell onto the road surface where he received injuries about his body. He was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The driver, said to be a 25-yearold resident of 19th Street, Diamond, East Bank Demerara, was subjected to a breathalyzer test and no alcohol was found in his system. He has been taken into police custody, and is assisting with the investigations.

PAGE 18

Kaieteur News

Tuesday April 07, 2020

Tuesday April 07, 2020

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Tuesday April 07, 2020

Tuesday April 07, 2020

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Dillon ‘disappointed’ over TTCB move Barcelona slashes but confident of holding onto job staggering wage...

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago head coach, Mervyn Dillon, says it was “disappointing” he was not formally notified that his job was being advertised by the T&T Cricket Board, but believes he still has an excellent chance of retaining the post.

The former West Indies fast bowler’s contract expires at the end of April but earlier last week, the TTCB posted an advertisement for the position.

“I am quite confident. I think I am probably in a better position than anybody else to retain the job,” he told the NewsDay here.

“Funny enough I heard

about it (advertisement) after one of the [media] guys called me [last Thursday] morning.

That’s when I found out about it, which was kind of disappointing because even if it is being advertised I would think I would be one of the first people to be notified.”

He added: “I spoke to the president (Azim Bassarath) and Mr (Dudnath) Ramkissoon (cricket operations officer). The president insisted that I was told that the job was going to be advertised, but I don’t think I am losing my memory.

“That was not the case as far as I am concerned. I did not have that conversation.”

In response, Ramkissoon

conceded while Dillon had not been informed when the position was being advertised, he should have known based on the terms of his contract renewal last November.

“The executive met recently and decided to send out the ad. He is correct, we did not tell him it was going out,” explained Ramkissoon.

“But in November he knew because the letter he got advising him that his contract was extended until the end of April clearly stated at the end of one of the paragraphs ‘while your tenure will end in April you are free to apply for the job of head coach of the Red Force’.”

The move to advertise the

Tuesday April 07, 2020 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Paperwork involving money needs to be executed today, Aries. It could be a settlement, new commission, or bonus of some kind.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Today your mind should be especially quick and penetrating, Taurus. You could decide to tackle some in-depth research that you've been considering doing for a while on a subject that fascinates you.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Some vivid, beautiful dreams or visions could awaken you and make you aware of new opportunities. They could be creative in nature, and you should consider taking advantage of them, Gemini.

CANCER(June21–July22) Today you might decide to attend a group activity that is primarily concerned with an intellectual, philosophical, or spiritual interest of yours, Cancer.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) A public figure, perhaps an author, might capture your interest in some way today, Leo. This person could have a lot to say that appeals to you on a number of different levels.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Today you might attend a party or group activity that puts you in touch with some interesting people from faraway places, Virgo.

You could find their conversation intellectually stimulating.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Some big upheaval in your career could take you by surprise, Libra, but it's apt to make a very positive difference to you. Your public standing and income could both skyrocket.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) A social event could bring you into contact with a very intense, fascinating person in an intriguing profession, Scorpio. You could find him or her very charming and sexy.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You always tend to have good powers of concentration, Sagittarius, but today you're more focused than usual, probably on a project that means a lot to you.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19) An intense conversation with your romantic partner could take place today, Capricorn. This could involve taking the relationship to the next commitment level, and the subject of marriage could come up.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) Today you and the other members of your household might discuss the possibility of making some changes.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Today you might feel the urge to write, Pisces. This could involve nothing more than a lengthy letter or email to a friend, but it could also be creative work, such as a novel, essay, screenplay, or poem.

post comes on the heels of T&T Red Force’s best ever finish in the six-year professional era of the first championship, when they ended second behind champions Barbados Pride.

With a single win after the first five rounds of the competition, Red Force rebounded to win two of the last three matches, before the tournament was abandoned following the eighth round due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Red Force finished on 94.6 points from three wins, two defeats and three draws but were adrift of perennial bitter rivals Pride by a whopping 40 points, and only marginally ahead of joint third place finishers Guyana Jaguars and Jamaica Scorpions on 91.8.

Dillon, who took over mid-season in the 2018-19 campaign, led Red Force to a fourth place finish then before guiding them to a semi-final spot in the Super50 Cup later that year.

But tensions between Dillon and former West Indies and Red Force captain, Denesh Ramdin, boiled over during the just concluded season, leading to a public spat between the two.

Ramdin, dropped after just two matches, accused Dillon of not wanting him around and disrespecting senior players, while revealing they hardly communicated with each other.

Coach Adonis looking to...

From page 20 the ball around. I felt proud,” the experienced coach remembered. Coach Adonis, addressed as ‘Laurie’ by everyone, is aware of the uphill task the entire GRFU has but noted the fact that, “Right now everything is at a standstill because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are just waiting and hoping everything gets under control as soon as possible and right now all I am asking my players to do is run. Stay fit mainly through cardio exercises.

Do some ball handling on your own, watch old rugby tapes and try to analyse some plays.” “If we didn’t have the coronavirus problem we (the team) would have been out training. We have a lot of work to do especially on our scrums and lineups. We also need a bit of pace and power so I have encouraged the guys to keep their body in tune.”

From page 21 cut. The players also proposed to make contributions to ensure the club’s non-playing staff could be paid in full during the state emergency in Spain caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Announcing the agreement, the usually silent Messi directed a thinly veiled swipe at the Barca board, whom he accused of undermining the players during recent negotiations.

His lengthy Instagram post was shared by a slew of teammates, including Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez who lashed out last week after it was revealed the players had initially baulked at the idea.

“We hadn’t come to an agreement because we were waiting to find the best solution for the club, and to our benefit and trying to help the employees,” Suarez told a radio station in his native Uruguay.

Bartomeu says the cuts look drastic on paper but that once observed closely are less severe.

“From the word go, we wanted an agreement, not something that was imposed,” Bartomeu says.

“We came to a flexible agreement conditioned to the number of days the crisis lasts.

“In total the wage cuts will make 16 million euros savings per month. If the lockdown lasts one month, it will be a reduction of 5.75 per cent of the annual salary bill.

If it lasts 45 days, it will be 8.6 per cent and if it lasts two months, which we believe not, 11.5 per cent.”

The rest of Barcelona’s staff have been put on partial unemployment.

“Because we are a huge earner we look like we have been hit harder, but once this is over we will be up and running faster too,” Bartomeu says.

PAGE 22

Tuesday April 07, 2020

Kaieteur News

Coach Adonis looking to get Green Machine running at full steam

Coach Laurence Adonis (left) and his son Lance Adonis who has followed in his father’s footsteps after representing Guyana in rugby for several years.

By Calvin Chapman National 15s and youth coach, Laurence Adonis, who has experienced success at many levels in rugby has admitted that he is not happy with where the sport is right now but he believes that he can definitely help in getting

the National men’s team; The Green Machine, operating at its full potential.

“We have somehow messed up and got a little indiscipline. Some players have become egotistical and we have been saying fitness is our main downfall but I

The Guyana men’s and women’s teams after a successful outing in the regional championship. think our players’ lack of knowledge and understanding of the game have also been a huge defeat for us as well. So I will be doing exercises and workshops on those areas to get our players thinking more,” the experienced coach shared with Kaieteur Sport.

Coach Adonis; a former national player, who decided to retire in 1997 and pick up

Augusta National reschedules Masters for November

coaching, during the interview with Kaieteur Sport yesterday, explained how he was essential in helping Guyana get a decent youth programme up and running at that time, which eventually lent a helping hand to the success of the National men’s team in the in the last decade.

The Panthers rugby club coach, who got another stint with the national setup under the newly elected executive of the Guyana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) that took office in February of this year, recounted that in the 90s the national men’s team usually travelled to Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) where they were engaged in 7s and 15s tournaments. And, it was during these tours that he saw youth teams playing during intermission and he decided that he would help Guyana get a decent youth programme.

The National Sports Commission (NSC) 2009 coach of the year shared that himself and Conrad Arjune who were both national and Hornets rugby club players decided to help get youths involved in the sport and initially their main recruits

included lads mainly from Cummings, Quamina and Waterloo streets. Adonis, who was appointed the GRFU’s Youth and Schools’ development coach in 2000, began training the youths in the national park and in that year the first national under16 team toured T&T where, “They didn’t perform too badly based on the fact that there was no real youth competition locally.” “We did so well in the under-19 championships in Guadeloupe in 2001that the then 18-year-old Elwin Chase got picked to represent the now disbanded West Indies senior rugby team and I also got picked as a West Indies selector. My stint didn’t last long because the old rugby association (NACRA) got disbanded”, he noted.

However, it wasn’t until 2003 that Guyana’s youth team burst onto the scene to be feared regionally after winning the Caribbean under18 championships with an unbeaten run that sparked three consecutive years of success at that level.

However, in 2006 and the 2007 championship that served as the under-20 world cup

qualifier Guyana lost both finals to Jamaica. “We were so prepared (in 2003) that we won every single game including against the top ranked team Trinidad in their backyard,” Adonis recalled.

“Many of the players didn’t have any international experience before that. They played for local clubs and the amount of players who came out of that under-18 successful run eventually went on to help the green machine dominate at the senior level where we won 7s and 15s championships for a number of years; players the likes of Kevin McKenzie, Claudius Butts, Theodore Henry and Albert LaRose.”

Adonis posited that one of his proudest moments as a coach was in 2009 when the men’s team won the regional 7s championship in Mexico in an unbeaten run where they got past the might home side in the final. “While we were coming through the airport at Panama after winning in Mexico, a guy stopped us and said that we were the most unselfish team he had ever seen play and it was a joy to watch us play and pass (Continued on page 19)

The front entrance at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga., Friday morning. (Michael Holahan/The Augusta Chronicle via USA Today Network) (Reuters) - Augusta National Golf Club said yesterday that it had identified Nov. 9-15 as a possible date for the rescheduled Masters.

Augusta National had earlier postponed the Masters due to the novel coronavirus outbreak but had not rescheduled the year’s first major.

First round play had been set to begin on Thursday.

“While more details will be shared in the weeks and months to come, we, like all of you, will continue to focus on all mandated precautions and guidelines to fight against the coronavirus,” said Augusta National in statement.

“Along the way, we hope the anticipation of staging the Masters Tournament in the fall brings a moment of joy to the Augusta community

and all those who love the sport.

“We want to emphasize that our future plans are incumbent upon favourable counsel and direction from health officials.”

Earlier yesterday the R&A had announced that the 149th Open Championship scheduled for Royal St George’s from July 16-19 had been cancelled due to the pandemic.

Coach Adonis at the center of a huddle during the Guyana Carnival 7s Rugby tourney last year which his side Panthers won.

Tuesday April 07, 2020

Kaieteur News

‘Olympic hopefuls were really, really ready for their qualifiers like never before’

Charities face crisis during UK shutdown as sports fundraising dries up

- Decision on Braithwaite C’bean C/Ships to be made by month end says Ninvalle

By Sean Devers The sixth annual CARIFTA Boxing Championship was set to return to Guyana for the first time since 1998 after last year’s Champions were held in Trinidad.

The Championships should have commenced next week Saturday but was cancelled last month due to the Global Pandemic COVID19.

Steve Ninvalle, President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) says a decision has not been taken as yet on the Wilfred Braithwaite Caribbean Women’s, Schoolboys and Juniors Tournament which is scheduled for Guyana from the second week in August.

“A decision on that tournament will be made by the end of this month,” informed Ninvalle.

According to him, the GBA has advised all Clubs and Gyms to cease all activity in accordance until further notice as precautions in the fight against the spreading of COVID-19 virus locally.

“This is not something that we are happy about but it is a necessity at this time to preserve good Health….it is a necessity.

We say to those in the boxing fraternity, the Sporting fraternity and people of Guyana that as an Association we respect the decisions that says to observe the protocols of staying at home, washing of hands and social distancing We know how much of the mental impact, social, economic and health impact this is for Guyana but it is a sacrifice we have to make, we have got to dig in if we want to come out of this a healthy and happy Nation,” said Ninvalle, who is serving his second full term as GBA President.

The Corona Virus has not only caused the Olympic Qualifiers in Argentina set from March 26 to April 3 and the Olympics in Japan scheduled from July 24 to August 9 to be cancelled to a new date in 2021 but it also knocked out the hopes of four Guyanese pugilists aiming to qualify for the Olympics.

C a r i b b e a n Bantamweight Champion Keevin Allicock, Middleweight Desmond Amsterdam, light Heavyweight Dennis Thomas and Light Welterweight Colin Lewis, are still in Cuba due to the closure of Guyana’s two International Airports although their training camp ended last month in the Spanish speaking Caribbean Island.

Ninvalle said the GBA knowns what a massive impact that this Corona Vi r u s h a s a ff e c t e d t h e quartet of Olympic hopefuls and the funding for their three-month training stint in Cuba.

“There would have been a massive investment to get them to Cuba for their training stint and that training went down the drain.…when I say went down the drain, I don’t mean whatever they would has learnt and the experience they have gained in Cuba since, will remain with them for all of their lives.

They were really, really ready for their qualifiers like never before and it would have been quite a physiologically impact on them not have the chance t o s h o w w h a t t h e y had learnt in Cuba,” said the GBA boss.

“It is our hope…and I am saying hope... that during next year we could have something almost similar to this training for them to be able to wrest that elusive Olympic Medal next year.

A lot of money was invested…. lots of money, but in the end what is important is that they are still alive and healthy and I think preserving their good health and wellbeing is of utmost importance,” concluded Ninvalle.

Guyana’s Mike Parris is still the only Boxer from the English speaking Caribbean to win an Olympic medal when he won Bronze in the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, while light heavyweight John Douglas is the last Guyanese Boxer to qualify for the Olympics when fought in the 1996 Olympics.

(Reuters) The postponement of major sporting events during the coronavirus pandemic has left some British charities concerned about their survival, representatives have told Reuters, while others are worried about delivering services to vulnerable people.

The London Marathon last year raised over 66 million pounds ($81.21 million) for more than 750 charities but its postponement from April 26 to Oct. 4 has left charities facing a shortage of funds at a time when services are under pressure.

The postponement of other major sporting events such as the Premier League is also hitting organisations hard at a time when charity shops have been forced to close during the lockdown to fight the virus, which has infected 47,806 people and killed 4,934 i the United Kingdom.

The concern in the charity sector is widespread, with 50% of respondents to a survey from the Directory of Social Change reporting that

PAGE 23

their organisations would go bust within six months without additional help.

Seventy percent said they would go bust by the end of the year without financial assistance if the lockdown continues.

Daniel Fluskey, head of policy for the Institute of Fundraising, said charities were facing an “unprecedented crisis” due to a lack of activity, with some 550 saying Britain’s shutdown would see them lose 48% of voluntary income.

Organisations that rely on community events and collections at high profile sporting events would be in “severe trouble”, he added, with services being hit as organisations are forced to make redundancies and are unable to fill vacancies.

Fluskey said the government’s furlough scheme was of little use to charities that needed staff to provide support during the crisis, and suggested the administration provide a stabilisation fund to help organisations through this period.

“It’s a very worrying time for the sector, no organisation will come through this untouched,” he added.

“At the moment all income has dried up, but we’ve got to meet increased demand because of charities stepping up to respond.”

SERVICES IN DANGER Catherine Bosworth, director of income generation for Hospice UK, said the organisation earns around 500,000 pounds each year from the London Marathon, over 70% of its annual income from fundraising.

She added that hospices had reported a dip in income worth 70 million pounds since the start of March and many would have to start cutting services if fundraising events continued to be cancelled.

“We really are in crisis mode,” she said.

“If events cannot run later in the summer I fear we’ll see services closing so we won’t be able to help all the people who need it at a time that demand is increasing quite dramatically. There will come a point when funds are just

going to run out.”

The indefinite postponement of sporting events is also having a knock-on effect on organisations that provide services for Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) such as St John’s Ambulance.

A representative for St John’s Ambulance said it had been affected by the absence of the Premier League, which provides it with 1.27 million pounds per year for first aid cover.

The organisation recently launched a 6 million pounds emergency appeal.

“We are pulling out all the stops to help tackle COVID19, but there are harsh financial realities to switching off our two main sources of income – our first aid training courses and the first cover we provide for events all over the country,” said chief executive Martin Houghton-Brown.

“Our fundraising activity is ramping up and I hope people will dig deep to support St John’s Ambulance, so we can keep helping them and supporting the NHS through this crisis.”

Barcelona slashes staggering wage bill to survive corona lockdown AFP - Spanish super club Barcelona’s colossal cash turnover is under the spotlight after the soccer lockdown slashed the earnings that enabled them to pay over 600 million euros ($647M) per year to staff.

Barcelona’s motto is ‘More than a club’, and fans around the globe tune in to thrill at the hugely successful side spearheaded by Argentine genius Lionel Messi.

But as broadcasting rights for the lucrative Spanish domestic La Liga and the European Champions League have become compromised, the club has had some delicate economic manoeuvering to do.

Not least of these was persuading sensitive star players on huge contracts to take voluntary wage cuts.

European football administrators do not allow for wages above 70 per cent of a club’s earnings, with the Catalan outfit sitting was officially around 68 percent.

The wage budget for the current season was 642 million euros with expected earnings estimated at just over 1 billion euros in the preseason budget presented by

Lionel Messi and the Barcelona football team have taken a short term pay cut. (AFP/File/Lluis Gene) the club last July.

“We clearly won’t manage to earn what we had been expecting to,” Barcelona president Josep María Bartomeu admitted this week.

The club is not only deprived of match-day revenue from 11 domestic games, but all the merchandising that goes with it.

The Spanish sports press this week reported Barcelona could lose 48 million euros in gate receipts and a further 84 million in television rights.

“There has been a huge drop in income and we are trying to compensate this with the reduction of player salaries and all other employees including all our executives,” Bartomeu told

Catalan sports daily El Mundo Deportivo.

A project to refurbish the club’s spectacular Nou Camp home has also been put on ice.

Rumblings of discontent Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi announced a week ago that Barca’s players had agreed to a 70 percent pay (Continued on page 19)

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Tuesday April 07, 2020

What Cricket means to West Indians

Solomon’s direct hit records the first ever tied test claim 300 test wickets, wrecked the Indians on the In December 1960 at f i n a l d a y w h e n t h e y Brisbane in Australia the appeared well set to draw the first ever tie in test cricket match at 158-2. was achieved when Joe The lanky off-spinner Solomon ran out Ian Mckkiff snatched eight wickets for with a direct hit with one six runs in 15.3 sensational stump to aim at with the overs to finish with 8-32, at scores level. that time the best bowling While Solomon just figures by a West Indian in a managed a solitary hundred test innings. He finished with from his 27 tests he will 24 scalps in the series. always be remembered for England lost 3-1 in the his part in the tied test.

1963 series in England He got out in a bizarre before West Indies defeated fashion in the first innings Australia 2-1 in the 1964/65 when he trod on his wicket home series with Gibbs after making a solid 65 and bagging 6-29 at Bourda in then, with a direct hit, ended the third test. a century partnership In 1966 West Indies won between Alan Davidson and the 5-test series 3-1 in Richie Benaud by running England, while West Indies out Davidson for 80 with beat India 1-nil in the 3-test Australia closing in on series in 1966/67 as Conrad victory.

Hunte scored the only Two overs later, with the century by a West Indian in scores level, Solomon ran the series in the first-test out Meckiff to write his victory. name forever in the history The 1968 English 5-test books of West Indies cricket. tour to the West Indies ended Although Sobers had scored with a 1-nil victory for the 132 and O’Neill responded visitors before the West with 181, the hero of the Indies lost the 1968/69 series match was Solomon, the in Australia 3-1. little man with the magic arm West Indies traveled to from British Guiana (re- New Zealand for the 1969 n a m e d G u y a n a a f t e r three-test series and the Independence on May 26th series ended in a 1-1 draw 1966). with Semoure Nurse making West Indies lost that 258 in the final test which 1960/61 five-test series 2-1 ended in a draw. but rebounded to beat India England won the three5-nil in the Caribbean in test series in England 1-nil in 1962.

1969 before India registered In the third test in their only series win in the Barbados, Lance Gibbs, who West Indies (correct to 2006) became the first spinner to with a 1-nil triumph in the 5Lance Gibbs possessed a classical action.

(Getty Images/Patrick Eagar)

By Sean Devers

test series in 1971.

In the second test in Trinidad, spinner Jack Noreiga took 9-95 which still remains the best bowling performance by a West Indian in a test innings but this could not prevent India, set 125 to win, from achieving victory with seven wickets in hand.

After Irving Shillingford removed Vinood Mankad for 45 to break a 68-run opening stand, Noreiga captured every other wicket in the Indian first innings as they were dismissed for 352 replying to the home team’s 214.

O f f - s p i n n e r Shivaramakrishna Ve n k a t a r a g h a v a n t h e n bagged 5-95 as West Indies fell for 261 in their second innings despite 80 from Roy Fredericks and an unbeaten 74 from Charlie Davis who made 71 in the first innings.

India’s opener Sunil Gavaskar scored four centuries and three fifties in the series despite missing the first test and a calypso about ‘the little master’ was made after he scored a century and a double in the last test in Trinidad.

Gavaskar, who finished his career with 10,122 runs from 125 tests at an average of 51.12, scored 13 of his 34 centuries against West Indies.

All of the games in the 1972 five-test series against New Zealand in the West Indies were drawn before

Joe Soloman’s direct ends the game in the first ever tie in Test cricket in 1960 at Brisbane.

Australia beat the home team 2-nil in the 1973 five-test series when Kanhai took over the captaincy.

In the series against New Zealand, the elegant Jamaican Lawrence Rowe burst onto the test arena with a double century (214) and 100 not out in the first test on his home ground to become the first cricketer to score 300 runs in his first test and the only West Indian to date to score a double and single hundred on debut. That his career lasted only 30 tests and produced just seven centuries is one of the biggest disappointments in West Indies cricket.

Dogged by several injuries including an amazing allergy to grass, Rowe’s career ended when he decided to lead a ‘rebel’ team to South Africa.

In that same 1972 series, Alvin Kallicharran made his debut with an unbeaten 100 on his home ground Bourda before registering another century in his next innings in Trinidad.

West Indies beat England 2-0 in the 1973 series in England including a commanding 226-run win at Lords with Kanhai making 157 and Sobers scoring an unbeaten 150 as their team piled up a total of 652-8 declared. Bernard Julien made 121, while Roy Fredericks and Clive Lloyd made half-centuries.

The 1974 home series against England was drawn 1-all with Rowe making three centuries in that series including a brilliant 309 on his home ground, Sabina Park.

This was the last series as captain for Kanhai, who along with Sobers, played the final match in their illustrious careers in the final test of the that series against England before Clive Lloyd took over as skipper.

THE CLIVE LLOYD ERA: Kanhai led the West Indies 13 times before the Clive Lloyd era began in 1974 when the West Indies toured India.

Vi v R i c h a r d s a n d Gordon Greenidge, soon to become the world’s best opening pair, both made their debuts under Lloyd on that tour, which the West Indies won 3-2.

Greenidge (a Barbadian who grew up and learnt his cricket in England) made 93 and 107 in his first match, while Richards (from the small 108-square mile of Antigua) slammed an unbeaten 192 in the second test as the invincible team of the 1980’s began to take shape. Lloyd also led from the front with a brutal unbeaten 242 in the last test.

With Roy Fredericks in ripping form with two tons in the India series and the first World Cup (1975) under their belt, confidence was high as Lloyd’s men traveled to Australia for the 1976 series.

The West Indies boasted a powerful batting line upGreenidge, Fredricks,

Kallicharran, Rowe, Lloyd, Murray, Julien and Boyce.

That they lost the sixTest series 5-1 is now history. West Indies had no answer for the relentless and hostile pace attack spearheaded by the lethal Denis Lillie and Jeff Thompson who produced raw pace with a slinging round-arm action.

Things got so bad that Fredricks, who hit an explosive 169 (71 balls with 18 fours and a six) in the only test the West Indies won, changed three opening partners (Greenidge, Julien and Richards) during the series. Richards scored 30, 101, 50 and 98 in his four innings as opener, while Lloyd scored a century when West Indies won the second test, but the pace was just too much for the Caribbean batsmen on the lightning fast pitches. Lance Gibbs took 5-102 in the first test but, not assisted by the hard tracks, only managed nine wickets in the next five matches.

It was a true trashing which brought the West Indies back to earth after their World Cup success the year before.

Lawrence Rowe scored a triple and a double on Debut.

Kaieteur News

Tuesday April 07, 2020

PAGE 25

Dom Bess reveals mental health struggles

E

SPNcricinfo Dom Bess, the Somerset and E n g l a n d offspinner, has opened up about his mental health battle, which came to a head in a County Championship match last year when he broke down crying to the club’s psychologist while waiting to bat.

In an interview with the Sun, Bess said that he suffered from anxiety and depression while preparing for exams in sixth form, taking him to his “lowest point, really struggling mentally”.

Within two years, he had become an important part of the Somerset side, and was a left-field pick in Ed Smith’s first England squad in 2018, when he took three wickets and made determined scores of 57 and 49 against Pakistan across his first two Tests.

But he remained behind

Dom Bess bowls in England’s tour match in Sri Lanka. (AFP via Getty Images) Jack Leach in the Somerset pecking order, and after falling out of the England side with Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali preferred for the series against India, Bess struggled with the fact he was playing second-team cricket months after

impressing as an international player.

“I went from playing for England to not even getting in the Somerset side,” Bess said. “I’d been struggling at the end of the 2018 season and spoke to Tres [Marcus Trescothick] about things.

“Then last year I went back on loan to Yorkshire. I loved my time there but I wasn’t ever really at home because I’d been away in the winter of 2018-19 with the England Lions. So I’d reached the point where I was working hard but not

getting games, or having to go elsewhere for games.

“It was the build-up over several years, trying to get better, putting everything into it. I’d played for England but now couldn’t see where I was going.”

Back in the Somerset team, Bess opened up to the club’s psychologist while waiting to bat against Yorkshire, and recalled breaking down crying.

“Everything had got on top of me. I’d been struggling for a long time, bottling it up, and it had started affecting my personal life.

“I was chatting to him for a long time. It felt like five minutes but it was probably more than an hour. I was in a state, unleashing everything, talking about my struggles, getting into the spiral.

“All of a sudden we were four down and I had to strap on my pads. It all came out in

that game. I was playing but wasn’t really in it because of my head.”

Bess also revealed that he had thought long and hard over whether or not to take up an offer to go on an ECBled spin-bowling camp in Mumbai, eventually deciding to do so.

Immediately after the camp, Leach’s illness meant he was handed a late call-up to join the Test squad in South Africa, where he took eight wickets and won plaudits for his performance in a holding role.

“I came back in a much better place and my motivation has been high ever since,” he said.

“Depression is quite a strong word and I don’t think it will ever go away, it will always be with me. At times, I’ve really struggled outside cricket as well.

Understanding it and managing it is the key.”

Spurs’ Son to begin Venus inviting others to military service during join her virtual workouts league suspension V enus Williams continues to welcome all interested parties to join her for workouts.

Let’s be clear; Williams is not asking fans to deviate from social distancing as the world battles the coronavirus. Rather, the seven-time Grand Slam champion is asking for others to join her live on Instagram by using the hashtag #CoachVenus for virtual workouts. She started the online programme late last month

Venus Williams of the U.S. acknowledges spectators as she walks off court after losing the match against Cori Gauff of the U.S. at the Australian Open.

(REUTERS/Hannah Mckay)

Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min during a match at Villa Park. (Action Images via Reuters/ Andrew Boyers)

L

O N D O N (Reuters) Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min will begin mandatory military service in his native South Korea while the Premier League remains suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, the London club announced yesterday.

Son, who returned to South Korea at the end of March, is currently in

to encourage others to work out.

“I’ve been doing workouts, Monday through Friday, kind of like a lunchtime break — 12 noon on my Instagram live,” the 39-year-old Williams said on “Access Hollywood.”

“It’s been an incredible experience. The feedback has been great — keeping people motivated is a part of being able to be healthy and build those healthy endorphins; getting people up and moving during the middle of the day; and

quarantine and will begin service later this month.

The 27-year-old, who has been sidelined since he fractured his hand in February, was originally meant to serve 21 months but earned an exemption when he led South Korea to gold at the 2018 Asian Games.

“The club can confirm that Son Heung-Min will commence his mandatory military service in South Korea this month,” Spurs

said in a statement.

“Our medical staff are in regular contact as he concludes his recovery after fracturing his arm in our 3-2 win against Aston Villa on Feb. 16 and continues to train.”

Tottenham, who were eighth in the league table when the season was suspended, said Son would return to London following the conclusion of his military service in May.

helping people still have hope and still be active, stay healthy and that we’ll get through this together. I’ll be doing this until further notice!”

Williams uses common household items, such as water bottles, during her routines, meaning participants don’t need any special workout equipment.

She is occasionally joined virtually by sister Serena W i l l i a m s a n d actress/comedian Amy Schumer.

(Field Level Media)

rt o p S Coach Adonis looking to get Green Machine running at full steam

Boxers, Coaches and Officials at the send-off (3rd from right the GOA head K. Juman Yassin, while to right is the GBA head Steve Ninvalle.

‘Olympic hopefuls were really, really ready for their qualifiers - Decision on Braithwaite C’bean C/Ships like never before’ to be made by month end says Ninvalle

Laurence Adonis

Charities face crisis during UK shutdown as sports fundraising dries up

General view at the start of the men’s elite race of the London Marathon.

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